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What Have We Done by Alex Finlay
Pub date:3/7/2023
Alex Finlay is quickly becoming one of my favorite thriller writers.

This book is based on 3 teenager who all lives in a group home together. Jenna, Donnie and Nico. After girls start disappearing from the home, they shut it down. They went on with their lives.

25 years later something is happening to their group. They are being hunted. They need to figure out who’s calling the shots so they can protect their families.

This book has multiplied POV which kept me interested. If you don’t like POV try the audio. They had a different narrator for each character. The story is fast paced with short chapters. I can’t wait for his next book.

The Past and Present Converge in This Intriguing Thriller

SUMMARY
Over twenty-five years ago, Jenna, Nico and Donnie stayed in a group home called Saviour House. The home was anything but safe. After the disappearance of two girls and several abuse and neglect complaints, the home was shut down. The three were split up, but not before forging a bond that would link them forever.

Despite their troubled past, each had a reasonably successful career. One had worked in security for the government, one was an aging rock star, and one was a reality TV producer. Now someone wants them all dead. To survive, the trio will have to reunite and revisit their childhood nightmares.


REVIEW
WHAT HAVE WE DONE is an action thriller where the past and present converge Jenna, Nico, and Donnie's lives have somehow managed to rise above the horrors of their past. But now, someone is threatening each of them, and when another close friend from the Savior House is murdered, the three are devastated.

The story is intriguing and action-packed. The writing is fair, but I was a little tripped up by quick and confusing transitions between past and present. The character development and storyline grew stronger as the book progressed, but the beginning was a little fuzzy.

I loved Alex Finley’s 2022 thriller The Night Shift, particularly his character development. Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press Minotaur Books for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.


Publisher St. Martin’s Press Minotaur Books
Published March 7, 2023
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

The story begins with five teenagers, residents of Savior House, gathered around a shallow grave, one by one sending a bullet through it. Now, twenty-five years later, the secret of their past comes to haunt them, and someone out there is hunting them down.

From the moment you open this book, you feel like you're stepping onto a rollercoaster, until the ride is over and you can finally release your breath. The novel has multiple POVs and shorter chapters which makes this a real page-turner. First thing I noticed was the intensity of the events. This thriller is action-packed with chases, assassins and heart-pounding suspense.

I really enjoyed the premise where a group of friends who stood by each other as teens amidst the abusive environment of foster system, come together as adults to fight a present-day enemy. The author paints such great, yet troubled characters. Their imperfections is what makes them so real, although the circumstances they are thrown into do feel a bit surreal. But that's the point of the sub-genre. And by the way, these guys and a gal pull off some incredible teamwork for a group that haven't been together for over two decades.

I think this novel would make a top action blockbuster, and if you're a fan of Jason Bourne-type flicks, you'd love this read. I guarantee you won't be bored for a second.

I know when I pick up a book by Alex Finlay that I need to have a good block of time since I'm not going to want to put it down. It happened again with What Have We Done. I was hooked from the first page. The book is full of action and so many twists and turns. The story unravels the truth at a good pace. I enjoyed putting the pieces together to get to the final answer. The ending was very satisfying! I've read all of Alex Finlay's books and will not hesitate to pick up one of his books. I've enjoyed them all. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Thank you so much to Minotaur books for my advance copy!

What have we done is one of my anticipated thriller releases this year after absolutely enjoying The Night Shift last year. Although I was not expecting this to be an adrenaline chasing fast action thriller, I ended up really enjoying it, it read more like an action movie leaning a bit on the improbability factor(imagine Nikita, Black widow) but it wasn't a big bother for me because What Have We Done has a certain old time-y thriller quality to it like Sydney Sheldon's books from yesteryears. I grew up on a steady diet of SS's and Agatha Christie's books so this was a happy reminiscence of those classics for me personally

The book is told in multiple POV's including a couple chapters for the bad guys which I particularly enjoyed, with back and forth narrations jumping from now to 25 years in the past where 5 teenaged orphans childhood trauma comes back and haunts their adult life. All the characters are portrayed in a way that there seem to be more to them than what they allow the readers to see, the writing is good with short chapters always ending on a suspenseful note along with being filled to brim with action sequences . Although the basic premise is a good ol whodunnit, it kept me intrigued because I wanted to know the motive behind all the chaos the plot unfolds, the last 20% is packed and WILD and definitely had me on the edge of my seat

That being said, I struggled a bit with a few things like the plot being dragged in certain areas where some of the scenes felt unnecessary while I craved for a bit more in other areas where there wasn't a convincing explanation. I also wished there is a bit more character exploration for the main leads so the plot could have been more compelling. Overall if you like a good action packed, whodunnit, page turning and a bit over the top kind of crime thrillers with twisted characters, this one is for you!

