Judge Ben is dead - I can't remember exactly how, but I’m pretty sure one of the sexy blonde lady twins got him? So now the FBI is involved because of Federal Stuff. We have all heard of PTSD, but the author makes a convincing case that much more is going on, he calls this “moral injury”. In a sense PTSD is a subset of moral injury.

Willow gives her a you can’t be serious look before she leaves the kitchen with another mumble and the front door slams. Alex Finlay is the pseudonym of an author whose works include Every Last Fear, What Have We Done, and The Night Shift. Finlay currently lives in Washington, D.C. I felt a bit deceived as even reading the Goodreads excerpt after finishing the book seemed totally up my alley. And it isn’t wrong. All that stuff happens, but this is not your average mystery/thriller and in my opinion, this instance isn’t a good thing.In fact, if you concealed the cover and author name from me, and had me read it and venture a guess as to who the author was-I would NEVER have guessed Alex Finlay. It’s a reunion none of them asked for or wanted. But one that may be the only way to save all their lives. To say I really liked it (4-star) or was amazing (5 star) does not give justice or solutions to the dilemma. I have treated it as an awareness book. Read it or read about the results of war and listen. Twenty five years ago, Jenna, Donnie, Nico, Arty, and Ben were the best of friends, a bond forged as residents of Savior House, an abusive group home for wayward teens. When the home was shut down―after the disappearance of several residents―the group was disbanded. Nico: a successful reality show producer with gambling problem and with dangerous connections to Irish mob, finds himself at mine explosion ( another creative attempt of twins to get rid of him)

As is Mr. Finlay’s style, the story in What Have We Done is told by shifting narrators, mostly in the present but with occasional memories to relate moments from the past. The alternation of narrators does a nice job of slowly revealing little morsels about what happened, the characters’ various secrets, and the occasional red herring. The writing is strong, and the short, staccato chapters propel the story forward.

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Meanwhile, Drunk Donnie is on a cruise ship where he is playing a show with his terrible band, and then a hot blonde lady tries to kill him, and he goes overboard into the ocean, but he gets rescued by some fishermen (a la Jason Bourne) and is temporarily famous again. To save their lives, the trio will have to revisit the nightmares of their childhoods and confront their shared past – a past that holds the key to everything. Later, after the last encore—they do two every show—Donnie runs offstage drenched in sweat and feeling euphoric. That sensation never goes away. He’s performed well; Tom can’t deny that. Donnie got his guitar freshly strung and went over the set list beforehand to be ready for tonight’s parade of oldies. He even hit all his marks for the ridiculous choreography. Nico stars in a popular television show featuring coal miners. It’s a surprise hit but Nico, who has a desperate gambling problem, is regarded as a liability by the show’s producers. He’s not exactly sure how he ended up in the belly of the beast but somehow he comes to consciousness deep in the bowels of the coal mine. He knows he’s going to die but where there’s life there’s hope.

Thanks to the author, St Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ARC and audio copy. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review* I received AREs of What Have We Done from Minotaur Books in return for a fair review. Now, would you please tell that person who keeps following me to go away. Thanks, folks, and thanks to NetGalley for facilitating. I read Finlay’s book, The Night Shift, and I liked that one too. I critiqued that one for having ‘a lot’ of swearing but it actually had less f-words than this one. The more I read, the more I realize my perspective on ‘a lot’ has somewhat shifted. There is definitely a difference between books with 60+ f-words and ones with 30. Before he responds, Pixie pushes her small frame inside. She makes a face at the stench, looks around, and before Donnie can conceal the evidence sets her eyes on the empty bottle of Jägermeister. The razor blade and rolled dollar bill on the table. And in a broader sense there is: loss of trust, loss of faith, loss of innocence. These can all have enduring, psychological, spiritual, social, and behavioural impact.

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Alex Finlay proves once again he’s a master storyteller. What Have We Done has unrelenting action, inspired characters, and an innovative, pulse pounding plot. Alex Finlay has become one of today’s top thriller writers. This is why. Read this book.”— Robert Dugoni, New York Times bestselling author

A complimentary copy was provided by Minotaur Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. He says when you have to kill someone never look them in the eye because it stays with you forever.

About Alex Finlay

Thank you so much to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I was really looking forward to this and it didn't disappoint. Donnie rushes into the ship’s performance hall and is greeted by several exasperated expressions, the most prominent from their singer, Tom Kipling.