Parents weekend and lots of chaos ensures. Told with multiple perspectives we learn about the wild evening on company’s. Check out this thriller!

Five sets of college parents plan a gathering with their teens for dinner. One of the parents is a bigwig in the State Department. The parents wait for their kids to show up at the dinner, but the kids pull a no-show. The mystery that surrounds the missing teens is cleverly crafted, and the multiple twists and turns keep this reader's interest. On a side note, I enjoyed the FBI agent, Sarah Keller, and her darling husband. I hope that I will see them in one of Finlay's future books.

Parents Weekend didn't work well for me. It had too many view points and just wasn't the exciting thriller I thought it would be. There were aspects that could have made this a better read but just fell flat for me.

Parents weekend is supposed to be an exciting and enjoyable time where the students can show their parents around campus and attend any pre-planned events. The parents of five families (who each have children thaall t are part of the same freshman capstone group) are expecting as much, anyway. However, when their kids don’t show up to the dinner they were to attend, the panic starts to ramp up … especially following the death of another student the week prior.

Is it just kids being kids? Doing irresponsible things and forgetting to check in? Or could it be part of something more sinister?

This novel has quite a few twists and turns along the way. I was able to guess a few of the plot twists myself, but not all of them. The story kept me engaged and it was very tough to put the book down! I definitely recommend reading this if you enjoy a good thriller story.

This book started a little clunky for me with laying out the many characters, but picked up quickly and was an amazing read.

I liked the backstories of all the characters and a few little extra clues dropped in, and I was quite surprised (& a little bit heartbroken) with the end. Another well written story with a unique plot by Alex Finley. This is my introduction to Agent Sarah Keller & I loved her (& Bob!) & now will keep looking for more books featuring her story.

Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay lands us at Santa Clara University where five students go missing after the accidental drowning of another student. Each of the students comes from a different background but they have a common thread holding them together. Their parents who are worried about what happened to them each have their own backstory that could contribute to the disappearance. Finlay also brings back FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller who is temporarily located in the San Jose office while they help her father in law who is terminally ill. So what happened to the missing college students and will they be found…alive?

Positives: Ummm, it’s Alex Finlay - an auto read for me! Also, I found this one to be a fast paced thriller that I couldn’t put down. The character of McCray was a refreshing one that gave a retired police officer a second chance at showing his intuitive skills are still as on point as they were in his younger years. I also loved Annie and how she developed from an intern with campus security into such a pivotal assist to the search that also led to a career path she didn’t know she wanted. Finally, the fact that Finlay in his notes thanks another favorite author of mine, Sarah Pekkanen, for her help and support.

Struggles: In the beginning, it was difficult to keep track of all the characters, but once the story started going and character pieces fell in place, it was much easier. That’s all I’ve got. 😂

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books for the advanced copy. Opinions expressed are my own. This book will be published on May 5, 2025. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#netgalley #arc #bookstagram #ParentsWeekend #alexfinlay #stmartinspress #minotaurbooks

Parents Weekend was, unfortunately, a bit of a miss for me. This book was particularly short and I felt that there was too many characters that lacked sufficient character development for me to even care about them at all. The plot was decent (albeit predicatable) and I was interested enough to keep going but it was not super memorable and I found myself forgetting what I just read after putting the book down. This is a prime example of what I would call an "airplane book" - its engaging enough and quick enough to read on a flight but it is not ground breaking or really doing anything new or different.

It's Parents Weekend and five friends go missing just as they are about to have a group dinner,. A recent death on campus has everyone on high alert and we are once again joined by Special Agent Sarah Keller (The Night Shift) when the FBI is brought in to aid in the investigation. We get to know the backgrounds of all the parents, could one of then be linked to the disappearances?

I'm a big Alex Finlay fan and was happy to see SA Keller back on the page. Parents Weekend is a solid thriller but it let me down just a bit - felt rushed in the last few chapters. Overall an enjoyable story 3.5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

"Parents Weekend" is a gripping and unforgettable read. Finlay's masterful storytelling and the chilling premise make this a must-read for fans of the genre.

This book was excellent! Exactly what I needed to get out of a reading slump! Books with a lot of characters can sometimes be confusing, but the characters in this book were so well written that I had no problem telling them apart!

Alex Finlay’s Parents Weekend is a gripping, fast-paced thriller that delivers a compelling mix of suspense, mystery, and sharp character work. Set against the backdrop of a college campus during a parent’s weekend, the novel weaves together multiple storylines, each filled with tension, secrets, and unexpected twists.

