Thank you to Alex Finlay, St. Martins Press, and Netgalley for the e-arc of Parents Weekend! Suspenseful, action packed read with short chapters! Agent Keller is back at it again! Ending wrapped up nicely! Loved the night shift by the same author! This book publishes on 5/6/25!

It's Parents Weekend at a private college in Northern California. Five families gather for food and drinks, but their children never show. Everyone begins to panic, especially since a student was found dead on campus not long ago. The police and eventually the FBI are called in to investigate.

Thoughts 💭
This story has multiple points of view as each family has their own chapter. It's really hard to keep everyone and their stories straight, especially at first. Once you get past some initial confusion and backstories, I really enjoyed the mystery of how all the students are tied together. A few different scenarios are presented to you about the reason they disappeared, but nothing is really concrete until the end. I was wondering how the death of a student prior to these events was connected, and I wasn't disappointed. The FBI agent, Sarah Keller, is in other stories by this author, but you don't need to read them to understand what's going on. This is a solid thriller!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Alex Finlay is one of those authors whose books have been on my to-read list for a long time. I was excited to get the chance to read his latest book! This book was exactly what I was hoping for when I picked it up. It is a really quick read that I couldn't put down once I started. Each chapter is not only short but also action packed. Customers ask me for "a quick read" thriller ALL THE TIME. I'm excited to have something new to hand them!
I usually love stories told from multiple points of view, and I think it works especially well for thrillers. There were a lot of characters to keep track of in this story, and I can see some readers getting a little bit lost trying to keep everyone strait.
Overall, this is a really fun read, and I'm excited to check out more books by this author.

What starts as a routine college parents’ weekend turns into every parent’s worst nightmare—none of the kids show up for dinner. 😱 At first, it seems like typical college irresponsibility, but soon, the missing students become part of a much darker mystery. Add in a shocking student death announcement, and the tension skyrockets. 💥
If you’ve read Every Last Fear or The Night Shift, you’re in for a treat—FBI Agent Sarah Keller is back! 🕵️‍♀️ This time, she’s navigating a new case while balancing a temporary move to California for her family. The novel masterfully weaves together multiple POVs, giving us glimpses into the parents, the missing students, and Keller herself. Every chapter peels back another layer of secrets, betrayals, and hidden family drama, I found this one impossible to put down. 🔥
Finlay nails the psychological depth of both the parents and their kids, showing how family dysfunction trickles down through generations. 💭👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 And the pacing was flawless. The first chapter throws you straight into the action, and the short, fast-moving chapters keep the suspense razor-sharp. 📖✨
I loved the ending too! Without spoiling anything, it leaves the door open for more cases with Keller and her new protégé, Annie. 🔎 If you love thrillers with rich character dynamics, expertly layered suspense, and an unsettlingly real look at how families unravel under pressure, Parents Weekend is a must-read.
4.5 stars

Parents Weekend follows 5 families that come to an exclusive college to celebrate their children, but they have all gone missing. What has happened to them are they partying together or has something more sinister happened? This is a novel that I had a hard time putting down. So, if you are looking for a quick read this should go to the top of your TBR! Alex Finlay does not disappoint!

Thank you Net Galley, Alex Finlay and St Martin's Press for the opportunity to preview this title. The opinions shared are my own.
Parents Weekend is expected to be available May 6, 2025.

I absolutely adore Alex Finlay, and he is an auto buy Author for me.

His books are always so fast-paced, thrilling, and unputdownable. This one was just as action packed as all the others as well.

Some people hate short chapters, but I actually find them so much more gripping with a thriller. The twist and turns or a plenty but super predictable for me, but I didn’t mind that much.

Hopefully the next one in this series will be just as good as the last ones and oh yeah, I highly recommend!!!

Woah, I flew through this book!
What a twisty and unbelievable ride.
4.5 Stars!!

It’s parents weekend at SCU, and they are all to have a get together for a dinner when the 5 students go missing. Agent Keller is just settling in with her family in California she’s called to duty to help find the kids.
Is it a prank? Or are they missing? And they are missing who took them and why?!!

This book has multiple POV, which was confusing at first but once I got to know them all I was hooked. Each POV pulls you in!

Thanks so much NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for the read!

Thank you so much to Alex Finlay and Minotaur Books for my copy of Parent’s Weekend. This book was about five students from a private university in Northern California who never show up for their parent’s weekend dinner. The parents are gathered, but all five students disappear before the dinner without a trace. Soon campus police are called in, search parties are formed, and rumors start to swirl. The Five, as the internet starts to call them, all come from different families and different situations. What caused them to go missing that night? Could it be a conspiracy, or something their parents did, that ends in their disappearance.

