Well that was a wild ride. Unrealistic? Definitely. Entertaining? For sure! Five kids with traumatic pasts who grew up in the same toxic group home did something sinister one fateful night as kids and now, 20 plus years later, find themselves being targeted one by one by a killer. Told through three of the main characters’ POVs - Jenna, Donnie, and Nico - the reader learns more about the shared history of the group through memories interwoven among present actions. Personally, I loved this approach of melding the past/present versus “Then” and “Now” chapters because it felt realistic - after all, you don’t sit around just thinking of linear memories. Rather, something in the present day swiftly brings you back to a place and time you hadn’t thought about in years. I didn’t find the intersection for past and present confusing at all as Finlay did it all quite expertly. I also fell for the broken characters and wanted them to succeed even though they all had marred histories because, again, it felt realistic and true to human nature. What didn’t feel true, however, was that every one of the five kids led extraordinary lives - each one famous in their own rights. How often does that happen? Why couldn’t any of the characters have been just your average Joe? Also, in true Finlay fashion, the final confrontation was unnecessarily over the top dramatic. Overall, though, it kept my attention and I was excited to keep reading it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the advance electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.

OTT Entertainment

3.25 stars

A crime from the past puts three individuals in the sights of a contract killer.

Jenna, a stepmom of two teenage daughters, Donnie, a B-list rockstar, and Nico, a reality tv producer, come under fire (literally) when a hired killer tries to take them out. Gradually, secrets from their present lives and past align, linking them all to one big, buried secret.

The narrative alternates between the three, with a few additional chapters thrown in from the killer(s)’ point of view. Each character is more than who they seem to be; however, each is one giant cartoonish cliche. I enjoyed Jenna’s chapters the most, but Nico and Donnie have some moments where they shine.

The premise is interesting, but one has to suspend disbelief to enjoy this novel. The best way I can describe this book is a combination of Orphan X and a James Patterson novel. It is big on the action but low on character development and nuance. I would have never guessed that Alex Finlay wrote this book. The tone and the plot are very different from his two most recent novels: The Night Shift and Every Last Fear.

This is a very readable, fast-paced, action-packed novel. There is also some humor woven in. The ending is wild and chaotic, and I found myself liking the contract killers. I had fun trying to figure out what in the world was going to happen; however, it was missing the tension and subtlety I expect from Finlay.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.

This story is told from several points of view about the lives of 5 kids (Ben, Donnie, Nico, Arty, and Jenna) who ended up in a group home, called Savior House.
It starts off with an event that all 5 kids are involved in and then they leave Savior House, going their separate ways. Their lives slowly become intertwined as the events of late bring them back together because of what they did 25 years ago. Jenna, Donnie, and Nico, with the help of Artemis, think they've figured out who was blackmailing Ben, trying to ruin their lives, and have a plan to stop them. As the plan is set in motion, Jenna realizes something isn't quite right and finds that what they thought they knew was all wrong.

The ending surprised me, but the epilogue was what wraps it up.

#WhatHaveWeDone #StMartinsPress #MinotaurBooks #NetGalley

I liked it, but didn't love it....hovered between 3 and 4 stars, and finally bumped it to 4 because I did want to read to the end. The biggest draw was the characters' connection from the group foster home they lived in during their teen years. I liked how that experience bonded them in a way that held fast over decades (although not for great reasons). It's a little difficult to accept that nearly all of them became celebrity-status successful over time. However, it was a fun ride with lots of action scenes and a suspenseful ending.

If you love a complex thriller with so much depth you very nearly drown, this one is for you. This story is so well woven and intriguing. If you’ve read Alex Finlay before, you know you can expect a suspenseful read. This one doesn’t disappoint! There are quite a few characters to keep track of, so if you’re not a fan of a lot of switching POVs, then I’d tell you to pass on it. But if you can keep up with it all, you’ll thoroughly enjoy it!

