Wednesday, July 24, 2024

Shari Lapena's What Have You Done? ~ A Book Review

Are you a Murder/Mystery Fan?  If so, this is a book that you should put on your radar!  Shari Lapena's  novel, What Have You Done? is a page turner and will keep you guessing right until the very end.  

what have you done book

Right now it is in pre-publishing and is scheduled for release on July 30th of this year.  

Shari does a masterful job in keeping the suspense growing in this novel.  The story begins in a small town where everyone knows everyone and nothing ever happens either!  The folks in Fairhill, Vermont are about to find out what happens when something happens......

A farmer's field and a tired farmer coming back to the homestead after a hard day in the fields, notices turkey vultures flying in the distance.  This can only mean something is out there and it could be some forest critter or something bigger.

Roy Ressler (the farmer) must go out and investigate, but he's not really looking forward to finding out  what those vultures are gorging on. He's not too fazed by what he's facing, after all he's a volunteer firefighter in the town and has seen some pretty nasty things, but nothing has prepared him for this find.

The small town is home to one high school, one grocery store and a hardware store.  There is not too much going on in Fairhill.  Until now!

This book had me reading into the late hours of the night.  I just had to find out how everyone was connected and who could possibly have caused so much tragedy in such a short time.

The author does an amazing job of making you feel like you would know these people and so you become invested in the story before the second chapter is complete.  I guess it's a good thing I'm not a great sleeper.  

Everything you ever thought about living in a small town is true in Fairhill.  No one worries about locking their doors, drawing the drapes or having a security system in place.  Everyone knows everyone and very little is ever out of place.

The kids hang out at the local graveyard telling ghost stories and spooking each other out.  But it is more comedy than anything else.

All of that is about to change.....Evan, Taylor, Riley and Diana (friends since grade school days) are about to have their world torn apart!

I don't want to give away too much of the story, so I will just let you know that there is some "colorful" language and a little bit of teenage dating angst in this story.  But nothing that is too "in your face".  

I'm sure that you will become totally involved in this story as I was. 

 As a member of NetGalley.com, I was privileged to read this book as "An Advanced Readers Copy".   I would give this novel 5 STARS *****!

 If you would like to join me and read lots of different types of books just click on the link above, but if you want to read a great book than click the link to Amazon to order your own copy!





Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


10 comments:

  1. Well, you already know I am a big fan of mysteries, so you already have my attention regarding a new mystery book. And I grew up in and have lived in several small towns over the years, so I do know what small towns are like. I will definitely be puttting this new mystery on my To-Read list. Thanks, Olivia.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. When things happen in small towns, lots of people's lives change. Some not for the better!

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  2. We all love a great mystery story! I grew up in the city, but thanks to family, I am very familiar with small towns and how everybody know everyone, and everyone's business. It is the perfect setting for a scandalous story and murder would certainly give the town something to talk about for a long time. Thanks for the review and recommendation, Olivia.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Small towns sometimes are changed forever when bad things happen!

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  3. I have lived in cities for most of my life but went to college (Dartmouth) in New Hampshire, so I know a bit about small-town life as well. This certainly sounds like a gripping murder mystery! So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for the review and recommendation!

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    Replies
    1. You would enjoy it for sure Margaret! Gripping right to the last page.

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  4. This certainly sounds like a book I'd love. Thanks for the recommendation.

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  5. Sounds like an excellent book - not my preferred genre, but honestly, this does sound like a page turner!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is a page turner without being overly "gross" in depictions of circumstances. I think you'd be okay Barbara!

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