Personne ne doit savoir

by Claire McGowan, Odile Carton (Translator)

Et si on parlait du bon vieux temps ?

Alison organise une réunion d'anciens camarades d'Oxford pour fêter une amitié longue d'un quart de siècle. Entre-temps, elle s'est mariée avec Mike, avocat d'affaires, dont elle a eu deux enfants. Elle vit dans la maison de ses rêves dans le Kent. Elle a réussi sa vie, et elle a bien l'intention d'en faire la démonstration lors de ces retrouvailles.

Mais la fête vire au drame lorsque Karen, la meilleure amie d'Alison, fait irruption dans la maison, en état de choc. Elle affirme que le mari d'Alison l'a violée. Mike jure qu'il est innocent. À qui se fier ? Ce douloureux épisode fait resurgir les plus sombres souvenirs de leurs années de fac. Et certains sont prêts à tuer pour que ces souvenirs restent des secrets bien gardés.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook, Suspense, Crime

347 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2019

About the author

Claire McGowan grew up in a small village in Northern Ireland. After a degree in English and French from Oxford University she moved to London and worked in the charity sector. THE FALL is her first novel, which is followed by a series starring forensic psychologist Paula Maguire. She also writes as Eva Woods.

Reviews

[R · Rating 1 out of 5]

At some point during this book someone tells the main character that she’s a f*cking idiot.

And they’re right.

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 no no and again noooo, I did my best to be open minded, empathize with the characters, dealing with tremendous issues like delusions, rape, lies, but they are acting like idiots, especially the heroine might have taken out of the rest of her brain cells and hanged it to the coat rack before getting involved in this book as a protagonist of this story! Come on girl, wake up, okay if you don’t, I’m going to sleep, zzzzzz Stars…

Yay! I earned my unpopular reviewer position again! Feel free to throw your tomatoes and toilet papering my house (I hope you don’t know where I live) I was guaranteed my place in the minority right now which was not entertaining. I felt weird but this is story of my life. I'm one of those people who didn't like Forest Gump!( What? Everybody liked it! Damn it! I did it again!)
Most people loved this book and I did my best but NO IT DIDN’T WORK FOR ME!

CONFESSIONS:
I’m holding my phone and still hearing this blaring voice message: The characters I was looking for CANNOT BE REACHED, RESONATED, EMPHATHIZED at this moment.

I know the chapters are short but pacing is problem for me. They bored me, exhausted me. They really tried my patience. But they failed! But I felt like I was stuck at the same place, trapped in a book glued to my hands and I wanted rip it off like a Band Aid.

I want to yell at the characters, “OMG, please can’t you see what’s happening under your nose? Are you blind?”

I thought something might be wrong with me because so many of my friends enjoyed this book. So I poured some wine and stuffed some of favorite snacks to continue to read in a better mood. Nope! Mood didn’t change. I already got two pounds. I felt terrible and left the book to hit the gym!

I never thought I could use this term, because I always pushed myself harder to finish what I’ve started. But this time, I couldn’t keep my promises. And “DNF”@ %50.

I read too many thrillers lately and so I started to expect more compelling and smartly written stories that capture my mind from the first pages. But unfortunately it didn’t happen this time.

So the reviewer dropped the mic and put the book down and left the building to get a better book!

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 1 out of 5]

I either have the worst luck choosing from Amazon Prime First Reads (free book of the month) or the books aren’t that good or both.

The premise for WHAT YOU DID sounded interesting, the execution was not. Billed as a psychological thriller WHAT YOU DID felt like neither. At least I didn’t waste money on it.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

What you Did by Claire McGowan is a 2019 Thomas & Mercer publication.

Ali is hosting a reunion party for a group of old Oxford College friends. They haven’t all been together in the same place at the same time in twenty-five years. Ali is both nervous and excited. Things go horribly awry after a night of heavy drinking. Karen, Ali’s best friend, is assaulted and blames Ali’s husband, Mike.

Unable to wrap her head around the possibility that her husband could be a murderous rapist, Ali discovers layers of lies and secrets about her husband and her best friend. Which one is telling the truth? Karen or Mike?

This book was an Amazon Prime first selection … from nearly two years ago. Oy! Better late than never, right?

I would like to say this one was worth the wait- but there were a few issues. I thought the premise was very intriguing- and I was highly invested, at first. Unfortunately, there were too many side stories, too much implausibility, and Ali’s gullibility irritated me.

The characters are very shallow people, and there is no promise of character growth once all their secrets are laid bare. There were some thought provoking topics, but they got lost in a muddle of unnecessary drama and uneven pacing.

Overall, this one was a miss for me- but you can’t win ‘em all.

