This is my first read by Alex Finlay and it did not disappoint. This book is filled with suspense, thrills, twists and absolutely 100 percent kept my attention. It has love, mystery, monsters, deceit, and more. There are short chapters, which I LOVE! It is told from multiple POV’s in three sections.

Ryan Richardson is a high school basketball superstar with the perfect girlfriend, but on one fateful night, his girlfriend is ripped from his life and taken from him. Fast forward to five years later, Ryan is trying to move on with his life, when his girlfriend Ali’s car is found submerged in a lake in his hometown, with not one but two dead male bodies in it and a note that says if something happens to me…Ryan, detectives and more are trying to figure out what happened to Ali and why there are two dead men in her car.

I would pick this book up if you are looking for a quick and thrilling read. It was so easy to complete and I didn’t want to put it down. I liked the different perspectives, even though at times, it seemed like they could never be connected. There are some aspects of the book that seemed a little unbelievable but if you can see beyond them, you will love this book! Thank you to NetGalley, St Martins, Minotaur and the author for for the opportunity to read this book. My opinions are honest and my

Alex Finlay has definitely earned his position as one of my favorite authors with If Something Happens To Me. If he writes it I’m going to read it.

We start out meeting Ryan whose girlfriend went missing years ago from Kansas and a mob boss from Philadelphia. How the heck are these stories going to tie in together? I don’t want to go into it too much for fear of giving it away. But just know it was an exciting wild ride. The moment I found out how these stories related and wove together- my jaw dropped. This was an unputdownable!

If Something Happens to Me is my third Alex Finlay thriller, and they keep getting better and better. The Prologue sets the story in motion as two recent Leavenworth, Kansas high school graduates, Ryan and Alison, appear destined for a night of romance before heading off to separate colleges. A sudden downpour sends them racing from their blanket back to Alison’s dad’s BMW, both drenched and with a mixture of disappointment and relief. Back in the car, she pulls her t-shirt over her head, the car door rips open, Ryan is hit on the head and thrown from the car. The next morning as he regains consciousness, he finds the car and Alison gone.

Finlay divides eighty-four short chapters into three parts with Part 1 consisting of chapters 1-45, Part 2 of chapters 46-72, Part 3 of 73-79, and the Epilogue of 82-84. Part 1 alternates between three settings, beginning in Montepulciano, Italy five years after Alison’s disappearance as Ryan, a first-year law student with a changed last name, lives in fear of his fellow vacationing law students learning his true identity. Chapter 2 and 3, set in Leavenworth, introduce Poppy McGee on her first day as new deputy sheriff. It also introduces her brother Dash, their ailing father, and Sheriff Ken Walton, who had served in Iraq with Poppy and Dash’s father. It’s to be an eventful first day on the job, with a sudden discovery related to Alison’s disappearance five years earlier. Chapter 4 shifts to Philadelphia as two men in a boat seem to be having a fairly normal day, talking about their sons, until the final few sentences take a dark turn that promises future trouble.

As Part 1 continues to alternate between Italy, Leavenworth, and Philadelphia, readers find themselves trying to piece together the connections between the various locations and characters. By the end of Part 1, readers come to know a few facts unknown to certain characters and find themselves in the position of watching those characters try to figure things out. Part 3 continues to heighten the suspense until bringing the book to a close in the Epilogue.

Nearly every chapter ends with a cliffhanger, causing readers to keep turning pages to find out what happens next but often needing to read several chapters set in another location with different characters before resolving the latest cliffhanger. The result is a page-turning experience likely to keep readers up late into the night.

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur/St. Martin’s Press for an advance reader copy of this captivating new thriller from Alex Finlay.

What an incredibly fun ride this book was. I find that Finlay's ability to write a fast paced novel with short chapters that you physically cannot put down to be why I keep coming back to his books! I loved how all the stories are interconnected, but we still spend enough time with each character to know about them and get a full picture of them. It's something that I think Finlay does so well. I thought the story was engrossing, involving mobsters, small town missing persons and the police who solve years long mysteries. It kept me on my toes, and I couldn't wait to figure out how it all tied together. At one point, my jaw literally dropped! I hesitate to say any more, just know it was very entertaining and I highly recommend. What a book, cannot wait to read more by Alex Finlay.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

Alex Finlay is quickly becoming an auto read author for me. Every book of his that I've read has been top notch and I need to read his back log stat.

This book was cleverly written. It took me a little while to realize how it was all going to come together which makes me happy. I love it when I don't instantly connect all the dots. The more mystery the better for me. The way this book was written was quite engaging for sure. It starts with a bang and the story just keeps going from there. I flew through this one in a day. I went back and forth between the ebook and audiobook so that I was continually immersed in this story until I finished it. It was outstanding.

