I really enjoyed this this story. There were a lot of characters to sort out in the beginning, but once you get them all straight it was interesting to follow along.

I had quite a bit of the ending figured out, but not all of it. There were plenty of little reveals and red herrings along the way. The short chapters that ended on little cliffhangers kept me reading much later than I should have. I found this to be an engaging and fast read.

I loved that the characters were all flawed. Honestly, there wasn't anyone particularly likable in this story, but I was still rooting for the kids. I liked that the end wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. It seemed pretty realistic and I liked the way the mystery unfolded as well.

Overall, I thought this was a great read and I look forward to reading more of Finlay's work.

Alex Finlay's latest thriller, Parents' Weekend, explores the unsettling disappearance of five students during a college event, prompting readers to question the safety of campus life.

Set at Santa Clara University during Parents' Weekend, the story introduces a diverse group of parents: a State Department official accompanied by a security detail, a prominent judge and his wife, a plastic surgeon entangled in infidelity alongside his spouse, and a single mother employed by the university dean. When their children fail to appear for the opening dinner, especially following a recent student tragedy, concern escalates, leading to the involvement of law enforcement and the FBI.

Strengths of the Novel:

Special Agent Sarah Keller: Agent Keller, affectionately dubbed "Agent Badass" by her husband Bob, shines as a formidable and relatable protagonist. Bob's character adds warmth and depth to their dynamic, enhancing the narrative's appeal.

Engaging Side Characters: SCU Campus Police Chief Jay McCray and student intern Annie Hafeez enrich the story. Annie's character, in particular, holds promise for future developments.

Pacing and Structure: The novel's short, snappy chapters cater to readers who favor brisk storytelling, effectively maintaining suspense and momentum.

Complex Parent Characters: Finlay adeptly portrays parents with multifaceted, flawed personalities, eliciting both sympathy and frustration from readers. Their humanizing traits underscore the lengths to which they will go for their children.

Areas for Improvement:

Student Character Development: The limited exploration of the students' backgrounds results in a diminished emotional connection to their plight. A deeper dive into their lives could have heightened the story's impact.

Predictability of the Plot: The mystery's predictability and the anticlimactic conclusion left me somewhat dissatisfied. Although Agent Keller's high-stakes race against time, sharp instincts, and the revelation of hidden family secrets were engaging, I yearned for a more intricate and unpredictable plot.

For these reasons I gave this a 3.25-3.50 rating.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for sharing this page-turner’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts

3.5 rounded up.

I had a bit of a rocky start with this one—there are a lot of characters introduced early on, and it was hard to keep track of everyone, especially since I started reading it while traveling. It took me a while to get fully invested.

That said, once I got a handle on who was who, the story really picked up. From about 20% to 80%, it was fast-paced and engaging—I was flying through chapters and couldn’t wait to see what would happen next.

Unfortunately, the ending didn’t quite land for me. The explanation behind the kidnappings felt underdeveloped and a bit random. The characters who tie everything together aren’t mentioned earlier in the book, which made the resolution feel disconnected and unsatisfying. There also wasn’t any real closure with those characters, which left me feeling a bit let down after such a gripping middle.

Overall, a mixed experience—strong pacing and suspense through most of the book, but an ending that didn’t fully deliver. I think there will be people who love this because it’s Alex Finaly, but I liked some of their other books better.

It’s parents weekend at Santa Cruz University and parents of the students in Campisi Hall are all going to meet their kids for dinner at a local restaurant. The parents all show up but none of the kids ever do. The five missing students get to be known as the Five. At first campus security is not too concerned thinking the kids all got sidetracked by a party or something like that. By the next day, when no one has heard from any of the students, law enforcement grows more concerned and it becomes a full blown investigation/search for the Five. Another student who had gone missing the week before is found dead, further amplifying the case to find the missing Five. We are told the story from different POVs, we get to see little glimpses of each of the five students families, backgrounds, lives - but I didn’t feel it was in depth enough to really connect to any of them. The story moves along and kept me interested on the surface but again, it lacked a real connection to the characters (maybe because there were so many) so I wasn’t totally invested. I’d label this a good quick read, just not great. I enjoyed the FBI agent - Sarah Keller - her chapters were the most interesting and the character I cared about the most. Apparently Agent Keller has appeared in more books, so perhaps I need to check those out. I give this book 3.5 stars out of 5, which I’m rounding down to 3 since I can’t say it’s worthy of a 4 star rating.

Set in Southern California over the course of a long weekend, Parents Weekend is jam packed with deception, infidelity, drama, and dysfunction. Parents of five college graduates meet for a special weekend. The first chapters introduce us to the families and the stranger dynamic of summing each other up. The students don't arrive for the dinner which understandably makes the parents uneasy. Police and FBI start investigating and discover there are many complicated threads to untangle with interesting connections and back stories.

The short chapters and snappy pace contributed to a very quick read but the lengthy list of characters was too long at the beginning. However, once I got further into it, they came together and stuck in my mind. I did not like any of the characters and therefore did not feel invested. The numerous affairs were too much and did nothing to endear the characters. But the past and present timelines were written well and the story itself very enjoyable. I also like that it was told over a short period of time which added great tension. Academic settings grab me. The ending left me itching for more depth. In my view, this is not the strongest Alex Finlay novel but he remains an auto-read author for me.

