Thank you for a copy of this ARC!

This was a great thriller that kept me guessing until the end. It was one that I did not really expect to like since I tend to like other types of storylines but this one exceeded my expectations.

I for one enjoy this story. I see there are a lot of people saying that this was disappointing, but I didn’t think so. This to me was a fast paced, keep you on the edge of your seat, mystery and suspense. I look forward to reading more of Mr. Finlay‘s stories.


I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the eARC to read and review.

I was excited to read an Alex Finlay book so I was really happy to snag this ARC.

Short and sweet version…I liked it and by the second half of the book I was really hooked and had to download the audio to get through it faster to see what happened…all of that said, it was a slow slow start.

I spent a lot of time being confused and overwhelmed by the many sets of families. Finally halfway through the book I memorized the “parents” and then I was getting confused whose child was whose and mixing up all the college students.

I loved the idea and premise and I think it was one of the more interesting and refreshing thrillers I’ve read, but I think it could have done with more context for the college students and their history together.

I liked Finlays writing style so I think I’ll try some other of his books. Also his authors note and acknowledgements were funny and interesting to read.

@readitwithtay on instagram for more book reviews and recs ✨

I love Alex Finlays thrillers. This one wasn’t my favorite, but I did enjoy the dynamics of some shady parents and some shady kids. Easy and enjoyable read.

Once again, another great book given to us Alex Finlay readers! I have read and loved each and every book written by Alex Finlay, so I always get excited when I see a new one releasing! I love the writing style, the shorter chapters, and one of the few authors I have found that can write in multiple POVs and not be lost at who is who!
Set at a small private school, Santa Clara University's Parents Weekend doesn't go as planned when what will be known as "The Five" no-show dinner and drinks with their parents. We have small introductions to the parents of the freshman students: Blane (Roosevelt), Mark (Wong), Felix (Goffman), Stella (Maldonado), and Libby (Akana). At first there isn't a lot of concern that The Five hadn't shown even from all of their parents, but that soon changes after they don't turn up and there was also a student who had just recently been found dead. Agent Keller also reappears with her family to help find the missing students and unravel the truth to what happened! The chapters alternate mostly between the parents and agent Keller and set the scene not just for the students, but also the parents and their own problems along with agent Keller's new adjustment to life while diving into solving the case.
With this many characters I didn't find myself lost, we were given just enough to discern between the families, while not being lost in so many details from the plot itself. I would give this more a popcorn thriller vibe since it didn't need so much detail to keep you engrossed into the suspense of it all. This was engaging while also being kind of sad to read about the dysfunction a lot of these families had, and without spoiling the ending the ones who didn't get an ending to rewrite. Thank you NetGalley, and to the publisher Minotaur Books for the copy to review with my own opinions.

Parents Weekend is the page turning thriller about five students that fail to show up to dinner where their parents are so that they can celebrate the students first year on campus. This takes place in North Carolina at a small private college. All of the parents start to panic when this happens since a drowning took place that was suspicious. Where did five students go? This will keep you guessing until the end. It was written well and every character in this was interesting. Overall, I highly enjoyed this one and would recommend it to any reader who likes thrillers or mysteries. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/ Minotaur Books for this read in exchange of my honest review of Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay.

I was excited about this one but it was a little mediocre. Fast paced at times, the premise was unique but I felt like the story was a bit messy. There’s almost too many characters to keep up with.

I do enjoy Agent Keller in the author’s books and liked her part of the story. Overall, a quick read for thriller fans

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay.

“The past always finds a way to check in, especially when you least expect it.”

This propulsive psychological thriller with a campus setting and dual-timeline secrets. It explores guilt, ambition, and the consequences of buried truths with twisty plotting and smart, cinematic tension. Perfect for fans of Megan Miranda and Riley Sager.
I’ll be sharing this review on Goodreads, Instagram, StoryGraph, B&N and Amazon.

Book 31 of 2025 - ☑️! Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and Alex Finlay for an ARC of Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay, in exchange for my honest review.

Amidst reading (almost exclusively) romance each summer, I decided to change things up a little and go with a mystery/thriller in Alex Finlay’s Parents Weekend. The cover was intriguing, and with back-to-school season just around the corner, this felt like the book to go with.

Parents Weekend at Santa Clara University takes a dark turn when 5 students don’t show up to dinner with their families. While some folks chalk it up to college students just being coeds, FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller is on the case. Why didn’t the students show up to dinner, what happened that day and in the days leading up to their disappearing? The book explores the story from each family’s POV, which felt right for the book, and for those who have ready Finlay’s other books, it sounds like Agent Keller is established as a character in a couple of other novels.

I have a dear friend who, along with my parents, are my go-to consultants when it comes to mysteries and thrillers, and I should have checked with any of them first to get their thoughts on the author. This was a quick read, and while the book was fast-paced, and I enjoyed the fact that it took place on a college campus with students, I felt like I didn’t get to know all of the characters like I wanted to. It also felt a bit difficult to remember all of the different players involved.

3/5 ⭐️ overall, and a 🌶️ rating is not relevant here. #NetGalley #ParentsWeekend 🎒🎓🍽️

Alex Finlay is an auto buy for me! Parent’s Weekend is proof of that! The ending was predictable but everything up to it kept me on the edge of my seat!

As a longtime suspense junkie, I picked up Parents Weekend expecting twists—and Alex Finlay delivered, fast and hard. The story kicks off with a college campus murder and spirals into a layered, high-stakes mystery that plays out over a single, chaotic weekend. Think locked-room tension meets family drama, with a modern true-crime podcast vibe woven in.

Finlay’s pacing is relentless—in the best way. Just when I thought I had a grip on the story, a new thread unraveled, pulling me deeper. The dual timelines and shifting POVs actually enhanced the suspense (rare!), and I appreciated the emotional weight behind the characters—especially the parents. Their fear, guilt, and desperation felt raw and real, especially for readers who understand what it's like to navigate adult family relationships.

