Your Preview Verdict: It Should Have Been You by Andrea Mara

Buy a copy of It Should Have Been You here.

Read some great reviews from our Preview readers here:

What an amazing book. I couldn’t put it down. A small action can have huge consequences and this book took you on the twists and turns of those actions. Definitely recommend to anyone who likes a page turner – one thing, don’t start reading it and think you’ll just read a couple of pages!! Kerrie, NSW, 5 stars

It Should Have Been You is the first book I have read of Andrea Mara’s and it certainly won’t be the last if they are all such totally gripping reads. I couldn’t put this book down; it had me hooked from the first paragraph and all the way to the end. Such a wonderful thriller. The story centres around Susan O’Donnell, a wife, new mum and high school teacher and her close-knit family in Oakdale. In response to a comment in a WhatsApp message clearly directed at her, Susan inadvertently sends a message meant for her two sisters to everyone in the group. Susan’s mistake will end up impacting her whole family, her neighbours and total strangers. Soon after the message is sent people connected to Susan or mentioned in her message are murdered. So begins a rollickingly good read with lots of twists and turns! This book was very easy to read mostly because of its short and concise chapters written through the viewpoint of a number of different and flawed characters. I found the author Andrea Mara to be a gifted story teller. I will definitely be reading her other thrillers if they are half as good as this one they will be great reads! Toni, SA, 5 stars

From the opening line of Chapter One I was hooked. What starts as a ‘whoops look what you made happen’ turns into a much bigger, deeper darker reveal. This book had me completely held in its grasp until the end. I usually read more than one book at a time but not while reading this one. I wanted more, more more. Susan is a character who makes one silly mistake that turns a whole community around. She is a character who we all know. We’ve all sent that one message to the wrong person. Stuff happens, life happens and then there is this story about the stuff that does happen when the message gets sent to the wrong people. It’s dark and mysterious and so clever and that ending will be one you don’t see. Ann-Marie, SA, 5 stars

Ireland based psychological thriller author Andrea Mara has just released her latest novel. It Should Have Been You this book takes a great premise and turns it into a twisty thriller. Sisters Susan, Greta and Leesa have a close bond and like to converse about the suburb’s inhabitants in their own group chat. But when Susan sends a scandalous gossip message to the towns what’s app group accidentally, the chaos that follows sets off a chain of events that cause disruption throughout the community. Everyone is reading the message and everyone has an opinion. Now someone wants you dead…… A murder is about to happen and when it does, could mistaken identity be the reason…. This is my third book by the very talented storyteller and I’ve been impressed by them all. I love how Andrea intricately places the red herrings, causing the reader to think one way when actually it’s not like that at all. Very clever writing. Looking forward to my next read by this fabulous writer. Craig, VIC, 5 stars

Reading ‘It Should Have Been You’, felt like being taken on a roller coaster unawares. This is not normally a genre of book I would have selected. However, I was really surprised at just how much I enjoyed this thrilling ride. We have all made silly mistakes in our lives, but what if that silly mistake snowballed and took on a life of its own? This forms the basis for this novel ‘It Should Have Been You’ is definitely a novel for our times. In the age of social media our mistakes are laid out in a public arena, and our protagonist Susan finds out how akin this is to a public shaming. I think this novel was really suited to the multiple viewpoints of its chapters and the author even managed to master the teenage voice and mind without turning it into a caricature. I enjoyed her exploration of the generational differences in using such media. There were common themes of the importance of intent versus action and whether anonymity really exists these days. The overall impression of the novel was thrilling, I almost felt breathless by the end and it was a really satisfying and enjoyable read. I have not read anything by Andrea Mara before, but I will be seeking out more of her writing. Sarah, NSW, 5 stars

WOW WOW WOW!!!! What a book. I’ve NEVER read a book with soooooo many incredible twists and turns. It starts from page 1 and doesn’t let up until the last page. I couldn’t turn the pages quickly enough and whilst I wanted to finish it, I wanted it to go on. I can’t praise this book highly enough and thoroughly recommend it if you want a really good read. AAAAA+++++ Shirley, VIC, 5 stars

