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You Know What You Did
EDITORIAL REVIEWS
A People Magazine Best Book of April 2024 | “The Most Anticipated Crime Fiction of 2024” CrimeReads | Spring 2024 Preview Mysteries & Thrillers Top 10 Publishers Weekly | Publishers Marketplace 2024 BuzzBook | “Readers’ Most Anticipated Mysteries & Thrillers of 2024” Goodreads | “New Debut Novels to Check Out This Season” Goodreads | “The Best Mysteries and Thrillers of 2024” BookBub | “Our Most Anticipated Crime Fiction Novels of 2024” Novel Suspects | "18 Most Anticipated Books of 2024” BiblioLifestyle | "The Best (And Most Anticipated) Mystery and Thriller Books of 2024" Elle Magazine
"A dizzying thriller that centers around mental illness, generational trauma, and how much we really know even those closest to us." —People
"With unflinching determination, Nguyen keeps readers pinned to the page in this dark, devastating psychological horror." —Elle
“[A] razor sharp debut…Here, complications from untreated mental illness drive the unreliable narrator trope for a swirly, tangled hair-raiser…As sinister as it is emotional, You Know What You Did explores mother-daughter relationships and generational trauma with taut, captivating prose and a touch of horror.” —Seattle Times
"A twisty, horror-filled thriller... [an] incredibly compelling debut” —Booklist (*Starred Review*)
"[An] exhilarating debut...Braiding together hair-raising psychological suspense and poignant study of war’s intergenerational trauma, Nguyen adds depth to the familiar setup of the unreliable, mentally ill heroine. Lisa Unger and Tess Gerritsen fans, take note." —Publishers Weekly
"The descriptions of Annie’s OCD...and her struggles to control it are particularly visceral...[An] exploration of generational trauma and mental illness...There is healing to be had in the journey and the ending.” —Kirkus Reviews
“This book knocked the wind out of me. On top of its razor sharp twists and visceral scares, You Know What You Did taps into the true horror experienced by so many refugees and war survivors, and the way that trauma lives on through generations. Don’t miss this brilliant thriller from a powerful new voice.” —Ana Reyes, New York Times bestselling author of The House in the Pines
“An exciting, complex thriller that takes the reader on a thoroughly disturbing journey through the mind of a protagonist who may or may not be the villain...You Know What You Did will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final page.” —S.A. Cosby, New York Times bestselling author of Razorblade Tears and All the Sinners Bleed
DESCRIPTION
In this heart-pounding debut thriller for fans of Lisa Jewell and Celeste Ng, a first-generation Vietnamese American artist must confront nightmares past and present…
Annie “Anh Le” Shaw grew up poor but seems to have it all now: a dream career, a stunning home, and a devoted husband and daughter. When Annie’s mother, a Vietnam War refugee, dies suddenly one night, Annie’s carefully curated life begins to unravel. Her obsessive-compulsive disorder, which she thought she’d vanquished years ago, comes roaring back—but this time, the disturbing fixations swirling around in Annie’s brain might actually be coming true.
AUTHOR NOTE
Personality-wise, I'm not much like my main character Annie Shaw. However, we do have one big thing in common: we're both recovering from obsessive compulsive disorder. Through Annie, I describe some of my lived experience with disgust-driven, contamination-based OCD. The imagery is raw and vivid—and very necessary to realistically portray how this chronic disorder can affect people's everyday lives, how it can make you feel like a prisoner in your own body. To learn more about OCD symptoms, treatments, and resources, visit the website of the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF dot org). —K.T. Nguyen
A People Magazine Best Book of April 2024 | “The Most Anticipated Crime Fiction of 2024” CrimeReads | Spring 2024 Preview Mysteries & Thrillers Top 10 Publishers Weekly | Publishers Marketplace 2024 BuzzBook | “Readers’ Most Anticipated Mysteries & Thrillers of 2024” Goodreads | “New Debut Novels to Check Out This Season” Goodreads | “The Best Mysteries and Thrillers of 2024” BookBub | “Our Most Anticipated Crime Fiction Novels of 2024” Novel Suspects | "18 Most Anticipated Books of 2024” BiblioLifestyle | "The Best (And Most Anticipated) Mystery and Thriller Books of 2024" Elle Magazine
"A dizzying thriller that centers around mental illness, generational trauma, and how much we really know even those closest to us." —People
"With unflinching determination, Nguyen keeps readers pinned to the page in this dark, devastating psychological horror." —Elle
“[A] razor sharp debut…Here, complications from untreated mental illness drive the unreliable narrator trope for a swirly, tangled hair-raiser…As sinister as it is emotional, You Know What You Did explores mother-daughter relationships and generational trauma with taut, captivating prose and a touch of horror.” —Seattle Times
"A twisty, horror-filled thriller... [an] incredibly compelling debut” —Booklist (*Starred Review*)
"[An] exhilarating debut...Braiding together hair-raising psychological suspense and poignant study of war’s intergenerational trauma, Nguyen adds depth to the familiar setup of the unreliable, mentally ill heroine. Lisa Unger and Tess Gerritsen fans, take note." —Publishers Weekly
"The descriptions of Annie’s OCD...and her struggles to control it are particularly visceral...[An] exploration of generational trauma and mental illness...There is healing to be had in the journey and the ending.” —Kirkus Reviews
“This book knocked the wind out of me. On top of its razor sharp twists and visceral scares, You Know What You Did taps into the true horror experienced by so many refugees and war survivors, and the way that trauma lives on through generations. Don’t miss this brilliant thriller from a powerful new voice.” —Ana Reyes, New York Times bestselling author of The House in the Pines
“An exciting, complex thriller that takes the reader on a thoroughly disturbing journey through the mind of a protagonist who may or may not be the villain...You Know What You Did will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final page.” —S.A. Cosby, New York Times bestselling author of Razorblade Tears and All the Sinners Bleed
DESCRIPTION
In this heart-pounding debut thriller for fans of Lisa Jewell and Celeste Ng, a first-generation Vietnamese American artist must confront nightmares past and present…
Annie “Anh Le” Shaw grew up poor but seems to have it all now: a dream career, a stunning home, and a devoted husband and daughter. When Annie’s mother, a Vietnam War refugee, dies suddenly one night, Annie’s carefully curated life begins to unravel. Her obsessive-compulsive disorder, which she thought she’d vanquished years ago, comes roaring back—but this time, the disturbing fixations swirling around in Annie’s brain might actually be coming true.
AUTHOR NOTE
Personality-wise, I'm not much like my main character Annie Shaw. However, we do have one big thing in common: we're both recovering from obsessive compulsive disorder. Through Annie, I describe some of my lived experience with disgust-driven, contamination-based OCD. The imagery is raw and vivid—and very necessary to realistically portray how this chronic disorder can affect people's everyday lives, how it can make you feel like a prisoner in your own body. To learn more about OCD symptoms, treatments, and resources, visit the website of the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF dot org). —K.T. Nguyen
384 pages, Hardcover
First published April 16, 2024
About the author
K.T. Nguyen
1 book213 followersK. T. Nguyen is a former magazine editor. Her features have appeared in Glamour, Shape, and Fitness. She grew up in small town in Ohio and currently resides in a small town in Maryland with her family and their rescue terrier Alice. K.T. is a big fan of native plant gardening, jigsaw puzzles, and the Mets.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 783 reviews
July 13, 2024
**4.5-stars rounded up**
You Know What You Did is an intensely-suspenseful Mystery/Thriller debut from a hot up-and-coming author, K.T. Nguyen. And what a crackling debut it is!!
This story follows a fascinating-MC, Anh Le, who goes by Annie. She's married, and the mother of a teenage daughter. Annie is also an artist, although she's feeling unsatisfied with her career lately.
In fact, a few aspects of Annie's life are beginning to derail after the passing of her Mom, a Vietnam War refugee, who Annie had a contentious relationship with.
Annie's mother had been residing in an out-building on their family property, so she had been a fairly constant presence in Annie's life.
The loss impacted Annie in a lot of unexpected ways. Her severe-OCD comes roaring back and the dark fixations of her mind seem to be morphing into her reality.
