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What I Did
Lisa is running.
She has taken her child, Jack, and she has run from his father.
Lisa thinks she's safe.
She's found a remote house where no one will be able to find them.
Lisa is about to wake up in her worst nightmare.
And now she must face what she's tried to escape.
Risking everything to protect her little boy, Lisa knows that in order to survive she will have to fight, but it's hard to face someone you loved, especially someone you still love, who knows who you really are - and what you are really capable of.
Family is everything. What would you do to protect it?
She has taken her child, Jack, and she has run from his father.
Lisa thinks she's safe.
She's found a remote house where no one will be able to find them.
Lisa is about to wake up in her worst nightmare.
And now she must face what she's tried to escape.
Risking everything to protect her little boy, Lisa knows that in order to survive she will have to fight, but it's hard to face someone you loved, especially someone you still love, who knows who you really are - and what you are really capable of.
Family is everything. What would you do to protect it?
400 pages, Paperback
First published January 21, 2021
12 people are currently reading
232 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
March 20, 2022
This book's protagonist did so many things in "What I Did", that it was very difficult to keep track of them all.
The book begins with a woman on the run with her 5-year old son, hiding from an abusive husband, who just happens to be a cop.
The protagonist's mother is in prison for killing her husband -- showcasing the painful cycle of domestic abuse.
Readers quickly learn that the main protagonist has a major drug addiction problem and, therefore, is a very unreliable narrator.
Unfolding from two different "now" and "then" timelines, this book quickly transforms into a "who is abusing who? book.
The author did a poor job of executing dual timelines; making the book confusing and all over the place.
The author's decision to use the same name for the protagonist's son and grandson added to the confusion since it was difficult to determine which "Jack" the protagonist was referencing in the dual timelines.
The book contained animal abuse of the family dog that was mentioned at least 10 times. (Ugh!)
I listened to the 10-hour audiobook that should have been a 5-hour audiobook. The audiobook was read by Antonia Beamish, one of my favorite narrators.
Ugh! Two stars rounded up.
The book begins with a woman on the run with her 5-year old son, hiding from an abusive husband, who just happens to be a cop.
The protagonist's mother is in prison for killing her husband -- showcasing the painful cycle of domestic abuse.
Readers quickly learn that the main protagonist has a major drug addiction problem and, therefore, is a very unreliable narrator.
Unfolding from two different "now" and "then" timelines, this book quickly transforms into a "who is abusing who? book.
The author did a poor job of executing dual timelines; making the book confusing and all over the place.
The author's decision to use the same name for the protagonist's son and grandson added to the confusion since it was difficult to determine which "Jack" the protagonist was referencing in the dual timelines.
The book contained animal abuse of the family dog that was mentioned at least 10 times. (Ugh!)
I listened to the 10-hour audiobook that should have been a 5-hour audiobook. The audiobook was read by Antonia Beamish, one of my favorite narrators.
Ugh! Two stars rounded up.
September 25, 2021
Kate Bradley’s second novel is a hard-hitting psychological thriller that covers a number of sensitive topics, not all of which are obvious from the bare-bones premise that is necessary so as not to reveal spoilers. Needless to say there is a lot more going on as as the author scratches the surface to reveal the dysfunctionality of one toxic family. The opening forty percent of this book reads like a pretty standard domestic abuse storyline with a friend approaching nurse, Lisa, to address the extensive bruising they have noticed and urging her to leave her policeman husband, Nick. The book follows a dual timeline with a ‘before’ narrative showing things at home escalating and Lisa self-medicating with painkillers to blur the edges and ultimately fleeing with her son, Jack, to a remote cottage in Hereford. In the ‘now’ narrative Lisa has run from Jack’s father and will do anything to keep her boy safe but when she comes to on the kitchen floor with her hands tied and a kitchen knife missing, she has the fight of her life facing her in order to protect her family.
I found the start disappointingly prosaic and felt the author broke the classic rule of show, don’t tell with everything the reader gets to know about Lisa being told and selectively disclosed via the narrative. Whilst this was straightforward enough a jarringly abrupt twist occurs at forty percent of the way through that I had to re-read four times as it proved so confusing. Although both the ‘before’ and ‘now’ timelines are told in the first-person by Lisa the writing is fact-oriented and far less overwrought than might be expected for someone in her position and her reliability as a narrator does not feel like an issue, which made what what came before the twist feel intentionally misleading. The last sixty percent includes a plethora of twists to the point where it felt like the author’s priority was to bamboozle her readers as opposed to delivering an emotive story with realistic and well-defined characters. If you’re after twists however, this book may well satisfying but for me the book never recovered from the dodgy first twist let alone the salvo in the later stages that felt borderline ridiculous. What the story does illustrate is how far a person might go to keep their loved ones safe as well as the emotional toll and pressures of long-term abuse. Although the second half was far more compelling and ratcheted up the tension I was disappointed that I got to end of the story feeling like I didn’t really know or care for any of the three main characters.
As well as domestic abuse and addiction issues the story does include an incident of animal cruelty which is recalled at any and every opportunity. I didn’t think this was strictly necessary and it should be noted that the book does not shy away from some dark and harrowing moments and is not recommended for readers of a sensitive disposition.
I found the start disappointingly prosaic and felt the author broke the classic rule of show, don’t tell with everything the reader gets to know about Lisa being told and selectively disclosed via the narrative. Whilst this was straightforward enough a jarringly abrupt twist occurs at forty percent of the way through that I had to re-read four times as it proved so confusing. Although both the ‘before’ and ‘now’ timelines are told in the first-person by Lisa the writing is fact-oriented and far less overwrought than might be expected for someone in her position and her reliability as a narrator does not feel like an issue, which made what what came before the twist feel intentionally misleading. The last sixty percent includes a plethora of twists to the point where it felt like the author’s priority was to bamboozle her readers as opposed to delivering an emotive story with realistic and well-defined characters. If you’re after twists however, this book may well satisfying but for me the book never recovered from the dodgy first twist let alone the salvo in the later stages that felt borderline ridiculous. What the story does illustrate is how far a person might go to keep their loved ones safe as well as the emotional toll and pressures of long-term abuse. Although the second half was far more compelling and ratcheted up the tension I was disappointed that I got to end of the story feeling like I didn’t really know or care for any of the three main characters.