Thoughts: This premise caught my eye right away! I loved the idea of five students mysteriously disappearing all at the same time. It was intriguing to bring in the parents and each of their backstories in order to determine what happened. One of my favorite things was that Agent Sarah Keller was back! She is so much fun and I loved her in Finlay’s previous books.

I thought the story was dragging on a bit, despite lots of red herrings thrown in. The ending was rushed and extremely transparent, even though there were lots of ways the students could have been tied together. SPOILER: I really did not like the fact that the “bad guys” were the stereotypical Russian parents out for revenge. It felt very typecast and reductive, and that bothered me a lot. However it was a fun and quick thriller, 3-stars.

This book was a little slow to start and it was incredibly hard to keep up with all the characters (and their parents) but once you find your way and learn the characters this book will hook you! Came with twists I definitely did not see coming and was truly a great read that becomes hard to put down! Highly recommend checking this out when it releases in May!

This was definitely an interesting and captivating read but not one of my favorites by Alex Finlay. I found the story a little predictable but also outrageously out there at the same time. If you’re looking for a quick, entertaining popcorn thriller, pick this one up. 3.5 rounded up.

I absolutely love Alex Findlay’s writing so when I was provided an advanced copy of his newest book i was very excited. This story surrounded the lives of several college students and their parents.

I found each and everyone of the families was unique and interesting in their own way and I was intrigued to follow how their sins may have impacted the fate of their children.

There was a large set of characters and it did take me some time to wrap my head around them but when it came together it formed a very interesting dynamic between the students and added layers to the characters plot.

It was a little less mysterious than what I normally enjoy but I am hopeful for more stories featuring Agent Keller. This is my first time reading one of Findlay’s books featuring her and I really enjoyed her as a character.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this advanced copy

Alex Finaly writes another entertaining novel that will keep his readers engaged. The story follows a group of freshman college friends during the parents’ weekend at the university. When one girl is reported missing, and the others are no where to be seen during the dinner event with their parents at the college newly transferred FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller must find out what has happened.

The book follows the five students and the lives of their parents as Keller tries to unravel the events around the disappearance. I enjoyed the characters in this story. They were believable, especially how the college students interacted and use of social media. Finlay does a good job showing how gossip and anonymous posting can influence the lives of the others. The story was a smooth read, that keeps the reader engaged, and I like that he ends every chapter with some type of hook to entice you to keep going. The only issue was that it took time to keep get to know the characters and I found it slightly difficult to keep track between the student’s name and the parents.

Overall, I think the book is a good read. If you are looking for a fun story that moves at a good a pace, I highly suggest this book.
Thank you Net galley, Alex Finlay and Minotaur Books for the advice readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

In his latest thriller, Alex Finlay proves once again why he's become a master of suspense, crafting a story that transforms the usually jovial occasion of a college parents' weekend into a nightmare that will keep readers turning pages well into the night.

Set at a small private college in Northern California, the novel follows five families whose paths intersect during what should have been a routine parents' weekend dinner. As reported by Macmillan, what begins as a celebration of their children's first year of college quickly derails when their five freshmen students mysteriously vanish before the planned dinner gathering.

Finlay, the bestselling author who writes under a pseudonym from Washington, DC, demonstrates his trademark ability to weave complex character studies with pulse-pounding suspense. The narrative expertly explores the delicate dynamics between helicopter parents and their college-aged children, all while maintaining the mounting tension of a missing persons investigation.

The strength of the novel lies in its layered examination of family dynamics and expectations. As noted by Barnes & Noble, "the intricate world of wealthy parents with sky-high expectations collides with the struggles of young adults at a small private college," creating a powder keg of tension that explodes in unexpected ways. The author deftly captures those exhilarating first days of college life when friendships form and students taste independence for the first time, only to subvert these familiar experiences with a dark twist.

The novel's structure, told through multiple points of view, keeps readers on their toes as they piece together the puzzle of the students' disappearance. In classic Finlay fashion, the story "combines astute character studies with shocking twists, turning the growing pains between parents and their college-aged kids into mesmerizing fodder for high-tension thrills."

While some readers might find the large cast of characters initially challenging to track, Finlay manages to give each family distinct characteristics and motivations that become clearer as the story progresses. The author excels at portraying the complexities of parent-child relationships during the college transition phase, making the characters' fears and anxieties palpable.