2 stars

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rape. Affairs. Domestic abuse. This novel covers a range of sensitive issues but does so in a manner that does not make the reader feel uncomfortable. Instead, McGowan creates a thrilling, pulsating read that establishes a world that is becoming increasingly claustrophobic for the protagonist, Ali.

I was immediately hooked by this book. The writer cleverly creates a non-linear narrative that means we, as readers, do not follow the chronological sequence of events on that fateful night that Ali's best friend, Karen, accuses Ali's husband, Mike, of rape. It's a nightmare for Ali and this is the catalyst of her seemingly perfect life beginning to fall apart. McGowan provides different perspectives on that night in question and this enriched the narrative as it felt like I was part of the police, and Ali's, investigations. Ali is determined to find the truth about her husband and is torn apart by loyalty to her husband and loyalty to her friend. Indeed, as the plot progresses, readers discover that there is more to this reunion of university friends on that disastrous evening; "friends" are not what they seem and there are hidden secrets, including one pivotal moment back from university. Accordingly, McGowan treats readers to not only the mystery of Karen's attack, but also the events leading up the murder of a student at university, during the Summer Ball - the night that Ali and all of her friends attended.

Providing so many angles and different ideas thoroughly added to my enjoyment of this narrative. Whilst there are many sensitive topics at play here running through the story, McGowan's treatment of them is careful and does not make uncomfortable reading. The moral dilemma that Ali faces with regards to supporting her husband or friend over the accusations is particularly interesting because Ali works with victims of attacks with the police force. With the threat of career implications, Ali suddenly finds herself in a situation not too dissimilar to her clients. It also reminded me of the #MeToo campaign and the power of women's voices; not being afraid to stand up and be counted.

Throughout the story, I really felt Ali's world closing in on her. The confusing emotions that she experiences are passed on to the reader and I felt like I also shared her panic and claustrophobia. As the fallout continues from Karen's accusations, Ali's family is also impacted in areas that she did not consider. McGowan carefully adds ambiguities to the narrative to keep the reader guessing and for me, I was definitely hooked right until the ending.

Finishing the novel was exciting and surprising. I was not expecting the contents of the Epilogue and this reflects the plot in its entirety. The twists and turns added to the mystery that we are all trying to find answers to, and the further questions about the Summer Ball, also meant that I was constantly trying to read further into the motives of different characters.

This was an excellent read and thoroughly enjoyable. Pacey and intriguing, McGowan does not prolong the narrative. For me, it did not finish too suddenly but instead, the plot reaches its natural conclusion. A fantastic piece of writing that was brilliant from start to finish.

[Joey R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 stars— I decided to read an older Kindle First selection, “What you Did” by Claire McGowan based on the good reviews it received and the good things I have read about the author, Clair McGowan. “What you Did” tells the story of Ali, an Oxford University graduate, who organizes a reunion of her couples friend group from school. As you might expect, there is a lot of baggage between all of the old friends based on prior romantic ties and crushes and other unresolved drama between the group. When Karen, Ali’s best friend, is violently raped after a long night of drinking and accuses Mike, Ali’s husband, the story begins and the secrets start being revealed. The book is very fast paced and never lost my interest throughout. As the book continues some of the information disclosed and subplots get a little far fetched, but that never kept me from enjoying this fast pace ride. I was able to guess most of the ending halfway into the book which means some of the plot points were predictable. Also, the ending’s big reveals were badly written and unrealistic, which was the only reason I did not rate the book 5 stars. I will definitely read Claire McGowan again because I love writers who are able to keep the plot moving from start to finish, and she is very good at that.

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

An old secret, a reunion of old friends, a crime, and lots of skeletons in the closet.

What looks like a rape case similar to others at first becomes more and more complicated the more you find out about how the characters relate to each other. Admittedly, I had some doubts early on in the story whether this would be a good read, but the more I read the more I liked the story. It raises some serious questions about victims of rape and how some might try to whitewash what has happened, just to protect the abuser.

The plot had something of Agatha Christie’s style in it, because over time you find out more little secrets that often are not much more than red herrings, and in between these you get information that basically turns out to be vital to solve the case. I was a little disappointed how simple it turned out to be in the end, and after reading I know and understand why the old secret is in there, but do not believe it is really necessary as it did not add that much to the plot.
However that might just be me, and since the style of writing combined with the plot made this a real page turner for me, it is 5 out of 5 stars.

[Amy Drozdowicz · Rating 1 out of 5]

On page 144 of What You Did, Ali, our main character, the point of view which we are forced to follow and care about, has an epiphany. “If I wanted to keep my home, for my children’s sake, I had to get Mike’s case dropped, and fast.” Here we have a woman who allegedly works at a women’s shelter, advocating specifically for rape survivors, gearing herself up to present her best friend as a promiscuous liar so that the rape charge she has laid against Ali’s husband will be dropped. Why? So that her children can continue going to private school. I must reiterate: this is our protagonist. Keep that in mind as we begin the review.