When Annie's most wealthy patron goes missing, shortly after Annie visited her home, the police come knocking.
The disappearance is shocking and it has Annie questioning everything, even herself. She can't seem to keep current events straight in her mind.
She's confused about many things and it's scary. She begins to distance herself from her family and friends.
With Annie's husband traveling for work, and her daughter off to summer camp, Annie is left to her own devices. As you can imagine, that doesn't go well.
Waking up in a hotel, with a lifeless body beside her, Annie has officially hit rock bottom. The police are back and she doesn't have answers that make sense, not even to herself.
Y'all, I loved this. I found it completely engaging, creepy and thought-provoking. K.T. Nguyen delivered all the tense, claustrophobic, desperate, unreliable narrator vibes that I could ever hope for.
I found it so easy to connect with Annie. I felt everything she was feeling. It made me incredibly anxious, but in a good, entertaining way, if that's possible. There were times that I was crawling out of my skin of anticipation.
I was sympathetic to Annie's character from the start, particularly since I couldn't stand her husband, or her daughter. It often felt like they were ganging up on Annie and were just not giving her any slack.
I was happy when they both left, so Annie could be alone. Although it definitely didn't help her mental state.
It's funny, I was Buddy Reading this with a friend and she mentioned, like how much is what Annie is relaying to us about her husband and daughter true? Could it be her paranoia? Part of her mental spiral? Or were they really being that rotten to her?
It's so funny, I didn't even consider that before she said it, but yeah, Annie's mental state definitely added so much to the suspense of this story. It was an exceptionally well-executed unreliable narrator situation.
I absolutely loved Nguyen's writing. The character work in particular, I was so impressed. I enjoyed not only the suspense and mystery of this story, but Nguyen also chose to tackle some difficult topics, such as the immigrant experience and mental health.
I enjoyed the levels of depth that these topics added to the story. This is more than just your standard Popcorn Thriller. This story has meat and I enjoyed every bite.
I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who enjoys a taut, engaging and emotional Mystery/Thriller. Particularly, if you enjoy an unreliable narrator.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Dutton, for providing me with a copy to read and review. If this is her debut, I cannot wait to see what Nguyen delivers next!!!
You Know What You Did is an intensely-suspenseful Mystery/Thriller debut from a hot up-and-coming author, K.T. Nguyen. And what a crackling debut it is!!
This story follows a fascinating-MC, Anh Le, who goes by Annie. She's married, and the mother of a teenage daughter. Annie is also an artist, although she's feeling unsatisfied with her career lately.
In fact, a few aspects of Annie's life are beginning to derail after the passing of her Mom, a Vietnam War refugee, who Annie had a contentious relationship with.
Annie's mother had been residing in an out-building on their family property, so she had been a fairly constant presence in Annie's life.
The loss impacted Annie in a lot of unexpected ways. Her severe-OCD comes roaring back and the dark fixations of her mind seem to be morphing into her reality.
When Annie's most wealthy patron goes missing, shortly after Annie visited her home, the police come knocking.
The disappearance is shocking and it has Annie questioning everything, even herself. She can't seem to keep current events straight in her mind.
She's confused about many things and it's scary. She begins to distance herself from her family and friends.
With Annie's husband traveling for work, and her daughter off to summer camp, Annie is left to her own devices. As you can imagine, that doesn't go well.
Waking up in a hotel, with a lifeless body beside her, Annie has officially hit rock bottom. The police are back and she doesn't have answers that make sense, not even to herself.
Y'all, I loved this. I found it completely engaging, creepy and thought-provoking. K.T. Nguyen delivered all the tense, claustrophobic, desperate, unreliable narrator vibes that I could ever hope for.
I found it so easy to connect with Annie. I felt everything she was feeling. It made me incredibly anxious, but in a good, entertaining way, if that's possible. There were times that I was crawling out of my skin of anticipation.
I was sympathetic to Annie's character from the start, particularly since I couldn't stand her husband, or her daughter. It often felt like they were ganging up on Annie and were just not giving her any slack.
I was happy when they both left, so Annie could be alone. Although it definitely didn't help her mental state.
It's funny, I was Buddy Reading this with a friend and she mentioned, like how much is what Annie is relaying to us about her husband and daughter true? Could it be her paranoia? Part of her mental spiral? Or were they really being that rotten to her?
It's so funny, I didn't even consider that before she said it, but yeah, Annie's mental state definitely added so much to the suspense of this story. It was an exceptionally well-executed unreliable narrator situation.
I absolutely loved Nguyen's writing. The character work in particular, I was so impressed. I enjoyed not only the suspense and mystery of this story, but Nguyen also chose to tackle some difficult topics, such as the immigrant experience and mental health.
I enjoyed the levels of depth that these topics added to the story. This is more than just your standard Popcorn Thriller. This story has meat and I enjoyed every bite.
I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who enjoys a taut, engaging and emotional Mystery/Thriller. Particularly, if you enjoy an unreliable narrator.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Dutton, for providing me with a copy to read and review. If this is her debut, I cannot wait to see what Nguyen delivers next!!!
May 22, 2024
I know what you did, but I kind of wish I didn’t 🥴
Damnnn this was longer than it needed it too be!
You Know What You Did is about Annie Shaw who has the ‘perfect life’ but when her war refugee mum passes away, it unlocks her compulsive OCD to a 10 and her life starts spiraling out of control. When one of her associates disappears and the police hone in on Annie as a suspect, matters get even more worse when she wakes up one morning naked in a hotel room, with a lifeless body next to her and she has no recollection on what happened.
This book looks like its destined to give you whiplash and have you on a rollercoaster, but it left me more with a niggling headache.
⋆｡°✩WHAT I LIKED⋆｡°✩
➽ Very morally grey characters
➽ The claustrophobic itchy vibes were felt throughout
➽ Annie's backstory was really interesting to read and explained a lot on how generational trauma
exists
➽ The mental health rep was addressed very well
➽ The author can definitely write
⋆｡°✩WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE ⋆｡°✩
➽ Annie's daughter was such a pain in the ass! So unlikeable it was unbearable
➽ I did not care for her husband either, who clearly showed way to much favoritism to his daughter
even when she was in the wrong
➽ It was extremely slow
➽The repetitiveness although I am aware it was too emphasize the compulsiveness of Annie's
disorder… it did feel overwhelming at times.
➽ The ending was a bit OTT and predictable. It felt like a popcorn thriller climax which the book is
not, so didn’t particularly care for the ending.
➽ The death of a dog felt very unnecessary and made no sense on why that had to occur
This book read to me more character driven than plot. It has a very slow start but does pick up along the way. I think if it was 100 pages or so less I would have enjoyed it more. But if you enjoy slow burns then this is definitely the book for you!
3.5 ⭐
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The cover art for this book is gorgeous! 😍
The blurb sounds like this is going to be one hell of a read!
Fingers crossed this is my next 5⭐ book! 💜
Damnnn this was longer than it needed it too be!
You Know What You Did is about Annie Shaw who has the ‘perfect life’ but when her war refugee mum passes away, it unlocks her compulsive OCD to a 10 and her life starts spiraling out of control. When one of her associates disappears and the police hone in on Annie as a suspect, matters get even more worse when she wakes up one morning naked in a hotel room, with a lifeless body next to her and she has no recollection on what happened.
This book looks like its destined to give you whiplash and have you on a rollercoaster, but it left me more with a niggling headache.
⋆｡°✩WHAT I LIKED⋆｡°✩
➽ Very morally grey characters
➽ The claustrophobic itchy vibes were felt throughout
➽ Annie's backstory was really interesting to read and explained a lot on how generational trauma
exists
➽ The mental health rep was addressed very well
➽ The author can definitely write
⋆｡°✩WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE ⋆｡°✩
➽ Annie's daughter was such a pain in the ass! So unlikeable it was unbearable
➽ I did not care for her husband either, who clearly showed way to much favoritism to his daughter
even when she was in the wrong
➽ It was extremely slow
➽The repetitiveness although I am aware it was too emphasize the compulsiveness of Annie's
disorder… it did feel overwhelming at times.