TW- Gambling and alcohol addiction, Drug abuse, parental death, bullying, underage sexual abuse(brief mention, non graphic)

More than anything, What Have We Done offers its readers an action packed thriller rather than a murder mystery to solve. The characters are fairly vibrant and flawed, likable and unlikable all at the same time. Donnie the washed up rocker, Jenna, the spy turned housewife, and Nico the gambler in over his head with a TV show in production. After the closing of Savior House, an end of the line foster home, Nico, Jenna, and Donnie set out into the world to figure out what to do with their lives. They each try to put their childhood traumas in the past the best ways they know how until they learn of the death of one of the other members of Savior House when they were there and now someone is after each of them to tie up loose ends. The three childhood friends will have to come together to figure out who killed Ben and try to not be the next victim.

Twenty-five years ago a group of teens from a group home committed an act that has now come back to haunt them. When girls started disappearing from the home, no one took any action. The teens believed that the home’s manager was responsible and had to be stopped before others disappeared. Now Ben, who became a well known judge, has been murdered. There has also been an attempt on the lives of Donnie, a musician with addiction problems, and Nico, a television producer with gambling debts. Jenna had been taken from the home and was trained as an assassin. Now she is married and a stepmother to two girls. With threats against her family, she is forced to take on one more assignment. It is actually a set up that was supposed to end with her death. Jenna escapes and moves her family to safety. Now it is time to go on the hunt and find the person responsible for these attacks.

Casey and Haley were identical twins who were separated at birth. When they found each other they discovered how similar their experiences and personalities, including a desire to inflict pain. They were hired to commit the attacks. They carry out their assignment with little regard for their victims or any bystanders who get in the way. Each of the survivors believe that the attacks are tied to the group home, leading to a reunion that reveals blackmail and betrayal. It also leads to a showdown with Casey, Haley and their unknown employer. Not everyone will survive in this tense roller coaster of a ride. Alex Finlay knows how to ratchet up the tension and keep you on the edge of your seat to the last page. What Have We Done is highly recommended. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this book for my review.

As an adult we are shaped by our childhood. The characters in this book are shaped by what happened during their time together at Savior House. For good and bad their futures are intwined with their pasts. This book took me a bit to get into but once I did I couldn’t put it down.

2.5 Stars. I was pleased to receive an advance reader's digital copy, and I thank NetGalley and the publisher for accepting my request. I enjoyed Alex Finlay's two previous books and rated them highly. This one was a disappointment for me. I found it different in mood and tone from his previous books. Rather than a mystery, this is a farfetched, OTT, cartoonish action thriller with guns, explosives, and a weird weapon. It has a frantic comic-book appeal with stereotyped characters and paid contract killers such as psychopathic female twin assassins. There was fast-paced action and mayhem, but at the same time, I was frequently bored.

Twenty-five years earlier, our principal characters were in Savior House, a dreadful state home for teenage foster children. Some girls disappeared from the institution, and any proof of their existence went missing. The main characters who attended the school were Jenna, Donnie, Nico, Ben, and Arty. All have disturbing memories from their time at Savior House. Most of the narration is from the perspectives of Jenna, Nico, and Donnie.

Despite the hardship of being wards of the state and living under disreputable conditions, they achieved successful careers in their adult life. While there, they buried a secret (body?), and now that action is coming back to haunt them. Someone knows what they did and wants them dead.

Arty is a wealthy tech mogul. Ben became a lawyer and then a highly respected state judge. An unknown assailant has killed him.
Donnie became a talented rock star but has been dismissed from his band because of liquor and drug addictions, making him unreliable. He still thinks of his first love, one of the young women who mysteriously vanished from the home. Donny was forced to jump over the rail of a boat by a female contract killer but was saved from drowning.

Nico has been the producer of a reality show about miners. He was in the mine when an explosion occurred, trapping him. He was near death when rescued. He gambles and is heavily in debt to the mob.

Jenna was removed from the institution at age 14 and trained to be an assassin. She has now put that life behind her. She is a contented housewife with a kind, understanding husband and two stepdaughters. She has suddenly been ordered back to make one more killing. If she refuses, her family will die. As she raises her rifle to make the shot, she realizes that her target is a friend from the institution. She drops the weapon and runs. One of the women contract killers gives chase.
When these characters finally get together, they realize that they may all become victims and murdered unless they can figure out who is targeting them and why. They must now act to defend their lives.