As well as domestic abuse and addiction issues the story does include an incident of animal cruelty which is recalled at any and every opportunity. I didn’t think this was strictly necessary and it should be noted that the book does not shy away from some dark and harrowing moments and is not recommended for readers of a sensitive disposition.
February 20, 2021
A seriously frustrating first half and a much better second half!
Repetitive, redundant, and at times a story which moved between a narrative voice and then almost a diary/non-fictional account in other parts. If I heard about the dog once, I heard it a hundred times! I don’t enjoy being told what to think and prefer a more imaginative storytelling style.
At approximately halfway (about the point I was going to give up) the tale takes such a big turn I needed to reread it to make sense of what was going on...and then it becomes an excellent thriller. I was happy I persevered but obviously it’s not ideal to only suggest reading half a book.
I will definitely give this author another go!
Repetitive, redundant, and at times a story which moved between a narrative voice and then almost a diary/non-fictional account in other parts. If I heard about the dog once, I heard it a hundred times! I don’t enjoy being told what to think and prefer a more imaginative storytelling style.
At approximately halfway (about the point I was going to give up) the tale takes such a big turn I needed to reread it to make sense of what was going on...and then it becomes an excellent thriller. I was happy I persevered but obviously it’s not ideal to only suggest reading half a book.
I will definitely give this author another go!
January 20, 2021
[Gifted] Thank you @zafree for sending me this copy and for having me along on the review tour.
I had such a great time reading this fast paced and twisty thriller! I read it in two sittings and just thought it was so well written and had such a great flow to it, no filler at all!.
I loved the alternating account of events with the Before and Now timelines, it made the story so gripping and I just couldn’t wait to see where things were going. I loved how the reader is led to see things on way, and feel certain things only to have it all flipped on it’s head. I thought it was very clever and very interesting.
This story covers many topics such as domestic abuse, addiction, death/grief and questioning how much love can beat wrong doings and bad actions. Due to the nature of the story revolving around these subjects please only read if comfortable doing so.
My Mum read this authors previous book last year and absolutely loved it! It sounds exactly like this in terms of amount of twists and the pacing. So if you’re after a thriller that will keep you quickly page turning maybe consider giving this a go!.
This was a 4 ⭐️ read for me, really enjoyed it and loved the twists in the story.
December 29, 2020
A woman wakes. She's on the kitchen floor, struggling to understand what has happened. All she knows for sure is that she is in pain, that a child is missing . . . and that a kitchen knife has been taken from the block.
What follows is a twisty, breakneck rollercoaster of a ride through her past with timelines that criss-cross to keep pace with her thought processes as she pieces together the events that have brought her here. It's the start of a journey that is fraught with danger and one which is going to call upon her reserves of strength and determination, but she's sustained by one conviction that burns more brightly than anything else.
He is back.
If you love complex plots with twists galore and tension ramped up to almost unbearable levels, Kate Bradley is an author you should definitely try. I zipped through this, her second novel, in no time at all and am off to find a copy of her debut which came out last year and which, to my shame, I have never got around to reading. I'll be putting that right soon. Definitely a name to remember.
What follows is a twisty, breakneck rollercoaster of a ride through her past with timelines that criss-cross to keep pace with her thought processes as she pieces together the events that have brought her here. It's the start of a journey that is fraught with danger and one which is going to call upon her reserves of strength and determination, but she's sustained by one conviction that burns more brightly than anything else.
He is back.
If you love complex plots with twists galore and tension ramped up to almost unbearable levels, Kate Bradley is an author you should definitely try. I zipped through this, her second novel, in no time at all and am off to find a copy of her debut which came out last year and which, to my shame, I have never got around to reading. I'll be putting that right soon. Definitely a name to remember.
February 28, 2021
I heard an amazing review for this book on SparklesBooks and from the premise I predicted a 5 star read. Domestic thrillers are my FAVORITE. This one sounded right up my street. A woman on the run with her child, hiding from her abusive husband who is trying to find them! Not the most unique of plots but I love the tension and suspense that kind of plot delivers.
Sadly - I'm struggling to even start writing a review for What I Did. It's definitely the most confusing book I've read in a long while.... but I'm not sure if that's what the author intended considering her MC was completely doped up on drugs for the duration of the book!?
I also usually quite enjoy the time hopping element in books. Past and present alternating chapters.... but my God I could not figure out left from right with What I Did. Perhaps the complexity of it was a bit too much for me. There were just too many twists and turns for me. Whiplash galore!!
I didn't have a clue what was happening, who was who or what was what.
I'm most certainly in the minority here. Most people seem to have loved it but for me, it just went right over my head. It was overwhelming. No likeable characters at all. The writing?? Yeah it was good. That's not my reason for the low rating... I'd definitely pick up another book from this author in the future... I feel bad leaving a negative review!! I think you should rather look at how many other people loved this wild ride of a book and go on their judgement, not mine in this instance. I don't know... it just wasn't for me but I mean, I listened to it on audible in the woods while out on my morning runs and there were definitely compelling moments. I think it just got a bit too complicated for me. The narcissism that features, certain characters having the same name and not really knowing who was who... I just got lost.
Plus......
SO many trigger warnings.
Abuse (obviously). Addiction. Animal cruelty.... I mean, WHY did you need to detail snapping a poor dogs back?? WHY!?
