A weekend for celebration becomes something far more sinister

It is Parents' Weekend at Santa Clara University, a small private Jesuit university in the heart of Silicon Valley. A group of four students, linked by the capstone project which they have been assigned to complete together, are supposed to meet up with their parents for dinner at a local restaurant, but while the parents (two couples, two single mothers) arrive none of their children show up. Its tempting to write this off as typical irresponsible behavior, but when the students remain missing the parents aren't convinced that it isn't something....more. One of the mothers is a high ranking State Department official who not only has a bounty on her own head courtesy of a disgruntled foreign regime, she also lived through this same son's kidnapping years earlier. The father of one of the other students is a judge who recently gained notoriety (and a raft of hostile adversaries) when he presided over the trial of a popular celebrity, There are secrets in the other families as well, plus some disturbing campus gossip that paints several of the missing students in an unflattering light. A fifth member of the cohort who has no close family also turns out to be missing; added to the recent disappearance of another of the university's students, a young woman friendly with the students who have dropped off the radar who later turned up dead in what appears to have been an accidental drowning, and tensions mount. An FBI agent just recently transferred to the local office gets called in to work with campus police and other local law enforcement. As the hours pass, it becomes more and more clear that The Five (as they have been tagged) are in danger...but why, and from whom?
Parents Weekend is a fast paced thriller featuring FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller, a protagonist featured in previous novels by author Alex Finlay, in addition to a raft of new characters. The narrative bounces around between multiple characters' points of view, and the plot integrates college partying, family secrets (infidelity, the loss of a child, hostile divorces) and trust issues as the plot unfolds...the large number of characters may have contributed to an overall lack of development for most (with Keller and her husband being two exceptions). This is a quick read, with short chapters that keep the suspense building and allow for some twists and turns. Did I figure out where things were likely headed early on? Yes...I am an avid reader of thrillers, so that happens fairly frequently, but if you're looking for a solid (3.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 4) quick read with a fast-moving plot this will do the trick. Fans of Harlen Coben, Lisa Unger and Peter Swanson should give this a try as well. My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for allowing me access to Finlay's latest thriller in exchange for my honest review.

I wasn't a big fan of this one. It felt like there were too many characters, mixed with a foggy dual timeline, it just made me feel a bit confused and disconnected from the book. I did really enjoy seeing Agent Sarah Keller again - who has been involved in other books of Alex's as well.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Alex Finlay, and St. Martin’s Press: Minotaur Books for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

This was a perfect fine thriller but not a standout for me personally. I was hooked in the story the entire time, and I enjoyed how fast-paced it was. Having so many different characters and POVS definitely made the story move quickly. However, because there were so many characters/POVs, it felt really surface-level the entire time through. I didn’t connect with any characters in particular, and at times, I even felt confused between similar storylines of a couple of the parents. I think my favorite character was Keller, and I enjoyed seeing her solve the case. Even though this story is centered around the students missing, it’s really told more through their parents and their involvement, so I would have liked to see more flashbacks from the students’ perspectives into what happened. Once the climax was revealed, I didn’t feel as invested because I just simply didn’t know the characters enough to be fully invested. It was a fine read for a thrill but forgettable to me unfortunately.

A college during Parents Weekend is a great location for a thriller. I really like how the author tells the story from all the different perspectives. The pieces start to fit together and I keep trying to solve it before it gets to the end. I loved the mix of characters and really loved that Sarah Keller was the FBI Agent involved. The story kept me turning pages so that I could get to the end. The book had a satisfying ending. It's a perfect escape kind of story. I look forward more books from this author. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay  is a psychological thriller about  college students who don't make it to the dinner on the Parents Weekend.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher St. Martins Press and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

 

My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
It's Parents Weekend, and everyone at Campisi Hall is a little tense, be it the parents, their kids, or the administration of the school.  It doesn't help that one of the students, Natasha has been missing.

The Families of Campisi Hall include:

The Roosevelts -  Hank and Cynthia who are divorced.  Hank will not be attending Parents Weekend.  Cynthia is in politics and must travel wither her security team. Their son Blane is okay with that.

The Maldonados -David and Nina have a rather shaky marriage, as David, a plastic surgeon, is a bit of a womanizer.  Their daughter Stella is a bit of a party girl.

The Goffmans -  Alice is in administration at the school, and that's the only reason that she can afford to have her son Felix attend.  His father passed away.

