Dorothy Koomson is one of my must read authors & with I Know What You've Done she has done it again. This is a domestic murder mystery that leaves you questioning everyone. The reader is drip fed information & leads from different characters viewpoints in punchy chapters that lead to more questions. Mainly, does anyone really know what's going on behind closed doors?

If you like Dorothy Koomson you'll love this one, it has her signature readability, great plotting & characters. My only issue was that it sometimes took me a minute to remember which character was which, beyond the two leads, with the change of narrator. However, I loved that there were multiple storylines woven through the book & clever clues left to aid the twists that I didn't spot until afterwards.

A compelling page turner & fab summer read.

Another delightful twisty thriller from the queen of the big reveal. A book you must read in 2021! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What if all your neighbours' secrets landed in a diary on your doorstep? What if the woman who gave it to you was murdered by one of the people in the diary? What if the police asked if you knew anything? Would you hand over the book of secrets? Or, would you try to find out what everyone had done?

The premise for this read sounded good and I was eager to get stuck into another offering from Koomson. Unfortunately, this is my main problem with the read, it felt like another read from Koomson. Dare I say it and I hate saying it but this felt formulaic. It really needed something extra to take the book in another direction, I could tell what would happen in this before I started reading it, which I found to be a big disappointment. For some reason, I struggled to connect reading this as well, I found myself a bit bored and did not really care about what was happening. It did pick up towards the end of the read though and this definitely saved this from being a 3 star review.

I did enjoy the plot being set around a group of neighbours, it added another layer of tension and fear about whether you can trust the people who live closest to you. There are a lot of characters in this read and whilst it was enjoyable getting to know them all and discovering their secrets, of which there are many, it was a bit confusing remembering how they were all connected. Particularly with the male characters, I really struggled to remember who they were related to.

'I Know What You've Done' is not my favourite read by Koomson but this is a book with many secrets and I enjoyed the process of Koomson slowly revealing all of them and the tension this brought with it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for an advance copy.

Dorothy Koomson is one of my favourite authors with all of her stories completely unique and so different from each other. So, for that reason I guess it was bound to happen up some point but this particular plot sadly just wasn't didn't captivate like her others have. There were lots of characters/neighbours, lots of stories and multiple timelines which made it difficult to focus especially as some turned out to be just background noise and unusually I didn't really care or identify with any of them. I liked the irony of Priscilla's attempted murder but overall found the motives (particularly Lilly's) quite stretched. This definitely wasn't my favourite Koomson but others have loved it and my expectations are always ridiculously high when reading a much loved author - really a 3.5 rating but rounded up because I love the author.

Compelling, Dark Domestic Noir…
Just how well do you know your neighbours? Do you know what they’re capable of? Do you know what anyone is capable of? Imagine if a diary full of secrets landed in your front porch and that diary belonged to your neighbour. What exactly would you do? Read it? Compelling, dark domestic noir from this talented author, a page turning and suspenseful read with a credible cast of characters, a good sense of place, a compulsive and insightful narrative and some surprises along the way that you may or may not see coming.

This is a story about neighbours up who all live in a Cul de Sacin Brighton. One of the residents gets attacked and heads to another neighbours door with a diary she has written about the coming and goings of all the other neighbours.

There are a lot of characters in this story, but each little chapter has a sub heading with who they are and where they live to help you along. This story hooked me in from the first page, it is written really well with such believable characters. As I read along I found I was finding out a little more in each chapter about different characters. Everyone was hiding something. I found this to be a really enjoyable read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Having read and enjoyed a few of Dorothy Koomson’s previous books I was looking forward to reading her new release. This was a very well written domestic thriller which was packed full of twists that kept me hooked throughout. I would definitely recommend reading this book. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I've been a fan of Dorothy Koomson for well over a decade and one of the things I love is that each of her books is entirely unique, but what they all share is a great premise and characters that could walk off the page.

Well for the premise of I Know What You've Done is out of this world. Priscilla knows someone is going to kill her, she knows who is going to kill her, what she doesn't know is when. But she has a weapon, she knows what they have done and it's written down in her special book.

Priscilla is killed!

The characters live on the same complex in Brighton and there are more links between them than is first apparent. One of the women. Rae, has possession of Priscilla's book. As we read what Priscilla has written and how the various characters are acting in the present the story weaves tighter and tighter.

This is the first book that I've read that acknowledges that we've had a pandemic, the present day story timeline is June & July 2021. It was odd and each time it was mentioned it through me a bit, odd and clearly just my reaction to wanting to escape everything Covid I expect.

Another gripping read from an exceptionally talented writer.

