I just finished reading this book. Here are my thoughts.

PROS:

The story had a good, consistent energy, keeping me engaged throughout. I liked that the story continually shifted to a different viewpoint. Some people don't like having to "keep up with" multiple characters, but I actually like it. There are always two (or, in this case, 6) sides to every story, right?

I appreciated that there weren't many triggers in this book. Here lately, I will get invested in a story only to be blind-sighted by a super uncomfortable situation (infidelity, abuse, etc). Not too much to dodge in this one, which was nice.

Also, I thought the characters were well-developed, even if most of them weren't very likeable. When we're first introduced to the Chapmans and the Whitakers, they seem like average, very relatable families dealing with common life issues. As their personalities unfold and layers are gradually peeled back, we see each person's humanitarian side (those who had one....) as well as everyone's dark side. Whereas the entire Whitaker family was comprised of train wrecks, the Chapmans seemed like nice people I'd have dinner with. The interpersonal relationships were intriguing - Jane and Wade's failing marriage, Ivy and Jane's best-frenemy situation. It was also interesting that Ivy struggled with stress eating / binge eating while promoting health and wellness to everyone around her, proving that you never really know what someone might be dealing with.

CONS (not too many):

Emerson was too much for me, to the point of being insufferable. I ended up breezing through most of her parts after that scene with her and Max at her house party. Cal was just awful too. I kept waiting for him to get arrested or bite the dust, but he never did. However, that's just my opinion. At least one of them got her just desserts.

Really, the main con I have is the ending. It was super frustrating (not in a fun way for me) that for as vile of a person as he was, Cal just had some magical luck that made it impossible for him to lose. Instead of being revealed for the creep he actually was, the bad guy won I do appreciate that Lincoln is evidently stalking him now. But it could have even ended very quickly with Lincoln confronting Cal and permanently turning his lights out (knocked out a la Emerson, gunshot, anything). He also could have gotten arrested for killing Scotty and Shelby. But instead, he got famous, which made the ending unsatisfying for me.

All in all, the story was entertaining, the characters were complex, no real trigger warnings necessary. Even though I wasn't a fan of how it ended, I would still recomment it. I would read more by this author!

I started this book and then stopped and read another. I picked it up again it was a little hard to get into but once it picked up I was hooked. I was annoyed with every single character but still needed to know what happened. I still don’t know how I really feel about it even after finishing. It’s one of those books that stays with you for a bit.

An enjoyable read that moved along really nicely. This is my first book by the author but I will definitely be reading more by them

You Shouldn’t Have Done That
By: Liz Alterman
Long time friends are a blessing when the whole family gets along. Jane Whitaker and Ivy Chapman along with their husbands and sons have been best friends for years.
They are looking forward to vacation together, but tragedy strikes. Their sons Cal and Brad were skiing in Wyoming, BUT only Brad came home. The families are torn apart as Brad seems less than cooperative about the circumstances surrounding Carl’s disappearance?
In stead of working together to find Cal, the families relationship starts to strain. It does not help that Cal’s sister Emerson starts vilifying Brad.
This nailbiter shows you how far a family might go to protect their children. Secrets come out the twists kept coming.

This was such a massive disappointment, I wish I can take back the time I spent on it. Zero stars for a bonkers plot, lackluster characters and meh ending

Liz Alterman’s novel, *You Shouldn’t Have Done That*, is a riveting psychological thriller that fearlessly delves into the complexities of friendship, loyalty, and the extraordinary lengths parents will go to protect their children. With razor-sharp tension and an emotionally charged narrative, this book is a must-read for fans of Lisa Jewell and Liane Moriarty.

The story centers on Jane Whitaker and Ivy Chapman, best friends for two decades, whose bond is tested when Cal, Jane’s son, vanishes during a skiing trip, while Ivy’s son, Brad, is the only one who returns. As the Whitaker family grapples with their growing fears, suspicions quickly shift toward Brad—why didn’t he report Cal missing? What secrets is he hiding?

Alterman masterfully weaves a tale of psychological suspense filled with deception, shifting loyalties, and the devastating fallout from hidden truths. The story goes beyond the mystery, diving deep into the emotional wreckage left in the wake of Cal's disappearance, particularly through the eyes of the two mothers, who find themselves caught between love and the harsh reality of truth. The involvement of social media outrage, spearheaded by Cal’s sister, Emerson, adds a contemporary and unsettling dimension, showcasing how rapidly public perception can spiral out of control.

With incisive writing, unexpected twists, and a haunting exploration of maternal instinct and betrayal, *You Shouldn’t Have Done That* is simply unputdownable. Just when you think you have it all figured out, Alterman delivers a shocking revelation that leaves you reeling.

This fast-paced, thought-provoking thriller is guaranteed to make you question how well you truly know those closest to you. Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator books for gifting me this ARC in exchange for my honest review! I really liked this book, lately I've found myself having a hard time enjoying most books, a lot of ARCs have been falling flat. Thankfully, this book did not fall flat, I loved the conclusion, it was so well done, and left a creepy- almost paranoid taste in my mouth. I would definitely recommend.

The Whitakers and Chapmans, childhood neighbours, embark on a Wyoming vacation. However, Brad Chapman and Cal Whitaker’s skiing trip takes a sinister turn when one of them mysteriously disappears.