The plot kicks off when a seemingly routine weekend visit by a group of parents quickly spirals into a dark, dangerous mystery, pulling readers into a web of lies, secrets, and unforeseen connections. Finlay’s talent for creating tense, high-stakes situations is on full display here, as the narrative keeps you guessing at every turn. The twists are skillfully executed, and the stakes feel high throughout.

Character development is one of the highlights of Parents Weekend. The book introduces a range of interesting characters, and Finlay does a great job of creating complex motivations, particularly in the way each parent’s background and relationship with their child unfold throughout the story. While some characters could have used a bit more depth, the diverse perspectives and shifting viewpoints keep the story fresh and engaging.

One slight downside is that, at times, the plot feels a bit too intricate, and there are moments where the pacing slows down as we jump between different storylines. Still, the book remains engaging enough to keep you hooked.

Overall, Parents Weekend is a well-crafted thriller with strong suspense and a memorable plot. While it may not be groundbreaking, it’s a highly enjoyable read for fans of psychological mysteries and contemporary thrillers. With its intricate plotting and satisfying conclusion, it’s a book that will leave readers both satisfied and eager for Finlay’s next work.

I'm a fan of Alex Finlay's books, but while I didn't dislike this one, it didn't leave me feeling wowed either. The story had potential, and I appreciated the multiple points of view, but ultimately, it felt more like a family drama than a true thriller. The primary focus was on the parents (which, to be fair, was hinted at in the book title…😂), but this detracted from the urgency surrounding the “missing kids.” The lack of depth in the kids characters made the reveal feel random and disconnected.

So good!!!! Another home run from Alex Finlay!!!! Parents Weekend is the unique unputdownable thriller you’ve been waiting for.

This was a fun fast read. I love Alex Finlays writing. It is always so intriguing how he connects the characters eventually but gives you a glimpse into all of them.

This author has become an easy auto read for me but this didn’t measure up as some of their other books. I still really enjoyed it and found it an easy read. However, I felt like the motive wasn’t realistic and the ending fell short. I will still read books from the author.

This is my second Alex Finlay book and I recall that I really enjoyed the first one. This one was also good, but at times it felt like a lot was going on and then nothing was going on as well. I really enjoyed the different pov’s and I did like it overall. 3.75 out of 5.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sending me an ARC of Parents Weekend in exchange for an honest review.

The Goodreads description of Parents Weekend is pretty solid, so I’ll jump directly to my thoughts. Jumping back and forth between different narrators, and between the past and present, this mystery unspools at a quick pace. For a story about missing college kids, I was surprised that most of the tale is told from the point of view of the parents and the FBI agent (Sarah Keller, heroine of Every Last Fear and The Night Shift). That construction, though, added a second layer of twists and red herrings to a book full of them. The social media context is also interesting, as it both causes trouble for suspects and police and yet also assists the investigation. Another solid thriller from Mr. Finlay. Recommended.

P.S. While I always appreciate representation on my name, I always appreciate it a little less when my name is misspelled. 😜

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for this ARC for review. Alex Finlay is an automatic purchase for me as this author always delivers a solid thriller and this book is no different. 5 missing students on parents weekend at a Southern California university. Are they just playing games or is something more sinister afoot? There are some good twists and turns and this book kept me guessing. I always look forward to the next Finlay book! Just read it!

Alex Finlay is an "immediately request and read" author for me. So obviously I was pumped to find his most recent book show up on NetGalley. This one takes place on a college campus during a parents weekend event. Except here's the thing, a group of five students/friends are nowhere to be found. Fearing the worst, a search begins, as does some poking into the secrets and such of the different families. This is one that kept me guessing as the books by the author always do and included that big twist I just never can guess! I'm always down for a book set on a college campus, so this was a layer I especially enjoyed. One caution for readers - There are a lot of characters. If I had to start over, I would've written who was who on a Post-It or something. So if you're beginning to turn these pages, learn from my mistake, and try that out. Thanks to NetGalley for the early look at this May 2025 release.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this digital ARC! While it starts off slow, it picks up about 40 percent of the way through resulting in a strong thriller. I would have liked more of a backstory between the students. We learn what happened quickly and it would have been interesting to hear their perspectives before it happened rather than during their disappearance. All in all, it kept me hooked after a while and I was able to finish it quickly once I got more into it. I’d recommend it, especially for readers who like on-campus thrillers like myself.