What You Did

I was definitely intrigued when I learned that Claire McGowan had written a stand-alone thriller, having previously read her Paula Maguire novels I knew I was in for a treat.

There’s an intense opening to What You Did, twenty-five years after a group of friends first got together at university they are catching up. Of course, there’s a lot of drinking and even the odd smoke of weed. But calamity strikes when one member of the group, Karen, enters her friend, Ali’s house, and tells her that Ali’s husband, Mike, has raped her. Ali is torn between her best friend and her husband. Who does she support? Who should she believe? But as an intense police investigation ensues, it brings back haunting memories from their time at university, when one of their friends was murdered. No one was ever caught for their friend’s murder. Could this about to be changed?

This was a real page-turner. Right from the shocking opening, I wanted to know what the outcome for Ali and her family was going to be. I was convinced that there was definitely more to the situation they now found themselves in. And then I was trying to work out if anyone else in the group could have been responsible, or if someone else could have gained access to the property. This was another possible theory I kept thinking about.

Each character kept me asking questions, particularly about their time at university twenty-five years ago when one of their friends was killed. I was convinced they knew more than they were letting on. There’s a darkness that runs right throughout the book, especially when there is an even more shocking turn of events which forces Ali into an impossible dilemma, and she learns some horrifying truths. She is a character who goes through a lot of emotions in this book, and she is someone who is torn between her loyalties.

This is a top, extremely well written psychological thriller from Claire McGowan with strong character development. I’ve always found her writing gripping, and her latest book is no exception. I was kept hooked right the way through.

Six friends have kept in touch since their university days. It is now twenty five years since those hallowed days and they get together at Ali and Mike’s house for a celebration. Mike is a corporate lawyer and works all hours god sends and a few more besides to keep them in the style they are accustomed to. Ali volunteers for a women’s shelter and has become a local media star by doing this.After the meal and a few drinks most of the crowd had gone to bed, all being put up at Ali and Mike’s house and there are a few stragglers still chatting. Ali having gone to bed herself, comes down for some water and is horrified to find Karen staggering in from the garden cut and bleeding, covered in grass saying that she has been raped….. by Mike- Ali’s husband. What follows is her worst nightmare, one thing leading to yet another revelation. What on earth is happening and what will happen to both Mike and her and her family? OMG! This book is brilliantly written with the tension almost palpable. My heart was beating faster and I found my self devouring page by page wanting to read faster to find out what was happening. I felt for Ali and how everything in her world was crumbling around her. This is one stunning read , one to keep you on the edge of your seat whilst feeling anxious at the same time. Wow! Just wow!
(links as part of blog tour)

Six college friends have a reunion 25 years later.

When the alcohol flows they begin to reminisce but then Karen, battered and bruised, says Mike, married to Ali, raped her……..

Ali’s life starts to unravel…..who does she believe…?

The story jumps between the past and the present to gradually build a picture of what had happened …..just who is telling the truth ?

What follows is a story of lies, denials and betrayals. Where old grievances and prejudices are brought into the open…..I have to say I didn’t really find any of the characters particularly likeable…but I think that’s the point…so you can look at the story objectively and not side with anyone….it deals with tough issues so is not a light read, but is definitely compelling…..

Thank you to The publishers, the author and NetGalley for a free copy of the ebook. This is my honest, unbiased review.

What you did it what we all would like to know, but who is that you??? Because it seems that more than one person has something to hide. 

A reunion with friends. That has to be a happy occasion, right? Some food, some drinks, reminiscing, laughter, joy but the evening ends in a disaster. One person is accused and it seems like everything points in his direction. But even the best evidence can be deceptive. 

The author keeps throwing curveballs and you are gobsmacked by the revelations. When everything is in the open or that's what I thought at least, the author has one last trump card up her sleeve.

Still waters do run deep ...

It's true that sometimes you are the last to know, but are you really or did you just not want to see the truth ...???

This is a book I really enjoyed. 4 stars.

Thank you, Claire McGowan and Damp Pebbles.

Twenty-five years of friendship and one night changes it all. Rape, lies, murder, fear, desperation…cover ups for the lives they wanted to keep.

I loved this book! It is a very suspense-filled mystery between college friends told mostly in Ali Morris’ voice. Their lives change in one instant filled with lies, unfaithfulness and deception. The buildup to Ali’s realization of the facts is intense and eye-opening. Her life is shattered and any normal human being would have been broken, but she garbles through the untruths and changes her life to save what’s left of her family and friends.

I thought I had it all figured out and was blown away to find the truth at the end! Recommend highly.

Thank you to Claire McGowan and Damppebbles Blog Tours for giving me the opportunity to review this book with no expectation of a positive review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 / 5 rounded up

What You Did by Claire McGowan is the ultimate page-turner that will keep you glued to the pages until the very last word. It is also not going to be for the faint of heart (see triggers for rape).

What it's about: Ali decides to put together a reunion with her friends from university after twenty years. The six of them meet at Ali's home where she lives with her college boyfriend turned husband, and their two kids - Cassie and Benjamin. But what is supposed to be a fun reunion turns into a nightmare when Ali's best friend Karen stumbles inside from the garden saying Ali's husband Mike just sexually assaulted her. Mike claims it didn't happen, but Karen is sure it did. Ali doesn't know who to believe, and after things from their past start coming to light, things will never be the same again.

I really, thoroughly enjoyed What You Did and I didn't want to put it down. The chapters were all pretty short, and that combined with different character viewpoints really kept me guessing and speeding through it. I really didn't like Mike, especially as the book goes on, but I found myself liking Ali a lot, even as she does things that are really dumb. I don't know what I would do if my husband were accused of sexual assault, but I would like to think that I would still believe my best friend if she said he did it. In other words, this book is really makes you think.

What You Did felt like it had a little bit of everything and wasn't strictly just about sexual assault even though that was definitely a main theme. There is also a murder mystery aspect, and I really had no idea what was going to happen. McGowan manages to make you doubt every person in the book, and completely kept me guessing. I felt like there was something going on throughout the entire book which also made it a fast read for me. The end managed to give me chills because it was so unexpected and that is something I love in a book.

Song/s the book brought to mind: Criminal by ZZ Ward.

Final Thought: I wasn't really sure what to expect from What You Did, but I am so glad I read it. It looks like the reviews for this one are all over the place so I'm glad I liked it as much as I did. There wasn't really anything wrong with it at all, and I really enjoyed McGowan's writing style. Reading this makes me want to read more from her ASAP!

Thank you to Damppebbles Blog Tours and the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book!

I am familiar with Claire McGowan’s books having read a few from her Paula Maguire series. This is a stand-alone novel and she has proved that she can do both perfectly well.

When the six ex Oxford University friends had a reunion years after their graduation none of them had any idea that things would go so tragically wrong. The way each of them handled it revealed how their friendship wasn’t as strong or genuine as they thought.

Most of it is modern day and concerns Ali, wife of the charged man and ‘best friend’ of the victim. She was a character who baffled and annoyed me the more I read. Her obsession with image, her snobbery and especially her noticing that her daughter Cassie had chipped nail varnish on her toes when she had a lot more to think about.

But there are flashbacks to 1993, when they finished university and differing accounts of what happened on the night of the dinner. In each of these more dubious aspects of each character is revealed.

Cassie, her brother Benji and Jake, Karen’s son, were the only characters I really liked. They were the only ones who could see how tragic the events of the night and the few days after were and they were not thinking about the consequences for themselves.

This is a great novel that made me question everything I was reading. I missed a lot, I suspected the wrong people and I seethed occasionally at the elitist attitudes. It is probably one of the most character driven novels that I have read recently.

Shocking, gripping and terrifying, Claire McGowan’s What You Did is a spine-tingling and nerve-twisting tale of love, jealousy, friendship and loyalty that will chill readers to the bone.

When Ali had agreed to host a reunion for her university friends, she had been so excited. Not only was she going to be reunited with some of her dearest friends whom she hadn’t seen since those halcyon university days, but she was going to be able to show them all that she has finally got the life she had always wanted and dreamed about. With her dream job, perfect husband and wonderful family, Ali’s life is glossy magazine perfect. Ali and Michael have a rock-solid relationship and a marriage most people can only dream about. Ali thinks that nothing and nobody could ruin her happiness, however, little does she realise that the reunion is going to end up shaking the foundations of her perfect world to its core as she finds herself forced to choose between her best friend and the man she loves with all of her heart.

When on the night of the reunion Ali’s friend Karen staggers in from the garden bruised and bloodied, everyone is shocked. However, the shocks looks set to keep on coming when Karen announces that the man who attacked her was not a random stranger, but Ali’s husband, Mike. A flabbergasted Ali has less than a split second to choose a side, but whom will she choose? Will it be the man she shares her life with whom she had hoped to spend the rest of her life married to? Or should she believe Karen? Mike is horrified to be accused like this. He swears that he is innocent and that he would never do something so vicious and horrible, but Karen is adamant that he is the man who assaulted her. The two parties are offering two very different versions of events and Ali does not know whom she should believe. The only thing she is certain about is that one of them is lying. But who? Is it her husband? Or her best friend?

Ali finds herself having to untangle a web of twisted lies, shocking deception and dangerous secrets and when jaw-dropping revelations come to light that unearth long-buried memories that have lain hidden for so long, Ali realises that there is a terrifying enemy in her midst who will stop at nothing to ensure that the truth about those university days is never discovered…even murder!

Claire McGowan keeps her readers on a knife’s edge with her engrossing chiller, What You Did. A fantastic domestic noir tale that will send pulses sky-rocketing, What You Did is a brilliantly written, densely plotted and wonderfully compelling thriller that will be devoured in a single sitting. Claire McGowan brilliantly explores the fears and insecurities within a marriage and the dark aspect of female friendships in an intelligent, sensitive and incisive way, leaving readers enthralled from start to finish.

Claire McGowan has penned a winner with What You Did, a compulsively readable thriller that will get under readers skins and keep them guessing till the very end.

Ali is thrilled to be hosting a twentieth college reunion get together for some of her closest friends. She’s got the perfect home, family and career. But that picture perfect party goes south fast when her old best friend Karen accuses Ali’s husband (and old college boyfriend) of a violent assault. How can Ali decide who to believe? But it turns out that there a plenty of ugly secrets between the friends, dating back to those “carefree” college days. McGowan combines a tightly woven plot with a dynamite cast of characters

This book was fantastic. Whom to believe was the theme, husband or best friend?A high school reunion went wrong when best friend Karen, who was evidently attacked, accused Ali's husband to be her abuser. Ali's world was completely annihilated. Both swore taht they were telling the truth.

My first book by Claire McGowan, this story had me totally stuck to it. The author had weaved an elaborate tale of lies and secrets surrounding Ali. There were subplots which were completely invisible to the naked eye. Only Ali needed the fortitude and courage to go through her past and long forgotten memories to get to the chilling truth.

Short snappy chapters telling me the viewpoint of different characters had me devouring the book in 2 hours. The book caused a shiver down my spine where I suspected everyone. The author sure didn't stop with the twists till the very end. A brilliant story

I'm going to have to go against the grain and give a lukewarm review. Although the prose is very engaging, it wasn't enough to overcome the story's absence of originality. Within the first few chapters, the premise was easily ascertained, depicting how the story would eventually unfold. The characterizations, along with the roles of each player in this drama, were also predictable. Unfortunately, the twists and turns neither shocked nor thrilled me—they were expected. Where is the fun in knowing what's going to happen next before it happens? While others may have enjoyed this novel, the tale was simply too formulaic for my taste.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Claire McGowan for an ARC of 'What You Did' in exchange for an honest review.

I have to say that I completely devoured this novel.  It is most definitely one of those books that you pick up and cannot put down until the very end but you seem to move through it at a lightening pace.

The novel begins right in the middle of the action and then takes a step back to the events leading up to it.  Ali has organised a 25 year reunion of her and Mike's (her husband) best friends from university.  The evening ends with some guests wondering off to bed and others staying in the garden drinking further.  Waking up for a drink in the middle of the night Ali is greeted by a distressed and injured Karen coming into the house claiming that she has been raped by Mike - and so begins a path of devastation for all parties involved. 

Ali has no idea who to believe and who to trust anymore after revelations from her husband.  She has two children to care for in the midst of all the chaos and am event from university days which is told in flashbacks scattered throughout the main story-line plants the seed of doubt into the readers head.  What is clear is that not everyone and everything is as it seems.

 Each character is written with depth and precision and if you searched your own group of friends you'd likely find the variety of characters among them - although maybe milder.  The planning that Claire McGowan must have done to prepare for this is phenomenal.  Each chapter weaves a small thread of the story whilst developing the characters and their changing relationships.  As a new thread is added, you are forced to re-evaluate your opinions and everything you had previously thought making this a suspenseful novel full of twists and surprises. 

I cannot rave enough about how brilliant this novel is and tackles a really interesting question.  Who would you believe? 

Highly recommended

for lovers of darker suspense and thriller.

What to do, who to believe? Ali's best friend is raped in her garden during a college reunion and she says it's your husband. But it can't be, can it? There are lies and layers of lies to be unraveled in this fascinating domestic suspenser. This one hooked me from the very beginning and kept me enthralled all the way through!

Aw I really hate leaving negative reviews but I could not finish this book. I did not like it connect with any of the characters and found the story very slow x

Loved this book it kept you guessing and showed the emotions you would be feeling if this happened to you I really enjoyed this one

Ali and Mike host a disastrous 25th reunion (from the day they started) for their university friends. Karen is first to arrive as Ali gets a frantic call from the "feminist" group (charity) that she chairs. She leaves for just a while. As Ali arrives home, Jodi (8 months pregnant) and her husband, Callum. pull up. Bill arrives later on his motorcycle. Rounding out the group are Jake (17), Karen's son - and Ali and Mike's two children: Cassie and Benji.

