What We Did Last Night

by Vanessa Garbin

Do you love your partner enough to share them with someone else?

This is the question facing Laura when a group of close friends, all neighbours living on the same street, decide one night to put their keys in a bowl and swap partners.

No one is obliged to do anything but the rules state that what does happen remains under wraps.

Not everyone is keen on the idea, though Laura’s husband certainly is, but group pressure mixed with alcohol means they run with it.

This will set off a chain of jaw-dropping events that will change all their lives forever.

If you are looking for a suspenseful domestic thriller that will keep you guessing, you’ve found it!

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Psychological Thriller, Ebooks, Mystery Thriller, Amazon

236 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 31, 2021

About the author

Vanessa lives with her husband and their three children by the sea in Western Australia.
When she’s not writing, she can usually be found reading a good book with her cat Bruce curled on her lap.
Vanessa worked as a bookseller for several years and enjoyed being surrounded by books of all genres.
Her favourite authors are John Steinbeck, Daphne Du Maurier and Ray Bradbury, and in more recent times, Shari Lapena, Claire McGowan and Kimberly Belle.

Reviews

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the debut novel for this author several years ago. It's written from multiple points of views and is a lesson about consequences and how everyone is affected by the decisions that are made under the influence of alcohol. The aftermath either didn't matter to these people or there is going to be another book that covers it. The story of what these close friends and neighbors brought down on themselves and their families by the suggested "fun" and daring activity among tipsy, though consenting adults, will keep you immersed in their stupidly, until the last page. Don't hold your breath expecting hot, explicit sex scenes... you are going to be very disappointed. It’s really about the emotional baggage the characters are carrying and the fallout from what did...or didn’t do that night. I had to seriously question the practical realities of the activity. Laura...the host, was very much against the whole thing. Question #1 - Why didn’t Laura just tell everyone to go home? Her 17-year-old daughter was supposed to be coming home at any time. Question #2 - exactly where were four slightly drunk, swinging couples supposed to go to carry out the purpose of this swap? Were they supposed to use the master bedroom...the kids’ bedrooms, the spare bedroom...the living room sofa, dining room table, kitchen worktops or bathroom counter? Question #3 - the "clean up" the next morning? There was going to be a lot! Another entertaining comment that leads to more wondering and gave birth to another question, was when one of the characters said she "needed to take a shower"... oh I bet she did, but she needed this she said, "before everyone arrived". Question #4 - Really??? She had already spent two paragraphs before stating this desire, doing her hair and makeup...now she's headed for the shower??? What woman on Earth does, or would ever think of doing that? The biggest question of all is Question#5 - how will these friends and neighbors ever look one another in the eye the next morning or over a cup of coffee, or while talking over the fence...or fully trust their partners ever again? The author could build an entire series on these characters alone. I loved the whole tipsy, crazy bunch! This was, without a doubt, one of the most entertaining books I have read in a long time.

[Anni · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure if I read a different book to everyone else but I honestly cannot see how anyone is giving this so many stars.
Psychological thriller??? A group of people have a swinger party, swap husbands, cheat and then get divorced and some shack up with another....there is nothing Psychologically thrilling at all.it was just ridiculous. Had some side quests too, a woman who beats her husband all of twice and apparently has a back story as to why she won't have sex with him anymore, that we never find out and has about 3 paragraphs worth of book for her "storyline" of domestic abuse
A girl who sees her dad cheating and so takes a bunch of pills........survives......then gets thrown through a car window......survives......then gets smothered during sex. .... . ..you guessed it, survived. It was just a bizarre storyline that I thought was going to be a Psychological thriller in the sense of a whodunit murder mystery. I've given two stars because I hate to be harsh but honestly the book was pants. I think maybe the author added too many people and then ran out of space and time to address them all properly as well as giving every single one their own storyline so wasting space doing so many of the side quests..

[Shannie ʚ ɞ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ew..what am I reading ? Nonono. I don’t tolerate cheating. The game is stupid, the characters are stupid, the writing is not so great. Hard pass.

P.s Laura pls stand up..

[JLR · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t even know where to start…

SPOILERS BELOW

This book was all-around bad. I read the description and thought it sounded like something a bit different - and it did have an okay premise. But the rest was a downhill slide - flat characters, erratic pacing - but the very worst part was all of the over-the-top theatrics that made it difficult to read between rolling my eyes. Leni doesn’t just find out what’s going on - oh no…there’s a rushed “Leni is missing” storyline that spirals into pills, blood, missing phone, car crash on the way to hospital, relapsing after being assaulted, suicides - it just goes on and on to new and more ridiculous heights.