Six old friends, close since their Oxford days, reunite for a party. Ali and husband Mike live a charmed middle class life just outside London with their two children. Second married couple Jodi and Callum are wealthy lawyers on the brink of having their first long awaited baby. The two singletons are Karen, Ali’s flighty best friend, and the reserved Bill, recently separated from his wife. Late into the night, Ali is roused from sleep. When she gets downstairs, Karen bursts through the back door wild with terror. Blood is running down her legs. She cries out that she has been raped – by Mike.


When I reached page 35, I made a note that predicted the major twist of this novel, including the identity of the rapist and how he had performed his operation. I know it was page 35, because I wrote “let it be known that if I’m right I predicted this on page 35.” And now I’m letting it be known, because as it happens I was right. This book has 284 pages, and its plot is pedestrian enough to be completely guessed within the first 35. Consequently, it immediately fails as a thriller. I can hardly write that the novel contains “twists and turns,” as the cliché goes, because each narrative beat ambles by with exhausting banality, never shocking, never impressive, never in any danger of outsmarting an observant reader.


A novel with a bland plot can often be redeemed by charming characters, or expert prose. Sadly, What You Did can boast neither. McGowan’s style is mostly nondescript, with only the occasional sprinkling of awful to catch your attention. One particularly shoddy excerpt made me laugh aloud:


“She didn’t blink. They probably trained them at teacher school.”


I checked the acknowledgements, and this book had at least three editors. Three people looked over this, saw “they probably trained them at teacher school,” and thought to themselves, “yeah, that’s fine. That sounds like a feasible thing for an Oxford graduate and semi-celebrated journalist in her mid-forties to say.” Teacher school. I am agog, I am aghast. It’s like something an eleven year old would write.


The characters, unlike the prose, do not have a mere sprinkling of awful. Awful has been dumped into them in the same manner as I dump cumin into most of the meals I make. Top unscrewed, right from the jar in a big lump. However, while a good lump of cumin can elevate lasagne, the same amount of awful scarcely does the same for your cast. It takes a master to put utterly terrible people to paper and make it work. Think Nabokov’s Humbert Humbert, Richardson’s Robert Lovelace, or Sade’s entire repertoire. Ali has none of the nuance or the self-consciousness of the aforementioned. She is possibly one of the worst protagonists I have ever had to suffer, and that is not a hammer which I can swing lightly. She is yet another example of an increasingly prevalent trope I am finding in contemporary fiction – that of the frumpy, motherly, self-righteous lead who holds a thinly veiled resentment for younger, prettier, more successful women. For someone whose feminist activism is blasted at the reader from the outset, Ali is an awful feminist. She continually slutshames and demeans women who lead lifestyles which are different to her own, from “yummy mummies” (page 93) to rape and murder victims whose ordeals “did not have to ruin anyone else’s life […] not when you were so pretty you were like a walking wound.” (page 101). These views are utterly inconsistent with someone who is a professional advocate for rape victims, and the fact that her husband is the accused is not a suitable explanation. Nor, indeed, does one sentence saying she’s “upset at what she has become” towards the end of the novel absolve her, especially when she faces no consequences whatsoever for her behaviour. If I was presented that justification in a university creative writing class, I would dry out a red marker by circling “show, don’t tell!” over and over again.


The worst part about Ali’s character is that nothing happens to her to make her realise that her actions have consequences. The confession of the rapist, relayed only to Ali, is taken as gospel despite the fact that she has been caught deliberately attempting to malign Karen’s character in order to have the charges dropped against Mike, and she ends the novel riding off into the sunset with a dream man and a better relationship with both her children and her estranged mother. This is not a satisfying end for a really quite detestable antihero who gets depressingly close to letting a rapist go free because she’s too self-obsessed and bitter. She does not deserve the ending which she is gifted. While I understand that McGowan is deliberately presenting Ali’s actions in such a way that is not meant to be likeable, it’s done with such little thought that it simply doesn’t work. Spending one sentence on Ali having a brief moment of self reflection does not make a novel’s worth of maliciousness disappear.


A shocking premise, one which required far more nuance than what is presented here.

[Bren fall in love with the sea. · Rating 2 out of 5]

“But what we don’t understand is that love can turn on a dime. We don’t know how easy it is to feel it flip over to a dark side, cold and dead, like the moon spinning on its axis.”
― Claire McGowan, What You Did



Sigh. I am sorry. I hate giving two stars. And for a book I loved in the beginning.

