
Member Reviews

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the eARC of If Something Happens to Me by @alexfinlayauthor in exchange for an honest review!
📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 It has been five years since Ryan’s fiancé and high school sweetheart, Ali, vanished into thin air. He is absolutely traumatized by the memory of being forced out of the car they were traveling in together that then drove off with her in it, never to be seen or heard from. The grief is immeasurable for Ryan whose involvement is questioned relentlessly but he does his best to move on…until her car is found.
This gripping psychological thriller pulls you in from the beginning, making it impossible to put down! Alex Finlay creates a strong supporting cast of characters whose perspectives all weave together, drawing the reader in, and heightening the mystery of this story. If Something Happens to Me is a masterpiece in storytelling, one that will leave you guessing throughout the twists and turns!
Review is posted on Goodreads and will be on Instagram well ahead of the publication date!

If Something Happens to Me is the first book I’ve read by Alex Finlay, and it won’t be the last. It was a complete thrill ride as new sheriff in Leavenworth, Kansas tries to figure out a 5 year old cold case.
Chapters are short and gripping and represent a few different characters’ points of view. We have the new sheriff, the law student with a changed name because he was in the car when his then girlfriend vanished and once a suspect, the father of the vanished girl, and a couple of mafia chiefs. While this may seem chaotic, the author pulls it all together. Not only is the mystery in part one gripping, the cat and mouse chases in parts two and three are thrilling. Yet the book is more than the suspenseful plot. We care about the characters and they are all well-developed. I also liked that the action took place in areas in Europe as well as the US.
This a was a fun read and I could not put it down.

Thank you NetGalley for making this available for an advance reading! Even with several different POVs it was easy to follow. It was a fun, unpredictable ride and I thought the twists were well executed. The plot was addictive and kept me engaged and thoroughly entertained

Five years ago, Ryan and Ali’s date is brutally interrupted when a blow to the head knock’s Ryan out and Ali and her car disappear. Suspicion follows Ryan: was he somehow involved? Grieving, unable to prove his innocence, remembering only an unknown man’s face, Ryan finally changes his name and gets into law school. Then a call from his father: Ali’s car has been found submerged in a local lake, with two men’s bodies and an envelope with a cryptic note in Ali’s handwriting, “If anything happens to me…” Soon after, when Ryan spots the face that has long haunted his dreams in a crowd, the chase is on. What happened to Ali? Will he live to find out? Fast moving suspense, with surprising twists and turns; a satisfying read.

Another winner from Finlay! This reminded me a lot of Every Last Fear - fast paced with a very tight plot. It bounces from Kansas to Philadelphia to Europe, but it’s seamless and comes together so well. Very suspenseful and with short chapters, it’s easy to fly through and I read it in one sitting. It’s also a book where it’s best to know just the blurb and then let the story unfold.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy and a chance to read this early. All opinions are my own.

First 5 star read of 2024! I am becoming a huge Alex Finlay fan! This book had great pacing, character development and a very unique storyline. Mr. Finlay is adept at writing page-turners that you don't want to put down. Without giving too much away, I will simply say that this book involves: bullying, the mob, murder, intrigue, kidnapping, a cute lil detective, Iraq war vets, and several trips to Europe. There are red-herrings and clues galore. The past and present collide in an awesome story that keeps you at the edge of your seat.
This book is perfect for your summer beach read, plane book, vacation novel. Highly recommend it as a fun read - now I will be going back and checking out more of Mr. Finlay's books!
Special thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first Alex FInlay book and I was absolutely sucked in. The different characters and points of view made it a fast read that I didn't want to put down. I quickly figured out where the pieces were falling so I would say I was more captured by the thriller side than mystery.
If you are looking for a page turner or something that spikes your adrenaline a little, this one is for you. I look forward to reading Alex Finlay's other works.
Thank you Netgalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read this advance copy!

