What do you think?
Rate this book
Look What You Made Me Do
From the Booker Prize longlisted author of The Wall, comes his first novel in eight years.
What if the year's most talked about TV show was all about your marriage?
Kate, 30 years into her marriage, has a seemingly idyllic metropolitan, North London life.
Phoebe, a young screenwriter, is the creator of the year's hit TV show, Cheating.
When Kate's world takes a darker turn, she thinks she sees details and intimacies in the show that only she and her husband Jack could possibly have known. But who has betrayed who? Who gets to tell whose story?
A black comedy of resentment and entitlement, Look What You Made Me Do is the story of two very different women from two very different generations, heading toward a battle only one of them can win.
What if the year's most talked about TV show was all about your marriage?
Kate, 30 years into her marriage, has a seemingly idyllic metropolitan, North London life.
Phoebe, a young screenwriter, is the creator of the year's hit TV show, Cheating.
When Kate's world takes a darker turn, she thinks she sees details and intimacies in the show that only she and her husband Jack could possibly have known. But who has betrayed who? Who gets to tell whose story?
A black comedy of resentment and entitlement, Look What You Made Me Do is the story of two very different women from two very different generations, heading toward a battle only one of them can win.
Audible Audio
First published March 10, 2026
408 people are currently reading
10264 people want to read
About the author
John Lanchester
36 books641 followersJohn Lanchester is the author of four novels and three books of non-fiction. He was born in Germany and moved to Hong Kong. He studied in UK. He is a regular contributor to The New Yorker and was awarded the 2008 E.M. Forster Award. He lives in London.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 215 reviews
May 3, 2026
Revenge is a dish best served cold....
John Lanchester has written some of the most fascinating novels over the last two decades; Look What You Made Me Do adds to this list of stories that intrigue and explore the human condition in various circumstances.
This new novel begins with a dinner party- very middle class London couples playing one-upmanship with their attitudes towards contemporary life and put-downs. Our lead protagonsists being Kate and Jack. This feels like the territory of Jonathan Coe. But then the story takes a sharp one eighty and what could have been a wry observational novel about 'elite ' lifestyles in London takes on a darker humoured path.
Kate discovers that the 'everyday 'dialogues and personal events of her life with her husband have formed the basis of a new and popular TV show- how can this be ? Is this the ultimate betrayal from her husband of several decades? So how should retribution be delivered to those concerned?
What follows is a deliciously twisted and certainly surprising story. The characters do seem like caricatures in some sense ( the world of media and publishing, book groups, restaurant dining are beautifully lampooned) but it is the ever growing wickedness in the plot that makes this an unforgettable tale.
John Lanchester has written another winner . Cleverly and tautly plotted and an outcome that you will want to talk about. The screen adaptation will have to be developed (like his novel Capital) A top read of 2026!
John Lanchester has written some of the most fascinating novels over the last two decades; Look What You Made Me Do adds to this list of stories that intrigue and explore the human condition in various circumstances.
This new novel begins with a dinner party- very middle class London couples playing one-upmanship with their attitudes towards contemporary life and put-downs. Our lead protagonsists being Kate and Jack. This feels like the territory of Jonathan Coe. But then the story takes a sharp one eighty and what could have been a wry observational novel about 'elite ' lifestyles in London takes on a darker humoured path.
Kate discovers that the 'everyday 'dialogues and personal events of her life with her husband have formed the basis of a new and popular TV show- how can this be ? Is this the ultimate betrayal from her husband of several decades? So how should retribution be delivered to those concerned?
What follows is a deliciously twisted and certainly surprising story. The characters do seem like caricatures in some sense ( the world of media and publishing, book groups, restaurant dining are beautifully lampooned) but it is the ever growing wickedness in the plot that makes this an unforgettable tale.
John Lanchester has written another winner . Cleverly and tautly plotted and an outcome that you will want to talk about. The screen adaptation will have to be developed (like his novel Capital) A top read of 2026!
Want to Read
April 3, 2026A marriage revenge story by the guy who wrote the highly conceptual The Wall? Let's check whether this is his next ticket to the Booker longlist!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5
If you want the ultimate story of revenge then you have to read this.
Kate has been happily married to Jack for decades. Her life is all she could wish for but after tragedy strikes she is still recovering when a brand new series arrives on tv. It turns Kate's world on its head and she has to doubt everything she has believed about her life with Jack.
I cannot tell you what a joy it was to yell at this novel - mainly things like "you can't do that" and "that's terrible". The characters of Kate, Phoebe and Sarah are all completely believable even if the action strays into the somewhat fantastical at times.
I'm prepared to forgive it all because the end is so utterly diabolical and wonderfully. I only knocked off half a point because I didnt quite buy the coincidences at times.
Absolutely brilliant. Loved every minute. Highly recommended.
Thankyou very much to Netgalley and Faber & Faber for the digital review copy. Most appreciated.
If you want the ultimate story of revenge then you have to read this.
Kate has been happily married to Jack for decades. Her life is all she could wish for but after tragedy strikes she is still recovering when a brand new series arrives on tv. It turns Kate's world on its head and she has to doubt everything she has believed about her life with Jack.
