Many thanks to St. Martin's Press, author Alex Finlay, and NetGalley for providing me the eARC. This review reflects my honest review and rating--not swayed whatsoever by the provision the eARC.

3 STARS

If Something Happens to Me starts with high school couple Ally and Ryan who are happy and in love until presumed foul play causes Ally to disappear. The book then rotates POV through a number of characters who are not connected in any evident way... until they are. Many people suspect that the infamous Missouri River Killer got a hold of Ally. Some of the characters, including Special Agent Fincher, aim to find out.

I am a big fan of Alex Finlay. The Night Shift and Every Last Fear are mystery/thriller entries that I highly recommend. This one fell short for me.

If Something Happens to Me remains a complex, engaging read. Its storytelling weaves across a broad swath of character types and places. The narrative is a fun puzzle, although its not particularly clever in the way of an Agatha Christie straight-up mystery. The narrative is fragmented and takes liberties, so my investment in the characters emotionally was hindered.

The amount of POVs felt like a novelty. It keeps you guessing. However, I would've preferred a more cohesive, propulsive plot as told by a couple POVs. This particular point of critique is the reason for my feeling that end reveals were both over the top and underwhelming.

I usually listen to audiobooks and this book was for me much better audio which I picked up after release date. There are a lot of timelines shifts, setting jumps and character aliases that are different to keep up with. The central characters of a vengeful family grief stricken after a child’s suicide and those deemed to have wronged their son make for a years long violent quest for “justice”. Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy , eventually.

I really loved this thriller! I think one of the best things about this story was the way it was written, and how the pieces all came together deliciously! 😍

Alison and her boyfriend, Ryan, are high school seniors and saying goodbyes at lover’s lane when all of a sudden they are interrupted by a strange man who abducts Alison. Gone without a trace, Ryan believes he made up the strange man and his missing fingers… until one day that same man finds him on a trip with friends and has a haunting message for him.

I couldn’t put this down once I had time to finally read it! Pacing was so good, and chapters were short, but effective! I enjoyed all the different perspectives and character development! Also a very satisfying ending. Overall a well thought out and executed thriller!

My absolute favorite thing about this book was the moment you put together that one plot line is in the past, while the others are present day. That blew me away!

Thank you to the author, Minotaur books, and NetGalley for this digital copy of the book in exchange for a honest review!

Alex Finlay’s If Something Happens to Me is a fast-paced, gripping thriller that keeps readers on their toes from start to finish. With short chapters, multiple perspectives, and a race against time, the novel expertly builds suspense while unraveling a complex mystery. Finlay’s skillful plotting and sharp writing make this a page-turner. I could wait to see how all the storylines were going to connect and wasn't disappointed.

A compelling and intense read, If Something Happens to Me is perfect for thriller fans who enjoy high-stakes suspense with unexpected turns. I can't wait to read more from Alex Finlay (since I've read all of his newest work since 2021).

I was happily surprised last year when I read this mind twisting story that I thought I knew what was going on while reading but I had no idea. Filled with quick pacing and a variety of locations, I was shocked consistently when things happened that I absolutely did not expect, much like my first Finlay book The Night Shift, this provided some bonkers moments and lots of pieces to a puzzle I wanted to figure out. I loved it all from the characters who might have appeared simple and one dimensional at first but wound up being so much more, along with the truth of the story. Heartbreaking at times this had a bit of a bittersweet ending but I felt it was fitting and definitely made me excited to read more of his stories. Perfect for summer reading!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for access to the eARC.

If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay
Holy hell. The way this story was told was brilliant. It was both messy and perfectly choreographed.
Alex Finlay knows how to tell a story and does not hold back. This book is fast-paced and engaging, and each page and chapter draws you deeper into the story.
The characters are well-developed, and all the small details bring them to life. The way they were all developed was brilliant.
The first big twist in this novel left me speechless, and I could not read faster to get more. As the puzzle pieces fell together, all I could do was read.
This was a deliciously twisted tale from the first page. I recommend this book!

Publication date: May 28, 2024
Publisher: Minotaur Books

This was such a fun and twisty book that kept me on the edge of my seat right up to the very end. Finlay has once again proven that he is a master of his craft. Pairt one has three alternating narratives and they converge together as the story progresses through Parts two and three. I really loved this aspect of the story and how we were able to experience it from different sides. I was thoroughly entertained and highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to stay up late into the night reading!

medium-paced and I absolutely devoured this thriller. With multiple POV, this would definitely be a great audiobook read! 3.5 stars!

This was an alright read, I didn't love it but I didn't hate it. The pacing felt a bit off and all the characters kind of felt samey, but I read through the whole thing.

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur/St. Martin's Press for the copy of this.

If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay is a suspenseful read from beginning to end. Ryan is on a trip with his law school classmates when his past comes back to haunt him. Five years ago, his girlfriend was kidnapped while she was right next to him. People thought he was involved. But then, while in Italy, he sees the man who has haunted his dreams ever since then. This story sucked me in from the start, and I had no idea what was going to happen next. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

Another great thriller by Alex Finlay. Teenage love, mystery, and the impact of one choice on an entire family.

I haven’t read a book from yet from Alex Finlay that disappointed and this one was no exception. This one was one of his better recent ones. It’s an extremely fast-paced thriller with lots of twists and turns! I really loved almost all of the characters, my favorite being Poppy, so it’s also got some depth and character development if you weren’t sold on the twisty thriller part. If you haven’t picked up an Alex Finlay novel in a while or this is your first one and you’re not sure if it’s for you, hesitate no longer! I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

This was a good read and fun to figure out what happened. Ryan is ripped from a car and hit over the head only to find his girlfriend and her car gone. Neither are ever found and Ryan was never charged but suspicion looms over him. He eventually changes his name so he can move on. Suddenly the car is found but 2 men are found in it. This books proceeds to figure out what happened.

I enjoyed the multiple narration style of this one. The different actors helped me know when we switched POV if I missed it at the beginning of the chapter. As for the story, I struggled to get into this one. The story was slow and there were a few plot twists that I enjoyed. But the ending was too neat and easy, not thrilling at all. I enjoyed the premise, but I think it could have been plotted quicker.

Thank you @netgalley and @macmillian.audio for this ALC and ARC!

This book started off slow to me, but about halfway through I was hooked! I has to finish the second half of the book in one sitting because things started to come together and I HAD to know. If you like a thriller, I think this is one you should definitely add to your list!!

Thanks to NetGalley for sending me an ARC (ages ago) in return for an honest review. :)

This book was a pleasant surprise.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, as it was a quick read and a good time.

DNF @20%

This book follows way too many perspectives, in my opinion. And I didn't like any of them or the writing.

I would absolutely give this book a 4.5 star review! The pacing was fantastic, it was unputdownable, and while it may have been predictable at times it was so so satisfying! As a Kansas girly myself, I loved that this partially took place in Leavenworth. I could picture it perfectly and loved the mentions of things like Worlds of Fun. My only beef with this book was the random inclusion of the start of a relationship for Poppy near the very end of the book. I could see that being something important if this became like a "detective Poppy" series, but it felt very disjointed and out of place to me. Overall, this book was extremely enjoyable and I had such a fun time reading it!

I'm always looking for Alex Finlay's titles, they are an auto read for me. This one was a bit more unbelievable and forgettable but the narration was great!

This wasn't my favorite Finlay book. I read this in April 2024 while boycotting SMP. It dragged in places and just didn't really keep my attention. I didn't love the order of events as placed in the book which I think a lot of people also didn't like. Hoping his next book is good!