Helloooo. Man, I loved this book. I recently read Alex Finlay's The Night Shift and really enjoyed it, so I was excited to start on his new novel. I was not disappointed at all. 

This book is told in many different POVs ranging from Ryan, Poppy, a mobster, and a few sporadic others. It's written similarly to The Night Shift and I liked the writing style there, so this felt familiar. Be warned, though, considering that there's mobsters, there are some pretty gut wrenching scenes. 

So, our story is basically about several different people as they all follow down the same thread. You have the mobster and his wife (both brutal in their own ways), you get the mobster's right hand man (who becomes a particularly interesting character, you get Ryan (the brooding boyfriend of the abducted girl who actually gets accused for her murder), you get Poppy (think badass woman who doesn't take other people's shit). All characters were important and so vivid in the way they were built. Poppy is following the leads on Ali's cold case, Ryan is following his own lead in Italy, and the mobster is following leads that don't fully make sense until closer to the end (which I totally appreciate because you get to try and figure it out on your own). 

My favorite part about this novel was definitely the plot. It was woven together so seamlessly that I literally was following the tracks of the mystery as all of our characters were. There comes a point about 70% of the way through the book where you know more than the characters did overall (unless you're really good at solving mysteries). This is the first time I've read a mystery and really went "wow, it all makes sense" because you get every piece of the mystery slowly enough to play detective on your own. 

Overall, this novel was so much fun to read and an absolute thriller. Mysteries are one of my favorite genres and Alex Finlay's If Something Happens to Me is the perfect example of why I love this genre so much. A huge thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of this novel in exchange for an honest review.  

***This review (along with my thoughts on some spoilers) will be posted on my blog on May 17th. Spoiler-free versions of my review will be posted on Amazon, Goodreads, and BookBub on this novel's publication day.

What a ride! Finished it in less than 24 hours. The story grabbed me from the very beginning and the pacing was great! As soon as you’d start to settle into a theory something would happen to surprise you or get you guessing again. I enjoyed the relationships in this story. Yes, there were a bunch of characters but they were introduced in a way that made them easily identifiable. There was a point about midway through where something was revealed that caused me to literally have to talk it out loud with myself to grasp it. Well done! Loved it! ♥️

I really enjoyed this book. I have enjoyed other books from this author. It was really well written and easy to follow. It had enough twists to keep me engaged.

If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay is a spectacular thriller!!! I was hooked from the first chapter and actually read this book in one day - I couldn’t put it down. Multiple POVs are a must for me in any thriller & Finlay delivered that in this book. This was my first book by this author but it definitely will not be the last!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, & Minotaur Books for an ARC copy of this book.

This thriller is absolutely incredible. This is my first Alex Finlay book and I cannot wait it read more.

The author did a superb job of gripping you from the start with a high action beginning and then did a terrific job of weaving a highly creative story across continents and timelines. There were quite a few times I had to pick my jaw up off the ground and I definitely did not guess what was happening. The characters were all built really well and the story was unique and interesting. I don't want to share too many details aside from the synopsis but this thriller was awesome!!

Thank you to St Martins Press and NetGalley for a digital copy in exchange for my honest feedback.

Weaving several story lines together, author Finlay takes us on a journey over the years with Ryan Richardson, who was a teenager accused of the disappearance of his high school sweetheart. Although never prosecuted, Ryan has been the victim of "guilt via social media." Now enrolled in law school and under a different name, Ryan is pulled back through the years when the car they were in that night is discovered in a local lake and the mysterious man who attacked them that night (and who has haunted his dreams for years), is now stalking Ryan across Italy, France and England.
Meanwhile, back in the states, young Sheriff's department officer, Poppy is finding that the evidence in the decades old disappearance of Alison just isn't adding up. She goes against the advice of the Sheriff and starts digging into the past and uncovering links to not only the Sheriff, but also to her own father and brother. When the FBI gets involved, Poppy must figure out who is on her side and who is steering her investigation away from themselves in order to find the truth. Using a coded note left behind by Alison, Poppy and Ryan are determined to solve this case once and for all....but at what personal cost?
The tension builds as readers start to piece together what exactly happened that night and the chain of events that led to the attack on two teenagers parked in a "lovers lane" on a dark and rainy night. A fast and exciting read.

