I was beyond excited to get an ARC for this book. Alex Finlay quickly rose to my list of must-read authors following Every Last Fear and The Night Shift. This one was a different vibe though. While the others were fast-paced thrilling mystery/whodunnits this one felt a lot more slow burn thriller. It is action-packed and the last 10% is extremely explosive. I was a little disappointed just because my expectations were so high BUT it is still a great and very creative novel.

Pros:
Creative plot
Well developed characters
Great ending
Easy to follow even with different POVs
Short chapters

Cons:
Unrealistic to a fault - honestly 5 kids from a group home in a really poor area turned out to be a federal judge, a rockstar, an assassin, a tech BILLIONAIRE, and a tv producer?
Pacing varied leading to some slower sections
No major twists

Overall even with the cons this is still a well-balanced and entertaining read. If you are looking for something along the lines of The Night Shift I’d say this isn’t it, this isn’t a mystery-heavy book - yes we want to know who is out to kill this group of people but it’s still a very different book. I recommend this one for those who love action packed thrillers. I could easily see this one being made into a fabulous action movie!

Thank you NetGalley and St.Martins Press for the ARC in return for my honest review

Oh my gosh I absolutely loved this book! It had me hooked from the very first page, and had me on the edge of my seat!

Highly recommended

This opens with five young people passing a gun around and shooting into a hole. After the last shoots, one says :What have we done?"

Then it forwards 25 years. The five, who turn out to have all been foster children living in the same house, have gone on to successful careers. One was a judge, Another a musician (with a drinking/drug problem). One does a TV show (with a gambling addiction). One is a tech mega millionaire. The last, the only female, is a retired assassin turned soccer mom. When someone kills the judge, the assassin is forced to shoot what turns out to be the tech guy, and the remaining two are nearly killed, they try to figure out who us behind things.

The first character addressed is the woman. You learn that she was an orphan taken from the foster home and trained to kill or do covert ops for some government entity. That is exactly what the Orphan X series by Gregg Hurwitz is about and I was a little miffed, I thought that it was copied and that all of the kids were black ops people. Nope., I still was put off, but the author credits Hurwittz and his series at the end, so I assume that part of the plot would be considered sampling in the music industry,

This book was good enough that it kept me from constantly checking the path of Hurricane Ian, which was headed toward my house.

It was excellent and I will put it close to the top of the books I am recommending to my avid mystery/thriller reading friends.

Wow!!!! This book had me from the start! My heart was pounding the entire book and I couldn’t put it down! It was soooooo good! Twist after twist, secrets, and suspense! I don’t want to give anything away but, this is a must read!


📘: What Have We Done by Alex Finlay
🗓 Pub Date: March 7, 2023

Thank you NetGalley, Alex Finlay, and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC!

*Reviewed on NetGalley and Goodreads. Will review on retail once published!

Alex Finlay unquestionably knows how to weave a tale that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. In his newest thriller, What Have We Done, five kids living in a group foster home do something unspeakable. Twenty-five years later, someone is trying to kill each of them. Could there be a connection?

This book is a heart-pounding, fast paced thrill ride from the first page and doesn't let up until the end. It's a definite must-read for anyone who enjoyed Alex Finlay's earlier books, and for anyone who loves this genre. Highly recommend!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

Holy smokes, how do I start on a book that just started running right from the start and never let up until the last page?

This was my first experience with an Alex Finlay book and it will not be my last. There was literally never a moment to catch your breath. Every time you think these characters can get a moment to rest we are thrust into another heart stopping intense moment. Makes for a very quick read when you absolutely must know what happens on the next page.

If you are into murder, mystery, assassins, friendship, secrets, and betrayal where you are kept guessing until the very end, What Have We Done is definitely for you.

* This review is added to Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4998703214
* This review will be added to Amazon when it is officially published with a stylized photo
* This review will be posted to www.instagram.com/little.cup.of.tea with a stylized photo on 9/29/2022

This was such a fun read! I love how all of Alex Finlay's books have twist after twist. This book was about a group of adults, who all share a sinister secret from their past. They were all raised in an abusive group home. Yet, they all ended up with different futures (one is a rock star, one is a movie star, one a tech billionaire, and one is even a paid assassin). All of the characters are brought together again after the secrets of the past start to emerge.