I have only read a couple of this author's previous books but I have loved them both so I was quite excited going into this, her latest. And you know what...? I blooming loved this one too!
It's set in an upmarket area of Brighton - Acacia Villas - already I'm excited to meet the neighbours. It all starts with a bang one day when Priscilla bangs on Rae's door in a dishevelled state, thrusts a book at her and, as Rae turns to go and call for help, disappears from her front step, only to be found round the corner close to death by resident cop Dunstan. Along with the book, Priscilla delivers a message - a rather haunting "I know what you've done" but whether she is referring to Rae or what else lies within the pages of the book will only become evident as the story goes on. As we meet some of the other nefarious and dodgy characters residing there.
I'm going to say this straight up and then I'll wind my neck in. If I was given that book I wouldn't drag out reading it like Rae did. Oh my. I know life gets in the way or reading - but still... I guess this book would be a very short story if too much was divulged too soon and, well the rest of the book was sooooo good that I can wholeheartedly forgive the author for this.
I could mention a few more of the cast here but I think it's best in this genre book to meet them and get to know them as the author intends rather than me let something slip here. Suffice to say that they are jam packed full of secrets, lies and more than their fair share of nefarious behaviour. It's almost like it's a prerequisite of residency to be a bit on the shady side! But alongside all that is a healthy dollop of humour to go with it all. To lighten the mood as the book draws in all that is dark and dirty. Indeed, we run the whole gamut of emotions as the book progresses.
And the plot, well, talk about sleight of hand and all those other diversionary tactics that you can employ - all without making me feel cheated. On the contrary, as things got revealed I was actually sitting back and applauding rather than feeling miffed I didn't see it coming.
It held my attention so well that I pretty much raced through it in only a couple of sittings. Only coming up for air when life really made me participate! And when all was said and done, I sat back wholly satisfied and in awe of the author for a job well done. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I Know What You've Done - Dorothy Koomson

I was excited to read this, my first time trying this highly regarded author.

It's an unusual suburban neighbourhood noir set in a well-to-do street in Brighton.

The opening scenes are dramatic and full of potential. There is a secret diary full of observations on the various neighbours. There are points of view from multiple neighbours.

The characters and their thoughts, feelings and histories are vividly told, in great detail.

It ends very well, I just found it too slow and wordy to really get involved in. A little too much character building and not quite enough plot or tension for my taste.

3.5*

Thanks to Netgalley and Headline

First time I picked up a book by Dorothy Koomson, and now I totally understand the hype! The suburbia paradise is disturbed by murder, after a revealing diary is left on the doorstep of one the neighbors. The suspicion falls on all...

Thank you to Netgalley, Headline & Dorothy Koomson for my arc of I Know What You Did, in exchange for an honest review.

DNF @ 20%. Sadly this one wasn’t for me. I usually really like Dorothy’s books but something about this one didn’t suit me. The concept of the curtain twitching and secret keeping didn’t pull me in and a lot of the timelines and characters blended together so that it wasn’t too clear at points who was part of what past story and it got confusing. I’d definitely read any future books by this author, as I say I’ve loved the ones I’ve read before but this one wasn’t a hit with me.

Wow! If you start reading this, make sure you have time to finish because you won't want to put it down! It starts as Priscilla tells us she knows someone is going to kill her, and she knows who... but she doesn't know when. Fast forward we see Priscilla confronting her neighbour Rae with a book of the evidence of what Rae has done. When Rae moves away from the door, Priscilla is attacked, and seriously injured. Instead of handing the book over to Police, as it might identify the attacker, Rae reads it and finds out things are far from quiet in the neighbourhood. As the story unfolds we learn about what the neighbours are up to and how their lives are interconnected and far from the perfect impression each family projects to the outside world.

This is such a great book... short chapters from a range of perspectives makes it pretty pacey but at very regular intervals the reader gets some information to give an insight and it just changes everything you knew to that point. We get drip fed extra bits of information as the story unfolds and each time it just made me increasingly eager to read on.

This is a quote from the book that I think sums up the reading experience (although clearly it is not the intent of the quote)....

"Everything is coming to a head though, I can feel it fizzing in the air. Something is going to happen that will blow all of this out the water"

That 'fizz' creates such an intense atmosphere... I just loved it. Its dark. There is violence, a hint at sexual violence and child abuse, domestic violence... its not a light read. Its about secrets, lies, fraud, infidelity... so many things!! But the style makes it a fast paced, intense and gripping. Its so well written with twists and turns right to the end.

Unbelievably, this is the first book I've read from this author but definitely will not be the last. This is a really great read but is dark and tackles some really difficult subjects. There is some sexual and violent content but neither is particularly detailed.

I was given a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley with no promise of a favourable review.

Apologies but wasn’t for me and DNF at 20% I liked certain elements but foubd the timelines a bit confusing and just could not get into the story

Thank you to Netgalley, Headline and Dorothy Koomson for this ARC in return for my honest review. SInce reading Marshmallows for Breakfast many moons ago, I've been a massive fan of Dorothy's and I eagerly await her new books. I have to say that I absolutely loved this and would wholeheartedly recommend. Set during our covid restrictions, this books captures perfectly how insular life has become and how now being at home more than ever, a place that should be our refuge has become our prisons. I was hooked from the opening pages. I love the multiple point of views that this story is told from. It's a compelling read and I hope it's a huge hit.

