⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5 stars)
Thank you to Andrea Mara and the publisher for the ARC of It Should Have Been You.

This was my first book by Andrea Mara, and it absolutely will not be my last. From the very first chapter, I was hooked by the unsettling tension and layered mystery that builds as the story unfolds. Mara masterfully weaves together a haunting past and a present-day search for answers, keeping the suspense sharp and the pacing tight.

The characters were well-drawn, the twists cleverly executed, and the emotional undercurrent—grief, guilt, and the desperation for closure—was compelling without being overwhelming. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, Mara threw in a reveal that left me reeling.

My only reason for rounding down slightly from a full 5 stars is that one or two plot elements felt a touch rushed in the final act—but even that didn’t take away from how satisfying the conclusion was.

Highly recommend for fans of psychological thrillers with depth and heart. I’ll definitely be diving into more of Mara’s backlist soon!

I loved the plotline of an accidental text that set off a very disturbing chain of events. I enjoy Andrea Mara's books and I look forward to the next one!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Andrea Mara's It Should Have Been You was my first foray into her work, and for the most part, she had me hooked. The premise is genuinely compelling: imagine accidentally sending a rant about someone to everyone, including the person you're ranting about. My immediate thought? Utter mortification.

This intriguing setup certainly piqued my interest, but ultimately, the book delivered a lackluster ending that left me wanting more. One of the book's strengths lies in its multiple perspectives. I appreciated getting insights from various characters affected by protagonist Susan's actions. Limiting the narrative to Susan's viewpoint for over 300 pages would have been a challenge, and exploring different points of view prevented the story from feeling biased towards any single character, even if none of them were entirely innocent. The short chapters were another positive, keeping the pace brisk and encouraging me to continue reading, eager to uncover the truth behind the murders and how everyone was involved.

However, several aspects detracted from my overall enjoyment. The middle section of the book dragged and felt repetitive, making over 100 chapters feel excessive. Furthermore, character growth was notably absent. It was difficult to connect with any of the characters, as none of them were particularly likable. Frankly, I felt many of them deserved to be behind bars. But the police weren't even good at their job, so I'm not surprised people weren't locked up.

The ending was a significant disappointment. After a series of murders and attempted murders, the resolution felt anticlimactic and unsatisfying, concluding with a strangely amicable "at least we're cordial" sentiment. While I was engaged for a good portion of the novel and would be willing to read more by Andrea Mara, It Should Have Been You ultimately fell short of its potential

Dark and suspenseful.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely LOVED this latest thriller (and my first) by Andrea Mara. One of our worst fears is that we'll accidentally text something snarky to the person it was about, in error, and when that exact thing happens at the start of this twisty novel, a whole web of consequence, layers, secrets, and interconnections is unleashed. The setting of women in a community social group with biting comments back and forth and nosey neighbors is so relatable and delicious -- it's a more sinister Desperate Housewives, set it Ireland, across multiple age groups with lots of POVs. You'll want to pay attention as there are a lot of characters (and I had to look up how some of the traditional Irish names were pronounced) but it isn't difficult to catch on. I will absolutely be recommending this one as it has appeal that transcends the thriller genre with its juicy secrets and addictive theories.

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Viking Penguin | Pamela Dorman Books for the opportunity to review this ARC. I'll definitely be digging it Andrea Mara's backlist.

I loved this book. Perfect five stars. Andrea Mara is the queen of domestic thrillers and mysteries. I have now read her whole back catalog. I think this is my favorite. A text accidentally sent to the wrong thread is not only embarrassing but maybe even deadly. The pacing and plotting are expert, and the character arcs and developments are juicy. Excellent read.

From the very first page, this novel grips you with an unrelenting sense of dread that only intensifies with each turn of the plot. The author masterfully weaves a complex tapestry of suspense, featuring characters so vividly drawn they feel like old acquaintances, even as they harbor dark secrets. Just when you think you've unraveled the mystery, a shocking twist plunges you back into a thrilling labyrinth of deception. The pacing is relentless, building to a breathtaking climax that will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew. This is a must-read for any thriller aficionado, a pulse-pounding journey that lingers long after the final, unforgettable sentence.

