After All I've Done: A Novel

by Mina Hardy

Writing as Mina Hardy, New York Times bestselling author Megan Hart delivers a thrilling new psychological suspense for fans of The Woman in the Window and When the Lights Go Out.

She's lost her best friend, her husband--and possibly, her mind.

Five months ago, an accident left Diana Sparrow badly injured and missing a few months of her memory. As if that's not enough, she's started having recurring nightmares about the night of the accident. Dreams that feel so real, she's left questioning: maybe she didn't just slide off the road into a ditch. Maybe, just maybe, she hit something. Or someone.

She can't turn to her former best friend Val, who's been sleeping with Diana's husband Jonathan for months, but she might find some comfort in newcomer Cole Pelham. Yet the closer they become, the more Diana begins to wonder what really happened that night--and how Cole might be connected. Worse, it seems everyone else could be involved, too.

Who was with her that night? What really happened? As her life unravels thread by thread and the dreams become too real to ignore, Diana will have to face the unthinkable--and do the unforgivable.

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

272 pages, Paperback

First published November 10, 2020

Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I read highly praised reviews and the plot about short term memory loss (this is another read I’ve finished with the same plot line) I became so eager to start this book. But I realized the author was Megan Hart we knew her from her erotic romance novels and she wrote this book with different pen-name which intrigued my attention because lately most of the romance authors wrote successful thriller novels and I wish they may change their genre choice and keep on writing those suspicious, exciting stories.

But this time I got a little disappointed. Even though our heroine Diana Sparrow’s traumatized memory loss after being badly injured from an accident ( we still have doubts if it is real accident. Could somebody try to kill her?) is an interesting topic, I had real hard time to connect with her. I continue to read for witnessing the struggles she endured during her psychical healing and adapting in her daily life routine. And of course she is already estranged with her husband who acts doubtful and hearing alarm bells that he is a notorious cheater. And we are so right: The scumbag husband is having an affair with best friend Val. Don’t stop! I can hear you boo and I happily join you!

But don’t worry! We have charming newcomer Cole Pelham who may provide the comfort and quality time Diana needs. But what happened at the day of accident? Could she still be in danger? She needs to gather pieces of her memories to find out the truth, right?

My problem about this book is its way too much fast pacing. We are just running to catch the story and that may be the one of the reason we didn’t have enough time to connect with the characters!
Okay, I’m taking back. Even though the author wrote some deep level character analysis and tell us a slow burn story, we may still hate the characters: because they’re truly created to hate! And I may admit that we enjoy hating them! It’s natural like hating your neighbors in these days! (I take it back, I was hating them before the Pandemic, too!)

And the ending was too predictable. I didn’t use my spidey senses because this book’s twists are too easy to foresee and I didn’t want to exhaust them for nothing.

Overall: Hateful characters, predictable twists, foreseeable ending, whirlwind story-telling ended with my 3 solid- I didn’t hate the book ( I only want to choke the characters) but I didn’t like it, too so let’s meet in the middle stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for sharing this ARC in exchange my honest review.

[Frank Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up on a whim, on account of the vibrantly colorful cover, and I really enjoyed it! Apparently this author normally writes romance, and I could definitely get that from this story - tons of intimate moments and romance drama in this one! That's not to say this wasn't incredibly entertaining though. I flew through this 261 page read in just 3 short sittings, and although I could predict it, I absolutely loved the ending. The characters were all over the top, yet amusing, and the mystery element in this was great - anything to do with amnesia is intriguing to me, to say the least. Our main character, Diana, has been in a automobile accident and sustained head injuries resulting in her short-term memory loss. What happened the night of the accident? Was it just an accident, or was something else afoot? Her husband is having an affair, and she definitely knows it, but why does she not confront him about it? How is her best friend involved? Why is her mother-in-law suffocating her and not giving her any space? Who is this mysterious character Cole that befriends Diana seemingly randomly? How does this all tie together? These were all questions I asked myself while reading this, and it kept me fully engaged throughout! I'm definitely going to keep reading Hardy, who very well may be a new 'guilty pleasure' of mine!

[Luvtoread (Trying to catch up) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who can you really trust!