I’m afraid I really couldn’t get into this. I was hoping to enjoy it as I’ve seen rave reviews for Dorothy Koomson elsewhere, but I just didn’t like the writing style and I wasn’t interested in the curtain twitching elements. I can see other reviewers liked this for the suspense but I struggled to get into it and gave up around 20%.

If you like a domestic thriller where neighbours spy on each other then you might enjoy this, but it wasn’t for me.

This is a book about neighbours who live in a nice complex in Brighton.. The book makes a start when one of the residents (Priscilla) comes to another resident’s (Rae) door injured and hands her her diary, claiming “i know what you’ve done”. She then runs back out of the door and collapses and is taken by ambulance to hospital.
We have Rae and her husband Clark, Dunstan, a single man working as a policeman and Bryony who is married to Grayson (a nasty, cruel man) who loves controlling his wife and children. We also have Lilly who lived in Italy for a number of years by is back in Brighton to live.
This domestic noir hooked me in straight from the start and there are so many unanswered questions which throughout the book you are slowly drip fed details.
From a multi-character perspective you learn more about each of the main characters and slowly build up an understanding of what each knows..
I enjoyed this read, I haven’t read anything by this author before but as book that provides suspense and guilt and fear then i kept me turning the pages.
4 star - a great read and I will be looking for other books by this author.
Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Let me take you to various upmarket properties in Acacia Villas in Brighton. There’s Rae at number 11, married to Clark and at number 24 there’s Bryony who is married to Grayson, much more about him later. There’s Lilly at number 47, who has known Clarke for many years and central to everything that explodes is Priscilla, normally pristine but on 1st June 2021 she bangs on Rae’s door utterly dishevelled. ‘I know what you’ve done’ she blurts, thrusts a bulging notebook at her, collapses then seems to vanish from her door and found moments later in the road and close to death by Dunstan a neighbour and policeman. The story which is so cleverly written, unravels a whole host of huge secrets in this surface gleaming and wealthy suburb proving yet again that you can’t know what goes on behind closed doors. The story is principally told by the four woman with some input from Dunstan.

I’ve read a number of books by the author which I’ve enjoyed very much but in my opinion this is her best to date. It has every possible ingredient on the checklist of what constitutes a hard to put down domestic noir. The characters are so well portrayed and I don’t want to give much away about them in case of spoilers but all of their issues and back stories are so well thought out and are integral to the plot. I will mention Grayson Hinter, slow of voice but not slow in giving his controlling opinions and poor Bryony imagines the broccoli she is stabbing with her fork is her husband. He’s wicked and cruel, presents a superior frontage like Acacia Villas but underneath lurks evil. Their story is not a pretty one but the author conveys the situation clearly but without unnecessary gratuity. We do have some humour courtesy of Rae’s daughter Mella with her jokes of the day and though their Yorkshire Terriers Yam and Okra. As the tension builds and the pace quickens further the humour fades into the background. The plot is extremely good as what Priscilla has learned is unleashed with all the power of a tsunami and with equally devastating consequences. There’s every appropriate emotion you can think of, guilt, fear, terror, revenge and so on. There’s masterful manipulation which builds the suspense to a real intensity, it’s sky high, absolutely gripping and you scarcely breathe! The ending is absolutely terrific for several reasons. One has a good outcome and there’s one shocker I so did not see coming! Well played Dorothy Koomson!

Overall, it’s fantastic. A dark, clever, twisty domestic noir with touches of originality especially in the conveying of characters thoughts. There is some violence but it’s an integral part of the plot, it isn’t overplayed but all is made very clear to us. It’s a tad steamy here and there!!

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Headline for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

TW: domestic abuse, suggestions of child sexual abuse, murder, death, attempted murder

Thank you to NetGalley & Headline Books for allowing me to read an eARC edition of I Know What You've Done.

I've been a big lover of Dorothy Koomson since I read My Best Friend's Girl years ago and she's been a firm favourite author of mine since then. I don't think there is one book of hers that I haven't enjoyed. This book was no different; I raced through this book in two sittings because I just could not put it down. The writing is always so well done and keeps you firmly gripped to the pages. It took me a beat to get used to the amount of characters there were and different storylines but once i'd clarified that it was really easy to follow the story and the characters as they developed.

SPOILERS REDACTED FROM REVIEW

Another solid instalment from a much loved author!

I tried. I really did.
But the trivia of domestic veneer and curtain-twitching, the jumbled timelines and endless boring conversations got the better of me. Packed in at about 25%. How to rate? Some might enjoy it, hence a **.