this book is just...it's realistic to a fault. it's slow and plodding, which is exactly what a book like this would be like if it were authentic at all. i don't think its' going to be anyone's favorite because it's not as thrilling as a thriller usually is, but i think it gets points for authenticity.

I started this and was super intrigued by the jacket description and beginning but found that the plot development was a bit slow. It took too long for me to get invested in the story!

An okay read but felt it was a bit too slow at the start and the plot twist at the end doesn’t really add up. However I still didn’t see it coming so that’s a plus of this read!

Note: I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a pretty decent thriller where a mystery from the past unravels in the present. It was a little slow at times but kept my attention throughout. While this book had some clever twists, the big reveal and motivation behind these crimes did not add up or make sense.Would recommend to those getting into the thriller genre.

This was a fantastic read. It hooked me from the beginning and held on the entire time. That twist!! Would definitely recommend. Looking forward to reading more from this author! Thanks to NetGalley for the read!

Wow! I could not put this book down. I loved it. The mystery and suspense are perfectly paced and I couldn't wait to see how this was going to conclude. I was completely satisfied by the ending. The characters were so well written I could picture them as real people. Engle has a way with words and I'll be on the lookout for more books by her.

4.25/5

I Did It for You by Amy Engel took a minute to get going, but when it did, I was here for it! I blew through this in one day because I couldn't wait to find out what Greer would discover. It managed to be very atmospheric, and it is definitely character-driven, so it is a bit on the slower side, but I thought the pacing was just right and I was fully invested in Greer and the story. I had no idea how this was going to play out, and while I can't say I was SUPER surprised when the climax hit, I wasn't disappointed by it either.

This is my first time reading Engel, but it has me itching to go back to The Roanoke Girls and The Familiar Dark which I will no longer be putting off! I Did It for You was perfect for audio as well, and I adored having 3 different narrators. Sean Patrick Hopkins, Amanda Stribling & Jennifer Pickens all did a fantastic job with their parts, and I would highly recommend the audiobook for maximum enjoyment. This made me feel very unsettled while I was listening to it, and you will want to make sure to stick it out for the twists and turns.

I was immediately drawn to the synopsis (and the cover) of this book. And it did not disappoint!

I listened to I Did It For You on audiobook, and it really enhanced the experience. I loved the narration.

Overall, this was a great thriller read - it was fact paced and kept my interest from the very beginning. I liked how the POV flashed back to those murdered every few chapters - interesting perspective.

I highly recommend this one for your "spooky season" TBR!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this copy.

Amy Engel writes the best gritty crime thrillers — her books are insanely readable and captivating. I Did It For You was an excellent thriller with a twisty plot — it’s a really good read, moves along at a good pace and doesn't go over the top with the typical and violent 'Hollywood style ending'.

Amy Engel has rocketed to the top of my auto-buy, favorite author list and I honestly cannot get enough of her intense character-driven, atmospheric, dynamic and addicting mystery thrillers.

A massive thanks to NetGalley + Dutton for the gifted copy!

❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥
After reading one of her previous books, I eagerly waited for another Amy Engel’s book. The beautiful cover of “I Did It For You” caught my eye the minute I saw it. This tense and melancholy story is emotional and pulled at my heartstrings.

Roy Matthews was executed for the murder of two teenagers. No motive was ever established, but the evidence was unmistakable. The victims were Greer’s sister and her boyfriend—Eliza and Travis. Greer is still haunted by the murders. She doesn’t doubt Roy’s guilt but she’s always felt there was more to the story or someone else involved.

Fourteen years later, another teenage couple is murdered in the same way. Greer returns to her hometown in Kansas for the first time since her sister’s murder. She was forced to give up her search for answers years ago, but she’s determined this time.

An atmospheric mystery that explores the depths people will go to find the truth. It examines guilt and grief, along with the damage and effects on both families. Ludlow is described so extensively, I feel like I’ve wandered every inch of its depressing streets.

Multiple narrators, including Eliza, provide an all-around glimpse into all of the highly-developed and flawed characters. Even the bad guys have redeemable qualities.

Sincere thanks to Penguin Group Dutton for providing this complimentary ARC through NetGalley. As always, all opinions are my own and are left voluntarily.

#PRHInfluencer #PenguinRandomHouse #Dutton #BooksOnTape #IDidItForYou #AmyEngel #SmallTownMystery #justfinished #newrelease #giftedARC #igbookreels #thriller

I've really liked all of Amy Engel's books and this one was no exception. It was a decent thriller with some good twists. Greer's older sister, Eliza, was murdered when they were still teenagers, along with her boyfriend. The killer was caught right away, but Greer has always believed that there was more to the story and that Ray, the murdered, did not do it alone. When another young couple are murdered in the same way, Greer comes home to try and get some questions answered. This was pretty fast-paced and kept me intrigued the entire story. I questioned who the killer actually was a few times. A good, thrilling read!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. This was a pretty decent thriller where a mystery from the past unravels in the present. It was a little slow at times but I liked the twist on the typical story like this of getting a lot of perspective on the supposed killer's mindset.