I cannot tell you what a joy it was to yell at this novel - mainly things like "you can't do that" and "that's terrible". The characters of Kate, Phoebe and Sarah are all completely believable even if the action strays into the somewhat fantastical at times.
I'm prepared to forgive it all because the end is so utterly diabolical and wonderfully. I only knocked off half a point because I didnt quite buy the coincidences at times.
Absolutely brilliant. Loved every minute. Highly recommended.
Thankyou very much to Netgalley and Faber & Faber for the digital review copy. Most appreciated.
April 29, 2026
The premise of Look What You Made Me Do immediately drew me in. Billed as a revenge story centred on Kate, who believes she has been betrayed by her husband. His affair with writer Phoebe, plays out in a Netflix drama penned by her and exposes the intimacies of Kate’s marital private life. It promised the sort of juicy tale where wrongs are righted and justice is aptly served. You go in expecting fireworks… Or at the very least, a satisfying dose of comeuppance.
Instead, this was a proper slog.
I found myself counting down the pages, determined to see it through rather than abandon it altogether. There is always the hope that a slow burn will eventually ignite, and the final act will reward your patience. Unfortunately, that moment never quite arrives.
A major issue lies with the characters themselves. They are not simply flawed or morally grey, they are largely unlikeable and, crucially, uninteresting. Kate experiences a bereavement that should evoke sympathy, yet she comes across as so unpleasant that it becomes difficult to care about her situation. Phoebe doesn’t fare any better. She feels written as the sort of cutting, sharp tongued woman the author perhaps imagined readers would find endearment, but there simply is not enough substance behind her to make that land. Without wit, vulnerability or depth, both women remain frustratingly distant.
The revenge plot, the core of the story, is equally underwhelming. I expected something bold or shocking enough to keep the pages turning, but early acts of retaliation, such as sending a barrage of unwanted pizzas to an address, feel more trivial than tantalising. When the central revenge finally unfolds, it veers into the outlandish without earning the emotional investment required to make it satisfying. The character most affected by these events is someone we barely know, which makes the outcome feel hollow rather than dramatic.
Even the motivation behind Phoebe’s decision to create the television show in the first place, a thread the novel spends considerable time building towards, ultimately lands with a thud. The backstory is treated as a major reveal, yet it proves surprisingly flat and anticlimactic.
Structurally, the novel meanders for long stretches before reaching the section where it is meant to accelerate. But rather than shifting into a gripping finale, the narrative continues at the same plodding pace. It never truly gets going.
I also struggled with Lanchester’s style. Many sentences feel overly complex and rambling, creating a heaviness that slows the reading experience. Interspersed script style excerpts from the fictional Netflix show do little to enhance the story and instead feel like unnecessary interruptions.
In the end, Look What You Made Me Do is an example of a strong concept that never realises its potential. The ingredients for a compelling revenge drama are all there, but the execution lacks tension, emotional weight and momentum.
An intriguing premise, but ultimately a complete snore and a missed opportunity.
⭐️.5
Instead, this was a proper slog.
I found myself counting down the pages, determined to see it through rather than abandon it altogether. There is always the hope that a slow burn will eventually ignite, and the final act will reward your patience. Unfortunately, that moment never quite arrives.
A major issue lies with the characters themselves. They are not simply flawed or morally grey, they are largely unlikeable and, crucially, uninteresting. Kate experiences a bereavement that should evoke sympathy, yet she comes across as so unpleasant that it becomes difficult to care about her situation. Phoebe doesn’t fare any better. She feels written as the sort of cutting, sharp tongued woman the author perhaps imagined readers would find endearment, but there simply is not enough substance behind her to make that land. Without wit, vulnerability or depth, both women remain frustratingly distant.
The revenge plot, the core of the story, is equally underwhelming. I expected something bold or shocking enough to keep the pages turning, but early acts of retaliation, such as sending a barrage of unwanted pizzas to an address, feel more trivial than tantalising. When the central revenge finally unfolds, it veers into the outlandish without earning the emotional investment required to make it satisfying. The character most affected by these events is someone we barely know, which makes the outcome feel hollow rather than dramatic.
Even the motivation behind Phoebe’s decision to create the television show in the first place, a thread the novel spends considerable time building towards, ultimately lands with a thud. The backstory is treated as a major reveal, yet it proves surprisingly flat and anticlimactic.
Structurally, the novel meanders for long stretches before reaching the section where it is meant to accelerate. But rather than shifting into a gripping finale, the narrative continues at the same plodding pace. It never truly gets going.
I also struggled with Lanchester’s style. Many sentences feel overly complex and rambling, creating a heaviness that slows the reading experience. Interspersed script style excerpts from the fictional Netflix show do little to enhance the story and instead feel like unnecessary interruptions.
In the end, Look What You Made Me Do is an example of a strong concept that never realises its potential. The ingredients for a compelling revenge drama are all there, but the execution lacks tension, emotional weight and momentum.
An intriguing premise, but ultimately a complete snore and a missed opportunity.
⭐️.5
December 8, 2025
Clever and funny, this was a great story. Once it got going, I found myself unable to put it down. Phoebe and Kate’s characters were both deeply flawed and unlikeable, but in a way that kept me reading. I thought Jack’s death was the main plot point, but really it was just the tip of the iceberg!