The novel's pacing is relentless, with short chapters that compel readers forward. However, some may find the resolution slightly less satisfying than the build-up, as noted by some early reviews. Despite this minor criticism, the journey to the conclusion remains thoroughly engaging.

Parents Weekend succeeds not just as a thriller but as an exploration of modern parenting, privilege, and the sometimes suffocating weight of familial expectations. The book delves into family dysfunction and those pivotal moments when the parent-child relationship must evolve or break under the strain of growing independence.

For fans of domestic suspense and campus thrillers, Parents Weekend delivers a compelling mix of psychological tension and family drama. While it may not be Finlay's most shocking work, it's a solid addition to his growing bibliography that will satisfy both longtime fans and newcomers to his work.

Recommended for readers who enjoy character-driven suspense novels that examine family dynamics, particularly those who appreciated Donna Tartt's The Secret History or Tana French's The Likeness, though with Finlay's distinctive contemporary edge.

This was the first book I've read by this author, but the description was compelling enough to make me want to read it, and I was not disappointed! The characters were clearly laid out, and while there were several to keep up with, they were easy enough to distinguish based on chapter names alone. The story had a couple small twists and turns, nothing major, yet it kept me captivated enough to want to read until the end. It was a quick read for me, but I enjoyed the ride and couldn't wait to finish to see how it all came together in the end.

A solid popcorn thriller. Parents weekend is a fast paced, quick read. Perfect for a long flight, beach read or to bring on vacation. This one definitely won’t stay with me forever but I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the multiple POVs. Parents vs students. There are A LOT of characters. I would have to stop and think about who was who when starting each chapter. I found myself liking the drama of the parents stories more than the students. Overall the story was entertaining and I would try another book by this author.

3.5 stars rounded up. This is my first Alex Finlay book and I plan on reading some more of his work soon. Overall, I enjoyed this thriller. The beginning was a little confusing at first and hard for me to get into because of there were so many characters. This book was fast paced and kept me guessing until the end, which I enjoyed. I really liked the FBI agent's character and chapter's the best. She was the most relatable for me.


Thank you Netgalley and St.Martin's Press for the digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

A quick popcorn thriller, but not something that will stay with me for a long time. I enjoyed the multiple view points, but I would have to stop and think about which person was which before diving in to their chapter.

I have read all of Alex Finlay’s books and will continue to pick them up as they come out. I like the small Easter eggs that they put in from their previous books, but you don’t have to have read them prior to reading this one.

This book centers around 5 college freshman and their families, who come from very different backgrounds. Each (short) chapter tells the story of a different family, keeping the reading light & quick.

As parent's weekend at college commences, "The Five" and their families plan for a night of dinner and cocktails. But as the kids fail to show up for dinner, the parents start questioning what happened to them? This story takes you through multiples points of view in both past and present. While nothing particularly kept me on the edge of my seat, the overall pace was fast and it was an easy book to read in a weekend.

Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an early copy of the book!

Another great book from Alex Finlay! Parents Weekend centers around five college students who reside in Campisi Hall. As the families show up for parents weekend, a dinner is planned for the students and their parents, however, the students don’t show up. At first, everyone thinks it’s just irresponsible college kids who got a better offer, but they soon realize there is a much bigger, more sinister, issue at play. The weekend is already tarnished by the death of a student, so their fears are not unfounded. The story is told in multiple POV’s, but it’s very easy to follow, and the chapters are quick reads.
The mystery surrounding the missing Five will keep you guessing until the end who is behind everything. Detective Sarah Keller, who you may recognize from other Finlay books, questions each parent, and the secrets and dysfunction of the family dynamics only clouds any clear cut path to what really happened to the students, and will they be found in time before they all suffer the consequences of their actions. Great character development, the mystery is riveting and easy to follow, and each of the parents secrets will have you shaking your head, especially at the shocking conclusion.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Minotaur Books and Alex Finlay for an advanced reader copy of another heart pounding thriller. 5 ⭐️

Another fast paced, twisty popcorn thriller from Alex Finlay! I love Finlay’s writing style and the short chapters always make for a bingeable quick read. I was hooked in right from the start which is always nice with thrillers. I was a little lost with all of the different characters/families for a bit at the start but once I got them all down was able to fly through. This was a fun ride and I loved it! Can’t wait to see what’s next from Alex Finlay as he’s become one of my favorite thrillers authors!

Thank you to Minotaur and NetGalley for my early digital copy 🫶🏻