A secret from the past threatens the lives of three former foster care friends in the present in this new thriller from Alex Finlay. Told in a dual timeline and multiple POV style, this one was twisty, entertaining and deeply emotional. I connected with the characters a lot and loved the full cast narration (which included my fav, Brittany Pressley!). While I didn't love it more than last year's The night shift, this was still a propulsive thriller with a great twist ending. Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

Told from multiple points of view, this thriller from Alex Finlay had me on the edge of the seat. Jenna, Nico, Donnie, Ben & Artemis lived in a group home 25 years ago. Something happened involving them, it’s not explicitly stated until late in the book but enough hints are given that the reader figures it out well before then. Now, it appears someone is trying to take all of them out, but none of them can figure out who.

Ben, the federal judge, is murdered. Donnie, his best friend and washed up rock star, is threatened with a gun by an attractive woman and is forced overboard of a cruise ship; somehow miraculously, he’s rescued by fisherman. Nico is a reality television producer on a show featuring coal miners and is attacked by an attractive woman, which makes him run down a mine shaft. Then there’s an explosion and Nico is trapped.

Jenna is a different matter. She’s a “retired” assassin for hire, who receives a cryptic message telling her about a hit she has to do or her new family will be in danger. The hit turns out to be her old Savior House friend Artemis, who is a Bill Gates-like character in the book. She purposely misses her shot when she sees who the target is, and that’s when all hell breaks out. She’s on the run and has to get her step-daughters and husband to safety. Luckily, she told her husband all about her past and they have a safe house ready and waiting for them. Once they’re secured, Jenna needs to find out who hired the female assassin and if it has anything to do with the events of 25 years ago.

It turns out there’s not one but two assassins, the Doublemint twins, if you will, who aren’t the typical killers. They don’t do it for ideology or for money, they do it for sport. And that makes them that much more dangerous.

Each chapter is short, covering Nico, Donnie, Jenna or the killers’ point of view, which quickens the pace of the story and makes you want to keep flipping the pages. The person of interest who may have hired the assassins is the son of the headmaster of Savior House, who mysteriously disappeared 25 years ago. He was brother to the town mayor and given the job to keep him out of trouble. His son, Derek, is now a freshman congressman from the district, and has motive. But how did he find out what the gang did all those years ago? Someone must have been talking. Ben was killed because of it.

Jenna, Nico, and Donnie need to band together to figure out the mystery before the assassins try to take them out again. The answers to the mystery are surprising.

I’m not normally big on thrillers because they usually involve a fair amount of violence, but What Have We Done does not have gratuitous scenes. When someone is injured, there isn’t an in-depth discussion of wounds, for which I was grateful.

I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy from NetGalley and Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you @Minotaur_Books and @AlexFinlayAuthor for my advance copy and adorable freaking necklace! What a wonderful book package to receive and pretty bad ass tie in to the book!

I am huge Finlay fan! I have read and enjoyed all his work, so I KNEW I had to read this! Let me tell you, it may be my favorite. Now was it believable in all aspects? No-but it was entertaining as hell, and I read it in almost one sitting. If I didn’t have old, tired eyes I may have made it. Its fast paced, adrenaline packed suspense. The premise helped me captivated and I loved how all the characters storylines matched up. It was super smooth, and it had short chapters which gets my heart every time. I also liked that the POV skipped between characters. I really think that is what helps a thriller propel forward and keep you guessing.

My favorite story line was Jenna. I really hope we get a spin-off of her earlier life with Sabine. It would be super interesting. Hint hint Alex! I also felt like Donnie seemed familiar and that some of his stories with the ghost rider sounded familiar-until I read the acknowledgements and then I knew why. I LOVED The Storyteller by Dave Grohl and I loved the inspiration Alex used for Donnie.

This was high octane fun with some crazy twists that I did not see coming.

“Survival favors the cautious.”

This is my 1st Alex Finlay book. It was really fast paced. I loved Jenna’s character and how her relationship progressed with her step daughter, Willow (this isn’t a major factor in the story but I just enjoyed it).

The whole vibe of the book is…icky when it comes to all that is Savior House. The author really conveys that well when the girls are hiding.

After the kids from Savior House are split up they start their own lives, some more troubled than other and are brought together again when someone starts trying to kill them. They are reconnected with one purpose…survival.

There are a couple of characters that come into play (in addition to the Savior House kids) and honestly I don’t know where they came from but they were pretty great villains. I think maybe I was so into the action packed story that I didn’t pay enough attention to that detail.

There is a scene at this like truck stop involving a lipstick stun gun. At first it wasn’t used in the way that I would use it buuuut then the character redeemed the scene. It was lovely…well not for everyone. What a cool and terrifying scene.

So if you’re looking for a neat thriller…this isn’t it. If you’re looking for an assassin-y, action packed, suspend reality kinda book then you should totally check this one out.