I did predict one of the twists, but the rest towards the last half of the book took me by surprise. I really enjoyed reading about these two sophisticated and narcissistic women, it’s not often anti protagonist are written well, especially women written by men. The lack of accountability and empathy really compelled me, what an interesting set of characters!! I do wish we had more around certain supporting characters, such as Sarah and Tristan, but still a fantastic read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #LookWhatYouMadeMeDo #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I did predict one of the twists, but the rest towards the last half of the book took me by surprise. I really enjoyed reading about these two sophisticated and narcissistic women, it’s not often anti protagonist are written well, especially women written by men. The lack of accountability and empathy really compelled me, what an interesting set of characters!! I do wish we had more around certain supporting characters, such as Sarah and Tristan, but still a fantastic read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #LookWhatYouMadeMeDo #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
May 5, 2026
hab irgendwie lange gebraucht um reinzukommen, aber sobald man drin war wars funny, absurd und brutal
March 26, 2026
This is a quick read with a great premise. Kate and Jack have been married for 30 years and as people in long term relationships do, they have developed expressions and private jokes that would be meaningless to others. When Jack abruptly dies (very early in the book), Kate is devastated.
Until a hit new TV show comes out and the philandering husband in the series spouts the same expressions and opinions as Jack. How could the young and attractive screenwriter know – unless she’d had an affair with him herself?
We move between Kate’s perspective and that of Phoebe the screenwriter. For a while my sympathies were firmly with Kate…until they weren’t. This has been my month of reading books about unlikeable people and Kate is definitely one of them. But to be fair all the characters are messy and you’re never sure whose perspective is reliable and whose isn’t.
It’s a riveting and very twisty read that keeps you guessing and it’s punctuated with lots of sly observations that frequently made me smile. Plus the plotting is extremely clever. Lots of little throwaway moments that with hindsight you realise were important. Occasionally I wondered “why are we spending time on this”, but there was always a reason.
Is it a feel good read? NO. Is it fast and dark and addictively clever? Most definitely.
Until a hit new TV show comes out and the philandering husband in the series spouts the same expressions and opinions as Jack. How could the young and attractive screenwriter know – unless she’d had an affair with him herself?
We move between Kate’s perspective and that of Phoebe the screenwriter. For a while my sympathies were firmly with Kate…until they weren’t. This has been my month of reading books about unlikeable people and Kate is definitely one of them. But to be fair all the characters are messy and you’re never sure whose perspective is reliable and whose isn’t.
It’s a riveting and very twisty read that keeps you guessing and it’s punctuated with lots of sly observations that frequently made me smile. Plus the plotting is extremely clever. Lots of little throwaway moments that with hindsight you realise were important. Occasionally I wondered “why are we spending time on this”, but there was always a reason.
Is it a feel good read? NO. Is it fast and dark and addictively clever? Most definitely.
March 16, 2026
This is quite the revenge book. Two women seek revenge for their perceived slights and set about creating the ultimate life-changing and humiliating acts possible. But before they figure it all out, there are some misconstrued theories and loss of trust.
The story opens with a party consisting of petty competitive friends who all live in an affluent part of north London. When tragedy strikes it seems as if the wife didn't know her husband at all. The other central character is a successful playwright whose play is shown on television to great acclaim. However, she soon receives criticism as does her placid geography teacher husband. She also has a bitter, selfish and awkward mother to deal with.
It was when I read about the playwright's mother that I realised that this book is a dark satire. The list of her nasty traits is truly over the top and she is an uncomfortable caricature, although not entirely implausible or unrecognisable. There is no one likeable in this story. Everyone is arrogant, selfish, privileged and entitled.
This is a fun read, although I didn't think it was about generationational conflict as the marketing comments suggested - simply two similar women of different ages. What they do have in common is that they are both self-absorbed and narcissistic. There are a few stretches of the imagination in a couple of the events, but that's okay because it was a sparky read, intense and carefully detailed.
A story about resentment, dysfunctional families and psychological control. Just like other John Lanchester books, it is very good.
The story opens with a party consisting of petty competitive friends who all live in an affluent part of north London. When tragedy strikes it seems as if the wife didn't know her husband at all. The other central character is a successful playwright whose play is shown on television to great acclaim. However, she soon receives criticism as does her placid geography teacher husband. She also has a bitter, selfish and awkward mother to deal with.
It was when I read about the playwright's mother that I realised that this book is a dark satire. The list of her nasty traits is truly over the top and she is an uncomfortable caricature, although not entirely implausible or unrecognisable. There is no one likeable in this story. Everyone is arrogant, selfish, privileged and entitled.
This is a fun read, although I didn't think it was about generationational conflict as the marketing comments suggested - simply two similar women of different ages. What they do have in common is that they are both self-absorbed and narcissistic. There are a few stretches of the imagination in a couple of the events, but that's okay because it was a sparky read, intense and carefully detailed.
A story about resentment, dysfunctional families and psychological control. Just like other John Lanchester books, it is very good.
March 11, 2026
This is my first John Lanchester novel and I really enjoyed the way he crafts a slow burn suspenseful story that makes you think deeper.
