Unfortunately had to DNF at 25%. This was just so incredibly boring. I couldn't connect to any of the characters and the narration made me feel excluded from the very start.

Audiobook Review: You Shouldn’t Have Come Here by Liz Alterman
Narrated by Cat Protano

I received this audiobook from NetGalley and truly appreciate the opportunity to “read with my ears” and explore new-to-me authors.

This was my first book by Liz Alterman, and it was definitely an interesting ride. The story pulled me in quickly, I found myself intrigued by the setup and the eerie tone that hinted something wasn’t quite right. Midway through, I felt like the pacing slowed a bit, and I got a little lost in where things were heading. But just as quickly, the story pulled me back in, building up to a twisty and suspenseful finish that made the listen worthwhile.

Cat Protano did a solid job as the narrator. She delivered good inflections and put effort into making each character sound distinct. That said, I think the audiobook might have been even stronger with dual narration, especially to differentiate the male and female leads more clearly. Still, Protano’s performance kept me engaged and captured the unsettling tone of the book well.

Overall, You Shouldn’t Have Come Here is a suspenseful, unsettling tale that keeps you guessing. I’m definitely interested in checking out more of Liz Alterman’s work in the future. Thank you again to NetGalley for the chance to discover a new author and enjoy another compelling audiobook experience.

You Shouldn’t Have Done That by Liz Alterman is a twisted, entertaining thriller with just the right blend of suspense, dark humor, and psychological tension. The audiobook pulled me in right away, easy to listen to, sharply written, and full of moments that had me saying, “Wait… what just happened?”

The story is told through a unique, unsettling, and oddly compelling voice. I loved how the tension builds slowly, then spirals into something much darker. Alterman does a great job keeping the listener guessing, with enough sharp turns and hidden motivations to keep things interesting.

The narrator was excellent, capturing the tone and personality of the main character with a delivery that added to the overall creepiness and intrigue.

While it didn’t completely blow me away regarding twists, it still made for an engaging, fast-paced listen. A great pick if you enjoy thrillers with a bit of bite and a narrator you’ll love to hate.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

There are plenty of unlikable characters in this story, and I still enjoyed it. The main plot is strong, but the side stories stood out, giving context to why certain events unfolded the way they did and why the characters acted the way they did.

The first chapters dragged on a bit, but the middle picked up and pulled me in. Unfortunately, the ending wasn’t satisfactory. It undid some of the excitement the story had built. I also found the narration a little tricky to follow at first, though I eventually got used to it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC.

The Whittaker and Chapman families have been best friends for years, since their sons, Cal and Brad went to preschool together. Now, living away from their families as roommates in Wyoming, the boy's friendship has started to fray. When the boys go for a hike and only Brad returns their families relationship start to fracture. Where is Cal and why didn't Brad report him missing. As the nation's attention turns to the disappeared the ground truly drops beneath them all.

A tense thriller, You Shouldn't Have Done That serves up lots of twists and turns while also turning the spotlight on the use of social media and the media glare on true crime. A solid thriller, with excellent audio narration. Three stars.

This is the thriller I’ve been searching for all year! I was hooked from the first sentence of this story and was at no point disappointed. I listened to it in 2 sittings. Between the story and the performance this is a 5 star listen. Some of the characters, like the sister, were so insufferable but in the most entertaining way. I was so happy with how many twist were in this book and you truly didn’t know what was coming each time. There were a few parts that cause me to literally drop my jaw. I will be recommending this book to all my book clubs and friends.

What a crazy suspense filled thrill ride. Cal and Brad have been best friends since preschool, now the pair are roommates in a Wyoming Ski Resort town. Things are great until they aren't. When Cal doesnt return to the shared condo, his over bearing mother, sounds the alarms from the opposite side of the country.  Cal's sister goes online making allegations regarding Brad. Where is Cal? This twisty turny multiple POV story will keep uou on the edge of your seat.