The addiction aspect of this book rattled me, I think. Having an addict 'mother' who I have written out of my life, I really didn't want to be in the main characters head when she detailed stuff like how when you're an addict you have to get used to living with the shame of basically being zonked out in front of loved ones and choosing drugs over those people.... it isn't something you can easily hide when you're as far down the rabbit hole as Lisa in this book or my 'mother' in real life. So I suppose being led down this garden path into the mind of an addict just wasn't a welcomed experience for me. Many other reviewers have mentioned the trigger warnings this book has.... and for me the addiction side of it was definitely a huge trigger I didn't even realise would get to me the way that it did.
Sadly - I'm struggling to even start writing a review for What I Did. It's definitely the most confusing book I've read in a long while.... but I'm not sure if that's what the author intended considering her MC was completely doped up on drugs for the duration of the book!?
I also usually quite enjoy the time hopping element in books. Past and present alternating chapters.... but my God I could not figure out left from right with What I Did. Perhaps the complexity of it was a bit too much for me. There were just too many twists and turns for me. Whiplash galore!!
I didn't have a clue what was happening, who was who or what was what.
I'm most certainly in the minority here. Most people seem to have loved it but for me, it just went right over my head. It was overwhelming. No likeable characters at all. The writing?? Yeah it was good. That's not my reason for the low rating... I'd definitely pick up another book from this author in the future... I feel bad leaving a negative review!! I think you should rather look at how many other people loved this wild ride of a book and go on their judgement, not mine in this instance. I don't know... it just wasn't for me but I mean, I listened to it on audible in the woods while out on my morning runs and there were definitely compelling moments. I think it just got a bit too complicated for me. The narcissism that features, certain characters having the same name and not really knowing who was who... I just got lost.
Plus......
SO many trigger warnings.
Abuse (obviously). Addiction. Animal cruelty.... I mean, WHY did you need to detail snapping a poor dogs back?? WHY!?
The addiction aspect of this book rattled me, I think. Having an addict 'mother' who I have written out of my life, I really didn't want to be in the main characters head when she detailed stuff like how when you're an addict you have to get used to living with the shame of basically being zonked out in front of loved ones and choosing drugs over those people.... it isn't something you can easily hide when you're as far down the rabbit hole as Lisa in this book or my 'mother' in real life. So I suppose being led down this garden path into the mind of an addict just wasn't a welcomed experience for me. Many other reviewers have mentioned the trigger warnings this book has.... and for me the addiction side of it was definitely a huge trigger I didn't even realise would get to me the way that it did.
September 13, 2021
If you fancy a suspense that will keep you guessing, gasping and clutching the edge of your seat, you could do no better than to pick a Kate Bradley novel. But this is more than a gripping, well-told story. Sometimes uncomfortable, always brave, it delves into the dark aspects of human nature with sensitivity and compassion. A compulsive read and a real thought-provoker.
January 11, 2021
I’ve got whiplash from all the twists and turns in the book! Amazing!
January 10, 2021
A fast-paced, utterly addictive and thrilling story about a family wrecked by history of violence and secrets, exploring the age old question - is love enough to forgive?
Plenty trigger warnings including domestic abuse and addiction.
I was glued on the sofa for two days and had a great time!
"In the chaos of my life was this little island that I visited once a week and I was watching it being smashed by a cyclone."
Thank you Zaffre for sending a copy my way. What a great way to start my reading year!
Plenty trigger warnings including domestic abuse and addiction.
I was glued on the sofa for two days and had a great time!
"In the chaos of my life was this little island that I visited once a week and I was watching it being smashed by a cyclone."
Thank you Zaffre for sending a copy my way. What a great way to start my reading year!
May 10, 2021
Really good book.. thoroughly enjoyed.. lots of twists.. which I did get confused over a few times.. but soon worked it out.
August 16, 2024
Loved the fast paced, plot twist story.
December 6, 2021
I was very much looking forward to reading this, after such wonderful reviews here. I had a hard time making up my mind, shall I bin or shall I finish it? It is so repetitive and confusing, and nothing new at all, not even the ending, seen it a million times on TV movies. Going back and forth in time aaaalll the time is not always a good thing. I am very disappointed, I will not follow this writer's production. I finished the book, but in the end, I only did it not to leave it as an unfinished task. I did not care which way the plot went, just wanted over and done with. I had given this a 2 and came back to retrieve one of my stars.
March 4, 2021
Totally confusing with two Jacks, what a waste of my time!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2023
Not for Me. Too many confusing Jacks/mothers/grandmother's. In the end I just didn't care.
January 17, 2021
I read and loved Kate’s previous book called ‘To Keep You Safe’. When I heard that she was due to release a new book, I knew that I had to read it as soon as I could. As soon as I was able, I grabbed a copy of the book, grabbed a cup of tea and settled down for what I hoped would be a fantastic read. Well ‘What I Did’ certainly fulfilled that criteria. I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘What I Did’ but more about that in a bit.
It didn’t take me long at all to get into this book. In fact the synopsis alone was enough to grab my attention and draw me into the story. As soon as I started to read, I knew that I wasn’t going to find it easy to put the book down for any length of time. That was exactly what happened. I was intrigued by the story and I felt compelled (in the nicest possible way) to keep reading. The more of the book that I read, the more intrigued I became and the more I had to read. The pages turned increasingly quickly as I raced my way through the story. I found ‘What I Did’ to be a gripping read, which held my attention from start to finish and had me on the edge of my seat throughout.
‘What I Did’ is extremely well written. I loved the way in which the author has created a tightly plotted story that has more twists and turns to it than you would find on a ‘snakes and ladders’ board and which is designed to keep the readers on their toes. I love the way in which Kate describes her characters- she makes them so realistic that they seem just as real as you and I. I felt as though I was part of the story, which is all thanks to Kate’s very vivid and realistic storytelling. I found ‘What I Did’ to be an emotive and a tense read,
In short I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘What I Did’ and I would recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Kate’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
It didn’t take me long at all to get into this book. In fact the synopsis alone was enough to grab my attention and draw me into the story. As soon as I started to read, I knew that I wasn’t going to find it easy to put the book down for any length of time. That was exactly what happened. I was intrigued by the story and I felt compelled (in the nicest possible way) to keep reading. The more of the book that I read, the more intrigued I became and the more I had to read. The pages turned increasingly quickly as I raced my way through the story. I found ‘What I Did’ to be a gripping read, which held my attention from start to finish and had me on the edge of my seat throughout.
