And a bunch of peripheral characters that I don't feel like typing out. They'll come up eventually. Wood explores this concept of moral injury through the eyes of army and marine fighters he embedded with; clinicians who seek to define and treat the injury; pastors and chaplains home and abroad who have attempted to help and comfort these soldiers; and his own personal moral injury experiences as a war journalist. It is a fascinating angle and one I’d never really considered, strangely. That wars, particularly the amoebic 21st century wars without clear objectives and make Geneva convention stipulations seem quaint, are ripping apart our young soldiers moral strength. They betray their most important inner moral codes and forever feel shame. It seems obvious but this book goes into the details of why and how it’s not quite so simple. Because what do we do? Which brings me to the title. Thanks to the author, St Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ARC and audio copy. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review* From the beginning, I was fascinated by this group of characters. Each of them felt unique and compelling. I particularly enjoyed Jenna's and Donny's perspectives. They really got this story off on the right foot for me.

Moral Injury is a learned behaviour; learning to accept the things you know are wrong- as in the example he gives of Stephen Canty. The first chapter starts out with a dark scene and later revealed what they have kept hidden in the pits of their stomach. The killer wants revenge for this act and has succeeded to some extent. Admittedly, I'm a huge fan of the trope that is like a group of individuals who grew up together, who had something happen many years ago, who reunite as adults to investigate, or put to bed some sort of issue that has plagued them since they were kids. I wish I could give it 5 stars, but my mind just does not want me to on the basis of how clinical it all makes the process seem. "Moral injuries" should now be listed with TBI/PTSD and I have had many that will never heal. I want them to find a way to fix this, but I know they cannot so it is up to me.Also interspersed through all this is a history of the “therapy” used to “help” returning troops readjust – from World War I, to Vietnam, and our current era. Was the OTT? You betcha! But that is one of the things that I enjoyed about this book. It is pure escapism reading. Sure, I didn’t find the characters likable at the beginning or in the end. I didn’t see much redemption to their characters in the epilogue. But what I liked and would recommend this book for was the action/suspense/mystery. When a hired killer comes for them, they must figure out who has set this in motion. They have secrets in their shared past. Does someone know their secret? Who wants them dead? How do they survive?

I also take strong issue with “forgiving” which the author repeatedly refers to. During therapy, or over conversations – some soldiers claimed to have found self-forgiveness. In therapy other participants (soldiers) would “forgive them”. Forgiveness is an act bestowed by the victim (or the victim’s family members) if possible. Having un-related people, in a therapy session for example, grant forgiveness rings hollow. Self-forgiveness seems a psychological coping mechanism – or a form of denial. What right does one have to forgive oneself for outrages against a victim(s); one example given was the beating of a prisoner. It means recognizing the moral damage done. Something most central and sacred to one's identity and personality has been violated. I totally understand that this might not work for everyone, but it was so different from other Thrillers I've read lately, it honestly felt like a breath of fresh air. Instead, of mystery/suspense we have an ADRENALINE THRILLER, with a tired premise, and an OTT storyline filled with crazy ASSASSINS.I read and loved both Every Last Fear and The Night Shiftby this author. But this one just didn't do it for me, it didn't even feel like Alex Finlay wrote it. I am used to his books being more on the mystery/suspense side of things and this title was more like an action movie. that being said, i never felt like i wanted to stop reading and thats primarily because of the characters. theres just something about them that had me intrigued and curious about their stories. i do wish they had interacted together more, but i found them compelling enough as individuals to keep reading. What Have We Done? is both invaluable, and a value-added contribution to the dialogue our nation is having about the long-term effects of war, and how best to deal with the men and women who fight on behalf of our nation. Although, US specific, I truly believe this is a universal phenomenon, and is a reflection of the human condition. I can attest I saw the effects of moral injury among the Iraqi soldiers I worked with.

And in a broader sense there is: loss of trust, loss of faith, loss of innocence. These can all have enduring, psychological, spiritual, social, and behavioural impact. Nico, Donnie, Ben, Art and Jenna ( four guys and a girl just like loser team) decide to fight against the monster and…. Her downcast expression is the worst. One thousand percent pity. He’s been sober for three months, the longest stretch in a decade. But then he got word last night about Ben. The closest thing he had to a brother. Then he ran into that aging groupie—the one with the same bleached hair she probably had when she raised a lighter to their hit power ballad two decades ago. One of the boys raises the gun. It was his idea, after all; he should go first. He aims into the hole, but the gun wobbles in the half-light.

About the contributors

We have to realize that the forgiveness that veterans hunger for does not consist in finding excuses for their behaviors or comprehending their full horror without flinching.