Diana was in a serious car accident and had immediate surgery and was left with anesthesia.induced amnesia and she doesn't not remember anything about any events that occurred the year prior to her accident. Diana was helpless for many months after her accident due to both collar bones being broken alone with her fractured ribs and so many other injuries, so she was dependent on her wonderful but sometimes very smothering mother-in-law who was so patient and kind to her throughout her recovery with taking care of all the cooking and household chores that needed to be done everyday since Diana's husband was working all the time and also having an affair with her best friend Val. As Diana continues to improve she finds herself having reactions to her medications (she does drink alcohol often) and is having dizzy spells with complete exhaustion happening regularly but she still needs her prescriptions because her pain can be unbearable at times. Lately, Diana is finding more and more pieces of her memory disappearing along with having recurring, horrific nightmares where she thinks she buried a body in her back yard and wakes up screaming on a regular basis. Something is very wrong with Diana and she keeps having setbacks with her healing and memory loss and also also is having feelings of being watched and followed by an invisible presence. Is all this in Diana's head of is something more sinister happening to her as she begins to distrust all the people around her as well as her own sanity. What really happened on the night of Diana's car accident and is her life in danger if she recovers those deeply buried memories or did Diana do something so horrible that her brain had hidden an awful and devastating truth from her present state of consciousness.

This was a very entertaining story and a fast read. The first part of the story moved slowly but halfway in it became a real page turner. The majority of the characters were annoying and unlikeable including Diana. I thought I knew how the story would play out but nothing could have prepared me for the most wild, ludicrous and unpredictable twists that this book took so it got an extra star from me even though the story seemed rushed at the ending but it was a lot of fun to read this outrageous story.. I look forward to reading more books by Mina Hardy in the future.

I want to thank the publisher 'Crooked Lane Books" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book and any thoughts and opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

I have given this book a rating of 3 1/2 Shocking 🕞🌟🌟🌟🌠 Stars!!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

After All I’ve Done was a page turner that I did not want to put down. There was so much suspense from the beginning. Val is Diana’s best friend since childhood, and Diana has no idea why they aren’t talking anymore. Jonathan, Diana’s husband, is always working late and is not very helpful with Diana’s recovery. Harriet, Diana’s mother in law is always around and helping even when Diana wants space. Diana meets Cole and they quickly become close, but Diana starts to question Cole. The story is told from Diana, Val and Jonathan’s perspectives with a mix of current and past events. Everyone thinks Diana is going crazy, but she is convinced she isn’t. I loved listening to Diana try to figure out what was going on. The ending is so crazy and disturbing. I definitely didn’t see it coming.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Angela Lin, Zura Johnson, and Jay Aaseng and all did a fantastic job. They all spoke with emotion. I felt like Diana, Val and Jonathan were talking to me.

Thank you Dreamscape Media, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for the audiobook of After All I’ve Done.

Full Review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...

[Luvtoread (Trying to catch up) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who can you really trust!

Diana was in a serious car accident and had immediate surgery and was left with anesthesia.induced amnesia and she doesn't not remember anything about any events that occurred the year prior to her accident. Diana was helpless for many months after her accident due to both collar bones being broken alone with her fractured ribs and so many other injuries, so she was dependent on her wonderful but sometimes very smothering mother-in-law who was so patient and kind to her throughout her recovery with taking care of all the cooking and household chores that needed to be done everyday since Diana's husband was working all the time and also having an affair with her best friend Val. As Diana continues to improve she finds herself having reactions to her medications (she does drink alcohol often) and is having dizzy spells with complete exhaustion happening regularly but she still needs her prescriptions because her pain can be unbearable at times. Lately, Diana is finding more and more pieces of her memory disappearing along with having recurring, horrific nightmares where she thinks she buried a body in her back yard and wakes up screaming on a regular basis. Something is very wrong with Diana and she keeps having setbacks with her healing and memory loss and also also is having feelings of being watched and followed by an invisible presence. Is all this in Diana's head of is something more sinister happening to her as she begins to distrust all the people around her as well as her own sanity. What really happened on the night of Diana's car accident and is her life in danger if she recovers those deeply buried memories or did Diana do something so horrible that her brain had hidden an awful and devastating truth from her present state of consciousness.