‘What I Did’ is extremely well written. I loved the way in which the author has created a tightly plotted story that has more twists and turns to it than you would find on a ‘snakes and ladders’ board and which is designed to keep the readers on their toes. I love the way in which Kate describes her characters- she makes them so realistic that they seem just as real as you and I. I felt as though I was part of the story, which is all thanks to Kate’s very vivid and realistic storytelling. I found ‘What I Did’ to be an emotive and a tense read,
In short I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘What I Did’ and I would recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Kate’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
September 1, 2022
Not sure how I felt about this book, I liked the start but then it went totally crazy. Also, the author had “before” and “now” chapters but for some reason there were several of each in a row. So why not have one bigger chapter for each? Messed with the pacing of the book for me. Also seemed like a few too many twists, firstly it’s the kid that’s the abuser, not the husband, then it’s the grandson kidnapped, not the son, and she’s a drug addict, and she killed her father and her mother took the blame. The son / grandson thing didn’t really work for me, they had the same name (for the purposes of the twist) but it did make it a bit confusing at times. It was a bit hard to read some of the things, she genuinely didn’t seem to think that her drug dependency had any effect on her son. In her mind, she was taking drugs because of him. So he blamed her drugs for his behaviour and she blamed his behaviour for her drugs. There never really seemed to be a lightbulb moment for her where she realised that you cannot parent a child if you are addicted to drugs. Even at the end she was happily continuing her addictive behaviour (not the flash forward bit). This book was just a bit of a miss for me personally, not a totally terrible book though.
Plot for my memory - Lisa and nick have a son called Jack. She is fleeing with Jack in the present from jacks father. Flash backs reveal abuse. Turns out she was being abused by her child and was on the run from him as a grown up after kidnapping his child who is also called Jack. She thinks he’s tracker her down, tied her up etc. then you find out she’s a drug addict and don’t know what’s real. Turns out big Jack really is a psycho, probably because his mum was a drug addict. Neighbour kills big Jack, little Jack gets to live with drug addict Lisa who thinks she can definitely get clean this time.
Plot for my memory - Lisa and nick have a son called Jack. She is fleeing with Jack in the present from jacks father. Flash backs reveal abuse. Turns out she was being abused by her child and was on the run from him as a grown up after kidnapping his child who is also called Jack. She thinks he’s tracker her down, tied her up etc. then you find out she’s a drug addict and don’t know what’s real. Turns out big Jack really is a psycho, probably because his mum was a drug addict. Neighbour kills big Jack, little Jack gets to live with drug addict Lisa who thinks she can definitely get clean this time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 26, 2021
Thank you to netgalley, Bonnie Books & Zaffre for the ARC in return for an honest review.
I’m going to keep this as short as I can, because I hate when I’ve not liked a book as much as I wanted. And it’s always so hard to write a review like this as I know many won’t agree or they loved it! But isn’t that what books are all about. Anyway here goes...
First of all, I nearly DNF 3 times. I probably should’ve, but the 2nd time I got to 60% and I couldn’t after I’d got so far. The first part of the book was very predictable and I honestly thought I knew the plot and where it was going then BOOM! It literally flips upside down. Now normally, I LOVE that and I’m racing through the book, but this just didn’t do it to me. It was all abit too much, the twists were good but they were definitely a what?! For me, but not in a good sense.
I hated the main character, I felt sorry for her at parts and I do understand how she was etc but I just couldn’t warm to her at all. And that’s probably what made me dislike the book more, it was just abit hard to believe at points.
The ending was good, and I definitely understand how it came together, but it’s not a book I’d jump at reading again. Also, there was sooo many triggers in the book. I’m not one for pointing them out as I do like dark reads, but once again, this was just too much.
It wasn’t for me, and I can’t lie and give it a rating that isn’t accurate on how I review. It’s definitely been the hardest review to write for a long time and I really am disappointed I didn’t enjoy this.
I’m going to keep this as short as I can, because I hate when I’ve not liked a book as much as I wanted. And it’s always so hard to write a review like this as I know many won’t agree or they loved it! But isn’t that what books are all about. Anyway here goes...
First of all, I nearly DNF 3 times. I probably should’ve, but the 2nd time I got to 60% and I couldn’t after I’d got so far. The first part of the book was very predictable and I honestly thought I knew the plot and where it was going then BOOM! It literally flips upside down. Now normally, I LOVE that and I’m racing through the book, but this just didn’t do it to me. It was all abit too much, the twists were good but they were definitely a what?! For me, but not in a good sense.
I hated the main character, I felt sorry for her at parts and I do understand how she was etc but I just couldn’t warm to her at all. And that’s probably what made me dislike the book more, it was just abit hard to believe at points.
The ending was good, and I definitely understand how it came together, but it’s not a book I’d jump at reading again. Also, there was sooo many triggers in the book. I’m not one for pointing them out as I do like dark reads, but once again, this was just too much.
It wasn’t for me, and I can’t lie and give it a rating that isn’t accurate on how I review. It’s definitely been the hardest review to write for a long time and I really am disappointed I didn’t enjoy this.
January 11, 2021
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
TW: // substance abuse, child abuse, domestic abuse.
Well, I don't think I've come across a thriller that has thrown so many twists and turns at me for a while. Especially ones that I haven't guessed at ... AT ALL. There was a moment when a plot twist was thrown at me that so took me by surprise I kept flicking back and forth to see how I'd managed to miss it. (When really I should have just kept reading because then everything begins to make sense and come into focus.)