If you think you know Alex Finlay, this book is going to make you want to rethink everything you think you know.

25 years ago, Nico, Donnie, Ben, Artemis, and Jenna were all foster kids living at Savior House. 25 years ago they had hopes and dreams, imagining a better lives than the ones they were currently living. However, something happens that changes the trajectory of their lives forever, and when a trained killer is on their tails, they realize they must work together to find out who wants them all dead.

The reason I say that if you think you know Alex Finlay, change your thinking, is because this novel isn't like his other novels. In fact, after the first few chapters I double checked to make sure I hadn't downloaded the wrong book.

Nonetheless, this had me hooked. It jumps not only between alternating points of view but also between the past and present, which I always find fun. The book starts off at a 10 and it never really comes down after that. The fact that a killer is after several different characters all at the same time definitely lead me to wonder what was going on, and I couldn't stop reading because I needed to know who was behind everything.

Although this book is different than what I've got to expect from Finlay, that's definitely not a bad thing. If you have a few hours in an airport to kill, this one is going to keep you from people watching for sure!

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and MacMillan Audio for gifting me a digital and audio ARC of the new thriller by Alex Finlay and narrated by Brittany Pressley; James Patrick Cronin; Jon Lindstrom; Maggie Thompson - 4 stars!

A group of teens meet at Savior House, a group home for those who have lost their parents. But it definitely isn't a savior for them - there is rampant bullying and abuse along with several girls who go missing. One night in the woods changes everything for the group. Decades later, the group reunites because someone is trying to kill them.

I'm a big fan of Alex Finlay and loved his first two novels. This one gets 4 stars instead of 5 for those because it seemed a bit over the top and I couldn't quite get into the characters as much. But it's non-stop action with plenty of twists to keep you turning the pages. I was lucky enough to be able to switch between the digital and audio versions and the narration of the different characters was great. The book is told from the POVs of three of the now-grown teens. Definitely escapism reading and I'll be anxiously awaiting the next book from Finlay!

📝 B O O K R E V I E W 📝
What Have We Done by Alex Finlay
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Read 02/17-02/21
Pub date: 03/07

🌕 multiple POV/storylines
🌕 flashbacks


Thank you Netgalley and St Martins Press / Minotaur Books for a copy of this digital ARC!

This book grabbed my attention right from the beginning. It has short chapters, and is pretty fast-paced, making it an exciting read.
 
For the first half, I definitely found one of the storylines more interesting than the others, and kept wanting it to come back around to that POV.
 
I liked how the ending came together and tied up all the loose ends.

Three childhood friends must come together as adults to answer a pretty important question - who wants them all dead?

I've read Every Last Fear and The Night Shift by Alex Finlay and rated them both five stars. What Have We Done is another five star read for me and I couldn't put it down. As I read this one, I could see it playing out like a movie in my mind. The story is told through a variety of characters, some of which were terrifying (two characters reminded me of a combo of the cousins from Breaking Bad and Anton from No Country for Old Men). It was full of suspense and left me wondering how it would end. I highly recommend!

Sadly couldn't get into this one. Fast paced..yes .
Too many POV 's and bqck and forth was hard to keep track of.
The short chapters I love big not much more.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

Thanks to Netgalley, Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for the gifted eARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review!

I was expecting something a little different from this one, but I still ended up liking it. It reads like a nonstop action movie. From the very beginning, each character is in life-threatening danger and the intensity never lets up after that. I listened to this one on audio because Brittany Pressley is one of the narrators and I love her performances! She voices Jenna, the bad ass hit woman, and brings her character to life, as usual.

My only complaint was the way the author switched back and forth between past and present without making it clear to the reader beforehand. It led to some confusion for me at times. However, I was entertained throughout and would definitely recommend this to thriller fans who like John Wick or Jason Bourne.

This thriller filled with action and suspense. But for me, I had a lot of difficulty following the multiple POV and timelines. There were a lot of characters to follow, and I had a lot of trouble keeping their stories straight. I felt like there were characters from the past that just came out of nowhere and I had difficulty connecting the characters. Otherwise, the storyline was solid, and the action would be addicting for someone who likes action thrillers. There was only one character that I liked, Jenna, mostly because she was a serious bada**. Overall, this story missed its mark with me but would surely be enjoyed by someone who enjoys an action-packed read and can follow the multiple POV and timelines.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, St Martin’s Press, and Alex Finlay for providing me with this gifted ARC and audio in exchange for my honest review.

The premise of this action-packed book was interesting but there was just too much going on with too many characters. I usually love multiple POV, but it was just confusing and caused me to lose interest in this book. I wanted to enjoy this book, I found myself just telling myself to push through and find out how it ends. The cat-and-mouse chase/mystery was rather far fetched and if you are into that type of thing it would likely be entertaining. BUT if you like action-packed themes such as Jason Bourne movies, this book might be something you would enjoy.

