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A review by georginap92
The Things I Didn't Do by Charlotte Barnes
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
“It’s better to omit your knowledge of something, rather than lie about it”
The things I Didn’t Do fol
lows Erica and Prue as they work together to write Erica’s memoirs.
The first half of the book centres from Erica’s perspective in which she is setting plans out with Prue, to tell her story and set the record straight for those who think that she got away with
murder, starting from the very beginning of her privileged childhood up until the moment the jury refused to convict her of her husbands murder
The second half of the book (literally 50% in) we switch to Prue’s perspective, so there is a time jump back to the beginning of the story on how Prue ended up being Erica’s ghost writer, and
we then follow the storyline, but from Prue’s perspective this time, so it can seem quite similar in the storyline, and you think you know where the book is going, however there are added
details and plot twists mentioned withing Prue’s half of the book.
At times it felt a little bit like “An interview with a vampire” or a true crime documentary the way that the story intertwined and was written, it is a great piece of writing. Both Erica and Prue’s character development was great as well, but there were times I was questioning both
of their behaviours, but I feel this adds to their depth, it was interesting to also see their relationship build and develop over the course of the book.
I really liked the way that the book changed perspective halfway through and I loved the inclusion of the two transcripts towards the end of the book, I found the book to be quite engrossing and intriguing and I found myself questioning Erica’s motives and involvement from
the beginning, even at the end of the book it feels like an inception moment to me, as I am still unsure as to what the truth is, which I suspect is on purpose?
Either way this is a great mystery psychological type read that I would recommend to fans of
that genre!
Gifted Book from the author in exchange for an honest review
TW: Abortion, cancer and gambling
The things I Didn’t Do fol
lows Erica and Prue as they work together to write Erica’s memoirs.
The first half of the book centres from Erica’s perspective in which she is setting plans out with Prue, to tell her story and set the record straight for those who think that she got away with
murder, starting from the very beginning of her privileged childhood up until the moment the jury refused to convict her of her husbands murder
The second half of the book (literally 50% in) we switch to Prue’s perspective, so there is a time jump back to the beginning of the story on how Prue ended up being Erica’s ghost writer, and
we then follow the storyline, but from Prue’s perspective this time, so it can seem quite similar in the storyline, and you think you know where the book is going, however there are added
details and plot twists mentioned withing Prue’s half of the book.
At times it felt a little bit like “An interview with a vampire” or a true crime documentary the way that the story intertwined and was written, it is a great piece of writing. Both Erica and Prue’s character development was great as well, but there were times I was questioning both
of their behaviours, but I feel this adds to their depth, it was interesting to also see their relationship build and develop over the course of the book.
I really liked the way that the book changed perspective halfway through and I loved the inclusion of the two transcripts towards the end of the book, I found the book to be quite engrossing and intriguing and I found myself questioning Erica’s motives and involvement from
the beginning, even at the end of the book it feels like an inception moment to me, as I am still unsure as to what the truth is, which I suspect is on purpose?
Either way this is a great mystery psychological type read that I would recommend to fans of
that genre!
Gifted Book from the author in exchange for an honest review
TW: Abortion, cancer and gambling
Content Warnings
TW: Abortion, cancer and gambling