The editing here was also a mess - a decent editor would have suggested eliminating a lot of the random info that goes nowhere - references to Alison’s backstory that have zero impact on the story, the gay couple whose involvement is extremely tangential and pointless except I’m guessing to have a LGBTQ+ presence (but true the historic fashion of this book - not JUST a gay couple but a gay couple where one is Croatian who believes his dead father helps him find people in need and the other is the first openly gay Indigenous football player who has been cheated on by a past parents - really, I can’t make this up) , Laura’s OUT OF NOWHERE thoughts about “returning to her art” (?) at the end of the book…I could go on and on.

Ultimately, I don’t know if the author cobbled together elements from several unfinished stories to create this book or if they have some sort of issue with swingers and this was supposed to be a cautionary tale but it was a total waste of my time to read it.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh dear. I liked the idea behind this book, but it was really poorly written and there were some blatant errors which were not picked up by the proof reader and editor. I don't think this author understands 'show not tell', it felt more like a first draft it was so unpolished. Disappointing!

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you love your partner enough to share them with someone else? When a group of close friends, neighbours on the same street, decide one night to have a key party, this is a question Laura finds herself asking especially when her husband seems very keen to get involved. But the night doesn’t run smoothly and sets off a chain of events that will change their lives forever.
Garbin’s debut, this is set in her native Australia (and written in Australian English - I now know what a duvet is called down-under!) but takes place almost exclusively in and around the friends houses, adding a claustrophobic air to proceedings. Characterisation is sharp, though having eleven of them means some get short-changed (and it took me a while to get a proper grip on who was who) and the chain of events, as lives unravel, is well plotted and told. An intriguing and well told novel.

[Mellisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A group of close friends push the boundaries of their friendship when they decide to put their keys in a bowl and swap partners for the night. Nothing is off limits as long as consensual, the only rules being whatever happens is not spoken about. None of them know it, but this event is going to set off a series of events that will devastate and change the lives of the community forever.

Happy Thriller Thursday. I haven't put this book down since I started it yesterday afternoon, it was that good.

A seemingly 'innocent' game that has huge consequences. The twist that came at the end of this book was incredible, and horrific. The chapters are short, switching between the different neighbours, but it's so easy to keep up with who is who. Such a gripping, easy read!

This is one everyone needs to put on their tbr pile - immediately.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dear Sarah: just because it’s free to read on Kindle Unlimited doesn’t mean you need to read it.

[Anna Willett · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a group of neighbours come together for a swinger’s party, what could go wrong? When everyone has secrets and insecurities, things get out of control and the shattering repercussions change their lives forever.
A fantastic domestic thriller with a cast of compelling and memorable characters. The story moves with speed and as a reader, I was along for the ride. Get comfortable because if you enjoy tight, character-driven thrillers, you’ll be up all night!

[Erik Empson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The premise is quite simple, but you don't get what you might expect from this debut thriller by Vanessa Garbin. It is a daring book. The fractured lives of the people involved is reflecting in the unique posing of this story, the same picture told from different perspectives. The reader might not know what to think, and why to think it, but gradually behind the layers a dramatic composition is revealed.

[Kerry · Rating 1 out of 5]

Note to me:- CHOOSE A NEW GENRE FOR A WHILE, YOUR SCRAPING THE BARREL!

Did I miss what happened to Samantha? Why didn't we get to read the fall out when Laura confronted Nathan? Where is the end of this book? I think I was enjoying this... until I wasn't. Up until about 40% I was really looking forward to where this story was going. By 60% I should have stopped reading, because by 90% the author had clearly given up writing and gave the most rediculous ending I've ever read.

[Dorothea Key · Rating 1 out of 5]

Despite the first half of the book being compelling, the ending was cringe worthy at worst and sappy at best, with a harsh tonal shift from the rest of the book. The ending felt very forced and unbelievable. The daring, sexy, and dramatic premise of the book is sorely disappointing; I'm sure I am not the only reader who felt that the author could have pushed the plot along too much more exciting and satisfying lengths then what was actually executed. A shame, as the mystery could have been done well but the last three hard hitters of the plotline in the second half of the book were too spread out and thus majorly lost impact.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basically a secret lives of Mormon wives swinger scandal but more boring.

[Vina · Rating 5 out of 5]

“What We Did Last Night” by Vanessa Garbin is among the very few 5 Star books I have read this year.
Vanessa Garbin is a new writer for me, but I’m already getting another book of hers to read.(Her books are on Kindle Unlimited) The story is about one single night’s indiscretions among a closely-knit group of friends and neighbours. In a wild moment of high spirits, the plan was to have a key party, where the woman spends the night with the man whose key she gets.

The consequences of that single night are far-reaching,and ruin many lives and relationships.

