3.75/5

There were a ton of moving parts in this book, but when they all came together, it was so worth it.

The parallel plots were a cool touch along with seeing things from so many different peoples POVs

Fantastic!! Great book from start to finish. I was so into this book that it flew by. Loved every second of it.

If Something Happens To Me is now my fourth book by Alex Finlay, and there's something reassuring about returning to an author this many times... even if the book isn't instantly a new favourite.

This plot is a tangled spider web, and looking back, I'm really not sure that I managed to untangle the web all the way. There's a big chunk of this plot that involves the underbelly world, and that's just not always something I like in my books.

I did really like Poppy, however! Now don't get me wrong, she's no Special Agent Sarah Keller (from Finlay's The Night Shift and Every Last Fear) but she's still an underdog to root for, with a strong will and good head on her shoulders... although I kept anticipating Keller poking her nose into this investigation. (It's hard to love an authors character like I do with Special Agent Keller, and not have her make another appearance!)

I was already familiar with audiobook narrators Helen Laser and John Pirhalla, (who are both are favourites of mine) but this was my first by Paul Dateh. All did a good job, their voices fitting their characters' demeanor well.

This book was good, not great, and seemed to be missing the nostalgia I really love and expect from Finlay!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary copies to read and review.

If Something Happens to Me had me hooked from the beginning. We follow many different points of view including a police officer, a mobster, and an accountant. Ryan, a teenager when the backstory happens, finds out his missing and assumed deceased girlfriend may be alive.

I enjoyed this book. The plot was constantly moving, and I read it in two sittings. I received this ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

I'd give this 4.5 if there were half stars. This book sucks you in right from the start. Three storylines come together--Ryan is still suffering from the disappearance of his high school girlfriend; Poppy has returned home from the army to be a deputy sheriff in her home town and a gangster in Philadelphia loses his son to suicide. It's surprisingly gripping.

Many thanks to my friends at @stmartinspress @minotaur_books and @macmillan.audio

Fast paced. Twisty. Addictive. This is exactly the kind of thriller I’ve come to expect from Finlay.

Years ago, Ryan awoke to find his high school girlfriend, Ali, gone without a trace. Now, her car has surfaced, and a cryptic note found inside might help unravel the mystery that has haunted him all this time.

Talk about a page turner! This was a fun cat and mouse game full of propulsive action. I flew through the short, attention-grabbing chapters constantly revamping my predictions. I love when a thriller surprises me with its revelations, and Finlay did just that with these cunning twists.

The large cast of characters seemed wholly unrelated in the beginning. But connections were slowly unveiled fitting this complex puzzle together in a way that satisfied.

🎧 This full cast narration includes Helen Laser, John Pirhalla, and Paul Dateh.
Even with an intricate storyline, this cast made it easy to follow the plot and added a distinctiveness to each perspective. This was a fun listen.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for my digital advance reader copy.

Five years ago, high school student Ryan and his girlfriend Ali pay a nighttime visit to Lover Lane when everything goes horribly wrong. Hit over the head by an unknown assailant, Ryan comes to and realizes that Ali and her car are both gone. He finds himself in the crosshairs of both official and armchair investigations, and everyone seems to believe that he is responsible for her disappearance. He changes his name and tries to start fresh in college. Now, on a college trip to Italy, his past comes crashing back into his life when he receives a note indicating that the writer knows his true identity.

Quick take: I generally enjoy Finlay’s books (The Night Shift being my favorite). This was a great popcorn thriller that kept me engrossed well into the first half. The action in the second half of the book is somewhat over the top, but if you are able to suspend your disbelief, it’s still an enjoyable ride. I’m not super into action thrillers, which is where the second half lost me somewhat, however I’ll still pick up any/all of Finlay’s future releases!

Wow wow wow!! I am so mad at myself that I didn't read this book sooner. The storyline was woven together so intricately and the pace of the storyline was perfect. I got hooked in so fast and didn't want to stop reading. The multiple storylines would be confusing but the author did a great job of tying all the characters together. I loved this book!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ For me! A must read 👍👍

Thanks to @netgalley for an advance copy of Alex Finlay's newest thriller. High school girl goes missing in a small town 5 years ago and mystery ensues. Got exactly the kind of thrills and distraction I signed up for.

* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.

3.5 stars

Part one is a little slow because the author is trying to create all of the puzzle pieces before you can understand how they fit together. I wasn’t too impressed by it. There were too many storylines and characters that I couldn’t remember who was who and who worked for O’Leary. I think I liked Poppy but I didn’t care for Ryan or the ending. Overall this book has me feeling meh.

