Karen Perry's The worst thing you ever did: The title matches the contents (sadly)

I'm a huge fan of Karen Perry, the Dublin-based writing duo of Paul Perry and Karen Gillece. Their books are complex stories of human failings, full of clever plot twists, and tragic outcomes for those who allow messed up people to infiltrate their lives.

Check out my review of the six other books by Karen Perry. I haven't read the first two books (published in 2014), but I'd give ⭐⭐⭐⭐+ to the authors overall for the books I have read. The strong theme is woven through all Karen Perry's books makes for gripping reading and I've found their work to be intelligently written and deftly engineered.

OK, so now to their 2023 book. I've noticed a common theme recently with the writers who have been staples in my reading diet for years. I have found several of my beloved (and usually reliable) authors have produced less-than-stellar stories in their latest offerings. I'm not sure if it's the effect of the pandemic or that they are just running out of steam. Whatever it is, it has hit Karen Perry's writing with a hammer. Read on for my thoughts on their 2023 novel, the latest at the time of writing this post.

The worst thing you ever did | Published October 2023 | Read March 2024

The worst thing you ever did has a promising premise. Faye and her husband Ed are making a life for themselves in Ireland after returning from a stint of working in London. Faye is the subject of the 'worst thing', something the reader isn't fully privy to until some way through the book. This thing involves her university boyfriend, Michael, with whom she is stranded in rural Spain after the ash cloud from the Iceland volcanic eruption in 2010 grounds all flights. The book jumps between the events of 2010 and the present day, after Michael re-enters Faye life. Ed is clueless as to the past relationship between his wife and his new buddy after Michael befriends Ed as part of his plan to insinuate himself into Faye's world.

The story is written well, as is usual for Karen Perry, and I kept at it, keen to find out about the 'worst thing'. That said, leaving readers hanging about that 'thing' can be frustrating and not my favourite plot device. It's clear that Michael is up to something but this is not revealed until later in the book. Also frustrating.

The pacing is uneven in The worst thing you ever did despite the quality of the writing, and I couldn't get on board with any of the characters. The story kicks into gear in the last third but by then it has moved into over-the-top territory, and that's unusual for Karen Perry books. The authors usually write captivating psychological thrillers about ordinary people doing bad things. Their books don't tend to stray into overwrought territory. The psychological angle in their novels is usually well-explored and believable, without a bonkers ending.

In The worst thing you ever did , I'm assuming the authors' intent is to explore loss and the impact of tragic events on one's mental health. The trouble is, I couldn't connect with the character in the novel with mental health issues, and that's not usual for me. That character needed to be drawn better, I think. There isn't anyone to root for in the novel, either, so I found myself uncharacteristically unmoved by the emotional side of the story.

The 'worst thing' is believable, once it's finally explained. However, the turn the book takes in the final act is not what I was expecting and it didn't resonate with me. I couldn't get on board with Faye and Michael's actions. Their lack of character development didn't help matters. There are also several unanswered questions by the end of the novel.

So...my least favourite of the Karen Perry novels to date, but I'll still look out for their next book.

Rating: ⭐⭐