➽ The ending was a bit OTT and predictable. It felt like a popcorn thriller climax which the book is
not, so didn’t particularly care for the ending.
➽ The death of a dog felt very unnecessary and made no sense on why that had to occur
This book read to me more character driven than plot. It has a very slow start but does pick up along the way. I think if it was 100 pages or so less I would have enjoyed it more. But if you enjoy slow burns then this is definitely the book for you!
3.5 ⭐
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The cover art for this book is gorgeous! 😍
The blurb sounds like this is going to be one hell of a read!
Fingers crossed this is my next 5⭐ book! 💜
January 8, 2024
Thank you to the author for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Following the death of her mother, Annie's life begins to unravel. A client disappears, the police are all up in her business, and oh, does she really even love her husband? Her obsessive-compulsive disorder does not make it any easier for Annie to navigate these challenges. As spiraling thoughts began to consume Annie, I found myself worrying for her well-being more and more as the book went on.
K.T. Nguyen offered the reader glimpses of Annie's past which explained some of her behaviors in the present day. She endured severe emotional abuse by her mother and was subjected to the generational trauma that often occurs in immigrant families. I think this would be a great book club book because there are many components that would prompt thoughtful discussions outside of the plot.
While Nguyen's debut novel is categorized as being a thriller, I cannot stop thinking about the HORROR 🔪 elements it contained! New fear unlocked..... 😳🪲👅 I seriously am going to be thinking about that for days. Overall, I identified many parallels to a book I read recently, which I think removed the shock factor for me in reading this novel. However I am sure other readers will have different experiences and You Know What You Did will be well received! Also, there was a Cody Rigsby shoutout which I hope he finds and shares. 😆 I'll be picking up future releases by this author for sure.
Following the death of her mother, Annie's life begins to unravel. A client disappears, the police are all up in her business, and oh, does she really even love her husband? Her obsessive-compulsive disorder does not make it any easier for Annie to navigate these challenges. As spiraling thoughts began to consume Annie, I found myself worrying for her well-being more and more as the book went on.
K.T. Nguyen offered the reader glimpses of Annie's past which explained some of her behaviors in the present day. She endured severe emotional abuse by her mother and was subjected to the generational trauma that often occurs in immigrant families. I think this would be a great book club book because there are many components that would prompt thoughtful discussions outside of the plot.
While Nguyen's debut novel is categorized as being a thriller, I cannot stop thinking about the HORROR 🔪 elements it contained! New fear unlocked..... 😳🪲👅 I seriously am going to be thinking about that for days. Overall, I identified many parallels to a book I read recently, which I think removed the shock factor for me in reading this novel. However I am sure other readers will have different experiences and You Know What You Did will be well received! Also, there was a Cody Rigsby shoutout which I hope he finds and shares. 😆 I'll be picking up future releases by this author for sure.
August 11, 2023
oh. my. god. i could not put this book down.
i read "you know what you did" in one sitting. it's just that good. nguyen's novel is a horror, a thriller, and an introspective novel about intergeneration trauma as well as the bonds between mother and daughter. it's twisty, it's beautiful, and it will keep your entertained. when annie's elderly mother (a vietnamese refugee) passes away, her life goes to shit. her ocd tendencies return, her daughter doesn't want to spend time with her anymore, and her husband keeps pushing her to get help. she starts losing bits and pieces of her memory, drinking too much, and finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. did she do this? how could she do this? is her mother's ghost haunting her?
this novel is so damn crazy in the best way. i love nguyens writing style and attention to detail. i felt as if i was forgetting things, just like annie. this had me hooked from the start to the very end. you've gotta read this book, you really do. it's such a treat.
thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review!
i read "you know what you did" in one sitting. it's just that good. nguyen's novel is a horror, a thriller, and an introspective novel about intergeneration trauma as well as the bonds between mother and daughter. it's twisty, it's beautiful, and it will keep your entertained. when annie's elderly mother (a vietnamese refugee) passes away, her life goes to shit. her ocd tendencies return, her daughter doesn't want to spend time with her anymore, and her husband keeps pushing her to get help. she starts losing bits and pieces of her memory, drinking too much, and finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. did she do this? how could she do this? is her mother's ghost haunting her?
this novel is so damn crazy in the best way. i love nguyens writing style and attention to detail. i felt as if i was forgetting things, just like annie. this had me hooked from the start to the very end. you've gotta read this book, you really do. it's such a treat.
thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review!
September 29, 2023
DNF Because of content. I knew this book contained OCD but not trypophobia or mysophobia, and I have both disorders.
K. T. Nguyen is a fabulous writer though! She made me experience the fears just by reading her descriptions. I wish I was brave enough to finish the story. It’s riveting!
Many thanks to Penguin Group Dutton and K.T. Nguyen for the ARC via NetGalley!
K. T. Nguyen is a fabulous writer though! She made me experience the fears just by reading her descriptions. I wish I was brave enough to finish the story. It’s riveting!
Many thanks to Penguin Group Dutton and K.T. Nguyen for the ARC via NetGalley!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2024
Annie “Anh Le” Shaw grew up poor, but seems to have it all now: a dream career, a stunning home, and a devoted husband and daughter. When Annie’s mother, a Vietnam War refugee, dies suddenly one night, Annie’s carefully curated life begins to unravel. Her obsessive-compulsive disorder, which she thought she’d vanquished years ago, comes roaring back—but this time, the disturbing fixations swirling around in Annie’s brain might actually be coming true.
A prominent art patron disappears, and the investigation zeroes in on Annie. Spiraling with self-doubt, she distances herself from her family and friends, only to wake up in a hotel room—naked, next to a lifeless body. The police have more questions, but with her mind increasingly fractured, Annie doesn’t have answers. All she knows is this: She will do anything to protect her daughter—even if it means losing herself.
Claustrophobic, riveting and intense, K.T. Nguyen had me in the palm of her hand with You Know What You Did. From the well-written unreliable narrator to the thought-provoking theme, I was left reeling as Annie devolved into paranoia. After all, it extensively delved into the suffocating impact OCD had on Annie. At the same time, however, this led to a very long, slow burn for the first half of the book. Once I got to the last one hundred pages, though, I had to hold on for dear life as the foreboding thickened and my suspicions grew.
As for the characters, I felt that many of them were, for the most part, morally gray. For that reason, they came across as more authentic since no one is entirely good or evil like so many fictional personas tend to be. Told via multiple timelines that crossed decades as well as hundreds of miles, it managed to craft a thorough backstory that had me connecting with Annie in a very real way. Sadly, though, this wasn’t true for any other individuals in this book, who all felt relatively superficial despite its in-depth look at mental health and the immigrant experience.
There were a few more flaws in the ointment despite my love for the story. Namely the death of the dog. In my opinion, that little nugget just wasn’t needed. Did it provide the background for the cruelty to come? Yes, but there could’ve been other ways to establish that, I would think. In addition to how much the start dragged, the overall discomfort level given the focus on OCD meant that there were moments where I had a tough time flipping to the next page. For that reason, I strongly recommend checking the triggers. Even I—someone who doesn’t suffer from OCD—found myself itchy and shivering with revulsion at some of the descriptions.
Despite that, however, the climax and conclusion totally won me over. Fast-paced, thoroughly disturbing and complete with a hairpin twist, it took all of my assumptions and threw them aside. Perhaps more mystery or suspenseful drama than thriller, I still got wrapped up in this nail-biting plot right from the start. I mean, how can you not love an unreliable narrator that suspects that her mother isn’t really dead? That alone made me side-eye every interaction and character. All in all, despite its slow start, this taut, emotional tale hit just the right chord by the end. So if you like character-driven suspense, I implore you to give this debut novel a try. Rating of 4 stars.
Thank you to K.T. Nguyen and Dutton Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
Trigger warning: emotional parental abuse, hoarding, intrusive thoughts, infidelity, OCD, racism, animal death, blackmail, gaslighting
A prominent art patron disappears, and the investigation zeroes in on Annie. Spiraling with self-doubt, she distances herself from her family and friends, only to wake up in a hotel room—naked, next to a lifeless body. The police have more questions, but with her mind increasingly fractured, Annie doesn’t have answers. All she knows is this: She will do anything to protect her daughter—even if it means losing herself.