Oh, what a night! Boozy and late! And a touch of weed. At 3:30 AM, Ali, asleep, is woken by screams. She goes downstairs to find (a sober) Jodi. In bursts Karen; bloodied, frenzied and disheveled. She says "He raped me". Well, the only one still outside with her was Mike. Did someone come in to the yard and choke/rape Karen? The police arrive and Karen is brought to the hospital as Mike is arrested.

And that is only the start. Brilliantly written, this book will have you up all night!!! Every time you think you have everything all figured out, in comes another surprise. Dark, at times, but a solid MUST read.

Dazzling!

Many Thanks to Amazon Publishing, UK, Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for an unforgettable read !

After being bombarded by positive reviews during the respective blog tour, I just couldn't help giving in and request a copy when I saw it on Netgalley... There is no doubt that the premise of What You Did sounds absolutely intriguing and I couldn't resist picking up this story almost immediately. And while I ended up having mixed thoughts myself, I can also see why others have a more positive reaction to this story.

It's all in the characters. What You Did fits the definition of a slower paced and character driven psychological thriller perfectly, and this means that your reaction to the different main characters as a reader is fundamental and directly linked to your experience with a book. Sadly, it wasn't ment to be between the main characters of What You Did and me. Out of all the main characters, I think the only one I actually liked was Bill, and I still wanted to hit him for certain actions and basically for having no backbone. The other characters... Sigh. Where do I even begin? I don't want to give away too much to avoid spoilers, but let's just say it involves things like a love triangle, lying to someone for twenty five years, abusing the trust of someone close to you, forgiving someone even though they don't deserve it at all... I could go on and on, but I don't want to spoil the fun. Ali was so so frustratingly ignorant and stupid and I basically wanted to shout at her to get a grip and open her eyes already. I don't think her actions and reactions were natural at all and she managed to frustrate me A LOT. Likewise, Karen, Mike and Callum were basically disgusting and I really didn't care about what was happening to their characters as they were unable to raise sympathy at all. I know some of them were ment to be unlikeable, but still... My feelings of frustration prevented me from enjoying this story as much as I thought I would.

As for the plot... At first I liked the idea of six university friends meeting again after twenty five years during a reunion. These situations always make for an interesting backdrop and gives the story a lot of posibilities; both by introducing possible flashbacks and character development and growth in general. What You Did gives us both, but not to the degree I would have liked to see... The flashbacks to the events of their final ball of the final university year, 1993, felt rather rushed and I would have liked more background and development here. I guess the main focus of this story is on the present and what happens during their reunion... I wasn't sure up to what point certain aspects of the plot were completely credible though, and I did see some twists coming quite early on, but as a whole I guess the plot was entertaining enough if you enjoy slower paced stories with a few bursts of suspense.

The writing itself is engaging enough and made it quite easy to keep turning the pages despite my reaction to the characters. These were my personal feelings about said characters though, and if you can stomach unlikeable characters and enjoy a good character driven psychological thriller that packs a punch, you might consider adding What You Did to your wishlist.

What You Did – Claire McGowan

I was fortunate to receive this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an objective review. This review will also publish to my blog, tropicaldelusions.blog,.

Ali Morris is anxiously putting the finishing touches on her home as she and her husband, Mike prepare for weekend guests – the small group of friends they had from their days at the university in Oxford. It’s been years since they’ve seen one another, and Ali wants things to be just right.

The first guest to arrive is her best friend Karen, and her son Jake. Karen is a single parent, and before Mike & Ali moved away, they had been inseparable, and Jake was like a son to her. Next to arrive is Jodi & Callum, both high powered attorneys now, with Jodi due to deliver her first child in a month, and finally Bill, who comes alone having recently split from his girlfriend after a disagreement about children.

As the group re-connects and the alcohol starts flowing, old pictures come out, and the discussion turns to a young female classmate, Martha, who died in the university garden all those years ago. While the men revel in their youthful memories and ply themselves with alcohol late into the evening, Jodi & Ali head for bed.

It’s early AM when Ali awakens to screaming – she rushes downstairs along with Jodi to see Karen stagger into the house, bruised and bloody screaming that she’d been raped…and she accuses Mike of the attack, leaving Ali torn between believing her husband or her best friend. As the police investigate, Karen tells a compelling story, and Mike is arrested, while Ali’s perfectly organized life begins to quickly unravel.

Told from the current perspectives and college memories of the six friends, the reader quickly learns of hidden secrets, longings, betrayals, cover-ups, and ‘what-might-have-been’, leaving the reader wondering just who is telling the truth – if anyone. And what really happened to Martha all those years ago??

This was a great read, and it definitely kept me guessing up until the very end, although in retrospect, I should have figured it out… This one kept me up turning pages well into the night, and had me wondering…how well do we really know our friends??

At an informal college reunion, Karen staggers in from the patio. She claims she was raped by Ali’s husband Mike, who denies it. Ali tries to determine the truth in What You Did.

Ali and her husband Mike, Karen and her son Jake, Jodi and her husband Callum, and Bill are celebrating the 25th anniversary of starting college at Ali and Mike’s house. Their children—Cassie and Benji—are in the house as well.

There are some sticking points for me about What You Did. First, hitting us over the head with the irony of Ali working for a battered women’s shelter seemed a bit obvious. Second, the lack of redeeming characteristics for all the characters. I felt no empathy for any of them. But mostly the obvious bad guy. If you have read any previous thrillers, you don’t need to read this one. 2 stars.

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle ARC of What You Did.

When old college friends get together for a night of dinner and reminiscing, it was supposed to be a reunion, to catch up and relive old memories.

But, when a vicious assault turns the spotlight on the host's husband, Mike, Ali must reconcile with a unexplained death from the past, her preconceived beliefs of her husband, and the kind of woman she claims to be, a supporter of sexual assault survivors or a woman desperately clinging to a family and a life she never had?

The setting is a familiar one, where old friends gather after some times apart, secrets are revealed, repressed anger or passions come alive once again and trouble is brewing on the horizon.

At first, it was hard to Ali; I know women like her, who would turn a blind eye to any transgression a spouse has done as long as she is able to live in her plastic delusional bubble that her family is fine; that nothing is wrong with anyone and anything.

But, can I blame Ali for wanting something she never had, especially when her childhood was so abusive and traumatic?

That's not an excuse to ignore the signs, like quite a few characters mock-chastise Ali for not seeing what was so obvious and right in front of her eyes, yet I do sympathize with Ali's desperate need to pretend. We all pretend because the truth hurts and it tears people and families apart.

The author creates urgency and keeps up a steady pace as events unfold, secrets are exposed and characters are left reeling from the aftermath, dealing with it in their own troubled methods.

Readers are given insights into the friends' shared past and what happened on a dark night years ago through their various POVs, which is done to muddy the waters and create tension among the friends and readers.

There is decent character development; you get to know Ali the most, followed by Karen, and understand each individual's personality and motivation as to who they are and why they do what they do.

I sympathized with Ali, though I didn't like her or anyone else, maybe Bill.

The novel is not about sexual assault, per se, and he said/she said, though the trigger for rape and sexual violence is prevalent; it's about who we are when someone we love is faced with such a horrible accusation.

We all claim to know what to do when it comes to giving support to those who need it, but do we really when your family and reputation are on the line?

This was a good read that kept me turning the pages, which is not easy to do.

What You Did is a excellent thriller. Even though I hate books with rape, I won't give a bad review because of my personal issues with books with rape in it. The book is well written and the characters are well developed. Great twists in this story.

This is a book about an assault
I thought I had it figured out at least 5 times, but the twist and turns kept coming so fast, then when I hit the final page, I was totally shocked
All of this takes place at a college reunion
The recriminations go back and forth
In essence, the past comes back to haunt the future

I did like this book but hated the characters. It takes place at a 25 year reunion. A group of six friends are remembering a rape that took place. The men are all pigs and their wives don’t want to lose them??? At any rate, to me it was more of a mystery than a psychological story. It was fairly well written and will hold your interest but as I said, not exactly a likable story.

What would you do if your husband was accused of hurting your best friend? This book take you on a journey through the lives of six college friends, mostly told from Allison’s (Ali) perspective. From her difficult relationship with her father, to wanting to be noticed and loved by her college boyfriend, Mike, Alison has longed for the perfect marriage and craved the ideal family and home life she never had. A tight knit group from their early college days, these friends have celebrated success and kept secrets buried in order to preserve their lives. When a reunion dinner party goes awry and Karen accuses Mike of a brutal crime, how will this revelation affect their friendship? Will those secrets from college suddenly become revealed? This story is carefully crafted and absolutely intoxicating. If you enjoy domestic thrillers,! I would definitely recommend checking out this book.

This book was very well written. Nice and easy to read and flowed well. Had me on the edge of my seat. Wondering which way it was going to go. Great mystery can’t beat it.

What You Did is one hell of a thought provoking explosive book!

How would you react when your gentle loving husband is accused of rape? What about when it’s your best friend that’s been raped? My heart broke for Ali’s difficult situation and Claire did a great job writing this story! I thought I had it all figured out a few times but the ending blew me away.

I found some aspects unrealistic but overall this is a stand out thriller.

Will keep you guessing who the culprit is until the very end. I couldn't put my kindle down once I started reading What You Did, I read the book within 24 hours. You can't help but feel for Ali, all she wanted was a reunion with her uni friends. That night changed everyone's lives forever. Do you side with your husband or your best friend of 25 years? I will definitely be adding Claire Mcgowen to my favourite authors

Great book will be reading other books by this author.
Will also recommend this book to others.
Great read! 5*****

This is one of those books, the one that when you start it you have to finish it to find out what’s going on! Ali’s husband has been accused of raping their friend Karen. All the evidence points to him but who should Ali believe?

Really well written with plenty of twists. Highly recommend this!

Overall: 3/5 Stars
Characters: 2.5/5 Stars
Believability: 4/5 Stars
Personal Opinion: 3/5 Stars

This book has left me really torn. How do you like a book, but not like any of the characters? That isn’t to say they weren’t well written, because I think they were amazingly written. I just thought that there wasn’t really a decent human in the entire mix. Every single one was self-absorbed and self-serving to one degree or another, some being exponentially worse than others. This includes the kids. If I had to say that one character was at least partially likeable, it would be Bill, but even he had issues.

I had originally liked Ali, or at least felt a sort of understanding for the position she was put in, but as the story moves forward and she begins to make certain choices, I really soured on her and her self-serving motives.

Even though I didn’t like the characters, the story still worked well. There were directions I saw the story going and it did go there. Then there were a couple of twists I did not see coming at all, which I really enjoyed. I think I probably would have been perfectly content to say that this was a really good book until I hit the final chapter. That felt like it was just a bit too much and pushed me into eye roll territory because it didn’t feel necessary and took away from all the drama that had just occurred.

Please note, anyone that has issues with rape will probably find this a difficult read. Not because it goes into graphic detail or glorifies it, but just with everything that surrounds it and the ever present attitudes towards victims.

Your best friend is raped. She say's it was your husband. Who do you believe?

I was pleasantly surprised by 'What you did' - it's my first McGowan novel, but definitely won't be my last. There are several twists and turns along the way, some of them guessable, some of them definitely coming as strong and well-written surprises.

I wasn't sure at first about the inclusion of the 1993 storyline. It felt a bit like flogging a dead horse - yes, lies have been told before, we get it. But it evolved into becoming an integral element of the novel, and it did end up adding a lot to the readers experience.

I also really enjoyed the final twist - it wasn't one I saw coming, and it left me really surprised, but it also wasn't one of those twists that is thrown in without any fore through just to shock the reader - there was a lead up to it so it was a believable but not predictable twist. The rest of the ending was also strong, with everything being wrapped up in a satisfying but not cliche way.

Definitely a 5 star read for me.

I actually read this book as an Amazon Prime First reads and found it to be more of a women’s experience novel than a psychological thriller. Seems readers either love it or hate it. I thought it was okay but wouldn’t recommend it for those looking for a thriller. For free, it was a good read.

Incredible, well written, and a novel I just couldn't put down. It's been awhile since I've found a book that grabs you and doesn't let go, and this one is it. Utterly engrossing and fabulous, with an unusual, original plot. Great characters. Ten stars to this author? Don't miss this one, a great read!!

Having read the Paula Maguire series, I was looking forward to the new book by Claire McGowan.

When your best friend accuses your husband of rape, what would you do? That’s the dilemma Ali is facing, who should she believe? When she discovers that for the last 25 years her life has been based on lies, she wonders who is telling the truth. Will Ali finally open her eyes to see what everyone else does?

A good storyline full of secrets with plenty of twists and turns and a shocking conclusion.

I've had a pretty cruddy run of books lately...and, unfortunately, after reading this, it is very clear my luck hasn't changed.

What You Did covers the lives of 6 college grads coming together for a 25 year weekend reunion. Also in my early 40s, stories like this appeal to me a great deal. These characters are my peers, so to speak. Unfortunately, all six (and their children) were intensely unlikable assholes. Worse, our main protagonist, Ali, might very well be the most ignorant main character ever written--she definitely fulfilled her quota of stupid thoughts, stupid choices, and stupid actions. A stronger female lead would have likely made a huge difference in how I felt about this story.

But hey, with friends like Mike, Bill, Jodi, Karen, and Callum...who needs enemies?

I'd also like to mention, despite being billed as a psychological thriller--IT IS NOT. I'd classify it more as a domestic drama/suspense. A very easy one to figure out, I might add. I knew all that would happen within a few chapters. And seriously, I have to mention this because WTF!? What is up with that book cover? What is it even supposed to be? If I had written this book, I'd be peeved if I was saddled with that terrible cover.

Bottom line...while the writing is decent, the characters ruin this novel. If you're looking for an easy, quick, unoriginal read, I guess you could give this one a chance. Otherwise, I'd skip it.

