Every Last Fear is a intriguing psychological thriller. When a family dies while on vacation in Mexico, their surviving son is devastated. The case catches the eye of the FBI and they suspect something isn’t right. The Pine Family is already infamous because their oldest son, Danny, was convicted of a terrible crime in their small town, a crime they’ve never thought he committed. Now Danny’s brother, Matt, is left trying to understand what has happened to his family and whether or not these crimes are connected. Lots of twists and definitely kept me guessing. I couldn’t put this down!

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of EVERY LAST FEAR by Alex Finlay in exchange for my honest review.***

Matt’s studying at NYU when his family parents, younger brother and sister die vacating in Mexico. Now all he has left is just brother Danny, in prison for life for murdering his girlfriend Charlotte. A Netflix documentary continues to investigate Danny’s innocence, but Matt isn’t certain. FBI agent Keller is on the case, convinced the two cases are connected.

EVERY LAST FEAR alternates between past and present, investigating both crimes. A lot of the investigation lacked credulity. I can’t picture the FBI sending a nineteen-year-old to Mexico to retrieve his family’s bodies the day after hearing of the deaths and if the FBI did such a thing, they wouldn’t at least make arrangements for his accommodations.

Readers are led to believe in Danny’s innocence from the get-go. I guessed the perp the moment the character was introduced, not because of my brilliant deductive reasoning skills, because it was the only thing that made any sense. EVERY LAST FEAR lacked the twists and turns that make mysteries fun, but the plot still kept me interested from start to finish.

EVERY LAST FEAR is an interesting read with a unique premise.

I literally devoured this fast-paced book. Wonderfully written with well-developed characters and a plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very finish!

Matt Pine is a college student. His parents, younger sister and brother were found dead in Mexico - supposedly an accident. His older brother is in jail for murder. That's all you know at the beginning. Why his family was in Mexico and who his brother killed as well as why is told as the pages fly by. There is also an FBI agent (I think she is superfluous to the story), and a lieutenant governor who play into the narrative.
It's fast paced and honestly I had a hard time putting this down. Just when you think you're getting the facts in your mind, the author throws in another wrench - making you doubt what you have learned.
I'm not prudish, but I did get tired of the F word. The story is nail biting without it - and it only cheapens the novel in my opinion.
It's still a good story - I felt like a fish on a hook - as the author pulled me to the climax. I was quite shocked at the ending.

After a long night of partying, Matt Pine returns to his NYU dorm room and receives absolutely devastating news: his parents and his younger brother and sister were found dead of an apparent gas leak in their room at the Mexican resort they’d been vacationing at. Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time the Pine family has made national headlines; seven years ago, Matt’s older brother, Danny, was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of the murder of his girlfriend, Charlotte. After his sentencing, Danny was the subject of a Netflix documentary that hinted he’d been wrongfully convicted. When Matt returns to his small Nebraska hometown in order to bury his family and straighten out their affairs, he receives a hostile welcome from the town that had been painted in a terrible light by the Netflix show about Danny. Matt’s plans to return to NYC as soon as he can are derailed when the details surrounding the death of his family become increasingly suspicious and seemingly connected to Danny’s case. In order to find out what happened to his family, Matt is going to have to dig into Charlotte’s death and uncover what really happened all those years ago.

I was super excited to receive a review copy of this book because the blurb drew me in immediately - I could tell that the author had drawn some inspiration from the Adnan Syed and Steven Avery cases and I was eager to see how that inspiration played out here. This book opens with the line, ‘they found their bodies on a Tuesday’ and I was COMPLETELY hooked just off of that first sentence. I tore through this book in under 24 hours, it was just superbly written and the plot was fast-paced, but not overly so. This was a really, really solid book and an impressive debut novel.

I love mysteries.. good ones... great ones too. This one failed to engage. Far fetched and not believable. DNA testing and good lawyers.. supposedly hired here, would have ended this novel on page twenty. I hate when I know who the bad guy is less than a third into the book. Written well but boring. I am sorry to report this was far from a good review. Premise weak and too many peripheral characters who were not needed for the plot line. Defendants no longer rely on tests they do not corroborate. Writers Or editors should also know no flights go to Cancun from La Guardia... international destination.

I. Want. More. Of. Agent. Keller. She is my badass hero. I am obsessed with her. And this author! Alex Finlay crafts an incredibly magnetic police thriller - and I can’t stand police or procedural thrillers. You literally hit the ground running with Every Last Fear, and it never stops.

This book has haunted me, while reading it and after. I could not imagine being in Matt’s shoes, losing my whole family, my mom. Maybe it’s because I am now a boy mom, but I kept mourning for Matt losing his mom. The despair I felt for him was deep and real. It made me want to rush home from work, grab my baby, hug him tight and cherish all of my moments with him.

I read 95% of this book with my fist over my mouth, and freely cried the last 10%. This book has me. It was so raw and emotional, in its simplest form. I know I’ve already said it, but I am haunted.

Read this now.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this ARC.