Claustrophobic, riveting and intense, K.T. Nguyen had me in the palm of her hand with You Know What You Did. From the well-written unreliable narrator to the thought-provoking theme, I was left reeling as Annie devolved into paranoia. After all, it extensively delved into the suffocating impact OCD had on Annie. At the same time, however, this led to a very long, slow burn for the first half of the book. Once I got to the last one hundred pages, though, I had to hold on for dear life as the foreboding thickened and my suspicions grew.
As for the characters, I felt that many of them were, for the most part, morally gray. For that reason, they came across as more authentic since no one is entirely good or evil like so many fictional personas tend to be. Told via multiple timelines that crossed decades as well as hundreds of miles, it managed to craft a thorough backstory that had me connecting with Annie in a very real way. Sadly, though, this wasn’t true for any other individuals in this book, who all felt relatively superficial despite its in-depth look at mental health and the immigrant experience.
There were a few more flaws in the ointment despite my love for the story. Namely the death of the dog. In my opinion, that little nugget just wasn’t needed. Did it provide the background for the cruelty to come? Yes, but there could’ve been other ways to establish that, I would think. In addition to how much the start dragged, the overall discomfort level given the focus on OCD meant that there were moments where I had a tough time flipping to the next page. For that reason, I strongly recommend checking the triggers. Even I—someone who doesn’t suffer from OCD—found myself itchy and shivering with revulsion at some of the descriptions.
Despite that, however, the climax and conclusion totally won me over. Fast-paced, thoroughly disturbing and complete with a hairpin twist, it took all of my assumptions and threw them aside. Perhaps more mystery or suspenseful drama than thriller, I still got wrapped up in this nail-biting plot right from the start. I mean, how can you not love an unreliable narrator that suspects that her mother isn’t really dead? That alone made me side-eye every interaction and character. All in all, despite its slow start, this taut, emotional tale hit just the right chord by the end. So if you like character-driven suspense, I implore you to give this debut novel a try. Rating of 4 stars.
Thank you to K.T. Nguyen and Dutton Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
Trigger warning: emotional parental abuse, hoarding, intrusive thoughts, infidelity, OCD, racism, animal death, blackmail, gaslighting
March 14, 2024
K.T. Nguyen's debut novel, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID is a solid and fun thriller/suspense novel that deals with heavy topics, such as death of a family member and coming to America as a refugee. The main character, Annie (Anh Le) Shaw is navigating her life with her devoted husband Duncan and their daughter Tabitha (Tabby). They live a beautiful and financially successful life together, but when her mother, a Vietnam War refugee dies, Annie's life and mental state begins to suffer. Annie suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder and has carefully curated her life from the horrors of her upbringing and generational trauma. Annie begins to see the world around her crumble and she doesn't quite know how to navigate this new reality.
K.T. Nguyen is an incredible storyteller. Right from the start, I was hooked by how she was weaving the story around. This book is at its core a thriller/suspense, but I also think that you could categorize it as a slow-burn horror. The first half of the book really sets the mood for the second half, so you'll need to pick this up when you're ready for a slower read. That being said, the second half (and particularly the ending) really hit home for me and I won't say why. Not only does this book deal with the affects of being a refugee and fleeing a country in turmoil, this book really dives into mental health. The ending really really really knocked me on my feet and I hope to speak with the author someday to tell her why.
Trigger Warning: There's a death of a dog.
K.T. Nguyen is an incredible storyteller. Right from the start, I was hooked by how she was weaving the story around. This book is at its core a thriller/suspense, but I also think that you could categorize it as a slow-burn horror. The first half of the book really sets the mood for the second half, so you'll need to pick this up when you're ready for a slower read. That being said, the second half (and particularly the ending) really hit home for me and I won't say why. Not only does this book deal with the affects of being a refugee and fleeing a country in turmoil, this book really dives into mental health. The ending really really really knocked me on my feet and I hope to speak with the author someday to tell her why.
Trigger Warning: There's a death of a dog.
May 26, 2024
When reality blurs with obsession, can you trust your own mind......…..
Book Information
You Know What You Did by K.T. Nguyen is a 384-page mystery/thriller with a publication date of April 16, 2024. Thank you to Penguin Group Dutton for providing me with an Advance Readers Copy for review.
Summary
Annie “Anh Le” Shaw seems to have it all: a dream career, a stunning home, and a devoted family. However, her life unravels after her mother, a Vietnam War refugee, dies suddenly, triggering the return of Annie's obsessive-compulsive disorder. When a prominent art patron disappears and Annie becomes a suspect, she spirals into self-doubt, distancing herself from loved ones. She wakes up in a hotel room next to a lifeless body, and as the police investigate, Annie's fractured mind struggles for answers, knowing she'll do anything to protect her daughter—even at the cost of herself.
My Thoughts
K.T. Nguyen's "You Know What You Did" is a thriller that blends suspense with a touch of horror, presenting thought-provoking themes through a unique writing style. The novel tackles heavy issues such as the plight of refugees and the complexities of mental health, which adds depth to the narrative.
The main character, Annie, struggles with significant Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), depicted intensely in the first half of the book. While this portrayal successfully conveys the relentless nature of OCD, it can feel overwhelming and almost repetitive, making the beginning of the story a slow burn that feels longer than necessary.
As the story progresses, the suspense ramps up with numerous red herrings intended to keep readers guessing. However, the major twist becomes predictable midway through, which may disappoint those seeking an unexpected climax. The morally grey characters add complexity, though some might find it challenging to connect with them.
Readers should be aware of triggering topics such as OCD and emotional parental abuse. Despite these issues, "You Know What You Did" offers a unique take on the thriller genre. It's a gripping read that demands patience to fully appreciate its depth, earning it a solid three stars.
Recommendation
"You Know What You Did" is a suspenseful thriller that tackles heavy themes like mental health and the refugee experience. While the slow start and repetitive depiction of OCD can be challenging, the unique perspective and morally grey characters make it a thought-provoking read. If you enjoy intricate thrillers with depth, this book is worth exploring.
Rating
3 OCD Stars
Book Information
You Know What You Did by K.T. Nguyen is a 384-page mystery/thriller with a publication date of April 16, 2024. Thank you to Penguin Group Dutton for providing me with an Advance Readers Copy for review.
Summary
Annie “Anh Le” Shaw seems to have it all: a dream career, a stunning home, and a devoted family. However, her life unravels after her mother, a Vietnam War refugee, dies suddenly, triggering the return of Annie's obsessive-compulsive disorder. When a prominent art patron disappears and Annie becomes a suspect, she spirals into self-doubt, distancing herself from loved ones. She wakes up in a hotel room next to a lifeless body, and as the police investigate, Annie's fractured mind struggles for answers, knowing she'll do anything to protect her daughter—even at the cost of herself.
My Thoughts
K.T. Nguyen's "You Know What You Did" is a thriller that blends suspense with a touch of horror, presenting thought-provoking themes through a unique writing style. The novel tackles heavy issues such as the plight of refugees and the complexities of mental health, which adds depth to the narrative.
The main character, Annie, struggles with significant Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), depicted intensely in the first half of the book. While this portrayal successfully conveys the relentless nature of OCD, it can feel overwhelming and almost repetitive, making the beginning of the story a slow burn that feels longer than necessary.
As the story progresses, the suspense ramps up with numerous red herrings intended to keep readers guessing. However, the major twist becomes predictable midway through, which may disappoint those seeking an unexpected climax. The morally grey characters add complexity, though some might find it challenging to connect with them.
Readers should be aware of triggering topics such as OCD and emotional parental abuse. Despite these issues, "You Know What You Did" offers a unique take on the thriller genre. It's a gripping read that demands patience to fully appreciate its depth, earning it a solid three stars.
Recommendation
"You Know What You Did" is a suspenseful thriller that tackles heavy themes like mental health and the refugee experience. While the slow start and repetitive depiction of OCD can be challenging, the unique perspective and morally grey characters make it a thought-provoking read. If you enjoy intricate thrillers with depth, this book is worth exploring.
