Wow! I need 3-5 business days before I read another book. At first, this book didn’t feel like a mystery thriller. But as the delved deeper into Annie’s mind, I started to see the mystery thriller elements.

This book focused a lot on generational trauma and the mother-daughter relationship; between Annie and her mother and Annie and her daughter. The way she handled it was masterful and drew me further into the book. It also reminded me of my childhood to a far lesser degree.

Usually in mystery thriller books, I kinda figure out what’s going on midway through the book. But this one had so many twists and turns that the ending left me speechless! A million out of ten! I would read anything else from this author!

Thank you @netgalley @duttonbooks for the ARC!

This book is a bit of a slow burn at the beginning, but it is absolutely worth it to keep reading. I was blown away by the storyline, and I was constantly guessing what was going on. Annie had to be responsible, didn’t she? But maybe not? This was one time I did not guess the ending.

All in all I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys suspense/thrillers. I will for sure be reading anything else this author releases!

Oh, my goodness. K.T. Nguyen is someone we need to keep an eye on! This novel seized me with squelchy hands—so riveting it resonated beyond sense.

The story follows Annie, who came to America with her mother as refugees of Vietnam. It explores mother-daughter relationships, generational traumas, and mental illnesses. Annie overcame the challenges of turbulent upbringing and now lives a perfect life, until she lost her mother. Annie started to grapple with chaos through her thoughts and struggled to make any sense in it all. K.T. Nguyen did a fantastic job bringing forth some of Annie’s disturbing thoughts and paranoia, flashes of memories, and subjects that haunted her. I felt like I also started to experience Annie’s OCD tendency by having thoughts like, “there must be something dirty about this donut, whoever made it” (lol). At first, the book’s opening felt sluggish, but before I knew it, the story took flight, and I was utterly engrossed. I’m also unaccustomed to reading from a third-person perspective because it seems so limited, almost like I’m a fly on the wall observant, but once I got used to the style, I started to experience it as if I was watching it on film.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for an advanced e-book copy of You Know What You Did by K.T. Nguyen.

I REALLY wanted to like this book. I even re-read the beginning to see if maybe I just missed the "catch" but I didn't. It was a very slow burn and once it got to the suspense twists and turns, I had already lost interest. It's not a bad book, it just didn't grab my attention and I didn't feel vested in any of the characters.

*Thank you NetGallery and PENGUIN GROUP Dutton for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

So originally I really wanted to give this book a 2-3 star review but after finishing it though it was a solid 4 stars for me. This is a slow paced thriller through the first half of the book and then it escalates through to the end. At first I found Annie, her husband, Duncan, and daughter, Tabby, beyond annoying and hard to get emotionally involved with. After the loss of her mother Annie slowly starts to succumb to her OCD tendencies that start off mild and continue to escalate throughout the book. I will say I held in due to the supporting characters around them like Ike and later in the story Dr. Patel. About halfway through the book, I started to become invested into Annie, her story, and her mental health journey. Also as the maturity of Tabby grows, she did finally start to wear on me and by the end I actually could feel the difference in the character in a good way. Not much longer after this point the plot twists started to really develop. Due to the changes in the pace, the depth, and character development after this point kept me reading. By the time I got to the end and everything was explained there were definitely pieces I was surprised about. Overall was a good read and I enjoyed it by the end.

This was nice enough, but it took a while to see the story truly bloom. Still, it was a worthwhile experience and I'm interested to see more from this author. Recommended.

I really, really wanted to love this book but it just didn't scratch my mystery/thriller itch. I need to be hooked into a story right away and this book took time to build to the excitement. But once the story finally got going and was on track it wad a suspenseful ride with sharp twists and unexpected turns. Not a terrible read, but it was difficult to get hooked so unfortunately missed the mark for me.

Ok, I had NO idea what to expect with this book. But the description, the title and the cover drew me in on Net Galley (and thank you SO MUCH for the opportunity to read this before it’s release date). The book at the beginning tended to have a slow burn; the first third of the book was a lot of backstory about Annie, her mom, her family, her condition, etc; but makes sense with the story. But reaching Part 2 (out of 3) it really picked up and had me questioning everything that was happening. I thought “There is no way” but then “ok, well maybe 🤔 “ I wanted to continue to read and read to see what was going to happen and who was behind everything. This book will have you questioning every character and if you like a good thriller/suspense, I HIGHLY recommend.

4.5 stars

**Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group-Dutton, and K.T. Nguyen for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**
Expected publication date: April 16, 2024

This riveting debut novel by K.T. Nguyen kept me reading!! I could not look away!! I would characterize this novel as a dark thriller/horror/mystery. The subject of mental health and bonds between mothers and daughters created a powerful view inside the thoughts and minds of her characters struggling for control. The perspective and point of view added to the drama and twists in the plot.

Annie is a Vietnam War refugee, who was raised by a single mother. She grows up to become an artist and marries a well-off man. They have a beautiful home and a bright teenaged daughter. The adult life she has created for herself is far from her childhood of growing up in poverty with a mother who struggled with mental health. Annie vows to give her daughter the life she never had and to protect her as much as she can from the cruel world. When her elderly mother passes away, Annie's life slowly begins to unravel. Her own mental health starts to deteriorate and her previously controlled obsessive-compulsive disorder begins to rage.

Suddenly, several people Annie is close to become victims of heinous crimes. Annie becomes the prime suspect in these cases. Under the stress, Annie begins doubting herself. She begins suffering from black outs. Her mind beings racing. Are her thoughts somehow coming true? Is she the cause of what is happening? Why can't she remember? She begins to spiral into a dark place and beings questioning her own actions and the actions and intentions of others. She pushes her family and friends away, as she struggles to gain control of herself and her mind. No matter what happens, one this is certain, Annie will do anything to protect her daughter.

