3.5 Stars

My first Alex Finlay book and I will look for others as I enjoyed the book. It kept me reading to find out what was going on. I will admit to not being a fan of stories with Mobsters so that part and all that Mobsters do didn't get me excited. It took me a bit to get everyone straightened out with the different characters and locations but I enjoyed reading the book with all the twists most of them I didn't see coming so that was good.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for letting me have an ARC of the ebook.

ɴᴇᴛɢᴀʟʟᴇʏ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ || IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME [thank you to @minotaur_books, @netgalley, & @macmillan.audio for my #gifted copies!]

Title: If Something Happens to Me
Author: Alex Finlay
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Star Rating: ★★★☆☆
Format: Audio
Narration: ★★★★☆

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ:
For the past five years, Ryan Richardson has been haunted by the night his girlfriend Ali vanished. Despite no evidence tying him to her disappearance, public suspicion lingers. Now, living under a new name and attending law school, Ryan believes he’s moved on—until Ali’s car is discovered in a lake with two dead men and a note in her handwriting: "If something happens to me..."

On a summer trip to Italy, Ryan spots the man who’s haunted his nightmares. From Tuscany to Paris, Ryan chases the truth, unaware that a young Kansas sheriff's deputy and a grieving Philadelphia mobster may hold the key to solving the mystery.


ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ:
This was a fast-paced thriller that definnitely held my attention! I wasn’t the biggest fan of Finlay’s last book (WHAT HAVE WE DONE) but loved THE NIGHT SHIFT, so I’m glad that I gave him another shot with this one!

I love thrillers with multiple POVs, and therefore multiple interpretations of events and you never really know which character knows which information at what time! Which, as a reader, is kind of fun if you know more than they do!

Would recommend the audio if you’re looking for a full-cast narration that will hold your attention!

ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
Multiple POVs
Short Chapters
Cat-And-Mouse
Blurry Timelines

ᴅᴇᴛᴀɪʟꜱ:
GR: 3.78 ⭐️
# of Pages: 7 hours 16 minutes
Pub Date: May 28, 2024

𝗜𝗙 𝗦𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗠𝗘 by Alex Finlay had been sitting on my Kindle for far too long. Somehow it just never felt like the right time to read it. I think I worried that it would be another over-the-top thriller, but I’m happy to say I was mostly wrong. ⁣
⁣
The story involves a long-missing car found in a lake with two bodies inside, a young man haunted by the strange disappearance / kidnapping of his girlfriend five years earlier, that young woman, a female rookie cop, a mobster, and more. Okay, okay! That does sound over-the-top, but somehow it didn’t read that way. Told from multiple interesting perspectives this story flowed in a way that felt possible even as parts were a bit of a stretch. ⁣
⁣
For me this book came at just the right time. I needed something lighter and this was exactly that. I couldn’t put it down and no one could be more surprised about that than me. If you’re looking for a wild ride in between heavier books, you should give 𝘐𝘧 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘏𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘔𝘦 a try. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣
⁣
* Thanks to @minotaur_books for an electronic copy of this book.

(Rounded up from 4.5 stars)

Wow, this book had so many twists, it kept me on the edge of my seat! I couldn’t put it down because I just had to know what happened. It’s a very fast-paced and unique writing style, with multiple POVs in multiple locations. There’s globetrotting, cover ups and different identities - all the makings of an excellent thriller! Personally, I would have liked to see a bit of a different ending, but that didn’t in any way take away from the rest of the book. Highly recommend this one to all thriller lovers!

This book started off well. I was intrigued at the beginning but by the time I got to the middle of the book I was a bit bored. It just seemed a bit slow. The book does have a good amount of action in it and a nice twist but it was just okay. I wasn't blown away by this story. Overall an average read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the E-ARC.

All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

Teenage soulmates are being separated by their college acceptance letters but their love runs deep for one another they decide to make it work until the night Ali and their future was ripped right out of Ryan's grasp leaving him in the middle of lovers lane knocked out and all alone with Ali and her father's car never to be seen again.