This will teach me..Dita did not like it and I should go with Dita's recommendations since she has not steered me wrong yet.

So really I have nobody to blame but my little ole self.

So..this book has a GREAT premise. It really does. A woman (Allie) has a reunion of sorts with some old college friends. While at the reunion, her closest buddy from college, Karen is attacked and raped. Staggering back to the house screaming, Karen names her rapist. It is Allie's husband.

What a great start! I have read a few books like this and was eager to read this one. But alas..

So what my issues are..there is to much going on for me. Side plots develop. There is a new tragedy on every page. It seems each chapter holds some new plot twist. Nothing is remotely realistic and beyond Karen and Bill, none of the characters are developed. What do I mean by that?

Allie is the stereotypical hysterical housewife . The husband and accused rapist is hardly in the book. The third woman, whose name I cannot remember ,has no personality. Martha, the stunning platinum blonde who was murdered years ago..well..she has no personality either. We never even get to really MEET her in the flashbacks. She is known to the reader only as a hot platinum blonde who is desired by everyone. That's it.

There are to many subjects tackled..bullying, attempted suicide, rape, abuse, parental difficulties, medical emergencies, attempted stabbing, financial issues, adultery.

Are you getting all this? The book wasn't even that long. Certainly not long enough to cover all this ground. I wish the whole book had ONLY centered on whether the husband was guilty or innocent because it is a great premise and the beginning of this book was quite strong.

There was so much it was exhausting and I took to skimming at around 50 percent.

We, the readers, are not privy to some of the biggest plot developments. There is no Court Hearing for Bail for the husband.

There is no introduction of Martha as I mentioned.

SPOILERS:


We do not see the husband the husband wake up from his coma. We are just told he did.

We do not see the reunion of Allie and Bill. Why not? One of the only characters I liked..Bill..and after he walks out on Allie we never hear from him again although we are told he is back in the picture.

So I am really sorry but I just did not love this. I see some people did and that's great. But I like my domestic Noir to get into the characters' heads. That did not happen here at all.

Also..not the writer's fault..one my all time favorite books deals with exactly the same subject. It's an older book and is in my top 10 of all time so anything with the same subject matter is going to be compared to that one.

If you want to read a book dealing with the same subject matter, the name of that book is The Rose Petal Beach by Dorothy Koomsen.

This book was not BAD. But no way was it for me.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 / 5

NOTE: My full blog tour post can be found at https://abookwormwithwine.wordpress.c...

What You Did by Claire McGowan is the ultimate page-turner that will keep you glued to the pages until the very last word. It is also not going to be for the faint of heart (see triggers for rape).

What it's about: Ali decides to put together a reunion with her friends from university after twenty years. The six of them meet at Ali's home where she lives with her college boyfriend turned husband, and their two kids - Cassie and Benjamin. But what is supposed to be a fun reunion turns into a nightmare when Ali's best friend Karen stumbles inside from the garden saying Ali's husband Mike just sexually assaulted her. Mike claims it didn't happen, but Karen is sure it did. Ali doesn't know who to believe, and after things from their past start coming to light, things will never be the same again.

I really, thoroughly enjoyed What You Did and I didn't want to put it down. The chapters were all pretty short, and that combined with different character viewpoints really kept me guessing and speeding through it. I really didn't like Mike, especially as the book goes on, but I found myself liking Ali a lot, even as she does things that are really dumb. I don't know what I would do if my husband were accused of sexual assault, but I would like to think that I would still believe my best friend if she said he did it. In other words, this book is really makes you think.

What You Did felt like it had a little bit of everything and wasn't strictly just about sexual assault even though that was definitely a main theme. There is also a murder mystery aspect, and I really had no idea what was going to happen. McGowan manages to make you doubt every person in the book, and completely kept me guessing. I felt like there was something going on throughout the entire book which also made it a fast read for me. The end managed to give me chills because it was so unexpected and that is something I love in a book.

Song/s the book brought to mind: Criminal by ZZ Ward.

Final Thought: I wasn't really sure what to expect from What You Did, but I am so glad I read it. It looks like the reviews for this one are all over the place so I'm glad I liked it as much as I did. There wasn't really anything wrong with it at all, and I really enjoyed McGowan's writing style. Reading this makes me want to read more from her ASAP!

Thank you to Damppebbles Blog Tours and the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book!

[Celestina1210 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un policier bien mais sans plus. Il se lit facilement mais je n’ai pas vraiment adhéré j’avais trouve l’assassin au milieu du roman. Non ce qui sauve ce roman c’est l’héroïne principale alors certes elle est très naïve mais tellement humaine sa vie bien rangée parfaite explose littéralement devant ses yeux et je l’ai trouvée très humaine comment réagirions-nous si tout n’était que mensonges.
Pour ceux qui cherchent une lecture sans prise de tête

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ali and her husband Mike are having an anniversary party with their old university friends. They are celebrating knowing them for 25 years, staying up late drinking and reminiscing about the past. They are awoken by Karen who is Ali’s best friend crying that she was raped by Mike.