This was a very entertaining story and a fast read. The first part of the story moved slowly but halfway in it became a real page turner. The majority of the characters were annoying and unlikeable including Diana. I thought I knew how the story would play out but nothing could have prepared me for the most wild, ludicrous and unpredictable twists that this book took so it got an extra star from me even though the story seemed rushed at the ending but it was a lot of fun to read this outrageous story.. I look forward to reading more books by Mina Hardy in the future.

I want to thank the publisher 'Crooked Lane Books" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book and any thoughts and opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

I have given this book a rating of 3 1/2 Shocking 🕞🌟🌟🌟🌠 Stars!!

[Kelly (and the Book Boar) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I mean WTF was that? I have never heard of Megan Hart before, but thanks for writing under a second name here so I have to remember to avoid both of you in the future rather than only one. The big “twist” at the ending (which was guessable at the ¾ mark at max) is what most reviewers will probably be talking about, but I had already been there/done that a couple of years ago with another book that I can’t remember the name of at the current moment and am unwilling to invest any time looking up because it too was a 1 Star.

This entire thing was a convoluted (and predictable) mess featuring an every trope but the kitchen sink that could possibly be contained in a thriller approach to storytelling. Of course you have an unreliable narrator (ACCIDENT ONSET AMENSIA! HOW ORIGINAL! (said no one ever)), a philandering husband, an untrustworthy bestie, gaslighting, an obviously too helpful mother-in-law (*cough poison cough*), addition of a third narrator midway through the book, more adultery, and on and on until the absolutely RI.DONK.U.LOUS. ending.

I award you no points, and may god have mercy on your soul. This is my punishment for having an endless supply of FOMO that sends my itchy fingers directly to the library website to download garbage rather than reading the advanced copies I’m lucky enough to receive and getting my NetGalley ratio up to a non-failing grade.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This domestic suspense centres around a woman, Diana Sparrow, suffering from anaesthesia induced amnesia following a car accident. She doesn't remember anything that happened in the months leading up to her accident but while she is recovering, at home with help from Jonathan's mother Harriet, realises that her best friend from childhood, Val is having an affair with her husband Jonathan.

Told from three different points of view with flashbacks to the past when Val and Diana were young as well as to the time before the accident, this novel took a while for me to feel invested enough to want to find out what happened. None of the characters involved in the love triangle are easy to empathize with and I really struggled to care about how that was going to turn out. I also didn't feel that we got to know the characters very well. Diana is supposed to have been a competent career woman before the accident but that's hard to see. She is also supposed to have a close mother-daughter relationship with Harriet but that's also hard to see as she spends much of the book annoyed at Harriet trying to smother her. However, around half way through, we start to hear from a third voice and suddenly the plot became a lot more interesting, especially as we start to put together the pieces missing from Diana's memory. The ending felt a bit rushed, even though we had some clues about what was going on, and I felt that the shocking revelation wasn't necessary and I had quite a few questions that weren't answered. 3.5★

With thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for a copy to read

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five months ago an accident left Diana badly injured and missing months of memory. What she does know is her husband is sleeping with her best friend...

Um. WOW! This book was a wild ride!!!!!! I read this in two sittings ... did not want to put it down!

Really loving domestic thrillers lately. This was so well written! The descriptions, character building and most of all, the storyline. Just wow! And that ending, what a DISTURBING TWIST! Definitely didn't see that coming. Not even a little bit...

I am SO glad I requested this one. It did not disappoint! Thank you so much Crooked Lane Books & Netgalley.

[Linzie (suspenseisthrillingme) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Five months ago, Diana Sparrow had a devastating car accident. Her husband, Jonathan, and his somewhat suffocating mother-in-law, Harriet, have been caring for her ever since. Incapacitated by two broken collar bones, she quite literally was unable to do day-to-day things, relying on Harriet regardless of how much she’d rather not.

But what is even more disturbing for Diana, is that following the accident, she awoke in the hospital only to realize that she was unable to remember anything of the last several months. The plot thickens, however, when she begins to have nightmares. Nightmares that have started her questioning if she is being told the truth about what caused the accident in the first place. Supposedly, she hit a deer. But what if, what if, she hit something decidedly more human.

Questioning everything she thinks she knows, Diana is left scrabbling with what to do. She can’t turn to her best friend, Val, as she’s currently sleeping with Jonathan. So when an enigmatic stranger named Cole Pelham introduces himself one afternoon in a coffee shop, she feels as if she just might be able to confide in him.