Fast forward to many years later Ryan is still plagued by the events of that night but past secrets are about to surface and be pulled straight from the lake. Including a note addressed to no one in particular but titled If Something Happens To Me. What could it all mean? Ryan and newly hired investigator Poppys point of views intertwine as they uncover the mysterious events of what actually happened to Ali that night.

If your looking for a read in one sitting, unable to sit down, fast paced, action packed read, this book is the one for you.

Finlay delivers in the character development, the mysterious descriptives, an amazing Paris setting, twisty revelations. And is just a master at keeping you guessing until the very end.

I defenitly recommend for anyone who is seeking a thrilling good time

(Thank you to @alexfinlayauthor @minotaur_books and @netgalley for the advanced copy to read and review)

This twisty thriller grabbed me from the first page!! Ryan Richardson and Alison Lane are parked in a quiet area close to Suncatcher lake for some time together.

The next thing that Ryan remembers is the passenger door being ripped open, hearing Ali’s piercing scream and being struck on the head as he is pulled from the car!! Later he will come to remember only one thing about the attacker — you will find out what that is.

Ryan is never found guilty of Ali’s disappearance but he is nevertheless hounded by podcasters and the press. He changes his name and enters law school to start a new life.

Poppy McGee is a young deputy sheriff in Ryan’s hometown, recently discharged from the army. Before she has a lot of time on the job, a submerged vehicle is pulled from Suncatcher lake. There are two men inside and a cryptic note!

It is 5 years since Ali’s abduction and Ryan is on a school trip to Italy. He gets the news about the vehicle that was pulled from the lake and a cryptic note “If Something Happens To Me” written in Ali’s handwriting!

There is yet another POV in this novel, that is Anthony O’Leary who has started in a new academy. His father is Shane and is the leader of a mob family.

OMG, there is so much going on in this book. The short chapters kept my interest and I thought this was a wild and entertaining ride.

A gripping novel that was enjoyable and entertaining. I love novels by this author and I look forward to reading more of his books.

This is my favorite Finlay book to date and I’ve loved them all! The alternating chapters from different characters and the jaw dropping twists at the end had my head spinning! The characters are so well written! Definitely adding this to my list of books to recommend!

If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finley is the first book I've read of his and I was not disappointed.
Told from 3 points of view, he weaves the plot to expertly create an action packed story. Once I started this book I could not put it down.
It was a bit predictable at times but it didn't detract from the story.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
I give If Something Happens to Me 4 out of 5 stars.

This one started off so strong! A teenage couple is together in a parked car in a park. That is until the car door flies open and the boy is attacked, and the girl and her car disappear. The book opens with the present day 5 years later, and everyone is still wondering what really happened?

The book alternates multiple points of view and has short chapters. The chapters would end at a cliff hanging point, so it kept me reading just to get back to that character’s point of view again. Then it would repeat with the next character. Somewhere in the last third of the story, after some good, unexpected twists, it started to feel almost too much was going on (slightly far-fetched or maybe too many characters). Overall, I enjoyed the book but wish I enjoyed it more.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Alex Finlay, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Alex Finlay is a must read author for me. I've had the privilege of hearing him speak several times and meeting him. He is funny and smart in person which comes through in his books as well. I enjoy his short chapters from multiple points of view which keep me turning pages as a good thriller should. I always enjoy the morally gray characters and almost sympathetic villains (some of them). This book is cleverly plotted and even when I thought I figured out the twist, Finlay still had some surprises up his sleeve and on the pages. If you haven't read Alex Finlay yet, what have you been waiting for?