This sounds intense and exciting, but I did not care enough about the characters to be invested in their fate. Transitions from the present to past time were abrupt, without warning, and could be confusing.
My reaction to the book may be too harsh, and I regret this. I see many others readers have enjoyed it. The publication is set for March 7th.

🦴 Book Review 🦴
#whathavewedone
#alexfinlay
#thriller
#NetGalley published 3/7/23
#stmartinspress

🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴/5

When I saw another AF book available for review, I requested fast. I loved the first one that I read of his. Every Last Fear. This one is also told by a 3rd person omniscient narrator. Separate chapters for the happenings in each character's life. I have to say, the prologue HOOKED ME!

These 5 foster kids killed something (I immediately assumed someone) and buried it. We don't know who or why. It's interesting that the blurb does not say it. But how much of a spoiler can it be if it's skoken of in the prologue. 🤷‍♀️

Someone is trying to kill all of them but who? Why? Well, they all know why. Or do they? Also, mentioned right in the first chapter. So, not a spoiler.

Action packed. Quick moving. Easy reading. I think that AF will always be an always read author!

#MinotaurBooks #bookstagram #bookrecommendation #booknerdsbookreview #recommend #gottareadthisbook #lovedthisbook #booklover #bookdragon #readalot #ilovereading #inkdrinker #librarymouse #bookaddict

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. I’ve read something else by this author and really enjoyed it. This one was no different. I found the characters realistic and interesting. I appreciated the flashbacks to the group home. There were a few pieces that seemed very far-fetched, but overall I think this was a successful book!

I love each and every Alex Finlay novel and this one is no exception. My favorite part was the action packed ending...and just when I thought it was over...it wasn't. There are surprises at every turn and Finlay keeps you wanting more. The only thing I struggled with was that there were a lot of characters to keep track of, but it did eventually all make sense and came together in the end.

Thanks to Mr. Finlay and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Last year I read The Night Shift by Alex Finlay; I found it to be a truly exciting thriller, and was excited to read his latest, What Have We Done. I figured there was no way this outing could surpass the breakneck speeds and thrills of his prior work. I was sadly mistaken...this one hit it out of the ballpark from page one! This man is definitely an author to follow.

Twenty-five years ago, Artemis, Donnie, Nico and Jenna were residents of Saviour House, a group home for parentless teenagers. They became the best of friends while enduring hardship and abuse at the home. After several girls went missing, Saviour House was eventually closed down and the kids were split up. They went on to live rather interesting lives, and never thought to see each other again. That is, until a fifth friend of the group is murdered. Apparently someone wants them all dead, but who, and why? They must confront their horrible shared past, which holds the secret to why someone wants them all to die. Will their reunion reveal a way for all to survive?

This is one of those rare books which is billed as a thriller but actually is! The action is fantastic, but it's the characters who truly made the story get its hooks into you and drag you in for the wild ride. The story was told in alternating viewpoints and went back and forth in time, but it was easy to follow and not at all confusing. One of the main characters is actually deceased, a murdered federal judge who was friends with our leads at the group home. His death was the catalyst that got the story started. Jenna was recruited by The Corporation, a shadowy government organization, as an assassin after the home. She is now a stay-at-home mom, married to a widowed tax accountant and has two stepchildren. Nico is currently a producer for a reality TV show; he also owes huge gambling debts to some shady characters. Artemis is a brilliant tech mogul. And then there's Donnie, formerly a huge rock star who is trying to eke out a living with his band members aboard cruise ships while dealing with addictions to booze and drugs. All of these characters were fascinating, especially Jenna and Donnie. However, I think it was Donnie who stole the show; he had severe issues, but he had a tender heart. Two other characters made a big impact, and they were twins Casey and Haley, the assassins hired to kill the former friends. They are truly disturbing killers; yes, they get paid, but mainly kill because they LIKE it. Was all of the storyline plausible? Of course not. But who cares when a story has you on the edge of your seat with your hands sweating?! There were some twists that I did NOT see coming, too. I eagerly await seeing what Mr. Finlay comes up with next to send our heartbeats pounding.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

DNF at 8%. I was excited to read this because I loved The Night Shift, but this one wasn’t my cup of tea. I just did not care for the way this story was written.

I loved Alex Finlay’s first two books, but this one missed the mark for me a bit.

I loved how much was going on, although it took awhile to be able to follow it all coherently. I loved the connection the kids had when they were younger, and I was sad to see how out of touch they had become over the past 25 years. But they reconnected as though little time had passed.

Some things I struggled with were the realistic components of the situations they found themselves in… (being shot in the shoulder by a weapon and not doing anything to stop the bleeding, but it magically stops on its own before you die?) and a few others. The stereotyping of kids in foster care as dangerous, and when they aren’t actually dangerous, making them become dangerous… I get that it wasn’t a comment on all foster care children, but it encompassed all of the ones in the book, so it felt a bit off to me. There are also people who go missing in the book and no one follows up on, which left me questioning the reality of it all.