But the more time they spend together and the closer they become, Diana begins to sense that she’s on the edge of a precipice. She feels altogether too close to this thoughtful, attentive man and she senses herself surrendering to his sway. Just as quickly as she falls, however, a dark thought begins to emerge. Is it possible that he was involved in her accident that fateful night? And if he was, then who else could have played a part?

As her world begins to unravel and her nightmares become all too real, Diana realizes she must learn the truth. What happened that night? Was she truly alone? And if not, who around her can she possibly trust?

Hmmm. After All I’ve Done had such promise. Starting off with a gripping tale of domestic suspense where the facts were perfectly hidden, I found myself spellbound. It, in fact, reminded me just a little of something B.A. Paris would’ve written. After all, it was stuffed full of delicious potential gaslighting, an unreliable narrator, and secrets for days. That was, however, until the climax. But I’ll get to that in a minute.

Still looking at the positives, I found it wonderfully dark and twisted. From the confused amnesiac to her overbearing mother-in-law, each character offered me something I loved. Well, all except Jonathan, that is. He just didn’t do a thing for me, which left me struggling with how two women could possibly want him so badly.

I was also intrigued by the near lifelong friendship between Diana and Val. With each glimpse into their past, I wanted to learn more. Unfortunately, that was one spot where I think Hardy missed the mark as she didn’t explore their history in nearly enough detail. If only she’d given a tad more attention to the character’s backstories and developed them further… Well, perhaps even that could not have saved this one.

Now for the bad news. The climax was the beginning of the end for me. Served up at the very last minute, it came too fast and hard as well as being altogether waaay too over-the-top. And the great revelation? Decidedly vomit inducing. Considering I have a relatively strong stomach when it comes to most trigger warnings, even I was pretty disturbed by this one.

On top of that, sadly, the multiple POVs were like a constantly revolving door. Instead of sticking with just one perspective for a scene, we were forced to endure seeing it from almost every side. In addition to being irritating, it was also rather repetitive and got on my last nerve.

All said and done, while I did enjoy the majority of this novel, the conclusion utterly ruined it for me. I do have to give it to Hardy, though, considering that the slow burn bulk of this suspenseful tale kept me guessing. Ultimately, this was undeniably a mixed bag for me and I’m undecided on whether I recommend it. In the end, if none of my triggers pose a problem for you (only check if you don’t mind a potential spoiler), then maybe give this one a go. Rating of 3 stars (just).

Scroll for trigger warning.


















































































Trigger warning: infidelity, gaslighting, incest, mention of: abortion, child abuse, loss of employment, cancer

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a wild ride. The majority of the book is about a love triangle between Diana (the heroine), her husband Jonathan, and her best friend Val. Though at first it seems clear who the villain is in the situation, it turns out there’s more to it than meets the eye. Further complicating matters, Diana was recently in a car accident and has amnesia regarding the last 8 months or so of her life. We then follow Diana and Val as Diana slowly unravels the drama that took place during that time while her husband’s mother helps take care of her.

This book is a tough one to review! On the one hand, it’s compulsively readable, a page turner, and kept me interested and invested throughout. On the other hand, I felt like the majority of the book (maybe the first 3/4) focused more on relationship and love-triangle drama than mystery and murder, which is more what I like in my suspense books. There’s a lot of action and solving of the mysteries at the end, which was good, but then there was also one twist too far that for me was super unbelievable. Overall I thought this author had a lot of talent and the book was fun to read. I’d be interested in reading a book from her that was a little less family/affair drama and a little more murder mystery from the start. (And I have to say, this book has a great title that fits perfectly.)

3.5 stars, rounded up for the fun in reading this. Thanks to Crooked Lane, Mina Hardy and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for the honest review.

[Susan Z (webreakforbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diana recently had a terrible car accident that has left her with amnesia, erasing about 5 months of her life. In the months following her accident, she discovers that her husband is having an affair. With her best friend Val.

The story alernates between Diana and Val with glimpses into the past. There are lots of secrets, and Diana is at a major disadvantage with her amnesia as it's obvious some real crazy stuff went down during that time.

This book is fast paced and entertaining, I was dying to find out how all the pieces fit together. It all came together in one crazy jaw dropping conclusion.