If Something Happens to Me is a twisty tale of mystery, murder and intrigue that kept me entertained from start to finish.
Ali's disappearance five years prior leaves a town and its inhabitants baffled, and puts a cloud of suspicion over her boyfriend Ryan. When her car is found submerged with two dead men inside, the newly apppointed Deputy Sheriff Poppy McGee knows that she has to solve this case. What follows is a tale that craftily weaves each thread together to solve the mystery.
If Something Happens to Me is an unputdownable mystery that will leave you guessing until the very end. It cements Alex Finlay as a must read author and I can't wait to read whatever comes next.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This one is so hard for me - at times I really enjoyed the story and flow. At other times I felt completely lost - almost like I was in the middle of a completely different book. There was a lot going on in this one and the pacing was super fast. I ended up listening and though the audio narration was fantastic, I think I may have better followed the various storylines better with a physical copy.

A girl ripped from her a car in front of her boyfriend, the case surrounding her disappearance, which finally gets a break years later, ties to a mafia type family, and it feels like everyone gets a new life somewhere along the way. Overall, I think I enjoyed it enough? 🙃

This is one of those titles that hits the gas from the moment you begin the first chapter. The plot was exciting and well-defined, the characters both likeable and interesting, and the changes in scenery/locale only added to the depth of the novel. Truly checked all the boxes of the thriller genre. I will definitely be recommending this one to my patrons who enjoy a mystery/thriller. Well done, Finlay!

This started out really good. About half way in it took a predictable turn, I could tell what was going to happen. I did not finish it because there was no mystery left.

Really enjoyed this one! At first I was a bit confused with all of the different characters but it started to make sense pretty quickly. I really enjoy Alex Finlay’s writing and the plot twists!

Alex Finlay does it again. I went into this book blind and I’m glad I did. I loved it! It was a quick read, with short chapters, which I always love. I enjoyed all the twists and turns. There were many characters but it was easy to follow. Loved it!

5 years prior a story unfolds of the worst night of Ryan's life. Quick flashes of violence and blurs as his girlfriend Ali is taken away, everything changing in his world in the course of just a single. So many questions linger though, most importantly what happened to Ali? Could she still be out there somewhere?

Jumping somewhat between times lines, the book follows Ryan, now a Law student studying abroad, as new evidence emerges on the investigation 5 years prior. The mystery and confusion of the night, while always haunting him, takes on a new form as he gains clarity and desires to find the truth.

While Ryan runs around Italy after a sighting of the man he believes took Ali 5 years prior, Poppy, a new detective is back in Kansas working the case, their two stories unfolding, racing towards their unraveling as the perspectives collide in the finale of the novel.

This book was certainly something new to me. I have read a lot of thrillers and mysteries in my time as an avid reader, but this one felt much more "mature" in a sense, feeling like the detective stories my dad would read, rather than the more domestic thrillers I am used to. With that, it took a bit of time to grasp all of the characters. I would say that there are quite a lot in here, including lots of different identities and names that all need to be remembered for the most part. I think for anyone interested in more detective tales, or mafia/mob stories this is right in that lane and will keep you hooked. I think it combined some of the more domestic aspects well. I enjoyed the parts of it that leaned more domestic, particularly to do with the unfolding of the initial crime in the past timeline much more than some of the more money, mob, hit-man aspects of the book. I think the overlap of these was a bit insufficient, especially with some of the more touching/deep themes that were explored in the end such as the grief of many types of people and what it can lead to, and I wish that motives were touched on a bit more. Overall the book was very quick and thrilling, which made it a quick read and generally enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for early access to this title in exchange for an honest review.

It looks like I forgot to review this one, yet I remember that I enjoyed it, even if I found the plot more than a little far-fetched. I also remember that there was some cringy, off-putting violence (I'm squeamish), and that neither the writing style nor the denouement were particularly sophisticated....yet the book held my interest throughout, which, recently, is no small feat. Mafioso thugs v special forces buddies who take care of their own, particularly after daughter of one was responsible for high school bullying that resulted in a suicide (in a nutshell). MC boyfriend was collateral damage (wrong place, wrong time).