Really, the anxiety of our main character Marissa, leaked out of the pages until I was hanging on the edge of my seat for things to unfold. I enjoyed this suspenseful thriller, it kept you guessing and the reveal, which did surprise me, was held til the end.

Marissa had the unfortunate event of watching her mother murdered in front of her when she was young. Spending an anxiety filled life trying to be happy, she's always looking over her shoulder wondering if she's next.

A new friend, a new neighbor and a new business client all come into her life at the same time. They are suspects and guilty until proven other wise. Someone is after her. Could it be one of them?

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for allowing me an advanced copy to review with my own opinions.

3.5 rating
Marissa had an awful start in life, she witnessed her mum's murder, then was abused by the aunt and uncle she was sent to live with. Many years later and her life is in upheaval again. She is being stalked, her new neighbour is a nightmare and her only living relative has been murdered. As she suffers from sleepwalking she wonders if she has taken revenge on all those who treated her appallingly.
In most parts I enjoyed this book, it was suspenseful, and I read it very quickly to find out the who, what and why. My only issue waa a lot of the prose was very repetitive, despite knowing she'd made mistakes Marissa continued to make them. Overall though a good read. Many thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

What She Did by Carla Kovach is a standalone novel from the author of the popular Gina Harte series of which I am a huge fan. I went in expecting a propulsive and addictive read with complex characters that get under the skin, and I was not at all disappointed.

Marissa is hiding from a past that she can never forget. Witnessing her mother's murder years before, she has spent a lifetime staying under the radar, but all will change when her last remaining relative is found dead, and a witness identifies Marissa's car at the scene.

This is a twisty whodunit told from a first-person perspective that walks a tightrope between reliability and fallacy. A must-read for anyone who enjoys Kovach's Gina Harte series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC.

Wow what a book I was blown away by this story it’s dark and twisted which I love but I also really loved the characters and back story in this novel and could not put it down. I would love to see this made into a TV drama as it would be so good.

What a book!
What She Did is breathtakingly good and I raced through it in one evening!

I love a damaged character, Marissa is possibly the most damaged character I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. It really adds to the story when you can’t trust what you’re being told, looking for deeper meanings and trying to figure it all out! (I failed, the twists in What She Did come out of nowhere!)

5/5

Fantastic, I loved reading this it had me gripped from the start. What an ending I was not expecting that

If you haven’t read books by Carla Kovach, you are missing out. But the good news is that there are several to choose from and you can grab one of her novels right now. They are all so suspenseful, well written and I promise you will love them as much as I do.

Her latest is titled What She Did.

Synopsis:

Marissa lives alone in her tiny one-bed apartment. It’s quiet and safe; all she’s ever wanted since the night her mother was killed in front of her. But when the police knock on her door with the news that her last remaining family member has been murdered, she comes face to face with the trauma she has spent a lifetime running from.

A witness saw her car outside his house that day, but Marissa knows she’s innocent. She hasn’t seen her uncle in years and remembers going to bed in her own home that night. But she’s had blackouts before and can’t always trust her memory.

Days later, Marissa’s neighbour is found dead in his home with stab wounds all over his body, exactly like her uncle. It was no secret that Marissa didn’t get on with her neighbour, but she’d never want to see him hurt. How can she convince the police that she isn’t a killer? And, as the secrets from her past take hold of her present, is there anyone in her small world she can trust?

As you read, you’ll believe every word Marissa says. You’ll think you know where to draw the line between innocence and guilt. But blame is a dangerous thing, and nothing is ever what it seems…

SO GOOD.

Don’t miss this one, it’s out on September 20.

This was a great novel if you enjoy crime & suspense! I would also say it's a psychological thriller. I could see this being turned into a Netflix mini series or movie and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is an easy read that's easy to sink into. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC.