I read this in two sittings, and it would have been one if I'd had the choice. Once I started it I just could not put it down. It flicks between Lisa in the current day and Lisa in the past, as you explore her relationships and the events that lead up to the now. It's dark, it's twisted and it's complicated. But it's so compelling and the theme of love and forgiveness is so strong and so beautifully weaved through this story that it lifts it out of a dark place in moments.
There are shocking moments, moments that I was surprised by, and so many moments that had me rushing ahead to just find out why and what was going on.
Lisa is a fantastic main character, she is so incredibly flawed, but she does her best for everyone in her life that she loves. She's the catalyst for so many events and her actions are at the heart of the plot.
This is fast-paced, compelling and completely unputdownable.
TW: // substance abuse, child abuse, domestic abuse.
Well, I don't think I've come across a thriller that has thrown so many twists and turns at me for a while. Especially ones that I haven't guessed at ... AT ALL. There was a moment when a plot twist was thrown at me that so took me by surprise I kept flicking back and forth to see how I'd managed to miss it. (When really I should have just kept reading because then everything begins to make sense and come into focus.)
I read this in two sittings, and it would have been one if I'd had the choice. Once I started it I just could not put it down. It flicks between Lisa in the current day and Lisa in the past, as you explore her relationships and the events that lead up to the now. It's dark, it's twisted and it's complicated. But it's so compelling and the theme of love and forgiveness is so strong and so beautifully weaved through this story that it lifts it out of a dark place in moments.
There are shocking moments, moments that I was surprised by, and so many moments that had me rushing ahead to just find out why and what was going on.
Lisa is a fantastic main character, she is so incredibly flawed, but she does her best for everyone in her life that she loves. She's the catalyst for so many events and her actions are at the heart of the plot.
This is fast-paced, compelling and completely unputdownable.
January 24, 2021
This fast paced contemporary psychological thriller hits the ground running with an opening chapter which sets the seal for a terrifying story which is cleverly split between time frames which are quite simply explained as now and before. In both sections we get to know Lisa who is caring for her boy, Jack, in an atmosphere which is fraught with danger. With little option, but to get to a place of safety, Lisa must go away with Jack in order to stop the abuse which threatens to engulf both of them.
This deadly spiral of domestic abuse is, at times, a gripping and uncomfortable read but the author does a great job of making everything seem really plausible and so scarily realistic that these characters could, so easily, be people you meet in your daily life. Such is the sympathetic rendering of the story that it becomes very easy to make an emotional connection with the main characters and even though the story is fraught with danger and dreadful abuse, there's a compulsion to read on just to make sense of the many twists and turns which this talented author has inserted into the plot. I was genuinely surprised with how the story eventually played out.
What I Did is a clever psychological thriller which grabs your attention from the start and doesn't let you escape until the whole of this compelling story is told.
This deadly spiral of domestic abuse is, at times, a gripping and uncomfortable read but the author does a great job of making everything seem really plausible and so scarily realistic that these characters could, so easily, be people you meet in your daily life. Such is the sympathetic rendering of the story that it becomes very easy to make an emotional connection with the main characters and even though the story is fraught with danger and dreadful abuse, there's a compulsion to read on just to make sense of the many twists and turns which this talented author has inserted into the plot. I was genuinely surprised with how the story eventually played out.
What I Did is a clever psychological thriller which grabs your attention from the start and doesn't let you escape until the whole of this compelling story is told.
February 21, 2021
Kate Bradley writes a hugely engrossing and entertaining novel that deals with some serious issues in this gripping thriller. Lisa has left her husband and taken her son Jack with her. They are staying in a lovely remote rented cottage and she hopes that no one will find them but one day, she awakens on the kitchen floor, her body aching and bleeding and sees that a kitchen knife is missing. Now she knows she must confront what she did.
This toxic concoction of drama, domestic dysfunction and trauma was a cracking story and a book that I revelled in all the way through. Taut and compelling, it brought no disappointments and the clever plotting enabled me to fully grasp the situation and motivation of protagonist Lisa. Told in two timelines, then and now, the shifting timescales were handled with a deft touch by Kate Bradley. I admired Lisa's strength and the way she dealt with tough challenges and impossible choices. The masterful twists and turns paved the way for an unexpected denouement. A riveting tale of unravelling lives, unconditional love and menace, I would love to read more from this gifted story-teller and I am delighted to recommend this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bonnier Books UK/ Zaffre via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
This toxic concoction of drama, domestic dysfunction and trauma was a cracking story and a book that I revelled in all the way through. Taut and compelling, it brought no disappointments and the clever plotting enabled me to fully grasp the situation and motivation of protagonist Lisa. Told in two timelines, then and now, the shifting timescales were handled with a deft touch by Kate Bradley. I admired Lisa's strength and the way she dealt with tough challenges and impossible choices. The masterful twists and turns paved the way for an unexpected denouement. A riveting tale of unravelling lives, unconditional love and menace, I would love to read more from this gifted story-teller and I am delighted to recommend this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bonnier Books UK/ Zaffre via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
January 13, 2021
Most families have secrets right? But when Lisa wakes up on the kitchen floor, injured and her hands bound with cable ties she knows she's no longer safe. She's entered her worst nightmare.
Shes taken her son Jack and ran she has to protect them both from his father. Can she save him and herself and will love be enough to forgive?
Holy Moly this is how you write a thriller. This is such an addictive thriller and frankly terrified me. I'm talking kept me up at night thinking about it scary.
I'm quite generous with my book ratings but rarely give thrillers 5 stars. I can normally see what's coming or guess something but Kate Bradley has written a super clever thriller, honestly it has that many twists and turns It made me feel dizzy 🤣.
The plot moves at a fast pace and there's no lull at all. Its tense, unnerving and very disturbing which moves me onto trigger warnings.
This isn't a book for the faint hearted. Literally every trigger is contained in these pages, animal murder, homicide, sexual assault, child abuse its about as dark as thrillers get.
And I loved it! Every single page! Granted it won't be for everyone and warnings should probably be slapped everywhere on this one but I love going into a thriller blind. What a bloody ride!