This was the definition of a gripping thriller. I loved the moment where all the storylines came together. Super interesting characters and an unexpected twist. Although I did have to suspend belief a little bit for this storyline, I really enjoyed this one!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

Having recently read and enjoyed The Night Shift by Alex Findlay, I was looking forward to reading his latest mystery/thriller What Have We Done. It certainly did not disappoint and it kept me up reading all night. The plot centers around five people who were in the same group home (for children who were orphaned, abandoned or otherwise without parents or guardians) and something that occurred 25 years ago.

The five characters are well defined, believable and engaged in very different occupations. There is a plethora of action both in the present and the past — including bullying, attempted assassination, murder, teenage angst, car chases, tv reality shows, cruise ships, etc. In addition, how can one not like a novel in which the word cyclotrimethylenetrimitramine (the longest word I have ever seen in print) is used?

This novel is recommended for all - not only for fans of this genre - and I thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press Minotaur for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to its publication.

An action-packed thriller that has us following the lives of 5 friends that lived together at a group home for teenagers. Something bad happened 25 years ago and it might be back to haunt them. What you think is happening isn't what it seems. While I liked the twists, it seemed to take forever to get to the ending. It was twist after twist. Clue after clue and I still felt confused until the last part of the book.

Mr. Finlay, what have you done?… I think that is the question that needs to be asked to describe this fast-paced, action packed thriller!

After having previously read The Night Shift by Alex Finlay (which I loved), I was super excited to get my hands on What Have We Done- and this book did not disappoint! I will admit I was a bit hesitant at first because it was taking a different route than the usual thrillers that I’m used to. This book is more an action packed thriller (think along the lines of Nikita), as compared to the psychological suspense thrillers that I am used to. With that being said, the short chapters and evolving storyline kept me glued to the pages.

In this story we have the focus of three main characters. We have Jenna, Nico, and Donnie. All three of these characters knew each other 25 years ago from their time together in a group home called Savior House. Life has pulled these members of the home, as well as others, in several different directions and they have all gone their separate ways. Now, a chain event of tragedies has linked these three characters back together.

Through this time we learn the backstories of Jenna, Nico, and Donnie. We also learn how they are living in their present day lives. How has their past brought them all back together? Will they ever be able to move on?

I highly recommend reading this newest release, especially if you are a fan of action packed thrillers full of excitement! There were times when my anxiety was little high, but that’s what happens when you are kept on the edge of your seat! This is a fast read, and the chapters are nice and short which is a major bonus!

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books, and the author for an ARC of this book. Publication date is: March 07, 2023

Thank you to #netgalley for giving me an ARC for an honest review. My review does not contain spoilers as I generally like to review the actual story.
Another interesting thriller from Alex Finlay! I struggled with the story for the first 1/4 of the book but was curious enough to continue. I'm glad that I continued with the story because it became much better with an interesting conclusion.
I will admit that I enjoyed the previously 2 books written much more.

Another great Alex Finlay novel. This one took me a little while to get in to and to understand all the characters. I usually fly though a book but I had to slow it down as character development was in depth and well done. It all comes together in a well executed book. Enjoyable read

Thanks @netgalley for read number 117 of 2022. I love @alexfinlayauthor’s books, and I couldn’t put this one down. It was like reading a fast-paced action movie, right to the very last page. Even the twists I anticipated had other elements to them. Yes, you need to keep track of different characters and connections, but this book is both disturbing and wonderful.

A thought provoking book about the things they've done in their past and how it comes back to haunt them in the present. How they've changed and yet how they are still the same person.
I enjoyed the twists and turns as the stories of each of the characters played out during the book and how it resolved in the end.
A well written and enjoyable story.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
Who is the woman with the death tube?? And why is she after Jenna?? And why now??

Read if you like:
- spy thrillers
- hunter chasing prey
- bad a** ladies
- short chapters ❤️❤️

25 years ago, 5 teenagers committed an unspeakable crime. Now the past has come back to haunt them. Someone wants them all dead…
This is a classic Alex Finlay jumpy, edge-of-your-seat thriller, so any fan of his is going to absolutely love this one as well.
I love the way this book starts: a really dramatic, action packed first chapter, and then works it’s way back through the story. It makes it pretty much impossible to put down!
Jenna, (a stay-at-home mom) Donnie, ( a rock star) and Nico (a TV producer) are being targeted… and their attacker wants them DEAD.
This book was great and packed with action the whole way through. I did not see the end coming, and I always appreciate when that happens.
The only negative I have here is that the “flashbacks” are built right into the story instead of standing out somehow, and I got a little lost at times.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for my ARC in exchange for an honest review 💕

Mr. Finlay, what have you done?… I think that is the question that needs to be asked to describe this fast-paced, action packed thriller!