Would give this 4.5 stars. I truly couldn't put it down. The pace was fast and kept me engaged. The twists were good and kept coming at a rapid pace. I enjoyed the writing- when a books reads like I think, I can plow through it quickly. I'd admit I was a bit hesitant after "Night Shift', but this was much more on track and suspenseful. Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book is broken into 3 parts and told in 3rd person. Alternating POVs between Ryan, Poppy, Shane, Michael ~ I was unsure how they’re connected at first which I loved. Wild ride with sooo many twists. Page turner!! I absolutely loved this and highly recommend

As this novel commences, there are chapters which alternate between Kansas, Philadelphia and Italy and this leads the reader to wonder why.
There is a lot going on in this book — the mob, school bullying, multiple murders, a new deputy sheriff, the disappearance of a high school girl and inter agency rivalries replete with leaks therein. Mr. Finlay ties all of these seemingly unrelated items together in a very interesting and intriguing manner and, as the action occurs, it becomes extremely difficult for the reader to put this book down.
This book is highly recommended and I thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to publication and look forward to Alex Finlay’s next novel.

Alex Finlay does it again! I started reading and could not stop! If you are a Harlan Coben fan, this is equal to his best.
Heart racing from from the beginning, there are many lose threads, and it's pure reading pleasure to see them pulled!
Intrigue, great characters, excellent mystery, don't miss it!

This was a fun ride! Told in multiple timelines, perspectives, and locations, this novel centers around the disappearance of a teenage girl five years ago. The author deftly weaves the story together in a way that had me literally saying, "OHHHH!!" aloud multiple times as different connections were revealed. The characters may not be as fleshed out as they could have been, but I think that's typical in this type of plot structure. There is a lot of action but it also delves into serious themes like redemption and forgiveness. (Trigger warning for suicide.) Overall I really enjoyed this and read it in a day.

I found this a little hard to rate. I did enjoy the short chapters a lot. It made it easier to read but I find the story a little too far fetched and somewhat comical. Some parts were good, some were too much in my opinion. Overall, I’m glad I got to read it and really appreciate the ARC!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Highly recommend this fast-paced, well-developed plot with multiple storylines. I couldn’t put it down and read the entire book in a few hours. The ending ties everything together perfectly!

Wow. Alex Finlay is an author that you just have to read. All of his books have knocked it out of the park and If Something Happens to Me smashed it. This is kind of book that you want to go into as blindly as possible. There is so much happening all the time and it is compelling reading. I read this in a day as it is impossible to put down.
There are lots of characters in this story, and some you will be puzzled about how they fit in. Never fear, it will all become clear as you keep reading. It is so clever and multilayered, I don’t know how the author kept it all straight writing it.
It is dark, messy and complex, just how is like them. If you have read this author before you will know how his writing just draws you in. Absolutely brilliant
Thanks so much to St Martin’s Press, Minotaur and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. Loved it so much.

This novel is a twisty one. I couldn't stop turning the pages and finished it in one day. A thriller that delivers. I enjoyed it. I did feel a little lost with all of the characters at first but it didn't take long to sort them out. If you like thrillers, try this one.
Thank you to the publishers for an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed Finlay's 'The Night Shift' from a few years ago, so I was excited to jump into this one!
The plot itself is outlandish but in an entertaining way. The characters are fun and easy to read. There are a couple low stakes twists but it's all wrapped up with a satisfying conclusion.
Huge thank you to Netgalley and St.Martins Press for an advanced copy of the perfect book to binge over a long weekend!
Review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Such a fun popcorn thriller! I recommend to go in blind and enjoy the ride. Fun, fast paced, and thrilling!!

Long story short- buy this book! I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with its different arcs that eventually converge into quite a suspenseful read. As some other reviewers have stated, you do have to let some over-the-top elements slide, but this is truly a gripping, stay-up-past-your-bedtime novel.
Thank you to NetGalley for the e-ARC. I'll definitely be checking out other books from this author.

Ryan's life changed dramatically five years ago, when his girlfriend Allison was kidnapped from the car they were both in and is now presumed dead. Although he was not charged with the crime, many still point the finger at Ryan. Now, with a new name, his past has crept up when he comes face to face with the man from that night, who took everything from him. This sends Ryan on a wild goose chase, while back home, Allison's case is back in the spotlight as her car is found with two dead bodies in it. The POVs include Ryan, a deputy sheriff, a mobster, and an accountant.
Alex Finlay just keeps getting better! I was immediately hooked from the prologue and could not put this one down. All of the character POVs really pull the story together and they intersect in a way that I didn't foresee.
Thank you to Alex Finlay, St. Martin's Press - Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange of my honest review. Publication date is May 28, 2024.