Shes taken her son Jack and ran she has to protect them both from his father. Can she save him and herself and will love be enough to forgive?
Holy Moly this is how you write a thriller. This is such an addictive thriller and frankly terrified me. I'm talking kept me up at night thinking about it scary.
I'm quite generous with my book ratings but rarely give thrillers 5 stars. I can normally see what's coming or guess something but Kate Bradley has written a super clever thriller, honestly it has that many twists and turns It made me feel dizzy 🤣.
The plot moves at a fast pace and there's no lull at all. Its tense, unnerving and very disturbing which moves me onto trigger warnings.
This isn't a book for the faint hearted. Literally every trigger is contained in these pages, animal murder, homicide, sexual assault, child abuse its about as dark as thrillers get.
And I loved it! Every single page! Granted it won't be for everyone and warnings should probably be slapped everywhere on this one but I love going into a thriller blind. What a bloody ride!
January 15, 2021
I would say from the outset this book has a trigger warning for Domestic Violence and addiction.
Oh this is a tense read ! The sense of peril from the first chapter is palpable. Lisa is running from someone with her little boy Jack. She finds a cottage in one the least inhabited parts of the UK and she hopes that she can make a fresh start and not be found.
The book alternates between now and before. Before is when she is married to Nick and he is abusing her and others have started to notice. She decides to go back to work and then her other issues which starting after giving birth to Jack start to reoccur. She feeds her addition to numb the physical pain and mental pain and finally decides after another night of shouting and violence she needs to escape.
This is a very twisty thriller which drew me in right away. It is a tough read in places and Lisa really does have tough time and all the time her son Jack is around this chaos and turmoil too. If you like your thrillers with plenty of suspense you will love this every page leaves you wondering what will happen next. I really did not see what was coming I am not spoiling it you will have to read it yourself !!
Oh this is a tense read ! The sense of peril from the first chapter is palpable. Lisa is running from someone with her little boy Jack. She finds a cottage in one the least inhabited parts of the UK and she hopes that she can make a fresh start and not be found.
The book alternates between now and before. Before is when she is married to Nick and he is abusing her and others have started to notice. She decides to go back to work and then her other issues which starting after giving birth to Jack start to reoccur. She feeds her addition to numb the physical pain and mental pain and finally decides after another night of shouting and violence she needs to escape.
This is a very twisty thriller which drew me in right away. It is a tough read in places and Lisa really does have tough time and all the time her son Jack is around this chaos and turmoil too. If you like your thrillers with plenty of suspense you will love this every page leaves you wondering what will happen next. I really did not see what was coming I am not spoiling it you will have to read it yourself !!
February 9, 2021
The blurb reads -"Lisa is running.
She has taken her child, Jack, and she has run from his father.
Lisa thinks she's safe.
She's found a remote house where no one will be able to find them.
Lisa is about to wake up in her worst nightmare.
And now she must face what she's tried to escape.
Risking everything to protect her little boy, Lisa knows that in order to survive she will have to fight, but it's hard to face someone you loved, especially someone you still love, who knows who you really are - and what you are really capable of.
Family is everything. What would you do to protect it?"
Wow, wow, wow!!! I really enjoyed this book it is very, very clever. The author leads you down a path, you think you know what is happening then it is all turned on its head! It examines the love between the mother and her child and how very strong this is.
This for me is my favourite book so far of 2021 - it was unputdownable!
Thank you so much to Netgalley, Bonnier Books UK and the author Kate Bradley for giving me the opportunity to read a copy of the book 'What I Did' - it was a wonderful read!
She has taken her child, Jack, and she has run from his father.
Lisa thinks she's safe.
She's found a remote house where no one will be able to find them.
Lisa is about to wake up in her worst nightmare.
And now she must face what she's tried to escape.
Risking everything to protect her little boy, Lisa knows that in order to survive she will have to fight, but it's hard to face someone you loved, especially someone you still love, who knows who you really are - and what you are really capable of.
Family is everything. What would you do to protect it?"
Wow, wow, wow!!! I really enjoyed this book it is very, very clever. The author leads you down a path, you think you know what is happening then it is all turned on its head! It examines the love between the mother and her child and how very strong this is.
This for me is my favourite book so far of 2021 - it was unputdownable!
Thank you so much to Netgalley, Bonnier Books UK and the author Kate Bradley for giving me the opportunity to read a copy of the book 'What I Did' - it was a wonderful read!
February 9, 2021
The blurb reads -"Lisa is running.
She has taken her child, Jack, and she has run from his father.
Lisa thinks she's safe.
She's found a remote house where no one will be able to find them.
Lisa is about to wake up in her worst nightmare.
And now she must face what she's tried to escape.
Risking everything to protect her little boy, Lisa knows that in order to survive she will have to fight, but it's hard to face someone you loved, especially someone you still love, who knows who you really are - and what you are really capable of.
Family is everything. What would you do to protect it?"
Wow, wow, wow!!! I really enjoyed this book it is very, very clever. The author leads you down a path, you think you know what is happening then it is all turned on its head! It examines the love between the mother and her child and how very strong this is.
This for me is my favourite book so far of 2021 - it was unputdownable!
Thank you so much to Netgalley, Bonnier Books UK and the author Kate Bradley for giving me the opportunity to read a copy of the book 'What I Did' - it was a wonderful read!
She has taken her child, Jack, and she has run from his father.
Lisa thinks she's safe.
She's found a remote house where no one will be able to find them.
Lisa is about to wake up in her worst nightmare.
And now she must face what she's tried to escape.
Risking everything to protect her little boy, Lisa knows that in order to survive she will have to fight, but it's hard to face someone you loved, especially someone you still love, who knows who you really are - and what you are really capable of.
Family is everything. What would you do to protect it?"
Wow, wow, wow!!! I really enjoyed this book it is very, very clever. The author leads you down a path, you think you know what is happening then it is all turned on its head! It examines the love between the mother and her child and how very strong this is.