Alex Finlay's latest thriller focuses on the impact of an event, kept secret but not forgotten, on the lives of 5 teenagers. 25 years ago, these 5 parentless teens living in Savior House, a place as depressing and dismal as it should be inspiring, commit an unthinkable act that will define their future lives.

The book bounces back and forth between the past and the present, slowly revealing what the act was and why it happened. Meanwhile, in the present the past catches up to them as their lives are in danger from an unknown enemy.

I found the story compelling, although I was a little disappointed that it took two-thirds of the story before the three main protagonists were reunited. At that point, they could collectively ask, "What have we done". There are plenty if twists to keep you reading to the very last page. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

4 Stars ⭐️

This is another hit for me from Alex Finlay. There is something about good writing style, it's a bit over top, but I have so much fun with it

Similar to other books, this story follows multiple povs and timelines. For the majority of the book we follow Jenna, Nico, and Donnie. From the beginning of the book it becomes high stakes as each of them have an attempt against their lives. From that point it didn't let up.

All three are connected thru childhood and a mysterious criminal event their all accomplices to. In present day as a reader, We follow these three individually for awhile as they try to either survive or figure out what's going on. Then together later in the book.

I had a lot of fun with this book. It was high stakes, fast paced thriller. This one thought I would have been completely fine with one POV with Jenna. She by far was the most interesting to read and I enjoyed following her to the end. She's a bad ass and reminds me so much of Jason Bourne series. Unfortunately I couldn't really get into Nico or Donnie,

I have enjoyed so far everything I have read from Finlay and I look forward to reading even more from him.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for this advance reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.

I will be posting my review also at the.floofs.booknook on Instagram and major retail sites near/on publication date.

Thank you NetGalley for this awesome advanced copy.

What an exciting book this was. I was hooked from the first page. It was like the movie Salt, a kick-ass lead female who is out to find who is trying to kill her and her "friends". This book kept me on my toes. It was packed full of action and mystery.

I really liked the multiple POV. A group of friends grow up in a group home and things go from bad to worse.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.* This was such a fun ride! A fast-paced thriller with interesting plot twists and great writing. There were multiple timelines and POVs from well-developed characters with interesting backstories. It was well thought out and so quick and easy to read. I will definitely be checking out more Alex Finlay books!

I absolutely loved this one! It was a fast paced book for me and it got me out of the huge reading slump that I was in! Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC! Looking forward to reading more by Alex Finlay!

This is my first Alex Finlay novel and will not be my last. Years ago a group of teams bonded and met while living in a home for parentless kids. After several kids went missing, the home was shut down and they were separated. When they are reunited years later, you will not be able to put the book down. So many twists and turns- loved!

What Have We Done is one of the most anticipated thrillers of 2023-and with good reason. What Have We Done is an old fashioned "whodunit" with a modern twist-a social media platform and the "Elon Musk" prototype who founded it are prominent. We know from the prologue that "What They Did" is bad-but we don't learn exactly what (or the victim) until well into the story. The suspense builds in two parts in What Have We Done-in flashbacks to events that led up to this, and in the present as the children who were there (now adults) have the tables turned on them and are now the targets of a killer who seems to know all about them and what they did all those years ago. What Have We Done is brisk, intense, and doesn't gloss over the abuse the youngsters suffered as wards of the state sent to the ironically named "Savior House." More a house of horrors with little redeeming value, what happened at Savior House (almost) justifies what they did. What Have We Done is both psychological and thriller, fast paced and glossy,-making it the perfect book to devour.

'What Have We Done' is a little more fast-paced, action thriller than the last few books I've read by Alex Finlay, but I enjoyed it all the same. I did find the ending to be a bit rushed, and the jerking back and forth between timelines was often disorienting. It was hard for me to believe the connection between most of the characters. The only friendship that felt authentic was the friendship between Donnie and Ben. However, I did like the characters on their own, but I wish there could have been more about Casey and Haley. They seemed to add a touch of psychological thriller that helped tone down the action.