Ali is stuck between a rock and a hard place as she wants to believe her husband is innocent but why would her friend lie?

The story goes back to when all the friends met at Oxford University, leading up to the ball where a tragedy occurs and secrets are kept.

The reunion party is told from different people’s prospectives and you come to realise their friendship is woven together with lies and secrets, just like Pandora’s box being opened, once these secrets are revealed the consequence can be fatal!!

Although this book deals with the subject of rape I thought it was written in a sensitive way. The fact that Ali had worked with people who had been victims of an attack and had supported this women to testify, gave the book a different angle as Ali has to chose between supporting her husband or her best friend.

Read this practically in 1 sitting. The tension kept building throughout and I was desperate to find out who and why was Karen attacked. This had me on the edge of my seat with goosebumps.

The ending was quite unexpected and made me race back to the party to see if I had missed any clues!!

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

[Ilene from State Farm · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars for predictability
As another reader stated earlier, the Amazon first reads are not usually great books so I didn’t have high expectations for this one and in that light, I wasn’t disappointed and could actually give this 3 stars for a fast read. However, I hated so many of the characters, guessed the killer/rapist half way through and didn’t understand people motivations.
Why did Mike end up with Ali over Karen, couldn’t Karen, instead of Ali, have lied for him after Martha’s murder? Why did Karen flunk her finals and never get a degree? That wasn’t ever explained other than that she and Mike were sleeping together. Huh? He managed to graduate... And didn’t he realize Jake was his son- why didn’t he help Karen out with some money, apparently she needed it, even if it was just as a friend.. Mike and Ali apparently had enough to lend to Callum.
And what about Bill, he really couldn’t find lasting happiness because he still carried a torch for Ali 25 years later? And why did he, , when he had been so disappointed in her lying at uni to protect Mike. And based on that, why would he be so surprised, and disappointed, that she’d throw Karen under the bus and supported Mike after the rape? And hate that it is implied he’s come back to her at the end and all will be happy.

And what with the rich kids, especially the boys, always being the spoiled, amoral antagonist in books these days- it’s such a cliche, even Aaron was a schmuck. Jack, who steals a knife and stabs his father (or was he going after Cassie? That is never really explained...) is really a decent kid, because he’s poor and misunderstood.

If I read about one more person ‘tutting’ I would have screamed. And my last bitch here, couldn’t anyone have anything better to say about poor Martha other than that she was so lovely? Is that why her death was such a tragedy? Did she have any other characteristics other than white blond hair and a beautiful face?

As mentioned, don’t expect much from an Amazon First Read so in that sense was pleasantly surprised that the book kept me reading till late in the night, but more like a big piece of supermarket cake, low expectations that tastes good while going down but really leaves you a bit mad at yourself afterwards for once again taking the easy way and not for just splurging on a real treat...

[Ceecee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 - 4 stars.

This is one of two Amazon Prime First Reads for July and it seems to have divided people! I thought it was a bit like a driver who accelerates and decelerates for no apparent reason on a perfectly straight road! At times the book had some pace and then it slowed down and I lost some interest. The premise concerned who raped Karen on an old friends from university reunion weekend. I found their conversations on the night of the incident tedious but then events on the following days piqued my interest again. Although some of revelations seemed to involve musical beds and I wondered how people could be so blind to what was going on almost in front of them. It’s a book about deception including self deception, hypocrisy, delusion and illusion, pride and shame. It showed well how the ripples of rape spread wider than the poor victim to the families of all involved and the devastating consequences for all concerned. I thought the ending was good and that nearly pushed it to 4 star.

[Margaret M - (having a challenging time and on GR as much as I can) · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is the perfect evening, six university friends reunite after 25 years to reminisce about how they met, shared stories, photographs. But soon it becomes obvious that they shared more than that. A web of deception, lies, affairs, rape and murder all become part of the story.

As the friends call a happy evening to a close, Karen, runs into the house screaming and accusing, Mike her best friends husband of rape. The investigation ensuing opens up so many lies and copious amounts of deception.

It lacked the real thrill, edge of your seat suspense I love from crime and thriller books. It was so obvious who was going to have an affair with who, and the main culprits were between two people. Neither were very exciting as suspects. No real surprises in the book.