Can’t say I’d recommend but wouldn’t dissuade anyone from reading.

The minute I got my hands on this book, I had to start reading and then I couldn’t stop. No one writes a more fast-paced engaging thriller than Alex Finlay. If the story line was not enough to keep me engaged, the descriptions of Italy certainly did. Highly recommend this book to anyone looking for the perfect read-in-day book!

Thank you to Alex Finlay, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this and the writing style, and the story was compelling. I am very interested in reading this author’s future work and this was a very solid thriller. Would definitely recommend to others.

Eh. My biggest complaint here is that the detective character was hinted at being gay and it was revealed at the end of the book, but it wasn’t part of the story really and it felt written in as an afterthought. The story itself was fine, but a little overly dramatic. I should’ve saw the big twist coming, but somehow it didn’t click for me - I was surprised, but it was actually pretty predictable. Overall, it felt like a pretty forgettable novel.

This book was interesting and gripping from the beginning. I liked the way that Finlay wove multiple storylines together to make a heart-pounding narrative. I usually don’t love mob stories, but this one had enough going on outside of just the mob to keep me entertained. I think this is the return of Mr. Finlay to his earlier very twisty and character driven plots and I loved it!!

This book was a fun read; I had a hard time putting it down. Parts of the story and the characters' connections to each other felt a little unbelievable though. I really felt for Ryan and everything he went through - he deserves happiness! I'll definitely look for more entertainment from this author in the future.

I loved this book and I think this author is turning into an auto buy for me. I love his books so much! It was a fun, twisty small town book thriller that was easy to follow. The plot was great and the story was unique. I absolutely recommend this to everyone who loves thrillers!

Ugh I had such a hard time with this one!

I actually loved the overall plot and how it got right into it from page 1. I was hooked in the beginning and at about the half way point it became wayyyy too convoluted. There were so many POVs (without being labeled in the beginning of each chapter), so many interconnecting stories and my brain became mush! 🤯 It just became too hard to follow and I found myself losing interest.

This could have definitely been a “me” issue so take this review with that in mind! This is a book you will really need to focus and pay attention while reading.

Thank you so much @netgalley and @minotaur_books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

My first Alex Finlay book and it did not disappoint!

Initial Thoughts: Part One of the book made me feel like there was some very heavy fantasy world building in the beginning. There are so many POVs in the beginning that you kind of have to pause and be like Ok, let me be patient and read. Going back and forth gives your so much more in depth details in every POV that when everything clicks, it just makes senses and flows naturally. The short chapters also help the reader with the multi-POV and I appreciate that.

Parts Two and Three flow very quickly because of what happens next and it makes this book very fast-paced. I couldn't believe how fast I read once I got through part one, and I definitely enjoyed the way this book flowed and the story was told. The book was more of a suspense than a thriller for me. I was more interested in the "what happened?" then some of the in-between. The way it comes together at the end though - WOW. Beautiful ending.

Be aware, there are some trigger warnings for this including bullying and suicide and loss.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for this copy.

Alex Finlay’s newest release, If Something Happens To Me, was a fun ride. A solid mystery/thriller/suspense with multiple POVs, and many locations, including a variety of different countries, kept me turning the pages.

Although I didn’t love this one the way I did, Finlay’s, The Night Shift, published in 2022, I wanted to keep reading. There is something here for everyone – mobsters, missing persons, detectives (including a young female detective), and romance. As someone who reads many thrillers and mysteries, I did figure out some of the twists before they happened, but there were still some surprises to keep me turning the pages.

If you are looking for a quick, page-turning mystery/thriller to get lost in and pass the time, this may be the book for you. If Something Happens To Me is for fans of Alex Finlay’s previous books; lovers of detective novels, missing persons, mobsters, and multiple POVs. If you are someone who enjoys spending time working through mysteries taking place in multiple settings across the globe this could be a fun one for you. If Something Happens To Me, would also be a good place to start for those new to the thriller genre.

I recommend checking trigger warnings if you are a sensitive reader.

3.5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of Alex Finlay’s, If Something Happens To Me, in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this ARC of non stop drama, twists and suspense!

This book had it all including romance and many different counties and places which was a bit crazy a first but once you got the hang of it, really interesting.

TRIGGER WARNING: does mention suicide. I don’t think that’s a spoiler just good to know going into it.

Overall this book took me a bit to get me hooked, but once it did, I read it in a day it was so good!!