I don't think I will read any more of Finlay's books. I find the way he writes women to be ridiculous. And here, the way he writes college students is just silly. I work on a college campus and have never heard them speak the way he writes their dialogue.

I struggle with too many character povs and that was true, here, as well. Not only are there too many of them but none are likeable.

The writing felt off and I never felt the story was fully rounded out. I needed more explanation and details.

Thank you @netgalley for a copy of the book!

Alex Finlay's "Parents Weekend" delivers a premise that's every parent's nightmare: five college students vanish during a seemingly innocent gathering. The book kicks off with a strong hook, immediately plunging readers into the frantic search and the unraveling secrets of the students' diverse and often dysfunctional families. Finlay's signature fast-paced style is evident throughout, making it a quick and engaging read that will keep you turning pages, eager to discover what happened to "The Five."

With such a large cast of characters, it can be challenging at times to keep track of everyone and their intricate backstories. While the multiple POVs are a strength, they occasionally lead to a feeling of character overload, where I just didn't care enough about anyone. Additionally, the ending left me with an "eh, okay" feeling.

4.0
Parents Weeend
Alex Finlay

I love a great thriller that keeps one guessing until the end. In Alex Finlay's Parents Weeked, there are twsts and turns that even stump the detectives that are trying to solve the case. Toldt through multiple viewpoints of past and present, this plot-driven novel addresses family relationships, dysfunction, and loyalty. Although we don't get to know a lot about each character's background, there is a sense of loyalty and protection among The Five. The story is fast- paced and hard to put down. I would recommend this novel to readers who like a fast-paced thriller with lots of action.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my eARC of Parents Weekend. My opinions are my own.

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Alex Finlay's latest Thriller novel, Parents Weekend, revolves around a group of families who each have a child attending a small Liberal Arts college in Northern California. For Parents Weekend, it's decided that the students in this particular Capstone group will all get together for a nice dinner, along with their parents, as a way to kick off the special weekend.

On the designated night though, while all the parents show up to the agreed upon location, the kids never do. At first, all assume, it's just kids being kids, but as the hours pass, and another night falls with no word from any of the students, panic ensues. What could have happened?

Due to the high profile nature of a couple of the families, the campus police are forced to call in reinforcements. Before long the disappearances are national news. FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller, who you may remember from her appearances in Every Last Fear and The Night Shift, is one of the reinforcements brought in to investigate the case. Can she find the five missing students before it's too late?

Parents Weekend is a quick and punchy, action-packed Thriller. I was fully entertained and curious about what had happened with the missing students, and why. Even though I felt the conclusion was a little simplistic, particularly in regards to the who and why, I still feel like it was well worth reading. I will admit though, I rounded up mainly for Sarah Keller. I love her and want Finlay to keep bringing her back.

I did really enjoy the drama of these families. As expected, there were a lot of messy dynamics and I'm always down for feeding on other people's drama. I would recommend this for Thriller Readers who are fine with more action than character work. While we do find out a lot about these characters, the action of the plot is what really drives this story. I always look forward to Alex Finlay's new releases. He never fails to pull me in and I tend to fly through his novels, unable to put them down once I start.

Thank you to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me copies to read and review. This is a great pick for your Summer Reading List!

What a thriller! I couldn’t put this down and I was recommending to acquaintances even before I finished it! Every time I thought I know what was going to happen and who was the culprit I was surprised with what happened next. The characters are strong, the setting is realistic and Agent Keller is a character I’d like to encounter again.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and author for this ebook to read. All opinions are my own.

Alex Finlay does it again! Parents Weekend grabbed me from page one with its drama, suspense, and a jaw-dropping twist I never saw coming. Just when you think you’ve cracked the case, Finlay flips the script—brilliantly. The characters are vivid and unforgettable, and the ending ties everything up perfectly. Absolutely loved it!

This was my very first book by Alex Finlay and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I enjoyed the plot and storyline and felt that the majority of the characters were well written and well defined. I did, however, feel that there were certain portions of the book that were a little unbelievable. I also was able to solve the ending about 60% of the way into the book. Even with that being said, I did enjoy it and I do recommend it.

This author has been on my list for so long, so am glad that i finally made myself read one of his books. THis was a quick read that kept my attention and i totally understand all the hype around these books. Cant wait to see what comes next. Thanks so much for the gifted copy!

I did not enjoy this book. I felt like I was missing substance. This book to me was a mess and a thriller about nothing. I’m really disappointed

I’m still new to Alex Finlay books but he has become an author I follow and enjoy his books. Hi is writing style keeps me engaged in the story and sometimes feels like I’m reading right from current headlines in the news. Although I did enjoy Parents Weekend, it was t a favorite of his work. This sometimes felt a bit YA. Maybe because of the college age students, but still enjoyable and kept me reading. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

This is an engaging and fast paced thriller. It is set at a private school in Northern California, where 5 families plan a night to have a dinner and get together before the family weekend. Unfortunately, as the parents are enjoying a late night of cocktails, the 5 children disappear. the many characters and multiple POV's at times were at times confusing but it was an enjoyable and entertaining read. Thank you Net Galley for the opportunity

Parents Weekend kicks off when five college students go missing during a campus dinner, a juicy setup with FBI involvement, high-stakes politics, and family drama. I’ve enjoyed Alex Finlay’s work in the past, so I had high hopes going in.

Getting into the story, there were a lot of characters to keep track of, and unfortunately, most of them felt a bit flat. I usually love a multi-POV mystery, but in this case, the different perspectives and timelines made it harder to connect. The writing is solid and I flew through it, but the ending didn’t wow me and I guessed the twist pretty early. Still, if you’re into fast-paced campus thrillers and don’t mind juggling a big cast, it’s a decent weekend read!

