Readers are right! This is a fast paced, edge of your seat thriller and it's really good! While I see some people are comparing it to his previous novel, I haven't had a chance to read it now so I can only go off of this one and it was good! I definitely recommend it!

This books is perfect for anyone who likes a fast-paced, action packed read. It started running right out of the gate and I knew I was in for a ride. I liked the multiple POVs and the story that slipped between past and present day. I definitely did not see the ending coming and it was creepy and evil. The only thing stopping me from loving this book was that in some places it was very over the top and not very realistic- but I was entertained. A little bit different than what readers are used to from Finlay. Overall a solid 4 star book.

I loved this. It should adapted into a show because it as so wildly entertaining and unrealistic. Perfect for TV.

The last few thrillers I’ve read have been well written but pretty dull. But THIS was full of personality and satisfied my need for wit and flavor that I’ve been missing.

I liked that it is fast paced and packed with tons of action as it flicks thorough multiple POVs.

The books begins with a group of teen committing a mysterious act. Then, 25 years later, someone is trying to assassinate each of the 5 friends and pick them off one by one. But why? Who?

It was fun to watch all the puzzle pieces slot into place.

Twenty five years ago there were four young people that met in a group home and became friends. Ben, Nico,
Jenna and Donnie. Little did they know they would all meet up again over Ben's funeral. Ben was murdered and the other's had attempts made on their lives.
This is a real action thriller that keeps changing and keeps you guessing till the end.
I personally do not like action thrillers but I'm rating it on the writing not on my preference. I felt the writing was engaging and pulled you in. I give it 4 stars.

What Have We Done?

Like all of Alex Finlay’s books, this one grabbed your interest from the very beginning.

The mystery gets ahold of you and he usually has interesting characters that leave you not wanting to put down the book.

What Have We Done was no different. While Nightshift still remains my favorite of his books, this is a strong second. The plot kept me guessing and it was a quick read for me.

Definitely a book I’ll be adding to my shelves!

3.5 stars
It maybe way way OTT, but I liked it. I guess I needed a lot of ott in my life!
I do like stories about old friends reuniting and sharing memories even if they are bad memories, and this group held a whopper. Jenna, Donnie, and Nico were besties twenty-five years ago meeting at a Savior House, (a misname is ever there was one!)a place for homeless teens to reside in. It seemed to be an ok existence but, several teens had disappeared and the three attempt to get to the bottom of this. As grown ups, they have gone their separate ways, each of them somewhat successful but oftentimes leading a troubled life shadowed by their past. When someone seems to want them dead, they all reunite to stop whatever has been set in motion against them.

They, all in one way or another, relive their past, the troubling times, the secrets, the big secret, that they seem to think is the cause of their possible demise. There are some crazy people involved in this tale, including a bunch of assassins who once again are over the top. As mentioned above this is an ott book with ott as it secondary theme, but I liked it. Every so often, I enjoy the bizarre, the unreal, the no that can't possibly true books, that allow me to really escape into a place that just can't ever be.

If you enjoy a silly thriller with a plethora of the improbable, you will probably like this one. I have read Alex Findlay's books and liked them all and although this one was definitely a step in another direction, it did hold my interest as I and the unlikely team of successful adults made their way back to that hole in the ground.

Thank you to Alex Findlay, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for a copy of this story due out March 7, 2023

Unfortunately, this one was not for me. I am writing out my thoughts below on this book:
-I was not a fan of the structure of this book. It had way too many perspectives. At my count, it has 5 narrators (Nico, Donnie, Jenna, Artie, & Twins), and it is alternating chapters. This structure did not work for me.
-The characters come off cartoonish, and no one feels realistic or relatable. In fact, there are even sexy evil twin sisters, who seemingly use the weapon Javier Bardem uses in “No Country for Old Man” (yikes).
-Aside from the characters, the plot also is not realistic.
-The entire plot feels haphazardly thrown together. Even after making it to the ending, there is no relief, or light at the end of the tunnel. The author seemed to not have a clear idea or direction of where the novel was heading.
-The book is boring. I have read so many books in this genre, and this is one of the few that I actually felt bored reading.

With that being said, many people LOVE books that others dislike. I hope others enjoy this more than I did. I wanted to like it, but sadly, it didn’t pan out that way.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance digital review copy in exchange for an honest review. This title will be released on March 7, 2023.

DNF @28%

This book isn't what I was expecting it to be. I thought it'd be more of a mysyery/thriller, but it's more an action.

Alex Finlay’s “What Have We Done” opens with a prologue from twenty-five years ago. Five teenagers looking down into a shallow grave. From that point on the chapters alternate between Jenna, Donnie, and Nico in the present day as they fight for their lives without revealing their past.

This book was nonstop action and intrigue! I finished it in one sitting. Great twists and turns, though some were implausible. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it from start to finish.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for this ARC.

3.5 stars

I am a huge Alex Finlay fan and have loved his previous books. While this one was definitely action packed and thrilling at times, it just did not hold my interest as much as I’d hoped.

I’ll still read anything this author writes and looking forward to his next one.

My thanks to @minotaur_books and @netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book before its publication date.

I think I’m still digesting this one! It was hard for me to really get into. I think it picked up more towards the end but it was so hectic with the multiple characters and the going back and forth in timelines while I did enjoy it I think I enjoyed others by this author more!

Once upon a time, five kids did something capital-B Bad, then they grew up and went their separate ways. Buuuuut someone's trying to "correct" the bad thing they did by killing them in creative ways. Who? Why? What happened? Huh?