The Akanas - Ken and Amy also have marriage issues, but generally because Ken is a judge, and it seems to consume his time.  Libby is trying to be happy.

The Wongs - Andrew will not be attending his son's party, as they are estranged.  Mark's mother is deceased, so he's sort of on his own, just the way he likes it.  He is best friends with Blane.

So, the families gather around the table at the restaurant, and none of their kids show up.  Everyone just assumes the college students are out having their own fun, but as the hours go by, panic starts to build.  Campus police form search parties, and reporters swarm in.  Rumors start.

That's when FBI Agent Sarah Keller is called.  She is just going to start a temporary assignment in California.  Her husband Bob's father is ill, and they thought it would be best if they were closer to him.  They also want their twins (Heather & Michael) to get to know their grandfather..

 

My Opinions:
This was quite good.  I like that FBI Agent Sarah  Keller is again a character in this book.  These books are not in a series, so you don't have to read them in order, but she's a great addition to any book.

Anyway, the book is about five families with rather different dynamics, but all with the best interests of their child in mind, as they all start college. So, when the teens all go missing, you could really feel the angst among the parents.   Now, they are all harboring secrets, and almost any of them could be the real target behind the missing teens.

The story was told in multiple time-lines and through different perspectives, and the story progressed quite fast.

I admit that I actually struggled with keeping the families straight (so I made notes).  This was probably my only real problem with the book.  Too many characters.  Well, that, and although everything got wrapped up at the end, it felt rushed.

However, as always, Finlay delivered a great plot, excellent writing, and a twist or two.

Parents Weekend at a small private college in Northern California is nothing to celebrate for 6 families: one set of parents arrive to discover their daughter is missing and 5 other students disappear on their way to dinner, initially shrugged off as kids being kids, but when they still haven't checked in hours later and their phones have gone off-grid, the parents start to worry. Campus police start to investigate, but they also call in reinforcements from the FBI. Newly arrived on a "compassionate transfer", Special Agent Sarah Keller is initially assigned to the case. Chapters alternate from the perspective of each family, mostly the parents and Keller, and Finlay expertly doles out tidbits of information to keep the reader engrossed and wondering what will happen next. I did figure out some of what was going on before the reveal, but not everything. The parents were pretty much stereotypes of what you'd expect of couples able to send their child to a pricey private college. Keller and her husband were the most interesting pair and seemed better "fleshed out", perhaps because Keller is a recurring character from earlier books by Finlay. Overall, this was a solid mystery with a relatively fast-paced plot and at least one twist I didn't see coming!

This is the second book I’ve read by this author, and I like this one. There is a full cast of characters. In the beginning, I was a little confused, but the author does an amazing job of repeating who everyone is without it being annoying. Unfortunately when I read this one, I was in a reading slump, but I believe this one you could definitely binge. If you like lots of characters, multiple points of view, a college campus setting and lots of family drama, you may want to check this one out!

If you are looking for a fast paced thriller that is mixed with messy family drama, this is the book for you. I flew through this book, as I do with all of Alex Finlay's work. I love the short chapters and multiple POV's it really helps keep the story flowing and makes it a quick enjoyable read.

It's Parents Weekend at SCU and parent's from all different areas and backgrounds are coming to see their college freshman. There was already a missing college girl before the weekend started so tension was high on campus already. Then, a group of students doesn't show up to the parent's dinner leading to a wild search for the missing students while uncovering family secrets and student drama.

This one kept me on the edge of my seat and had me racing through this book. I stayed up way too late on the few nights I was reading this one just to get one more chapter in. I love Alex Finlay's writing style and how everything unfolds right in front of your eyes so perfectly. Definitely check this one out!

Thank you St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books for this gifted copy to review!

Alex Finlay has done it again. I love Special Agent Keller and what she brings to each novel. She is a great character that is strong and perfect to build a story around. The jumps between characters helps to swirl the mystery and bring the twists and turns together. Overall this was a great book that kept me wanting more. Absolutely recommend to those who love mystery, thrillers, or other Finlay books.

This story was woven together flawlessly! Five students from five very different situations and backgrounds go missing - following a recent fellow students death - for no apparent reason and with no trace. The way this author shows us the story from each student/family’s perspective and brings it all together is smooth and satisfying. The story itself had me guessing and unable to stop thinking about it even when I had to put it down.