Thank you Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Brandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

You’ve all heard the quote, “If Momma ain’t happy, nobody’s happy,” right? Well friends, the proof is in the pudding, with this delicious tale. After All I’ve Done, puts a face complete with ruby red lips to what a psycho is. 5 stars

[astarion's bhaal babe (wingspan matters) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for this opportunity!


trigger warnings at the end of the review.


After All I've Done is a wild ride that had me glued to every page from start to finish.
Every revelation and discovery is timed up perfectly so that you can never really say you're out of things to find out but at the same time, you're gifted every time with the absurdity of each twist.
I absolutely enjoyed the multiple pov narration and the practical but totally quotable writing. I actually have a few quotes I had to highlighten, but I'll only share them once the book comes out as the publisher asked.
However, I must admit that one of the few complaints I have about this book is actually about the writing. There's an abundance of details that tends to sound tedious, especially when details aren't needed, and the mechanic narration of some scenes does no good for the otherwise fast pace.
I'm no writer, but I think pouring yourself a glass of wine shouldn't take four paragraphs.
But anyway, I had fun being inside Diana, Val and Cole's head and watch the mystery of the infamous incident unravel under my eyes.
They were quite likeable for such unlikable characters. I was also able to detach myself from them to the point I could really enjoy how twisted, broken and multifaceted they all are without feeling like I needed to explain why I felt sympathy for them.
The plot was okay, nothing extraordinary overall, but some things and moments totally had my mind explode. That ending...phew, I had my suspicions, but seeing them confirmed only made the impact of the twist louder.
I'll also never forget the writer for wasting all that wine.
Jokes aside, After All I've Done is a very well done job and the author is not afraid to touch places that should be untouched unless it's for fictional purposes.
I appreciate the audacity and it won't be my last time reading something by this author.
Oh, and that quote from The Outsiders? I loved it with all my heart.




TW: substance/alcohol abuse - patronizing - incest - memory loss

[Ruthy lavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really good read!
The characters are strong and the storyline is unpredictable - normally by the 3rd or 4th chapter I have sussed out the ending, not this time.
Easily worthy of 4 stars.

[Selena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for my advanced e-reader copy of After All I've Done by Mina Hardy.

An absolute great read that is full of suspense from beginning to end. The story is told from multiple perspectives and is so full of twists and turns it might make you feel a bit crazy.

[Shannara · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first I wasn’t sure I was really into this, mainly because unreliable narrators kind of bug me. Except, this one was just so interesting that I couldn’t help but be pulled along!! A woman losing her memory of about three months worth of time and in that amount of time entire relationships had be built, lost, and even died due to... well, death.

Then the insanity starts!!! You never really grasp exactly what’s going on and you’re kept on your toes the Entire Time!!! Who can you trust or can you even trust anyone?!?! There’s people I wanted to punch, others I was totally into, and I kept changing my mind!!! Seriously, you could just never tell where things were going to go. And I had several good theories, or at least I thought they were good. 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

But really, it’s the friendship between Diana and Val that kept me intrigued. What could break up a life long friendship between two women who had been through everything together?!?! Apparently it does take a lot, but dang. It does smack you in the face at the end. It’s a killer and I would find it surprising if you can guess the ending. I really recommend this to those who enjoy thrillers that have narrators you find it hard to trust. Frustrating, but soooooo good!!!!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read this for my honest and unbiased opinion.

[Tonya · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book wasn’t for me. It follows the story of Diana, who is suffering from amnesia after a car accident. I appreciate a good amnesia plot twist just like the next person, but this didn’t make the mark. The story was hard to get into, but picked up about halfway through. The ending seemed rushed and ultimately left me disappointed. The final revelation was definitely not anything I had hoped it would be. This may be a good book for some, but definitely was not one that I enjoyed. Thank you Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for my ARC.

[Susan's Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a twisted tale! What a twisted twist! When I read that crucial part, I sank back against my chair and laughed in disbelief. I may have even yelped out loud!

This was really well written. I didn't understand the distancing from Cole, though (no spoilers here - but that was a real disappointment. It just makes Diana come across as Mrs. Freeze. Was it really always all about the money and the house after all? I have to say, I didn't like Diana all that much. Val didn't strike me was the greatest friend that ever lived, either. I also couldn't understand Jonathan - his being so upset at the end. I'll let you discover this for yourself, though, and maybe you can post your thoughts on that angle. Despite these minor oddities, it was a great domestic thriller!

[MarvelUsReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5 Stars)

Mina Hardy left us curious, and seeking answers in her latest read After All I’ve Done. After a car crash Diana is left trying to piece together her life, and memories lost in a traumatic car accident. As she embarks upon her road to recovery one thing remains clear, her husband and her best friend are not to be trusted, but more importantly certain facts leading up to her accident leave her with an unsettling feeling of suspicion. We see secrets discovered, lies told, suspicion raised, and in the end are left wondering whether some memories may be better left forgotten. A book with an unsettling, and jaw dropping ending.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Lilith Black Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

That ending! OMFG! I suspected who was the psychopath, but damn! The reason 😱

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s a car crash, amnesia, a husband who strays, a bad BFF, the MIL from hell, and more twists than Lombard Street. To say more would spoil the fun. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

5 of 5 Stars

Pub Date 10 Nov 2020

Thanks to the author, Crooked Lane Books,
and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

#AfterAllIveDone #NetGalley

[Kristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I could guess where the plot was going most of the time and most of the twists, but that didn’t diminish the enjoyment I got from watching it unravel. However, the ending is completely bonkers, and I honestly expected the author to have some sort of “gotcha” moment where the final twist was undone but she stood by it and for that, it made for a very interesting last few pages.

I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.

[maegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Letting something die is not the same as killing it.

When you can't remember anything who can you trust?

That is the dilemma that Diana Sparrow faces in After All I've Done. After a car accident leaves her with broken bones and amnesia, she discovers that her husband is having an affair with her best friend; her mother-in-law is constantly in the house, monitoring every aspect of her life; and there's a stranger in town she keeps bumping into.

As is often the case with these types of books, there is little more that can be said without spoilers.

The pace of the book is fast, interspersed with different POV's (Diana's, her best friend's and the mysterious stranger's), and with interesting cliffhangers at the end of each chapter.

The ending is insane. Even though towards the middle of the book I started to suspect who was responsible for everything that was going on, I was still surprised.

[Desiree Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hold on to your britches, people, because I’m about to lay down every cliché comment and passé phrase in existence in describing this book. I – LOVED – THIS – STORY! I was on the edge of my seat. Biting my nails. Couldn’t put it down. On pins and needles waiting to see what happened next. I finished this one in just two evenings after work this week! Thrills, and chills, and whatever else ends in “ills” including a main character suffering from anesthesia-induced amnesia (that’s a kind of “ill”, right? Ha ha.)

*First though: A huge shout out to Mina Hardy, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for providing a free Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for this honest review.*

Diana is fresh out of the hospital after both a devastating car crash and an appendectomy. Due to side affects from the surgery, she has a big gaping hole of several months in her memory, which she finds severely disorienting and more than a little disturbing. She often seems to “get things wrong” and even her close friends and family patronize her with little comments such as, “Oh, Diana, you just forgot”. But Diana is certain that’s not the case. She finds little things that just don’t feel quite right - like the “to do” list in her night stand drawer that she can’t remember writing – what do these things mean? What else has she forgotten and is not remembering? One thing that she IS sure of is that her husband is sleeping with her best friend.

I literally kept (fun-lovingly) “shouting” at my Kindle as I tore from one page to the next in this novel (my husband guffawing at my antics from his easy chair all the while). “This lady’s totally being gaslighted! But I don’t know who’s doing it – is it her mother-in-law? Her husband? Her best friend? Her cute flirt-partner Cole? Or is it ALL of them? I just don’t know!” (Side note: If you haven’t seen the 1994 Ingrid Bergman film “Gaslight”, why are you just standing there - go stream it right now!)

A truly great read and quite a page turner. Five stars, hands down. If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers, in the style of Daphne DuMaurier’s gothic romance “Rebecca”, then this one’s for you! Trust me, you won’t be disappointed – this is one of the best novels I’ve read all year!

