It's no secret that I love Alex Finlay, so I was thrilled to get an ARC of If Something Happens to Me. Needless to say, I was hooked within the first few chapters. Told from alternating perspectives, timelines and locations, Finlay did an exceptional job of weaving together the narrative to make a cohesive story. Of course, there were a few fantastical elements to the plot but Finlay somehow even makes those elements plausible. Don't sleep on this one!

Title: If Something Happens to Me
Author: Alex Finlay
Genre: Thriller
Rating: 3.00
Pub Date: May 28, 2024

I received complimentary eARC and ALC from Minotaur Books, a division of St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted

T H R E E • W O R D S

Twisty • Complex • Cinematic

📖 S Y N O P S I S

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.

💭 T H O U G H T S

I cannot recall exactly what prompted me to request Alex Finlay's upcoming release, If Something Happens to Me on NetGalley. Yet, here I am having read my first from this author and not exactly sure how I am feeling.

Told through several distinct voices and spanning continents, I was kept on my toes through short chapters with cliffhanger endings. The pacing was what I'd expect from a popcorn thriller. However, there is a lot going on, and I definitely needed to keep up with the digital copy in order to keep track of people, places and time periods. The cryptic note was a buzz word for me, however, it played a minimal part of the plot. This was disappointing because I felt misled.

The audiobook is very well done. With a multi-cast narration, each voice is distinct enough to differentiate between the various characters. I did have a bit of an issue keeping track of time and place, which I rectified by tandem reading with the ebook.

It is safe to say that thrillers have not been working for me recently and the same can be said for If Something Happens to Me. At times, I was confused and drawn out of the story. I think it was more of a me issue; it was quite possibly a mistake to pick up a thriller when trying to get out of a slump. While it didn't work for me, I could easily see this one being turned into a movie and think it will be a hit with thriller readers this summer.

📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• fast paced thrillers
• short chapters
• plots spanning multiple continents

⚠️ CW: death, child death, murder, suicide, torture, gun violence, violence, self-harm, bullying, terminal illness, kidnapping, drug use, overdose, cursing

Rating: 4.5 ⭐️
Pub Date: May 28, 2024
How I Read It: 📱

Synopsis
Ryan and Ali are at “Lover’s Lane,” sitting in Ali’s car, when all of a sudden, Ryan is yanked out of the car and knocked out. He wakes up and Ali and the car are gone. That was five years ago and Ryan has since changed his last name, is in law school, and has tried to move on, but when he is met by a stranger, on a summer trip to Italy, who turns out to be the pinkyless man, and his father calls him to tell him Ali’s car has been found, everything changes. He also discovers there’s a note from Ali that reads in code, “If something happens to me….” Ryan needs to find out what happened now more than ever.

My Thoughts
This story hooked me from the beginning, and I love that the book was a quick read because I needed to know what happened! I couldn’t put this one down. The characters were all pretty much likable, and the story kept my attention the whole way through. There were a few characters and timelines, but the book is well written so that wasn’t a problem. The twists and turns had me on a journey I never saw coming.

Final Thoughts
I liked this book a lot! If you like fast-paced thrillers, this would be a good book to pick up. I do feel like the ending was a little rushed for me, which was why I deducted a half star, otherwise, it would have been a five star read for me!

❗️Of Note
📝 Brutal Murders
📝 Mobsters

Themes:
🔪 Thriller

Ratings
Characters: 5 ⭐️
Pace: 4.5 ⭐️
Enjoyability: 5 ⭐️

Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

Being miles from home and receiving a note that says “I know who you are” wouldn’t bother most people but when it has something to do with a disappearance, it worries Ryan.

Ryan had been a suspect in the disappearance of his girlfriend five years ago, was cleared, but when new evidence is found he is trying to stay under the radar.

Who could have sent that note?

What will happen now?

And how did they know Ryan was in Italy?

Three different locations and three different but similar situations going on. Do they all have a connection?

We find characters in Philadelphia, Kansas, and Italy. Philadelphia has a mob ring, Kansas has a cold case that became open again, and Italy has Ryan and someone who is after him.

You will NOT be able to put this book down. It is intense, intriguing, and Finlay's best.

The action is non-stop and has you grabbing at straws to figure out what's going on.

There are some gruesome scenes, but the twisted plots that all connect in the end will have your jaw dropping and totally enjoying the edge-of-your seat and at times a bit unrealistic scenes.

But....do not miss this one. And that cover is GREAT!! 5/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I’ll start by saying there were a lot of characters and a lot of POVs, which is typical of the Alex Finlay we’ve grown to love. I’d say it took me a solid 25% before I had a good grip on who was who and where. Once I got the hang of it, it moved quickly.