Rating
3 OCD Stars
September 19, 2023
I would definitely categorize this in the thriller/horror genre. On paper, Annie’s got the perfect life - she’s an artist with a loving husband, a smart teenage daughter, and a nice home. But in reality, her life is anything but perfect.
Annie is caught in a confusing pull between love and hate when it comes to her relationship with her mother. She also is exhibiting OCD habits, and her mother’s OCD kept her from living a “normal” adolescence. Annie has memory loss and struggles to maintain her sanity throughout this novel.
Since we’ve got an unreliable narrator, it’s hard to parse through what to believe and what to not. I liked figuring out the truth alongside Annie, but I felt like the beginning of this novel (maybe the first 25%?) dragged on and there was a lot of background information.
The resolution was a little too clean for me. And it was truly difficult to empathize with Annie, even though we see her evidently struggle with OCD and PTSD from her past. I felt like the entire cast of characters was in the ”morally gray,” none of them being out-right good or bad people, and that’s supposed to make the story even more complex - but for me, with the graphic depictions of worms (I have a legit phobia of worms lol) and her other OCD tendencies/paranoia, it just made it harder to read.
I can’t in good conscience blanket recommend this to everyone, as there are some triggering topics like OCD, emotional parental abuse, and mysophobia (germophobia). Please be mindful going into this! The writing was good though, there’s no doubt about that. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.
Annie is caught in a confusing pull between love and hate when it comes to her relationship with her mother. She also is exhibiting OCD habits, and her mother’s OCD kept her from living a “normal” adolescence. Annie has memory loss and struggles to maintain her sanity throughout this novel.
Since we’ve got an unreliable narrator, it’s hard to parse through what to believe and what to not. I liked figuring out the truth alongside Annie, but I felt like the beginning of this novel (maybe the first 25%?) dragged on and there was a lot of background information.
The resolution was a little too clean for me. And it was truly difficult to empathize with Annie, even though we see her evidently struggle with OCD and PTSD from her past. I felt like the entire cast of characters was in the ”morally gray,” none of them being out-right good or bad people, and that’s supposed to make the story even more complex - but for me, with the graphic depictions of worms (I have a legit phobia of worms lol) and her other OCD tendencies/paranoia, it just made it harder to read.
I can’t in good conscience blanket recommend this to everyone, as there are some triggering topics like OCD, emotional parental abuse, and mysophobia (germophobia). Please be mindful going into this! The writing was good though, there’s no doubt about that. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.
February 18, 2024
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Holy freaking cannoli guys! You Know What You Did had my brain in a choke hold for the entire book. There was so much unknown because I couldn't fully trust the main character, Annie. Without diving into all those juicy details, it was hard to figure out if she was simply trustworthy.
Enter all the abuse, mystery and murder - well, I was frankly hooked and just need to know who did it and why. Without having suspects, I knew there were people I just didn't like but didn't know why. The why was honestly bugging me because I was missing so much information and it was annoying the heck out of me.
Once little clues started coming into place, and the biggest reveal of my entire life, things definitely started to make sense to me. The entire time I felt a certain way towards someone, and I screamed, "AHA! I KNEW IT!" like the little fake detective I am. Either way, I really enjoyed this and hope everyone who suffered is healing and moving on with their lives.
Definitely enjoyed the heck out of this and can't wait for my next mystery thriller to come my way.
Holy freaking cannoli guys! You Know What You Did had my brain in a choke hold for the entire book. There was so much unknown because I couldn't fully trust the main character, Annie. Without diving into all those juicy details, it was hard to figure out if she was simply trustworthy.
Enter all the abuse, mystery and murder - well, I was frankly hooked and just need to know who did it and why. Without having suspects, I knew there were people I just didn't like but didn't know why. The why was honestly bugging me because I was missing so much information and it was annoying the heck out of me.
Once little clues started coming into place, and the biggest reveal of my entire life, things definitely started to make sense to me. The entire time I felt a certain way towards someone, and I screamed, "AHA! I KNEW IT!" like the little fake detective I am. Either way, I really enjoyed this and hope everyone who suffered is healing and moving on with their lives.
Definitely enjoyed the heck out of this and can't wait for my next mystery thriller to come my way.
August 7, 2023
Thrilling Vietnamese-American thriller!
You Know What You Did features three generations of Vietnamese/Vietnamese-American women. When the story opens, Artist Annie Shaw's elderly mother has died. There seems to be a question about what caused the death and just what kind of mother she was. Join Annie as she transcends into darkness while she searches for answers about herself, her mother and her life.
Not for the faint to heart, Nguyen does a fantastic job illustrating the hold obsessive compulsions have over a person. There is hoarding, there is abuse, it's quite dark yet enthralling.
Welcome this new thriller writer to the fold and grab You Know What You Did!
#Penguin #Dutton #KTNguyen #Youknowwhatyoudid
You Know What You Did features three generations of Vietnamese/Vietnamese-American women. When the story opens, Artist Annie Shaw's elderly mother has died. There seems to be a question about what caused the death and just what kind of mother she was. Join Annie as she transcends into darkness while she searches for answers about herself, her mother and her life.
Not for the faint to heart, Nguyen does a fantastic job illustrating the hold obsessive compulsions have over a person. There is hoarding, there is abuse, it's quite dark yet enthralling.
Welcome this new thriller writer to the fold and grab You Know What You Did!
#Penguin #Dutton #KTNguyen #Youknowwhatyoudid
March 7, 2024
You Know What You Did follows Annie as she tries to deal with her mother’s death, mange her worsening OCD, and understand all the unexplainable things happening in her life. The first part of the book I honestly didn’t know where it was going with the story! Seeing Annie experience OCD in such detail was very intense, but it really added to the story. I read this pretty quickly because I really wanted to see how it turned out. Amazing debut, and I will definitely read more from K. T. Nguyen.
Thank you Dutton and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for my review.
Publishing April 16, 2024
Thank you Dutton and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for my review.
Publishing April 16, 2024
May 30, 2024
At first, I wasn't entirely sure I wanted to read You Know What You Did by K.T. Nguyen, but after I saw some positive #Bookstagram reviews I figured why not. I enjoyed the atmosphere of this debut thriller and had I not been listening on a 2x thanks to the PRHA app, I may have liked it even more. As it was it felt too long overall and if I heard the title one more time in the storyline, I thought I was going to pull my hair out. HOWEVER, despite those grievances, there was a lot to this book, and it ended up being absolutely insane which is my favorite.
Kim Mai Guest was the perfect narrator for the audiobook, and she completely embodied the character of Annie in all ways. Her pacing at a 2x was not as slow as some narrators can be which was greatly appreciated, and she was very easy to understand as well. Annie's OCD is a huge part of the book and Nguyen did an incredible job of bringing that disorder to life and making me feel Annie's anxiety. At times I definitely found myself second-guessing Annie's state of mind and wondering what exactly was going on here. You Know What You Did is a cultural exploration as well as a look at the bonds between a mother and daughter on top of so much more. This is a standout thriller, and I can't wait to see what Nguyen will write next!
I received an advanced listening copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Kim Mai Guest was the perfect narrator for the audiobook, and she completely embodied the character of Annie in all ways. Her pacing at a 2x was not as slow as some narrators can be which was greatly appreciated, and she was very easy to understand as well. Annie's OCD is a huge part of the book and Nguyen did an incredible job of bringing that disorder to life and making me feel Annie's anxiety. At times I definitely found myself second-guessing Annie's state of mind and wondering what exactly was going on here. You Know What You Did is a cultural exploration as well as a look at the bonds between a mother and daughter on top of so much more. This is a standout thriller, and I can't wait to see what Nguyen will write next!
I received an advanced listening copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
April 17, 2024
Thank you to K. T. Nguyen and Dutton Books for my copy of You Know What You Did. This book was about Annie Shaw, a woman who has everything. She has a wonderful husband and daughter, and plenty of money to design her dream life. Her mother, a vietnamese war refugee, lives with them, and when she suddenly dies, Annie starts to spin out. Her OCD that she thought she had under control comes back in full force, and the disturbing things she is imagining feel more real than ever.
