Thank you to Netgalley, Alex Finlay and Minotaur Books for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a ride! It's parents weekend at an elite but small private college where five families are linked by secrets shared by their children. Parents include a prominent plastic surgeon, a powerful female politician, a celebrity lawyer, and an admin to the dean of the college. First, a student goes missing and is later found dead, now those friends who were with her the night she died have gone missing. Is their disappearance related to one of the parents? Did they have anything to do with their friend's death? The FBI brings in special agent Sarah Keller to help investigate and what she discovers is a web of secrets, theories, and betrayal.

I really enjoyed this one! It was a fast read. I did have to take notes to keep track of the characters, because you do get multiple viewpoints and timelines. Highly recommend!

A Slooooooooooooow burn, I found difficult to stay interested in. Alex Finlay has a gift for weaving the stories of various strangers together and throwing twists and turns that you never saw coming. My only complaint and the reason this book lost a star for me, was that it was a slower plot line than I gravitate toward.

It’s Parents Weekend at a private college in California. Multiple groups of parents have arrived to spend time with their children. A dinner is planned but none of the students show up & it becomes apparent they are missing. Is the disappearance related to the woman that died the previous week?

This book was ok. Lots of red herrings but it was very obvious to me who was responsible for the missing students.

Thanks to NetGalley & St.Martin’s Press for a copy of this book.

This book definitely had potential, but I found the key characters very hard to follow. There were a lot of moving parts throughout the book. The Five - a group of freshman at the college, were followed throughout the weekend. Eventually, the book wrapped up nicely and I was able to see the big picture, but due to the large number of characters, I found myself questioning who someone was versus really paying attention to the storyline. All in all, I did ultimately enjoy the book, but I'm not sure I would dive in to read it a second time.

"Parents Weekend" by Alex Finlay throws you right into a parent's worst nightmare: you're at your kid's college for a visit, and then... they vanish. Five students from the same dorm go missing, and suddenly what was supposed to be a fun weekend turns into a frantic search. The initial setup is definitely gripping, playing on that primal fear of something happening to your children.

Finlay introduces the five missing kids and their families, hinting that there's more going on with each of them than meets the eye. As the hours tick by with no word, the tension really builds, and the arrival of the police and the media just amps up the feeling of dread. You can feel the parents' panic and the growing sense that something is seriously wrong.

However, as the story progresses and we get more and more perspectives, it can feel a little like there are too many threads to keep track of. We delve into the parents' pasts, which is interesting, but sometimes it feels like it takes away from the main question of where the students are and what happened to them. While all the secrets and potential suspects are meant to keep you guessing, it occasionally makes it harder to stay focused on the central mystery.

"Parents Weekend" definitely has its suspenseful moments and a compelling initial idea. It explores the anxieties of being a parent and the secrets that families can keep. While the various storylines don't always come together as tightly as I'd hoped, it's still a decent thriller that will keep you turning the pages to find out what happened to those missing students.

★★★☆☆

What a fast paced, bingeable thriller! Mixed with messy family dynamics, an array of characters, and plenty of secrets, 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙒𝙚𝙚𝙠𝙚𝙣𝙙 left me wanting more with every single chapter. This book had me on the edge of my seat and racing through to the end, I really did not want to put this down.

𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙒𝙚𝙚𝙠𝙚𝙣𝙙 is told through multiple different POVs including the missing students and their families, as well as Special Agent Sarah Keller (think — Olivia Benson from Law & Order: SVU). I found the multiple POVs at times a little confusing since there were so many, but also interesting because I love to see where that particular person/family is at that moment in time of the story. The POVs also shared a lot of back story into each character and their families, which I thought meshed well into the overall story. Although I found this part of the story compelling, the book is very much plot driven and not character driven.

I sometimes find it hard to enjoy dark academia settings (for no particular reason), but I thoroughly enjoyed this one from start to finish. I found all characters believable and how I would picture (or remember) them as college students. I loved agent Keller (who I hear is in other Finlay books as well), and found her character likeable without being over the top for a Special Agent.

Just a few things I didn’t totally love:
- as stated above — there’s A LOT of POVs. Initially they were hard to keep track of, and maybe would have been better with just a few. There were also some POVs sprinkled in that I found unnecessary
- the overall outcome of the missing students and finding out who was behind it, I didn’t find unrealistic, but the timeframe in which it played out seemed a bit unlikely

Those are really my only two issues. Otherwise, this was a bingeable, entertaining, and fast paced thriller without being too dark. Definitely recommend!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the gifted earc ✨

There were many characters (quite a few I loved) to keep track of which was a little challenging especially with the audiobook, but the narrator was good and the book held my attention. Another hit from Alex Finlay!