Also, the writing style in this book felt a bit disconnected and distant, which in the grand scheme of things could be because of the experiences the characters had been through – so if it was purposeful, right on – but that would have worked better in a first person POV in my opinion.

Like I said, I liked the idea of what was going on, but with two psychopathic hit-for-hires out in the world, it felt like literally anyone could get hurt or die at any moment and there was no value in anyone’s lives. I wasn’t necessarily rooting for anyone or attached to anyone. Either way, it was still an interesting read, but Finlay’s first two books were far superior in my opinion.

I loved Alex Finlay’s first two books, but this one missed the mark for me a bit.

I loved how much was going on, although it took awhile to be able to follow it all coherently. I loved the connection the kids had when they were younger, and I was sad to see how out of touch they had become over the past 25 years. But they reconnected as though little time had passed.

Some things I struggled with were the realistic components of the situations they found themselves in… (being shot in the shoulder by a weapon and not doing anything to stop the bleeding, but it magically stops on its own before you die?) and a few others. The stereotyping of kids in foster care as dangerous, and when they aren’t actually dangerous, making them become dangerous… I get that it wasn’t a comment on all foster care children, but it encompassed all of the ones in the book, so it felt a bit off to me. There are also people who go missing in the book and no one follows up on, which left me questioning the reality of it all.

Also, the writing style in this book felt a bit disconnected and distant, which in the grand scheme of things could be because of the experiences the characters had been through – so if it was purposeful, right on – but that would have worked better in a first person POV in my opinion.

Like I said, I liked the idea of what was going on, but with two psychopathic hit-for-hires out in the world, it felt like literally anyone could get hurt or die at any moment and there was no value in anyone’s lives. I wasn’t necessarily rooting for anyone or attached to anyone. Either way, it was still an interesting read, but Finlay’s first two books were far superior in my opinion.

Ugh, I love Alex Finlay's writing. I binged Every Last Fear in a single read and The Night Shift was equally engrossing. I've had this on my TBR for too long and was thrilled to finally have a chance to dive in this week.

From Goodreads: A stay-at-home mom with a past.
A has-been rock star with a habit.
A reality TV producer with a debt.
Three disparate lives.
One deadly secret.

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.

I loved this book.

In true Finlay fashion, I finished this in a single sitting. Jenna was definitely my favorite POV, but the others were also well-written, engaging, and dynamic. I loved the almost Umbrella Academy vibes from the found family. The switch from POVs, too, worked really well, keeping the pace moving and the conflict front and center. Cinematic, I could definitely see this translating to a Prime series, so if you like your thrillers in the vein of Jack Ryan or 24, you will devour this book.

Clever, fun, and expertly woven, What Have We Done is one of my favorites of the year.

Huge thanks to Minotaur and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for review consideration.

This is my second read of Finlay’s and it was another fast paced thriller that starts off fast and doesn’t quit until it is over, and I thoroughly enjoyed it all. Told in three POV’s, twenty five years ago Jennie, Donnie, and Nico were best friends after surviving abuse as residents of Savior House, a group home for parentless teens. They were split up after the home was shut down when several teens disappeared. They are reunited in present day as someone is trying to kill them.

I enjoyed the different POVs and revisiting each character’s past and how they handled their trauma to the current day situation, all the while Finlay is slowing revealing what happened back then and tying it to what is going on current day. The suspense did not let up all the way until the very end which was incredibly satisfying. I still have one more of his backlist books to read but I also cannot wait to see what he does next.

Thank you to NetGalley / Minotaur Books for the digital galley to review.

What a wild ride! I couldn’t put this one down. Tons of action, and twists and turns. I deducted a few stars because it felt like some of the story lines just didn’t add up, or were incomplete. But it overall, a great thriller that moved at a fast pace from the first chapter (and short chapters - you know I love those!)

What Have We Done is the newest fast-paced thriller from Alex Finlay. In this story, the past of a group of friends appears to be catching up with them. After years of separation, four friends all have attempts on their life within a matter of days. As they start to put the pieces together, they all head back to the hometown they hoped to never return to. Who knows their secret? And why are they trying to punish them after all these years?

I LOVED Alex Finlay’s other two books but this one was just ok for me. The story was fast moving and kept me engaged but I never really connected with the characters. I found myself able to put this one down and come back to it later. As the story progressed, I got more interested and wanted to find out what happened and the second half picked up. Overall, good story but not my favorite Alex Finlay.