The Dunning family has never recovered from the murder of eldest daughter Eliza. She and her boyfriend Travis Pratt were shot to death while making out in his car. The killer was swiftly apprehended, but the surviving members of Eliza’s family have drifted, unable to cope with their grief. Dad has disappeared into alcoholism, while Mom obsessively cleans their Ludlow, Kansas home. Younger daughter Greer worked herself up into a frenzy after the arrest of Roy Mathews, refusing to believe that the sullen, not-too-bright teenager had just up and killed two people for no apparent reason one day. Her insistence that someone else had to have masterminded the crime earned her only a trip to a therapist to discuss her emotions. Realizing that no one was listening to her, she left her small town as soon as she could, finally settling in Chicago to exist more than to live.

So when her father drunkenly calls one day telling her that Roy has done it again, Greer is less shocked than angry. Despite what her father claims, Roy is in prison, facing the death penalty. He could hardly have been responsible for the eerily similar shooting death of two other teenagers, over a decade after he shot Eliza and Travis. But Greer has always suspected that someone else was involved, and is enraged to hear that the Ludlow cops are calling these latest killings the work not only of a copycat but of an opportunistic drifter passing through town.

Going home is painful, but Greer knows that she has to do something to prevent more murders. Trouble is, she doesn’t really know who or what she’s looking for. Almost against her better judgment, she falls in with an unlikely ally. Their investigations quickly raise as many eyebrows as they do questions. Her parents are especially aghast at the reopening of old wounds:

QUOTE
“I’m not trying to hurt you,” I said, working to lower my voice.

“Then what are you trying to do?” My mother worried her hands together, her raw knuckles scraping.

“I don’t know,” I admitted. And that was the awful truth of it. I’d thought when I’d come back to Ludlow that I’d known what I was looking for, that my purpose was laid out clear as an X on a map. But as the days went by, I felt more adrift than ever, running in circles, looking for clues that weren’t there, finding answers that only led to more questions. Distrusting the people I loved, looking at familiar faces and seeing strangers instead. Putting my trust in someone I barely knew. I was lost and had no idea how to be found.
END QUOTE

But Greer refuses to give up. She’s tired of living in limbo, of hearing her sister’s voice in her head asking for answers. It’s someone else’s investigations that lead to a breakthrough in the case, however, digging up an awful revelation that will jeopardize everything Greer has allowed herself to believe since Eliza’s murder. Will Greer be able to push through when her investigations begin to imperil both herself and the people she loves?

More than just a twisty murder mystery – with a revelation as to motive that surprised and moved even a jaded genre aficionado like myself – this is a meditation on grief and love and moving on that is just as heavy on empathy as it is on atmosphere. The Dunnings are so stuck in their unhappiness that it takes a catastrophic event to jolt them out of their holding patterns. Greer herself finds guidance in a place she doesn’t expect, when she interviews the mother of one of the teenagers whose deaths drew Greer home. Lorraine Johnson is clearly grieving but is also dealing with her emotions in an unmistakably healthy manner. When Greer asks her how she does it, Lorraine explains how she looks each day for three things to be grateful for, and how that grounds her in all the good still left in the world:

QUOTE
[“]Even on my worst days, I can always find three.” She must have sensed my skepticism because she gave our clasped hands a gentle shake. “Like this.” She looked around her kitchen, closed her eyes, took a deep breath. “The sun is shining, I can smell my pies baking. My family will fill this house tomorrow.”

“But what if it’s not enough?” I asked, embarrassed when a few of my tears spilled over.

Lorraine opened her eyes, let go of my hands, and wiped my tears away with cinnamon-scented fingers. “It has to be, Greer,” she said. “Because it’s all any of us have got.”
END QUOTE

Amy Engel pulls no punches as she examines the aftereffects of murder, not only on the victims’ families but also on the killers’. Roy’s silence in the wake of homicides that he otherwise freely admits to committing harms more than it protects, underscoring how evil done in the service of what some may view as kindness only allows more evil to fester. Better, I Did It For You explains, for the truth to come out so that people can begin to heal in earnest, instead of nursing wounds made worse by the pressures of misplaced guilt and shame.

This author never fails to impress, and this book is no exception. Meet Greer, a woman haunted by her older sister’s long-unsolved murder. When a copycat murder occurs, she’s drawn back to her hometown, determined to uncover the truth about her sister’s death.

Years ago, Greer’s sister, Eliza, was tragically murdered alongside her boyfriend, and Greer left town as an adult. But with another double murder now on the scene, she suspects there’s more to the story and starts digging into the unsettling case. While I liked Greer, I couldn’t help but question her trustworthiness, adding a captivating layer of mystery to the plot.

Eliza’s final words to Greer before her murder have haunted her for fourteen years. With the police offering no help and her parents growing distant, Greer seeks answers in unexpected places, including Dean Mathews, the brother of the man who killed her sister.

I won’t spoil the thrilling details, but let me tell you, this book had me hooked from start to finish. It’s a rollercoaster ride of suspense and intrigue, keeping you guessing with every twist and turn. So if you’re looking for a weekend escape, grab this captivating read—it’s out today and promises an unforgettable experience!