[Beth · Rating 1 out of 5]

Imagine that you’re a prominent advocate for abused women, working closely of victims of sexual assault. Your best friend of decades staggers into your house, bloody and bruised with marks around her neck. She says she was raped. What would you do? Apparently, if you are the author of this novel, the answer is that you would obviously use every intimate thing you know about your friend and every systemic prejudice that works against victims to methodically destroy your closest friend. This is the obvious answer. What else could you do, really? It’s entirely possible that the man you blackmailed into marrying you decades ago isn’t an awesome guy. It’s possible that if he went to jail for rape your expensive home would be endangered. There’s bills to pay. I mean really, what else is there to do?

The book is marketed as if it’s about an emotional conflict: the protagonist loves two people, and one says the other hurt her, but who will the protagonist believe? The framing of the book isn’t emotional at all. The protagonist doesn’t really care what the facts of the situation are. She cares about her comfort, and her finances. If, like me, you spotted the Chekhov’s gun that was the red sweater and guessed the ending in advance, the protagonist’s behavior is even harder to understand. She is willing to cause grievous harm to her closest friend in order to protect her fancy house and furnishings. She threatens, intimidates, manipulates, and lies in order to prevent the police from learning the truth. Her friend, it turns out, had also been betraying the protagonist for years, feeling no particular guilt about it either. Their third friend, Jodie, is the only other adult woman in the book with a prominent role, and it turns out that she’s been abetting a rapist’s serial crimes for decades because it financially benefits her.

I can’t entirely tell if the author is buying into her own premise or not. It’s a book about male violence where somehow all the villains are women, each of them enacting violent cruelties on one another despite supposedly being lifelong friends. Each will sacrifice one another to literal rapists if it means that they will live in financial comfort. Is this what the author thinks women are like? The author herself is a woman; does she see herself in these characters?

The nicest thing I can say about this book is that it didn’t cost me any money. Unfortunately, I will never get back the time I invested in it, hoping any character in this text would at any point behave like a human being. Has the author ever met a person before? Does she understand that humans sometimes feel a kinship with one another, or can even be capable of empathy? If so, that unfortunately did not come across in this book.

[Virginie Roy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up: I would describe this book as a drama with twists. I didn't see everything coming, which is a very good thing! On the other hand, I thought it was a bit too long, there was a lot of repetition.
All in all, it was an interesting read!

[Michael Macleod · Rating 2 out of 5]

The main character is unfathomably stupid and there's hardly a single likeable character in the whole book.

If that's your thing then go wild, I guess.

[Darinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Six college friends gather for a reunion 25 years later. When one of the women stumbles inside after being raped, it puts relationships to the test and challenges who can be trusted.

The characters are six so-called friends – Ali, Mike, Karen, Bill, Callum, and Jodi. Ali and Mike are married and hosting the reunion at their home. Karen is Ali’s best friend, and the rape victim. Bill has been living away, but is back after breaking up with his girlfriend. Callum and Jodi are married and expecting their first child.

Told from Ali’s point of view. When Karen claims Mike raped her, Ali has to make a decision to stand by her husband or her best friend. As the story progresses, more secrets are revealed. Some secrets are newer ones, but some go back to their college days.

This book was hard for me to get into, mainly because the characters were all unlikable people. Some of the things that happen were hard to believe, especially where Ali was concerned. Her naive behavior was difficult to read, and I would have preferred a stronger female protagonist.

A domestic thriller with a lot of drama. The story was interesting, but the characters left a lot to be desired.

[Bridgett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've had a pretty cruddy run of books lately...and, unfortunately, after reading this, it is very clear my luck hasn't changed.

What You Did covers the lives of 6 college grads coming together for a 25 year weekend reunion. Also in my early 40s, stories like this appeal to me a great deal. These characters are my peers, so to speak. Unfortunately, all six (and their children) were intensely unlikable assholes. Worse, our main protagonist, Ali, might very well be the most ignorant main character ever written--she definitely fulfilled her quota of stupid thoughts, stupid choices, and stupid actions. A stronger female lead would have likely made a huge difference in how I felt about this story.

But hey, with friends like Mike, Bill, Jodi, Karen, and Callum...who needs enemies?

I'd also like to mention, despite being billed as a psychological thriller--IT IS NOT. I'd classify it more as a domestic drama/suspense. A very easy one to figure out, I might add. I knew all that would happen within a few chapters. And seriously, I have to mention this because WTF!? What is up with that book cover? What is it even supposed to be? If I had written this book, I'd be peeved if I was saddled with that terrible artwork.

Bottom line...while the writing is decent, the characters ruin this novel. If you're looking for an easy, quick, unoriginal read, I guess you could give this one a chance. Otherwise, I'd skip it.

**Many thanks to the publisher for my advanced reader's copy.

[Fred Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

You and your husband host a party in your home for your best college buddies some 25 years after graduation. No one could have prepared you for what comes next, or what is revealed.