The narrator, Cat Protano, was great.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for the ALC.

In the book You Shouldn't Have Done That, author Liz Alterman writes about two friends – Jane Whitaker and Ivy Chapman – whose families have been friends for 20 years. But that friendship is tested when their adult sons end up living together and working as ski instructors in Wyoming. And when one son disappears, is his childhood friend to blame? And what secrets do the boys have? What is happening to these families? And what is really the truth? This was an interesting story that shows how fragile friendships can be and people really don’t know each other as much as they think. I did not like the ending and all the unresolved things. The audio-book narration was very good. I received a copy of this audio-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook. The author’s character development was exceptional, and I found myself captivated by the unfolding events. The portrayal of the characters’ entitlement, narcissism, and lack of compassion was particularly striking. The narrator’s skillful use of subtle voice changes effectively distinguished each character, enhancing the overall listening experience. I highly recommend this book to readers who appreciate complex and morally ambiguous characters.

Well… I definitely didn’t see that coming!

Imagine your oldest friend… you know… the one whose kids are similar in age to yours. The ones who grew up together. Shared everything together. Have been through everything together.

You guys are the Moms, but your kids have been through everything together… and are like family to you.

Now, fast forward twenty years. They’re grown ups now. But they’re still kids too…

Cal and Brad. Brad and Cal. One is very handsome, wealthy, comes from a good family with money…can have basically anything and anyone that he wants… you know… he has that charm.
The other is more average. His family works hard and is scraping by. He’s always been second fiddle to his friend. But that’s ok… because his friend was there when no one else was for him! And he’ll never forget that!

So, when the boys go away on a ski trip, and only one of them comes home…. well, what exactly is going on here? What happened. Where is the other boy?

This is a twisty psychological thriller that will grip you right from the start and never let you go!

Oh… and what are the chances of you reading TWO BOOKS in a row featuring a lost finger ??? Very slim I’d say. 🤔

4 big,bright 🌟🌟🌟🌟 for me!

#YouShouldntHaveDoneThat by @LizAlterman and narrated nicely by @CatProtano.

*** I’M NOT SURE IF THIS ONE HAS BEEN RELEASED YET!! MY PAPERWORK SAYS JULY 29, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT MAY BE RELEASED ON AUGUST 5th … SO, PLEASE LOOK 👀 FOR IT ON SHELVES SOON!!! ***

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #DreamscapeMedia for an ARC of the audiobook, in exchange for an honest review.

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This book was an absolute whirlwind, full of tension, twists, and characters that drove me up the wall. Seriously, I think Ivy’s dog was the only one I actually liked. It follows two long-time best friends, Jane and Ivy, whose bond completely unravels after their sons take a ski trip together and only one of them comes back. What follows is suspicion, blame, and the slow crumbling of everything they once held dear.
I never saw half the twists coming, and even though the characters were insufferable, I couldn’t put it down. The pacing, the messy relationships and the drama all pulled me in. I devoured this thriller in two days, and I’m still thinking about the fallout.

I very much enjoyed listening to You Should’t Have Done That by Liz Alterman. While the summary had me thinking one thing, the ending was a twist I didn’t see coming, at all!

Title: You Shouldn’t Have Done That
Author: Liz Alterman
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Cat Protano
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Audiobook Pub Date: August 5, 2025
My Rating: 2.7 Stars
Pages 366

Jane Whitaker and Ivy Chapman have been best friends for twenty years - ever since their sons Cal and Brad attended the same preschool- now their sons are young men off on a ski trip In Wyoming, However only one of them returns home.

Jane questions why Cal Whitaker didn’t report his roommate Brad missing before heading home.
Things get far more involved!

I am an audiobook fan but also very picky about the narrator.
In this case Cat Protano did a decent job performing many of the characters however her voice was irritating for most of the story.
Okay - I'll give her the benefit of the doubt as these characters were unlikeable.