5 Stars

[Lynda Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well !! This super book was a freebie ! I was sure I'd bought it and just looked back and I hadn't. I'll certainly buy another by her off the back of this one, though. It was something very different to the usual murderation tales I prefer but also full of intrigue and interesting folk. I saw another reviewer mentioned the cast of characters being plonked into the back of the book and agree-that was a daft thing to do. If you keep flipping to the back on a Kindle the bloody thing counts that as your last read page, so for future reference, authors and publishers, it's way more helpful at the front !!
It's based in Australia and odd phrases I needed to look up for the exact definition but that wasn't a problem. It has a pretty large cast of characters so you need to pay attention, though. One is left wondering how or why some of these people were with the husband or wife they ended up with !!
I did have to giggle about their putting the carkeys into a dish, all very 1970s style, I believe.....though no doubt it's all sorted online these days if you're into that type of caper !! A couple of the relationships in this I really did like, however and the ending still had them together, so I was most satisfied with that outcome.
Some passages I highlighted as they struck a chord with me so she has a nice way with words, and the only errors I really spotted were some dropped commas here and there, but not continually, so that was a massive plus for me, too. I did note a character was referred to as a widower and she's a widow......and I also noted that the "she wants to die" or "she wished she could die" phrase was a bit overused but that was it.
I'd guess this is also partly a tale of morality lessons as you just knew things would go tits-up in some fashion !!! I was pretty gleeful watching from the sidelines which possibly makes me a terrible person! Hehehe......

[Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant debut novel that had me hooked from the very beginning and throughout. I was instantly drawn in by the familiar setting of a neighbourhood party and the dynamics of the couples. It’s fascinating discovering how this seemingly harmonious domestic arrangement begins to unravel and, ultimately, descend into tragedy. Written from the perspectives of the various people, I soon became invested in everyone’s own take on the events. It’s rare that I find myself rooting for multiple characters, especially when some of those appear at odds with each other, but the author writes with such empathy that each person quickly gains their own identity. I also really appreciated the pace of the book, which balances the need to provide enough detail to become absorbing, whilst remaining events-driven. My only regret is the sleep I have lost, electing to read far later into the night than ordinarily wise, keen to find out what happens next.

[Barbara Williams · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a mess

Keeping track of who is married to who, who is single, but massively which one of these characters has the sickest idea of neighborly love. What a perverted mess. All their little parties did was bring out the worst in each other and cause irreparable harm to so many families. How would anyone think this would have been a remotely good idea. Sick story.

[Ruby Schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

Wow, I read this is one sitting. It shows you how one night can change everything & everyone. Loved the characters. Such uniquely different.
5+ stars, a must read.

[Jeanshughgooglemail.Com · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book, great storyline, which shows you how starting something that you know is wrong can cause unforeseen consequences

[Heather Cairns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this one! Great book!

[Aubrey Braddock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not at all what I expected, but I thought all the twists and turns and connections were great, and I enjoyed reading this book.

[Courtny Hubert · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yikes

[Aprille in Texas]

Giving up at 51%. This is heavy subject matter that is not handled in a very adult way. This is how marriages get *killed.* It becomes a slow growing cancer for some - and others make it habitual. I just can’t stomach it. DNF

[Keith Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a read, enjoyed this multi viewpoint book with a twisty turny ending.
My new favourite author 👍

[Heather Dominelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

The actions of a close knit group of friends have such ramifications on their children. Makes me think about when you throw a rock in a lake and the ripples go on across the entirety of that lake.

Very well written

[janie honek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Book

Being c!is a friends to your neighbours can be tough especially when one night at a get together swingers party is suggested to try - mixed reactions - some say what is right or wrong - the rules -the kids - the heartache- the life-long the accident -the suicide - a great book that keep you reading u til you are done

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book, enjoyed it. Pity the list of characters was at the end would have been more helpful at the front

[Christine Abruzzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty good read.

I have not read this author before but would be interested in seeing n what else she has out there. This was very different from things I usually read but I was drawn to it because it was listed as a psychological thriller (it was not). The story involves a neighborhood of people who are friends and are pretty close. They decide to try a "key swap night" where all men's house keys go in a basket and the women pick one out and spend time alone with that man! A lot of stories and twists and turns develop from this evening, and I was intrigued by them all. I enjoyed this read very much.
post note: There are quite a few characters and I had a bit of trouble keeping track of who was married to whom, so I made a list BUT at the very end of the book, is a list that would have been very helpful if it had been on page 1!!

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

This was a brilliant read although the ending was quite rushed for me and I felt like I needed to know more

[Tay · Rating 5 out of 5]

PHENOMENAL!!!

I loved every second of this book! I would highly recommend it. I have definitely found a new author to follow!