To celebrate their children's first year at an exclusive private college in California five very different families gather for a festive Parents Weekend. They are disappointed when the five students, all residents of Campisi Hall fail to show Disappointed but thinking their offspring just blew them off for a beach blowout of their own the parents party on. Things turn darker when another day goes by without even a text or phone call. Panicking they contact campus security who call in the FBI after their continued absence. Libby, Blaine, Mark, Felix and Stella are good students and well liked and the story attracts huge press attention. Agent Sarah Keller has recently transfered from New York and is new to the area and her colleagues creating tension. The dark engaging novel is told from multiple points of view and crossing timelines The plot and character development unfolds slowly building in intensity as we learn more about the students and the people in their lives. The unexpected plot twist and revelations are well drawn and compel the reader to keep turning pages. I have not read this author before although I have seen where others have recommended his earlier works. Although Agent Sarah Keller is featured in earlier works this worked very well as a stand alone for this reader and I found her to be a well drawn engaging protagonist. A solid FBI crime thriller for those who enjoy the genre.

I loved The NightShift by Alex Finlay and was excited to read another book by him. Five families arrive to Parents Weekend at their children's colleg. After none of the kids show for a dinner, some start to worry. The book took a little while to get into due to having to create the back story for all of the children and their families. After learning the back stories its easy to form theories about what happened but it does keep you guessing until the end. The resolution seemed rushed after a long introduction to all the characters but over all enjoyed the book. 3.5 stars. Thank you netgalley for the ARC

This is a suspenseful read that dives into the disappearance of five college students during a university’s parents weekend. The story told through multiple POVs and past& present timelines. It features dysfunctional family, strong friendship and bonds and misbehaving teens. It has great domestic suspense. Overall it was 3.5 stars for me.

Several affluent and important families descend on San Francisco for Parents’ Weekend at a small private college. But when one student ends up dead and the rest miss the opening dinner and no one can get in touch with them, FBI agent Keller is called in to figure out what’s going on. This was a very quick read, but nothing super spectacular. I wasn’t wowed by the twists, but if you’re looking for a quick little thriller, this fits the bill.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur for my copy! ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately this book just wasn't for me. When I usually love a lot of characters in a book this time for me it was too much. I was ready to dnf it at the 50% mark which is why it took me over a month to get through it. Its just wasn't great.

Five students go missing on their way to a dinner during Parents Weekend at their university. The parents are gathered and anxiously awaiting their arrival. Each student comes from a different background which provides multiple possible motives. I enjoyed the multiple view points in this novel. Although I enjoyed it, I found it predictable and was not surprised by the ending.

The premise was promising but the book wasn’t great. It fell completely flat. I’ve enjoyed Finlay’s previous books and was so disappointed with Parents Weekend. There were too many characters to keep count and I got a little confused. Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the eARC.

Alex Finlay writes another 5 star thriller that you better be prepared to lose sleep over. This is one of those books I wish I could read again for the first time. The plot was great with many twists and turns. Trust me you won’t be disappointed. Now onto the most pressing question, when is the next Alex Finlay book coming out?

I enjoyed this enough to finish it. Honestly, the audio is what saved it for me. You’re following so many families/POVs and introduced to so many characters - it was a little overwhelming.

I thought it was well written and for having so many characters I thought they were pretty fleshed out. The ending was a bit predictable and the reveal around the student that drowned felt like a complete after thought.

I did like the author’s writing style so I will be checking out some of their back list in the future.

This is a suspenseful read that dives into the disappearance of five college students during a university’s parents weekend. Set at a Northern California school, the story follows multiple perspectives—including returning FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller—as family secrets and societal pressures unfold against a backdrop of danger. While the novel’s twists keep the tension high, the rushed conclusion leave some plot points underdeveloped. I'd recommend this to someone who likes popcorn thrillers and wants a fast paced read!

Parents Weekend is the first book I have read by Alex Finlay; it will not be my last. It was Parents Weekend at a private and prestigious college when five students went missing. The weekend kicked off with dinner at local restaurants and pubs for the parents and students to mingle in a relaxed atmosphere. Imagine the parents concern when their student failed to appear as planned; especially when they realized each student belonged to the same freshman group. The students, administration and parents were already upset by the recent drowning of a popular student, Natasha Belov. Initially I thought that this was going to be another book about rich dysfunctional families, and although most of the families were rich, the book was about so much more. This well crafted novel was about secrets, the impact of a terminal illness on families, family dynamics, the futility of revenge, love...so many intriguing subplots. I found it to be a very rewarding read, a page turner full of suspense and surprises. Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books and the author for the opportunity to read an ARC of Parents Weekend; this review reflects my candid opinion. 4 stars.