Right from the opening line, this book had me hooked. It’s the story of a whats app message, accidentally sent to the wrong group, and the drama and tragedy that ensues from this one error. As the story unfolds, we find out more about the main characters affected by the message. We soon discover that all is not as it seems and that the characters all have secrets they are hiding from those they purport to love. No one is who they seem, despite the respectable and glossy exteriors. The book abounds with red herrings – just when you are congratulating yourself for figuring out what’s happening, your theories are turned on their heads. The twists and turns take us down different paths, with an ending that is as satisfying as it is unguessable. As soon as I finished this book I told my whole book club about it, and they are now queuing up to borrow it. I’m looking forward to everyone finishing reading it so we can delve right into a detailed discussion about it! Kate, VIC, 5 stars

I literally could not put this book down! Loved the characters, most of whom were flawed in relatable ways and the story line. Such a good read! Can totally recommend this edge of your seat story. Lina, VIC, 5 stars

This book had me engrossed from the very start. It shows what can happen when a text of gossip, supposedly to your sister, is accidentally sent to three hundred people in a WhatsApp community group. There are so many twists and turns which affect so many people and keeps the reader intrigued about who is with death threats and murder. The short, sharp chapters kept me involved in each of the personal lives of the many characters and kept me searching for answers to the very end. Loved it and would recommend highly. Lorraine, VIC, 5 stars

This is a tense thriller which requires a bit of suspension of disbelief up front, but then keeps the reader completely engaged. This does require a little bit of an effort in suspension of disbelief, due to the sheer number of tangled links between characters, but it’s not unrealistic. Each of the individual elements, like mail gone astray, is quite believable. The characters are the sorts of people we all know and associate with. They’re believable, realistic, and vivid. It’s not hard to engage with Susan’s fears and actions, and it’s not hard to believe anyone else’s feelings or actions either. This is very grounded for a thriller plot, grounded in real characters and a plot that grows from believable actions and reactions. Despite the use of familiar things this felt original and the plot had some unexpected twists. It stands out from your average domestic thriller. This is a relatively quick read, in part because it engages you quickly and thoroughly, so I read it with few stops. I thoroughly enjoyed this. It engaged me completely, and delivered both an involving read and a satisfying conclusion. Highly recommended for those who like domestic thrillers. Lorraine, ACT, 5 stars

I really enjoyed Andrea Mara’s latest novel “It should have been you”. This is a story of a sleep deprived new mother who makes a mistake when sending a message supposedly written to her sisters. The message is mistakenly sent to the whole neighbourhood WhatsApp group and has far reaching consequences which impact on many people, both adults and teens. There are many characters in the story and you need to keep in touch with who is who, but the chapters are short and it is quite easy to follow. I found Mara’s writing style very clear, graphic without being overly focussed on description. The story is full of suspense and story through-lines. I found that I wanted to keep reading to the end and from about half-way through I couldn’t put the book down. This novel is a perfect reflection of issues that can arise in our media-focussed world and consequential outcomes of online bullying, screenshot sharing and electronic grapevines. Highly recommended for all ages. Maree, ACT, 5 stars

I loved this book. The way the chapters were written about each character. Teaches you to check who you are sending texts to .I loved Susan. This book kept me guessing to the end and i got it wrong. Didn’t want to put this book down and will definitely read another Andrea Mara book. Tori, QLD, 5 stars

Wow this book has everything, affairs, murder, betrayal, gossip. Lots of twists and turns and surprises along the way. It all starts when Susan O’Donnell, teacher at the local school, wife and new mum, mistakenly sends out a text message that was only meant for her sisters to her neighbourhood WhatsApp group. Some of the people mentioned in her message end up murdered or seriously injured and relationships broken. I’m so glad I don’t leave in a neighbourhood like that with lots of terrible people. Very clever writing by Andrea Mara. Even with the twists and turns and the multiple characters it was easy to follow. It was definitely a page turner and I couldn’t wait to read the next chapter to see what would happen next. The ending was great, putting everything together and tying it up nicely. Renae, QLD, 4 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this fast moving thriller. It was easy to read with short chapters that encouraged me to keep reading as the story developed with twists that kept you guessing. A cleverly written thriller it is set in a Dublin suburban community. The story becomes more complex as the drama unfolds and has many characters . It begins as a cranky and tired young mum (on maternity leave) accidentally sends a screenshot with a mean message to a neighbourhood group instead of to her sister. The ramifications are disastrous. I highly recommend this novel and look forward to reading more from this author. Karin, VIC, 4 stars