This book was a quick read & I definitely was intrigued by where it was heading but there was just something missing. The story follows a group of parents and a detective working on a case of five missing college students. The detective POV chapters were so good and I was on edge, however I wish we would’ve gotten more chapters of the missing students POVs and more from the parents? There was also a lot of characters and nothing really distinguishing enough to help me tell them apart so it got confusing at times. Overall, the book was decent & I would recommend giving it a try if it sounds interesting to you!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.

While this was a quick read with decent writing, I found the plot convoluted and boring.

On their way to a dinner during Parents Weekend at their California university, five students go missing. Told thru multiple viewpoints – investigator, parents, victims, perpetrator – author Alex Finlay should be commended in keeping so many plates aloft simultaneously, but I felt there was an underlying thinness to the mystery. It was clear fairly early on who was responsible for the disappearances, so the act three reveals just did not land for me in a satisfying way. It was an enjoyable read, but I wished for a bigger surprise turn that just didn't come.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a free copy of Parents Weekend. Five students at an affluent private college go missing while they are supposed to meet their parents for a welcome dinner on Parents Weekend. This event provides the framework to explore the lives (and secrets) of five families in addition to recurring character FBI Agent Sarah Keller. The plot is fairly predictable and the pacing uneven. It's overall a fine book, but nothing stands out as particularly memorable or interesting.

Five families will arrive at their child's elite, small college for the opening night of "Parent's Weekend" to celebrate the successful closing of the first college year. The kids chose the restaurant and everyone was to arrive by 7:00 pm and unbelievably all five kids from Campisi Hall never show up for the planned dinner. At first the families thought they were just being reckless college kids but after a few hours one mother contacted the police knowing her son would never do anything like this to her since he knows how she worries about him. All the families start getting concerned when none of their children answer their phones with calls or texts when they were contacted so the police do take the matter seriously when just a week ago another student was reported missing and it didn't turn out very well. Why are 5 students suddenly missing when they come from completely different backgrounds? Does it have to do with past secrets of their parents or are the missing kids involved in dangerous or criminal activities that could cause harm to themselves and others?

I enjoyed this novel very much just as I have with the other 'Alex Finlay' books that I have read. I have become huge fan of this author and I can't wait to read more of his works. All the suspense and tension was well-written into the story and all the chapters were written from the different character's storyline and point of view. The characters were well fleshed out and I felt as if I knew the families and their kids. Did I mention I love 'Alex Filay's writing and storytelling? I was entertained and also trying to solve the mystery throughout the entire story and I don't have anything negative to say about this novel. It was a fast page turner and I highly recommend this exciting and intriguing book to everyone!


I want to thank the publisher "St. Martin's Press - Minotaur Books" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this digital copy and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

I have given a rating of 4 1/2 EXCITING AND ENTICING 🌟🌟🌟🌟 🌠STARS!!

#NETGALLEYARC

3.5 🌟

Although I didn't guess the ending until right before, I didn't think it was a strong thriller.

🏫 🚐🔥💊

Alex Finlay returns following If Something Happens to Me with his latest sizzling suspense academia thriller, PARENTS WEEKEND, a title that holds a deeper meaning as it sets the stage for a series of events that unfold during a college's parents' weekend.

Five families gather for Parents' Weekend to visit their freshman children at college, which quickly turns into a gripping mystery when five students go missing. This high-stakes suspense thriller, blended with family dynamics, will keep you on the edge of your seat, eager to uncover the truth.

About...

It's the first year of college at a private school in Northern California. It is a night of opening festivities for Parents Weekend. The parents are there, but the five residents of Campisi Hall never show up for dinner.

Is this a joke, or did they ditch them for a party? But as time moves on and no texts or phone calls, panic begins to set in.

The FIVE: Libby, Blane, Mark, Felix, and Stella. Soon, rumors began to circulate, and podcasters, bloggers, and TikTok sleuths all shared their suspicions and theories. All the students are from different backgrounds.

The campus cops are called, and everyone has their theory. Is it due to the parents' enemies? The sins of the fathers and mothers? A group targeting students, hazing, etc. Why take all five?

An ongoing mystery. Who and why DUNIT?

My thoughts...

PARENTS WEEKEND is an enthralling psychological page-turner thriller. Finlay is on a roll. Atmospheric, intense, chilling!

Finlay keeps you in suspense with plenty of twists, red herrings, and a unique storytelling technique that cleverly unfolds the plot through multiple points of view, from past to present. This technique will keep you engaged and eager to see how the different perspectives contribute to the story.

From well-developed characters, family dysfunction, and dark secrets, the author keeps the surprises coming. As a parent (now a grandparent), I recall the worries I had when my sons left for college. (Now my granddaughter starts this fall.) The fears for their safety, the drama, and the relationships they form, which can change the trajectory of their lives, are all too real.

As a massive fan of the author (have read all his books), this is another addition to his fine, must-read collection of thrillers.

Audiobook...

I highly recommend the audiobook performed by my favorite narrator, Brittany Pressley, and features an author's note and acknowledgments read by the author. The performance was award-winning and engaging, keeping you glued to your iPhone with distinct voices for all the characters, bringing the story to life.

Recs...

PARENTS WEEKEND is for fans of the author and those who enjoy works by Harlan Coben, David Ellis, Chris Whitaker, John Hart, Mary Kubica, and Lisa Unger.

Thanks to Minotaur Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for providing a gifted ARC and ALC (#MacAudio2025) in exchange for an honest review. Your support is invaluable in bringing these thrilling stories to readers.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: May 6, 2025
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Solid story with the fast paced, quick chapters you come to expect from Finlay. The plot itself was slightly predictable and not my favorite of his but still a solid story!