I enjoyed the multiple POVs and theysertt I ng of the book. The ending wasn't a big wow factor for me and I wish it had been. Still I think it's a good book and I will definitely try another by Finlay. Thank you for letting me read and review!

Thanks to net galley, Alex, Finley, and his publisher. I love all of this authors works, and I look forward to reading each new one. But this one left me a little bit uninterested. It wasn’t as good as the rest, I was a bit slow a little bit and was a little boring at times., but he still one of my favorite authors.

I really liked this suspense filled thriller. The book has multiple povs to keep the suspense high. There are many smaller stoeylines running alongside the main line, so yoyr always guessing what's going to happen next.
It's definitely a great read for thriller readers.

The story drew me in right away. I felt I couldn't put it down. By the middle I felt bored, and the ending was pretty disappointing. Very interested in trying another Alex Finlay novel with the hopes it has a better ending.

3.5 ⭐️
This is a very easy read, perfect for a summer trip to the beach. This thriller is told from multiple POV and I really enjoyed FBI Agent Sarah Feller’s character. The second part of the book was a bit slow for me but overall is a very good book, finished it in a few days.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a copy of this book. This will be released on May 6, 2025

4 stars! Very pleased with this new release - Finlay continues to grow & is one of the best of the thriller writers. I really loved seeing Agent Keller return in this, but I did initially struggle with the large cast of characters - five students AND their parents. Liked the ending a lot. Many thanks to Neet Galley & the publisher for my advanced reader's copy, happy to review it!

An entertaining “who done it” mystery. A cinematic style where several characters/suspects are introduced and each has their own secrets. Once I was familiar with the characters and their relationships the story pace picked up as the plot thickened. Overall, I enjoyed this mystery.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press the advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley #ParentsWeekend

Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay gave me whiplash with so many different POVs, but I didn’t hate it. I actually think it’s what kept the story interesting.

I enjoyed the journey reading about 5 students going missing on parents weekend and the journey to find out what happend but when we got to the end the reveal was fairly obvious to me.

Always a must read author for me. 3.5 stars rounded down to 3. Thank your NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

I gave this book 3 stars. The story line was original but there weren’t as many twists and turns as I expected.

A quick twisty read that kept me guessing.

Thank you to netgalley for an advanced copy. My opinions are my own.

A small private college in North Carolina, five families planning a night of dinner and cocktails to kick off parents weekend...but the kids never show up! The five missing students all come from very different backgrounds and it's assumed they're just being normal college kids. But as time goes by no texts or calls, campus police start to investigate. This book was a great! Loved the fast paced, action packed story! I thought due to all the different families and their history it would get messy and confusing but it was well written and easy to keep straight as the characters developed. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

When a group of parents gather at their childrens’ college for Parents’ Weekend, the last thing they expect is the drama that ensues. In the immediate aftermath of the death of one of the students, five more go missing—no texts, no calls, no updates. The parents and the school begin to panic, calling in police for reinforcements. Each family is dealing with their own drama but are the disappearances the result of the parents’ poor decisions or the childrens?

I enjoyed the pacing of this book. The first 20% sets up the story and focuses a lot of time on the different families involved in Parents’ Weekend. Yes, there are five or six different families to keep track of and yes, I did need to take notes at first to make sure that I was keeping everyone straight. However, once I got in to the flow of the story and the family dramas, I had no issues. My problem with books that have so many characters though is that many of them end up one-dimensional and that was the case here. They were entertaining enough to follow along with but I would have loved to see less characters with more emotional depth and background.

As far as the mystery of the story, it felt a little simple; the reveals felt obvious. While certainly not my favorite Finlay read, I still enjoyed my time within these pages.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the early copy in exchange for an honest review. Available May 6 2025

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Alex Finlay is easily one of my favorite mystery/thriller authors, so I'm extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to read this one early. It certainly did not disappoint! I've now read all five of his books and have loved them all! This book was like his others in the sense that it was very fast-paced and unputdownable, with multiple POVs and short chapters.

This novel follows five college students and their families, who are coming to visit them for the university's Parents Weekend. Things take quite the turn when the students never show up to the planned group dinner and the parents realize they've all gone missing.

This also follows Special Agent Sarah Keller, who appeared in Every Last Fear and The Night Shift. I am thriller she showed up in Parents Weekend! She's an amazing character and I always love getting a glimpse of her family life--she's an incredibly smart and brave woman with a sweet husband and adorable twin children!

Parents Weekend follows Keller as she is racing to figure out where the students went and help them. Throughout the course of the story we also learn more about the families and their secrets, where affairs are the tip of the iceberg.

