Book Review: Do Unto Others by Mark Jenkins

Rating: 3 Stars

I just finished reading Do Unto Others, and it was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I ended up giving it three stars, and here's why.

The story revolves around four college friends—Alicia, Brooke, Cathy, and Dana—who made a pact to always support each other. Things take a dark turn when one of them ends up dead on her wedding day, and the three remaining friends realize they share a heavy burden of guilt. They decide to bury the memory of that fateful night and try to move on, but, as they soon discover, the past has a habit of resurfacing in the most unexpected ways.

Enter Bradley, a seemingly charming guy who turns out to be the catalyst for their undoing. He knows their secret and isn't afraid to use it against them. The suspense builds as he manipulates their lives, leading to some gripping moments that kept me turning pages. The twist at the end definitely caught me off guard—so much so that I gave the book a bonus star just for that unexpected turn of events!

However, while the plot had its entertaining moments, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there were some pretty significant plot holes. It felt like the storyline could have benefited from a bit more depth and coherence. I mean, not every book can be a five-star read, right?

Overall, while Do Unto Others had an intriguing premise and some thrilling moments, it left me wanting more in terms of character development and plot consistency. But if you're looking for a light read with some twists and turns, it might still be worth your time!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

Do Unto Others was a good read, definitely held my interest and kept me engaged throughout. It was just missing that little plus for me to make it more memorable.

Do Unto Others is a fast paced, gripping thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book. I just couldn't put it down! I loved all the twists and turns and the ending really took me by surprise. Mark Jenkins has another winner on his hands!
Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC.

This book absolutely did not disappoint, and I will forever read anything that Mark Jenkins writes. The characters were so interesting to read about and the twists were twisting. It was well written and I honestly think my favorite character was Kong, he sounds like a delightful dog. I have yet to be disappointed in a Mark Jenkins book, and I fully expect to love the next one as well, and I'd like to thank Mark for writing this book.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Do Unto Others by Mark Jenkins is a psychological thriller that delves into the depths of friendship, secrets, and the haunting nature of the past.

The narrative follows the lives of four college friends—Alicia, Brooke, Cathy, and Dana—who find themselves bound by a dark secret that promises to follow them to their graves. When one of them dies under mysterious circumstances at her wedding, the remaining three are forced to confront the consequences of their long-buried actions.

Jenkins masterfully crafts a tale that is as much about the strength of bonds as it is about the fragility of trust. The characters each carrying the weight of their shared history, and their individual struggles with guilt and fear are palpable throughout the story.

The plot is a labyrinth of twists and turns, with each chapter peeling back another layer of the mystery. Jenkins plays with the reader’s expectations, leading them down one path only to reveal another hidden corner of the story. The pacing is relentless, driving the narrative forward with a sense of urgency that compels the reader to turn the page.

Perhaps the most striking aspect of Do Unto Others is its exploration of moral ambiguity. The title itself, a play on the Golden Rule, invites readers to consider the ethical dimensions of the characters’ choices. Jenkins does not shy away from posing difficult questions about responsibility and redemption.

However, I did not feel the female characters were well represented - they all were so easily manipulated to do the thing they most feared, by someone they had known a few days. For intelligent professional women, the actions they took made almost no sense.

However, Do Unto Others is a testament to Jenkins’ skill as a storyteller and his ability to weave complex themes into an accessible narrative.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for a copy of this book, I enjoyed it and would recommend it. It’s a solid 3/5 stars for me.

The book is so good and engaging. The writing is compelling. Characters are good and bad both. They are complex. The Setting is creepy. So there is a man who is targeting women and then killing them. His fate eventually brings him across women who are connected in a way but will they be able to save themselves before it’s too late?

Alicia, Brooke, Cathy and Dana have been friends since so long. Brooke disappears and Cathy tries to find her but when she solves the mystery of her disappearance, the secrets and truth comes out too. And unthinkable things happens in the book. The twists were unpredictable. This is a gripping psychological thriller. The ending was jaw-dropping

Wow. That’s the start of what I have to say. I devoured this in about a days time. In no way shape or form did I expect this ending. This is just one of those good fast-paced thrillers you can count on to make you be like, wtf?? I received an ARC of this and I’m SO grateful but that did not change how I feel about this book at all. If you’re looking for someone Freida-esque, look no further!

