Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my copy of Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay in exchange for an honest review. It published March 2, 2021.
This is totally what I look for in a thriller, multiple viewpoints, multiple times, a messy family dynamic, danger, and drama! I couldn't put this one down. If you're comfortable with reading harsh language, murder, sexual assault, then you'll enjoy this one.

The novel combines a mystery, a family drama, an exploration of the role “true crime” plays in our society and even a political saga into a single book. While many debuts would drown under this many competing plotlines, Alex Finlay excels at keeping them all straight.

True crime fans, in particular, will find a lot to appreciate with Every Last Fear. In between the book’s twists and turns, Finlay packs in astute analysis about how the genre depicts victims of crimes and those accused of committing them.

This book was excellent. I liked the different point of views and the switching between timelines. So good!

Every Last Fear is an interesting mystery/thriller from a debut author, Alex Finlay. Matt Pine's older brother, Danny, has been in jail for a crime that he claims he did not commit. While on a trip to Mexico, Matt's mother, father, and two siblings are killed in what seems to be an accident. However, Matt and the FBI are not so sure. Through a deep dive investigation into not only the deaths of Matt's family but also the crime for which Danny was found guilty, Matt will discover a web of lies and deceit that is beyond anything he could have imagined.

This was an interesting read. For the first 100 pages, I was instantly hooked into the story; the plot moved very swiftly and the short chapters helped to keep this swift pace throughout. However, I began to get bogged down in the middle of the story, as the changing POVs and flashbacks to multiple characters' backstories was jarring and often times confusing. However, the ending brought it all back together and the novel came to a satisfying conclusion. Finlay's writing is concise and easy to read. The characters were interesting-some were very well developed while others were not fully fleshed out- but the multiple POVs was something I did not like about this book. It was not, however, enough to make me stop reading the book.

Overall I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to other mystery/thriller readers. Be aware that the multiple POVs and flashbacks can get confusing at times, but with a swift-moving plot and interesting main characters, Every Last Fear is definitely worth checking out.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an e-ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Every Last Fear is a fast paced page turner that I had trouble putting down! I highly recommend this addictive thriller by Alex Finlay.

I loved Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay! It is honestly one of the best thrillers I've read recently. It has great characters, is a compelling read and had me turning the pages. This is how a thriller should be. I'm so looking forward to Alex's next book. Thank you to Minotaur and NetGalley for a e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Every Last Fear is a great first outing. It definitely could use some tightening up but overall it was an enjoyable book, with a great story, a little twist, and an easy finish.

This is one that goes in the "I can't believe I waited so long to read this" category, because, once I started, I couldn't put it down. It's a good thing I was reading on my backlit iPad, so that I could read long into the night. Every Last Fear twists and turns and is completely unpredictable. The characters, particularly Matt, are compelling and believable, and I absolutely loved Alex Finlay's debut!!

Every Last Fear begins when NYU student Matt Pine receives the news that his parents and two younger siblings have all died while on a vacation in Mexico. This is just the latest in a tragedy filled life for Matt. Several years earlier, his older brother, Danny, was accused and convicted of murdering his girlfriend. Matt and Danny’s father was never convinced that Danny was guilty, and traveled to Mexico to try to find evidence of Danny’s innocence.
I enjoyed this novel, especially the family dynamics. I liked the FBI agent working the case, and I liked Matt and his friends. I had a sneaking suspicion as to the outcome of the story, but not the motive behind the conclusion. I look forward to reading more from Alex Finlay. This is an enjoyable mystery and a great beach read!
All opinions are my own and freely given.
#EveryLastFear #NetGalley

DNF

I really did not like this book. People were saying that this was a fast-paced book but I do not agree. I felt like it dragged so much. There was too much POV's and they did nothing for the book. Matt was extremely boring to read from. I felt like he did nothing. There were homophobic/racists comments and that was what really push me over the edge. I don't understand why the editor didn't remove those comments. I just don't understand why people love this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my review.

I expected this to be your bog standard debut thriller but actually I found it to be so much better than that; a gripping, twisted tale that also packs a punch in the emotional sense. I was hooked right from that amazing opening line! Thoroughly enjoyed this one and looking forward to seeing what this author comes out with next, I’ll most definitely be reading it!