Then another person close to Annie dies, and she isn’t sure what is real and what isn’t. Memories from her past start creeping back, and the police have more and more questions for Annie. Then, she wakes up next to a lifeless body, and she knows things are finally out of control.
Thoughts: Annie’s OCD and PTSD was portrayed so well. It was terrifying following her journey deeper and deeper into her illness and there were so many disturbing scenes. I thought the topic of generational trauma was well done in this book, and the perspective of immigrants in a new country was spot on. The reader is inside the mind of Annie, and it was believable and terrifying and wonderfully written.
The plot is relatively slow, and I wished that there was more going on. The story was purely psychological, and there are truly some horrifying moments. There are lots of triggers in this book, so assume that going in. The dog is really dead. I felt the ending was predictable, but there were lots of moments you could suspect someone else. 4 stars!
Then another person close to Annie dies, and she isn’t sure what is real and what isn’t. Memories from her past start creeping back, and the police have more and more questions for Annie. Then, she wakes up next to a lifeless body, and she knows things are finally out of control.
Thoughts: Annie’s OCD and PTSD was portrayed so well. It was terrifying following her journey deeper and deeper into her illness and there were so many disturbing scenes. I thought the topic of generational trauma was well done in this book, and the perspective of immigrants in a new country was spot on. The reader is inside the mind of Annie, and it was believable and terrifying and wonderfully written.
The plot is relatively slow, and I wished that there was more going on. The story was purely psychological, and there are truly some horrifying moments. There are lots of triggers in this book, so assume that going in. The dog is really dead. I felt the ending was predictable, but there were lots of moments you could suspect someone else. 4 stars!
May 13, 2024
I can't believe I got GOT with this one! lmao I have a love-hate relationship with when authors know something's a cliche but roll with it anyway knowing damn well readers would think it's too easy for that to be the reveal/twist, which therefore makes it that much more shocking lol psychological warfare at its finest. I just think there were one too many lulls in the plot and I get the daughter was supposed to be a classic angsty teen, but she was still super annoying hah.
August 31, 2023
Ok, I had NO idea what to expect with this book. But the description, the title and the cover drew me in on Net Galley (and thank you SO MUCH for the opportunity to read this before it’s release date). The book at the beginning tended to have a slow burn; the first third of the book was a lot of backstory about Annie, her mom, her family, her condition, etc; but it does help you understand the story and the background of everyone. But reaching Part 2 (out of 3) it really picked up and had me questioning everything that was happening. I thought “There is no way” but then “ok, well maybe 🤔 “ I wanted to continue to read and read to see what was going to happen and who was behind everything. This book will have you questioning every character and if you like a good thriller/suspense, I HIGHLY recommend.
March 20, 2024
I was really intrigued by the synopsis of this book. It’s a thriller about a woman who finds her mother dead one day, then from there her OCD starts to spiral out of control and she’s swept up into different police investigations. She doesn’t know who she can trust in her life… or if she can even trust herself.
At the start of the story I was enjoying it. I thought it was interesting to delve into the generational trauma that Annie had in her life from her mom being a Vietnam War refugee. I also thought that the repetition of the phrase “you know what you did” added a layer of intrigue. The explorations of how Annie’s OCD impacts her life and how the way her mom raised her still lingers after her death were probably my favorite parts of the book.
While I did begin my journey with the book being intrigued about what it meant when “you know what you did” kept being brought up… eventually I just started to get bored with the plot. I felt like it took way too long for the present day mystery/thriller parts of the story to begin. A very big portion of the book just felt like a domestic drama rather than a mystery or thriller. Thankfully later in the book those story elements do appear, but I also didn’t end up enjoying them that much. Everything just started to feel a bit too over the top and mustache-twirly instead of grounded.
Even though this book didn’t ultimately work for me, I’d still be willing to read more from K.T. Nguyen in the future. I did appreciate some of her character work and the explorations of generational trauma.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
At the start of the story I was enjoying it. I thought it was interesting to delve into the generational trauma that Annie had in her life from her mom being a Vietnam War refugee. I also thought that the repetition of the phrase “you know what you did” added a layer of intrigue. The explorations of how Annie’s OCD impacts her life and how the way her mom raised her still lingers after her death were probably my favorite parts of the book.
While I did begin my journey with the book being intrigued about what it meant when “you know what you did” kept being brought up… eventually I just started to get bored with the plot. I felt like it took way too long for the present day mystery/thriller parts of the story to begin. A very big portion of the book just felt like a domestic drama rather than a mystery or thriller. Thankfully later in the book those story elements do appear, but I also didn’t end up enjoying them that much. Everything just started to feel a bit too over the top and mustache-twirly instead of grounded.
Even though this book didn’t ultimately work for me, I’d still be willing to read more from K.T. Nguyen in the future. I did appreciate some of her character work and the explorations of generational trauma.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 15, 2024
The first 35% of this novel is a deep dive into disgust-driven OCD which I found quite an uncomfortable read. Annie Shaw (Anh Le) is a Vietnamese-American, and an artist married to Duncan Shaw, who is an award-winning journalist. They have a 15-year-old daughter named Tabitha and live in a lovely home in Virginia. Annie's mother has recently passed away and it seems to have sent her into an emotional tailspin with her episodes of OCD worsening. Her relationship with her daughter is tense and volatile, her beloved dog dies a needless death, her arts patron is found murdered and now Duncan wants to take an extended assignment in Syria. Can Annie cope with all this?
That first uncomfortable 35% sets the stage well for an exciting suspense story. Who is behind all the bad things that are happening to Annie? Is she so mentally-ill that she just doesn't remember doing them herself?
Thank you to the author and publisher for an invitation to read an arc of this debut suspense novel via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
That first uncomfortable 35% sets the stage well for an exciting suspense story. Who is behind all the bad things that are happening to Annie? Is she so mentally-ill that she just doesn't remember doing them herself?
Thank you to the author and publisher for an invitation to read an arc of this debut suspense novel via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
June 2, 2024
You Know What You Did will leave you breathless! From the first page until the thrilling unexpected ending, this psychological thriller will grab you in an unimaginable, yet completely satisfying way. The story, which is told in different pieces throughout the character's life, will have the reader surprised by the twists and turns the narrative takes.
Annie (Anh Le) Shaw had a very difficult childhood, we will learn. The daughter of a single mother (Me) with mental illness who abused her in so many heartbreaking ways. But even after all that when Annie married and had her own daughter, she had her mother live with them in a house on their property where her mother continued the emotional abuse.
But, when her mother dies, it throws Annie into a tailspin. She knows her husband who adores her and understands her and whom she relies on loves her, but she feels her daughter who is fifteen now seems to hate her. Of course, Annie does not want to repeat the pattern of abuse she endured, but her daughter seems to be distancing herself from Annie and will not tell her why. And Annie is jealous of her husband's relationship with their daughter which seems so special.
Annie's career as an artist was one bone of contention with her mother. She felt Annie was doing nothing with her life, even though she had a good career. So, when Me dies, she takes on a large project first to take her mind off Me's death, but also to prove to herself she is worthy of her career.
But she soon begins to notice differences in herself almost immediately. She reverts back to her old ways, with her anxiety and severe OCD. She also thinks she is hallucinating and begins to not remember events. She sees the bond with her daughter deteriorate further.
Then the benefactor whom she has been working for disappears and Annie thinks she may have done something wrong. But the worst happens when Annie wakes up one morning in a bed in a hotel next to an injured man who is not her husband. Her life begins to explode.
She then starts to relive experiences she had while living in Japan with her then boyfriend, now husband. Those odd memories make her realize, perhaps she did do these other things. And when the police get involved, and her husband is away on assignment, things go from bad to worse.
Why can't she remember? All the while she begins to alienate her daughter as she starts to feel as if she is now beginning to act just like her mother. Did she do something back in Japan and now? How does she reconcile her life, with her daughter and without her mother? What did she do?
You Know What You Did is a sharp, twisty story about complicated relationships, love, fear and death. It will mesmerize and shock and you will love every horrifying minute!
Thank you #NetGalley #Dutton #YouKnowWhatYouDid #K.T.Nguyen for the advanced copy.
