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.

I’ve heard a lot of great things about this author, so I was excited to read this! It was a very intriguing thriller told from multiple POVs. It started off a little slow for me, but picked up about 30% in! The pacing was perfect and definitely had me wondering who was involved in what. I guessed some of the things that were coming, but not everything. This was a fun one! Thanks for my gifted copy.

Raw, gritty, an excellent read. Action-packed and incredibly unique, What Have We Done follows three individuals as their lives are threatened by a contracted killer. Written in a distinctive way, What Have We Done is one of those thrillers that will check boxes for thriller fans of every type. While the characters are older, and in incredibly different careers now, their past was once shared and it's that past that has come back to haunt them. With alternating narrators and dual timelines, readers see the abusive foster home and the monster in those walls that shaped the adults they are today. Twisted and totally a read that's impossible to untangle, What Have We Done was a fun, fast-paced read for me that I could not put down.

Many thanks to Alex Finlay, St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Alex Finlay is quickly becoming an auto-buy author for me. I loved his other two books and What Have We Done did not disappoint either.

Jenna, Donnie, Ben, Art, and Nico met each other as teens at the Savior House a home for orphans. While at the house, girls are going missing. Something happens and 25 years later they are making up for their past. Someone knows about their past and is trying to kill them off one by one, will the truth finally come out of what happened.

The book is fast past, multiple POV narration, and twist and turns to keep you guessing. Alex Finlay knows how to write suspenseful books with compelling characters and a lot of drama. However, the genre is listed as thriller and I would say it is more of a spy book, but I still enjoyed reading it.

What Have We Done starts with some very unexpected events. I was immediately enraptured!

Jenna, Donnie, and Nico were orphans together until the group home where they lived was shut down after a girl disappeared. Now someone is seemingly attacking them one by one. What happened all those years ago and who wants them gone?

I thought I was going to love this one, and I did love the multiple points of view, but overall I lost interest before the story resolved itself.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my complimentary copy!

Five foster siblings are being targeted 25 years after leaving Savior House… but the question is why and who?

This book had some great twists and turns but I found myself confused at times. Some of the events that happened seemed random. Finlay did a good job wrapping it up at the end and made sense of everything, but I found myself lost and confused at times.
I did enjoy the multiple POV. Finlay did a good job of making it easy to follow each character without loosing you.

Overall I give this a 3/5 stars.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital ARC of “What Have We Done” by Alex Finlay in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Finlay’s earlier novels so was looking forward to this one. Unfortunately it was a miss for me - just felt too over the top and the characters all felt like caricatures to me. I decided to DNF but will still be looking forward to whatever Finlay writes next! Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the free review copy.

Talk about a fast-paced and exciting story. What Have We Done was my first book by Alex Finlay, and I can see why his books are so popular.

As soon as I read the prologue, I was immediately pulled into the story. We are introduced to Nico, Donnie, Ben, Art andJenna. They are kids, almost teenagers, and they are outside in the woods on a stormy night. They are making a pact as to never talk about what happened. Fast forward twenty-five years, and we see what has become of them. Some of them have become members of the community, and the rest have traveled through life as best they can.

When they find out that someone is trying to kill them one by one, they must reunite and try and work together to figure out what is going on. The characters in the story have such unique back stories, and we get to know them as the chapters get more and more exciting. Definitely recommend if you love fast-paced thrillers, and I will definitely be reading more from the author.

A group of adults, who knew each from a traumatic children’s home, are brought back together by the fact that someone is trying to kill them. Readers learn about their dark childhood secret as they attempt to figure out who is after them and why.

This is not my favorite Alex Finlay book, but it’s still a good reas, as all Alex Finlay books are. It’s very suspenseful, with compelling characters, and a lot of drama. If you’ve never read Alex Finlay before, start with a different book first, but if you’re an Alex Finlay fan, definitely check out this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Minotaur Books for the eARC of What Have We Done in exchange for my honest review.

What the hell was that???????

The synopsis and the actual content are 100% different, just as a heads up. If you feel like you are going to get a thriller out of this, you absolutely are not. Spoiler-ish alert, this is a spy book and felt like the most boring action movie ever.

I didn’t care about any of the characters and the random time jumps were so disjointed, I felt like I couldn’t keep up. A bunch of Deus ex machina bullshit at the end and then the story is over.

If you loved The Night Shift (like I did), you will be severely disappointed in this one.

Another great one from Alex Finlay! The stories of three characters - a housewife (Jenna), an aging rockstar (Donnie), and a reality tv producer (Nico) all converge in this gripping thriller. It starts off with a bang when we meet Jenna - her story had most of the action which was really well written and exciting to read. We get to know each of the the three characters separately and learn that they grew up with each other at the Savior House home for orphans and they, along with two other friends did something twenty-five years ago that is coming back to haunt them. The novels goes effortlessly back and forth between the three main characters stories in the present as well as their time in the past. Secrets get revealed little by little and it all leads to a bang-up ending! Most enjoyable.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur publishing for the digital advanced reader copy. The novel will be published this Tuesday, March 7, 2023. Check it out!