This book had me glued to the edge of my seat from start to end. I could not get enough. A young woman who had an unfair start in life reaches a point where she can stand on her own two feet only to watch everything come tumbling down around her. What if you cannot trust anyone, where do you turn when you need help?
Carla Kovach created a breath-taking tale full of sadness. As you experience the disasters of Marissa Baxter’s life you are drawn into her world, sharing her insecurities and loneliness as her world falls apart and she believes she cannot trust anyone. The story is told from Marissa’s perspective allowing you to see the world through her eyes while you experience every emotion with her. You feel her doubts and insecurities. The author did a wonderful job dragging the reader headfirst into Marissa’s troubled existence.
Marissa Baxter watched her beloved mother being murder and ended up living in an abusive home with her aunt and uncle. She struggled her way towards a quiet life where she finally felt safe. Until a new neighbour moves in and steals her peace and quiet. Dan does not like her, and he quickly starts intimidating her. The arrival of Uncle Simon in the neighbourhood brings all her old insecurities to the surface. Then Simon is murdered after an unexplained sleepwalking experience. Quickly followed by Dan, her neighbour's murder. Another evening Marissa has no memory of. When she finds a bloody knife in her bathtub, she starts questioning herself. Did she kill these men? Or is someone trying to set her up? Is she losing her mind? Determined to find the truth, she’ll either end up arrested for murder or face a killer… what would be worse?
Reading this story, you are drawn into Marissa’s troubled, chaotic mind never quite sure what to expect next. Just when you are convinced that Marissa has lost her mind the author delivers a conclusion that knocks the wind out of sails. This was a fantastic, gripping read that had me glued to the very last page.
The characters were all seen from Marissa’s viewpoint, so you end up liking and disliking them as she does. Marissa evolves from a traumatised, abused child to a troubled young woman and finally a woman who takes responsibility for her actions and tries her best to do what is right. This remarkable character has stayed in my thoughts the entire weekend after finishing the book.
WHAT SHE DID was a fantastic read with a twist at the end that is delivered unexpectedly. I loved the creativity of this story and that final line that leaves you wondering is brilliant. Mystery and thriller fans are guaranteed a treat when they reach for this complex tale. I loved it!

I love this series so much and this didn’t disappoint. Very well written, engaging and interesting with enough in the plot to keep me guessing. I highly recommend this author she is an amazing writer. I loved everything about this book and don’t hesitate in giving it 5 stars. Bloody brilliant!

Great stand alone hook from Carla not as gripping as others novels I have read of hers but throughly enjoyed it as still kept you guessing at the end.

Great Great story line that is easy to get into.
The different time lines are perfectly written.
Guessing who the killer is.. fantastic
Great book


Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

I found this a bit slow and annoying to begin with. I persevered and it got better. In fact it got much better.
At first I really didn't like Marissa, I thought she was a bit whiny, but as her story is revealed you understand why she is how she is. I had all sorts of theories about who the shadowy figure was and who the killer was. I got there, but it took me a while.
Overall a good read.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a great storyline with excellent characters. I would highly recommend this book as it was a great read.

Ok so I'm a great fan of Carla and her Gina Harte series so when I got the opportunity to read this book it was a no brainer for me to see if her brilliance continued and it didn't disappoint!

A well planned plot full of suspense and tension which was well paced and absorbing.

I loved how the story was told between two different time lines as this added understanding and depth to the story and Carla's character development/assignation was spot on. It reeled me in from the beginning and kept me hooked thought-out.

Something very different from this author as a change from Gina Harte which I absolutely love.

This was a great, well written book which held my interest from the beginning to the end and the characters were good and interesting.

I can thoroughly recommend this book and well done Carla on writing something.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Wow! Truly a page turner, suspenseful with a very creepy ending is how I describe What She Did. Just when you think you may know who did what and what’s going on, the author mixes things up. If you’re looking for a thriller with a surprise ending then this one is for you.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

I had mixed feelings about this book. I really wanted to like it. The plot was interesting and original. I didn't like the characters enough to enjoy the whole book. The main character, Marissa, was extremely irritating, inconsistent, and made stupid decisions. I would have liked her to be a stronger character.
There were some surprising twists towards the end of the book that was fun. Marissa's character definitely grew a pair toward the end. The last page was the worst. It was one of those, "what do you think the ending should be?". Not my favorite. It almost seemed as if the ending was setting it up for a sequel but I could not find the main character in the list of Carla Kovach's books. This was the first book I have read by this author. I may give her another chance at a later date.
I received this galley from NetGalley.

What She Did by Carla Kovach
I give this book 4.5 stars

When the police knock on Marissas’s door with the news that her last remaining family member has died, she comes face to face with the family secret she has spent a lifetime running from.
A witness saw her car outside his house that day.
Days later, Marissa’s neighbour is found dead in his home, exactly like her uncle.
Marissa has had blackouts before and can’t always trust her memory. As you read, you’ll think you know where to draw the line between innocence and guilt. But blame is a dangerous thing, and nothing is ever what it seems…

This is a standalone book by the author of the Gina Harte crime thriller series (which l love)
This is a gripping and suspenseful quick read.l loved the narrative by Marissa we get an insight into both a past trauma and her present day life where she battles with sleepwalking and self doubt The authors brilliant writing style brings this dark story together and had me engrossed with all the twists and turns along the way.
A proper psychological thriller that l highly recommend
With thanks to Netgalley,Carla Kovach and Bookouture for my chance to read and review this book.

I received a copy of What She Did by Carla Kovach from NetGalley. It was a decent crime thriller that kept me guessing for the most part until the end. Once it was revealed who the killer was it was a quick ending but seemed to still get dragged out longer than necessary. Kovach laid out a decent plot and story line. I'd be interested in reading her crime series to see what other stories she's created.