I received a complimentary copy from St Martin's Press and all opinions expressed are mine.

Imagine it's parents weekend at your child's school and you have a small itinerary of everything you want to do with your child and one of them involves gathering for dinner. You wear your Sundays best and look forward to spending time with other parents and your child but your child and their friends never show. You initially think they are being college kids but then you get worried. ..that is basically the whole premise of this book.

The book follows the families of the Five as they are affectionately known Libby, Blane, Mark, Felix, and Stella as they look in the past and future for their kids and by past I font mean time travel. What a read! Alex threw a spanner in what I thought was a solved case. Definitely worth the read.

Parents of various levels of prestige visit their children for parent’s weekend. When none of the children show up for the dinner, they become worried and the FBI involved to locate them. The number of characters was overwhelming at first , however became much more clear as the story developed . This was a fast-paced, easy read, however left me wanting more depth and suspense in the story.

3.5 stars rounded down.

Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay was an absolute page-turner! I just finished it and wanted to share my enthusiastic recommendation. It’s a brilliantly written thriller that surpasses the typical genre tropes. What initially drew me in was the clever premise – a parents’ weekend at a prestigious college that quickly spirals into something far more sinister.

Finlay masterfully crafts suspense. The story unfolds gradually, introducing a group of parents seemingly united by their children's shared college experience. However, as the weekend progresses, their carefully constructed lives begin to unravel, revealing hidden tensions and long-buried secrets. The mystery unfolds layer by layer, each new revelation intensifying the sense of dread and unease.

The character development is phenomenal. Finlay doesn't shy away from depicting the complexities of parenthood, showcasing both the unwavering love and the crippling anxieties that parents feel. He presents a diverse cast of parents, each grappling with their own unique challenges and vulnerabilities. I was particularly drawn to the character arc of Sarah Keller; her selflessness and unwavering dedication in the face of overwhelming adversity were truly inspiring. The author brilliantly captures the unspoken tensions between parental expectations and the struggles of young adults navigating college life and forming new relationships. The exploration of how easily vulnerable students can be overlooked or preyed upon added a powerful and relevant layer to the narrative.

Beyond the thrilling plot, the novel offers a poignant exploration of family dynamics and the lengths to which parents will go to protect their children. The emotional depth interwoven with the suspenseful narrative creates a truly unforgettable reading experience.

If you enjoy psychological thrillers with well-developed characters, unexpected twists, and a truly gripping plot, I wholeheartedly recommend “Parents Weekend.” It's a book that will stay with you long after you finish reading it. I'm already eagerly anticipating Alex Finlay's future masterpieces and will certainly be seeking any ARCS I can get my hands on! 🫶🏾😂🤓

Thanks to #netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to step into a new world so intriguing and intricately crafted. I am HOOKED! I absolutely will be doing a deep dive into Alex Finlay’s entire catalog!

This book had the perfect amount of suspense throughout the story. The story revolves around the actions of a group of friends and how sometimes you don't fully grasp how a harmless prank or action can lead to deadly consequences. Additionally, there are the parents, each going through different personal situations, and how far they are willing to go to protect their families from harm.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the eARC!

Didn’t like this one. Just couldn’t get into it and wasn’t entertained. But I still love this author. Maybe his next one will be great

Alex Finlay’s newest thriller focuses on a group of 5 college students who mysteriously disappear on Parents Weekend, a few days after the tragic death of one of their classmates. When the students fail to show up at a dinner event, their parents are determined to find out what truly happened to them - and if their collective disappearance is just a result of college antics or if something far worse has occurred.

FBI Agent Sarah Keller is brought in on the case and begins to tie each family’s story together to dig up any clues as to the whereabouts of their children. With so many details, leads, and dead ends, Keller races against time to solve the case and hopefully reunite families before it’s too late.

I enjoy Alex Finlay thrillers, so I was excited to pick up his newest one. This was a little more slower paced in nature and focused on many different characters. I did struggle a bit in keeping track of each family and which college student was their child. A highlight of the plot was the return of Agent Keller. I loved her perspective the most throughout the whole narrative. The pacing ramps up towards the end, and I admit I was thrown off a bit when what really happened was revealed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this #gifted eARC, in exchange for my honest review.