**Many thanks to the publisher for my advanced reader's copy.

I received this book through NetGalley. A gathering of college friends and a terrible happening that causes everyone to question their friends, I loved this book. It kept me guessing and was a fast read. I loved the characters. I recommend it highly!

Excellent book with a clear cut depiction of characters. The storyline is fluid and constant, and my concentration never waived. Highly recommended.

At the start of this book and even up to around the half way point I loved it and was so glad as my last few books have been quite poor but then it just fell apart.
The six main characters were the most unlikely lot and the plot melted into rubbish. To make matters worse the author introduced other useless people in what I suppose was a method of trying to give more depth but from the unlikely sets of parents to the silly detective they all added nothing.
The crime set in the situation it was set in could have made for a great story but unfortunately it lost all logic along the way.

Excellent read - highly recommend:

Ali and Mike host a reunion with 4 other ex Oxford University friends and one of the party, Karen, her best friend, staggers into the house in the early hours of the morning claiming that Mike had raped her. Karen, who works with abused women and is a firm believer that if a woman reports rape that she likely has been raped struggles with the idea that her husband has raped her best friend.

This book also switches between the present and 1996 when the group were at University and an unsolved crime took place at a graduation party where each of the 6 friends seemingly alibi the whereabouts of each other.

I really enjoyed the book and was surprised by the ending. I did fine Ali a little naïve throughout the book but I would highly recommend this book.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/57367301
https://www.amazon.co.uk/review/create-review/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_wr_but_top/thankyou?asin=B07KPFLD6Q&channel=glance-detail-thankyou

I received an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.
I liked this story and thought the whole 'where would your loyalty lie ' question a great plot for a book.
My only main issues were that I didn't really like any of the characters and the book was quite transparent . I knew from around a quarter of the way in what the ending would be. An ok read.

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher. This wasn't a bad book but for me a bit slow paced. It had some twists and suspense but not big enough for me. It's about a husband and wife who have a reunion dinner party that everyone there seems to over indulge in alcohol and things just go downhill from there. It comes down to who is telling the truth!? Ali's husband or best friend Karen?

A college reunion doesn't go exactly as planned. One attendee staggers into the host's house, bleeding, clothes torn, with an accusation that she was assaulted .... by the host's husband.

Who is lying? Who is telling the truth? Why would this woman accuse her husband for no reason at all? Who does she trust ...her husband.. or her best friend?

All this chaos brings the past to the forefront. There are darker memories too. Memories that have lain dormant for decades. Memories someone would kill to protect.

This psychological thriller wasn't really a thriller. The suspense never reached a level of ... I have GOT to find out what happens next. It started with a bang and then fizzled a bit. None of the characters have any redeeming qualities.

I have read other books by this author and was not disappointed. I'm hoping this one was just an anomaly. I will be happy to read her future books.

WARNING: A sexual assault is mentioned in the first few pages of the book and later goes into detail. This may be a trigger for some women.

Many thanks to the author / Thomas Mercer UK / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological drama. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Hmm I’m torn on this one. On one hand the premise sounded intriguing but on the other, it did not deliver. At times it was well written but other parts I just skipped past. Not for me sadly.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read What You Did by Claire McGowan. This book is filled with suspense from start to finish. A rape takes place at the Morris house after a group of college friends reunite after 25 long years. After Mike Morris is accused from his wife's best friend and secret lover, Karen, the Morris family's “perfect” life flips upside down. Ali Morris’s perfect bubble she lived in her whole life, slowly begins to unravel as she learns about the lies she’s been told and the secrets kept from her. Ali does what any good wife and mother would do; try to protect her husband and children. I was not expecting the ending and could not put the book down! Highly recommend!

This book kept me intrigued throughout. There were so many threads woven together but as a reader I just wasn't sure how they all fit into the overall picture.

After Karen claims that Ali's husband Mike has raped her, we get various perspectives from their old university friends, who were there that night, and even the children. It is clear that each person knows a little bit of the puzzle but we are left guessing what. I liked that at one point I had guessed the ending but there were so many parts to the story that I had also guessed multiple other options!

An east yet engrossing read in the mystery/suspense genre.

This is my first book by Claire McGowan so wasn’t sure what to expect. Although I enjoyed the story with some twists and turns to keep you reading it started off well but then got a bit slow going in places. The genre for it is psychological thriller but I don’t think it is really, it’s more of a suspenseful read. The end was also a bit surprising. All in all a good steady read.

A college reunion a n assault a rape .Accusations are made disbelieved a book of twists and turns a book that keeps you guessing.A true page turner from a terrific author. #netgalley#amazonbooksuk

Overall this is a good read. There was plenty of action and a lot of suspense. I thought though that it was a bit slow in places and predictable. I also did not particularly like any of the characters.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

This book begins with a reunion after 25 years between old uni friends - two couples and two singles. It started well, and I quickly connected with Ali, the main character. The book was told from different charcters perspectives at times, and whilst I didn't dislike this I am not sure it added to the book. The ending I think was obvious rather than a twist, given there weren't many suspects and I think that was the only thing that let it down but still a reccommended read.

I really had to think before writing this review because, although this was a really good story, I actively disliked most of the characters. Most of the book is told from the point of view of Ali and at the beginning I had a lot of sympathy for her. As the book progressed my opinion changed until towards the end I loathed her. She was so ashamed of her working class background and claimed to be embarrassed by her parents when they came to visit her at Oxford. She was the worst sort of snob elitist, self obsessed and entitled. Having said that it is thanks to the quality of the writing that I was able to have such strong feelings about her..
The author was able to set the scene so well that I really could see the back garden in the aftermath of the party. I thought the flashbacks were really evocative too. I have never been to Oxford but could envisage it as if I had been there at the time the characters were students. Finally, I had absolutely no inkling of how the book would end and was really surprised at how things turned out. All in all this was a really well written, enjoyable book that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

Review posted on Goodreads and Amazon

What You Did was the story of a group of college friends reconnecting as adults. It follows the wife of a man who is accused of sexual assault after one of the women is attacked in the garden during their get together.

I found the story to start off strong but went downhill the further into it that I read. All of the characters were incredibly unlikeable in their own ways and though I accepted them as is it still didn't stop me from wanting to pull them from the pages to yell at them.

The jumping between perspectives and from present day to the other events that took place in 1996 felt quite unnecessary to the overall story. In the end it was a quite run of the mill predictable thriller.

A very good book with many twists and turns. I enjoyed the up to date story mixed in with something that happened 20 years ago when the characters first met at university. A very unexpected ending indeed. Kept me interested and would recommend.

Ali is excited to be hosting a reunion with her college friends. Everything must be perfect. But what happens when the alcohol becomes too much and a crime happens within a circle of friendship? Read What You Did to find out. Secrets are dug up and a crime that happened 25 years earlier, may have a new victim.

I thought this book was well written. I gave it 4 stars as I felt there were some parts of the book that were a bit slow. Otherwise this book kept me captivated and I found it to be a great thriller. You never really know how the book will end until it does!

I read this in one sitting. It’s a pacy thriller with plenty of action. The story centres around the actions of a group of old university friends on one particular evening. The secrets they have kept and the lies they have told flow from there.

The story rang true for me in the sense that people will do a lot to protect their middle class life. I ended up having some sympathy for Ali who attaches herself to Mike to get away from her violent father. There was a sense of ‘people don’t change’ running through the novel which was well explored throughout.

A 4/5 for me because despite my liking for pacy novels this raced at the end and really needed another couple of chapters to fully explore what happened next. The friendship between Ali and Karen that survives at the end is unbelievable and needed further explanation. Given the author’s exploration of rape it would have been good to take this through trial and explore the complex issues that would have likely been raised there.

Excellent psychological thriller! It moved at a fast pace with twists and turns throughout! Well-developed characters and plot. I loved the angle of husband vs best friend and the struggle for Ali to trust one of them over the other. Highly recommend!

I’ve received this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion:
This book is a psychological thriller with some quite dark & violent context. Very gripping and the said context flows extremely well. I found myself anticipating getting home to pick up where I have left off.
There were parts where I had to literally hold back the tears, it was a challenge at times.

All in all great book.

I had to DNF this book. I just could not get into it. I didn’t connect with any characters and the story just wasn’t there for me.

Huge thank you to Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for this opportunity!!!

This is a fabulous thriller and one of the best books I’ve read in a while. There are plenty of twists and turns that will keep you guessing right up to the last page. The characters develop well throughout the book and the relationship between them all is intriguing.
I’d definitely recommend this book and it’s worthy of a big fat 5 stars.

What you did by Claire McGowan
Reunions are supposed to be exciting, reunions are supposed to be memorable but this reunion proves to be a nightmare for the protagonist. Ali decides a reunion with her friends from university after twenty years. Ali, a home maker and a volunteer at a local shelter for victims for rape and domestic abuse and Mike, a corporate lawyer are married with two children and a lovely suburban home. Jodi and Callum are lawyers and Jodi is heavily pregnant with the child she's longed for. Karen is raising a son by herself and lives in near poverty. Bill has returned home from Sweden after ending a relationship.
Amidst all the partying and drinking, Ali's best friend Karen stumbles inside from the garden accusing Mike of sexually assaulting her. Mike denies the accusation but Karen does not relent. Ali does not know who to believe – Is her husband capable of committing such a heinous crime? Is her best friend capable of telling such an improbable lie?
Ali is pulled in both directions, wanting to believe both her husband and her best friend. She is at crossroads with herself especially when she is the one dealing with such cases daily at her workplace.
Secrets start to unravel and the reader is forced to think what kind of a friendship did the six share as everybody is hiding something or the other from everybody else. The rape accusation also reveals a murder of a common friend Martha while they were still in college. The plot becomes more and more complex as the story progresses.
The story is of course fictional but sometime as readers we tend to search for some sort of connect with reality even in a novel. We are unable to associate or empathize with the characters as they are all too self obsessed. The quality of writing is superior but the plot fails to impress, with more complexities woven in the plot than what is necessary
My score 3 * / 5

This was good. The reason for 4 stars is that I did not really like any of the characters and each one seemed to serve the standard, predictable role for this type of storyline. Having said that, it still held my interest and the ending was a nice surprise. It begins with a group of reunited college friends, an assault and then flashbacks and flash forwards until the truth is revealed. Most chapters give at least a hint of of a clue as to what actually happened and that makes you want to keep reading. Overall, a good read, Just difficult to connect with anyone.

It was meant to be a relaxed weekend and reunion of old friends, but then it turns into an absolute nightmare. It’s been 25 years that Ali and her husband Mike first met their friends Karen, Jodi, Bill and Callum at university, a reason to celebrate in their new home. Yet, after a lot of alcohol, a loud cry from Karen suddenly ends the joyful get together: Karen claims to have been assaulted by Mike, her bleeding and overall status seem confirm her accusation. After Mike’s arrest, Ali’s world slowly crumbles and falls, the more she learns about her husband, the more she has to ask herself if she really knew whom she has been married to for all those years. Not only did he have an affair all those years, but also are there money transfers to an unknown account and more pieces of information that are far beyond just being inconvenient: they are purely frightening. But this is just the beginning.

Claire McGowan’s thriller is absolutely breath taking. It is mainly narrated from Ali’s point of you and you constantly ask yourself: what would I do if I were in her shoes? Whom would I believe, my husband or my former best friend? Would I stick to my ideals or try to save the life I had worked for for years? How far would I be willing to go for the person I love? The story moves at a very high pace, just whenever you think the characters have found a way of coping with the catastrophe, the next follows immediately only to make the whole situation even worse. There is no moment to relax and sit down to think through the mess they are in, they are forced to react to ever more complications from one minute to the other.

The plot is very cleverly constructed, revealing its full potential only slowly. What makes it especially delicate is the fact that it plays on those core emotions in life: trust and believe in the people who are closest to you. It hurts a lot more to feel betrayed by the ones you love than coping with just with stressful situations. Additionally, I found it quite clever to put Ali in the position where she is presented as an advocate for women who have been assaulted and speak out against their perpetrators and then finding her in the position where she is inclined to take the other side and rather believe her husband than the woman – and friend! – who without any doubt is a victim.

I utterly rushed through the novel since I could hardly put it down. The short chapters even accelerated the plot and made you read on just one more chapter and another one and so on until the end. A brilliant story that I enjoyed throughout.

This really kept me guessing and desperate to find out the secrets contained within the story - I really enjoyed the book, excellent read and great start to my holiday!

On page 144 of What You Did, Ali, our main character, the point of view which we are forced to follow and care about, has an epiphany. “If I wanted to keep my home, for my children’s sake, I had to get Mike’s case dropped, and fast.” Here we have a woman who allegedly works at a women’s shelter, advocating specifically for rape survivors, gearing herself up to present her best friend as a promiscuous liar so that the rape charge she has laid against Ali’s husband will be dropped. Why? So that her children can continue going to private school. I must reiterate: this is our protagonist. Keep that in mind as we begin the review.


Six old friends, close since their Oxford days, reunite for a party. Ali and husband Mike live a charmed middle class life just outside London with their two children. Second married couple Jodi and Callum are wealthy lawyers on the brink of having their first long awaited baby. The two singletons are Karen, Ali’s flighty best friend, and the reserved Bill, recently separated from his wife. Late into the night, Ali is roused from sleep. When she gets downstairs, Karen bursts through the back door wild with terror. Blood is running down her legs. She cries out that she has been raped – by Mike.


When I reached page 35, I made a note that predicted the major twist of this novel, including the identity of the rapist and how he had performed his operation. I know it was page 35, because I wrote “let it be known that if I’m right I predicted this on page 35.” And now I’m letting it be known, because as it happens I was right. This book has 284 pages, and its plot is pedestrian enough to be completely guessed within the first 35. Consequently, it immediately fails as a thriller. I can hardly write that the novel contains “twists and turns,” as the cliché goes, because each narrative beat ambles by with exhausting banality, never shocking, never impressive, never in any danger of outsmarting an observant reader.


