Who is an author that you've heard of but never read? In addition to reading many books each year, I spend a fair amount of time reading other readers' reviews. After all, how will I find my next great read if I don't check out what others are reading? Alex Finlay is an author whose work has come to my attention in recent years. Despite hearing great things about his standalone thrillers, I've never made it a point to read them for myself. When his publisher invited me to read his latest book What Have We Done, I jumped at the chance to see what this author is all about.
It happened nearly twenty-five years ago. They were all residents at a home for troubled teens. They thought that the past was behind them, but then one of them, a judge, was murdered. Another of the group, a troubled reality show producer narrowly escaped a similar fate. The remaining, a newly married stepmother and an aging rock star know that they must be next on the list. The three former friends will have to come together to escape the sins of their past.
To attempt to fully summarize the plot of What Have We Done would deny potential readers the thrill of this narrative unwrapping. With each new chapter, Alex Finlay meticulously peels back the layers of his mystery. He employs shifting perspectives and time jumps to lay the breadcrumbs to his twisty conclusion. As I read, I could easily see why so many readers enjoyed this author's work. He writes with a quick pace, never letting the tension cease. The deeper into the web of this mystery I fell, however, the more over the top I found it to become. This is sheer pulpy action fun, the kind that I rolled my eyes at a few times, but I couldn't stop reading. The characters serve the plot fine but don't expect any deeper revelations into their emotions. They are here to drive the story, and they do that well. I'm left with mixed feelings about my first outing with Finlay. On the one hand, I couldn't stop reading. On the other, the action got a bit too unbelievable for my tastes. If you're the kind of reader who has trouble looking past outrageous plot points, this one may not be the book for you. If you are able, though, to suspend disbelief, you'll really enjoy the ride this book takes you on.
For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2023, 14)