#AfterAllIveDone
#MinaHardy
#MeganHart
#CrookedLaneBooks
#NetGalley
#MysteryThrillers
#GothicRomance

[Eve · Rating 2 out of 5]

Psychological Thrillers / Domestic Thrillers / Contemporary
Publication Date : November 10, 2020

Diana Sparrow was seriously injured in the car accident. She's slowly recovering from the accident. She has scars and she can not remember much from the last five months of her life. Her memory loss and bad injuries are traumatic enough but she also has to cope with her overpowering mother-in-law, a husband who lies to her every day and a friend who sleeps with her husband. What really happened before the accident? Why she's having the weird dreams?

The memory loss plot isn't original but synopsis sounded interesting enough. Started off well but I didn't quite enjoy the writing, structure nor the characters.

Diana struggling with her injuries and her slow recovery was well done. But for me this story lost its flow when it started to go back and forth in time and author started to give alternating POVs from Diana, Valerie, Cole, etc. I don't like when author use multiple 1st person narrators. As the chapters were short, then it got confusing at times to follow who's POV I was currently in.

I didn't much care for any of the characters. Diana sounded sympathetic at first but she started to get on my nerves as the story progressed. Same with Valerie and others. I don't know if it was intentional but they all sounded shallow, shady, guilty of something; not very well fleshed out. I don't mind flawed characters but I want at least one character I can root for. Instead of feeling thrilled and intrigued, I felt tired and wanted this story to end. And... Show, Don’t Tell!

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s a car crash, amnesia, a husband who strays, a bad BFF, the MIL from hell, and more twists than Lombard Street. To say more would spoil the fun. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

5 of 5 Stars

Pub Date 10 Nov 2020

Thanks to the author, Crooked Lane Books,
and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

#AfterAllIveDone #NetGalley

[CC · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ★



After an accident, Diana Sparrow lost the previous few months of her memory. As she is recovering from her painful injuries, she is trying to piece together what she knew from before with what is happening now. However, those closest in her life seem to think they know what’s best for her. When things aren’t adding up, Diana must push forward in the only way she knows how.

“Is not being able to remember the same as forgetting?”

Going into this book, the blurb had me hooked due to the combination of suspenseful and angsty elements, and the story does deliver. With the narrative shifting between past and present and among multiple POVs, the pace and plot unravels steadily as knowing more evokes more questions.

“Even if the memories are painful, I should still get to have them. No matter what they are.”

After the first few chapters, I thought I could declare an allegiance to a certain character, but as the plot ensues, it becomes clear that all the characters are unlikable in varying degrees. As such, I found that approach to be even more intriguing in trying to determine if it’s the action or the character as a whole. With Diana and Valerie having a longstanding connection, it underscores what transpires and made me wonder if their friendship could withstand. As for the other pivotal characters, each had a part to play and the choreography is good and twisted.

Throughout, I had many theories, and while the ending was a bit abrupt for my preference, I was content with how it all settled.

After All I’ve Done is a twisty and suspenseful read shining a spotlight on the vulnerabilities and obsessions of love, family and friendship.



*An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review.*



*This was a (F)BR with Twinsie Hawkey!*



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[Eridiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfectly delicious twist-fest for psychological thriller lovers! As you can see by my rating, I loved this book. It is a great example of unreliable narrator trope which kept me suspecting and guessing! I did guess one of the final twists but then was totally shocked by another revelation which won't leave any reader unaffected.

Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for my eARC.

[warhawke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Psychological Thriller
Type: Standalone
POV: First Person - Multiple
Rating:




Diana Sparrow’s life changed with a blink of eyes. A horrific accident not only left her with long term pain but also several months of lost memories. One thing she knew for sure, she could never trust her loved ones anymore because they held secrets she desperately needed to uncover.



I went into this one blind and I’m glad considering the blurb revealed too much of the story. It was interesting and had me guessing with my own theories. However, after a certain point, it was easy to deduce the answer, and the ending was a bit too much in telenovela proportion. Still, it was an engrossing page-turner that I enjoyed.

My love for Jonathan is like nothing I’ve ever felt or ever thought I would feel. It has ruined me for anything else.

I loved how the characters were unlikable including Diana. They made for a much more interesting read. Each of them had their own agenda they were trying to protect and it was good to see how far they would go.

After All I’ve Done is a story of family, friendship, and deception. It would appeal to readers who enjoy a domestic thriller with a good dose of drama and a dash of romance.






🌿🐍🌿. . . (F)BR With Twinsie CC . . . 🌿🐍🌿






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