Kate and Jack have been married for decades, sharing a life built on seemingly absolute familiarity. Kate is left reeling when a character in a new television show about cheating bears an uncanny, unsettling resemblance to Jack. This twist hooks you in and you find yourself cruising through the book to find the answers.
The writing is sharp and I especially loved Kate and her unfiltered viewpoint on grief, friendship and family. The author is masterful at highlighting the dark underbelly of his characters thoughts and musings.
A masterclass in slow-burn tension that lingers in your mind long after you’re done reading.
Huge thank you to NetGalley and Faberbooks for the digital ARC!
Kate and Jack have been married for decades, sharing a life built on seemingly absolute familiarity. Kate is left reeling when a character in a new television show about cheating bears an uncanny, unsettling resemblance to Jack. This twist hooks you in and you find yourself cruising through the book to find the answers.
The writing is sharp and I especially loved Kate and her unfiltered viewpoint on grief, friendship and family. The author is masterful at highlighting the dark underbelly of his characters thoughts and musings.
A masterclass in slow-burn tension that lingers in your mind long after you’re done reading.
Huge thank you to NetGalley and Faberbooks for the digital ARC!
April 1, 2026
This was quite a diversion for me, and by that I mean that I haven't read John Lanchester before. So I was going in 'blind' so to speak. What had drawn me in was the synopsis but I have to admit that there were times early on when I wasn't sure if this was going to be my thing at all. I am glad that I persevered with it, but I can honestly say that there are no characters which I liked, in any way shape or form, and overall, the feeling of the book is really quite depressing and cynical.
The basic plot follows Kate and Jack. They are a married couple in their fifties. They have a very comfortable life together. A nice house in London, and both of them have careers. Their seemingly perfect world is rocked, though, when a popular television series comes out. It is called 'Cheating' and the writer has suggested that it is partly autobiographical. Thing is, the characters and the story seem to feature Kate and Jack's marriage. And so, therefore, Jack's infidelity. What repercussions will this lead to?
What Lanchester has done very well is to examine relationships, both marriage as well as relationships between parents and their children. Friendship is also closely examined - or what appears to be friendship - and grief also comes under the microscope. Not just grief following the bereavement of someone but also the grief which can be felt when the life you think you were going to have suddenly comes to an end. Lanchester manages to bring a dark sense of humour to the tale, and there are times he hits the nail on the head with certain feelings or observations. Perhaps given the nature of the tale, I didn't take to any of the characters. There is a ruthlessness to a lot of them, a sense of entitlement and privilege. And there were times when I felt that his female characters came across as a man writing a female character.
Having said that, this turned out to be a devastating story. There was one character who I felt empathy towards, and their demise was not warranted at all. But, that is the thing with those looking for revenge, they often take no prisoners.
The basic plot follows Kate and Jack. They are a married couple in their fifties. They have a very comfortable life together. A nice house in London, and both of them have careers. Their seemingly perfect world is rocked, though, when a popular television series comes out. It is called 'Cheating' and the writer has suggested that it is partly autobiographical. Thing is, the characters and the story seem to feature Kate and Jack's marriage. And so, therefore, Jack's infidelity. What repercussions will this lead to?
What Lanchester has done very well is to examine relationships, both marriage as well as relationships between parents and their children. Friendship is also closely examined - or what appears to be friendship - and grief also comes under the microscope. Not just grief following the bereavement of someone but also the grief which can be felt when the life you think you were going to have suddenly comes to an end. Lanchester manages to bring a dark sense of humour to the tale, and there are times he hits the nail on the head with certain feelings or observations. Perhaps given the nature of the tale, I didn't take to any of the characters. There is a ruthlessness to a lot of them, a sense of entitlement and privilege. And there were times when I felt that his female characters came across as a man writing a female character.
Having said that, this turned out to be a devastating story. There was one character who I felt empathy towards, and their demise was not warranted at all. But, that is the thing with those looking for revenge, they often take no prisoners.
March 23, 2026
I picked up Look What You Made Me Do after seeing it featured as my local bookshop’s Book of the Month, and partly because I’d previously read Capital, which I remember enjoying. I also ended up attending a Q&A with John Lanchester, which added an extra layer to the experience.
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It sparked an ongoing internal dialogue about revenge and ultimately reinforced my own feelings on the subject. The writing is sharp and engaging, and while I could often see where the twists were heading, it didn’t detract from the enjoyment—in some ways, it added to the tension.
The characters are particularly well drawn; those who initially seem suspect aren’t always so, and others reveal more troubling sides as the story unfolds. Not everyone is as they first appear, which keeps things interesting throughout. It’s a real page-turner that I ended up devouring, and I especially liked the London setting and recognising familiar landmarks along the way.
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It sparked an ongoing internal dialogue about revenge and ultimately reinforced my own feelings on the subject. The writing is sharp and engaging, and while I could often see where the twists were heading, it didn’t detract from the enjoyment—in some ways, it added to the tension.
The characters are particularly well drawn; those who initially seem suspect aren’t always so, and others reveal more troubling sides as the story unfolds. Not everyone is as they first appear, which keeps things interesting throughout. It’s a real page-turner that I ended up devouring, and I especially liked the London setting and recognising familiar landmarks along the way.