Annie (Anh Le) Shaw had a very difficult childhood, we will learn. The daughter of a single mother (Me) with mental illness who abused her in so many heartbreaking ways. But even after all that when Annie married and had her own daughter, she had her mother live with them in a house on their property where her mother continued the emotional abuse.
But, when her mother dies, it throws Annie into a tailspin. She knows her husband who adores her and understands her and whom she relies on loves her, but she feels her daughter who is fifteen now seems to hate her. Of course, Annie does not want to repeat the pattern of abuse she endured, but her daughter seems to be distancing herself from Annie and will not tell her why. And Annie is jealous of her husband's relationship with their daughter which seems so special.
Annie's career as an artist was one bone of contention with her mother. She felt Annie was doing nothing with her life, even though she had a good career. So, when Me dies, she takes on a large project first to take her mind off Me's death, but also to prove to herself she is worthy of her career.
But she soon begins to notice differences in herself almost immediately. She reverts back to her old ways, with her anxiety and severe OCD. She also thinks she is hallucinating and begins to not remember events. She sees the bond with her daughter deteriorate further.
Then the benefactor whom she has been working for disappears and Annie thinks she may have done something wrong. But the worst happens when Annie wakes up one morning in a bed in a hotel next to an injured man who is not her husband. Her life begins to explode.
She then starts to relive experiences she had while living in Japan with her then boyfriend, now husband. Those odd memories make her realize, perhaps she did do these other things. And when the police get involved, and her husband is away on assignment, things go from bad to worse.
Why can't she remember? All the while she begins to alienate her daughter as she starts to feel as if she is now beginning to act just like her mother. Did she do something back in Japan and now? How does she reconcile her life, with her daughter and without her mother? What did she do?
You Know What You Did is a sharp, twisty story about complicated relationships, love, fear and death. It will mesmerize and shock and you will love every horrifying minute!
Thank you #NetGalley #Dutton #YouKnowWhatYouDid #K.T.Nguyen for the advanced copy.
January 13, 2024
I swear the glittering electricity that pulsated my body when I was asked to read You Know What You Did, as an early reader was real...
KT Nguyen has taken the internet by storm with her debut novel, You Know What You Did. Having said this, I have to admit, this book has captivated my soul and is currently my favorite book of the year.
Nguyen, is a natural born story teller. Her writing style will grab your attention early on and suck you in without release until the very last word in the book.
Every time a twist reveals itself you will feel as though you were gut punched! Catch your breath quickly, the next twist will be in your face within seconds.
KT Nguyen, delivers. You Know What You Did, is sure to be a hit amongst readers.
Teaser :
In this heart-pounding debut thriller for fans of Lisa Jewell and Celeste Ng, a first-generation Vietnamese American artist must confront nightmares past and present. . . .
Annie “Anh Le” Shaw grew up poor, but seems to have it all now: a dream career, a stunning home, and a devoted husband and daughter. When Annie’s mother, a Vietnam War refugee, dies suddenly one night, Annie’s carefully curated life begins to unravel. Her obsessive-compulsive disorder, which she thought she’d vanquished years ago, comes roaring back—but this time, the disturbing fixations swirling around in Annie’s brain might actually be coming true.
A prominent art patron disappears, and the investigation zeroes in on Annie. Spiraling with self-doubt, she distances herself from her family and friends, only to wake up in a hotel room—naked, next to a lifeless body. The police have more questions, but with her mind increasingly fractured, Annie doesn’t have answers. All she knows is this: She will do anything to protect her daughter—even if it means losing herself.
With dizzying twists, You Know What You Did is both a harrowing thriller and a heartfelt exploration of the refugee experience, the legacies we leave for our children, and the unbreakable bonds between mothers and daughters.
KT Nguyen has taken the internet by storm with her debut novel, You Know What You Did. Having said this, I have to admit, this book has captivated my soul and is currently my favorite book of the year.
Nguyen, is a natural born story teller. Her writing style will grab your attention early on and suck you in without release until the very last word in the book.
Every time a twist reveals itself you will feel as though you were gut punched! Catch your breath quickly, the next twist will be in your face within seconds.
KT Nguyen, delivers. You Know What You Did, is sure to be a hit amongst readers.
Teaser :
In this heart-pounding debut thriller for fans of Lisa Jewell and Celeste Ng, a first-generation Vietnamese American artist must confront nightmares past and present. . . .
Annie “Anh Le” Shaw grew up poor, but seems to have it all now: a dream career, a stunning home, and a devoted husband and daughter. When Annie’s mother, a Vietnam War refugee, dies suddenly one night, Annie’s carefully curated life begins to unravel. Her obsessive-compulsive disorder, which she thought she’d vanquished years ago, comes roaring back—but this time, the disturbing fixations swirling around in Annie’s brain might actually be coming true.
A prominent art patron disappears, and the investigation zeroes in on Annie. Spiraling with self-doubt, she distances herself from her family and friends, only to wake up in a hotel room—naked, next to a lifeless body. The police have more questions, but with her mind increasingly fractured, Annie doesn’t have answers. All she knows is this: She will do anything to protect her daughter—even if it means losing herself.
With dizzying twists, You Know What You Did is both a harrowing thriller and a heartfelt exploration of the refugee experience, the legacies we leave for our children, and the unbreakable bonds between mothers and daughters.
April 17, 2024
A unique thriller with layered twists. I loved the examination of generational trauma, and the things we carry from the past. Great read!
April 18, 2024
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
I’m backlogged with my ARC’s but working diligently to get caught up. This book was intriguing because I don’t see many psychological thrillers based around the asian culture and the effects on immigrants. Much of the story was eye opening and closely mirrored some of the PTSD stories I’ve heard from people in my life. I really enjoyed the writing but wasn’t too impressed with the ending as it felt very predictable, and I didn’t feel that way about the rest of the book. If you like psychological thrillers with an unreliable narrator vibe, check this book out!
I’m backlogged with my ARC’s but working diligently to get caught up. This book was intriguing because I don’t see many psychological thrillers based around the asian culture and the effects on immigrants. Much of the story was eye opening and closely mirrored some of the PTSD stories I’ve heard from people in my life. I really enjoyed the writing but wasn’t too impressed with the ending as it felt very predictable, and I didn’t feel that way about the rest of the book. If you like psychological thrillers with an unreliable narrator vibe, check this book out!
May 10, 2024
YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID by K.T. Nguyen is a dark, heavy, and slow-burning debut that I quickly inhaled! Nguyen has a unique writing style that pulled me in immediately. Annie “Anh Le” Shaw is grieving the death of her mother, which is really affecting her mental health. Memories, fixations, and nightmares blur the world around her, and sends her on a downward spiral. The reader receives a free pass into the depths of Annie’s mind, and I found it deeply unsettling and even a bit disturbing. But in the best way possible! Ha!
THINGS I APPRECIATED:
- Generational trauma storyline
- Refugee/immigrant experience
- Complex mother-daughter relationships
- Vietnamese representation
- Mental health aspect: OCD & PTSD
- Tons of mystery, suspense, and twists
- Unreliable/unhinged narrator
- Insight on parenting teenagers
- Multiple timelines
Even though I found the writing completely riveting and brilliant, I just had to knock my rating down because of the ending, sadly. Oof, I just didn’t find it believable. AT ALL. It actually made me mad because I was expecting so much more. The writing for the majority of the novel was SO good, and I wasn’t expecting such a mediocre conclusion. Yes, I know thrillers are fictional and generally over-the-top, but I like them to be at least somewhat believable. This one was not. With that said, I’m going with 3.5/5 stars for You Know What You Did! It’s out now!
THINGS I APPRECIATED:
- Generational trauma storyline
- Refugee/immigrant experience
- Complex mother-daughter relationships
- Vietnamese representation
- Mental health aspect: OCD & PTSD
- Tons of mystery, suspense, and twists
- Unreliable/unhinged narrator
- Insight on parenting teenagers
- Multiple timelines
Even though I found the writing completely riveting and brilliant, I just had to knock my rating down because of the ending, sadly. Oof, I just didn’t find it believable. AT ALL. It actually made me mad because I was expecting so much more. The writing for the majority of the novel was SO good, and I wasn’t expecting such a mediocre conclusion. Yes, I know thrillers are fictional and generally over-the-top, but I like them to be at least somewhat believable. This one was not. With that said, I’m going with 3.5/5 stars for You Know What You Did! It’s out now!