I'm not going to tell much about the story itself because I don't want to give anything away. The summary of the book is good enough to give you an indication of if you will like it. Let me just say that it wasn't one I can imagine not enjoying. I truly envy this author's ability to weave a story.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: The audiobook is outstanding. I loved the narration and was glued to the story as I listened to it. 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for early copies of both the ebook and audiobook.

Alex Finley knows how to keep me guessing! If Something Happens to Me hooked me from the first page. There is a new sheriff in Kansas just in time for a car to be found in the local lake. Is it local missing girl Ali's car? Will it absolve her boyfriend Ryan? Why is there an FBI agent giving the sheriff help? Why does everyone think the sheriff should know more than she does? I loved trying to figure out the puzzle.

Thanks to NetGalley for my advanced copy

This is definitely was an interesting storyline. It kept me engaged and some of the twists were shocking. However I finished the book feeling like I should have gotten more. I felt slightly bleh. Idk what to put my finger on, but it just wasn’t a 5 star for me. One thing I learned about Alex finlay is that he introduces a full cast early on and sometimes that can be hard on the reader to keep up with. On the positive though, i love the short chapters and how engaging it was.

Five years ago, an unknown assailant attacked Ali and Ryan at a lovers' lane in Leavenworth, Kansas. Although Ali was presumed dead, her body was never found and Ryan changed his name and moved away to escape the unfounded, but lingering, suspicion that he killed his girlfriend.

On Poppy's first day in the sheriff's office in Leavenworth, Ali's car is finally recovered--with two strange men in it. With the sheriff (and her father's best friend) tied up in the investigation, Poppy begins looking into it herself. But those who were around at the time tell her to look more closely at her own family. Her father, now ill, who also worked in the sheriff's office? Or her brother, Dash, who has never been the same since Ali's disappearance?

Meanwhile, Ryan is in Europe with law school buddies when he begins receiving threatening notes.

This book is action-packed and impossible to put down. Even the bad guys are vulnerable. There are a few plot holes visible after reading, but when you're caught up in the suspense, they're not noticeable. #IfSomethingHappenstoMe #NetGalley

Ryan spent the last 5 years reliving a terrible night. What was supposed to be a meaningful night for him with his high school girlfriend, turned into a nightmare. With Ali no where to be found Ryan is blamed.

Years go by and Ali's BMW is found but only with 2 dead men in it?? Who are they and where is Ali. When the car is found Ryan is in Italy and being followed by the monster that he remembers.

This story is told in multiple points of views. At first I was wondering why a character from What have we done is making an appearance. But by the end of Part One it came together sadly I figured out what the twist was a chapter or 2 before it was revealed. The same with the twist at the end of Part Two and Three.

There was a ton of action and it was a good read but I feel like it was to predictive. Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for the Advance Copies.

I loved this! Inventive, great pacing, and genius. Short chapters that mostly ended on mini-cliffhangers, making the story propulsive.

I love when books’ multiple characters end up all connecting together throughout and at the end, and that happened in this book, made even more satisfying by the multiple settings throughout the book (Philadelphia, Kansas, Italy, England, France, and others). You do have to suspend belief a bit as the plot is heavy on mob-plot and true crime, but it was a fun ride.

✉️ Multiple POVs
✉️ Diverse settings
✉️ Thriller
✉️ Whodunnit
✉️ mob plot

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you Minotaur (and St. Martin’s Press), NetGalley, and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have read all of Alex Finlay’s books and, no exaggeration, this is the hands-down best one yet! The story starts with a car being dragged out of a river with two bodies in it. A girl has been missing for over a decade. A family disappears. There are multiple murders of some not-so-nice people who still don’t deserve to die. My eyes were glued to the page as I devoured this thriller that was a slow burn at first and quickly escalated into a roaring out-of-control inferno. There is a mystery involved about what is really happening and the author does a masterful job of weaving the sub-plots together methodically and with enough clues that if you pay attention, you can actually figure out part of what is going on behind the fog of distractions and layers. I really enjoyed the plot; it was the “wow” factor in the book that just kept twisting when I least expected it. The main characters were relatable, the bad guys were despicable, and even the secondary characters were developed enough that they, too, were realistically portrayed. From a small town in Kansas to the streets of Italy, England and France, this book hooked me and didn’t let go. There was nothing I did not like about the time spent with Deputy Poppy McGhee and her quest to find out the truth about the disappearance of Allison Lane. She was a hometown hero who consistently acted with grit and determination. I could read this book again and again and focus on different sub-plots, enjoying the story multiple times as I once again peruse the pages for hidden clues. Brilliantly written with the author’s signature style of cleverly disguising clues and with the ultimate reveal at the end. Five stars are not sufficient to rate this book, but that’s all I have…that and the recommendation that everyone needs to read this book!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

This was my first book by Alex Finlay and it exceeded my expectations! This read like a Steve Cavanagh book to me: engrossing, twisty, and sophisticated. Highly recommend!