March 16, 2026
This one is a rather hilarious, thrilling, dark and entertaining page turner of a book.
It follows a story of a woman called Katie who’s life has been turned upside down by the death of her husband, and Phoebe who is a young screenwriter and has written a hit tv show called cheaters.
The two separate stories start to intertwine when Katie starts to see uncanny resemblances with her own life and the tv show.
It tells a really cleverly and well written twisted story on resentment, revenge and you get a real sense of entitlement thrown in there too. You’ll be kept guessing right up to the end and I promise you’ll have a hard time putting this one down. I know I did.
It follows a story of a woman called Katie who’s life has been turned upside down by the death of her husband, and Phoebe who is a young screenwriter and has written a hit tv show called cheaters.
The two separate stories start to intertwine when Katie starts to see uncanny resemblances with her own life and the tv show.
It tells a really cleverly and well written twisted story on resentment, revenge and you get a real sense of entitlement thrown in there too. You’ll be kept guessing right up to the end and I promise you’ll have a hard time putting this one down. I know I did.
May 7, 2026
Look What You Made Me Do is touted as “a black comedy of love, trust, resentment, and entitlement.”
From Booker-longlisted author John Lanchester, this revenge tale revolves around two women: Phoebe, writer of the British hit TV series ‘Cheating’ (and her partner Tony), and ‘baby boomer’ Kate (and her architect husband Jack). Kate believes she sees her decades-long marriage in the details of the show and enacts revenge on Phoebe.
The story is told through first person accounts, with long sections of stream of consciousness, with some major plot points only slowly being revealed through meandering thoughts. Some of them are enjoyable, like an indulgent peek into the minds of narcissists; however, staying focused on the plot of the book was sometimes difficult.
The characters in this London-set novel, are wholly unlikeable—and I generally don’t have an issue with this—but in this case, I didn’t have a stake in what happened to these people. The full consequences of their actions aren’t revealed until the final pages of the book, and the payoff was a little unsatisfactory and rather abrupt. There is little suspense to this battle of betrayal, given the outcome.
For a novel that is centered around a revenge plot, this is a character-driven story and it takes a long time for much to actually happen; the characters’ relationships are essentially the focus, rather than the actions of the characters. It takes cleverly crafted writing to pull this off, but it may not work for a reader who expects the storyline to be more clear. This sets this book squarely in literary fiction territory, rather than suspense or women’s fiction (or any other category that the character’s actions, or readership that the novel may suggest).
There is very little time devoted to the ‘Cheating’ TV show (there are some script pages included); the novel may have been strengthened with more focus on the TV series.
The novel is incredibly British (I say this as a Brit living in the States), so be aware of this if you think you will be bothered by English punctuation and spelling differences; there are many expressions like “getting off with” someone and mentions of English places and shops (US readers might have to look them up, if they don’t recognize them). These things may add to the charm or may drive a reader bonkers. But the language is essential, given the choice of perspective that Lanchester chose for this novel. I would have loved more comedy from this ‘black comedy;’ the topics of affairs and revenge might not be funny for some readers, but the dry humor could have been pushed a little further in this case.
If you enjoy a revenge tale with a literary bent, one that delves into the minds of resentful, snotty people, this is it.
Thank you to W. W. Norton & Company for the opportunity to review this book.
From Booker-longlisted author John Lanchester, this revenge tale revolves around two women: Phoebe, writer of the British hit TV series ‘Cheating’ (and her partner Tony), and ‘baby boomer’ Kate (and her architect husband Jack). Kate believes she sees her decades-long marriage in the details of the show and enacts revenge on Phoebe.
The story is told through first person accounts, with long sections of stream of consciousness, with some major plot points only slowly being revealed through meandering thoughts. Some of them are enjoyable, like an indulgent peek into the minds of narcissists; however, staying focused on the plot of the book was sometimes difficult.
The characters in this London-set novel, are wholly unlikeable—and I generally don’t have an issue with this—but in this case, I didn’t have a stake in what happened to these people. The full consequences of their actions aren’t revealed until the final pages of the book, and the payoff was a little unsatisfactory and rather abrupt. There is little suspense to this battle of betrayal, given the outcome.
For a novel that is centered around a revenge plot, this is a character-driven story and it takes a long time for much to actually happen; the characters’ relationships are essentially the focus, rather than the actions of the characters. It takes cleverly crafted writing to pull this off, but it may not work for a reader who expects the storyline to be more clear. This sets this book squarely in literary fiction territory, rather than suspense or women’s fiction (or any other category that the character’s actions, or readership that the novel may suggest).
There is very little time devoted to the ‘Cheating’ TV show (there are some script pages included); the novel may have been strengthened with more focus on the TV series.
The novel is incredibly British (I say this as a Brit living in the States), so be aware of this if you think you will be bothered by English punctuation and spelling differences; there are many expressions like “getting off with” someone and mentions of English places and shops (US readers might have to look them up, if they don’t recognize them). These things may add to the charm or may drive a reader bonkers. But the language is essential, given the choice of perspective that Lanchester chose for this novel. I would have loved more comedy from this ‘black comedy;’ the topics of affairs and revenge might not be funny for some readers, but the dry humor could have been pushed a little further in this case.