Three couples, actually 2 married couples and 2 singles, consume massive of quantities of wine with dinner. A few pass out, others stopped drinking and went to bed. Then a scream pierces the night, and your best friend comes in the house from the backyard, bloodied and hysterical, accusing your husband of rape. Your husband is sitting in the swing set in the yard, comatose from alcahol.

I found the novel fast paced with ever changing events. New revelations come out as the story develops that are hidden affairs, illegitimate children and even murder during and since the good old college days. An excellent read for sure.

The book will be released later this summer. My advanced copy Kindle format was complements of Amazon First Reads for Prime members.

Highly recommended.

[Frank Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really impressed with this thriller! Found myself not wanting to put it down and torn between what I thought what's going to happen oh, who done it, what I wanted to happen, etc. Can honestly say our protagonist, Ali, was definitely one of the dumbest I've read, and couldn't agree more when she was called something along the lines of a 'silly cow,' buy another character towards the end. Lots of triggers with rape and consent issues here, so it may not be for everyone. No complaints, can't give anything less than 5 stars!!

[Lynda Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, this Kindle First book was an easy 5* !! Full of twists and secrets 'n' lies, just my sort of story. I was totally engrossed. I've never happened upon this author before, not quite sure why. Her Paula Maguire series sounds really good as well so I've put the first one of those into my wishlist a bit sharpish.
And better still, I happened across ONE mistake, just one, the whole way through......let this be a sharp lesson to other authors, editors or proofreaders, it can be done. All one needs is some pride in their work, and if they have this then they'll find it's well worth paying someone to do these jobs correctly. It matters so much to so many readers and can totally transform their reading experience of YOUR product !! So please think on and consider us a little more ! All she did was use tick just the one time and not tic....bravo from me.
I made notations throughout this on my Kindle on what I believed was happening and how one particular puzzle might reveal itself and I was wrong every time, of course. Nothing new there. What it must be to have an imagination....hehehe......
Oooh, I did notice, actually, that Cassie mentioned being old enough to "do it" so checked to see if the age of consent here in the UK has been dropped and it is still 16 so that was wrong.
My favourite character was probably Bill, he seemed the most grounded and honest of the six of these university pals. There were a few humorous remarks in this as well, I especially chuckled at Jodi's description of "walking around with a bomb strapped to her" as she described her pregnancy. Thankfully, I've avoided this life's pleasure myself ! I tittered too at the acknowledgements where the author gave a nod to HER university mates.
This is one I highly recommend, sadly it was all over and done with too soon.

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

After recently enjoying ‘I Know You’ by the same author I was eager to read more of Claire McGowan’s books. Unfortunately I felt this book was a complete contrast to my previous read and felt very disappointed. I find it difficult to put my finger on what the exact problem was but it just didn’t gel with me and never felt at any stage of the novel connected. Probably my biggest issue was the characters themselves which I didn’t like.

A university reunion for six friends after twenty years, what could go wrong. The host Ali is living the high life, dream career, loving family and husband but all that is changed when her best friend makes an accusation that will alter everything.

Her friend Karen stumbles in from the garden, bleeding and in a state of shock to claim she has been assaulted by Mike, Ali’s husband. Ali finds it difficult to decide who to believe, her life long friend or her husband. One of them is lying and life will never be the same again.

I so wanted to enjoy this but unfortunately it didn’t work for me, annoying characters that made me want to scream.

[Maria Espadinha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Survivance versus Ethics


We, humans, are all intertwined in a society where we need to fit in order to survive. And the strength of survivance generally crushes morality.

Ali and Jodi were both married women who aimed to keep their social status spotless. Their main purpose was to protect themselves and their families, their social lil bubble, from any outer menaces. According to that view, any sin would be forgiven…

And now it’s time for the big question:
Can we blame them?
How many times did we ignore the voice of integrity in matters of survivance?!
“She/He who is without sin among you, let her/him throw the first stone".
If you couldn’t find a better answer I think that one will perfectly do ;)

In What you Did there’s also a finger pointing to us ;)


P.S.: For my Portuguese reading mates there’s an edition entitled Ninguém pode Saber

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hoo, boy! Talk about a book you can’t put down!

Six university friends meet up for a reunion after twenty years. I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned this before in another book review but it bears repeating : reunions are bad! Nothing ever goes the way you think it will. We’re not just talking about people changing, having nothing in common anymore, petty jealousies and the like. Oh no, this reunion right here is a total disaster!

It all starts when Karen staggers in from the garden, traumatised and bleeding, saying she’s been raped. Bad enough. But Karen claims her attacker is none other than her best friend Ali’s husband, Mike. Who should Karen believe? Her best friend who’s always been there for her? Or her husband who’s given her more than she ever could have imagined?