3.5/5 stars

I liked the premise of this story -- rich kids and their families at a posh university and all their dirty deeds. It certainly had potential. However I found that the story just didn't pack the punch that it could have.

There were quite a few characters and multiple points of view. Sometimes it was hard to keep track of, and I'm not a big fan of having to go back a few chapters to figure it out. Personal preference. And then there was the "quick wrapup" that I'm not a big fan of in mystery/thrillers.

So overall, this was just okay for me.

Thank you to Minotaur books for an advance copy of Parents Weekend.

Five families come together for parents weekend for their freshmen at an elite college in California, only to discover that the kids have gone missing after having not shown up to dinner.

The disappearance comes on the heels of a mysterious death of another student, which puts a lot of pressure on the campus police to find answers and find them fast. Realizing quickly that they’re out of their league, they call in reinforcements including the FBI.

As social media sleuths spin theories and tensions rise, secrets start to seep out. Turns out both the kids and their parents have things to hide and reasons to suspect they might be the reason for the disappearance.

This is about the most vague synopsis I could possibly give, and it was intentional. Go in blind. Take in alllllll the characters and the stories they bring to the table and just enjoy yourself.

Don’t be intimidated by the large cast, Alex does a phenomenal job at giving each voice a distinct personality making it easy to distinguish the storylines.

I love getting perspectives from FBI detectives, ‘amateur’ college police, and the families themselves - and the families were all affluent in different ways too. It was just a very unique blend of personalities that gave a ton of perspectives to the story and I really appreciated that.

The story itself had a nice twist and moved at a quick and exciting pace.

Alex has become an auto-buy/read for me and I am so grateful that I was able to snag an advance copy of this one! Cannot wait to see what he comes up with next.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for this arc inn exchange for an honest review.

Parents Weekend present more as a suspense then it does as a thriller. This is told in multiple POVs so that was a bit challenging in the beginning but once I caught on to everyone was it actually made sense. During a Parents Weekend, five families are waiting for the kids to show up to dinner but when they don't show up with as much as a text or phone call, the parents start to worry. With suspense and mystery unfolding, the parents try to find out what happened to their kids. While I feel that parts were fading and kind of boring, overall the book was good. The ending wrapped up nicely.

4 star read

Just finished Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay, and I’m giving it a solid four stars! This book is a perfect blend of suspense, secrets, and campus drama that kept me hooked from start to finish. The story takes place during a college parents weekend, but don’t let the idyllic setting fool you — there’s a dark side lurking. Finlay does an amazing job weaving together multiple POVs and timelines, making me constantly second-guess what was going to happen next. It’s like a rollercoaster that never stops surprising you! I loved how the characters felt real, with flaws and secrets that slowly unraveled as the story progressed. The suspense builds beautifully, culminating in twists I definitely didn’t see coming. It’s the kind of book that makes you want to keep reading late into the night (but beware, once you start, good luck putting it down!). If you’re into thrillers that combine campus vibes with a dash of mystery and lots of suspense, Parents Weekend is just what you need. Definitely a fun, page-turning ride worth the four stars!

Parents Weekend is a fast-paced thriller that keeps readers on edge from start to finish. With well-developed characters—some to root for, others to despise—each harbors a dangerous secret that could change everything.

During a Parents Weekend at a small Northern California university, five families gather for dinner, eagerly awaiting their college students. But as the evening unfolds, the students never arrive. No calls, no texts—just silence. As panic spreads, an FBI Special Agent, the head of Campus Security, and a determined student worker join forces to uncover the truth. The clock is ticking, and if they don’t find the missing students soon, the consequences could be deadly.

Readers of suspense and mystery will enjoy Parents Weekend.

I've loved everything Alex Finlay has written! Parents Weekend is no exception. It has multiple POVs, so it can be confusing at first, but it comes together nicely. Five stars!

FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller is back in Alex Finlay's new gripping thriller, Parents Weekend. Keller is called in when five freshmen fail to meet their parents to kick off -- you guessed it, parent's weekend. Finlay is one of the few authors I don't care what they write about; I'm reading it. However, he missed the mark by having too many characters. I don't know the actual number, but it felt like twenty too many. That's a lot of threads to string together in the end, but he pulls it off.

Thanks to Minotaur Books for the advanced copy of Parents Weekend via NetGalley.