A novel with a bland plot can often be redeemed by charming characters, or expert prose. Sadly, What You Did can boast neither. McGowan’s style is mostly nondescript, with only the occasional sprinkling of awful to catch your attention. One particularly shoddy excerpt made me laugh aloud:


“She didn’t blink. They probably trained them at teacher school.”


I checked the acknowledgements, and this book had at least three editors. Three people looked over this, saw “they probably trained them at teacher school,” and thought to themselves, “yeah, that’s fine. That sounds like a feasible thing for an Oxford graduate and semi-celebrated journalist in her mid-forties to say.” Teacher school. I am agog, I am aghast. It’s like something an eleven year old would write.


The characters, unlike the prose, do not have a mere sprinkling of awful. Awful has been dumped into them in the same manner as I dump cumin into most of the meals I make. Top unscrewed, right from the jar in a big lump. However, while a good lump of cumin can elevate lasagne, the same amount of awful scarcely does the same for your cast. It takes a master to put utterly terrible people to paper and make it work. Think Nabokov’s Humbert Humbert, Richardson’s Robert Lovelace, or Sade’s entire repertoire. Ali has none of the nuance or the self-consciousness of the aforementioned. She is possibly one of the worst protagonists I have ever had to suffer, and that is not a hammer which I can swing lightly. She is yet another example of an increasingly prevalent trope I am finding in contemporary fiction – that of the frumpy, motherly, self-righteous lead who holds a thinly veiled resentment for younger, prettier, more successful women. For someone whose feminist activism is blasted at the reader from the outset, Ali is an awful feminist. She continually slutshames and demeans women who lead lifestyles which are different to her own, from “yummy mummies” (page 93) to rape and murder victims whose ordeals “did not have to ruin anyone else’s life […] not when you were so pretty you were like a walking wound.” (page 101). These views are utterly inconsistent with someone who is a professional advocate for rape victims, and the fact that her husband is the accused is not a suitable explanation. Nor, indeed, does one sentence saying she’s “upset at what she has become” towards the end of the novel absolve her, especially when she faces no consequences whatsoever for her behaviour. If I was presented that justification in a university creative writing class, I would dry out a red marker by circling “show, don’t tell!” over and over again.


The worst part about Ali’s character is that nothing happens to her to make her realise that her actions have consequences. The confession of the rapist, relayed only to Ali, is taken as gospel despite the fact that she has been caught deliberately attempting to malign Karen’s character in order to have the charges dropped against Mike, and she ends the novel riding off into the sunset with a dream man and a better relationship with both her children and her estranged mother. This is not a satisfying end for a really quite detestable antihero who gets depressingly close to letting a rapist go free because she’s too self-obsessed and bitter. She does not deserve the ending which she is gifted. While I understand that McGowan is deliberately presenting Ali’s actions in such a way that is not meant to be likeable, it’s done with such little thought that it simply doesn’t work. Spending one sentence on Ali having a brief moment of self reflection does not make a novel’s worth of maliciousness disappear.


A shocking premise, one which required far more nuance than what is presented here.

What a brilliant book. Centering on family, friends, secrets and how lies have a way of catching you up.

I loved this thriller especially the ending.

It was a little confusing trying to keep all the characters straight and many were very unlikeable but this was a decent book for a day on the beach.

I really enjoyed this book but found some of the characters difficult to connect with. Some good twists but not sure the overall premise is believable. Well written and compelling enough to read to end but the finale was a bit of a let down.

I really love books like this one. Reunion of friends and lots of secrets and mystery. This book was so good that I read it in one night. I couldn't put it down. Great characters and great story.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The twenty five year reunion of six uni friends ends in rape, one of them charged with the crime and another betrayed. Recent events force memories of a tragic accident to resurface leaving them to doubt each other and themselves. How many of them will lie to keep the life they always wanted and how far will they go to achieve that?
At times like this everything valued seems meaningless and you become stranger to yourself.
This is the sort of book you wont want to put down even to write a few words for a review. I found most of the characters unreliable, couldnt warm to any of them and even felt annoyed by one or two. Far from putting me off it just seemed to add to my enjoyment. I guess there isn’t any rule to say we HAVE to live the characters and I suspected this might have been a deliberate act by the writer. Also at times I could feel the emotional undercurrents between them. It also made me think how tragedy can draw people closer or fracture their relationships forever.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Wow what a great book! This started with a reunion of six college friends who had not seen each other in twenty-five years. The party started out fine but things quickly went awry. Ali the main character was naive and didn't have a clue about so much that had been happening right under her nose for years. It seems everyone has something to hide! The author did a great job of creating scenarios to through us off track about who the real culprit was. I was very surprised to the very last page which ,to me, is the definition of a great read.
I definitely recommend this one .It is five stars for me.

"What You Did" by Claire McGowan follows the story of a group of university friends who are reuniting after 20 years. University boyfriend and girlfriend and now well-off married couple Ali and Mike are hosting the reunion dinner in the beautiful family home they share with their son and daughter and Ali can't wait to show off her perfect life to her old friends - particularly her one-time best friend Karen.
Following a night filled with food, drink and reminiscing Ali retires to bed leaving several of the guests to carry on the party but wakes during the night to discover Karen bleeding and hysterical and making a shocking accusation of rape against Mike. Mike vehemently denies this accusation and Ali's perfect life is suddenly blown apart and she finds herself torn between her husband and her best friend.
I absolutely loved this book and found myself completely engrossed. I particularly enjoyed the flashbacks to the groups' university days which delved into the relationships in more detail and the tragic death of a fellow student.
I found it impossible to guess at the ending as there are many twists, turns and red herrings along the way and the writing style absolutely flowed for me.
This was a 5 star read for me and huge thanks to Netgalley, publishers and the author for the review copy - a thoroughly brilliant read!

“What You Did” by Claire McGowan

What’s it about: University friends get together for a reunion and chaos ensues. The main character named Ali is shocked to learn that her husband is accused of sexually-assaulting her best friend. She tries to discover the shocking truth about what really happened.

What I liked about this book: This book has two narratives-the current situation and the backstory about the characters when they attended university. This split narrative is interesting and gives insights into the characters. I also liked that the book has some commentary about class and what it means to believe victims of assault.

What I disliked: The book starts off strong and gets slow in the middle. It picks up in the ending but overall the ending was rather average. I also found some of the characters one-dimensional. Some people found the main character unlikeable, but I didn’t.

Overall impression: 3/5 stars it wasn’t bad but not overly good. There are some amazing thrillers out there and this is middle of the road.

This is the first book I've read by Claire McGowan and I found it a gripping read. I would give it 4.5/5 stars. It takes you back to time at University and how decisions made amid youth and alcohol and lust can stay with you forever, even when you think it's far behind you. The book moves between 1993 and present day and gradually the secrets are revealed. The ending was a real twist and left me with a strong dislike for two of the characters I hadn't given much thought to! I will definitely be looking out for other books by this author.

Ali and her husband Mike are having an anniversary party with their old university friends. They are celebrating knowing them for 25 years, staying up late drinking and reminiscing about the past. They are awoken by Karen who is Ali’s best friend crying that she was raped by Mike.

Ali is stuck between a rock and a hard place as she wants to believe her husband is innocent but why would her friend lie?

The story goes back to when all the friends met at Oxford University, leading up to the ball where a tragedy occurs and secrets are kept.

The reunion party is told from different people’s prospectives and you come to realise their friendship is woven together with lies and secrets, just like Pandora’s box being opened, once these secrets are revealed the consequence can be fatal!!

Although this book deals with the subject of rape I thought it was written in a sensitive way. The fact that Ali had worked with people who had been victims of an attack and had supported this women to testify, gave the book a different angle as Ali has to chose between supporting her husband or her best friend.

Read this practically in 1 sitting. The tension kept building throughout and I was desperate to find out who and why was Karen attacked. This had me on the edge of my seat with goosebumps.

The ending was quite unexpected and made me race back to the party to see if I had missed any clues!!

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

So good ! An excellent thriller. Keeps you on the edge of your seat right until the very end. A must read for all lovers of mystery and suspense. #buythebook

I really enjoyed this book and was surprised by the ending. It was a really easy read and hooked me from the start. I really liked all of the characters and liked the chapters set in the past. So many things happened in this book which helped to keep me interested. It was a real page turner and very well written. I felt really sorry for Karen and it was an impossible situation for Ali to be in. I developed an emotional attachment to the characters and was desperate to know what had happened. This book is the perfect read for all thriller lovers and I definitely recommend it!

A brilliant book. A real thriller that had me guessing all the way through. Fast paced and a realistic story I really enjoyed this book. I couldn’t put it down and read it in one evening.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

I couldn’t put this book down. The twists and turns kept me guessing throughout the entire book and I wavered back and forth a lot on who was responsible for the crimes. I found Ali to be a bit infuriating and Mike completely unlikeable but I still enjoyed the plot. Parts of it seemed extremely far-fetched but I don’t know a lot about the legal process in that part of the world.

It was a perfect reunion six of them together .
After twenty years Host Ali has the wonderful family with her husband Mike .
But Karen staggers in from the garden traumatised she claims to be assaulted about Mike ,
I had an ARC from Thomas Mercer

Wow what a rollercoaster read!! Starting with a reunion of 6 Uni friends after 25 years hosted by Ali and Mike, all is going well until Karen stumbles in bruised saying Mike has raped her, he is arrested and we are left to wonder right until the end what really happened that night.
Going between past and present we build a picture up of their lives, the lies, the betrayals.
I really didn't see that ending coming!!

Thank you to Net galley for kindly sending me a free kindly copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

If half stars existed then I would give this one a 3.5.

I was excited and intrigued to read this one because I recently found out that this author also writes chic lit under the name of Eva Woods and I’ve read and thoroughly enjoyed one of her books.

All in all this was a good read. It was well written, it flowed well and it kept my interest throughout. I was surprised by what happened towards the end however I did think that the ending was a bit random and rushed and that it was all a bit of a jumble and was thrown together. Overall I would definitely recommend this one.

This is a great thriller about what happens when 6 friends get together after 20 years
After a while, the friendships show cracks
This is a thriller that will keep you guessing
You will be mesmerized by this book

I enjoyed this one. It was saddening because I found myself nodding with a lot of it - unfortunately this is what life can be like for a woman, still in this day and age. It might need a trigger warning or something because I expect this book would be difficult for certain individuals to read. It felt somewhat a bit slow paced in parts, I found myself to be a bit like ‘get on with it’ but the reveals towards the end were shocking!!!

An excellent thriller, but since I didn't really care too much about the characters, I wasn't as involved in the story as I like to be.

This was such a good book. Could not put it down when I started reading it. The way the characters inter-twine with each other and work off of each other is magic. I really enjoyed this book and hope she has more soon.

This was an excellent book which starts out quite simply with a reunion of university friends from Oxford but this quickly spirals out of control with the assault and rape of one of the party. This was story telling and writing at its best as it delves deeper and deeper into those early heady days as wayward students 25 years ago. Just before reading this I read the latest book by Nicci French, The Lying Room, which starts out in a slightly similar vein but nowhere hits the highs and lows of this book, this over shadowed it by miles. Just when you thought the mystery was solved another variable appeared, on and on until you thought you knew everything there was to know about each of the close friends. Right until the last moment, new revelations that shocked and surprised appeared again and again.about those in the frame for Karen's assault and also the truth about Jodie's baby and her marriage not forgetting, the death of the haunting and beautiful Martha. Wound further into this is Mike's ultimate betrayal regarding Jake and the woes of being a teenager in today's social media challenged society where girls are badgered into having sex. . A brilliant read I highly recommend. Loved the character of Bill so much.

Holy smokes! This book had a lot of twists and turns. It did get a bit tedious and dragged at times, but WOW.
Six friends get together for a reunion of sorts. The night is filled with laughter and drinking. Several hours later, in the dead of night, Karen comes running in, screaming that she'd been raped by her friend Mike, Ali's husband. In a bit of irony, Ali volunteers at a women's shelter, advocating for women who are sexually and physically abused. Does Ali stick by her husband, or her best friend Karen?

What ensues is a twisting tale of previous misdeeds as we learn that all the characters have their secrets-including the children.

This novel was wonderfully written, delving deep into the characters lives. A definite page turner to add to your collection.

🌟🌟🌟.💫/5 rounded up to 4. I've been thinking about this rating for a few days now as I was torn...

6 University friends gather together after 25 years. A few head to bed, a few stay up and continue the party. When various reasons pull the 6 out of bed early in the morning, Ali's best friend Karen stumbles into the kitchen claiming that Ali's husband, Mike raped her. To throw an extra twist into an already complicated situation Ali is a rape and assault advocate for a non-profit. Who does she believe? What really happened that night? DRAMA.

The first half of this book was AMAZING. I was hooked. It covered some really difficult topics perfectly and I actually enjoyed how the author made the main character (Ali) unlikeable. Unfortunately as the book progressed it got a little boring and I was a little unsure of where the end was going to go. The ending was underwhelming and I think could have taken so many other/better directions.

Overall, I did appreciate the difficult topics covered- rape, sexting gone wrong, martial issues, and fertility. It showed real life, how far people can go, and how crazy they really seem, in an attempt to keep sameness and safeness in ones life. But with that said, the second half of the book I just didn't jive with... hence the 3.5.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an E Copy of this book.