I have read other Alderman stories and enjoyed them. I believe she is a good writer.
In this story each chapter is the POV of the main characters Jane, Ivy, Cal and Brad. I felt I got to know them. The story just wasn’t a WOW read for me.

I certainly haven’t given up on this author...

Want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for August 5, 2025,

Holy Moly twists and turns!!!
This book had so many great elements that kept me hooked! The characters are insufferable in the absolute best way, and the storyline of two families so tightly intertwined and spiraling out of control is nothing short of awesome. I genuinely had no idea where this was going, and I didn’t guess a single twist! This is an absolute must-read. I listened to the audio version and loved it in that format it made the tension and drama even more addictive! Liz Alterman is truly the queen of twists!

This story keeps you guessing from toxic family dynamics to toxic friendships. You end up hating so many people and also thinking to yourself how far is too far.


Thanks to NetGalley for this Audio Arc

What a unique mystery/thriller!
Such a good book. I am going to try to get through this without spoiling anything because there is so much I wish I could tell you!
We have two families, a missing person, 4 MCs: Jane, Brad, Cal, and Ivy.
Hello, toxic friendships?!
Jane & Ivy go back to their kids' preschool days (Brad and Cal) and have been best friends since then.
Both families are close - so close that Brad and Cal are roommates.
Brad's behavior draws suspicion, and the ugly comes out.
SO MANY TWISTS AND TURNS!!!
The characters are written so well! So developed and kept me engaged the entire book.
There was also action, and it was the good kind of action - on the edge of your seat action!
The plot was well structured, and the pace was perfect.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and you must add this to your TBR! You won't regret it if you love a good mystery/thriller.
I think this was my first Liz Alterman book, and it will not be my last!
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to review this ARC!
Happy Reading!

This was a pretty good audiobook overall. It was interesting and the characters were good. The plot twist was predictable. I figured that would happen all along. I was surprised about who took Cal. But other than that the whole story was pretty predictable.

Overall it was an ok book and kept me entertained

Thank you NetGalley for the copy

4 stars

Now there is a lot of use for the titular phrase throughout this novel as nearly every character needs to hear "You Shouldn't Have Done That!" at least once (often much more), but one thing YOU should do is dive into this book. It's a twisty, pleasing mystery that takes readers right into a couple of "perfect" suburban homes and leaves them feeling...glad this is fiction.

Ivy and Jane have been friends since their sons, Brad and Cal, were little. The boys are now adults, so the families, which also include dads and added siblings, most notably Emerson, Cal's unlikable younger sister, have been tied together for a long time. Events that take place in this novel - namely but not exclusively Cal's disappearance and some related assumptions made about Brad - guarantee that whether they like it or not, they'll be connected forever.

Few features are more frustrating to me in a thriller or mystery than (1) an obvious throughline and (2) flat characters. I want to be at least a little surprised by something and know enough about the characters to care about the outcome. Wow, does Alterman come through with solid surprises and complex characters. The plot is well constructed, the pacing is on point, and the characters operate in ways that are believable to their incoming development.

Folks who enjoy a tightly constructed mystery/thriller will find what they're looking for here. I know I did.

Lifelong friends torn apart by secrets, sign me up, every time! I really enjoyed this one. Definitely a good read.

If you need to like characters in a book, do not read this. However if you are fine hating every character, this is a engaging mystery thriller.

Jane Whitaker and Ivy Chapman have been friends for decades since their sons were in preschool together. When Cal Whitaker disappears, attention is immediately on his long time friend and roommate Brad Chapman. As the mystery of where Cal is unfolded, the long term family friend's loyalty to each other is challenged.

Wow this thriller is messy in such a fun to read way. I didn't know what would happen next and every page was a surprise. Overall I can see where some people wouldn't like this story, but I was along for the ride.

Tropes
* Missing Person
* Media going crazy over story
* Long time family friends
* Multiple POVs

4 stars