Mark Jenkins definitely did it again with Do unto Others !!!!!! After reading his first book With One Stone I had to read this one and am so glad I got the opportunity to do so!!! Top of my list of favorites this year!!!! Get going on the next one I’m sure we’re all waiting impatiently for more 😁

Frieda McFadden is the one who introduced me to Mark and I do t regret it one bit !!!

I’ll be waiting for the next one maybe next year ;)

WOW!!!! You did it again!!! Mark Jenkins is a name you will want to remember. His first debut With One Stone was my 2023 Favorite. And NOW 2024, Do Unto Others, will be hard to beat. I don't like reviews that gives anything away about the book. SO let me tell you what I thought it!! I didn't want to put it down. SO many twists and turns and jaw dropping scenes. He puts so much thought into all the little details of this book. I could see the movie in my head. I wanted to take it nice and slow. BUT it was impossible! From the first page he had me hooked. The amount of times my jaw dropped was insane. Just when I knew who done what, I was wrong again and again. Get ready to fall in love with the AlphaBabes and the HOT bad boy Bradley!
Mark Jenkins is an amazing new and fast rising Author. A must read for me!
Grab a drink and snack. And buckle up! This was an awesome ride! I hate it had to end!

Im about to hit you with some BIG feelings...

Mark Jenkins, has just become my new favorite author.

Do Unto Others, is everything I never knew I needed and more.

This book exceeds all expectations and will leave your jaw permanently on the floor.

Instant favorite. 5 stars.

Check out this teaser :

Bound by a solemn oath to carry a burden to their graves, three friends hoped that by silencing a horrific secret, things would stay buried in the past. But as they would soon learn, the past was merely a boomerang.

And it was coming back.

Alicia, Brooke, Cathy, and Dana have been best friends since college. The four girls made a pact to always stick together, and they were inseparable, come hell or high water. But unfortunately for them, hell came.

Now, one is dead at her wedding, and realizing they are at fault, the three remaining girls must face the consequences of their deadly mistake. They decide never to speak of the tragedy again, feeling safe no one knows what they have done.

Until they meet Bradley. Little do they know, the man they thought was the answer to their dreams is their worst nightmare. He holds the key to their secret, and he is ready to use it. Like a master puppeteer, he begins to manipulate their lives, setting in motion a series of events that will leave them shattered and, ultimately, breathless.

You may think you’ve heard this story before. You may think you know the outcome.

Think again.

First, thank you to NetGalley and author Mark Jenkins for the ARC of this book.

I feel it is a 4.5 stars. It had a great storyline and so many plot twists that had me staying up to see what happened.

The middle section became a little repetitive and boring in my opinion. Once you read the first persons perspective I knew what was going to happen to the rest of the characters. I struggled a little to push through this and continue reading.

The ending was awesome! Didn’t see it coming at all! The character development was good and the writing style was very well done.

This was my first book from this author but I’m looking forward to others from him in the future.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 stars

Shocking, appalling and devious! I gobbled this book up! Mark is a brilliant author with a niche for taking classic rules and weaving a web of events that makes your head spin! Brooke, Cathy, Alicia and Dana are college besties and all attended a wedding that ended with death. All feel responsible ans vow never to bring up thatbterrible tragedy. Enter Bradley. He is sexy, smart and of course has a hidden agenda. But the plot thickens as you turn the pages. I found myself quadruple guessing and STILL didn't see this ending coming. Such a delightfully sinful story! A guilty thriller with ALL the bells and whistles!

This book is hilarious, frustrating, easy to read, incredibly engaging. I wish I could read it for the first time all over again.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Mark Jenkins for allowing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I genuinely enjoyed every second of this book and simply did not want it to end. There were twists and turns that I, personally, did not predict and my jaw was on the ground a vast majority of this book.

Just when I thought I had things all figured out, something else happened that made me question everything!

I'm gonna say this part one more time, I wish I could read this book again for the first time.

Stunning. 10/10. Would recommend to ALL horror/thriller lovers!

Mark Jenkins knows how to write dark and twisted. This book had me eyeballing everyone at the grocery store! The plot was very well paced and the characters were flawlessly done.