Got pulled in right from the very first paragraph. This story shows that you don’t always know people, even your own spouse, as well as you think you do. Mike, Ali’s husband is accused of raping a mutual friend between them during a party in which all of their college friends are present. Now that he is sitting in a jail cell being interrogated, Ali tries to get to the bottom of exactly what happened between her friend Karen and her husband. The story takes a very serious turn almost immediately after all of this happens with another violent crime and I have to admit that completely floored me. Once the family skeletons start tumbling out of the closet it’s a fast ride from here on out! I kind of saw the revelation, the big one, coming near the middle but it was still kind of unbelievable even though I’d gotten the sense that this is what had occurred. Towards the end of the book, just when I thought I knew everything a new suspect pops up, at least in MY mind. This throws everything into a spin for me as multiple people began to appear guilty of the crime. Not to mention a previous crime which had occurred back when all the characters were in college in 1993. About 90% into the book the story shifts again and brings yet another suspect to light! I feel that the author did a really good job at casting suspicion around to the different people in Ali’s social circle. At this point I really had no idea who committed this crime now or the crime that happened back in 1993. The suspense element is definitely there because now I’m itching to know who did this. So by the end of the book I’m completely blown away by all that has transpired. All in all I felt this was a really good book, and even after the people that committed the crimes were found out there were even further surprises right at the very end of the book that completely caught me off guard. What a story! I would definitely read something else by this author.

Can't really rate this above ok,mainly as there doesn't seem to be a likeable character in the whole thing... I'm even discounting Bill for being pathetic.
A story of friends who don't really like each other it would seem... or if they Do,they have a funny way of showing it.
Fairly predictable up to the last page.
That gave it a nice twist.

This was a wonderful weekend read. I couldn't wait to get back to it whenever I had to go and do something else, and that says something about the writer. Claire McGowan knows how to keep up the suspense until the very end. The plot twists and turns as more details from the past emerge, leaving the reader wondering how the whole thing will end.
I liked the way McGowan revealed more and more about the characters and why they behaved the way they did as the story progressed, and I found that much of the story is understood in retrospect.
I look forward to reading more by Claire McGowan.
With thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC.

What You Did is an excellent thriller based around 6 old uni friends Ali and Mike,Jodi and Callum and Karen and lastly Bill,they all meet up at Karen and Mike's home one weekend but things take a nasty turn when Karen staggers in from the garden crying that Mike has just raped her.What follows is a well written thriller where once best friends become enemies and a secret that has been kept between the 6 of them for 25 years ago at uni comes tumbling out and marriages start to crumble in the whole messy process.The story is told in flashbacks to their uni days and although i found it dragged a little in the middle it still held my interest till the end which was a surprise.An excellent 4 star read.

A fantastic read that begins straight away from page 1.. The story is based upon 6 friends that met 25 years while at Oxford University and are having a reunion at Ali and Mike’s home. The characters all have distinct characters and Claire brings them all alive perfectly. An amazing thriller that kept me guessing all the way as to who was responsible for the rape, what had it to do with the murder of Martha 25 years ago and what was the motive behind everything going on. I love the character of Ali and felt very sorry for her and although she made silly decisions I could fully understand her motives. What put the icing on the cake was the twist at the end that was so unexpected.
Great book and I look forward to reading more of this type of book from Claire in the future as she has a great skill .

A group of friends get together for only the second time since they graduated from Oxford University. The last time they saw each other at university a girl was raped and murdered. This time at their 25 year reunion Karen, one of the group, is raped and strangled, although she fortunately survives. Is all as it seems? All of the group have their secrets and hold their cards close to their chest. Told mainly from the view point of Ali, the hostess of the party, but occasionally swapping to the view points of others in the story, this book moves along at a nice pace. There are various twists and turns which do not seem outside of the realm of possibility, although there are times I'd like to question Ali for her reasons for acting in a certain way. A good book. Recommended. I'll be looking to read others by McGowan.

#WhatYouDid. #NetGalley
This story pulled me in on page one as the 25th college reunion of six friends ends with a rape. The assault, described in all its brutality, occurred in the lush gardens of the hostess, Ali and her husband’s home. The victim, Karen, is one of the guests, but the truth about the event doesn’t come out until the surprise ending of the book.
The characters are all well developed. Ali is a naive woman who wants everything in her world to be beautiful and perfect. This assault doesn’t fit into her life style. And as the rape is described, in all it’s brutality, Ali’s life turns upside down. But future events and truths that are revealed makes her world get even darker! Karen, who is far from perfect, made me feel sorry for her, and for other reasons than the assault. I found that I was sympathetic towards some of the other characters, but was also repulsed by some.
The truth of that eventful night and past lies covering 25 years slowly emerge among many twists and turns in the story. I thought I had it all figured out a couple of times, but soon discovered how wrong I was.! Overall, I enjoyed the book, but felt it was a little slow at times. I still consider it a good book, well worth the read and gave it four stars. I also would recommend it to those who love mysteries with shocker endings.
Many thanks to the author, Claire McGowan, to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

I didn’t dislike this book, but there were no likable characters which made it extremely difficult to care or empathize with any of the major players in the story.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44107392

This story centres around the 25 year reunion of six college/university friends, two teenagers and a 10 year old child.

The night starts well with a meal, reminiscing about old times but as the drinks start to flow half of the party can't keep up the pace and retire to bed.

Several hours later, in the early hours, Karen comes running in, screaming that she's been attacked by Ali's husband, Mike. The irony is that Ali volunteers at a women's shelter, advocating for women who are sexually and physically abused. Who will Ali stick by, her husband, or her best friend Karen? Will she go against her own beliefs?

What ensues is a twisting tale full of secrets and lies as we learn that all the characters have been hiding things, including the children.

What really went on in the garden that night and will their lives ever be the same.

This thriller had a few twists throughout but I did guess quite early on who was to blame but I couldn't really put it together so it still kept me guessing.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book although I'm not sure that I really warmed to the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy in return for an honest review.

A big Thank you to @amazonpublishing, Thomas & Mercer, & Netgalley for sending me this e-book for my honest review! My first "ARC." :)

Tiny Synopsis: Ali Morris has her friends from her Oxford Uni days visit for the weekend to catch up after for a reunion. It seems Ali has the most charmed life with the amazing successful husband, 2 great kids, beautiful home, and a respectable job helping women in need. However it all comes crumbling down when her best friend, Karen, accuses Ali's husband Mike of the most unthinkable crime: rape. It all spirals down from there as Ali has to grapple with trusting the word of her husband or her own best friend. This also brings up other aspects of their past at Oxford and the mysterious death of their friend whilst in college.

Review: 3.5 /5

What a gripping page-turner of a book! I was going back and forth on who and what really happened at college when their friend Martha was murdered. As I kept reading, I thought I had it all figured out who did what. I was SO wrong. This book just has you guessing every chapter. My gripe is that I did not like the multiple perspectives because it made the tone of the story a bit inconsistent - from Benji (10 years old) to Ali then to Karen again then back to Ali. I felt it would have been stronger with just Ali's POV to be honest. Also, I really did not care for some of these characters and possible that the author did this purposefully to make everyone feel like a suspect. Her husband and her friend: I almost wanted to scream to Ali to leave them both as she deserved so much better than what these 2 were doing to her throughout the story. It's a fast read, entertaining, and great for mystery/crime fiction lovers like me.

I thought the book was well written, however a lot of it seemed repetitive and overdrawn. I felt like yelling at Ali at multiple points in the book. She came from an abusive home and saw her husband, Michael, as a way to move beyond this and she was completely oblivious to him and his actions. She could not see beyond her own needs, although this is something she ditched a relationship with her mom over. She is looking for someone to take care of her needs in the middle of the tragedy. I felt she came across as whiny and needy when she needed to be strong and woke. I would like to see what else this author can write, as this just did not really reach me as a reader.

Thank you Amazon and Net Galley for an early release of this book. Verrrrry consuming, I really liked it. Each chapter something else was revealed. This book drew me in from the beginning and kept me there. A very good read.

A solid, sad, psychological thriller that will hook you from the first page. A great choice for book clubs!

What You Did by Claire McGowan will keep you guessing up until the final page. This is a compelling read about a crime that threatens to tear a group of friends apart.

Ali and husband Mike are hosting a twenty-fifth reunion weekend for a small group of their friends from Oxford. But things take a very dark turn when Ali's best friend Karen accuses Mike of raping her in the garden after the rest of the group has retired for the evening. Not only is the act, and the following accusation, horrific, but secrets that have long been hidden within the group begin to come to the surface, specifically details surrounding the mysterious death of a fellow student. The group begin to question not only their friends, but also themselves in a way that they have never done before. How well do we really know those in our inner circle, and what are we willing to conceal under the guise of friendship?

This is an intriguing whodunit, and I found myself tearing through the pages to uncover the truth.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for this ARC.

An excellent thriller which centres around the reunion party of 6 old friends. One of the girls is raped at this party and this sets the scene for the story. What follows next is the aftermath of this assault. This is a well thought out story which deals with a difficult subject. Secrets and lies are uncovered which makes it a compelling read. The chapters are short which makes it easy to dip in and out of. All in all a a highly enjoyable read.

Thank you to the author, publishers and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What You Did by Claire McGowan is a thriller, and my first book by this author. Wow this book has more twists and turns, which kept me reading. It has some really messed up parts, but isn't that usually part of a thriller. I will be reading more books by this author. I recommend this book for people who enjoyed thrillers and are not put off by rape and domestic abuse.

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you.

Absolutely incredible best book I have read this year it had me gripped from start to finish it makes you questions all the answers you would have in those circumstances it makes u question ur own beliefs I could relate to each character and I was interested in all of these sides to the story the ending is fantastic and it’s not what you expect at all

Four stars for What You Did by Claire McGowan. I expected this to be a middle-of-the-road, forgettable thriller. I was extremely surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. It was a page turner that I flew through in about a day.

Ali’s picture perfect life in suburbia is shattered when her college friends come to visit for a 25th reunion party. Before the end of the night, her best friend has been raped and her husband stands accused. Ali’s loyalties are divided between her family and the truth.

McGowan makes a very smart decision in having Ali be the victim of past domestic abuse and a volunteer at a battered women’s shelter - it allows Ali to grapple with feelings from all points of view - how should she feel and how does she feel; how should she react and how does she react; who should she believe and who does she believe. It’s all very compelling while under woven with some underlying mystery and a few (sometimes outlandish) twists and turns.

Ali has the perfect life. A beautiful new house, a great career, and a happy marriage to her college sweetheart. She reflects on her perfect life as she prepares to host a reunion for four other college friends. But what starts off as a happy reunion turns into Ali's worst nightmare. She wakes up the next morning to her best friend accusing of being raped. Not only was she raped at Ali's house, her friend accuses Ali's husband of the horrific crime, which forces Ali to choose between her best friend and her husband.

What You Did forces Ali to take a closer look at herself and the relationships with those closest to her. This involves her reliving her university days, seeing them outside of her rose-colored glasses. Claire McGowan seamlessly transitioned between present and past and truly brought the characters to life. No detail was left overlooked, and it really made me think how I would react if I were Ali. A must read!

I enjoyed this book, but I wouldn't say that I loved it. It was definitely a page turner, every time I turned around I was like "can I read?!" But on the other hand, the characters were frustrating to relate to, and enjoy. While I don't necessarily need to love every character I'm introduced to, I actually feel annoyed by these.

*RANT ALERT*

During the story, one of the characters tells Ali, the lead character, that shes a f*cking idiot, they got that spot on!

All the way through I just wanted to shout out the same.

I truly tried to empathise with the characters and be open minded as I felt it had real potential but this was a real rough struggle to get through.

Dont get me wrong, it hits on some real tough hard hitting subjects with rape, deceit and delusions but OMG do the characters really have to act so damn stupid all the time.

A big fat no from me...

As with my previous review where I suggested that going on holiday with your closest friends and their families might possibly not be the best idea, similarly here, a reunion weekend with your besties from college, with all your family et al in tow – over 20 years on – is probably not going to work out to be the jolly get together you were expecting.

So we have 6 friends, 2 of which are married couples (Ali and Mike; Jodi and Callum), the other 2 still single (Karen – who’s remained Jodi’s close friend – and Bill), together with a combination of 2 complicated teenagers and 1 younger child. It really is a recipe for disaster. They’re having a reunion at the home of Ali and Mike who finally seem to have reached the pinnacle of success with a beautiful home and enviable positions in their community. But right from the start I had the feeling that something was a bit ‘off’. Why was Ali so very over-anxious for everything to look so perfect and in-place? If these were such old, dear friends would they care what room she put them in, or if a napkin was the wrong colour?

Things start to go wrong almost immediately when Mike mixes the rooms up, and Karen’s surly son (father unknown, never disclosed) wants to sleep in his tent in the garden!). And it goes downhill from there with the adults degenerating to a level around about that of the average college student. Imbibing as much alcohol as they can possibly manage … and then some, and then moving on to narcotics. As one does when your children are hanging around somewhere in the vicinity, liable to be watching, recording every move in order to bribe you with it at some later stage. But I digress – this doesn’t move in that direction!

At some point before the drugs come out, Ali and Jodi decide to call it a night. But then, a while later, while everyone is in a bit of a stupour, not knowing where they are or what time it is, there is screaming and Karen comes stumbling inside claiming she’s been raped … by Mike, Ali’s husband. If Ali thought that incorrect room assignments were the worst of her problems, she’s about to be mistaken!

The author then proceeds to lead her readers on a rather clever, merry dance into the past as we see how the relationships between these 6 ‘friends’ actually started and evolved into what exists today. Between groups of people, especially when men and women are involved, the balance is never equal. There’s always someone who’s weaker and someone else who holds the power – who these people are might differ over time as circumstances change, but it all boils down to who needs something from the others. It’s intriguing to delve into this tangled web and discover where the power lies.

An absorbing 4 star read!

“I didn’t know what to say, and so I left, feeling deeply ashamed of the person I’d become. Or maybe it was even worse than that. Maybe I’d been like this all along.”