This was a quick, fast paced bingeable thriller. Told from the POV's of 6 families over a 3 day weekend. It's parents weekend at a small private university in California and 5 students have mysteriously gone missing. On the heels of a death on campus, everyone is on alert. And every one has secrets- parents and students alike. We get taken down a trip of so many motives and possibilities. Slowly ruling each one out. The plot had a good basis and I was thoroughly entertained by all the flawed characters. With that being my one criticism/ the books one downfall. There were ALOT of characters to keep track of, especially in the beginning and it was difficult at first to remember who was connected to whom. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur books for my advanced copy in return for an honest review.

TW: captivity, infidelity, murder, drug and alcohol use

Alex Finlay knocked it out of the park again with this gripping thriller! It drew me in right from the start, and I didn't want to put it down.

Five freshmen at the small private Santa Clara University in Northern California go missing on the first night of parents weekend. At first, the parents wonder if it is just typical college kid shenanigans, but the longer they're missing, the more nervous the parents become. Another student from SCU has just died, and everyone is on edge, thinking the worst. The campus police and even the FBI are called in to find the missing co-eds.

Initially, I was concerned that it might be confusing having so many different characters, but Finlay really did a great job fleshing out each of The Five's families, making them distinct and memorable. I was as interested in the family dynamics as I was in the mystery of the missing students.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press/ Minotaur Books for providing me a complimentary advanced reader copy through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book takes place during parents weekend at a college in California. When the students don't show up to dinner, the parents must try to see what happened. This book is a thriller that is fast-paced and told from multiple povs. I thought it was straightforward and didn't have as much depth as I would've liked.

Parents Weekend is a race against the clock thriller with multiple characters that have all come together for a weekend with their college-aged children for a college event. Only for none of them to show up at the Friday night dinner. For one to not show up is one thing, but for all of them? And in the same week that 1 student has been found dead? Something has got to be going on.

The Roosevelts, Maldonados, Goffmans, Akanas and Kellers all have their own POV in this story. WIth multiple POVs to keep track of, this was the one part that was somewhat confusing and I almost needed to take notes to keep all the characters straight. But with the short chapters and major sense of urgency, I found myself consumed with not only the missing students, but with the backstories and secrets of each family. I know that was only a ploy to keep us guessing about why the students went missing, but it helped me to understand each and every character as well.

Since this was a shorter story with the short chapters and only took place over one weekend, it was an easy read and kept me engaged. I especially liked Keller and her family, who happens to be a recurring character in Finlay's books. But it made sense to bring in an FBI agent to handle this case. Even though this story was about missing students, I didn't feel we got to know them as well as we should've, but then again, I think this wasn't so much about the students as it was about actions receiving consequences.

All in all, this was a good solid read with short chapters that kept your attention. It wasn't my favorite of Finlay's books, but it was still a page-turner that I didn't want to put down. I wasn't as invested in the characters as I hoped, but I still enjoyed the story and where it took us. The fast forward ending wasn't exactly needed for me, but I liked seeing where each of the characters ended up after that fateful weekend. I can only hope that we will continue to see Special Agent Keller in future books along with a newly graduated agent as well (crossing fingers). 3.5 stars rounded up

The parents arrive on campus expecting to spend the evening at dinner with their kids. But for parents of 5 of the college students, their children never arrive at the restaurant. No answering phone calls, no responding texts. In fact, they are all missing.
Written in short chapters with fast paced action, this was an enjoyable, easy read. I had never read anything by the Author, Alex Findlay. This may have been my first, but certainly not my last thriller by him. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books for the ARC which I voluntarily read. This review is my personal opinion.

I absolutely loved this book! I love the way each chapter was a different family! I really loved the twist at the end! I have kind of forgotten about the professor because it was such a short meeting with him that Keller had so great surprise. It was a quick read and I loved the short chapters! Now I have to go read all of Alex’s books! 🫶🏼

Just like all of Alex Finlay's books, Parents Weekend is a fun, quick popcorn thriller.

I would recommend the physical or ebook format for this book, because there are quite a few characters and perspectives. I wouldn't have been able to keep them all straight with an audiobook, but it wasn't difficult with my Kindle copy.

I flew through the short chapters, and while the story isn't super memorable, it definitely kept me entertained. I found the ending to be surprisingly emotional, which was an unexpected but welcome twist.

Parents Weekend would be a perfect, not-too-heavy vacation read, and I also think it would make a great Netflix miniseries.

In anticipation of parents weekend at their children's college, the parents of five freshman plan a dinner to kick off the weekend. Except the freshman don't show. Assuming they've been blown off, the parents enjoy their night. But when no one of them can reach their children the next day, they start to realize that something must be very wrong. Lots of twists and unexpected revelations as expected from an Alex Finlay novel.

