12th April 2020. 5 stars.
When I was offered the chance to read an advance copy of this novel, I jumped at the chance, having previously enjoyed the author’s last book, Girl Watching You.
When 16-year old Kelly is found brutally murdered, local lawyer and friend, Mia Peale feels responsible. Could she have stopped Kelly’s reunion with Brian, who’s now the main suspect? With the help of Jay Colter from the police, and a friend in New York, who finds links to a similar murder, Mia sets out to prove Brian’s innocence.
It’s a move that antagonises the killer and puts her life in danger.
What You’ve Done is an expertly crafted suspense thriller with strong, believable characters and a good pace that leads to a thrilling climax and resolution. The shock waves from Kelly’s death and its effect on the family and local community are particularly well portrayed, allowing the reader to share their grief and confusion.
Mia’s a bright, clever and creative lead whose determination and desire for justice drive the story along. Her feelings of guilt reveal the compassionate and vulnerable character beneath as she faces her fears to get the job done.
Gripping from the first page to the last, with chapters from the killer to raise the stakes and tension, this is an accomplished and involving mystery as well as a thriller. No one is quite who they appear to be, providing plenty of suspects and motives to keep the reader guessing.
Highly recommended.
Description
A small town divorce lawyer (“I know people’s secrets”) blames herself when a client’s teen daughter is brutally murdered. She investigates and finds herself the killer’s next target.
Grieving the loss of her NYPD detective husband, former defence attorney Mia Peale moves to Grand Cove, Connecticut, desperate for a sense of community and hoping to rebuild her life. Now, starting a family law practice, she’s finally found friends and peace – until the teen daughter of one of her clients is brutally murdered, and the girl’s boyfriend stands accused.
Kelly Payne was an adored high school track star. Brian Hall is a poor boy in a rich town, and the community is outraged. But Mia has known Brian since her arrival and can’t believe he’s guilty, despite strong circumstantial evidence against him. As his defence turns lacklustre, she asks Grand Cove police detective Jay Colter for help. Jay is also sceptical of the police and DA’s case and takes them on, especially when Mia’s friend from her former Manhattan law firm uncovers a frighteningly similar murder in the city. Secretly, Jay helps Mia investigate both murders, but his alarm grows as her life is threatened by a maniac hiding among them.
