Keeping up with my promise to review the books as I read them, here is the latest book review for What You Did by Claire McGowan. What You Did is a mystery fiction novel that takes place across the pond in Great Britain, and follows a clique of best friends and the aftermath of a college reunion gone wrong.
Everyone wants to be popular and have friends in school. Students are notorious for building a facade to help slide into the right clique. But what if you don’t belong? Does that sense of belonging ever go away, or does it come with us into adulthood? A good friend is loyal, through thick and thin, but friendship has a way of testing that loyalty. What is the price of popularity, friendship, respect? And how far is someone willing to go to get what they want?
Synopsis of What You Did by Claire McGowan
TW: this novel does include violence and rape
The main plot follows Ali being torn between her husband, Mike, and her best friend, Karen, after she (Karen) accuses Mike of rape. Three more friends, and three kids, are all present in the home while the accusation occurs. But it was a crime in plain sight and no one saw anything. Or so they all claim. As the story goes on, subplots weave through the web of lies, both current and in flashbacks from 1996, when the six friends were previously in a similar precarious situation.
Most of the book takes place through Ali’s point of view. However, the reader is also given glimpses of other characters’ points of view that constantly rebuke or build the current suspicion or prediction. The author drops breadcrumbs to build suspicions for each character being involved as a witness of the rape, or witness of a murder of a classmate back in university. Although many of the details can be predicted, the author does a good job at purposely attempting to mislead the reader into suspecting different details.
Ultimately, the truth comes out, plus a handful of other harsh realities. But at what cost? Lives are lost, marriages destroyed, jail time is served, trust is gone, and a group of friends realize the true cost of loyalty comes at a price.
Reader Thoughts
My biggest negative was that the protagonist’s point of view is difficult to stay behind. I wanted a strong heroine who went out and investigated to solve the mystery. She is supposed to be an advocate for women who are victims of abuse. But after the allegations she immediately turns on her best friend and chooses her husband’s side. But then she doubts him the entire time. Woman, if you believe your husband is innocent, you defend him! Don’t make up lies behind closed because you feel obligated as a wife.
Throughout the book, Ali is constantly portrayed as weak and inept, with no self esteem. Karen never graduated university, and this is mentioned multiple times, but truly it is Ali who is useless in everything. She is blind to things happening right in front of her, complains about things that don’t matter, and brings nothing to the investigation. She is more concerned about her house and appearances that she doesn’t realize or care about the bigger details at stake.
My favorite part was the epilogue, which gave the most unexpected perspective of the book. That alone made the book worth finishing.
Check it out on Goodreads
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
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Grab your copy HERE on Kindle Unlimited, audiobook, or a paper copy.