Shari Lapena is the internationally bestselling author of the thrillers The Couple Next Door, A Stranger in the House, An Unwanted Guest, Someone We Know, The End of Her, Not a Happy Family and Everyone Here is Lying which have all been Sunday Times and New York Times bestsellers. Her books have been sold in forty territories around the world. She lives in Toronto.
Nothing ever happens in sleepy little Fairhill, Vermont. But this morning that will change. And one innocent question could be deadly. What have you done?
The teenagers get their kicks telling ghost stories in the old graveyard. The parents trust their kids will arrive home safe from school. Everyone knows everyone. Curtains rarely twitch. Front doors are left unlocked.
But Diana Brewer isn’t lying safely in her bed where she belongs. Instead she lies in a hayfield, circled by vultures, discovered by a local farmer.
How quickly a girl becomes a ghost. How quickly a town of friendly, familiar faces becomes a town of suspects, a place of fear and paranoia.
Someone in Fairhill did this. Everyone wants answers.
What Have You Done is the latest riveting thriller from bestselling suspense writer Shari Lapena. In this book, Lapena’s writing is thoroughly suspenseful and fast-paced, and she presents many culprits, detours, and red herrings along the way. This book includes paranormal elements that add an additional layer of intrigue and complexity to the story. The relentless pace and the straightforward writing will keep readers invested and allow them to quickly devour this book.
The story begins with the discovery of a murdered teen, Diana. This sets the tone for an enticing small town whodunnit where everyone’s reputation can be easily shattered. The book is told from the first-person perspective of multiple characters, including Diana’s classmates, teachers, and those involved in the murder investigation. As the POV switches frequently, readers are able to hear just enough of the inner thoughts of each character to get intimately familiar with them and find them dubious. Despite many characters feigning ignorance and proclaiming those innocences, most have dark secrets that are gradually revealed, making the final twists more unpredictable.
The paranormal elements of the story involve the murdered teen, Diana, able to watch over everything. In her ghost form, the trauma of her murder has blocked her memory of her killer. As the story progresses, Diana’s perspective becomes more frequent, and further suspects are revealed. It is worthwhile reading the author’s note, where Lapena gives further insight into how the book came about and discusses an experience from her formative years that’s been clearly incorporated into the book.
Narrators Barrett Leddy, January LaVoy, and Jorjeana Marie do a superb job narrating this book. Barrett Leddy uses his smooth, articulate voice to accurately portray highly intelligent and sensitive Evan. Leddy’s engrossing performance is not only a perfect contrast to the other narrators but will have readers constantly second-guessing the words and actions of Evan. January LaVoy, known for her exceptional work narrating thrillers, delivers another commanding performance here. LaVoy begins the narration in this book and pulls listeners right into the story with a gripping narration of the discovery of a murdered teen. LaVoy’s talent lies in making each character’s perspective riveting and authentic, using different character voices and a myriad of emotional intensity. Jorjeana Marie is a perfect addition to this audiobook’s cast, with her even-toned performance and dramatic flair during the dramatic climactic scenes. Overall, the delivery from all three narrators is clear, thrilling, and well paced, creating a very enjoyable and compelling listening experience. With such great narration, the audiobook is the perfect format for enjoying this gripping story, and one Lapena should be very proud of!
Overall, this is another propulsive, addictive thriller from Lapena with simple and direct writing that allows readers to get quickly absorbed into the story. The use of multiple first-person perspectives lends itself very well to this style of story and to the audiobook format. Having said that, the audiobook is the recommended format for enjoying this one, especially with its exceptional cast of acclaimed narrators, who all bring a different intensity to the listening experience. If you’ve read Lapena’s work before or are keen on trying one of her books, this one should be high on your list. While this may not be the most complex thriller of the year, the strong characterization and engrossing storyline make this one a worthy read!
