I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Dina Soto is used to laying low. Ever since her father confessed to murdering two of his students, Dina's mom has kept the family on a short leash to avoid drawing any more attention. But when cute, popular, and incredibly sweet Kai Thompson invites Dina to spend the weekend with him and his friends at his cabin, Dina thinks maybe being noticed wouldn't be so bad.

But once at the cabin, Dina realizes one night won't change her reputation as the daughter of a killer-especially not when people start turning up dead. Told in part through police evidence, the truth of what happened that night unravels alongside long-held secrets. But one thing remains true: Dina is adamant she didn't do it. Now, she just has to prove it.

Short and Sweet Review

Didn’t Do It had a premise that immediately grabbed my attention. The idea of a girl living under the shadow of her father’s crimes and then becoming trapped in a deadly cabin getaway sounded like the perfect setup for a tense YA thriller. I also liked how the story explored the way people judge someone for the actions of a family member and how quickly rumors and assumptions can shape a person’s life. Dina was an easy character to sympathize with, and I appreciated how realistically awkward and guarded she felt after years of being treated like an outcast. The police reports and pieces of evidence woven throughout the story were a nice touch as well, and I honestly wish there had been even more of them because they added another layer to the mystery.

Unfortunately, the story never fully lived up to its potential for me. It takes quite a while for the thriller aspect to really kick in, and while I understood the focus on building Dina’s character, many of the other characters felt underdeveloped. Because of that, I never became very invested in their relationships or what ultimately happened to them. Once the action finally picked up, the pacing improved considerably, and I did enjoy the final twist, which genuinely caught me by surprise. However, the ending felt too abrupt. I was left wanting much more resolution, especially when it came to the aftermath and seeing how everything would play out through the justice system. After spending the entire book building toward the truth, it felt like the story ended just when I wanted to see the real consequences unfold.

Overall, I Didn’t Do It is a quick, entertaining thriller with an intriguing premise and a twist I didn’t see coming, but it left me wanting more depth from both its characters and its ending. While I enjoyed parts of the mystery, the slow buildup, lack of character development, and rushed conclusion kept it from being as satisfying as it could have been.