What She Did Book Review

Title: WHAT SHE DID

Author: Carla Kovach

ISBN: 9781800199668

Publisher: Bookouture

Source: Review copy from NetGalley

Marissa lives alone in her tiny one-bed apartment. It’s quiet and safe; all she’s ever wanted since the night her mother was killed in front of her. But when the police knock on her door with the news that her last remaining family member has been murdered, she comes face to face with the trauma she has spent a lifetime running from.

A witness saw her car outside his house that day, but Marissa knows she’s innocent. She hasn’t seen her uncle in years and remembers going to bed in her own home that night. But she’s had blackouts before and can’t always trust her memory.

Days later, Marissa’s neighbour is found dead in his home with stab wounds all over his body, exactly like her uncle. It was no secret that Marissa didn’t get on with her neighbour, but she’d never want to see him hurt. How can she convince the police that she isn’t a killer? And, as the secrets from her past take hold of her present, is there anyone in her small world she can trust?

Official Summary

This book had me glued to the edge of my seat from start to end. I could not get enough. A young woman who had an unfair start in life reaches a point where she can stand on her own two feet only to watch everything come tumbling down around her. What if you cannot trust anyone, where do you turn when you need help?

Carla Kovach created a breath-taking tale full of sadness. As you experience the disasters of Marissa Baxter’s life you are drawn into her world, sharing her insecurities and loneliness as her world falls apart and she believes she cannot trust anyone. The story is told from Marissa’s perspective allowing you to see the world through her eyes while you experience every emotion with her. You feel her doubts and insecurities. The author did a wonderful job dragging the reader headfirst into Marissa’s troubled existence.

Marissa Baxter watched her beloved mother being murder and ended up living in an abusive home with her aunt and uncle. She struggled her way towards a quiet life where she finally felt safe. Until a new neighbour moves in and steals her peace and quiet. Dan does not like her, and he quickly starts intimidating her. The arrival of Uncle Simon in the neighbourhood brings all her old insecurities to the surface. Then Simon is murdered after an unexplained sleepwalking experience. Quickly followed by Dan, her neighbour’s murder. Another evening Marissa has no memory of. When she finds a bloody knife in her bathtub, she starts questioning herself. Did she kill these men? Or is someone trying to set her up? Is she losing her mind? Determined to find the truth, she’ll either end up arrested for murder or face a killer… what would be worse?

Reading this story, you are drawn into Marissa’s troubled, chaotic mind never quite sure what to expect next. Just when you are convinced that Marissa has lost her mind the author delivers a conclusion that knocks the wind out of sails. This was a fantastic, gripping read that had me glued to the very last page.

The characters were all seen from Marissa’s viewpoint, so you end up liking and disliking them as she does. Marissa evolves from a traumatised, abused child to a troubled young woman and finally a woman who takes responsibility for her actions and tries her best to do what is right. This remarkable character has stayed in my thoughts the entire weekend after finishing the book.

WHAT SHE DID was a fantastic read with a twist at the end that is delivered unexpectedly. I loved the creativity of this story and that final line that leaves you wondering is brilliant. Mystery and thriller fans are guaranteed a treat when they reach for this complex tale. I loved it!

About the Author

Bio from the author’s site

I’ve been writing for many tears now. Apart from my childhood and teenage writings, it all started again ten years ago. Inspired by theatre and bringing worlds to life, I began writing for the stage. That inspiration soon developed a love for novel and screenplay writing.

I’ve had two separate productions of my plays, one at The Etcetera Theatre in Camden, and another that I personally directed, shown at The Norbury Theatre, in Droitwich Spa. My feature film, Penny for the Guy is in its final stages of production and will be completed by the end of 2020.

I began my novel-writing career with a ghost story aimed at teenagers, called Flame. Since then, I’ve well and truly contracted the novel-writing bug. I followed that novel with a psychological thriller, To Let.

The first book is called The Next Girl. This was soon followed by Her Final Hour and then Her Pretty Bones. This led to a further 3 book deal, again with Bookouture, resulting to date in the releases of The Liar’s House and Her Dark Heart. Book 6 in the series is in its final stages of editing before an April release, and on top of that, I’ve had yet another book deal – this time for a further 4 books!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to review this title. What a fabulous read? Have you read any of Carla Kovach’s books? Which is your favourite? Leave a comment below. As always thank you for your continued support and for taking the time to read my review. I am sure mystery and thriller fans will enjoy this book. Until next time… Happy Reading!