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3.5 stars

Pub Date: May 28th

If Something Happens to Me is a fun thriller with an interesting storyline and a few twists thrown in here and there. There are multiple POVs, which I always LOVE in thrillers.

I would HIGHLY recommend going in blind because there are so many aspects to this one that would be best to let them unravel organically as you’re reading. I didn’t see so many of the sub-plots coming and I really enjoyed that part of the reading experience!

I definitely want to pick up some of Alex Finlay’s back list to try out!

I did feel like this one was a bit cheesy and it read as if it was a Matt Damon or Ben Affleck movie

Thank you to St. Martins Press and Minotaur Books for my copy of this!

I've enjoyed every book I read from this author so I was really looking forward to this one. I'm glad to say it did not disappoint. I actually think this is his best book yet. It's a similar genre as he usually writes; but this one just had more to it. I read this really quickly as I couldn't put it down - even sneaking in a chapter or two at work. It really did keep me guessing but still, once I figured some things out (or they were told), I was still engrossed and needed to know how it all played out. Really enjoyed the ending as well. I think it really fit this book. Thank you!

THIS BOOK WAS GIVING. We had a dash of crime family, reunion, murder, vacation, etc! If you liked What Have We Done you will probably like this because it was the same vibe of a story but with slightly less storylines. I honestly love Finlay, he has such a way with crafting a story. I don't know if this makes sense but I think he tends to write books more like movies than books? but in the best way?

I was thoroughly entertained. Cancel my plans to stay home and read entertained. It got me right out of my slump and I loved it. I think it's definitely more thriller than mystery but I find when it leans thriller I usually find them serious page-turners. There are lots of well-developed plots and characters and I felt like I was reading multiple books that fit together super well.

The last thing I’ll say about Finlay is that he’s an author who knows how do deal with characters and isn’t afraid to make bold decisions!

Anyways, super entertained and I love a complex plot!!

This is a wild and action-packed book! At first, it seemed somewhat overwhelming because there are so many characters introduced and there is no real way to decipher a connection between them all. I felt that it was overly descriptive at times and the frequency of changing of POVs left me feeling frustrated. Some parts were a little unbelievable. The timeline on some parts of the book were not clear; however, that did make for a twist I didn’t see coming and it helped make the connections between characters. Overall it’s a good book with a lot happening, but most of it comes smoothly together in the end. I would recommend this book and look forward to reading more books by the author!
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

Abduction, allies, and apprehension.

This story is separated into 3 different locations and characters to follow throughout.

Ryan (relocated Italy), a traumatized kid/young man after experiencing his girlfriend being ripped from him in an intimate situation. Now in law school, still in pursuit of his trauma. Yes, he is still reeling from his past, and goes after leads on his own.
Poppy (small town in Kansas), is the new town detective. Little does Poppy know what she will be investigating in such a short time on the job. A missing woman case, and much more quickly emerges.
Shane (Philadelphia), is caught in some rough business. They have just recently moved to town, where their son experiences the unthinkable, and acts in a tragic manor.

Then as a good story does, the author does an incredible job intertwining all the stories. It took me a minute to catch on, but this book has been fast paced, thought provoking, and a nail biter till the very end. I love that Alex Finlay, NetGalley, St, Martin’s Press gave me the opportunity to read this novel for my honest review, thank you! This mystery/thriller will be published May 28, 2024 (soon)!

This was a great read. The only thing that made me question the credibility was a single crime Family from Philadelphia having such tracking skills and organization.

Great characters, suspense. It will keep you guessing, keep you reading.

This is my first book by Alex Finlay and I loved it! The story starts off immediately with a prologue that hooks you right away. What I love in a thriller/mystery is multiple timelines which we got and was excellently executed by Alex. The way he brought so many characters and plot lines together was seamless and had me wanting to keep reading to the very end. Ryan, Poppy, and Shane were all great characters to follow in their POV’s and while they weren’t the most three dimensional characters, they provided enough for me to root for and be interested in. This book is a bingeable thriller and I want to read more by Alex Finlay.