In a genre where plots often blend together, Alex Finlay's "Parents Weekend" grabs you by the collar and refuses to let go. The premise is deceptively simple: five college students vanish during parents weekend. But were they kidnapped, or did they deliberately ghost their families? This question hooks you immediately and keeps you turning pages with increasing urgency.

FBI agent Keller emerges as the story's moral compass. New to Santa Clara and navigating a male-dominated field, she's refreshingly competent without being superhuman. Her determination to follow evidence rather than assumptions makes her instantly likable, and her outsider perspective mirrors our own as readers trying to piece together the puzzle.

Finlay deserves applause for masterful misdirection throughout the narrative. I found myself so distracted by the fascinating revelations about each family that I completely missed what was happening in plain sight. When the final twist arrived, I actually gasped aloud. The red herrings were perfectly placed—obvious in retrospect but invisible in the moment.

The true measure of a great thriller is its grip on your attention, and "Parents Weekend" held mine so completely that dinner went cold and bedtime was postponed. My only regret was finishing it too quickly—some books deserve to be savored, but this one demands to be devoured in a single sitting.

Thank you, Minotaur Books and NetGalley, for my free E-book for review.

Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay is a thriller novel that revolves around the mysterious disappearance of five college freshmen during Parents Weekend at Santa Clara University. The story is told from multiple perspectives, including FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller, who returns from previous novels by Finlay.

Having never read any novels by Alex Finlay, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I was really drawn to the book, as I have a son in college and thought it might be a fun departure from my usual reads. The plot sounded really appealing, but once I started reading the book, I quickly realized that it wasn’t for me. While the novel explores some very real life situations that many could identify with - dysfunctional families and relationships, as well as college life and friendships, it just never really digs beyond the surface. I’m not sure if it’s the Authors writing style, or just this book, but I found it to be a little cliché. The characters didn’t really have much depth and were a little unlikeable, and overall the story sadly felt like a bad Lifetime movie.

Overall, though Parents Weekend seemed to have potential, it fell a little flat.

I liked this one a lot! There is a familiar character, as well as new mysteries to solve. Parents Weekend at SCU is a big deal for the parents and their kids. Then the kids don’t show up for a planned event, and the mystery starts unfolding. Each parent and kid has something going on, and it was interesting to see how it all came together. The ending was a bit rushed, but I was satisfied with the conclusion. Will definitely read this author again!

This was the type of book that keeps you going page after page. The multiple viewpoints enhance the story and tie together perfectly. I also love the nod to his pervious novels.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for this ARC!!! All thoughts are solely my own and not influenced!
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My favorite Alex Finlay characters were back in action to help find 5 missing students who failed to show up to their parents weekend dinner!! You start by briefly meeting the students and their families, and then this book gets RIGHT to the action. I got whiplash from the twists, turns, suspects, and dead ends. The final reveals just felt right, and you know I LOVE a years later epilogue to wrap everything up.
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NOW this book started off so FAST, and it didn't help that there were a million characters to keep track of. You basically meet everyone, a chapter each, and then the main plot point happens leaving you like this trying to piece together the characters and their flaws and the plot points.
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I would've loved more time with the main characters before we lost them, in order to bond/care a little more.

I have read a few of Alex's books and I'm always unsure if I like them until the very end. This book continues that tradition in the fact that it was interesting and I thought it was going slow, but before I knew it I was 3/4 of the way through it. Trying desperately to figure out what was happening.

Parents weekend is about a group of college freshmen who are meeting with their parents at parents weekend. At the set time the group is supposed to meet their parents. They never show up. One is the son of a government official and she calls in the FBI to help assist local police. Eventually they find out there are secrets that each of these families and students are keeping. Some more dangerous than others.
More dangerous than others.

I love that the author brought back agent Keller. I really enjoyed the other book I read with her, it's nice to see a strong woman as the person in charge. I love the fact that she's also relatable given she has a husband and kids at home, but still is able to do a kick-ass job.

There were some things I didn't enjoy about this book, although agent Keller seemed like a intuitive agent + very good at her job, some of the clues just seemed like they fell into her lap. Like when they looked at the geofence it was obvious what was happening and how she was the only one who figured that out was perplexing. Otherwise, I enjoyed the character.

I enjoyed the wrap up to this book because it made sense who was doing the kidnapping. But not sure that it seems believable given who they were and that they were kidnapping three adult men and two women.

Thank you netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review

Once you start Parents Weekend, you'll have a hard time putting it down. It has the perfect pace and kept me wanting more from start to finish.

It pops off when the Parents Weekend for the parents of five college students attending a private college doesn't go as planned when their kids don't show up for dinner, resulting in an investigation and search for the missing students. Rumors, panic, and questions surround the mystery of the missing five. I loved seeing the return of FBI Agent Sarah Keller, who was also in the books The Night Shift and Every Last Fear.

This has everything I love in a thriller:
🌊 Outrageous moments
🌊 Interesting characters
🌊 Mystery, twists, meyhem
🌊 Nor-Cal Bay Area location
🌊 Numerous POVs

I hope this gets picked up for film adaptation. Finlay is definitely a favorite thriller writer for me. He never disappoints. I'm a fan.