This for me is my favourite book so far of 2021 - it was unputdownable!
Thank you so much to Netgalley, Bonnier Books UK and the author Kate Bradley for giving me the opportunity to read a copy of the book 'What I Did' - it was a wonderful read!
January 7, 2022
‘Lisa is running.
She has taken her child, Jack, and she has run from his father.
Lisa thinks she's safe.
She's found a remote house where no one will be able to find them.
Lisa is about to wake up in her worst nightmare.
And now she must face what she's tried to escape.
Risking everything to protect her little boy, Lisa knows that in order to survive she will have to fight, but it's hard to face someone you loved, especially someone you still love, who knows who you really are - and what you are really capable of.
Family is everything. What would you do to protect it? ‘
Although I found this fast paced and twisty it was a bit too twisty as thrillers go for me!
The first big - what?!?- happens at around 40% in and I had to go back to see if I’d missed something. I wasn’t sure if I’d read it correctly.
The characters were all quite ambiguous and o couldn’t work out whether I liked Lisa or not. As for Nick- well I’ll leave that to others to decide. He was probably the most complex character out of everyone.
I would definitely read more by this author - I have her first novel which I will most likely read shortly to see if she likes the unexpected in her books.
She has taken her child, Jack, and she has run from his father.
Lisa thinks she's safe.
She's found a remote house where no one will be able to find them.
Lisa is about to wake up in her worst nightmare.
And now she must face what she's tried to escape.
Risking everything to protect her little boy, Lisa knows that in order to survive she will have to fight, but it's hard to face someone you loved, especially someone you still love, who knows who you really are - and what you are really capable of.
Family is everything. What would you do to protect it? ‘
Although I found this fast paced and twisty it was a bit too twisty as thrillers go for me!
The first big - what?!?- happens at around 40% in and I had to go back to see if I’d missed something. I wasn’t sure if I’d read it correctly.
The characters were all quite ambiguous and o couldn’t work out whether I liked Lisa or not. As for Nick- well I’ll leave that to others to decide. He was probably the most complex character out of everyone.
I would definitely read more by this author - I have her first novel which I will most likely read shortly to see if she likes the unexpected in her books.
February 11, 2021
What I Did is a book that I read in a day, I could not put this down.
Lisa has taken her son Jack and left her husband, she has rented a lovely cottage that is so remote no one will find her but one day she finds herself on the kitchen floor, her body aching and bleeding and seeing that a kitchen knife is missing, she knows she must confront what she did.
This book is told in now and then tenses and this really worked in this fast paced book. I loved how Kate Bradley led you along this lovely path and turned it so upside down it took me a few minutes to readjust to this information and question everything I had read before. To be honest I don’t think I have read or not for a long time something as twisty as this and I really enjoyed it. There was no point in the book where time slowed, the pace was great all the way through and I liked that everything was tied up neatly at the end, no unanswered questions left.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bonnier Books UK, Zaffre for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.
Lisa has taken her son Jack and left her husband, she has rented a lovely cottage that is so remote no one will find her but one day she finds herself on the kitchen floor, her body aching and bleeding and seeing that a kitchen knife is missing, she knows she must confront what she did.
This book is told in now and then tenses and this really worked in this fast paced book. I loved how Kate Bradley led you along this lovely path and turned it so upside down it took me a few minutes to readjust to this information and question everything I had read before. To be honest I don’t think I have read or not for a long time something as twisty as this and I really enjoyed it. There was no point in the book where time slowed, the pace was great all the way through and I liked that everything was tied up neatly at the end, no unanswered questions left.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bonnier Books UK, Zaffre for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.
December 27, 2020
This book really is quite clever. It takes everything you think you know and flips it. Not just once but several times. Prepare to be challenged and prepare to be surprised. Full of tension and suspense from the start, once it get its teeth into you, it won't want to let go.
This is the story of a family - Lisa, her husband Nick and their son Jack. Everything should be perfect - Lisa and Nick are completely in love and Jack completes their family unit. Only everything is not perfect - far from it. Their domestic life is falling apart, bit by bit, and when her friends start to notice the bruises that Lisa bears from her many little 'accidents' she knows that things really do need to change. Now things do come to a head in truly dramatic fashion and some readers will find what happens shocking and perhaps not want to read on, but I would urge that you do because whilst horrific, the scene acts as a catalyst for a significant shift in Lisa's life, the reason she ends up on the run and the reason why the story starts in such dramatic and tense fashion.
It really is hard to talk about what happens in the book without giving too much away, but I don't think it hurts the reading to say that this book is about domestic violence and what lengths people will go to in order to protect the people they love. There are a number of shocking scenes and revelations in the book that often left me reeling, but nothing is taken to a gratuitous level of played simply for shock factor. It all builds into the bigger picture, feeding. the narrative and increasing the tension page by page. The story does move between past and present and the more we learn about the past, the more urgent and heart thumping the scenes in the present become because as readers we understand the threat that is present all the more.
The author has done a really good job of creating the character of Lisa. She is nervous, a little aloof and quick to walk away from friendships, all signs that you would expect in someone who has such a difficult family life. I can't say that I always liked her, but something about the way in which the author has developed her character made me root for her, and not just because she was a victim. There is something more about her, something that belies the woman we see on the surface, downing painkillers just to cope with making some nigh on impossible choices, and refusing to seek the real help that her family needs. You can't help but think that had different choices been made then things may have played out better, but then it retains the authenticity of the story as families do not always do the right thing if they believe they are protecting people they love.
The story does call upon some very topical themes, exploring the subject of domestic violence from a different angle. It is a tale of family, and of unconditional love. It makes you question just how far you would go to protect someone you love and what sacrifices you would make to ensure their safety. It is certainly a story that keeps you on your toes and makes you realise that you should never make assumptions as just when I thought I had the story cracked, something happened to completely overturn all I thought I knew. Shocking? Yes. Cleverly played? Undoubtedly.