I love the way Alex Finlay writes mob thrillers and this one really delivered with the Pinky Man.

4⭐️

This thriller boasts a multitude of characters, perhaps too many for some tastes. Spanning four cities and told from four distinct points of view, the narrative complexity can be challenging to follow. Yet, the expertly crafted short chapters serve as a lifeline, ensuring the story's momentum never falters.

Despite the initial whirlwind of activity, everything ultimately coalesces in a satisfying conclusion, leaving readers marveling at the author's storytelling prowess, but meet Alex Finlay!

I also think it was way better than Night Shift, which was overhyped in my opinion. This book stands on its own merits, proving the author's versatility and depth. It's a testament to the fact that one shouldn't judge an author on one title alone.

This is a fast-paced read about a missing girl presumed dead, a notorious crime boss, and a new deputy sheriff in town who’s been assigned to this cold case which suddenly came alive again with the discovery of new evidence.

There are three primary narrators: Ryan -the missing girl’s boyfriend at the time of her disappearance and presumed murdered , Poppy, the new deputy sheriff to Leavenworth, Kansas, and Shane, the head of a major crime syndicate in Philadelphia.

The book is a solid thriller: action-packed, full of tension and suspense with a mystery element — the book reads fast and has some good twists and turns. — There are some parts of the book that require some suspension of your disbelief but if you just go with the flow it is a fun ride.

While reading the novel I was equality invested and engaged in all the characters and their outcomes —and the story was difficult to put down.

4.5 So engrossing was this book I ended up binging it in a day. It wasn’t just the tension or storyline of the book that had me hooked, it was characters and their growth arcs. It was actually really touching at times which I didn’t expect with the bullying, sadness, and violence it began with.

This marks the third Finlay I’ve read and my favorite so far! I’d recommend not reading the synopsis on this one and just enjoy.

I did a combo read but ended up starting the audio at chapter four and never looking back. The audio was truly excellent!

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the alc and Minotaur Books for the arc via Netgalley.

Thank you Netgalley and Minotaur Books for the chance to read an ARC of If something happens to me by Alex Finlay. While this was my first read from the author, his books are in my TBR file. The synopsis sounded fantastic and right up my alley. After I started it, I just couldn't get into the story. There were several seemingly different plot threads, and I was a bit disappointed...at first. Once the plots started to come together I started to really get into the story and couldn't put it down, and was not disappointed by the ending. My only issue was the mafia plot line. I do recommend If something happens to me!

Alex Finlay is one of my favorite authors. This book to me was one of his best. I've enjoyed a few and though I did see what was coming at the end of the first part it did not take away from the story for me. There were to many things going on for it too cause to much stress....

A girl goes missing. Her boyfriend is knocked out and dragged from the vehicle. He wakes and both her and the vehicle are gone... What happened? Who could or would do such a thing and why? Alison and Ryan are out in her father's BMW at Lovers' Lane. A make out spot. When it starts raining they run get into the car. After that Ryan's world and life will never be the same.

What happened to Alison? Did Ryan do something to her or is there really a person with no pinky's who dragged him out of the car and took her. If so why.

This story goes from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Leavenworth, Kansas. From the United States to France to Italy. A journey to find the truth and run from something. This is a story of young love mixed up in so much. Quite a few characters involved. All to find out what happened to Alison? Maybe a bit more.

There are a couple of gruesome scenes in this story but they are so necessary for you to get the whole picture of how bad a man named O'Leary is. A suicide. Some teens killed or overdosed. A family who will never be the same. Actually at least two families who will be affected.

I enjoyed this book and read it in one day. I didn't want to put it down. It's very descriptive and makes you cringe in places. Gasp in others. Enjoy the scenery in some. I even cried in a couple places. I laughed a time or two. It was good but not necessarily for the faint of heart. I also loved how the title of this book played into the story.

Thank you #NetGalley, #AlexFinlay, #StMartinsPress, #MinotaurBooks, for this ARC. This is my own honest opinion of this book.

FIVE big stars and a very high recommendation.