If you enjoy a revenge tale with a literary bent, one that delves into the minds of resentful, snotty people, this is it.
Thank you to W. W. Norton & Company for the opportunity to review this book.
May 7, 2026
3.75 ⭐️’s
After months of living inside this year’s prize-list fiction, I needed something a little lighter but engaging enough to hold my attention. Look What You Made Me Do was it.
Entertaining, psychologically tense, and paced so well that I kept telling everyone in my house, “give me a sec, I want to finish this chapter.”
The alternating POVs between Kate and Phoebe really worked for me.
The novel depends on that contrast and builds a ‘can’t look away’ climate because of it.
Perception against perception. Narrative against narrative. You need both women inside your head simultaneously for the psychological architecture of the book to fully grab you.
And, wow. The second half…
It drops into something much colder and more unsettling than I expected.
I literally said “whoa” out loud more than once near the end because the novel starts exposing a level of calculation and self-justification that feels crazy.
It is incredibly scary the way people can construct entire internal realities that allow them to live quite comfortably beside the harm they create.
I’m still saying, wow!
Thanks to RBMedia & NetGalley for the audio ARC. I read both the UK hardcover edition (because the cover is outstanding!) and listened to the audio. Go with the audio if you can. The dual narration by Louise Brealey & Genevieve Gaunt was great.
After months of living inside this year’s prize-list fiction, I needed something a little lighter but engaging enough to hold my attention. Look What You Made Me Do was it.
Entertaining, psychologically tense, and paced so well that I kept telling everyone in my house, “give me a sec, I want to finish this chapter.”
The alternating POVs between Kate and Phoebe really worked for me.
The novel depends on that contrast and builds a ‘can’t look away’ climate because of it.
Perception against perception. Narrative against narrative. You need both women inside your head simultaneously for the psychological architecture of the book to fully grab you.
And, wow. The second half…
It drops into something much colder and more unsettling than I expected.
I literally said “whoa” out loud more than once near the end because the novel starts exposing a level of calculation and self-justification that feels crazy.
It is incredibly scary the way people can construct entire internal realities that allow them to live quite comfortably beside the harm they create.
I’m still saying, wow!
Thanks to RBMedia & NetGalley for the audio ARC. I read both the UK hardcover edition (because the cover is outstanding!) and listened to the audio. Go with the audio if you can. The dual narration by Louise Brealey & Genevieve Gaunt was great.
April 26, 2026
Idk why goodreads says it hasn’t been published yet given I bought a physical copy from a bookshop (godbless Backstory Balham)
I really enjoyed this!! Fun and clever, dark but without a heavy feeling.
I really enjoyed this!! Fun and clever, dark but without a heavy feeling.
April 6, 2026
John Lanchester continues his foray into popular fiction genres. Last time, it was dystopian, climate fiction. This time, it’s a twisty, domestic thriller. It’s gripping enough on the surface, but the whole thing collapses under even the slightest scrutiny of the plot. It also feels as if he’s writing with television adaptations in mind, prioritising pace and cliffhangers over depth.
April 8, 2026
Kate and Jack have been happily married for thirty years. They know each other inside out, for better or worse. But when Kate watches a hit tv show called ‘Cheating’ she’s shell shocked. There are references within the show which allude personally to her marriage, things only she and Jack could know. Has he been cheating? And who with?
This is a brilliantly observational and candid look at marriages and family. It focuses on two women, Kate and Phoebe, who is the screenwriter of the tv show. Both very different characters but interestingly so and it’s exhilarating to see how they eventually connect, in a denouement rich in revenge and ruthlessness.
I found parts of this story acutely perceptive and honest; particularly Phoebe’s relationships with her brother and mother, and while pretty much all of the characters aren’t particularly likeable I was still hugely invested in this story, finding it to be such a compelling and clever read.
My first John Lancaster book and I have to say I’m impressed.
This is a brilliantly observational and candid look at marriages and family. It focuses on two women, Kate and Phoebe, who is the screenwriter of the tv show. Both very different characters but interestingly so and it’s exhilarating to see how they eventually connect, in a denouement rich in revenge and ruthlessness.
I found parts of this story acutely perceptive and honest; particularly Phoebe’s relationships with her brother and mother, and while pretty much all of the characters aren’t particularly likeable I was still hugely invested in this story, finding it to be such a compelling and clever read.
My first John Lancaster book and I have to say I’m impressed.
April 2, 2026
Ik vind de schrijfstijl heel leuk! Grappige gesprekken en zorgvuldig beschreven gebeurtenissen maken het heel echt. Het verhaal is ook leuk en bouwt heel langzaam de spanning op. Ik vind alleen de climax niet zo geweldig als ik had verwacht. De woede was duidelijk en beide vrouwen willen wraak nemen in het boek. Maar de wraak valt tegen vind ik!
March 15, 2026
This is the first of John’s books that I’ve read and I really enjoyed it. The premise sounded great when I first heard about it, but then I was lucky enough to be sent a copy by Faber & Faber. I could not put it down!
What if the year's most talked about TV show was all about your marriage?
This darkly humorous story stems from the marriage between Kate and Jack, a middle class couple going about their lives with friends, dinner parties and inside jokes. Aside from being a bit full of themselves, there isn’t really anything remarkable about the two of them, so you end up thinking why on earth would anyone write a TV show about them?