It Should Have Been You is a gripping thriller packed with twists and turns that genuinely caught me off guard. Andrea Mara does a fantastic job creating complex, layered characters—I found myself invested in all of them and completely wrapped up in their drama. The story kept me hooked from the beginning, and I loved how the suspense steadily built throughout.

My only small critique is that the ending felt a bit drawn out, but overall, it didn’t take away from how compelling the book was. If you enjoy thrillers that keep you guessing, this one’s definitely worth a

The first few pages suck you in QUICK! At times I thought maybe there was too much going on, but then other times I wanted more! Please tell me more about all these unhinged characters!

This was a great vacation read or perfect for anybody who wants to devour a book in a single day!

*if you are pregnant, newly postpartum, or suffered from PPD/PPP, give this book a skip *

THRILLER OF THE SUMMER! I loved Someone in the Attic, so when I saw I was approved to read It Should Have Been You, I was so excited; one of my most anticipated reads in 2025 AND IT DELIVERED! This thriller feels like a ping pong match, with your head swiveling constantly in between the twists and gasp-worthy moments. This book is drama filled to the max, and there are twists that I did not see coming, especially the ending! It has the "who-dun-it" feel, with other elements weaved in. I absolutely loved this book, even more so than Someone in the Attic, and Andrea is now an auto-buy author for me! If you are looking for a quick, exciting thriller this summer, this book is it!!!

Thank you so much to Viking/Pamela Dorman Books for the gifted ARC!

I was so eager to read this January release that I read it in July! I loved Andrea's last book, SOMEONE IN THE ATTIC, and couldn't wait for this one.

While some of the aspects of SOMEONE IN THE ATTIC felt similarly to this one, such as the large number of characters, the very layered plotline, the untrustworthy characters, and the short chapters, there was still something different about this one. The main plot idea was so fun: a woman accidentally sending a message meant for her sisters to the neighborhood page. While that may not seem like a big deal, when you see what the message was, you may change your mind.

While this one started off so bingeable, I did get a little lost in the plot around the middle with all the constantly changing POVs and I almost think it would have been better suited for less POVs this time. The ending got a little too crazy and grotesque for my personal taste, but just go in knowing it gets a little off-the-wall crazy and you should be good.

I'd definitely check the content warnings on this one because two of my biggest were present which made it a little hard for me in some areas.

Overall, a pretty easy to read baby-mama-drama book that will have you double checking who you send your messages to!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review the ARC.

Ahh I don’t know how I feel about this. So many POVs. I just couldn’t connect and it was hard to get into. Maybe I will try to do audio book after this was published. I really like synopsis and how it started.

Wow! Andrea Mara, you’ve just gained a loyal reader, this book was superb! I love good bitchy neighborhood/suburbia drama and this hit the nail on the head!
Every chapter is super short & always leaving you wanting more. I loved all the POV’s so much, it added so many layers! I binged this in two days because I truly couldn’t put it down! I can’t say enough glowing things about this book!

This one was a really good twisty thriller, it went at a good pace and told through multiple POV's. It does come off kind of what if a text went to someone else, well in reality that is a huge possibility and happens all the time. But still I don't regret reading it.

Full of twists and unexpected turns! I had some ideas running around but the ones I didn’t expect, WOW!
This is my first by this author and I definitely want to explore more!

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭.

T.S. Eliot may have written that the world ends not with a bang but a whimper, but for Susan O’Donnell, it ended with a screenshot and a damning message carelessly sent not the intended recipient, her sister, but to an entire group.