After having previously read The Night Shift by Alex Finlay (which I loved), I was super excited to get my hands on What Have We Done- and this book did not disappoint! I will admit I was a bit hesitant at first because it was taking a different route than the usual thrillers that I’m used to. This book is more an action packed thriller (think along the lines of Nikita), as compared to the psychological suspense thrillers that I am used to. With that being said, the short chapters and evolving storyline kept me glued to the pages.

In this story we have the focus of three main characters. We have Jenna, Nico, and Donnie. All three of these characters knew each other 25 years ago from their time together in a group home called Savior House. Life has pulled these members of the home, as well as others, in several different directions and they have all gone their separate ways. Now, a chain event of tragedies has linked these three characters back together.

Through this time we learn the backstories of Jenna, Nico, and Donnie. We also learn how they are living in their present day lives. How has their past brought them all back together? Will they ever be able to move on?

I highly recommend reading this newest release, especially if you are a fan of action packed thrillers full of excitement! There were times when my anxiety was little high, but that’s what happens when you are kept on the edge of your seat! This is a fast read, and the chapters are nice and short which is a major bonus!

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books, and the author for an ARC of this book. Publication date is: March 07, 2023.

Alex Finlay does it Again!

What started off as a high stakes political thriller simply turns into a tale about revenge and remembering who your friends are. I went into this knowing absolutely nothing and finished this book completely blown away. This is probably one of the only books that i appreciate the multiple perspectives because it added so much more to the story and who the players were.

Alex Finlay is definitely turning out to be an auto buy author for me.

I was so excited to have received an e-ARC copy of this book from @netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This to say I highly anticipated this book would be an understatement. There was a lot going on in this book with many points of view. It did take me a while to really get how all the points of view crossed, but it was an enjoyable journey!

Three people with traumatic childhoods are brought back together to face something from their past. The doting housewife, Jenna, the rock and roll star who’s probably drunk, Donnie, and the tv producer, Nico. They haven’t seen each other for years and all wish their past would stay buried where they left it, but when their lives are threatened they unite to try to figure out who is trying to blackmail or kill them. Will they be able to find the mastermind behind this before it’s too late?

This thriller really hit the mark for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Put it on your radar for March 7th of next year. I give this 4.5 out of 5 stars. Special thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for giving me this e-ARC in exchange for this honest review - much appreciated!!! Yes, where are they?

4.5 ⭐️. I was very torn if I should round up or down on this one. I really wish Goodreads had 1/2 stars. I have decided to round up because this book was really good. Being that it kept my interest from start to finish with a suspenseful and thrilling storyline, I do think it’s worthy of rounding up. There were a few things that kept it from a solid 5 star for me though. I will try to explain but this is the type of book that you have to be very careful in reviewing because one comment or opinion could easily turn into a spoiler (which I do NOT want to do). So I am going to be basic and just say what I liked and where it slightly fell short for me.

Things I liked:
*I thought this storyline was really good. I enjoyed the creepiness of Savior House Group Home and reading about the childrens’ lives there and then switching to 25 years later.
*I liked the short chapters and how they switched between different characters.
*Characters (this is the tricky part in discussing them without influencing someone’s opinion before reading the book). I’ll just say that I liked Jenna the most. Donnie and Nico, had their issues but were also likable characters in some ways.
*The descriptions were well written and the book kept you guessing throughout. There were no times when I felt bored or like it was dragging.
*The ending! It was really good!!! All the way through to the end of the epilogue…the surprises kept coming!

Things that I didn’t really care for:
*I was able to predict who was the villain pretty early on.
*I also had a couple other predictions that were correct! BUT with that being said, even though I figured out some stuff, there were still plenty of other twists that I didn’t see coming.
*Certain chapters with Casey and Haley really disturbed me. I know that’s what makes it a thriller but some of it was a bit too unrealistic.

Overall I really did enjoy this book. It’s my first read by Alex Finlay but not my last! I have two others sitting on my shelf that I’m now anxious to read. I highly recommend picking up a copy when it’s released in March 2023.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

To see other reviews I’ve left, check out my Goodreads and Instagram pages:
*Goodreads - Cherihy808
*Instagram - bookworm_traveler808