I absolutely loved reading Parents Weekend.
The way these parents are so worried about themselves but instantly flip the switch into finding their children.
So many underlying stories that no one knows about but that come to light. Ah just perfection.

This was my first Alex Finlay book I will definitely be adding more to my TBR. I found this book keeped me hooked from the beginning learning all of the different families and how they were connected. I loved the short chapters it was fast paced and kept me engaged.
At times did find it hard to remember who was who and their connection to the story as their was so many character rotating in and out of the story.
Overall a good read and would recommend. Thank you to netgalley for the advanced reader copies.

I’ve really enjoyed some of Alex Finlay’s other books, but this one was just not it.

The plot itself had the potential to be decent - five students at Santa Clara are meeting up with their parents for the school’s parents weekend when all five of them mysteriously go missing. Special Agent Keller (from Finlay’s other books) is called in to solve the case, figuring out if the kidnapping has to do with the parents and their dirty secrets or the students and their dirty secrets.

But the execution fell totally flat for me - there are way too many characters. To clarify: five students, all of their parents, and Agent Keller each get multiple chapters and backstories and plot arcs! It’s simultaneously too many threads to follow without going meaningfully deep into any of them. The writing is notably poorer than Finlay’s other books, with this one taking on the norms of some of the pulpy mass market thrillers that I try to avoid these days. He employs one of my least favorite trends in thriller writing: short chapters with punchy, “mic drop” final lines that feel cringey and overly dramatic. Even Agent Keller, who has been a compelling protagonist in prior works, is almost painted a girl Friday who comes in and saves the day on an almost unbelievable number of situations in this book.

The ending and wrap-up was good, but didn’t feel worth it after slogging through the rest.

Alex Finlay does it again. I thoroughly enjoy this author. The books are binge-worthy. I particularly enjoyed the short chapters. It keeps me flipping the pages, craving more!

Five missing college students, a parents weekend at said college, and the return of Agent Sarah Keller - yes, this is a standalone.

There are a LOT of characters to keep track of and I found myself struggling to keep them straight. Reading on my Kindle made it nearly impossible to flip back. My suggestion, create a character guide as you go, or read a physical copy when this pubs :)

Hands up for the all the references to my favourite movie, Tommy Boy!! Man I miss Chris Farley!

My thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this gifted e-copy.

This is my fourth novel by Alex Finlay
In order of favourites:
Every Last Fear
The Night Shift
Parents Weekend
What Have We Done

Another four-star read that delivers fast-paced suspense, making it impossible to put down. The novel explores the lengths parents will go to for their children, presenting various intense and thrilling scenarios. It's an adrenaline-fueled ride from start to finish!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, a fast paced thriller. The plot starts at a very slow build, and roughly 1/4 way in starts to pick up and then never slows down. I did think there were a few too many characters, made things confusing at times, and some were very unlikable.
Had some nice twists in the plot and an ending that wrapped things up, which I always like. Anyone who likes a good thriller will certainly enjoy this one.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Set against the backdrop of a small Northern California college campus, Parents Weekend plunges readers into a mystery when five students—Libby, Blane, Mark, Felix, and Stella—vanish during their first year. Their disappearance coincides with the celebratory weekend for their parents, who initially dismiss the absence as typical college antics. But as hours turn into days without word from "The Five," tension escalates, drawing campus police, media frenzy, and an investigation led by FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller. The story is told through past and present timelines and multiple POVs. Parents Weekend explores family dynamics, friendship, and secrets threatening to surface.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Though I was initially nervous about the multiple points of view, the story flowed well and remained easy to follow. The past and present storytelling added depth and intrigue, making the mystery even more compelling. While I did guess one of the twists early on, it didn't take away from the suspense of the story.

Alex Finlay is a must-read author for me, and this novel did not disappoint. Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Minotaur Books for an advance copy.

Parents Weekend will be published on May 6, 2025.

I wasn’t as big of a fan of this Finlay book as the previous one I’d read. I didn’t have enough info about a lot of the characters to really care one way or the other and the big reveal of who was behind it felt a bit contrived. Otherwise it was still a quick and easy read that kept me interested, and it was well written.

Where are the kids? It’s parents weekend and a dinner is planned. The kids disappear and the search is on. The book is going to be great beach read. Going back and forth between main characters, the story keeps you reading and energized to get to the resolution.

I LOVED this book! If dark academia and thriller had a baby it would be this! So the book takes place in 3 days-Friday through Sunday. It involves 5 college students from very prominent families. It’s parents weekend where the parents spend time from dinner to other activities with their college kids. One student was found dead and the other 4 well you’ll have to read to find out. So it’s about who done it. But what I love is the setting and having different point of views! Point of views from each family and a FBI agent. This read like a movie. When I was 75% done on my kindle I was not ready for it to end. I wanted more! I did not stop until it was over. I read it in one day because each chapter definitely leaves you wanting to know more. I will definitely read anything and everything this author has written!

I really liked the pacing and twists of Alex Finlay’s Night Shift, so I was really excited to pick this one up. The story immediately pulls you into a college parents weekend gone horribly wrong. With multiple POV, quick and fast paced chapters, I finished this in a few days. If you love a twisty thriller with a splash of police procedural, you will love this one!

