What Have You Done? by Shari Lapena

Ever had that feeling where you’re watching a horror movie and you want to yell at the characters not to go into that creepy basement? Well, buckle up, because Shari Lapena’s latest thriller, “What Have You Done?”, is going to give you that same urge—except this time, it’s an entire town making you want to scream, “Don’t do that!” But here’s the kicker: you won’t be able to stop turning the pages.

The Setup: Welcome to Fairhill, Where Everyone’s a Suspect

Picture this: Fairhill, Vermont. One of those postcard-perfect small towns where nothing ever happens. You know the type—unlocked doors, kids playing in the streets, neighbors who’ve known each other for generations. It’s all apple pie and autumn leaves until… BAM! Diana Brewer turns up dead in a hayfield, and suddenly, this quaint little slice of Americana becomes a pressure cooker of suspicion and fear.

Lapena throws us into this powder keg situation with the precision of a master chef adding spice to a recipe. From the very first page, you can feel the tension building, like storm clouds gathering over those idyllic green mountains. It’s delicious, in a twisted sort of way.

The Characters: A Town Full of Secrets

Let’s talk about the cast of characters Lapena has assembled for us. We’ve got:

• Roy Ressler: The farmer who discovers Diana’s body. Poor guy just wanted to tend his crops, and now he’s knee-deep in a murder investigation.
• Paula Acosta: The high school English teacher with a keen eye for detail and a growing sense of unease about her colleagues.
• Brad Turner: The gym teacher with a questionable past and an even more questionable alibi.
• Cameron Farrell: Diana’s boyfriend, who’s acting shifty enough to make everyone wonder what he’s hiding.
• Riley and Evan: Diana’s best friends, each grappling with their own secrets and suspicions.

And that’s just scratching the surface. Lapena populates Fairhill with a diverse array of suspects, each more intriguing than the last. It’s like she took a Norman Rockwell painting and decided to give every smiling face a dark secret.

The Plot: Twists, Turns, and “Did That Just Happen?” Moments

Okay, let’s get into the meat of this story without spoiling the main course. Lapena crafts a narrative that’s tighter than your grandmother’s grip on her secret cookie recipe. Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out—WHAM!—she throws another curveball your way.

The pacing is relentless. Seriously, clear your schedule before you start this book, because you’re not going to want to put it down. Lapena has this knack for ending chapters on mini-cliffhangers that make you go, “Well, I guess I can read just one more…” until suddenly it’s 3 AM and you’re wondering where the night went.

What really sets “What Have You Done?” apart is how Shari Lapena plays with perspective. We get glimpses into multiple characters’ thoughts and actions, which not only ratchets up the suspense but also makes us question everything we think we know. It’s like being inside a hall of mirrors—you’re never quite sure what’s real and what’s distorted.

The Atmosphere: Small Town, Big Chills

Let’s take a moment to appreciate how Lapena brings Fairhill to life. The autumn setting is practically a character in itself—all crisp air, turning leaves, and long shadows. It’s the perfect backdrop for a story about dark secrets coming to light.

But what really got me was how she captures that suffocating small-town vibe. You know how in some places, everybody knows everybody’s business? Lapena takes that and turns it into a source of creeping dread. Every sideways glance, every hushed conversation—it all adds up to create this atmosphere of paranoia that’ll have you side-eyeing your own neighbors.

The Writing: Sharp, Snappy, and Occasionally Gut-Punching

Lapena’s prose is like a well-honed knife—it gets the job done with precision and occasionally leaves you feeling a bit raw. Her dialogue crackles with tension, and she has this way of describing violence that’s vivid without being gratuitous. It’s not flowery writing, but it doesn’t need to be. This is a story that demands to be told straightforwardly, and Lapena delivers.

What really impressed me was how she handles the multiple POV structure. Each character has a distinct voice, and she weaves their perspectives together seamlessly. It’s like watching a master juggler at work—you know it’s complex, but she makes it look effortless.

The Themes: Trust No One (Not Even Yourself)

At its core, “What Have You Done?” by Shari Lapena is a book about trust—or more accurately, the erosion of it. Lapena digs into some meaty questions:

• How well do we really know the people closest to us?
• What happens when a community turns on itself?
• Can we trust our own perceptions and memories?

It’s heady stuff, but Lapena never lets the philosophical ponderings slow down the freight train of her plot. Instead, these themes add depth to what’s already a gripping mystery.

Comparisons and Context

“What Have You Done?” fits comfortably into Shari Lapena’s growing body of work. Fans of her previous novels like “The Couple Next Door” and “An Unwanted Guest” will find familiar elements here—the claustrophobic settings, the rapid-fire plot twists, the exploration of how quickly trust can crumble.

In the broader context of the thriller genre, this book reminds me a bit of Gillian Flynn’s “Sharp Objects” or Liane Moriarty’s “Big Little Lies”—stories that peel back the veneer of small-town life to reveal the rot underneath. Lapena holds her own in this company, bringing her unique flair for ratcheting up tension to unbearable levels.

Final Thoughts: A Thrill Ride Worth Taking

Look, I’m not saying “What Have You Done?” by Shari Lapena is going to make you paranoid about every friendly wave from your neighbors… but maybe double-check your locks tonight, just in case.

All joking aside, this is a thriller that lives up to the name. It’s clever, it’s compelling, and it’ll keep you guessing until the very end. Lapena has crafted a story that’s both a satisfying mystery and a chilling exploration of how quickly a community can unravel when trust is broken.

Is it perfect? No book is. There were a couple of plot threads I felt could have been developed further, and some readers might find the sheer number of suspects a bit overwhelming at times. But these are minor quibbles in what is otherwise a masterclass in suspense writing.

If you’re looking for a book that’ll keep you up way past your bedtime, make you cast suspicious glances at your loved ones, and leave you with a deliciously unsettled feeling long after you’ve turned the last page, “What Have You Done?” by Shari Lapena is the thriller for you. Just maybe don’t read it right before a trip to a quaint Vermont town. You know, just in case.