Right from the first page of this book, we are thrown into chaos, with the protagonist delivering her sister a lethal injection. I was wondering how Andrea Mara would get us to believe that this could happen, and she does if you are happy to suspend your disbelief at a couple of coincidences. Set off by a snarky text message to the wrong group, this book is a gripping and highly readable thriller, with short chapters that move across multiple points of view. The timeline moves back and forth across a 10 day period, but it is never confusing who is speaking or what part of the timeline we are in. A great addition to the thriller genre, It Should Have Been You is fast paced throughout and very entertaining. Lisa, QLD, 4 stars

Wow! I could not put this book down! Definitely a page turner, heart starting, adrenaline pumping type of book at times. I found this book very relatable. Many are guilty of sending screen shots or messages to a group chat. Imagine if that message went viral? It wasn’t a positive message. Now someone has been found dead. The flow on effect and intricate, intertwined stories throughout this book kept me reading and wanting more. This book kept me guessing until the very end. Brooke, VIC, 4 stars

Wow, this isn’t generally the kind of story I read, but hey, free book. I’ll give anything a go once. It took me a little bit to get into it. But once I did, I really enjoyed it. And just as I was getting a bit over trying to keep all the threads untangled, WOAH! Another bomb would drop & I’d have to keep reading to find out whodunnit. A really good, twisty read. Leah, WA, 4 stars

A mystery/thriller from the first chapters to the end of the novel. The puzzle of the book to figure out the killer was all the way there until the end. This is the first time that I have read an Andrea Mara book, but I will be reading more. The book was well written and drew you in without giving you a chance to catch your breath. Nicole, SA, 4 stars

We’ve all done it—sent a message to the wrong person or group. But what if that one little mistake had deadly consequences? Andrea Mara’s It Should Have Been You is a tightly wound psychological thriller that grabs you from the first chapter and refuses to let go. The story follows Susan O’Donnell, a new mum struggling with exhaustion, who makes one very human error: replying to a snarky WhatsApp message in the wrong chat. No big deal, right? Until people start dying—and it seems the message may have made Susan a target. This book is an absolute masterclass in suspense. The plot is clever, twisty and the book unputdownable. Mara introduces a broad cast of characters, all well-drawn, all suspicious in their own ways. I devoured this book in a few late-night sittings. The writing was sharp, smart and addictive. It Should Have Been You is a must-read for fans of domestic suspense, twisty thrillers, and stories about the quiet dangers lurking in everyday life. I’m already eagerly awaiting Andrea Mara’s next novel. Donne, NSW, 4 stars

If you want a crime suspense thriller set in Ireland – you must pick up this book. Mara has a fantastic way of setting the scene – you can feel and see the Dublin community this book is set in and each character is vivid and compelling. The book has an excellent premise and you will be taken on a very wild with twists and turns you never expected. An absolutely page turner – Mara has a new fan. Kathleen, ACT, 4 stars

Like a sinister, current day version of Monica McInerney’s ‘Hello Fron the Gillespies’, Andrea Mara’s ‘It Should Have Been You’ takes you on a wild ride where a seemingly small action has huge repercussions. In a matter of days, a tangled web is revealed as lives spiral out of control. This story will make you squirm with its ‘all is not as it seems’ vibe, and play close attention to the details or you’ll be jumping to the wrong conclusions and kicking yourself for missing the clues. Although dark at times, this book is a lot of fun and oh so clever. It will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. Michelle, VIC, 4 stars

