This was another great story by one of my favorite authors. The characters were wonderful and I enjoyed the way they interacted with each other. I can’t wait to see what Mr. Finley brings us next!


I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I had the best time putting together the puzzle pieces of Alex Finlay’s latest release, If Something Happens to Me, live today!

Similar to Finlay’s previous works, there are a cast of characters and how they are connected to the story is given to you in small pieces. While the story fleshes out over time, the anxiety is amped up in If Something Happens to Me with increasingly concerning events occurring to each of the characters. We have Ryan, a former basketball star, Poppy, a novice Deputy Sherriff, Shane, a protective father and mobster, and Michael, also protective father and accountant. How do they fit? You have to read to see.

The story centers around Alison, a young woman who went missing five years prior, and the domino effect the case has had in our four central characters’ lives and the community they live in. Finlay manages to really flesh out the characters and each of their stories, with no rushing chapter to chapter and a really well done overlap that allows the reader to connect the time and places. There’s quite a lot of action, violence, and questionable character thoughts, but it kept me engaged from start to finish.
This one is truly a 5 star unputdownable read and an excellent addition to Finlay’s collection.

I am really liking Alex Finlay's books! It's a great plot with a twist and very well written. The characters are almost all likable, especially Poppy. She seems kind of endearing and yet pretty bad-ass too.. Ryan is a sympathetic character and his law school classmates are a surprise especially Eddie, Ryan's roommate. It may be that the plot is kind of standard in the 'white girl goes missing' way but the writing and the characters make this an out-of-the-ordinary read.

I loved this book! I have loved all of Alex Finlay’s books so far and I was very excited to read this one. It did not disappoint. The twists and turns that I thought I had figured out, blew me away. Across countries, across years! The time twist really threw me and I had to stop to recap and digest before continuing to read! I finished this in 1.5 days!

This book was fantastic.! The characters were easy to relate to.. I could feel their pain!
I loved the dual timeline.. the full background on the situation was KEY to understanding what happened.

Kudos for an immersive and inventive read! This was a fun ride with suspense at every turn. My only issues were lots of characters to keep straight and the various timelines could be a tad confusing. Otherwise an enjoyable story that I would gladly recommend. My thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Minotaur Books for the advanced reading copy and Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.
If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay is my first book of theirs, and I now want to go and ready more of the backlist! A twisty thriller that was full of surprises. Five years ago, Ryan was pulled from the car where he was parked with his girlfriend, Ali, and he never saw her again. What happened to Ali? And why is the case coming back to the surface now?
I recommend this to fans of twisty thrillers featuring missing persons and surprises along the way.

IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME by Alex Finlay is a mystery story with more violence than the ones I typically read, but it was a LibraryReads Hall of Fame selection for May and I am glad that I was intrigued and picked it up. Alison Lane and Ryan Richardson are high school sweethearts until something does in fact happen and Ryan becomes a leading suspect in Alison's disappearance. That happened in Leavenworth, Kansas five years ago, but early in this mystery story readers will also meet characters from a Philadelphia crime family, students in rural Italy, and former soldiers who served together in Iraq. Finlay cleverly braids the tales and definitely keeps readers guessing with many unexpected twists. IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME is an action-packed thriller which received a starred review from Publisher's Weekly ("As in Finlay's previous novels, relentless pacing, impressive characterizations, and the author's knack for surprise combine to produce top-shelf entertainment."). 4.5 stars

I have been catching Alex Finlay's books for a while, so was glad to see this new one appear. So far his mystery/thriller books have held my attention and always provide a good story. The envelope on the cover with water drops on it made me think there was a letter somewhere involved - and it contained a very interesting clue when it appeared.

Description:
For the past five years, Ryan Richardson has relived that terrible night. The car door ripping open. The crushing blow to the head. The hands yanking him from the vehicle. His girlfriend Ali’s piercing scream as she is taken.

With no trace of Ali or the car, a cloud of suspicion hangs over Ryan. But with no proof and a good lawyer, he’s never charged, though that doesn’t matter to the podcasters and internet trolls. Now, Ryan has changed his last name, and entered law school. He's put his past behind him.

Until, on a summer trip abroad to Italy with his law-school classmates, Ryan gets a call from his father: Ali's car has finally been found, submerged in a lake in his hometown. Inside are two dead men and a cryptic note with five words written on the envelope in Ali’s handwriting: If something happens to me…

Then, halfway around the world, the unthinkable happens: Ryan sees the man who has haunted his dreams since that night.

As Ryan races from the rolling hills of Tuscany, to a rural village in the UK, to the glittering streets of Paris in search of the truth, he has no idea that his salvation may lie with a young sheriff’s deputy in Kansas working her first case, and a mobster in Philadelphia who’s experienced tragedy of his own.

My Thoughts:
The story skipped around between Leavenworth, KS; Philadelpha, PA; and across the sea to Italy. Finlay skillfully weaves this addictive plot together leaving us with a mystery with lots of twists and turns that kept me reading. I didn't want to put the book down. The young deputy sheriff, Poppy McGee has her hands full when her first day at her new job gives her a car in the lake belonging to a girl who went missing five years ago. But there are two bodies inside and not the missing girl's. Who are they and why are they there? Also, people do not seem to like Poppy asking questions, like something is being hidden about this missing girl. Questions are raised, things begin to happen - in all the three locations that seem separate and unto themselves, until they are not. I enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who likes a good mystery/thriller.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books through Netgalley for an advance copy.