A tension filled domestic thriller, packed with shocking revelations and some really emotional moments.
This is the story of a family - Lisa, her husband Nick and their son Jack. Everything should be perfect - Lisa and Nick are completely in love and Jack completes their family unit. Only everything is not perfect - far from it. Their domestic life is falling apart, bit by bit, and when her friends start to notice the bruises that Lisa bears from her many little 'accidents' she knows that things really do need to change. Now things do come to a head in truly dramatic fashion and some readers will find what happens shocking and perhaps not want to read on, but I would urge that you do because whilst horrific, the scene acts as a catalyst for a significant shift in Lisa's life, the reason she ends up on the run and the reason why the story starts in such dramatic and tense fashion.
It really is hard to talk about what happens in the book without giving too much away, but I don't think it hurts the reading to say that this book is about domestic violence and what lengths people will go to in order to protect the people they love. There are a number of shocking scenes and revelations in the book that often left me reeling, but nothing is taken to a gratuitous level of played simply for shock factor. It all builds into the bigger picture, feeding. the narrative and increasing the tension page by page. The story does move between past and present and the more we learn about the past, the more urgent and heart thumping the scenes in the present become because as readers we understand the threat that is present all the more.
The author has done a really good job of creating the character of Lisa. She is nervous, a little aloof and quick to walk away from friendships, all signs that you would expect in someone who has such a difficult family life. I can't say that I always liked her, but something about the way in which the author has developed her character made me root for her, and not just because she was a victim. There is something more about her, something that belies the woman we see on the surface, downing painkillers just to cope with making some nigh on impossible choices, and refusing to seek the real help that her family needs. You can't help but think that had different choices been made then things may have played out better, but then it retains the authenticity of the story as families do not always do the right thing if they believe they are protecting people they love.
The story does call upon some very topical themes, exploring the subject of domestic violence from a different angle. It is a tale of family, and of unconditional love. It makes you question just how far you would go to protect someone you love and what sacrifices you would make to ensure their safety. It is certainly a story that keeps you on your toes and makes you realise that you should never make assumptions as just when I thought I had the story cracked, something happened to completely overturn all I thought I knew. Shocking? Yes. Cleverly played? Undoubtedly.
A tension filled domestic thriller, packed with shocking revelations and some really emotional moments.
January 21, 2021
‘What I did’ is a highly immersive psychological thriller and I couldn’t put it down. I felt every bit of Lisa’s journey as she ran from her old life; but life catches up with a person and this novel didn’t disappoint. Domestic violence and escaping it feature heavily in this book as does addiction. There is so much at stake at every turn which puts the pressure on throughout.
It’s tense, frightening and had me biting my nails on a few occasions as I read through the night. I really enjoyed the chapters that explored Lisa’s relationship with her mother.
It’s not without its shockers. In fact, there are plenty. It’s a twisty read. About halfway through, I’m like... ‘what? Now, I wasn’t expecting that,’ but don’t worry, everything made total sense - clever!
Lisa’s past and present chapters both had a real urgency about them. This definitely kept me turning the pages late into the night. It’s also screams, ‘how far would you go to protect someone you dearly loved?’
It’s tense, frightening and had me biting my nails on a few occasions as I read through the night. I really enjoyed the chapters that explored Lisa’s relationship with her mother.
It’s not without its shockers. In fact, there are plenty. It’s a twisty read. About halfway through, I’m like... ‘what? Now, I wasn’t expecting that,’ but don’t worry, everything made total sense - clever!
Lisa’s past and present chapters both had a real urgency about them. This definitely kept me turning the pages late into the night. It’s also screams, ‘how far would you go to protect someone you dearly loved?’
February 25, 2021
First off I'll just say that this will be a hard review to do without giving anything away so it will be short and sweet!
Kate Bradley has been really clever in her writing for this book as she puts everything you know and believe onto a plate and then starts it spinning and when it slows down she spins it again!
A great plot with a LOT of twists and turns and even more suspense.
In short the story centres around a family and the huge topic of domestic violence and just how far you would go to protect those who you love.
Told in the narrative of past and present there ate alot of shocks and revelations but amazingly no drama. The author hasnt just shoved it's in to shock you for no reason, each and every part of this story has obviously been planned so meticulously and it shows.
Its definitely a story that makes you evaluate your own family life and question 'what would I do'. Will sit with you for days after!
Thanks to netgalley and Bonnier Books UK for the ARC.
Kate Bradley has been really clever in her writing for this book as she puts everything you know and believe onto a plate and then starts it spinning and when it slows down she spins it again!
A great plot with a LOT of twists and turns and even more suspense.
In short the story centres around a family and the huge topic of domestic violence and just how far you would go to protect those who you love.
Told in the narrative of past and present there ate alot of shocks and revelations but amazingly no drama. The author hasnt just shoved it's in to shock you for no reason, each and every part of this story has obviously been planned so meticulously and it shows.
Its definitely a story that makes you evaluate your own family life and question 'what would I do'. Will sit with you for days after!
Thanks to netgalley and Bonnier Books UK for the ARC.
July 2, 2024
I chose this book because I'd enjoyed To Keep You Safe, but wow, at chapter 35 I'm calling it quits. I had to come on Goodreads to check the audiobook version I was listening to wasn't a mistake. One minute I'm listening to Lisa running scared of her abusive husband and trying to protect her son Jack, the next minute Lisa is a grandmother and her grandson is Jack and she's trying to protect him from her son Jack and her husband Nick turns out to be a good guy, I think? I thought, OMG the publisher hasn't read or edited this book and it's been published with two versions, as if the author has accidentally not rewritten her original version from perhaps the grandmother's point of view to the wife's point of view. But after reading other reviews about this book, it's not a mistake. Sorry, but you lost me, Kate Bradley, and To Keep You Safe was so... good. It was a push to give two stars but I'm giving them for effort.
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