I received an excerpt in an email and immediately had to read it. I started last night and finished today and it did not disappoint!!! I can’t wait for March 2021 so the rest of the reading community can read this amazing book! Mystery! FBI! Cartels! Family drama! Whodunit! Twists! This book had it all. It was sad in places but the pace and presentation were gripping. Add this to your 2021 TBR! Thank you @netgalley and sweet Steve @stmartinspress for the e-arc!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an EARC of this book. With a surprise at every twist of the plot, this one will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end. Well developed characters are mostly likeable and believable. Worth a sleepless night.

Every Last Fear presented one of the most intriguing premises I have heard this whole blasted year, and I’m happy to report that Finlay’s debut thriller delivered a solidly entertaining—and meaningful—read.

I personally love it when two mysteries dovetail. In the case of this book: eight years ago, the Pine family was ripped apart when Danny Pine, the eldest son, was convicted for murdering his high school girlfriend. The catch?

He didn’t do it.

Or so the Pines have always maintained. And what makes the case of Danny’s innocence—or guilt—so interesting is that it seems the entire nation has an opinion; after an immensely popular true-crime Netflix documentary was released about Danny and the Pines, their lives have never been the same.

In the present day, Matt Pine, the second eldest Pine sibling, finds out that his entire family—apart from Danny, who’s still in prison—has died while on an impromptu vacation to Mexico. What happens next is fascinating (and heartbreaking), as Matt has to navigate the shock and grief of yet another tragedy rocking their family.

At the same time, with the help of FBI Agent Sarah Keller, he must get to the bottom of exactly what happened in Mexico—and how these deaths connect to what happened to Danny eight years ago.

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What I loved best about this book was its motley crew cast.

Finlay fleshes out each character, major or minor, irrespective of their role in the story; with just a few (literary) strokes, we readers gain insight into each person’s idiosyncrasies.

There’s our protagonist Matt Pine, an angry and grieving NYU film student; there’s Reggie, the brilliant Black homeless man who bookends the novel, playing chess in Washington Square Park; Sarah Keller, the FBI agent assigned to Matt’s case (whose relationship with her husband brought me so much joy—he’s such a loving and supportive goofball); Maggie Pine, Matt’s teenaged sister, fiery and tenacious and the only person to match their father’s near-manic passion for Danny’s release; and also Matt’s eclectic and loyal group of NYU friends, including the absurdly wealthy (and funny) Mumbai-born stoner, Ganesh—just to name a few characters I personally vibed with. (Not to mention, this friend group was goals. They have the kind of bond that’s like “I’ll go to the ends of the earth for you,” or, in this case, Nebraska.)

However, I will admit that I didn’t find the prose especially vivid or evocative. It doesn’t feature many descriptions, rather favouring shorter, choppier, expository sentences and uncomplicated diction.

Pro? Finlay captures the essence (and details!) of 21st century life, including the overwhelming popularity of Netflix documentaries, Reddit armchair detectives, Instagram/Facebook profiles dedicated to sourcing tips; creating deepfakes (like the Russians did to meddle with the US elections) and delving into cell location aggregation data.

Con? I didn’t quite relate with this book on the emotional level I would’ve liked and was anticipating. There wasn’t a meaningful depth to my grief for the Pine family, though I sympathized with their horrors and traumas and ultimate resilience; I was able to separate myself, reader, from them, characters, a little too easy for my liking.

Bottom line: Within the pages of Every Last Fear, it becomes clear to what lengths the Pines are determined and desperate to fight like hell.

Heartbreaking new thriller! Do those even go hand in hand? They work together beautifully in Every Last Fear! What a catchy and intriguing story! This book is quick paced, bounces all over the place, and totally hooks you in! You will lose sleep over this one! Excellent buildup!

Thrillers don’t get any better than this. Equal to the best of Harlan Coben. Great story, great pacing and unforgettable characters.

I went into this one not knowing what to really expect. I am a psychological suspense type of reader. This sounded interesting, but also maybe not my type. I was right on both counts but SO glad I stepped out of my box and gave it a chance! Matt is a college student who gets word that his entire family, minus an incarcerated brother, has been murdered. Strange things happen and what follows is an action packed, cat and mouse thrill-ride that I didn't want to put down! I really liked the documentary-like way of telling the family backstories. It made me feel connected to each victim. I advise you to put this on your must-read list and I look forward to more from Alex Findlay.

Thank you to #NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur for this ARC.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
This is an incredible book and I am speechless. It tore me apart; we know what happens to the Pine family, we find out in the very beginning. The rest of book alternates between past and present and we meet each member of the family and get to know them. It is like watching Titanic and hoping this time the ship misses the iceberg.
I didn't figure it all out but was not totally surprised by it. Looking forward to more books from Mr. Finlay

So intriguing!! This story won’t let you down. It starts off with a grab you and doesn’t let you go until you’re screaming at the killer.

Just pay attention because there are multiple POVs and can get confusing.

