What Have You Done? opening line: Early Friday morning, Roy Ressler drives his big tractor down the gravel road that borders his fields, his mind on his daughter’s upcoming wedding.
My blurb:
Fairhill is a small town, where everyone seems to know everyone. So when Diana Brewer is found dead, it is impossible to think anyone who lives there could have done it. But every town has its secrets, and this one seems to have more than most. With her death, all the bad things people want to keep secret come out into the open. Who can be trusted, and who is evil?
What Have You Done?
Nothing ever happens in sleepy little Fairhill, Vermont.The teenagers get their kicks telling ghost stories in the old graveyard. The parents trust their kids will arrive home safe from school. Everyone knows everyone. Curtains rarely twitch. Front doors are left unlocked.But this morning all of that will change.Because Diana Brewer isn’t lying safely in her bed where she belongs. Instead she lies in a hayfield, circled by vultures, discovered by a local farmer.How quickly a girl becomes a ghost. How quickly a town of friendly, familiar faces becomes a town of suspects, a place of fear and paranoia.Someone in Fairhill did this. Everyone wants answers.And one innocent question could be deadly.
My verdict:
I worked out who the killer was quite early in the story. Probably because I have read a few of Shari Lapena’s books. This did not detract from the enjoyment I got from reading a well written novel. Or from the disgust I felt at the two most possible suspects. This is a book I can highly recommend.
About the Author:
Shari Lapena worked as a lawyer and as an English teacher before writing fiction. Her debut thriller, The Couple Next Door, was a global bestseller, the bestselling fiction title in the UK in 2017 and has been optioned for television. Her second thriller, A Stranger in the House and third, An Unwanted Guest, were both Sunday Times and New York Times best sellers.
Read an extract:
Early Friday morning, Roy Ressler drives his big tractor down the gravel road that borders his fields, his mind on his daughter’s upcoming wedding. He’s thinking what a beautiful bride Ellen is going to be. It’s nearing the end of October; the air is crisp, trees are alive with colour, and the early morning dew sparkles on the ground. All’s good with the world.
Publishing information:
Penguin Random House South Africa sent me this novel to review.
See the links below for blog posts I published on August 25:
- 2021: Nuoc Cham
- 2017: Strawberry Mousse Cake
- 2016: Pomegranate Concentrate
- 2015: Roast Potato Wedges
- 2014: Cinnamon Sugar
- 2011: Slow Cooked Beef Short Ribs
- 2010: Chocolate Macaroons
Haven’t read anything from Shari Lapena…gotta look for some in Kindle version.
Hope you enjoy her books 🙂
Hi Tandy, this does sound interesting. I’m going to get it for my aunt.
Hope she enjoys it!