“Every marriage has its own language” is so true for our two lovebirds. Their speech is full of comments, phrases and jokes that only they know the true meanings behind and I loved this about them.
But when Jack dies suddenly, Kate struggles to come to terms with it and upon returning to her group of friends after months of grief she begins to unravel a side to Jack she didn’t know. *Or so she thinks.*
This is where Phoebe comes into the story. A writer who has just created the next big thing. A TV show called ‘Cheaters’, based entirely on Kate and Jack.
Kate and Phoebe are the two women who drive this story forward. They both know the feeling of having things taken away from them and they both, in their own ways, want revenge. But we’re not talking about school playground revenge here.
In this very clever, dark story, John explores the themes of relationships, revenge and responsibilities, and how some people are happy to point the blame at anyone else instead of taken account for their own actions.
You’ll be amused, shocked, confused and impressed with this one!
What if the year's most talked about TV show was all about your marriage?
This darkly humorous story stems from the marriage between Kate and Jack, a middle class couple going about their lives with friends, dinner parties and inside jokes. Aside from being a bit full of themselves, there isn’t really anything remarkable about the two of them, so you end up thinking why on earth would anyone write a TV show about them?
“Every marriage has its own language” is so true for our two lovebirds. Their speech is full of comments, phrases and jokes that only they know the true meanings behind and I loved this about them.
But when Jack dies suddenly, Kate struggles to come to terms with it and upon returning to her group of friends after months of grief she begins to unravel a side to Jack she didn’t know. *Or so she thinks.*
This is where Phoebe comes into the story. A writer who has just created the next big thing. A TV show called ‘Cheaters’, based entirely on Kate and Jack.
Kate and Phoebe are the two women who drive this story forward. They both know the feeling of having things taken away from them and they both, in their own ways, want revenge. But we’re not talking about school playground revenge here.
In this very clever, dark story, John explores the themes of relationships, revenge and responsibilities, and how some people are happy to point the blame at anyone else instead of taken account for their own actions.
You’ll be amused, shocked, confused and impressed with this one!
May 6, 2026
A domestic thriller about a woman who concludes her husband has been having an affair when a new TV show airs that includes, word-for-word, some of the most intimate and private conversations she had with her husband. There are several interesting twists and turns to the story. Unfortunately, they made me like the main characters less. By then, I was too invested in the novel not to finish it. Ultimately I’m glad I did. The narration is very good and kept me engaged along with the story turns.
My thanks to the author, publisher, @RBMedia, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook #LookWhatYouMadeMeDo for review purposes. It was just published and is now available.
My thanks to the author, publisher, @RBMedia, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook #LookWhatYouMadeMeDo for review purposes. It was just published and is now available.
April 26, 2026
Thank you W. W. Norton for an ARC!
4.5 stars
RTC
4.5 stars
RTC
April 5, 2026
a really fun and unsettling story about revenge and how ugly it can make us. I love plot twists !!!
March 28, 2026
A compulsive read about three completely unlikeable, mean women and the people who loved them and fell victim to their self absorbed vile actions.
April 15, 2026
I am a bit over all these unlikeable female characters with, like, zero redeeming qualities. I do wonder if this story were written by a woman, would it have ended differently? Not because I don’t think women can’t, at times, completely suck, but because maybe we didn’t need the final 20% of plot if [IF] we could have had the two female leads expressing some genuine emotion (which the author seems to avoid writing about at all, unless it is hysteria).
This could have been 2 stars, but boomers are terrifying. Convince me otherwise.
This could have been 2 stars, but boomers are terrifying. Convince me otherwise.
April 14, 2026
Back to a very English/ London story after all the international Bookers, a novel in totally different style to this authors previous works. I am usually agnostic to men writing about women and vice versa but there were elements of the behaviour of the (predominantly female) characters which I felt were just a little off target. On the other hand the description of widowhood was very strong. The pace was thriller like but not quite and the plot actually fairly predictable once the first twists unfolded. Slightly ho hum- enjoyable without being outstanding for me
March 25, 2026
so there’s this book with a skewered pimento olive as its cover art & im somehow not the author? lanchester’s use of switching pov narratives for kate & phoebe lent so artfully to the wider idea of paraded, intergenerational gameplay - a slight eyebrow raise, signalling ‘your move’ after a deeply calculated turn. kate’s grief, & the subsequent revelations she experiences, inspire a permanent war - one in which she triumphs with an inexorable checkmate against phoebe. It’s sort of admirable & I enjoyed the stakes!
April 7, 2026
Amazing strands of a story, dark and devilishly plotted.
A few pages in and I was hooked. This was BRILLIANT! Two women, decades apart in age, but somehow connected.
We meet Phoebe, whose twin has absconded to Australia and left his writer sister to care for a never-happy, narcissistic mother which duties she juggles alongside her career, which is now starting to take off thanks to a successful TV series.
We meet Kate, married to Jack for decades, who is horror-struck to find in the midst of grief that a TV show her friends are talking about directly quotes her and her husband, words and phrases nobody could possibly know. And the TV show implies the husband of the pair that star was having an affair.