I rather quickly came up with a theory but I was left to second-guess myself at every turn throughout the story. It didn’t help that I didn’t particularly liked Karen and was unsure whether I could trust her version of events. That seemed rather apt though, considering Ali’s standpoint. She works for a Women’s Refuge, has experience in the field of domestic abuse and dealing with rape victims and yet, it was fascinating to see her doubts, to see her almost go against everything she stands for because things are just so different when they involve people you know and love.

To get a feel for the dynamics in these friendships, we are also taken back to the nineties, when the six friends were at university. But there are darker memories, things that suddenly look rather different now and an accumulation of bad decisions that may just come back to haunt Ali and her friends.

Full of secrets, lies and deceit, my loyalties kept shifting. It’s just impossible to determine which one of these friends can be trusted. From the very first page, What You Did is extremely addictive and utterly compelling. Claire McGowan has delivered a truly clever plot and a fantastic page turner. This is definitely one to read in one glorious sitting, if you can! And just when you think it’s all over, there’s a delightful little sting in its tail. This is often such a tricky genre but I think Claire McGowan nailed it. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and I can’t wait to read more by her!

[donna backshall · Rating 3 out of 5]

I see some people loved What You Did, but for me it was only a 3 star read.

Mostly I didn't enjoy the chaos of being inside our main character's head, as hit after hit pounded down on Ali's oddly uptight life: accusations of rape, confessions of adultery, financial issues, a murder attempt, a suicide attempt, terminations of life-long friendships.

Perhaps I wasn't all that patient or sympathetic with Ali's string of troubles was because she wasn't a very likable character? Maybe all people are that neurotic and annoying inside their heads? I don't know. All I do know is that I didn't enjoy being stuck in the whirlpool while Ali's life circled the drain.

In any case, the premise of the novel was interesting, but the execution felt far from "thrilling" and more like I was merely an observer while so very much tragic and slow drama played out for a few hundred pages. I felt sorry for Ali, but I couldn't identify with her.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kept me interested

Started this book this morning and have spent the day reaðing. Interesting characters with unusual motivations. Does anyone ever really win in situations like these?

[Linda Strong · Rating 3 out of 5]

A college reunion doesn't go exactly as planned. One attendee staggers into the host's house, bleeding, clothes torn, with an accusation that she was assaulted .... by the host's husband.

Who is lying? Who is telling the truth? Why would this woman accuse her husband for no reason at all? Who does she trust ...her husband.. or her best friend?

All this chaos brings the past to the forefront. There are darker memories too. Memories that have lain dormant for decades. Memories someone would kill to protect.

This psychological thriller wasn't really a thriller. The suspense never reached a level of ... I have GOT to find out what happens next. It started with a bang and then fizzled a bit. None of the characters have any redeeming qualities.

I have read other books by this author and was not disappointed. I'm hoping this one was just an anomaly. I will be happy to read her future books.

WARNING: A sexual assault is mentioned in the first few pages of the book and later goes into detail. This may be a trigger for some women.

Many thanks to the author / Thomas Mercer UK / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological drama. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Alexa · Rating 5 out of 5]

An emotionally intense suspense read that tangles with #MeToo, modern feminist catch-22s, and Keeping Up with the Jones'. I can see plenty of readers really loathing aspects of this book, but I appreciated the issues it tackled and how it did so. The main character, Ali, is imperfect, flawed in just the way most of us are. She has deeply held convictions that are great in theory but are challenged in the worst possible way when her best friend accuses her husband of violently raping her. Long buried secrets come to light, a rape/murder from their college days is seen in a fresh light, and both Ali and the reader have to really battle with the idea of "what would you do if it was YOUR family?"

You're primarily in Ali's POV for most of the book, which was ideal for the emotional immediacy. I felt suffocated, trapped in her POV, just as she was feeling. But the book dips briefly into POV chapters for several key characters, including the rape victim and other key witnesses, which serves both to make the reader question Ali's POV but also to humanize those other characters. A reminder that things seen from one perspective will look a certain way, and from another totally different.

What worked for me in the way the story unfolded was I was always on my toes. Feeling outrage on Ali's behalf, fear, frustration as she made the "wrong" choices (but still probably the same I might make). I doubted Mike (her husband), believed him, doubted him... oscillated along with Ali. I felt for her children, for the victim, Karen, and her son.

Perfect for fans of emotionally intense domestic suspense who are keen to engage with the very serious topics of rape, rape culture, domestic abuse, #MeToo, etc. (However if those don't sound any good to you, skip this one--it might be too frustrating a read, emotionally.) A very knotty social thriller, but one that I enjoyed. Am keen to check out McGowan's other standalone thrillers.