Five years earlier, Alison Lane and Ryan Richardson are “visiting” Lover’s Lane when Ryan is knocked out and Alison disappears. Although Ryan is the prime suspect in her disappearance, he is never charged. Ryan has changed his name, is getting a law degree from Georgetown University, and is on a summer trip to Italy when he gets a strange message. In following the message instructions, he tracks down the person he thought he saw on that fateful night. Meanwhile, back in Kansas, Poppy McGee, recently been discharged from the Army, has taken a job as a deputy sheriff. When a submerged vehicle, linked to Alison’s mother, is found at the bottom of a local lake with two dead men inside, she is drawn into the original disappearance. Alison’s father, Michael, has been drawn into the Philadelphia mob family of Shane O’Leary because of a need for money. When Shane’s teenaged son commits suicide, he is hellbent on finding out why, and when he does, extracting retribution from those responsible. Sound confusing? Not really as the three main story lines move forward through many surprises, twists, and crimes. This is the 3rd book I have read by Finlay (the one I missed didn’t get great reviews anyway!) and he has done a very good job of creating a story that started out slowly but about halfway through had me turning pages as fast as I could. While some of the outcomes might have been seen coming, getting there was a real roller coaster ride. My thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel.

High school sweethearts, Ryan and Ali, are attacked while parked in “lover’s lane”. Ryan is knocked out and Ali disappears along with her car. For years Ryan has had to deal with everyone’s suspicions. Now five years later Ali’s car is found with two dead men and a preserved note in Ali’s purse saying: “If something happens to me…”. Then Ryan spots the man who took Ali and a mad chase across Europe ensues.

Poppy is back in her hometown after being discharged from the army, taking a job as Deputy Sheriff when Ali’s car is discovered. Poppy went to school with Ali, remembers when it all happened and so the case is personal. Strange facts come to light. Who can she trust?

Shane O’Leary, a mob boss, going through his own tragedy, and Michael Lane, his accountant. I wasn’t sure how they fit into the story, but it all comes together!

If Something Happens to Me was an exciting page-turner I didn’t want to put down! I felt the characters’ urgency at piecing things together with bad guys on the loose. I was rooting for Ryan, Poppy and Michael! There were several twists I didn’t see coming! My favorite Alex Finlay to date!

I alternately read and listened to an audio copy of the story. I enjoyed both versions! Having three narrators gave each of the characters a distinct voice and made the switch in POVs seamless! I listened to my usual 1.5x normal speed and higher at times.

BOOK REVIEW: IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME

The newest @alexfinlay is gripping, fast- paced, and completely unpardonable!! Five glowing stars for this wild ride of a book! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Huge thank you to @minotaurbooks for my gifted copy! I binged this one in two sittings and loved it! There were a lot of moving parts with 3 POVs but everything came together in the end and some of the twists along the way had me SO surprised!

This one is def a little more dark and at times gruesome than I was expecting so readers be warned! The pacing was 10/10 and the short chapters had me HOOKED!

This was a short fast-paced thriller making it an easy read. It was another multiple POV storyline which I'm getting rather worn out on but still seems to be the staying as the current thing to do. I could also see some of the twists long before they were revealed but it still made for an entertaining read.

Told from several POVs, this suspense/thriller continued to throw out plot twists that I didn't see coming. Looking back, maybe I shouldn't have been so surprised at the main one that happened at the 50% mark, but it wasn't on my radar at all.

There is so much I would love to discuss, but some would be plot spoilers. However, this story is well told and kept my interest from start to finish. I did suspect something was up with a character or two, but I was mostly surprised at the story's direction. 

I really liked Poppy. She is a new deputy sheriff in the town after some issues with her time in the military. I like that she is petite but takes no guff from anyone. She delves into the mystery surrounding Ali once the car is discovered in the lake. She is tenacious yet caring. 

The book does contain scenes regarding suicide, depression, bullying, and more. However, these helped us understand the parent's point of view and their feelings. I am not saying what they do is right (you have to read the book to find out), but it is understandable.

This is the second book by this author that I have read, and so far, I have enjoyed both. 

We give this book 5 paws up.

This mystery/thriller opens the night a teenage girl goes missing five years ago. Told through multiple POVs, across multiple locations, this one will keep you turning those pages.

Are some of the twists and turns predictable? Sure, but it’s still such a fun summer read.

I received an advance copy of the ebook from Minotaur Books and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.

Thank you to the publisher, Netgalley and the author for an advanced copy of this book.

Honestly this book was so convoluted. It was hard to follow the plot lines at times, and since it was so random at times it made me not care to follow. I did enjoy that this was a quick read, as I was done fast, but other than that this book doesn’t really live up to the other ones by this author.

3.5 - Pretty solid read and kept me turning the pages quickly. I liked the short chapters from different perspectives. The end got a little bit "boring action" for me but overall a good, entertaining read. Rounded down to a 3.5 bc I will forget about this book pretty quickly and skimmed through a little of the action.