It Should Have Been You is a true suspense novel where everyone has secrets and there is a community with many suspects. It is the story of Susan O’Donnell who is a sleep deprived new Mum who accidentally sends a WhatsApp message for her sisters about a community member to the local community group, desperately hoping it will all blow over. Things unfortunately start to get worse. It starts small and escalates quickly to death threats. Then some local people with connections we find out about are murdered. This is where things get murky and in short, snappy chapters we’re taken back over the last week to see what happened since the message. The characters are realistic, flawed and people we may know. This is a great book for anyone who loves trying to work out a mystery, anyone who loves their social media and community members for obvious reasons. I think we can all learn something from this, about being careful about what we do and say and how it might affect others. A great take on what could have been a small incident and the lives that were forever changed – highly recommend. Tara, SA, 4 stars

Wow, what a thrilling ride! The short chapters keep the pace fast as well as the revelations on nearly every page. The consequences from a message sent to the wrong group in What’sApp keep spiraling out of control throughout the story. This caused me such angst and panic anxiety feelings, that at times I had to put the book down for a breather. I also had many “Wow, I didn’t see that coming” moments, which makes the story very unpredictable, exciting and keeps the reader guessing until the very end. A thrilling, fast-paced totally addictive story. Highly recommend. Simone, QLD, 4 stars

This was my first Andrea Mara book and it won’t be my last. What a great premise. From the prologue it was a real page turner, lots of characters and points of view but still easy to follow, more twists than a pretzel and enough to have you guessing (and not correctly) at the whodunit. The many sub plots all were tidied up in the end which is often not the case. As usual for the genre, a few big coincidences helped the resolutions, but overall a gripping read. Fiona, WA, 4 stars

Highly recommended Easy to read Bek Casson, NSW, 4 stars

I raced through this gripping page turner. Andrea Mara has spun this ‘butterfly effect’ story brilliantly. I was so intrigued as to how the story would unfold because a lot happens in only the first few chapters. You think what else can happen? Answer..a lot! And you won’t want to put it down until you’re done. This is one author who is going on my tbr list! Hannah, SA, 4 stars

News travels quickly in a school community, especially with the aid of social media, and one little mistake can have disastrous ramifications. When Susan, a teacher at the local school, Snapchats her sister some juicy gossip about a student and her family, and then someone gets murdered, she is convinced that she was the intended target. The trouble is, she wasn’t careful about who could access her message, which was merely some juicy chitchat. And now Savannah’s dead, and it all comes back to her Snapchat message that was meant to be private. Was it a case of mistaken identity?. Is her own life in danger? The story is told from the viewpoint of all the characters involved, firstly Susan, the teacher who started the whole thing; Savannah, who lives at an address with the same name as Susan’s but in a different part of town; Susan’s sisters Greta and Leesa, who she knows she can always trust – or can she? There’s her nieces Maeve and Aoife, who have secrets of their own; and then there’s her husband Jon, who, it turns out, might have more to do with everything than at first thought. And why were Aimee and her husband Rory killed? That’s three murders, and it’s all Susan’s fault! There are many others involved in this twisting plot; each reveals their secrets, chapter by chapter. The intrigue continues until the last page, and I couldn’t wait to find out who committed all these murders, and why. It’s a good read. Marion, VIC, 4 stars

Susan, a secondary school teacher on maternity leave, accidentally sends a text message full of malicious gossip to her local WhatsApp group. What was supposed to be an emotional rant to her sisters has now been shared with 300 hundred people. Susan hopes that hitting delete will keep the damage to a minimum but…the internet doesn’t forget and the unintended audience doesn’t forgive. The message is clear and relevant. Our actions online have implications in the real world. Coupled with a case of mistaken identity, this could have been a great thriller. Instead the introduction of multiple subplots which are never fully developed, made this book pleasant but never quite gripping enough. Even though I enjoyed the twists and turns during the last couple of chapters, the ending left me dissatisfied. I wanted Mara to explore the character’s motivation in more depth. Instead they stayed two dimensional and I never felt for or with them. I recommend this for anyone looking for a quick read that doesn’t require them to become too invested. I personally had no problems putting the book down, going about my day and picking it back up later. Eileen, SA, 3 stars

Buy a copy of It Should Have Been You here.