A group of naughty college kids and a bunch of parents with secrets? Say no more! College thrillers are one of my favorites and I really enjoyed this one! Special Agent Keller is back in this book and still as awesome as before! I loved the multiple POVs which lead to multiple theories. This book is totally bingeable with its short chapters and popcorn thrillers feel!

This is another solid thriller from Alex Finlay. I love that it takes place over a weekend—such an encapsulated time frame—because that and the short chapters and fast pace really add to the feeling of urgency. I always love a thriller that involves a group of friends, and I loved getting the backstory of their drama piece by piece. I loved the different points of view and dysfunctional characters, and I loved seeing Agent Keller again! This was a quick, easy, fun to read thriller, which is my favorite kind of

5 college kids go missing during Parents Weekend at their college, an interesting premise that drew me in.

5 chapters in, we had 5 different "family" POVs that changed between the father, mother and sometimes the child. The frequency of the changing POVs made it difficult to keep everyone straight or grow attached to them.

I liked the investigator and her storyline, but she was the only character I really enjoyed.

An interesting concept and a very fast-paced read but the ending lacked resolution for me and there were too many POVs and characters for such a short book.
2.75⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for the eARC.

This was a quick read but unfortunately one that left a lot to be desired. The writing style was very poor and the story not very gripping.

Parents Weekend
Panic sets in for 5 diverse families when their kids don’t show up for Opening Festivities at the small private college. The FBI is called in but will they find the 5 students in time?
I read through the night to finish this spine-chilling thriller! 5 stars

Parents Weekend is an average mystery/thriller. This is the third book that I’ve read by Finlay. I loved his first book, but I was not really a fan of this one.

I think the main issue I had with this book is that there were too many perspectives and it became difficult to keep all the characters’ stories together. The plot got to be very confusing and I ended up not really caring about any of the characters. I think Keller was an interesting character, and I would’ve liked the story more if it was all told from her perspective.

Also, the main mystery was lacking for me. Everything happened so fast that I just didn’t feel any connection to the characters or the story. I did like the short chapters and this was a fast read, but I wanted more from the plot.

Overall, this was not my favorite book by this author. I think I’m just not a fan of books with numerous perspectives. You might want to read this if you enjoy multiple perspectives and you’re looking for a quick mystery.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

• campus thriller
• multiple POV
• fast-paced

This one has so. many. characters. 🤯 I had trouble keeping them organized and connecting to their stories. That said, I had to know what was going on, so I flew through it. The audio narration definitely kept me engaged. Overall, it was just an okay thriller for me.

🗣 Thank you to netgalley, Minotaur Books/SMP and macmillan.audio for the opportunity to read and review this book via both gifted eARC and audio! All opinions are honest and my own.

This book hooked me from the first page! Set against the backdrop of an idyllic college campus, it unravels the mysterious disappearance of five freshmen during Parents Weekend. As panic rises and secrets come to light, the story cleverly weaves together the perspectives of the parents left behind and the mysterious lives of their children. With social media sleuths circling and tensions rising, this book explores not only what happened that night, but also the dark undercurrents running beneath seemingly perfect families. Fast-paced, thought-provoking, and impossible to put down!

Thanks, Minotaur Books and NetGalley, for the eARC of Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay!

This book focuses on five families as their children go missing during parents weekend at a private college and FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller who is investigating their disappearances. Unfortunately, I found this book to be disappointing overall. I didn't connect with any of the characters, and many of them fell into stereotypes (e.g., the frat bros, the A+ student, the cheating husband). While I didn't see the twist coming, the ending felt a little too tidy, especially the epilogue which takes place a few years down the road.

If you're looking for an easy read + family drama + police procedural, this may be for you!

WOW, this was fantastic! I absolutely flew through it. I loved how each student and their family had their own backstory so real and relatable. The older I get, the more I recognize the weight our families carry, and this book captured that perfectly. 💔❤️

Some characters made my heart grow two sizes (looking at you, Keller fam 🫶), while others definitely needed a smack upside the head 🙄😂. It took a second to keep track of all the POVs, there are a lot, but once I did, I was hooked. Another ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ read from Alex Finlay!

📖 If you love fast-paced thrillers with multiple POVs, complex family dynamics, and jaw-dropping twists you need to add this to your TBR ASAP!