What You Did has a familiar sounding premise... a group of old friends reunited, a shocking event happens, flashbacks to
a university ball twenty-five years earlier where something else terrible happened (has there ever been a fictional university ball where something terrible didn’t happen?). I feel like I’ve read several books where the plot sounds very similar to that; however, What You Did feels a bit different and is very well executed.

Karen stumbles in from the garden of her old friend Ali’s house, distraught and traumatised. She’s been raped - and the man she accuses is Ali’s husband. And right there, everything changes for everybody.

This plot line could go badly wrong in the wrong hands, but I feel it’s sensitively and responsibly handled. Ali’s confusion and grief are utterly believable - she knows Karen, she knows women rarely lie about rape, but she also knows her husband - who can she believe? Trying to make sense of what’s happened and find an explanation she can live with, Ali finds herself thinking and acting in ways she can’t quite believe.

Although we see the story mainly from Ali’s viewpoint, the lasting, devastating effect on Karen isn’t downplayed either. Then there are the other, secondary victims - Karen’s teenage son, Ali’s son and daughter, who are affected in different ways.

Where does the truth lie?

An excellent and thought-provoking read which I’m not convinced even necessarily needed the historic-terrible-thing-at-university-ball plot thread in order to work - but it doesn’t do any harm to have it there, either. Recommended.

It was suppose to be so much fun. A reunion weekend for 6 university best friends, but when Karen stumbles into the house bleeding and claiming to have been viciously attacked by Ali’s husband Mike all hell breaks loose. Everyone seems to have different accounts of what happened. Who should Ali believe, because someone is lying, but who?
Although I found this book a touch confusing at the beginning because a lot of characters were introduced very quickly I found it very entertaining. The chapters weren’t too long and everything was wrapped up nicely and I wasn’t able to fully figure out the whodunit before the end. Definitely worth checking out!

The premise of this novel was promising enough that I gave it a try. It started off as promised, a reunion 20 years after graduating from Oxford amongst six friends. One was assaulted by the end of the night, with the shadow of a dark secret that happened on graduation night 20 years ago hanging over them, who dunnit? The story was told mainly from the point of view of Ali, the wife of the alleged perpetrator and then intertwined with all the other players as the story slowly unfolds. This means, besides Ali, all the other characters did not really have a chance to develop or their sides of the story told properly. But despite having the main focus, Ali felt two dimensional and the reasons given why she did what she did just felt unbelievable and bland. The big reveal was quite predictable and the ending was hasty.
Was What You Did as good as it's hyped up to be? Not really. Was it really bad? It's not so bad that I want to put it in the DNF pile.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For some reason I find books that are in part about fractured friendship groups being brought back together really fascinating. What You Did is based around a pretty horrifying situation. We mainly follow Ali, whose best friend accuses Ali’s husband of raping her. It is an unthinkable thing to consider and the ramifications of this accusation shape the rest of the book.

There is a lot going on in this book. The relationships between all these characters are convoluted and more complex than they first appear. The reader also gets to hear different points of view which further dirties the water and calls into question just what is going on. I think What You Did started off pretty well and had me intrigued rather quickly. I also think it brings up the crucially important issue of acquaintance rape which is not something often spoken about, and awareness is always a good thing.

However, despite it’s promising start and compelling premise, What You Did kind of fizzled out for me. To be honest, the vast majority of the characters are very difficult to like or really empathise with in any way. That is not necessarily a problem, I’ve enjoyed plenty of books with unlikeable characters but in this case it just didn’t work for me. The story took some odd twists and turns which also didn’t totally come off.

Despite not loving certain aspects I have to admit I did still found What You Did very readable. It’s a bit of a hit or miss in my opinion. There were some interesting plot points which hooked me in but there was too much that didn’t quite work for me to really love it.

The most intense start to a book! From the opening chapter, I was hooked and just couldn't wait to unravel the truth. Ali has to decide between her best friend and her husband, and I found myself questioning what I would do if I was in the same situation. I found Ali to be quite likeable and I really felt for her at times, I think all of the characters were well developed and despite there been several people the story centered around, it was never confusing. I like that this jumped from past to present as it meant we could get a clear picture of Mike and Ali's past and friendship with the group. What You Did is full of lies, deceit and betrayal, and I loved it. My kind of thriller

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview this ARC of What You Did by Claire McGowan.

Ali is thrilled to have some of her best and longest friends all under the same roof again. But everything crashes to a terrible halt when her best friend accuses her husband of rape. Being an advocate of battered and assaulted women, Ali is confronted with the tug of wanting to defend her husband, while also believing her friend, who is also a clear victim.

Despite how difficult the subject matter is, I really appreciate books like this. They shine a lot of important topics and on the fact that NOTHING is ever cut and dry. Even though the ending was a bit underwhelming, I thought this book was very well done, and would be fantastic for a book club.

Ali, a female rights activist, and her husband, Mike, established solicitor, invite close friends Bill, Karen, Jodi and Callum from their university days to a 25 year get together at their London home. After a night of reminiscing and much drinking of alcohol Ali and pregnant Jodi retire to bed leaving Karen, Mike and Callum to carry on their evening. Hours later Karen crashes into the kitchen after been violently attacked and declares that Mike has raped her. Mike denied any wrong doing. Who do you believe your best friend or your husband.

As the story unfolds you realise none of these people are nice and all have their own secrets and agendas. Well worth a read!

Many thanks to the publishers and netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I think this may be my favourite read this year. It was gripping and fast-moving, with sympathy being given to a multitude of contrasting characters. I would highly recommend this book.

Suspense, This story grabbed me from the beginning and kept me on the edge of my seat through some crazy twists and turns. When a group of middle aged college friends and their families get together for a casual reunion there's conversation , reminiscing and laughter and too much alcohol. Things get crazy when one of the women accuses another friend of raping her at the party. The accused is Mike. But his wife Ali is best friends with the accuser. The story is told told through Alliso'spoint of view. As the story unfolds I learned more about Ali'- and Mike and their university days. And the death of a student both Mike and Allison knew when they were students. Facts about each character are slowly revealed as the story is told blending the present with past. Everyone has a secret, and they are destructive. Eventually, the past and present implode into a shocking conclusion. Great characters and an excellent suspense plot. This story grabbed me from the beginning and kept me on the edge of my seat through some crazy twists and turns. When a group of middle aged college friends and their families get together for a casual reunion there's conversation , reminiscing and laughter and too much alcohol. Things get crazy when one of the women accuses another friend of raping her at the party. The accused is Mike. But his wife Ali is best friends with the accuser. The story is told told through Alliso'spoint of view. As the story unfolds I learned more about Ali'- and Mike and their university days. And the death of a student both Mike and Allison knew when they were students. Facts about each character are slowly revealed as the story is told blending the present with past. Everyone has a secret, and they are destructive. Eventually, the past and present implode into a shocking conclusion. Great characters and an excellent suspense plot. This story grabbed me from the beginning and kept me on the edge of my seat through some crazy twists and turns. When a group of middle aged college friends and their families get together for a casual reunion there's conversation , reminiscing and laughter and too much alcohol. Things get crazy when one of the women accuses another friend of raping her at the party. The accused is Mike. But his wife Ali is best friends with the accuser. The story is told told through Alliso'spoint of view. As the story unfolds I learned more about Ali'- and Mike and their university days. And the death of a student both Mike and Allison knew when they were students. Facts about each character are slowly revealed as the story is told blending the present with past. Everyone

I thought I had read a book by McGowan previously but I don't recognise any of the other titles nor the writing style so I think I must be mistaken. What I do know is that I will absolutely read another book by this author.

Set in upper-middle class suburbia the characters in this book are old uni chums who all seem to have their own lives apart from each other. Until there is a shocking betrayal that rips apart the lives of most of the characters who appear in this book. From a victim misbelieved because of their lifestyle choice to another whose perfect life is falling apart to another who has sat on the periphery and is so close to getting everything they have ever wanted. Everyone has their secrets that are unravelled by one fateful night.

I really enjoyed this book. It was clever without being hard work. As with most psychological thrillers the truth is not what it first appears to be, in fact there are multiple truths uncovered as the story unfolds, some of which are life ruining and others life changing. 

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an advance reading copy. I would rate this book 8/10.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview What you Did by Claire McGowan.
This is a dramatic book, and it felt like a "movie of the week" quite frankly.
The scenerio - a reunion - an assault - an accusation - Devistation!
Good book and will keep the reader engaged to find out what happened. The characters are difficult to like, but that's real life isn't it!
3.5 stars.

WOW - such an incredible tale of the aftermath of a drunken party. Six college friends, now in their 40s get together for a weekend at Mike and Ali's house, when one of the very drunk guests is raped in the garden. Throughout the book the reader is made aware of the death of a women back in college days, and of the mystery that surrounded her passing. This story loops around both events. I was spellbound throughout my reading and was surprised by the very satisfying ending.

I recommend this book to all who love a good mystery!

My thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for a copy of “What you did “ by Claire McGowan.

I found this a decent enough read and it kept me guessing to the end . Unfortunately I didn’t much care for any of the characters, and I was right with how I thought the book would finish.
Not a bad read but a pretty run of the mill thriller, so I’ve given an average score of 3 stars

Phenomenal read! Fast paced,, ripped from the headlines feel. The pages fly by as you are gripped in the drama unfolding for this circle of friends. The twists and turns keep you wondering until the very end!

This is a book full of twisted secrets and surprises. Nothing is as it seems.

Ali thought she had a great marriage and great friends. But at a college reunion she hosts at her home, her best friend accuses her husband of rape. Ali, who volunteers at a women's shelter, knows that women rarely make false claims of rape, yet she also can't believe that her husband would do such a thing. Soon, decades-long secrets are exposed, a traumatic event from the past comes back into the forefront, and everything has changed.

Ali is a complex, interesting character. I can't imagine what I would think if I was in a similar situation, and I understood her desire to believe both her husband and her best friend.

The characters all have weaknesses and strengths. None of them are one-dimensional. I didn't expect most of the twists (in fact I thought I saw a few coming, but they were red herrings). I found this to be an engrossing story that gripped me from the first few pages. I definitely recommend it.

What an amazing read!

There is something so appealing about books that feature friendship, especially of the long established kind and so Claire McGowan was already onto a winner with this one featuring six friends born out of the time they had spent at Oxford. One of them, Ali, decides to throw a party and the six turn up but then the party atmosphere turns much, much darker with an accusation made that will change their perception of everything forever.

I loved this book being instantly drawn into the tale. The characters are well-drawn in shades of grey with the circle of six increased by their offspring who include an eighteen year old and a fifteen year old. Each character was realistic in thoughts and deeds. The premise was great and the writer certainly excelled in execution.

What You Did is definitely up there among my favourite reads of 2019.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of What You Did by Claire McGowan. This thriller kept me guessing, although I did have my suspicions. I just couldn't reconcile the scene with my suspicions, but then it all came together in the end. The last line was particularly chilling!

Six friends attended Oxford together, and 25 years later, they have a mini-reunion. Alison and Mike, Jodi and Callum, Karen, and Bill. Two couples are married, Karen, Alison's best friend, is unmarried and flirty. Alison works on the board of a refuge for women attacked by men. Alison and Mike are married, but Ali has always wondered what would have happened if she had gotten together with Bill and not stood up for Mike all those years earlier. Jodi and Callum are expecting their first child at age 43.

The friends gather at Ali and Mike's home and proceed to get drunk and some even get high. Ali is awakened at 3 am, and is stunned when her best friend, Karen, comes in the house screaming that she was raped. Ali's life is turned upside down when secrets about all of the friendships come to light.

I was interested in finding out who raped Karen, and was shocked to read of all the indiscretions and hurt the friends caused each other over the years. I thought the author did a nice job keeping the reader guessing and tied it up nicely at the end, with a surprising chill to the bones about what some people will do to cover for others to get what they want.

#WhatYouDid #ClaireMcGowan #NetGalley

What a good read. Who would you trust your loving husband or your best friend? It’s a book of who done it. It was full of twists, turns, mystery and suspense and I really enjoyed it. Would recommend to all of my psychological thriller lovers out there. Thanks NetGalley.

"You don't always remember things right."

A group of 6 friends from Oxford are having a reunion to celebrate 25 years of friendship. Ali Morris and Mike Morris with their two kids, Cassie and Benji, host the reunion. On the day, Ali gets a call from her feminist charity she is a member off, and leaves home to attend the issue, after Karen, her best friend, arrives home with her son, Jake. When Ali returns home, Jodi, pregnant, with her husband, Calum arrives. Soon, the last one of them, Bill shows up on his motorcycle. The part begins and they reminisce the good old times. Soon, everyone starts to get drunk and high as Ali, Jodi and children go to bed. Soon, Ali is awakened by screams. Karen, bruised and bleeding, accuses Mike of raping her while Jodi witnesses it. Calum is slumped on the couch and Mike, on the swing set. Bill joins them in the room as the children wake up, and calls the police. In a single night, her family's life turns upside down and the plot moves on.

The book turned out to be slow-paced. And the character's seemed really frustrating. The situation is really tense, I agree, but for middle-aged buddies, they were quite immature. Ali being a feminist and the kind who is very well-known in media, couldn't smell the fish under her nose and I smelt that fish in Chapter 1 and I am only a couple of years older than her daughter who also questioned her about why she couldn't figure it out. I don't know whether to worship her for her faith and trust or just scream it at her face that she is a fuckin' idiot. Mike seemed like a good character and even Jodi turned out to be the only character who acted like an adult and wow, she is truly something! Calum, don't even get me started. Bill is quite a soul but no, he let me down. Jake, Cassie and Benji also turned out to be good characters. The point is, everyone seemed good except those who matter. Throughout the book, I was on the verge to drop it and just not give the feedback. The only thing which kept me going was the fact I cannot have a half-read book on my conscience and it seemed far better to finish it now. It turned out to be a conflicting read but not a bit surprising. This book turned out to be total let down with it's predictable, slow-paced and did not live up to the hype.