“You Know What You Did” was an excellent debut thriller! The beginning was a little slow for my tastes but once it picked up, it PICKED UP. I was on the edge of my seat. However, I kinda called the ending so that was a little disappointing, but I overall really enjoyed this. Artist Annie Shaw has a dream life, dream husband, a cool electronic shower, but she does have a bratty teenage daughter and complicated mother. After that mother’s death, her life starts to unravel and we’re left to figure out what is true and what is Annie’s delusions. 4/5 ⭐️ thank you, K.T. Nguyen, Netgalley and Penguin Group: Dutton for my eARC.

Full disclosure: This one is special to me because I had the honor of being a beta reader*—and let me tell you it was so amazing to see this novel go from a great first draft to an amazing, engrossing, fully realized final manuscript!

The story is centered around artist Annie Shaw, whose mother was forced to flee Vietnam in the late 70s and remake her life in rural Ohio, pregnant with Annie and carrying with her the trauma of war. Now in early middle age, Annie herself is struggling with the recent death of her mother, the demands of being a “good wife” and the challenges of raising a teenage daughter—not to mention managing her OCD symptoms, which have begun to reemerge with a vengeance.

Needless to say, Annie has a lot on her plate—and I haven’t even gotten to the (growing) body count or the “ghosts” from Annie’s past yet, which invade her mind in the form of traumatic memories.

This novel moves along at a brisk pace and the writing style does an amazing job of bringing the reader inside Annie’s mind as she starts to question her grip on reality and ask herself what she’s really capable of. She’s an unreliable narrator in the best way—you root for her even when some of her decisions seem questionable (hello, handsome CPA Gabriel Correa!) because you think “If that were me, I could 100% see myself doing that.”

Enough red herrings are dropped that you’re still guessing right up to the end of the novel, which is always tricky feat to pull off. All in all, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID is super-smart, perceptive and—this might sound odd, but it’s the best way I can describe it—compassionate thriller that pulls you right along and explores the complex, multi-layered relationship between mothers and daughters. I can’t recommend it enough!

Thanks so much to Dutton Books and NetGalley for providing me with me a review copy!

Release date: April 16, 2024 🗓️


*Book industry lingo for an early reader who provides feedback to the author.

I’ve tried to read this three separate times and get about 70% through and nothing has really happened. I’m sorry to say that I didn’t connect with the characters or feel that anything really happened.
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

this is an anxiety ridden thriller. sometimes i love them, sometimes i need to take breaks in between reading. i'm looking forward to reading more of the author's work. thanks netgalley & the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Artist Annie Shaw seems to have created the perfect life for herself, her husband, and her teenage daughter, but when Annie's mother, a Vietnamese immigrant, dies suddenly, the police start scrutinizing Annie's life, and her OCD tendencies and her carefully curated life starts to unravel.

This book is beautifully crafted. The writing, the plot, the characters. Annie's OCD tendencies. The horror, the thrill, the mystery. The relationship between Annie and her daughter. Utter perfection. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

This didn’t work for me. It was slow and I couldn’t connect with the story.

****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****

"You Know What You Did" is an absolute masterpiece that had me hooked from the very first page. K.T. Nguyen weaves a web of suspense and emotion that keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire journey.

Annie Shaw, the protagonist, is a complex and relatable character whose struggles and triumphs make her story all the more compelling. As her carefully constructed life crumbles after her mother's sudden death, Annie's battle with obsessive-compulsive disorder resurfaces, adding a layer of raw authenticity to her character. Nguyen's portrayal of Annie's inner turmoil is so vivid that you can't help but feel every ounce of her pain.

The intricate plot is a rollercoaster ride of twists and turns that leave you constantly questioning what's real and what's imagined. The pacing is masterful, steadily building tension until you're practically breathless, desperate to uncover the truth alongside Annie.

What truly sets this book apart is its exploration of themes that strike a chord. Nguyen delves into the refugee experience with sensitivity, painting a picture of Annie's mother's journey and the impact it has on Annie's own life. The complex relationships between mothers and daughters are also beautifully depicted, as Annie grapples with the desire to protect her daughter at all costs.

The ending completely blindsided me – in the best way possible. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, Nguyen expertly pulled the rug out from under the reader, delivering a finale that left me speechless and in awe of the author's storytelling prowess.

"You Know What You Did" is not just a thriller; it's a thought-provoking and emotionally charged story that lingers in your mind long after you've turned the last page. K.T. Nguyen's writing is a symphony of emotions, weaving together suspense, heartbreak, and resilience into an unforgettable tale. If you're a fan of gripping thrillers that also tug at your heartstrings, this book is an absolute must-read.

This was a bit of a difficult read. At least at first. It wad a slow build with several aimless, pointless tangents. But once the story finally got going and was on track it wad a suspenseful ride with sharp twists and unexpected turns.

Oh my goodness I wanted to love this book so much, it just honestly fell a bit flat in my opinion. It just wasn’t for me.

This was so freaking good, didn’t really know where this was going to go. Towards the end I figured things out but still I was soooooo thrown!!!! Thank you to Net Galley for this ARC!

I have mixed feelings about this book. I kept reading because I wanted to see where it was going and how it ended, so points for holding my interest. The beginning of the book was slow. There were parts that didn’t seem necessary (the husband’s war experience, for example). I also found it disjointed; the time jumps and stream of consciousness was difficult to follow for me. The mother and daughter were fascinating characters. I felt empathy for both. The relationship with the teenager daughter/granddaughter was odd to me. I feel with a little more editing and fleshing some parts out this book could be a 5 star read. For now, it was a 3 star.