This was honestly a 4.5 star read for me. This face-paced thriller followed the life/death/drama of Allison, and everything that happened to make her write a cryptic “if anything happens to me” note. This book held my attention the entire time, and I had a hard time putting it down. At first, I was thrown off by the time shifts between chapters, but once that was detailed, it made so much sense. This is definitely a great easy read - highly recommended!

THIS WAS SUCH A FUN READ!

The different POVs, timelines, and locations were everything! Not to mention how everything comes together in the end, is just perfecto! I love Finlay’s writing style - this is my 3rd book by him and he knows how to write fast paced thrillers with twists! You’re going to want to read this one!

I'm really conflicted on this one. This is my first Alex Finlay book, so I didn't have any expectations going in. The man knows how to write a twist! The truth is, I didn't love this book primarily for two reasons:

- There were too many characters. I seriously thought about diagramming everyone so I could keep them straight. Instead, I just ended up accepting that I didn't know who I was reading about half the time. It got even worse towards the last half of the book when aliases and true identities were starting to be revealed.
- The three POVs messed me up. Not because they weren't good stories, but because not knowing how or if they were related, combined with the excess of characters mentioned above, meant I was often just completely lost. I'd forget what the book was about when I set it down. Picking it back up, I'd try to remember the plot and it was challenging.
- The twists were very twisty, but a little overwhelming in the last quarter of the book as all of the characters and all of the POVs started converging, and everything was twisting rapid-fire.

All of that said, I can tell that the author is able to write a good thriller, I think this one just wasn't the one for me. I'm going to pick up some of his other work and see if that's more my speed.

This was my first Alex Finlay read and I really enjoyed it. The book was fast paced with short chapters- which is always a win in my eyes. There are three POV which end up coming together toward the end in a shocker.
After Ryan’s girlfriend, Allison, goes missing one night while they’re together, his whole life is changed. Some 15+ years later, he finds out news that maybe she’s still alive?
There are parts that seem rushed and overlooked. It might be because the character isn’t relevant but still felt a little off.
Either way, really enjoyed this read because of how quick it was and it really pulled you in.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay hits the shelves May 28, 2024.

5 big stars for If Something Happens to Me. This is the first Alex Finley book I've read, and I will definitely read more! This book was fantastic. Ryan and his girlfriend are in high school and parked on Lover's Lane, where they grab a blanket to go lie under a tree. A storm comes up and they race back to the car. Not long after they're back in the car, the doors whip open, Ryan is hit on the head and Ali is taken. The book skips between high school and 5 years later. 5 years later, Ryan is in law school on a trip to Italy when he gets a phone call from his dad that they finally located Ali's car in a lake. However, in the car are 2 dead men plus an encrypted note that says If something happens to me from Ali. That night has been weighing so heavy on Ryan's mind. He was never charged for the crime, but small town gossip made him feel like the perpetrator. Soon after the call from his father, Ryan sees the man who attacked him. This sets off the story.

There are a lot of characters in this book and it's good if you meet them yourself. The author did a brilliant job of tying them all together with the story. Sometimes so many characters can get confusing, but not in this book. Also, we have Poppy, who is a new Deputy Sheriff at the police station. She's convinced of Ryan's innocence and is set out to do everything to prove it.

There is a lot of suspense and intrigue. The author does a wonderful job describing the different settings and creates a story I felt I was part of. I highly recommend this book. Definitely one of the best books I've read this year. Thank you to Netgalley, Ar. Martin's Press and Minotaur books for the ARC. I greatly appreciate it.

This was a really fun book! Fast paced thriller that kept me hooked quickly and captivated throughout.

I thought the format was pretty cool, but bc of all the characters, one thing I noted is that it was difficult to really go into any one character in great detail. That’s not necessarily a bad thing though. I thought it was interesting to see the story from so many characters across time.

I’m also not sure if I missed something but the ending felt rushed, or at least the epilogue part. The person who killed the new gang leader, I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to know him but his name carried no weight, and I had no idea how he fit into the story.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martins Press, and Alex Findlay for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review. This was a very enjoyable and solidly written thriller. I saw good reviews on this author so I decided to give it a go and I was not disappointed. The story has three main POV that at first seem to be unrelated but as the story goes on the stories and characters start to come together and intertwine. I thought the plot was well thought out and the twists were well done. The short chapters made this book really binge able and the pace was excellent. I would recommend.

4/5 Stars