Admittedly, I struggled to get onboard, but once I did, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME is proof that a gripping story need not start at the beginning. When Ryan Richardson falls for Alison Lane, he has no clue as to the skeletons tucked away in her closet. During the lovers’ planned rendezvous, someone rips Ryan from Alison’s vehicle and renders him unconscious. When he comes to, both Alison and her car are gone.

Suspected of her disappearance, relentless disparaging remarks and sidelong glances invariably drive Ryan from his hometown. Years later, and still grappling with the traumatic event, he is halfway around the world when he spots the ominous man he remembers seeing moments before Alison disappeared.

Which is when Finlay ratchets up the suspense and begins cleverly knitting some seriously bizarre pieces together. Though some may see the final twist coming, most will appreciate the propulsive pacing, diverse characters, and the familial bonds that defy daunting odds. Much appreciation to Alex Findlay, Minotaur, and NetGalley for the ARC.

If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay is an incredible thriller.

I loved the multiple Point of Views and the incredible story.

There are lots of twists and turns.

I am still not sure how I feel about the ending, but nonetheless I really enjoyed this book.

This is an excellent book. It has a large cast of characters. Thanks to Mr. Finlay's skills as an author, it's actually quite easy to keep track of them all. I particularly like the way the author was able to connect them.
I would recommend this book
Thank you for the ARC.
#IfSomethingHappensToMe#AlexFinlay#St.Martin'sPress#Minotaur#NetGalley

Started out slow with a lot of characters to keep track of. I liked that the chapters were short and told from different POVs. Then at some point I started to see all the connections and I was hooked. Characters you thought were one way could be another or fit into a gray area. Poppy McGee was a great character. A little red-headed kid that went into the Army but then was discharged to come home to help take care of her dead. She joins the PD and her boss is one of her Dad's Army buddies. When a car is found in the lake that belonging to Allison Lane missing for five years she is tasked with monitoring emails. One character I would have liked to see more of was Ziggy, the 12-year-old true crime podcaster. He has so much potential for growth. The end was a roller coaster ride and I loved it.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital copy.

If Something Happens to Me is another suspenseful thriller novel from author Alex Finlay. The story in If Something Happens to Me is one that is told by changing the point of view between three central characters in the novel and takes place in the present time which is five years after a fateful event that is now coming to light.

Five years ago Ryan Richardson was with his girlfriend Alison Lane alone at night while parked in their car when suddenly Ryan is dragged from the car and hit over the head all the while hearing nothing but Ali’s screams. Ali was never seen again and of course the police looked at Ryan as the suspect but with no evidence to prove he might of been lying Ryan was never charged.

Now five years later Ryan has changed his name and after finishing college he’s headed to Europe before tackling law school. It’s while traveling Ryan gets the next Ali’s car was found but with two strangers dead inside and only a note from Ali marked “If something happens to me”. Deputy sheriff Poppy McGee is then determined to solve the cold case from five years ago and find the truth of that night.

If Something Happens to Me is the fourth thriller novel I’ve read from author Alex Finlay and the one thing I say after each one is if you haven’t tried one of those thrillers yet you really should. This latest novel was full of all of the fast paced excitement that I expected with so many twists and turns to keep readers on their toes that as usual it is hard to ever put the book down and not want to continue flying through the pages until the very end. I do know that I will continue to return to Alex Finlay’s thrillers and do hope others give them a try too.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my copy of If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay. Alex Finlay has done it again, I could not put this one down! I loved the short chapters and the multiple narrators. These characters were so relatable and the epilogue was the perfect ending. The twists and turns have me still reeling. I cannot wait for the next book! 5/5 stars

“What did you think was going to happen to you, Alison Lane?”

I feel like ever since I read “Every Last Fear” my favourite time of year is when the new Alex Finlay book comes out and this one did not disappoint!

I loved that the story was told from multiple POVs and from multiple different locations. All of the characters and their stories were so interesting I had a hard time putting this down! There was even a point where I actually gasped before part II begins #iykyk

I also loved the small town, mob family, revenge vibes that this book gave off! The plot was so interesting and I really enjoyed reading this! Might even be my favourite Alex Finlay book!

Read if you like
📖short chapters
📖cliffhanger chapter endings to keep the pages turning
📖multiple POVs
📖small town/mob life vibes

my rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

🥳Pub Date: May 28th

If Something Happens To Me is an multi-POV mystery/thriller. Ryan’s girlfriend is kidnapped while they were together and he’s accused of the crime. Over the next 5 years, Ryan is attempting to move on from the trauma and but there are so many lingering questions. Without divulging any spoilers, the readers experience the story mainly through the perspectives of Poppy, a new deputy sheriff, Ryan, Micheal, an accountant, and O’Leary, the head of an organized crime syndicate. Seemingly the characters stories aren’t connected. But over time it comes together. The mystery is interesting, the storyline is engaging and there are some twists that you see coming and some that you don’t.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC.

Alex Finlay does not disappoint with his newest book! It was a fast paced story, that was packed with action and suspense. Each of the storylines was well developed and kept me turning pages. Most importantly, I loved the way that he brought the storylines all together at the end.

A fast paced thriller that will keep you reading till the end. The ending wasn't really a surprise though, I'd guessed where it was going.

Incredibly fast paced thriller about a college kid who can’t shake his past. See, he was there the night his girlfriend Ali was abducted but they never caught the deformed killer. Fast forward to finding her car in the lake - will they finally find Ali out the puzzle pieces together of her disappearance?