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: A Tense, Thrilling Ride: Review of Alex Finlay's "Parents Weekend"

Release Date: May 6, 2025

Rating: ★★★★☆

Alex Finlay's latest thriller, "Parents Weekend," might start off at a slower pace than fans of his previous works might expect, but patience certainly pays off with this one. While initially, the book doesn't seize the imagination as quickly as some of his other novels, giving it time leads to a rewarding experience that Finlay admirers wouldn't want to miss.

The book begins somewhat modestly, lacking the immediate hook that Finlay is known for. However, once the story builds momentum—roughly 40% into the narrative—it grips you firmly and pulls you along an exhilarating ride filled with the kind of action that only Finlay can deliver. The plot twists and tensions not only intensify but drive the story forward in a manner that is both enthralling and entirely absorbing.

As you pass the 60% mark, "Parents Weekend" propels you toward a conclusion at breakneck speed. Finlay masterfully ties up the loose ends, culminating in a finale that hits a high note, akin to a chef's kiss—perfectly satisfying and befitting the thrilling journey. The resolution is neat and well-executed, leaving readers both contented and impressed.

In summary, while "Parents Weekend" may require a bit of initial patience, it rewards readers with a cascade of action and suspense, showcasing Finlay's prowess in crafting compelling thrillers that resonate and entertain. It's a testament to Finlay's skill that even a slightly slower start leads to such a fulfilling and high-octane conclusion. Definitely a must-read for those who love a good page-turner that finishes strong.

Alex Finlay does it again with his newest novel, Parent’s Weekend.

Upon completing their first year of college, five students and their parents plan a celebration on the first night of Parent’s Weekend. Little did everyone know, things would not work out as planned.

As the festivities start, and dinner time comes and goes, the teens are nowhere to be found. Have they taken a weekend excursion, run away, or has something sinister happened? Pretty soon the police are brought in, along with the FBI, (including Special Agent Sarah Keller (a recurring character in some of Finlay’s other books)).

The investigation into the disappearance of “The Five” (Libby, Blane, Mark, Felix, and Stella) is a doozy and is told in the past and the present, with danger and dysfunction being prevalent themes throughout. This novel kept me riveted throughout and made me excited for the next Alex Finlay.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur.

It's Parents' Weekend at Santa Clara University when on their way to dinner five young adults suddenly go missing. Referred to as The Five in the media, some think they went missing deliberately, others believe they were taken.
I was hooked immediately from the first page. Short chapters, with each alternating POV from the parents. Also as a bonus it was fun to see Agent Keller again, who's twins are now 9! This was a really fun quick read

This is my first Alex Finlay novel.

I loved the premise of Parents Weekend - families gathering at their child's university for the weekend to see what their children have been up to, take in a glimpse of university life, and connect with their kids. All seems simple until none of their kids show up at dinner. In comes FBI agent Sarah Keller to solve the mystery and find the missing kids.

I was very hopeful for this novel but it didn't quite do it for me. There were so many characters (five families), Keller, and more. At times it was difficult to keep track of who was who. The story itself was confusing at times and didn't keep me dialed in.

I loved the idea of five kids disappearing, following the investigation, and seeing it all unfold but I lost interest half way through.

I would still be interested in reading more from Alex Finlay, especially his books featuring Agent Keller, but this one just didn't do it for me.

*** Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

This book kept me hooked from start to finish. It was such a fast-paced, thrilling crime novel that I couldn't put down.
At first I nervous there would be too many characters to keep up with but Finlay did such an exceptional job keeping everything organized and the characters distinguished. I loved that Keller, the FBI agent, was the center point of the novel and I adored her husband, Bob.
This was my first novel from Alex Finlay but he's been on my TBR list for a while now. I didn't know what to expect with his writing style, but I was pleasantly surprised how his writing just hooked me and kept me reading late into the night.
I loved that from the beginning there were so many leads in the book and I felt like I was with Keller, hunting down each of them. You really don't get that "relief" until the end, which is brilliant. I will say that I figured out the major plot twist about sixty pages from the end (but this could just be my active mind, years of reading thrillers). I was still surprised with the second plot twist, however, and overall loved the book and was impressed with Finlay's knowledge of the police and FBI force.
I am giving the novel 4.5/5 stars.
I'm excited to read more from Finlay in the future!

3.5 stars

It's the titular weekend of parental infiltration at a fancy private university in Northern California, and it's a memorable one!

There are many characters in this book, but Finlay successfully provides enough insight into most of them to help readers understand who is connected to what characteristics, life events, and other characters. Though the entire school experiences this big event, five students and their parents engage in a different kind of torture than just forced proximity to each other at a delicate time. The Five, as these five students are dubbed, scare their parents when they simultaneously miss a planned group meal. With their resources and senses of entitlement at the forefront, along with a newly transferred FBI agent just arriving in town (easily the best character in the book), these parents go all in on trying to recover their kids and on digging into why so many of them could be in some way responsible for these unimaginable circumstances. What follows is a mostly engaging plot and interesting set of outcomes.

I've read most of Finlay's books, and my thoughts have ranged from extremely engaging to near DNFing. This one falls on the correct side of center, as long as readers can tolerate the socioeconomic status and proclivities that come with it in most of these characters.

Overall, this is an engaging read from Finlay whose work I will continue to devour (with the greatest ongoing mystery being how I'll feel about it).

3.5! This story was told from multiple povs both in the present and past. There were a lot of characters - maybe too many to keep straight.
This wasn’t a predictable read for me - I could not figure out the ending. I liked the ending and felt like it brought the story to a good conclusion.
Thank you netgalley! This wasn’t a fun mystery to read!

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!