This one is definitely different than the other books by Finlay, but I still recommend it for those that enjoyed his previous work and those that just want an action thriller with a touch of mystery, and assassins.

What Have We Done by Alex Finlay is vastly different from his last book, The Night Shift. However, I love them both equally. WHWD is a thriller but more of an action one. The different viewpoints hurtle the storyline to its crazy conclusion. The characters are all vividly described but some of the details about the foster home were left murky which added a foreboding. This was a fast and fun read. Alex Finlay is an auto read for me now.

Another fantastic book by Finlay! The story of four friends who all meet while living in a group home. While living there they are forced to do the unthinkable to protect themselves from the man who runs the place. Years later the friends have all taken different paths in life, but soon find that their past is coming back to haunt them as they fear for their safety from an unknown threat. Edge of your seat thriller that is impossible to put down, do not miss this book. Definitely his best yet.

This is a fast-paced, action-packed novel about a group of young people who've grown up in Savior House as they were given up or have no family. Clearly they are mistreated and afraid as no one ever speaks of this; and now as adults, each of them has his or her own demons and battles to fight. At the center is Jenna who is married to Simon and has two step-children when she gets the "call" to assassinate someone. It's a complicated process but that's all you need to know going in! Had my head spinning from the get-go as the novel alternates between present and past and it's not clear until the end who are the villains and who are the heroes. But regardless, it's a thrill ride that you won't want to miss!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

This was my first novel by Alex Finlay and it won’t be my last. The multiple timelines and point-of-views in this fast-paced read were filled with lots of action. I enjoyed Jenna's timeline the most out of the three. Donnie and Nico's timelines came together nicely with Jenna's in the end. The mystery was filled with twists and turns that had me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what came next.

Overall, I would recommend this novel to mystery lovers that try to uncover the truth waiting around the corner.

Twenty five years ago, Jenna, Donnie, and Nico were close friends, united in their tragedies as they became foster siblings at the Savior House.

Each grew to live different lives: Jenna as a stay at home mom, Donnie as a rock star, and Nico as a television producer. But their past--which includes both trauma and crime--comes back to haunt them when the trio is reunited because of one small thing: someone is trying to kill them all.

Now they need to revisit the place of their trauma if they're to survive.

What a roller coaster ride! This is Finlay's fastest paced thriller--he never lets up until the last breathless page. And I have to admit that I didn't see the twist coming. Past fans will love this one, though there is a lot of content that may trouble some readers (including child abuse, which is alluded to, but not on the page). It's a really quick read and it's something I'd definitely recommend to thriller lovers. The characters were fun and tragic at the same time, especially Donnie--they really were a wonderful cast (and the baddies were ghastly!).

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press for letting me read and review this ARC through NetGalley.

5 friends with a common history and a giant secret.

It was 25 years ago that Jenna, Nico, Donnie, Artemis, and Benny met at Savior House, a group home for children who have lost their parents. They were all very different but came together for a collective purpose.

Since then, they grew up, they grew apart. They have become strangers to each other, their lives veering off onto very different paths.

Now someone from their past wants a reckoning. Someone wants them dead. Can they come together and figure out who is after them? Can they even trust each other?

What Have We Done is a fast-paced action thriller, jerking you in different directions with a flurry of energy. And that was the demerit for me. It was too much like an action movie for my taste. (Though it would make a pretty good movie!) I usually prefer something more subtle and psychological. If you like action, this is a perfect choice for you.

Thanks to Alex Finlay, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

3⭐️📖 I was a huge fan of Night Shift and was so happy to get a copy from Net Galley! 5 kids from a group home are united by their past trauma. Decades later, someone is trying to kill them. This book feels like an action movie; It’s addictive and action packed. Ultimately, I thought it’s flaw was a tendency to feel “convenient”. On top of a record number of assassin characters, the end has this HUGE rushed twist that left me a bit stunned. However, I am really hoping to see this book on the big screen!
I will still be anxiously awaiting anything Alex Finlay writes!