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).

This was my first Alex Finlay book and I really enjoyed it. I had both the ebook and audio copies thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio so I was able to use both to fly through it. It had me constantly wanting to turn the next page or listen more. There were so many pieces to the story that I was curious how everything would come together.

Ryan loses his girlfriend Ali in an abduction and because he’s knocked out, he has no idea what happens to her. Even though he moves on with his life, he always knew there was more to everything. Years later, while he’s studying abroad, he sees the man of his nightmares. He risks a lot to follow the man to try to get answers.

I couldn’t get into the story just as I thought. Not disappointed but need more depth, I think. I can't remember when was the last time when I read a book in which the whole plot was 100% equal to what was written in the blurb and nothing more. There was no surprise there, no resolution to any of the plot threads and the whole story was blatantly predictable and painfully dull.

I'm a little embarrassed to say that this is my first Alex Finlay novel. I am new to the thriller or thriller-adjacent genre and I just haven't dipped my toe in. I was NOT let down by If Something Happens to Me. The pacing was perfect, the narration was phenomenal (give me alllll the Helen Laser) and the story was both crazy but somehow believable to keep my interest the entire time.

Ali was ripped out of Ryan's life (quite literally) five years ago after she was pulled from their car pre-hook-up. Ryan can't remember anything about the night that Ali went missing except for a vision of a man missing pinkies on both hands. In the aftermath, Ryan was cast with the suspicion that he had something to do with Ali's disappearance. Since that night, Ryan has tried to forge a new life -- he changed his last name name, pursuing a law degree, and is studying abroad in Italy. So, when the man without pinkies finds Ryan in Italy, he knows that something more sinister is at play with Ali's disappearance all those years ago. What follows is a global thriller -- from Kansas to Paris -- that will have you asking whether you can trust any one's story.


Thank you NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review. Five stars!

Another great thriller by Alex Finlay! Fans of thrillers won't be disappointed. I liked the plot and characters and a great twist at the end!

Alex Finley will alway be an auto-grab author for me. Everything that I’ve read, though sometimes a tad predictable, is very enjoyable.

Alex Finlay is becoming one of my favorite authors. It's hard to find books now that really grasp your attention and hold it until the end but he seems to nail it!

Ryan and Alison are high school loves until tragedy strikes. In one night Alison is gone and Ryan is the sole suspect for her murder. There was something not right about that night and Ryan can't get it out of his head. What starts as a chance encounter with the man who Ryan says was there, turns into a whirlwind adventure he didn't see coming.

This book was everything! I could not put it down. This book had several characters and 3 different places to follow but Finley did an amazing job of making sure it wasn't too complicated to follow.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's publishing group for an ARC of this book in return for my honest review!

I find Alex Finlay's novels to always be exciting and fast paced, and If Something Happens to Me is no exception. There are three storylines taking place in Leavenworth, Kansas; Philadelphia and various spots in Italy which can be intriguing in the beginning however the stories weave together masterfully in the end. The plot felt complete and satisfactory in the end.

Alex Finlay is definitely becoming a must buy author for me. Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read this novel.

I tried to get into this one a few times but I wound up stopping at 60%; I found I just didn't connect with the characters and the organized crime angle. I loved Finlay's first two novels but If Something Happens to Me and What Have We Done just didn't work for me, unfortunately.

The plot of the book really intrigued me and then it kinda changed course and nothing seemed to be true.

I did get surprised when the plot twist came through, literally gasped and read it multiple times until it made sense in my head lol.

After that, it got boring and slow though and it seemed like the story was over.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

I enjoyed this quick thriller, which easily kept me turning the pages. I saw the "twist" coming a mile away, but Finlay did a good job in tying it in with the timelines. I did feel like I wanted a bit more for Ryan and his story, but I was satisfied with the ending. 3.5 stars, rounded up.

What a roller coaster of a book! If you've ever ridden the Hulk at Universal, Orlando, then this is the book equivalent to the Hulk. There is a brief countdown and then ZOOM! 0 to 60 in 3 seconds. This book took off so fast and didn't slow down until it was over.

Ali and Ryan were sitting in their car when suddenly the door is ripped open and Ali is yanked out and Ryan is bashed over the head. Ali is never seen again, and a lingering cloud of doubt is cast over Ryan as the search for Ali continues for many years. The events that unfold in the search for Ali become more ominous as the story unravels. This is not a straightforward who-dun-it book. It has many twists (perspectives) and tunnels (shady characters) and loops (unsavory events), but it all adds up to one glorious ride.

I absolutely loved this book and it is easily in my top 3 of the year. There were so many twist and turns and timelines and it was just fantastic. It really held my attention and had me wanting to know what happened next throughout the story.