This book had plenty of twists and turns and kept me reading well into the night! I really enjoyed this thriller!

First and move importantly - BRAVO to Alex Finlay for this incredible thriller. AND to top if off, it's a DEBUT. So.. when is his next coming out? (I want to note, I have heard of the problematic stereotypes that were evident in the ARC version of this novel, however, I listened to a finished copy and thought it was fixed tastefully).

This was the definition of an edge of your seat thriller that I just couldn't devour quick enough. I couldn't turn it off! I needed to know what happened, who did what, who was guilty and how it all connected. I had NO idea what was going on. I loved that it was a family drama thriller, weaving the family story throughout the novel. This book felt refreshing and original, kept me on my toes, guessing the entire way through and managed to make me fall in love with each character, which is so very rare in thriller novels. I don't want to give anything away, so drop what you're doing and RUN to pick this one up. The audio of it was fantastic.

I love documentaries so I really enjoyed the documentary inclusion in Every Last Fear. It was easy and entertaining, but didn't totally grab me. I found the characters to be well developed, and although there were quite a few point of views it wasn't confusing. I enjoyed the writing and would pick up something else by Alex Finlay.

This book was so so so good! Very different than anything else I have read recently and I really loved all the different characters in the book! There where many twists and turns I never saw coming! Excited to read more from Alex Finlay!

I kept seeing all the high praise for Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay and was excited to read it. Every Last Fear was fast paced with lots of twists. I was hooked from the very beginning and it kept me guessing until the very suspenseful conclusion. It was character driven and expertly plotted. I liked how the timeline alternated between before and after. It was about a family in turmoil. There was a murder and a tragic accident, or at least that was what it appeared to be. As a masterful storyteller, Alex Finlay wove an intense, edge of your seat, compelling debut novel. I can’t wait to see what he writes next. I am a new fan! I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Minotaur Books for allowing me to read Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I decided not to read this book after being informed of negative racial epithets and stereotypes used in it.

NYU student Matt Pine is devastated when the FBI appears at his dorm room to tell him that his parents, little brother, and sister died while on vacation in Mexico. At first glance, their deaths look natural, but upon closer look, it may not have been so innocent. The Pine family is no stranger to tragedy, though. Matt's older brother is in prison for killing a girl back in their small hometown. His story became sensationalized when Netflix released a documentary about his story, alluding to the fact that they coerced his confession. Matt knows that his father has never believed his son was guilty of murder but was his obsession the cause of his untimely death? And if Danny didn't kill that girl, who did? And were they willing to murder again to keep their secret?



Every Last Fear is a solid debut by an author who wrote under a pseudonym. I am always curious about authors who publish commercially under a pseudonym. Why do they choose to do that? Maybe because they are from the rural Midwest and this story hit a little too close to home? I immediately recognized the "family dies while on vacation in Mexico" plot from this news story. As a girl who was born in Nebraska and grew up in the area, I was excited to see that an author take such detail to make sure that rural Nebraska in an honest way. Especially the nod to a beloved Nebraska restaurant, Runza. We just went "home" for Easter and made it a point to seek one out. The story itself was suspenseful and fast-paced. Matt Pine is a good main character. Smart, resourceful, and sympathetic. The author did the "before" and "after" style of storytelling and it worked. You get to know the Pine family leading up to their deaths and it made you even more invested in what happened to them. This is one that I did not have figured out, but I sure did like it. CLICK HERE FOR SPOILERS


Bottom Line - Every Last Fear is one of those stories that will hook you from the very first page and you won't be able to stop thinking about it until long after the book is over. Every book lover's dream!

Details:
Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay
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Pages: 368
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: 3/2/2021
Buy it Here!
Thank you to NetGalley for the book in exchange for an honest review.
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CATEGORIES: 2021, PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER

Absolutely excellent! Well written- great thriller! This book will have you on the edge of your seat until the last page.

This was my first time reading this author and I will be reading more. This was a good mystery/who did it sort of book. I definitely enjoyed reading it.