You see, I am huge of The Fall. I really like Claire McGowan and I am pretty excited to read The Other Wife but this book just wasn't it. It didn't feel like it is by Claire. One of the positive things I have to say about this book is that I enjoyed reading the last chapter and epilogue, not because the book finally came to end (okay, maybe, a little) or because I felt something was missing but because, it had a hint of essence of Claire's work.

Recommended: It wasn't for me, maybe it is for you. I see that some found it to be a delightful read. Maybe, you would too.

Thank you Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for providing me with a review copy for honest feedback.

I love this author and this newest novel did not disappoint! I kept catching myself holding my breath as I was reading. It was quite the thriller that clearly kept me on the edge of my seat! Can't wait to see what else this author comes out with.

This year has been a great year for good mystery, suspense and thriller books! Just about every single book I’ve picked up has been a winner! I love that. This book is one of the good ones.

I really liked this book. I see there are a lot of mixed reviews on this one, but I thought the story was well written and suspenseful. Original storyline, with characters that were unlikable always make it more interesting. Everyone had secrets and no one was who you thought they were. So many secrets...
From the very beginning of this book I was hooked. It started off so dramatic with the assault on Karen during a weekend get together of long time college friends. You thought you knew who did the assault, but weren’t so sure as the story and characters unfolded. So many different secrets and twists are slowly revealed. And that ending just threw me completely! I certainly didn’t see that ending coming.
I requested this book from NetGalley and received it as a ARC. Not realizing I already had the book I picked it as my Amazon first reads with my Amazon prime membership. Ugh, I hate that when that happens. I liked the book so much I purchased the Audible version, so when I couldn’t read I could listen, and the narrators did a great job reading this story. I highly recommend this book or audible book to anyone who enjoys a good suspense/mystery. This is the first book I’ve read by Claire McGowen and I know I want to read more from this author.
A special thank you to the Amazon Publishing UK via NetGalley for the advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

Excellent tale of deceit and murder. When Ali has a reunion of her 6 closest college friends, the night will change their lives forever. Ali and Karen have been best friends as long as anyone can remember, but when Karen stumbles into Ali’s kitchen terrified and claiming she had been raped by Ali’s husband, their friendship is more than tested. Throw into the mix an unsolved murder from their college days and everyone is suspicious. Ali is torn between believing her best friend or believing her husband. As Ali digs deeper into the facts she realizes she can’t trust either of them. Well written, edge of your seat page turner with a surprising ending.

I thought this book started really well and was enjoying it even though I felt very little empathy with any of the characters. They were all shallow and self centred with the exception of Bill who seemed to be the only one with any sense of decency. I wasn't really surprised by the reveal although there had been a red herring or two along the way!

Ali is hosting a school reunion with friends. That night her best friend Karen makes a shocking accusation, that she has been raped by Ali's husband Mike. Mike denies any wrong doing. To further complicate things Ali is chair of the local womens refuge. Who does Ali believe..........
This is my first book by Claire McGowan, and I really enjoyed it. I was really left guessing until the end. The book is well written with great pace.
Thank you to netgalley, Claire McGowan and Thomas and Mercer for the advance copy if this book in exchange for an honest review. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review of the book.

This was a real page-turner for me. As the novel opens, we find a cast of mostly unlikable yet very human characters who are faced with a crisis in their otherwise (seemingly) ideal lives: at a 20-year reunion at the protagonist's beautiful new home, her best friend says she was raped--by the protagonist's husband. As one thing leads to another, secrets are exposed, life-long friendships are questioned, and things generally go to hell in a hand-basket.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and found it to be well-done. I do have two criticisms, though. The first has nothing to do with the book but with the cover art: it's awful! When I first glanced at this (admittedly, on a small screen), it looked like either a semi-wrecked airplane or--worse--some odd shaped sanitary pad.

The other criticism is more subtle and hard to define. I think there's a statement being made here about men and women and the cruelties both sexes are capable of. There are quite a few mentions of feminism at the beginning of this book, mostly mischaracterizations by people who are opposed to or critical of the protagonist's work with sexual assault and domestic violence survivors. I get it on one level: many people are opposed to the big F word because they seem to not understand what true feminist ideology is. Maybe that's what the author is trying to point out. Yet there was a constant niggling for me, something that felt off. While I know many people have been convinced feminists are something they aren't, did it seem at times like their criticisms were actually legitimate in this book? Why did everyone simply conflate all of feminism with people who work with rape and domestic violence? And are we so backward (in the US or UK) that we allow those notions to persist? I just don't know what the author's intent was here or if it came out clearly by the end. Ultimately, we discover the violence and cruelty some men are capable of, but that always seems juxtaposed at each turn with the deception women are, too, capable of. Is the author trying to show that the fraught terrain of patriarchal society makes women into these self-serving creatures? Or, is there some kind of equity being suggested between women's schemes of entrapment and callousness and men's ability to exploit, rape, beat, and even kill women?

I didn't mean this review to turn into the meanderings above; however, I find myself still trying to tease out these strains and figure out whether or not I'm just thinking too much about all this. Aside from this personal conundrum, I emphasize that this is a strong effort and a book I enjoyed reading.

After twenty years, six university friends have a reunion. They met at Ali's house where shocking events mar the event forever. Karen accuses Mike of assaulting her and Ali has to decide if her best friend or her husband is lying. The book switches timelines from the present back to 1993 where darker memories from the university days are brought to mind. Would someone be willing to kill in order to protect those memories?
I found this book unputdownable as the plot moved quickly and kept me guessing until the very shocking ending. McGowan is an excellent writer and her characters are well-drawn. I have read most of her Paula Maguire series except for The Killing House and have enjoyed that series immensely. I look forward to reading the rest of her novels and I would highly recommend this book to those who love psychological thrillers. I would like to thank NetGalley and Amazon Publishers UK for a copy of this book for an honest review.

Wow! What a ride this took me on. Will definitely be buying a finished copy for my shelves. 4 stars.

I had a hard time following this book, seems to be a great story line but it was just hard to follow

3.5 stars - This was a solid suspenseful domestic thriller. It definitely kept me guessing until the end. The characters were interesting although I found Ali a little too naïve to be believable. And I would have liked to know more about the relationship between Cassie and Jake. I felt like the side story of Cassie and her boyfriend, Aaron was not really necessary to the plot. But overall I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a quick and fast paced read.

I'm a huge fan of mystery-thrillers and after seeing so many five star reviews of this one I just needed to read it myself. I'm really glad I got the arc, because it was as good as everyone says it was. I couldn't put it down.

An interesting domestic thriller with a few surprises. The story revolves around a group of college friends that reunite after 20 years and a devastating event occurs that causes accusations to fly.

It took me several weeks to complete this book. I enjoyed it but I struggled to pick it up after putting it down. It didn't have the "thrilling" aspect that I enjoy. There really wasn't anything special about the story that made it stand out from the many other books in the domestic suspense category.

Overall, an okay book but nothing memorable or special.

The prologue opens with a woman coming round after being brutally assaulted in the garden of a house. We are then drawn into this book as in the first chapter we learn that she is staying in a house with friends and it is obvious that it is one of them who has raped her. Twenty years on from university the six friends and their families decide to celebrate by having a reunion at the luxury home of Ali. She organised the reunion and is a volunteer at a women’s refuge and is married to Mike, has two children and a very comfortable lifestyle. Karen is a single mum struggling to make ends meet and she arrives with her 18 year old son Jake. Callum and Jodi arrive, the6 are married and Jodi is pregnant after years of trying for a baby. The sixth member of the group is Bill, who has just returned from Sweden and has recently split up from his partner. The group reminisce their university days and have been drinking heavily when Karen staggers into the kitchen with her rape allegation. As the story progresses we are taken back to events that happened in their university days and all the secrets and lies that have laid dormant for twenty years, indiscretions and crimes also are revealed. This was a brilliantly well written psychological thriller, with a dark and disturbing storyline which has me hooked from the beginning. A highly recommended read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Six university friends meet for a reunion with tragic consequences. Someone seems to be lying but who??
Lots of truths are exposed during the investigation, many are hurtful and damaging. But the truth must out regardless of personal ties.
This was a riveting and interesting read. Lots of red herrings. There's a sensational twist at the end, I didn't see it coming. An excellent read.

I must thank NetGalley for an ARC of the book to read in return for an unbiased and truthful review.

I really enjoyed this book it was full of suspense & twists with s few red herrings & kept me guessing. I’d recommend this to anyone.

I really loved this book! In general, I love books that we have reunions of old friends and then we piece together the different layers of what happened then verses now. This book had those elements, added drama, and a LOT of thrills. I highly recommend this book.

The premise for WHAT YOU DID had the potential to be a great read.
Your best friend since college has accused your husband of rape, who can you trust? which side of the story do you believe?

This story covers a range of sensitive issues such as rape and domestic abuse. Which in my opinion isn't executed that well, majority of the characters and the decisions they made were pretty annoying and made me roll my eyes.

Besides all that I didn't hate the book, it was a pretty average book and was easy to get through.

This book is chock full of enablers and sociopaths and if that isn’t the kind of book you can just fly through... well we can’t be friends.

The relationships explored in this book is an interesting dive into dysfunctional group Will definitely read more Claire McGowan!

I feel like this book started really well but then started to dwindle and got very disjointed. The ending was was very lacklustre and I feel a lot was left out.

This was a very engaging and suspenseful novel! It had many twists and turns along the way! I really enjoy this author’s style of writing!

A decent story with some great twists and turns to keep you zooming through the pages. In a genre that’s been well written there are better novels, but this was good for compulsive readers.

A good thriller with some twists, enjoyed reading this.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

A group of friends from Oxford gather for a weekend reunion after 25 years and on the boozy first evening, one of them is raped and accuses the husband of another. What ensues is an unraveling of relationships, and exposition of old secrets and--most dramatically--the revival of the mystery of the murder of one of their old classmates all those years ago on their last night at university.

Well-written, tightly-plotted and entertaining. This was my commute audiobook, and it kept me engaged, and made me curious about this author's other work, which I have some of and now plan to read soon. Didn't commit any of the cardinal sins of mystery-suspense no heavyhanded dialogue that is all plot exposition, and no clumsy foreshadowing. And the characters were interesting, with the 'working-class-kid-breaks-into-well-heeled-clique' trope thrown in to fuel and explain some of the characters' decisions. A good, light read.

I was unable to read and review the book by the publishing date due to other commitments. I will update the review immediately upon completion of the book. Thank you NetGalley and publisher.

A tight group of college friends reunite twenty five years post grad. What could go wrong? What You Did, by Claire McGowen is a very cleverly crafted tale of secrets, lies, and deceit, fraught with anger, accusations, murder, and heartbreak. Sounds fun, right? Actually, it is truly an intriguing and enjoyable read.' I enjoyed it very much and give it my highest recommendation,

This was a good story that kept me guessing until the end. Only a few small things that bothered me which is why I deducted a star. Would recommend!

*I received an e-arc of this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review. Thanks Netgalley!

The book had some good moments, but overall, it really wasn't a good match for me. It seemed like some cliche drama that involved physical danger and twists. I think it was well written but just not fit for me. I am sure other people would enjoy this book.

I was at a 3-star rating for this book until the author managed to surprise me twice near the end. That’s something that doesn’t happen often, so I’ve bumped the rating to 4 stars out of appreciation.

The basic plot of What You Did centers around a group of six friends who get together for their 25th graduation anniversary. During the drunken night of celebrating, one of the women is sexually assaulted. What ensues is a mess of she said-he said drama that threatens to ruin everyone’s friendships — and lives.

The worst thing about this book is that a woman who worked with abused women refused to believe that her best friend had been raped. On the one hand, this did show the reality of how hard it would be to accept that your spouse had done something like that. But it also felt really unlikely that she’d toss out everything she believed in so quickly.

The book doesn’t get too graphic in its depictions of the assault, but it’s a constant part of the story. So, this is probably one to skip if this topic is a trigger.

I saw many of the twists coming a mile away, but I didn’t guess the final two reveals.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. But what if you can’t tell which is which? What if you don’t know who you can trust?
It’s the 25th anniversary reunion for the group of 6 that created a bond while in university, a bond that is still strong today. But is it?
Mike and Ali seem to have it all. They’ve been together since university and have the perfect marriage. Two kids. A beautiful house. And money. Ali feels like she has it all and is content being an activist for rape victims. She has the life she has always wanted and naively believes that nothing could shatter that.
With Mike and Ali hosting the weekend reunion, soon arrives Karen, Bill, and married and a couple soon to have a baby, Jodi and her husband.
But the exciting and anticipated reunion would not end well as one guest in a drunken stupor, bloody and hysterical, runs in with a claim of rape. By Ali’s husband. But that can’t be. It couldn’t possibly be true. But who is lying? Her husband or her best friend?
As the mystery unravels there are many more surprises and twists to come. Can you really trust your friends? Are your friends who they pretend to be?
I read some negative reviews for this book and I am quite surprised as I really liked this book. I hadn’t read any by this author before, but I liked it so much that I downloaded more by her. People have stated that the characters were not likeable and they couldn’t connect with them. Sometimes for me that makes a difference but in this book, I did dislike pretty much every one of the six with one exception. Although I would not want any of them as friends, it didn’t take anything away from my enjoyment of the book and without the characters as they are, it would be a totally different story.
While most of the story centres around the reunion and it’s outcome, the story of their college years is mixed in along with some teenage angst. Ali, being a crisis and rape victim activist has some very set beliefs in rape that are challenged when her husband is the one accused of rape.
I went through a bit of a reading slump for a couple of months prior to reading this, but this novel whipped me back into my love of reading. It is entertaining, gripping and full of twists and turns you don’t suspect.
4 1/2 stars for me! And my next read will be “The Other Wife”
Thanks to net galley and the publisher for allowing me the privilege of reading “What You Did” by giving me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The synopsis of this book sounded so interesting to me and I knew I had to read it. After finishing this book, which took me awhile because I had no connection to the story or the characters, I can say that I just did not like it. The beginning of the book was easy to follow. I wanted to put it down and not finish it, but I try not to DNF books. I just could not get into the whole story and the characters were blah. I wouldn't recommend this book if you are looking for a good mystery.