Overall, I don't have a single complaint about this one. I loved it and would highly recommend to lovers of fast-paced mystery/thrillers!

I picked this book up because I loved “The Night Shift!” There is no doubt Alex Finlay can write a compelling mystery, and the premise of this one is fun. I won’t rehash the plot summary but this story takes place during a parent’s weekend when a group of students goes missing.

There are so many characters in this story! So be ready to focus and track them. The strength of the story is they are unique, so I was not confused, but it was definitely a lot! Overall, I was into this book and it kept me turning the pages quickly to find out what was going on!

I loved The Night Shift, so I was super excited to get this ARC! I ended up reading this in one setting 😂

I really enjoyed this story! I enjoyed the mystery and the way the author would lead you in different directions. I also liked getting the perspective from the different families and students.

It was very well-written and such an engaging story. I will say, the only thing I would change is that I felt like the end was a little rushed… I would have liked to have it a bit more drawn out. But other than that, I loved it!

Let me just say that there are a lot of characters in this book. Five families and their children are the focus at a parents weekend at the college they attend. When the parents attend the opening night dinner, none of their children show up. No phone calls and no texts. At first, they are mad at their irresponsible children. That soon turns to concern and panic when no one hears a word from any of them.
The highlight of this story for me was seeing Agent Sarah Keller (IYKYN), oh and figuring out where the kids were. Lots and lots of secrets and I did not guess who was responsible. This book publishes in May and hopefully the weather is warm enough for beach reading weather. 👍

I am a huge fan of Alex Finlay so when I seen there was a new book coming out I knew I had to have it! Parents Weekend was everything I expected it to be and I think this is my new favorite book by Finlay! Thank you so much NetGalley and St. Minotaur Books for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

What’s supposed to be a normal parents weekend at a small private university in Northern California turns to disaster when five students never turn up to a group dinner. As the hours pass, stories about the student swell and questions are asked as to how the kids disappeared and what really happened. Soon the school calls in reinforcements, and the FBI is on the scene to solve the case. What really happened to the students, what might they be hiding, and what are their parents not tell us?

“Parents Weekend” is a great concept that unfortunately never really materializes. The author opens up too many avenues of possibilities as to what happens, then end up choosing on that just does really make sense. Additionally not much really happens for about 60-70% of the book leaving readers dragging along to finally be disappointed in a lackluster ending. 2/5 stars

Just finished and as always a whirlwind ride! It starts out slow with lots of characters to introduce but as always with Alex Finlay the plot quickly thickens and twists as it races to a shocking conclusion. And it shows when you find true friends who stick by you, you will do anything to save them!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press/ Minotaur Books for allowing me the opportunity to read Parents Weekend as an advanced reader copy. It was an engaging and enjoyable read, and I appreciated the chance to experience it before its official release.

One of my favorite aspects of the book was the use of pop culture and modern references. They were funny, insightful, and perfectly balanced—adding depth and relatability to the story without feeling forced or cringeworthy. These elements made the narrative feel current and vibrant, enhancing the overall experience.

Despite the book featuring multiple families, I found it easy to keep track of everyone after the initial chapters. However, I would have liked more differentiation between the characters—perhaps through physical descriptions, more distinct voices, or varied storylines. While the "marriage in shambles" trope was realistic and compelling, it became somewhat confusing when two families were experiencing similar issues. Adding more variety to their struggles could have provided greater clarity and distinction.

That said, I was impressed with the depth given to each character. It's rare to find such rich character development in thrillers, and it made the story all the more engaging. The pacing was solid overall, and I breezed through the book, but I think the middle could have benefited from more jaw-dropping chapter endings to maintain momentum.

The twist, unfortunately, felt underwhelming. The red herrings weren’t truly misleading but rather straightforward clues pointing directly to the resolution. Introducing more genuine misdirections or unexpected turns could have added a layer of intrigue. By the halfway point, I was fairly confident about the direction of the plot, which diminished the suspense.

The ending itself wrapped up rather quickly. While the "three years later" epilogue provided closure, it wasn’t entirely necessary. Leaving the conclusion more open-ended might have added a sense of mystery and kept readers thinking about the story long after finishing.

Overall, Parents Weekend was a quick, enjoyable read with strong character depth and relevant, humorous references. I do think some areas could benefit from more differentiation and tighter plotting, particularly with the twist and pacing. Even so, I had a great time reading it and would recommend it to fans of character-driven thrillers. Thank you again for the opportunity to dive into this story!