I love Amy Engel. Her characters are always so likeable because they’re imperfect, normal people like the rest of us and the she nails the small town vibes perfectly. I Did It For You was fun for me, for the most part. The pacing was good for me, it me my wheels turning because it could have been anyone, and in the end, one of my suspicions was right but the ending didn’t work for me. The motive for the murders made no sense whatsoever and it felt so rushed but all in all I liked the book for the most part. Thank you to the author, Penguin Randomhouse and Dutton for my eARC. I Did It For You is available now.

I was vey intrigued by the title and description of I Did it for You. I went into it expecting a twisty thriller, but it’s not really what I got. As a mystery, it left a lot to be desired for me, but as an exploration of grief and guilt and love it excelled.

Greer’s sister and her sister’s boyfriend were murdered when she was a teenager and while the killer was caught quickly, she never believed he was working alone. Now after more than a decade, two more teenagers are killed in the same manner. Greer finally decides to return to her small hometown to try and figure out what happened once and for all. The story was pretty slow moving and the reveals felt few and far between. The biggest ones were due to Greer’s unreliable narration and not things that she actually discovered, which I didn’t really care for. The villain ended up being one of my first guesses and the motivation for everything that happened felt very flimsy.

Where the book really worked for me was when it looked at how people cope with grief and guilt. Greer teams up with Dean, the brother of her sister’s killer, as he also always believed there was someone else involved. Roy never shared his motivation for the killings, nor did he really express remorse for what he did, before his execution, but as we get to know more about him through Dean’s eyes, it’s hard to not feel bad for him. While Dean is devastated and ashamed of what his brother did, he’s also grieving his loss and the emotional confusion and turmoil of it all was very well done. Greer’s journey through grief, anger, and guilt to acceptance was also a well-done journey.

Overall, I Did it for You was just ok for me. The mystery/thriller aspect really lacked for me, but the emotional exploration helped make up for it.

I have loved all of this author’s books and this one is no different. It’s about a woman named Greer. Her older sister was murdered years before. Now, there has been a copycat murder. She has to head back to her hometown to dig into it, she has to know the truth about her sister’s murder. But now, she is in danger 👀

I do enjoy the way Amy Engel tells a story, and this latest was no exception. She has a fine knack for crafting mostly-broken characters in a way that makes their fragility intriguing rather than off-putting. While I will admit that I saw the twist coming, it didn't lessen my enjoyment of the revelations, although the ending did feel a little tidier than I normally expect from her books. Still, this was an engaging and quick read that I enjoyed.

A Copycat Murder, or Not?

After twelve years, Greer Dunning is back in Ludlow, Kansas. Fourteen years ago, her older sister, Eliza and her boyfriend were murdered. Greer and her parents were overwhelmed by grief. Even though the killer was caught and has been executed, Greer is unable to accept that the killer didn’t have an accomplice. Now there has been a second murder. Two teens have been murdered in similar circumstances.

Greer has come back determined to find out whether the questions and concerns she had about her sister’s murder can help to solve the latest crime. Once home, she teams up with an unlikely ally and together they set out to discover the truth even if it puts them in danger.

This is primarily a character driven mystery. Greer is still tormented by things she thinks she knows about her sister’s murder. and she is determined to find the truth. In addition to her determination, Greer is still grieving. It keeps her apart from even her parents who are also stricken by the crime. I thought the author did a good job exploring how grief affects families, not only of the victim, but of the killer as well.

The background of the small town of Ludlow is perfect for the story. It’s a close knit community where everyone knows their neighbors. It’s also a town where there are secrets. The plot is good and there are plenty of twists. The ending was not a surprise for me. There are plenty of clues along the way. However, the character development adds a dimension to the novel that keeps you reading. If you enjoy character driven mysteries, you’ll like this one.

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for this review copy.

This was really good! I have enjoyed this author’s books in the past so I was excited to get the chance to read her newest novel. Once I started reading, I did not want to stop reading because I just had to know what would happen next. There were plenty of twists and turns worked into the story that kept me guessing until the very end. I found this to be an entertaining story that was full of surprises.

Greer’s sister was murdered alongside her boyfriend years ago. She left town as an adult but has come back after another double murder is committed. The man who murdered Greer’s sister, Eliza, has been put to death but Greer feels like there is something more going on with the new murders and starts looking into things. I liked Greer but I wasn’t completely sure that I trusted her. I really liked that I never knew exactly which direction the story was going at any given time.

I listened to the audiobook and thought that Sean Patrick Hopkins, Amanda Stribling, and Jennifer Pickens did a wonderful job with this story. I thought that the narrators’ voices all worked really well together and I loved the way that each of them helped to bring the story to life. I thought that each of the narrators had very pleasant voices and I believe that their narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.

I would recommend this book to others. I love that this story was rather unpredictable and kept me guessing until the very end. I cannot wait to read more of this author’s work.

I received a review copy of this book from Dutton and Penguin Random House Audio.