During Parents Weekend at a small Northern California college, five families gather for a celebratory dinner, only to discover their children—residents of Campisi Hall—are missing. Initially dismissed as typical college behavior, concern escalates when the students remain unreachable overnight, prompting a campus-wide search and media frenzy. As investigators, including returning FBI Agent Sarah Keller, dig deeper, secrets from the students' families and tensions within their friend group emerge.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read! Told through multiple perspectives, the story unfolds gradually, requiring a bit of patience and attention early on—but that only deepens the intrigue. As the layers of the mystery began to peel back, I found myself completely drawn in, eager to see how it would all come together. While the pacing lagged slightly in a few spots, it ultimately served to build tension and enrich the narrative. The twists kept me guessing, and when the resolution finally hit, it was both surprising and satisfying. The writing was sharp and immersive, and the characters felt authentic and compelling. If you're a fan of slow-burn mysteries with emotional depth and a touch of suspense, this one is definitely worth picking up!

Rating: 3.5/5
Spice: 0.5/5

Tropes:
Multiple POV
Past and Present Timelines
Strong Friendships/Bonds
Family Dysfunction
Domestic Suspense
Misbehaving Teens

Thank you NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Alex Finley for this gifted eARC. All thoughts are my own.

Alex Findlay has written a domestic thriller featuring themes such as dark academia, and family drama. This was a twisty thriller with a satisfying conclusion. My only issue was there were SO many characters which was a bit to keep up with. I highly recommend this to thriller readers that love a fast-paced thriller!

Review posted: 5.7.25

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

This is my second Alex Finlay book- my first one was If Something Happens To Me.

I was excited to read Parents Weekend and this one worked a lot better for me that If Something Happens To Me.

What I Liked:

The cover is GREAT.

Loved FBI Agent Sarah Keller and want to go back and read the other books she’s a character in.

Loved the podcaster/blogger/TikTok angle.



Bottom line: A lot of characters, but a pretty good storyline. Now if you’ll excuse me, I gotta track down Agent Sarah Keller’s previous books!

Parents Weekend is a book that is literally what its titled - its Parents Weekend at the prestigious private school in California. You have five best friends who all have different relationships with their parents and a lot of feelings about their arrival. However, the day before the weekend begins one the students who had been missing is found dead. Her death has a immediate impact on the parents day weekend. Overall, the book is a easy and good read - kinda a enjoyable beach read. Just enough excitement and mystery for a fun read.

Five families gather for dinner for Parents Weekend at a private school in Northern California. As the night progresses, the parents stay out late, but none of the students show up. At first they think that it is just students being irresponsible, but when none of parents can get ahold of their children, they start getting concerned that something bad has happened. Each story is told from the parents point of view. The school police have called in the FBI to help. Will they be able to find them in time?

A great story with many great characters. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. I can't wait to read more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.

Alex Finlay offers up the return of FBI SA Sarah Keller in his latest thriller, PARENTS WEEKEND.

Ahhh, those heady first few days of college life, being out from under a parent’s watchful eye and making friends you are sure will last a lifetime. But some lifetimes are shorter than others. When Libby, Blane, Mark, Felix, and Stella, soon to be known as ‘The Five’ , don’t show up for a planned student/ parent dinner scheduled on the first night of parents weekend, the parents believe they have merely blown them off for a party or an adventure. As time progresses, however,they begin to wonder if there is indeed something wrong. Libby, whose father is a chief judge in the LA. Superior court has to wonder if any of his rulings have put Libby at risk. Blaine, whose mother is a politician has had a bounty on her head from a foreign government. Mark’s father served jail time for grooming and molesting children. Felix is there on a free ride because his mother works at the school, and Stella, who may or may not have a sibling on campus are all facing serious issues that could have caused them harm. And does the disappearance of. ‘The Five’ have anything to do with the unsolved three year old disappearance and death of another student?

As the parents each deal with the disappearance of the kids from their own points of view, we follow along as their stories unfold and secrets are revealed. FBI SA Sarah Keller is brought in to investigate due to the high political stakes of two of the parents.

This one had me on the edge of my seat throughout. While the Capstone Group of five students was getting to know each other I wished for about the millionth time that I had had such a college experience. I could just feel the pulsing of the music at the frat parties and taste the cool liquid flowing across my lips. However, when things began to go so wrong, I was felt lucky that my own college education took a different route. As always with Alex Finlay, the writing was clear and concise and led to a very enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

2-3 page chapters? Yes please. Campus thriller? Yes please. A million characters to keep track of? No thank you. Overall, this was easy to binge and kept me flipping the pages.

One student has died, 5 others are missing. What happened? How are their stories connected?

The only other Alex Fiat book I read was If Something Happens to Me. I was expecting this book to be as compelling as that one. I didn’tfind it as hard to put down.

You know a book is good when you start it before you get on a 5.5 hour flight and you are done by the time you land.

That was Parents Weekend for me. I was hooked from chapter one. I don’t usually like multiple points of view. The characters get lost and it’s hard to keep track of everyone. That was not the case for this book. The story is told from the parent’s and children’s perspectives, it made the book more thrilling. I couldn’t stop reading it. So many possibilities of what happened and who did it, but you don’t really know until the end.

I loved this. It’s a great thriller. So much going on but the flow of the story keeps everything interesting