Susan is stretched thin as a new mother. While on a neighborhood WhatsApp group, a passive-aggressive comment clearly aimed at Susan gets under her skin. As we've all done, she huffs, rolls her eyes, and proceeded to eviscerate the annoying woman in a private message intended for her sister, calling out every member of the woman's family for some transgression. To her horror, she realizes she has sent to the message to the neighborhood group. Deleting the message does nothing, because in the ten minutes it's been up, screenshots have been taken, and the message has been passed around all over. Susan is rife with embarrassment and even fearful for her job--she's a teacher, and how does it look for a teacher to be calling school-age children 'bratty' (even if it's true?)

Her husband and sisters convince her that the error will blow over quickly--but it doesn't. Susan receives a death threat, a brick is thrown through their window, and then, in a shocking turn of events, a woman is murdered. When Susan realizes the victim is someone she has a connection to, albeit slight, she grows more and more uneasy, especially since they share an identical street address separated by several neighborhoods.

Then things get absolutely nuts. There is a decent sized cast of characters to keep up with, but I didn't have any problems keeping them straight. The author perfectly captured the "oh, sh*t," heart in your throat moment when you're grabbing those screenshots and talking trash to share with your besties in a texting frenzy. Even more than I fear giving a presentation in my underwear, I fear sending petty messages to the wrong person. I would erase all traces of my existence and move to another planet.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Pamela Dorman/Viking Books for the early copy. Look for this one in the US on January 13, 2026.

Special thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Random House and Author Andrea Mara for advanced copy for honest review.

We’ve all done it! We’ve all a sent text to the wrong person. Luckily for me, it turned into a good laugh. In this case, it was very, very bad. A group text sent to all the people in the neighborhood, with a slightly mean and derogatory tone. That starts the ball rolling and out come the secrets of the community and the families. And I mean that is just the start. The wrong address, the string of lies, people dead, and several in the hospital. Everything gets crisscrossed and it can’t be undone. 5 stars, highly recommend! I really like the writing style of Andrea Mara, she keeps me captivated.

**ARC** I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback. Thank you NetGalley.

Will be available in the US in January 2026!

3.5 ⭐️

This book was actually really entertaining to read. It had short chapters and the end of each chapter had a hook that made me want to keep reading and figure out the story!

This story was about Susan, she accidentally sent a drama filled message to their neighborhood groupchat instead of her groupchat with her sisters. This message started a chain of events that ended up with 3 people murdered. The story takes place present day and the day the murders occurred. Each chapter has a different character telling their story. There are many characters, so it may get a little confusing.

I did guess most twists correctly and the writing style wasn't anything great, which is why I rated it 3.5 stars. Also the character who attempted to murder a girl was not fully revealed at the end. It was written to keep you guessing. Other than that, it was still really entertaining to read! If you're craving a fun, fast paced thriller, I definitely recommend picking this book up!

This book didn’t cease to make my head spin immediately. It started with a bang let me tell you. Should you read this? Yes. Absolutely.

- Suspenseful
- Enraging
- Multiple character POV
- Who done It?

I’m not a fan of more than 2 POV’s but this book just made sense. I thought for sure I wasn’t going to be able to keep up with everything & everyone introduced but It was excellent. The plot & the setting were both pretty dark & some of the things these characters did were completely unhinged to say the least. I think at one point I was reading with one eye open because I was so nervous 😱.

I am a huge sucker for character development when It comes to a rating a book & It was perfect. There were a mix of characteristics for everyone & without spoiling anything, one character in particular was making me so mad I wanted to throw my kindle across the room. So that’s how I know it’s good!!

The only note I have on this one in particular is that I think It could’ve been significantly shorter and It still would’ve been phenomenal.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book early!

Susan sends a text intended for her sisters, but things don't quite go as planned and it ends up going to her community WhatsApp. This sets off a spiraling chain of events that will keep you flipping pages trying to figure out what happened. The chapters are short and make for an easy to read. This book contains several not so nice characters, nosy neighbors, and one very chatty busybody. This is a quick read that has some unseen twists that will keep you hooked. This book does not disappoint. Andrea Mara is a new author for me and I look forward to reading more of her books.

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