April 18, 2024
Oh, my goodness. K.T. Nguyen is someone we need to keep an eye on!
The story follows Annie, who came to America with her mother as refugees of Vietnam. It explores mother-daughter relationships, generational traumas, and mental illness. Annie overcame the challenges of turbulent upbringing and now lives a perfect life, until she lost her mother. Annie started to grapple with chaos through her thoughts and struggled to make any sense in it all. K.T. Nguyen did a fantastic job bringing forth some of Annie’s disturbing thoughts and paranoia, flashes of memories, and subjects that haunted her. Honestly, it was perfection. I was utterly engrossed with this story, it was like I was watching it on film. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for an advanced e-book copy of You Know What You Did by K.T. Nguyen.
The story follows Annie, who came to America with her mother as refugees of Vietnam. It explores mother-daughter relationships, generational traumas, and mental illness. Annie overcame the challenges of turbulent upbringing and now lives a perfect life, until she lost her mother. Annie started to grapple with chaos through her thoughts and struggled to make any sense in it all. K.T. Nguyen did a fantastic job bringing forth some of Annie’s disturbing thoughts and paranoia, flashes of memories, and subjects that haunted her. Honestly, it was perfection. I was utterly engrossed with this story, it was like I was watching it on film. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for an advanced e-book copy of You Know What You Did by K.T. Nguyen.
August 17, 2023
This was so freaking good, didn’t really know where this was going to go. Towards the end I figured things out but still I was soooooo thrown!!!! Thank you to Net Galley for this ARC!
April 30, 2024
This is Ms Nguyen’s debut psychological thriller and she has hit it out of the ballpark - a home run on every scoreboard.
The mental health issues are very authentic, it feels more like non-fiction than a novel - almost autobiographical. Highly recommend 👍
I think we all have a bit of OCD - I know I do!!
The mental health issues are very authentic, it feels more like non-fiction than a novel - almost autobiographical. Highly recommend 👍
I think we all have a bit of OCD - I know I do!!
May 18, 2024
Thank you so much Dutton books for the ebook via @netgalley and @prhaudio #partner for the audio! I absolutely loved the narration by Kim Mai Guest!
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Annie “Ahn Le” Shaw comes from a poor and turbulent childhood having had a complicated history with her immigrant mom. Nonetheless, Annie has managed to have a stable life with a husband who’s able to provide her with everything and a daughter she adores.
However when Annie’s mom dies, Annie’s mental health begins to spiral and her OCD resurfaces to the point that Annie loses control over her surroundings and can’t trust herself of the actions she takes. Deaths of two of her close acquaintances in different capacities lead the police at her door and Annie is forced to regain control of her life to save herself from the looming investigations and keep her family safe.
This thriller was action-packed with back and forth timeline of events, unique elements of contamination OCD, toxic familial relationships and generational trauma as well as the immigrant experience. Even though Annie was a very intense character to read (with an often repetitive loop of her intrusive thoughts and mental state) and an unreliable narrator, I kept rooting for her to thrive and the complicated mother-daughter relationship really pulled at my heartstrings. Annie’s friendship with Ike was also a lovely respite in an otherwise grim state of relationships that Annie endures. Also, be warned, there’s a dog that’s unalived in the story. All in all, this was a very unique and memorable thriller to read! I can’t wait to find out what K.T. Nguyen will come up with next!
——
Annie “Ahn Le” Shaw comes from a poor and turbulent childhood having had a complicated history with her immigrant mom. Nonetheless, Annie has managed to have a stable life with a husband who’s able to provide her with everything and a daughter she adores.
However when Annie’s mom dies, Annie’s mental health begins to spiral and her OCD resurfaces to the point that Annie loses control over her surroundings and can’t trust herself of the actions she takes. Deaths of two of her close acquaintances in different capacities lead the police at her door and Annie is forced to regain control of her life to save herself from the looming investigations and keep her family safe.
This thriller was action-packed with back and forth timeline of events, unique elements of contamination OCD, toxic familial relationships and generational trauma as well as the immigrant experience. Even though Annie was a very intense character to read (with an often repetitive loop of her intrusive thoughts and mental state) and an unreliable narrator, I kept rooting for her to thrive and the complicated mother-daughter relationship really pulled at my heartstrings. Annie’s friendship with Ike was also a lovely respite in an otherwise grim state of relationships that Annie endures. Also, be warned, there’s a dog that’s unalived in the story. All in all, this was a very unique and memorable thriller to read! I can’t wait to find out what K.T. Nguyen will come up with next!
May 31, 2024
Oh my gosh. This book has truly reminded me why I love thrillers so much. I don’t want to spoil anything but everything continues to build and gets worse for the main character. Highly enjoyable and kept me guessing till the very end.
August 30, 2023
Full disclosure: This one is special to me because I had the honor of being a beta reader*—and let me tell you it was so amazing to see this novel go from a great first draft to an amazing, engrossing, fully realized final manuscript!
The story is centered around artist Annie Shaw, whose mother was forced to flee Vietnam in the late 70s and remake her life in rural Ohio, pregnant with Annie and carrying with her the trauma of war. Now in early middle age, Annie herself is struggling with the recent death of her mother, the demands of being a “good wife” and the challenges of raising a teenage daughter—not to mention managing her OCD symptoms, which have begun to reemerge with a vengeance.
Needless to say, Annie has a lot on her plate—and I haven’t even gotten to the (growing) body count or the “ghosts” from Annie’s past yet, which invade her mind in the form of traumatic memories.
This novel moves along at a brisk pace and the writing style does an amazing job of bringing the reader inside Annie’s mind as she starts to question her grip on reality and ask herself what she’s *really* capable of. She’s an unreliable narrator in the best way—you root for her even when some of her decisions seem questionable (hello, handsome CPA Gabriel Correa!) because you think “If that were me, I could 100% see myself doing that.”
Enough red herrings are dropped that you’re still guessing right up to the end of the novel, which is always a tricky feat to pull off. All in all, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID is super-smart, perceptive and—this might sound odd, but it’s the best way I can describe it—compassionate thriller that pulls you right along and explores the complex, multi-layered relationship between mothers and daughters. I can’t recommend it enough!
Thanks so much to Dutton Books and NetGalley for providing me with a review copy!
Release date: April 16, 2024 🗓️
*Book industry lingo for an early reader who provides feedback to the author.
The story is centered around artist Annie Shaw, whose mother was forced to flee Vietnam in the late 70s and remake her life in rural Ohio, pregnant with Annie and carrying with her the trauma of war. Now in early middle age, Annie herself is struggling with the recent death of her mother, the demands of being a “good wife” and the challenges of raising a teenage daughter—not to mention managing her OCD symptoms, which have begun to reemerge with a vengeance.
Needless to say, Annie has a lot on her plate—and I haven’t even gotten to the (growing) body count or the “ghosts” from Annie’s past yet, which invade her mind in the form of traumatic memories.
This novel moves along at a brisk pace and the writing style does an amazing job of bringing the reader inside Annie’s mind as she starts to question her grip on reality and ask herself what she’s *really* capable of. She’s an unreliable narrator in the best way—you root for her even when some of her decisions seem questionable (hello, handsome CPA Gabriel Correa!) because you think “If that were me, I could 100% see myself doing that.”
Enough red herrings are dropped that you’re still guessing right up to the end of the novel, which is always a tricky feat to pull off. All in all, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID is super-smart, perceptive and—this might sound odd, but it’s the best way I can describe it—compassionate thriller that pulls you right along and explores the complex, multi-layered relationship between mothers and daughters. I can’t recommend it enough!
Thanks so much to Dutton Books and NetGalley for providing me with a review copy!
Release date: April 16, 2024 🗓️
*Book industry lingo for an early reader who provides feedback to the author.
July 7, 2024
the last 100 pages were worth it
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