If you’re a fan of fast-burning thrillers that keep you flipping pages past bedtime, Parents Weekend hits the mark. It’s sharp, timely, and delivers the kind of cinematic tension that makes you wish it were already a Netflix miniseries.

When five students from a small college disappear during Parents Weekend, shockwaves ripple through the campus and the missing students' families. As the search for the students intensifies, an FBI agent appears and helps to solve the case, and soon the campus is faced with something even more sinister than just missing students.

This book was intriguing and intense. I loved how the missing students all came from different backgrounds but were ultimately connected, even if that connection wasn't something any of them had anticipated. Overall, this book explores the struggles of young adults and the dynamics between families. It held my attention, had me guessing what was happening throughout, and looking forward to more from this author.

4 stars

I loved the first half but I thought that the second half was too slow. This one is every parent's nightmare. Five families plan on a night of dinner and cocktails for parents weekend. As the parents stay out way past their bedtimes, their kids, five residents of Campisi Hall never show up at dinner. What happened to them?

The story was told through multiple points of view in past and present. I was on the edge of my seat at the end there was lots of action which I loved. I loved the short chapters. This was not a predictable read for me. I was not able to solve the mystery. I did enjoy the the conclusion. There were some twist and turns too.

Alex Finlay won me over with Every Last Fear and I have been a fan since. Parents Weekend didn't disappoint. I did find the beginning somewhat hard to keep everyone straight. There are several characters and varying timelines but once I got in the groove, I was hooked. Loved this one and can't wait for more from this author.

Leave it to Alex Finlay to knock it out of the park!

All of Finlay's books are stand-alones, however I was elated to find out that Sarah Keller is back, as she's been in a couple of his other books and I absolutely love her character. Along with her is her amazing husband, Bob, and their TWINS! Yes!

This book is absolutely Alex Finlay - multiple POVs, a mystery that seems unsolvable., and an FBI agent that just won't quit. I loved the idea of a mystery taking place on Parents Weekend at a college, and I love the fact that we had all these families that came together and they ALL have secrets.

The twists and turns of this book made it totally un-put-downable and I managed to finish it in a day because I had to know what was going on. I kept thinking I maybe knew what was going on, Finlay blew that out of the water. I loved that I really didn't totally understand until the very end, which was explosive.

This book? Is a great way to end the summer.

ARC provided by St. Martin’s Press

Alex Finlay delivers another compulsively readable thriller with Parents Weekend, a fast-paced, high-stakes mystery that unfolds over a single weekend packed with secrets, lies, and more than a few jaw-dropping twists.

From the opening chapter, this book pulls you straight into the action. When a tragedy strikes during Parents Weekend at a prestigious college, what follows is a tightly woven narrative told from multiple perspectives—each one revealing just enough to keep you guessing, but never quite enough to feel like you have it all figured out.

The pacing here is sharp and efficient. Every chapter ends with the kind of tension that makes it hard not to read “just one more.” Finlay balances multiple characters and timelines with ease, crafting a story that’s not only twisty but emotionally grounded. Each character brings their own baggage, their own secrets, and watching them unravel (or in some cases, explode) is half the fun.

There are themes of privilege, loyalty, institutional pressure, and the masks we wear for the people closest to us. But this isn’t a heavy or overly reflective read—it’s smart, addictive, and cinematic, clearly built to entertain while still offering just enough depth to give the twists emotional weight.

If you’re looking for a thriller that reads like a movie—full of suspense, scandal, and momentum—Parents Weekend will absolutely deliver. A great pick for fans of short time-frame thrillers, found secrets, and tangled relationships coming to a head under extreme pressure.

Parents Weekend is the ultimate popcorn thriller! I devoured this fast-paced page-turner in a single day, completely captivated from start to finish. The multiple points of view kept me engaged, and I loved the various storylines. Secrets abound, and with almost all characters walking the line of moral ambiguity, the tension never lets up. While some might argue there are too many characters, I found the large cast refreshing and never lost track of who was who. Every subplot intertwined beautifully, adding layers to the story.

I was thrilled to see FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller (Every Last Fear and The Night Shift) return. This tough agent and her supportive husband are personal favorites. I enjoyed seeing Sarah team up with local police to unravel the mystery of the missing students.

Overall, this is a twisty read that fans of fast-paced thrillers will devour.

I received a free copy of this book.

Meh. Unfortunately I wasn’t into this one at all. I can’t tell you a think about it now except that it took place over parent’s weekend. Too many characters and not enough connection with any of them to care.

3.5 Stars

Parents Weekend was one of my highly anticipated books for 2025. One of my favorite thrillers The Night Shift, was written by Finlay and I was excited to read more!

A group of college kids goes missing right as parents weekend at their college begins. This book had multiple POVs but the interesting part was that each POV was told from the perspective of each family involved (of a missing child) and the people within that family unit. This includes the students who go missing as well. So when the POV changed it was really interesting and unique to see who would be narrating next. I really enjoyed this way of telling the story and all of the different sides and facets to each family.

I enjoyed the story and all of the different perspectives but I didn’t love the ending. I honestly am not sure why.I can’t quite out my finger on what didn’t settle right with me. But overall I didn’t enjoy the book and the different perspectives

When I discovered Brittany Pressley was the narrator,
I decided to listen to this book because she’s one of my favorites! She does an excellent job narrating this story.

I enjoyed this fast paced thriller! Agent Keller is one of my favorites so I was happy to see her in this story There are a lot of characters but I didn’t have trouble keeping them straight. This wasn’t my favorite book featuring Agent Keller but I still think it’s definitely worth reading.

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2