Well, well , well, what a twisted mind Mr Mark Jenkins has! And thankfully so. It has enabled him to write this fantastic page turner that is filled with riveting twists. Have you ever stated those words let bygones be bygones? Or have you seeked the ultimate revenge? Well this book will take you on a journey of just that,
Many would choose do unto others and seek revenge, but just how far would you take it? Brace yourself for a thrilling read that never lets up and keeps the adrenaline pumping. :highly recommend

Previously recommended read from this author: With One Stone

Mark Jenkins has done it again! Do Unto Others is his latest novel and I was riveted from page one.

Do Unto Others is so layered and unpredictable. My head was spinning from the twists and reveals. The story is about four women who have been friends since college. They call themselves the Alphababes, Alicia, Brooke, Cathy, and Dana, ABCD…. One of the four is dead, passed away on her own wedding day and the three survivors are hiding a dark secret. A year later, the three friends don’t speak to each other very often and when a mysterious man named Bradley comes into their lives, they think he is their knight in shining armor, but is he really?

This was a fun ride from beginning to end. You may think you know the twist, but then another layer is revealed and you are turned around again. I finished the second half of this book in one sitting because I had to know what happens next.

If you have read Mr. Jenkins book With One Stone you may pick up on a few Easter eggs in Do Unto Others. I LOVE a good Easter egg and I hope he continues that in his next books!!

This book is perfect for fans of psychological thrillers and if you like a lot of head spinning twists, this is a good one!

Thank you to Netgalley and Mr. Jenkins for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Mark Jenkins does it again! I was so excited to be chosen to read his newest book and it did not disappoint. Do Unto Others was a great read- I loved the characters (except one!) and liked how we were able to explore all four of the characters in depth. I was dying to know what the tragedy was that happened in the past-it was not revealed until much later in the book. The suspense was killing me!! . I was shocked multiple times throughout this book. A gripping thriller that will keep you reading past your bedtime! Definitely recommend this book-I have another favorite author added to my list. Thank you to NetGalley and Mark Jenkins for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. Solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐧𝐨 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐤𝐞. 𝐎𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐬, 𝐬𝐡𝐞'𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝.

His sophomore release that follows the award-winning WITH ONE STONE, DO UNTO OTHERS is deftly plotted with a layered and complex storyline that will hold you riveted the entire time. After a tense prologue, I settled in thinking I had an idea of the story's plot as it definitely sounded familiar...a group of college girls swear to be friends for life until one of them dies and the other three are at fault. Surely they will drift apart until the guilt begins gnawing away at them and someone confesses, damning all of the participants, right?

*insert author's evil cackles in the background* Now he clears his throat to say, 𝑯𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒚, 𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝑭𝒓𝒆𝒊𝒅𝒂 𝑴𝒄𝑭𝒂𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒏. 𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒂 𝒕𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒕. 𝑺𝒉𝒖𝒕 𝒖𝒑 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅.

I shut up. I read. I was speechless, and then I found my words.

Bradley is the puppet master, targeting each one of the surviving women on someone's orders. How he insinuates himself in each woman's life and gains her trust was masterfully written and will have me forever suspicious of ANYONE who claims to have anything in common with me! I will also think twice about sharing my fears with anyone because I'm not about to have those used against me.

After pausing to take a breath, I wondered who was targeting these women, and when I got to the big reveal, I was in awe at how everything came together to create a truly unique spin on a plot that may sound familiar, but the author made it his own.

I can't wait to see what else he has in store for us, and with only two books, he's already firmly established himself as a thriller writer to watch. So many thanks to the author and his publisher for the early copy. This title will release May 20, 2024.

📚 Book Review 📚 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Do Unto Others by Mark Jenkins

Bradley is the puppet but who is pulling the strings and why are they seeking revenge? Brooke, Cathy and Dana share a secret that they promised to keep between them but someone is clearly seeking revenge and is using their greatest fears against them.

You think you know but you have NO IDEA!! At first you think this is simple revenge but buckle up buttercup because you will be taken on fast and bumpy ride till the end!! I never expected that twist and ending and it was perfecto!!

Thank you NetGalley and Mark Jenkins for the advanced copy! #DoUntoOthers #NetGalley