"They found the bodies on a Tuesday." With that line, I was expecting a suspenseful, fast-paced read. What I got was a heartbreaking story focused a dead teenage girl, a possibly wrong conviction, and a young man whose parents and younger siblings have just died.

Matt is the main character; his older brother Danny is in jail for the murder of a high school classmate, and Matt finds out that the rest of his family has just died under suspicious circumstances. A true crime documentary focused on Danny's conviction and appeals have made the family somewhat famous - and there's a possible connection between the father and sweeping financial crime.

The mystery that unfolds kept me engaged - this one felt well-plotted for a debut. At times I was frustrated by characters' choices, but I think they are in line with the characters themselves. I'd recommend Every Last Fear for Making a Murderer or Serial fans - excerpts from the documentary are interspersed with the story.

I do want to mention that the depictions of Mexico gave me pause. I haven't been to Highway 307 myself, but I find it hard to believe there's *that* much litter bordering the road (and even if there is, how is that relevant to this story?). There also are some derisive comments toward the Mexican police - I want to think the characters would make the same comments for any force, but it felt like bad stereotyping.

It was also funny, within a few pages, two characters credited men with soothing them - one, that she'd never felt more at ease than when she was with him and another, that he helps her heart rate slow, blood pressure level. Odd asides in a thriller - especially when one of the women is the FBI agent we're supposed to see as being outstanding.

Those sorts of things took me out of the story a bit, and ultimately are why this one feels more like three stars than four. But a solid debut, and I'll be interested in whatever Finlay writes next.


POSSIBLE SPOILERS BELOW

Content warning: suicidal ideation, suicide attempt (on the page), domestic abuse (mention to previous), suicide (off the page), groping/attempted sexual assault, assault, bullying, cheating, family member with cancer (off the page), racist and anti-Semitic comments (one scene), description of murder, reference to previous suicide attempt, issue of whether child is biological son, mutilation, murder, gun violence, threat of murder, misogynistic comments

Read this immediately! I devoured this book in a day---it was that good! There were so many threads throughout this book that all came together at the end to create a complicated web. I love suspense novels and have probably read hundreds but this one just made the top of my list.

What happens when your family is found dead and it might be foul play? This one was good. Told in alternating points of view and timelines, it tells the tale of a family devastated by a wrongful conviction. After the oldest son is sent to jail for a crime he did not commit, the family is torn apart. The story reads in both now (when the family is found dead) and then (when they are trying to exonerate their son).
Fast paced, quick read. Highly recommended.

This book was well-written, had an interesting premise, and a strong central concept. However, it didn't pull me in; I think this was because of the way the multiple perspectives were written. I'm not sure if there was just one too many, or if the book didn't spend enough time in each POV before switching, but for whatever reason it just felt disjointed to me. I did also guess who was ultimately responsible for it all fairly early on, so that may have played a role in my level of engagement. Overall, good, but it just wasn't a home run for me personally.

“People think I’m obsessed, that I’m crazy. That I’m selfish and a fool. But what would you do if your son was convicted for a crime he didn’t commit? If he was locked up for the rest of his life and you knew in your bones he was innocent? If your family was broken?

You have two choices when you’re confronted with your every last fear:

Give up or fight like hell.”

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sending me an ARC of Every Last Fear in exchange for an honest review.

The elevator pitch for this book is simple. Danny Pine is in prison for allegedly killing his girlfriend Charlotte during their senior year of high school. While millions of people now believe him to be innocent due to a fictional Netflix documentary series that is basically Making a Murderer, his brother Matt saw something that night that left him believing Danny was guilty. But then the other four members of the Pine family are found dead during a hastily planned vacation to Mexico. Now Matt is left to try to figure out whether what happened in Mexico was a tragic accident or foul play, and to try to finally figure out who killed Charlotte all those years ago.

The story alternates between different narrators, both in the past and the present, with occasional clips from the documentary. In the present, the story is told by Matt and the lead FBI Investigator, Sarah Keller, as they try to determine what happened in Mexico and why. In the past, the story is told by Matt’s parents and sister, as they continue following leads generated by the series to try to prove Danny’s innocence. Each of the narrators is nicely developed and has a distinctive voice; the ones who are obsessed with the series speak in the shorthand language of such people when addressing theories like the Unknown Partygoer.

This book works for several reasons. The writing is crisp and strong; it’s hard to believe it’s the author’s debut novel. The alternation of timelines and narrators does a nice job of slowly revealing little morsels about what happened, the characters’ various secrets, and the occasional red herring. When the book reaches its climax it does a very satisfying job of tying up all of the loose ends and revealing what happened to Charlotte and to the Pines. Finally, there’s an emotional core to this book that’s interesting and unusual. Not all of Danny’s family members believe he’s innocent, and even those who do have varying levels of fight in them. Add to that the public scrutiny that comes with a documentary series and you’re left with a family on the brink, unlikely to make good choices.

A well-plotted, well-written thriller that practically screams to be made into a movie or, if it’s not too on the nose, a Netflix series. Recommended.