Meet Ali & Mike, college sweethearts that seem to have it all...the million-dollar home, a boy & girl, genuine love for one another and while her husband is a prestigious lawyer Ali works to make female empowerment more prevalent in today’s world. She is a hardcore feminist who believes that women need to be heard, especially in cases of domestic violence and sexual misconduct.

Enter their 4 best friends from university: a second couple Jodi & Callum ...both married and pregnant and then the two single outcasts of the group, Karen and Bill, that have been pushed together more than a few times but just don’t feel that way about each other. Karen’s son also tags along, Jake, who is supposedly best friends with Ali’s daughter Cassie, but their bond to one another seems a bit TOO close for comfort.

While Ali furiously and meticulously preps her home, her meal and her kids for the BEST possible reunion experience after many, many years of missing her friends... what could possibly go wrong? In this case, everything.

After a night of hardcore drinking and dabbling with drugs the unexplainable happens leaving the entire house shook. Karen runs into the house screaming, a trickle of blood down her leg, grass and dirt stained from head to toe claiming that Mike raped her. With Callum passed out on the couch, Mike unconscious on the backyard swing set, Bill and Ali both awakened from bed and Jodi in the kitchen pregnant and confused— no one has a clue what REALLY happened.

Just how drunk were these house guests ? What did Ali & Mike’s daughter hear outside and who did their son see lurking in the shadows out his bedroom window? Exactly where was Jake at the time his mother was attacked?

The fact is... some of these people KNOW what happened, but are they brave enough to tell? Ali faced with the battle between believing her best friend or her husband, you’ll be surprised which side she chooses.

With one person fighting for their life, one in prison, one confronting a past that has been buried for far too long, and another so scared they can’t sleep at night... you won’t soon forget the outcome of this story!

Told in multi-perspectives...you will see how secrets begin to shatter the life that every single one of them has built to date. “I couldn’t believe the way everyone had kept secrets from me all these years...Although, of course, I’d kept secrets of my own as well.”

4 well- deserved mind boggling stars ⭐️

The reason that this book did not get a five star from me was because I felt that the story line and pacing was a bit too slow. At times it was repetitive and could have been cut down some. This took me much longer to read than a normal thriller would.

Spoiler—Do NOT read ahead—

I don’t believe that the current ( not past) romance between Ali & Bill was necessary, nor did it add anything of value to the plot.

I also find it hard to believe that a main character so in tune with her inner feminist could be so naive at her husband’s indiscretions.

This was my first Claire McGowan novel but it won’t be the last! I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc.

I wanted to love this. I really loved the idea of it. But there was too much going on., almost like the writer got paid extra for all the added drama. It seemed like random things were just thrown into the story for no reason. The writing was good, but the story line jumped around, I couldn't' follow what was happening, and the characters were all terrible people.

I finished it, by bribing myself. If i read this whole one I could start my favorite authors new book.

I could not put down What You Did by Claire McGowan. The story begins with 6 college friends who reunite 25 years after graduating. Within a short time, though, one of them is raped, and one is accused. That act sets off a series of revelations spanning their 25 year relationships. There were some great, intricate twists in this story. But ultimately I rated it 3 stars because a lot of the revelations I saw coming from a mile away! The main character, Ali, was just either really stupid, or so self-centered that it just took the story down a little, for me. Overall, this was just a good story, not great. It reminded me somewhat of The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty. I would read more stories by Ms, McGowan, she has potential.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-copy in exchange for a review. #netgalley #whatyoudid

Just loved this book. the characters sucked you right in and took you on the ride of your life. I will be looking for other books by this author. A definite read for anyone loves suspense

With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the Arc, which I have enjoyed reading.
This is the first book I have read by Claire McGowan and it was an absolutely fascinating and enjoyable read. It had everything you want in a psychological thriller, pace, suspense, a past history, sexual assault, rape, teenage angst and enough twists and turns to keep any reader happy.
The six main characters met at Oxford University and have a reunion many years later. Two couples are still together and two are single. The events of that evening’s reunion has repercussions for all of them.
Highly recommended.

What do you do when you have to choose between your husband and your best friend? Who do you believe? This is Ali’s dilemma when something unspeakable happens at the reunion of old university friends held at her house. I loved this book despite the fact most of the characters were despicable, self serving drips - the sort you’d love to shake! Two time lines and several points of view. There were one or two surprises along the way. Wouldn’t really describe this as a thriller but more of a domestic drama.

The plot was easy to follow, although quite obvious. I really feel like there was so much more that could have been done with the story line and the full book felt quite rushed.
I disliked the characters, Alison, the main character, was judgmental and pretentious. When it stated what brands she was wearing, we really didn’t need prices thrown in as well. Alison’s job as a woman’s activist and her husbands rape allegation could have been a really interesting main part of the storyline, but it was kind of just thrown to the side and made her sound completely incompetent at her job.
All of the friends were awful and really unbelievable that they were supposed to have known each other for 25 years.

This book is loaded with sensitive issues so please do your homework before picking it up.

For me this was not my favorite read. The premise for What You Did sounded interesting, the execution was not. Billed as a psychological thriller What You Did felt like neither. The book started great, a party, a reunion of sorts between 6 friends who haven't seen each other in a long time. It started to go off the rails when I felt as if on every other page there was a new plot twist. It was too much. None of the characters were fully developed either. I am supposed to care about them but I just didn't, there was nothing there. This was a 2 star read for me.

The story centres around a group of friends catching up for a 25 year anniversary. All is going well until one of the women stumbles in after being raped. What ensues are lies, deceit and friends turning on each other. Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

I received What You Did by Claire McGowan as an ARC from NetGalley. What You Did tells the story of 6 university friends who gather together after 20 years for a reunion at Ali & Mike's house. The story begins as Karen, Ali's best friend, come into the house bleeding and accuses Mike of raping her. Secrets from that time at the university are revealed and they learn the truth of what happened to a friend who was murdered when they were at the university. The friends have to determine who is telling the truth and who has been lying for years to their friends. I enjoyed the twists and turns in this book and am going to read Claire McGowan's previous novels.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for this arc. I adore Claire McGowan as a human being; I've been to her Masterclasses a few times and she's a brilliant speaker and seems lovely. I wanted to like this book more than I actually did for a number of reasons I'll discuss below.
This follows 43-year Ali, who is the quintessential suburban housewife. She's married to her university boyfriend, Mike, who is a corporate lawyer, and they are parents to 15-year old Cassie and 10-year Benji. One night they are hosting a celebration dinner with their Oxford University friends to mark their 25th anniversary. We meet Callum and Jodi, who are trying for IVF are finally having their first baby; Benji, who's broken up with his Swedish girlfriend and still holds a soft spot for Ali; and Karen, who didn't graduate and is mother to 18-year old Jake. Their friends are staying over for the weekend. It was supposed to be the perfect get-together. Until Ali wakes up in the middle of the night and comes downstairs to find Karen bleeding and covered in bruises. She's been raped...by Ali's husband, Mike. Who will Ali believe?...
The premise was a strong one and I enjoyed the first half of this which had lots of twists and turns. Unfortunately the problem for me was that the second half got repetitive with the flashbacks, as it was easy to piece together what had happened, and the plot became predictable. Additionally there was too many sub-plots, yet ultimately the problem for me was that the characters weren't developed enough. I feel like the book would've benefited from having more POVs. There was a lot of gaps and questions. For example, why was Karen living in such awful living conditions? Why didn't Karen graduate? Why did she remain quiet about the secrets involving Mike? Why was Ali's relationship with her mother suffering and what had happened at her dad's funeral? Also how did Ali not realise the things that were happening, especially as it was so obvious? Overall I felt the characters were just there to serve the plot, which wasn't bad by any means; it needed more developing. Its 3/5 from me.

I was immediately hooked by this book. The writer cleverly creates a non-linear narrative that means we, as readers, do not follow the chronological sequence of events on that fateful night that Ali's best friend, Karen, accuses Ali's husband, Mike, of rape. It's a nightmare for Ali and this is the catalyst of her seemingly perfect life beginning to fall apart. McGowan provides different perspectives on that night in question and this enriched the narrative as it felt like I was part of the police, and Ali's, investigations. Ali is determined to find the truth about her husband and is torn apart by loyalty to her husband and loyalty to her friend. Indeed, as the plot progresses, readers discover that there is more to this reunion of university friends on that disastrous evening; "friends" are not what they seem and there are hidden secrets, including one pivotal moment back from university. Accordingly, McGowan treats readers to not only the mystery of Karen's attack, but also the events leading up the murder of a student at university, during the Summer Ball - the night that Ali and all of her friends attended.

A vicious assault. A devastating accusation. Who should she trust, her husband or her best friend?

Karen staggers in claiming she has been assaulted by Mike who is her best friends husband. Who should she believe?

This was such a unique and enthralling novel. I was hooked from the first page and could not put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy for an honest review.

This novel covers several domestic issues but at no point was I uncomfortable. This was an enjoyable read and I recommend this book to others who enjoy this genre.

Ali and Mike host a college reunion with four Oxford University friends when one of their friends, Karen, staggers into the host's house in a mess, claiming that Mike had raped her -the host's husband.

This books switches between the present and 1996 when the group were at University together. Something happened party that they want to forget. But the past won't go away.

Ali is desperate to support her husband and cling on to the life she has created, but soon finds out that it is founded on lies and secrets.

These are not the most likeable group of very privileged people who used to be friends but the sequence of flashbacks and revelations keeps the story alive.

Ehhh this book was super tough for me to read. It deals with a lot of serious issues like rape. I struggle with reading book with this type of topic. Also it is more of a domestic thriller than a psychological thriller. The writing was good but I couldn’t connect with the character. Unfortunately that’s what ruined the book for me. She made too many “dumb” choices that it just turned me off. I hoping plan to read more of Claire’s books in the future, maybe they will be a better fit for me.

Wow! What an explosive book. How would we All cope believing our friend or our husband? Very well written with the hint of did he didn’t he kept you guessing til the very end. Highly recommended

Really impressed with this thriller! Found myself not wanting to put it down and torn between what I thought what's going to happen oh, who done it, what I wanted to happen, etc

Fabulous! Gripping story about a group of old university friends who reunite for a weekend house party a couple of decades years later. There’s sex, lies, jealousy, competition, envy and a good dose of unfulfilled sexual attraction simmering away in the background. Plenty of twists to keep the reader guessing.

What if your best friend accuses your husband of raping her?
This is not going to be pretty. In more areas than one.

I find this a very interesting mystery novel! The premise is very catchy and the novel definitely delivers in the suspense and the psychology angle, even if it shows shallowness, selfishness and one-dimensional characters - but this might be verily said about many people. So I am going to be honest here - while I do find the main character, Ali, to be realistically written one, I also do not like her. Not because of her naivity and and the strong unwillingness to see the reality (because this can happen to the best of us), but because of her selfishness and shallow kindness (which simply stops when something collides with her interests). But - this is the reality of people, and I am really not here because I want to like the characters, but because I want to enjoy the mystery. And the mystery IS interesting here. What has really happened in the garden during the night? And is there a connection to the crime some twenty years ago?
Who we truly are, how well we know ourselves - and how well we know the others?
Do we even truly care about them?

The answers to these questions are a key to the mystery here - and in life. And for this trueness to life I go for the 4-star review.

In my opinion this book took a long time to get going. I guessed the ending about half way through. Otherwise an enjoyable read.

well, better late than never!

I would say that I really wish I would have been given a trigger warning with this one!
BUt i was sucked in and really into this read.

Thank you for the ARC!

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for the advanced copy of this book.
I liked the story, I liked the characters, I liked the fact it kept you guessing and did enjoy the book, the only downside was I found it slow and struggled at times to keep going, but am glad I persevered.

What You Did by Claire McGowan is an enjoyable read about a crime that threatens to tear a group of friends apart.

Ali and husband Mike are hosting a twenty-fifth reunion weekend for a small group of their friends from Oxford. But when Ali's best friend, Karen accuses Mike of rape, things fall apart. Not only is the act, and the following accusation, horrific, but secrets from their university years start to come up and everyone begins to question what they truly know about the past and present and each other.

While it felt long at parts, especially in the middle, I enjoyed the read and the ending was fantastic. I liked the combination of the mysteries surrounding the old uni friends and the lives of Ali and Mike's kids . I look forward to reading more from Claire McGowan!

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the arc in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I was so excited about the idea of friends gathering 20 years after college. For some reason friend reunions always seem interesting. Well this one starts off interesting enough. After twenty years a lot has changed, now a couple of them have children, one couple is pregnant with their first child and one single man is still in the group that never married. So two couples, one single bachelor and one single mom with the only thing in common now being their history together. They all get drunk like they are in high school and one starts screaming she was attacked in the middle of the night by the other’s husband. The story unfolds with years of lies being peeled away. All I could think was no one needs enemies when these people are their friends. I would have enjoyed it better had the ending not been so rushed. Perfect for the fan of family drama, friendship drama, teenage issues and a little mystery tossed in.

Thank you Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

Absolutely raced through this book! Well thought out plot and characters.
Loved the writing style of Claire McGowan, easy to picture the settings and get a sense of the surroundings.
Have now purchased other titles by the author as this was so enjoyable!

This story didn't work for me. The plausibility of the protagonist fell flat. I will still give her books in the future a chance.