Why have I waited so long to read novels by Alex Finlay? What Have We Done is a masterful cat and mouse thriller that keeps the reader on the edge of his or her seat the entire time.

Jenna, Benny, Nico, Donnie and Arty all grew up and moved away from a toxic foster care home, but it seems their past is catching up with them when out of the blue a mysterious woman is out to kill them all. Can they come together and figure out just what is happening before the hit woman takes them out one at a time?

One aspect of this novel that I loved was that while it was told from alternating character perspectives, the reader was pulled in to each story equally. It was not a situation where you skipped certain chapters, just so you could get back to another character's voice. Finlay kept the plot quick and the suspense high. I will definitely be reading more of his thrillers soon! Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this opportunity to read What Have We Done.

This had a lot of characters and a lot of twists and turns. Kept me guessing most of the time even though none of the twists were too shocking. Sometimes it was hard to keep all of the characters straight but overall I thought it was average. If I could give half stars I would give it 3.5 but I’m rounding up to 4 for this review.

This book, like Finlay’s other titles, has a real cinematic feel. From page one, you’re sucked in, and you can’t stop turning the pages until you reach the conclusion. Loved the various characters and their secrets.

I had a hard time getting into the book. I have enjoyed other Alex Finlay books, but this did not match up for me.

I enjoy a lot of what Alex Finlay writes however this book missed the mark for me.

Twenty five years ago, Jenna, Donnie, and Nico were the best of friends, having forged a bond through the abuse and neglect they endured as residents of Savior House, a group home for parentless teens. When the home was shut down―after the disappearance of several kids―the three were split up.

Though the trauma of their childhood has never left them, each went on to live accomplished―if troubled―lives. They haven’t seen one another since they were teens but now are reunited for a single haunting reason: someone is trying to kill them.

To survive, the group will have to revisit the nightmares of their childhoods and confront their shared past―a past that holds the secret to why someone wants them dead.

While I liked some of the characters most of them were super unlikeable and I just couldn't connect with them. I think the story was good overall and pretty well plotted but ultimately I just didn't find myself super into the story and I didn't love the ending it just went a bit too off the rails for me.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing me a digital copy of this book in exchange for this honest review.

3.5 stars

The quick chapters and alternating viewpoints made this a quick, compelling read! I liked how all of the MC's were connected through their shared adolescence at a group home. Some of the details were a bit murky, and I never fully understood Nico's past/present - he felt very mysterious throughout. Jenna's character felt the most developed, and I liked her story the most. A few of the character connections were difficult to follow, though it didn't distract from my enjoyment of the book. The ending had me on the edge of my seat! Looking forward to reading more from Alex Finlay!

This wasn't my favorite by Alex Finlay, but a unique story in itself. The back and forth timeline was a little confusing, but getting small glimpses of the backstory helped to fill in what was going on. I think the ending wrapped up too quickly and would have liked to see a little more character development with Artie.

I normally love any books by this author. This one was difficult for me. So many characters and I never knew if I was reading past or present. I'm putting this on my to read again pile, maybe it will hit me better another time.
Thanks to netgalley, the publisher and Alex Finlay for the chance to read this advanced copy.

A great novel that had me hooked to the very end. I love books by this author and I look forward to reading more books in future.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC of this title.

This was so good. I am not sure what I was expecting going in, but I loved the writing. It was some mystery and thriller, but also a little action? Perfect novel to read before bed or just for a good read.

This fast paced guess it & figure was right what I needed. Perfect for some bedtime reading or book to take on vacay.

I'm a huge fan of Night Shift by Alex Finlay so maybe it is my fault that I expected more of the same from this author. What Have We Done is much more of an action/adventure novel and I'm looking for more quiet mystery/thriller. I'm not into guns/espionage so this one turned my off a bit. Either way, I’m still interested to see what he writes next but this wasn't for me.

What I love about Alex Finaly books : They are Fast paced with short chapters. The 3 POVS also made this one interesting and that the all share a dark past, but they as individuals are vastly different.

Enjoyed the premise, but felt like it lacked the punch I normally enjoy from this authors books. It felt too movie like and that it was over the top, but not enough depth for me. Also felt like I was missing Special Agent Sarah Keller from the other authors last 2 books. This one just missed the mark for me sadly.

Thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Alex Finlay did it again! I loved this twisty, fast-paced, action-packed mystery/thriller.

Twenty-five years ago, a group of foster kids including Jenna, Donnie, Nico, and others, were very close. They leaned on each other for support while living at Savior House, where they were neglected and even abused. They would've done anything for each other, and they did in fact do something unspeakable, shortly before they were split-up. Over the years, they've kept the secret of what they'd done while going on to live separate lives, each with their own baggage. At the beginning of this novel, it seems that their past is coming back to haunt them when they realize someone is out to kill them. The former friends reunite in order to figure out who is after them and try to survive.

I thought there was a lot to love about What Have We Done. I loved the multiple POVs. I felt like Jenna, Donnie, and Nico were distinct characters and despite being very flawed, it was easy to root for them. The alternating POVs also created a lot of suspense, with short chapters that ended on cliff-hangers which had me flying through the book. I also thought the unraveling of the mystery was expertly paced. We were constantly uncovering small pieces of what was happening and there were so many twists.

Overall, I had so much fun reading this book. If you like multiple POVs, short chapters, lots of twists, and action, I highly recommend that you pick this one up!

Thank you so much @Minotaur_Books for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 07 March 2023)

SYNOPSIS | Twenty-five years ago five teens attended Savior House (a state home for teenagers) and forged a necessary friendship to help them survive the abuse & bullying that regularly occurred there, however the secret they've been keeping has been exposed and somebody is after them.

WHAT I LIKED:
- Jenna's POV (I do love a good domestic assassin trope)

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- this felt more like a Hollywood action movie than a mystery
- whilst there was fast-paced action I still found myself frequently bored. I think this was a case of too much action and not enough plot or character development.
- the alternating timelines & POVs felt clumsy and often pulled me out of the story
- I didn't find myself invested in any of the main characters

This book i was very excited for and it did not disappoint! definitely gave Stephen King's It vibes. I really liked the plot and characters, but I thought the character development could have been a little better. This story was well paced and kept me hooked the whole time, and didn't feel like it was slow. Overall good story and had a good ending, I would highly recommend.

Nicco, Jenna Ben, and Donnie meet as youngsters at a group home. They have a secret they’ve been hiding for years. Now as adults they are suddenly all being targeted. Who is out to get them and why?

The story was interesting but a little convoluted and I found it hard to keep track of all the characters in this one. It was entertaining enough and I look forward to trying more books by Finlay.

Check trigger warnings on this one if you are so inclined.

After reading The Night Shift back in 2022, I knew I wanted to read another Alex Finlay book eventually! This one was definitely different than TNS, but I still enjoyed reading it!

For me, the beginning was a bit hard to keep up with because there were so many POV’s and so many vastly different story lines with tons of information. Once I got further into the story though, it all started coming together.

Parts of the end were a tad bit predictable, but still entertaining.

3/5⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was interesting. I was invested and wanted to find out what happened, but there was a lot of jumping around. Between the three (four) different narrators and the jumping from the past to the present and each narrator's separate story, there was a lot to keep track of. It was easy to follow, but by the end, I still don't think I quite understood the whole motivation of everything.

You also have to read this with a large suspension of disbelief. There is a ton in this book that seems very out there. It makes for a fast-paced story, but also one that makes you truly doubt reality. Overall, it was good in that I wanted to keep reading, but jumbled and rushed at the end.

Have enjoyed other works by this author, but this one didn’t really work for me. An interesting story but not gripping.