I devoured this captivating mystery/thriller in just a couple of hours! Although the characters weren’t particularly likeable, they were all well-developed and believable. The author also delved into the modern world of social media and influencers, adding depth to the story. While one plot point became increasingly implausible and far-fetched, the author redeemed herself with a shocking and satisfying ending. I’m definitely adding this author to my reading list and will eagerly anticipate their next book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

A slow burn of a book that feels incredibly tense!

I like reading this but I did feel that some things were a little bit too out there

3.5 stars rounded up

The Whitakers and the Chapmans are neighbor families whose kids grew up together. They plan a vacation to Wyoming together, but when Brad Chapman and Cal Whitaker go skiing together and one of them doesn't come back, everything falls apart.

I read through this story in about a day! I enjoyed this read, it was a solid mystery/thriller. I didn't think there was anything hugely special about the plot, but the writing was compelling and made me feel things. Specifically, a lot of bad feelings about basically the entire Whitaker family. Not a single member of that family was a decent person in the end. This is not an inherently bad thing - I always appreciate when books make me feel things.

I also wish that there had been more of a resolution between Cal and Brad and Cal and Lincoln. After everything that happened, they both just moved on? The ending felt a little rushed after the first ¾ of the story felt a little too drawn out, and I feel like a couple of loose ends were not resolved.

Overall though, a solid mystery with a story that drew me in!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Whitakers and The Chapmans are "friends who are family " I'm 50 & immediately related to the two couples who are 54 years old. The author did a great job describing life in your 50s, as well as friendships among women. Although the characters were not likeable, each was well-developed. The use of social media and influencers was also explored. While one situation became extremely unbelievable and far fetched, the author redeemed herself with a surprising ending. I will definitely read other books by this author.

Two childhood friends go on a ski trip together, but when one goes missing, the secrets dredged up begin to tear both families apart. Alterman's novel digs into a world of picture-perfect suburbia to examine the hidden resentments and conflicts—drug use, gambling debts, and a drunken accident are only the tip of the iceberg—between two families. The author makes effective use of red herrings, with the novel's multi-perspective format helping develop tension as we watch a cast of crooked characters miscommunicate and lie. This novel's conclusion is also ingeniously put together, doling out ironic and paranoia-inducing fates to its characters as they're forced to live with the consequences of their actions. However, some of its satire of social media and mob mentality felt overly broad, and I found the concluding acts of the story less effective, with plot twists and acts of violence that felt implausible or too rapidly resolved—though the darkness of its final chapter does help redeem it.

I'm grateful to Inkubator Books for providing an advance copy of YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT on Netgalley.

Interesting premise but I just couldn't get into the book. Very unlikeable characters and the things that kept happening got more and more unrealistic and outlandish. I didn't love the writing style and really wasn't invested in the story. Would not recommend.

Loved this book, it was really fast paced and kept me intrigued the whole time. So grateful i got the opportunity to read this and I would really enjoy reading more from this author xx

Whoa...I'm still trying to process this one a little bit! You Shouldn't Have Done That by Liz Alterman was all over the place, in a good way! It's told in multiple viewpoints so there's a lot going on but it's not difficult to follow. There are some incredibly unlikeable characters (Cal being one of the most!) but despite being unlikeable, they are realistic and well portrayed. There were plenty of twists and turns and red herrings...I will fully admit that the way it played out caught me by surprise and I love that!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Brad and Cal go skiing together in Wyoming, but only Brad returns, claiming he has no idea what's happened to Cal. Their mothers have been lifelong friends, but now they turn on each other as the search for Cal continues, especially as Cal's sister Emerson uses social media to make Cal's disappearance nationwide news. But Cal has secrets of his own that gradually start to emerge... I was hoping that Liz Alterman's You Shouldn't Have Done That would be along the lines of Dervla McTiernan's What Happened To Nina?, with its interesting examination of how far parents will go to protect their child. But the multiple perspectives left it feeling unfocused, and I never really cared about what was going on with the two mothers. It starts incredibly slowly and while it does pick up pace, the sections about the parents continued to feel like a distraction. I'm also becoming increasingly frustrated with thrillers that have such unlikeable characters that it's impossible to root for anybody, though I felt there was one character here who I could get behind despite their actions. Not one for me. 2.5 stars.

The plot!! The characters!! The twists!!! gave me chills. Definitely a page-turner. You think you know who did it or what happened but you DO NOT. I finished reading it in one sitting. I enjoyed it a LOT.

It is one of those books that leaves you thinking long after you finish it.

I thought the book started off a little slow, but then it was a story full of twists. When you think Liz couldn't add another turn, she does. I enjoyed it, Liz did a great job of describing how social media can build a person up,only to turn on you without notice. I don't want to give anything away, but "insert name here", isn't it ironic? If you are looking for a book with tons of plot twists, betrayal, and leaves you guessing and gasping- this is the book to read.

Another great thriller! You Shouldn’t Have Done That by Liz Alterman was a twisty turny thriller that had me guessing.

Best friends make the deadliest enemies. Jane Whitaker and Ivy Chapman have been best friends for twenty years ever since their sons Cal and Brad attended the same preschool. But their close bond is severely tested when their now adult sons go skiing together in Wyoming and only one returns! Great book! Wow! There were some shocking and thrilling twists that I didn’t see coming!! What a wild storyline! Fantastic characters! Great suspense! Mystery, murder, gaslighting, kidnapping, and a few shocking who done its! I highly recommend reading this book! I definitely enjoyed reading this one! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!