A fast-paced book with short chapters, likable characters, and plot twists? Sign me up! Honestly, this book started off with such potential for me and then it took a turn into a mafia/mobster plot which completely threw me off. I’m not really into crime thrillers and since that ended up being a huge part of the book, it really drove down my rating. If you are into crime thrillers, I would definitely recommend this. It just wasn’t my vibe.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur for a #gifted eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved how everything in this book was interwoven and tied together in the end! I really appreciate when a thriller wraps up so neatly and doesn’t leave the reader hanging. I probably would’ve given this book 5 stars had the author not thrown in the lesbian bit at the end. It felt so disingenuous— like the author wanted to throw that in to check a box and offer a false sense of inclusion. Sure, there was some illusion to it throughout, but it was so lukewarm. It should’ve been a bigger part of the story line, or it should’ve been left out. It really irks me as a reader when the author throws in current events that seem more for hashtags than for the quality of the read. I digress… The twists this book took were pretty unexpected and once you make the connection, it truly is a masterpiece in suspense. I couldn’t put it down!

Thank you to Minotaur and MacMillan audio for the ARC/ALC!

Ryan Richardson has spent the last five years of his life reliving the night his high school sweetheart Ali was taken from his car. The assailant left Ryan unconscious but with no evidence to point otherwise, the cloud of suspicion followed Ryan. Now, he’s put his past behind him, changed his name and started law school. But when Ali’s car is found with a cryptic note, Ryan is unsure what to think; what really happened to Ali that terrible night? As Ryan races home to investigate, a novice police detective is working a case, while a mobster in Philly is battling a tragedy of his own.

Not even halfway through 2024, and I KNOW this book is going to be one of my top reads of the year! Filled with complex characters and twisty turns, “If Something Happens to Me” is easily my favorite Alex Finlay book to date. On audio, Anthea Greco and Leanna Waksman brilliantly brought these characters to life. Told from multiple points of view, I couldn't imagine how these characters’ paths were going to cross but when they did, holy cow! Despite the multiple perspectives, the story was fast-paced and the tension didn't let up! Deeply propulsive, this is the type of book that once you start, you don’t want to stop until you find out how it’s going to end. I was very grateful for the audio so I could continue listening when I had to do other things too.

“If Something Happens to Me” releases May 21, 2024. This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)

From “one of the genre’s most exciting voices” (E! News) comes one of the year’s most-anticipated thrillers."

This book had such promise! A very unique thriller with the potential for engaging characters. I would even have been happy with some unrealistic twists and turns as they would fit the genre. The biggest bump in the road for me was one of the main characters age - no matter how out there the story is, I just can't get on board with the idea that a sheriff deputy would be 21 and handed a murder case on her first day! The book would have been just as engaging (probably more) if she had been made the bigger sister of one of the suspects. Unfortunately every time something happened or her age was mentioned it just took me out of the story.

I thought this was really well written and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I think it will find readers at our library, so we will definitely be purchasing for the collection.

What a HOMERUN of a thriller! This is by far the best book I've read by Alex Finlay - he hit it out of the park! It's the perfect combination of suspense and intrigue with the perfect pacing. I immediately finished this novel and began recommending it to everyone I know. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Alex Finlay is an auto-purchase author for me - his books are fast-paced, engrossing reads that keep you sucked in until you finish!

In If Something Happens to Me, we immediately are introduced to several different storylines that, of course, will all converge eventually - and with Finlay's signature twists! This story, on the surface, is about organized crime and the incredible fallout when the wrong people are crossed. In the end, though, I was left with a lesson much bigger than just one story...a lesson that will stick with me. You may guess some of the reveals, but you'll genuinely be delighted with the ending. Don't hesitate to add "If Something Happens to Me" to your summer TBR!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

This author continues to write the twisty stories around! His newest is no exception! What I loved about this story was the chapters didn’t have dates so the twists were total surprises. Alison and Ryan were high school sweethearts until she disappeared in her father's car and Ryan only has a memory of a man without pinkies. He’s not believed and becomes a suspect. Ryan changes his name and gets into law school. While in Italy on a school trip, he thinks he sees the man from his dreams. This is just one part of the rollercoaster story. It’s a must read! 4.5 stars

PERFECTION. Well-rounded, international thriller that felt like a slightly less intense John Wick movie, especially considering familial revenge and doing anything necessary for their loved ones. And yes, I absolutely could see this as a movie!! I highly recommend. Very impressed.

This my first Alex Finlay book and wow, am I impressed! At first I was a little concerned about all of the characters and how distant they all seem from each other. This book is filled with twists, some easy to see coming and others not. Alison Lane vanished five years ago while on a date with Ryan. With no other witnesses he was unfortunately the prime suspect, but never charged with the crime. Ryan has been running from his past when his girlfriend's car surfaces with two dead men inside and a note. The reader follows along as Finlay twists the story back and forth from Kansas and Europe trying to piece together what really happened that evening.