Just how are these people connected? Is it coincidence? Is the TV show telling the truth?
This is only the start of a plot connecting these two, as gradually we find secrets revealed that cleverly pull the curtain back and show just what has happened and what each is prepared to do about it.
Wow, so so dark, it was hard to believe that people would go to these lengths when pushed. There are moments of slow understanding and one 'oh wow, so THAT'S it' re-readable moment. Really well done. Glad I had this on paper as it might not have had the same impact as an audiobook.
Really black humour and acts here, and it's fitting that this is two women locking metaphorical horns. Though pulling others into their orbit.
Hugely entertaining and impossible to put down past a certain point. Would read again, will be recommending. Clever writing, brilliantly plotted, unforgettable actions.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
A few pages in and I was hooked. This was BRILLIANT! Two women, decades apart in age, but somehow connected.
We meet Phoebe, whose twin has absconded to Australia and left his writer sister to care for a never-happy, narcissistic mother which duties she juggles alongside her career, which is now starting to take off thanks to a successful TV series.
We meet Kate, married to Jack for decades, who is horror-struck to find in the midst of grief that a TV show her friends are talking about directly quotes her and her husband, words and phrases nobody could possibly know. And the TV show implies the husband of the pair that star was having an affair.
Just how are these people connected? Is it coincidence? Is the TV show telling the truth?
This is only the start of a plot connecting these two, as gradually we find secrets revealed that cleverly pull the curtain back and show just what has happened and what each is prepared to do about it.
Wow, so so dark, it was hard to believe that people would go to these lengths when pushed. There are moments of slow understanding and one 'oh wow, so THAT'S it' re-readable moment. Really well done. Glad I had this on paper as it might not have had the same impact as an audiobook.
Really black humour and acts here, and it's fitting that this is two women locking metaphorical horns. Though pulling others into their orbit.
Hugely entertaining and impossible to put down past a certain point. Would read again, will be recommending. Clever writing, brilliantly plotted, unforgettable actions.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
May 8, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and RBMedia for the ALC of this book. I'm rating it 4.5 stars, rounded down. At first I wasn't sure how this book was going to go, but with the excellent audiobook narrators I simply could not put it down. A tale of revenge on revenge on revenge, this book was an absolute trip. I never really knew what would happen next but I always knew the next thing would be even bigger than the last. The concept of getting revenge in these ways was so fascinating and enthralling. I did know what the twist was at the end, but I think that was the point. It didn't detract from my enjoyment of the novel, and perhaps even made it more exciting? I genuinely have no clue how to explain this book but I did really like it, which is weird considering it was written by a man and usually I don't like books by men (lol). I thought the characters were compelling and their motivations were well grounded (although grounded in insanity, it still worked for me!). Phoebe's relationship with her mom will be very familiar to many. Overall, this book was an exciting tale of revenge in many ways that I'm glad I requested on a whim. I had no clue what it would be like, but it certainly was fun!!
March 24, 2026
It's definitely true that this author seems to succeed in not writing the same style of book twice.
Having read both Capital and The Wall previously I had no idea what to expect.
Observing a very nice sprayed edge indie edition, and around 300 pages later I'm glad I took the chance to find out.
This book was ultimately a bit of a revenge thriller, however as I've come to expect it was well written and cleverly executed with some plot twists that I didn't see coming.
I've taken a star off,as at times I found myself trying to work out the relationships between all the characters, which I know was probably the intention but it had the effect of making me feel I was always missing,or had forgotten part of the story which I personally found a little distracting.
Still if you want to be entertained this would be a great option.
I'm already looking forward to seeing what genre this author chooses for their next offering.
Having read both Capital and The Wall previously I had no idea what to expect.
Observing a very nice sprayed edge indie edition, and around 300 pages later I'm glad I took the chance to find out.
This book was ultimately a bit of a revenge thriller, however as I've come to expect it was well written and cleverly executed with some plot twists that I didn't see coming.
I've taken a star off,as at times I found myself trying to work out the relationships between all the characters, which I know was probably the intention but it had the effect of making me feel I was always missing,or had forgotten part of the story which I personally found a little distracting.
Still if you want to be entertained this would be a great option.
I'm already looking forward to seeing what genre this author chooses for their next offering.
March 28, 2026
Kate and Jack have a happy middle class life and marriage until the day that Jack dies. Coming from the depths of grief Kate becomes aware of a popular Netflix show and is horrified to find that details of her marriage are portrayed in it. Phoebe is the writer of the show, relishing her success but worried about a follow-up. There is a link between them and it goes back many years but will Phoebe get the last laugh?
How fabulous a read is this? It starts as a portrait of a marriage, the smug middle-aged and middle class, then descends into a lovely description of grief and than blows up. Very cleverly plotted with a lovely twist at the end, I just felt that there was a real victim here and it wasn't either of the two protagonists. It's deliciously dark and very pointed.
How fabulous a read is this? It starts as a portrait of a marriage, the smug middle-aged and middle class, then descends into a lovely description of grief and than blows up. Very cleverly plotted with a lovely twist at the end, I just felt that there was a real victim here and it wasn't either of the two protagonists. It's deliciously dark and very pointed.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 215 reviews