As I mention in almost every review I write, I am usually never happy or satisfied with endings of books, but this one was wonderful. Everything came together and I was satisfied with how it all ended.

I gushed about this book to my mom as soon as I finished it and told her how great it was, so I hope she reads it soon so we can discuss it! This one won't be leaving my mind for a while.

5 stars, one of the best I've read this year!

Enjoyable enough. The constant switching between characters, locations and on occasion and without explanation, time, does get confusing.

I considered abandoning it around the 50% mark but stuck to the end. The easy quality of writing kept me going.

Five years ago, Ali has been abducted while Ryan was pulled from the car on Lover's Lane and knocked out unconscious. Nor Ali or the car have been seen since then. Ryan has tried so hard to put the past behind him, changing his name to run away from the podcasters and the Internet trolls, but while in Italy on a trip with his law-school classmates he gets a call from his dad: the car is found at the bottom of the lake, with two male bodies in the front seats and an envelope that says "If something happens to me..." in Ali's handwriting.
This mystery/thriller was very predictable but an entertaining and quick read. However, so many things don't make sense, making the characters come across as stupid. A dad asks his daughter to reach out to the new kid in school, because he's the son of his shady new client, and thinks "It's not like his son has anything to do with his father's business, right? My daughter will be safe." Said no dad ever... It was fast paced with short chapters, which I liked.
I received an advance copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

If I consider the readability of this book and how it held my interest, I will say that I enjoyed it. It is definitely a page-turner and I liked the little hints dropped throughout and the cliffhangers at the end of the chapters. So I will rate it higher than I would otherwise just for entertainment value.
What I didn’t like was the lack of any character development. I really felt like Poppy and Ryan especially needed more background and personality development. It seems like characters were just thrown into the story with not enough explanation of their roles or backstories. I recognize that character development is more important to me than many readers but I think truly good thrillers get the reader involved with at least one or two characters. The different POVS was fine with sufficient introduction but maybe a bit “jerky”. Overall entertaining and not a waste of time but I wanted more.

This twists and turns in this one certainly kept me guessing!

Coming off of reading "What Have We Done" last year, I went into "If Something Happens To Me" a little wary. I didn't LOVE "What Have We Done" but I did really like "The Night Shift" - so I was hopeful! I wasn't disappointed!

One romantic rainy evening, high school student Ryan and his girlfriend Ali find a secluded spot to...well...be teenagers. When their romantic evening is interrupted by a blow to the head and the screams of his girlfriend as she's ripped away from him, Ryan is left confused, bleeding, and devastated.

Years later, Ryan is on a trip to Italy with his fellow law students, but Ali is never far from his mind. When he encounters the man who has haunted his dreams since that night long ago, he jumps into action.

At first I was very thrown off by the back and forth of the POVs, but after I settled into it I found it easier to follow. The connections between the POVs surprised me - which is saying something as I can usually sniff out a twist coming from a mile away! Overall, an entertaining and quick read.

This book had an interesting premise and I felt like it was well written. Alex Finlay is definitely a fresh and unique voice in the genre. I recommend this if you’re in the mood for a tense thriller.

I try to be very strict with my thoughts after finishing a book - as in, being as objective as I can -, but there are times I break my rule, usually for the same reason: if the story is so addictive I have to force myself to put it down, very few things will make me dislike it.

It could be the narration - fast-paced and captivating, tactful in making you empathize with all the characters, never missing a beat regarding the fateful ending.
It could be the story itself: three different storylines all equally interesting and eventful in their part of the world.
Or it could be the eager instinct of wanting to know more, chapter after chapter, wanting to know everything in a story where we find out how these characters are connected and why only at the end. And then the utter shock of screaming: “OH. MY. GOD.”

It's still unclear to me if Alex Finlay will be my new exception or if this one particular book was just better than what I've read in the past month, but I'm sure this won't be the last time I'll bump into this author.
Actually, I'm buying his other books as I'm finishing writing this.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

If Something Happens To Me
Alex Finlay
4⭐️

Pub Date: 5/28/2024

Such an interesting premise right off the bat! This book is just so bingeable. There basically were 4 storylines, 4 locations, plot stemmed from one incident and all converge into answering one question. There were so many factors that made it all the more so twisty. There's really nobody I trusted in this book except for Ryan and the new investigator. And the actual dirty rat surprised me. I didn't expect that one coming.

I do suggest reading this in one-ish go. The myriad of characters and events were a lot and can be confusing. But it all did make sense. Mayne make a small note for tracing what's happening at what event. I enjoyed this one however I felt like the ending was a little rushed. The build up was so good and so chaotic that I expected a but more for the ending. It definitely was a good thriller that kept me on my toes.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin Press for a gifted e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.