*****Many thanks to Macmillan Audio, Minotaur Books, Alex Finlay, and NetGalley for the #gifted copy as it was provided to me in turn for an honest opinion.

Alex Finlay is back with another fast-paced, juicy thriller. I had super high expectations because THE NIGHT SHIFT was one of my favorite thrillers last year — and unfortunately this one just fell a little flat for me.

▪️multiple POVs
▪️Finlay’s writing is whip-smart
▪️flashbacks to the past
▪️unlikeable characters
▪️different storylines + all the action made it feel like too much was happening all at once

The story was very creative, but it just didn’t pull me in like I hoped it would. It felt too unrealistic at times and I ended up predicting some of the twists. However, it’s a quick read and takes you on a wild ride.

What I liked about this book:
✨short chapters, fast paced
✨….thats about it 🥴 There were too many characters to keep up with. The flashbacks weren’t executed well. Just not my favorite.

What Have We Done is a fast moving thriller that features 3 POV characters and two timelines. Overall I found the story interesting and enjoyed some of the twists and turns. In the present, the three main characters realize someone is trying to kill each of them, but in order to understand why they must reckon with the secret of something they did as children.

I always have mixed feelings about multiple POV thrillers. When it is done well, it can be an excellent device to keep the reader in a constant state of evaluating and reconfiguring what we know as the story progresses. But, far too often this device can come across as confusing and frustrating, especially when we are taken from storylines we are invested in to ones where we do not particularly like or care about the character. Finlay's pacing and short chapters avoids this issue and helps us stay invested in each story as she weaves them together. Even so, at times when characters move from the present to a scene from the past in their thoughts, some of the time line shifts get a little murky. I found myself having to backtrack a few paragraphs to realize we had made another shrift, but this was easily rectified with a quick glance up a few paragraphs usually.

The plot also gets a little over the top by the end as things come together and we start getting answers- but even though I didn't fully buy into some of the details, I did start to care about the characters, shady as they are.

What Have We Done turned out to be a great afternoon 1 sitting read that kept me guessing and caring about what happens.

Thanks to Netgalley and Minotaur books for access to an eARC in exchange for this review.

This is my second book by Alex Finlay and unfortunately I did not enjoy this book as much as I thought I would :(
There were many moments that I was confused due to the many POV that were involved in this book as well as many story lines that were confusing. It was fast paced and action packed but it wasn't for me :(

What Have We Done is Alex Finlay’s third thriller and after reading all three, I just don’t think his books are for me. This book brought nothing new to the genre. It was straightforward without a lot of suspense or twists. I did like learning more about the character’s stories but I wish they interacted more.

Okay, so I’d like to preface this with the fact that I haven’t read a book in one day that wasn’t a novella or a graphic novel in literal years. But I blazed through this one in a day. In a shady group home 5 teens commit a horrible act. Years later a killer seems to be targeting them. This thriller unfolds as they are forced to band together to solve the mystery of who is targeting them and how much they know about their past. I love all the negative comments that are like, oh this story is unrealistic, it’s so implausible. I don’t care! I was having a good time with it! To be fair I haven’t read any Alex Finlay before, so maybe this is way off from his usual style. But I thought this was a really well paced fun thriller with a big cast of characters that they balanced really well. If you’re looking for a really fun action thriller/mystery this is a solid pick.

Official review will appear on Instagram @boozehoundbookclub on the pub date.

3.5 stars (rounded up)!

"What Have We Done" is the first novel by Alex Finlay that I have read, and I enjoyed it for the most part. I did find it to be a bit formulaic, with characters like an eccentric tech billionaire, an aging binge-drinker has-been rockstar, a generic former assassin who has softened now that she has a family, a once-messed-up-kid-turned-lawyer who wants to make the world a better place, etc. This book also sort of had a dynamic akin to the one in Stephen King's "It," but without all of the creepy clown stuff. At first, I was a little confused because there are so many moving parts and so many characters. Luckily, it all becomes clear and eventually clicks into view. When it does, that's when the thrills and twists begin. As our characters have assassination attempts on their lives one by one, we start to realize there are more things going on than we were initially told. Details slowly unravel about what happened 25 years ago to this group of foster kids who all experienced unspeakable atrocities to land them in the same place, Savior House, and what that meant for them moving forward in their lives. When it all comes together in the end...I was a little bit let down, but the ride to get there was compelling enough that I would still recommend this book. I think this story is pretty well-paced, which could have been because I was enraptured with the voiceover work by Brittany Pressley, James Patrick Cronin, Jon Lindstrom, and Maggie Thompson, who make this book 1000 times better than it might have been with just the voices in my head. A+ work to all of them, spectacular narration by the lot of them.

Thank you to NetGalley, Alex Finlay, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books for providing me with an ARC copy of this book! All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for my review.

Alex Finlay has told another stunner! Wow! What an awesome book this is! It is a great choice for those looking for an intriguing suspense thriller.