Alright, so we've got a rock star, a tv celeb, a big-deal judge, a Bezos, and an assassin. Very normal, believable career paths. Okay, so it's a little far-fetched. A lot far-fetched. But who cares? We're here to have fun, run for our lives, and figure out what the heck is going on.

What the heck goes on ends up getting tangly, twisty, and unexpected. It's kind of weird with the time shifts (or lack thereof) but it moves so fast, it doesn't matter all that much because there's always a lot going on. Also, the Calvin and Hobbes parts made me well up. Worth putting your disbelief on the shelf for a few hours.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Alex Finlay for an arc of this book.
What a book. Four friends killed a man and the death of one of them leads them back home to figure out who is trying to kill them. Jenna, Donnie, Nico, Ben, and Artemis killed the man in charge of the foster home that they all lived in and 25 years later it comes back to haunt them. After killing Mr.Brood Jenna is a former contract killer with a family and step kids, Donnie is in a band, Nico is a gambler and is involved in a tv show, Ben is a judge, and Artemis is a tech mogul. Ben ends up dead after returning to their shared hometown, Jenna is pulled back in to do a job and ends up getting shot at, Donnie is forced at gun point to jump off a cruise ship, and Nico ends up trapped in a mine that is a set on “The Miners”. They are all attacked by a women and they have no idea why. The women is actually two twin sisters and they are murders who get off from violence. Jenna believes the person who hired the twins is a former employer and ends up heading back to her hometown. Donnie learns that his best friend Ben is dead and goes to his hometown after a writer wants to tell his story. Artemis tells Jenna that the person responsible for hiring the twins is Mr. Brood’s son who bullied them all as teens. It turns out that Artemis is behind the twins trying to kill them. He was being blackmailed by Nico because he needed the cash to pay off huge gambling debts. Artemis made the other teens believe that Mr. Brood was behind the missing girls from the home and was going to take Jenna next. Peter Jones was behind the girls that went missing and made Artemis help them. The other adults kill Artemis and the twins and they move on and live their lives for the others who are not able to. This is the second book that I have read by Alex Finlay and I cannot wait to see what he writes next. It only took me a day and a half to read and luckily even with the multiple povs and past and present timelines it was easy to understand and not complicated at all.

This was such a fast read, and I really enjoyed the first half. However, I found the twist predictable and was never truly blown away by what was happening. There is an event in the epilogue that seems thrown in for little reason. The characters didn't feel fully fleshed out, but I did enjoy Jenna's POV the most. Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a quick, fun thriller.

Thank you @netgalley for the advanced copy

My Thoughts

There is a saying the truth will set you free.

Well for Jenna, Donnie and Nico their search for the truth may be what proves to be the opposite.

The truth may just get them all killed.

To say that this author served up a twisted tale is an understatement of epic proportions.

The more I read the more fascinated I became with each new reveal and that final one, well let's just say never expected it at all but it was very well thought out all the way to its finale.
[EArc from Netgalley]

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity!

This was a totally unexpected but fun as hell ride. I never expected to love it as much as i did cause I’ve been let down by this genre one too many times but this was everything I wanted and i loved it.
It obviously could have been better like any book in the world but nevertheless i can gladly recommend this to people who are trying to find a new fave. Especially those who are in a reading slump should definitely check it out!

I am becoming a fan of Alex Finlay. This is the second book I've read by this author. I really enjoyed how the book started with each character's point of view. You don't know the connection until a little ways into the book, so your mind is trying to guess all kinds of scenarios. I definitely became invested in figuring out the mystery and what the heck was going on. Jenna was my favorite character because she was such a bad ass! I ultimately was surprised by the ending and enjoyed how the author took the reader on a windy path to the conclusion.

Wow! This book will take you on a rollercoaster ride. It’s pretty much non stop action from start to finish. So many intense moments and I loved the mystery/suspense throughout. There are so many pieces to the puzzle and so many secrets to uncover. You get to read from multiple character perspectives and past and present timelines. It’s so well done and this is a crime thriller everyone will be talking about!

Thank you so much NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Minotaur Books for the advanced early copy!

I read and loved both Every Last Fear and The Night Shift by this author. But this one just didn't do it for me, it didn't even feel like Alex Finlay wrote it. I am used to his books being more on the mystery/suspense side of things and this title was more like an action movie.

Five teens find themselves in a group home and become fast friends, 25 years later the secret they've been keeping has been let out of the bag and someone is after them for it. We get multiple points of view from all involved and we also get two timelines. This is my favourite format but it did not work with this book. The past timeline was a little more interesting and believable to me, but when it came to the present it got a little too over the top.

I don't mind books that are over-the-top action-packed thrillers and this one started out okay but somewhere around the halfway mark, I started to find it a little too repetitive and unrealistic. I don't mind having to suspend belief for entertainment's sake but having the same thing happen over and over again gets boring. There was just a lot going on and I mean a lot. There was just too much action and not enough plot or character development for my liking. This book will be a hit for many, I am just not one of them.

Seriously kids, what have you done?! I understand that you think that was the best way out, but come on! Do you think it wasn’t going to come back and bite you when you least expect it?!

Children are trusting and impressionable. They believe anyone with a smile because they don’t know better. They approach everyone with no prejudice. It’s easier for monsters hiding behind smiling faces to use them for their evil plans. It takes awhile for that frontal cortex to fully develop and make proper decisions. And if that frontal cortex was molded by a monster, logic doesn’t mean much. So should I ask what have you done kids or what did they do to you?

There were twists and turns making you question everyone’s intentions. I was able to pick up some clues along the way, but you won’t be so surprised if you know what are the requirements to keep a secret