This book hooked me right from the start! The setup—five college students vanishing during Parents Weekend at their small Northern California school—had me turning pages late into the night. The story is told through multiple perspectives, weaving between past and present, which kept things fresh and full of suspense.

I really enjoyed how the relationships between the parents and their kids were written. They felt so real, full of love, tension, and all the little complexities of family life. Special Agent Keller was a standout for me. It’s not easy to portray a strong female FBI agent who’s also a devoted mom and wife, but Alex Finlay nailed it. She was such a relatable character, balancing everything while still being a total professional.

That said, some of the other characters didn’t grab me as much. They were all believable, just not all equally likable. The mystery was solid, but I wasn’t totally blown away by the twists—they felt a bit predictable. And while the ending tied things up, it did feel rushed. I would’ve loved just a little more detail.

Still, I couldn’t put this one down. It’s a fast, engaging read, and I’m already looking forward to Alex Finlay’s next book! If you love suspense, give this a try.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Parents'Weekend was a 4.5 star read! Alex Finlay has solidified himself as an automatic buy author for me. I have devoured his backlog and cannot say enough good things about his thrillers. Parents Weekend kept me turning pages dying to know what was going to happen next. Five families arrive for Parents Weekend and are looking forward to spending time with their kids....However the kids do not show up to dinner on opening night and secrets begin to unravel. I loved catching up with Special Agent Sarah Keller from his books "Every Last Fear" and The Night Shift"- that was such a treat. Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur books for the advanced reader copy.

Five college kids disappear with a secret, but their parents all have secrets of their own. What's connected and what's not? Though the motives and culprits were fairly obvious throughout, the suspense stayed steady. I enjoyed seeing Agent Sarah Keller in action again, and I'm intrigued by Annie. Just a few glimpses of her but I imagine she'll turn up in a future book. The ending was a little hurried and maybe lacked some information. Still, I enjoy this author and while this wasn't my favorite of his, it was entertaining and I look forward to reading his next.

I loved how the author mixed suspense with some humor, and the plot kept me guessing with its twists and turns. The characters are well-developed, and the dynamics between the parents and kids felt really authentic. It's one of those books that’s easy to get into and keeps you hooked until the very end. If you're in the mood for a quick, exciting read with a good mix of drama and mystery, this one's definitely worth picking up!

I enjoyed this thriller but also found it to be a bit slow in some parts. Overall would recommend and enjoyed the twists!

NetGalley Read Alert!!

I really enjoyed this one. It was an easy read and flowed through the characters and storylines quickly with short chapters which I really loved.

Pub Date May 6th 📚

Thank you Net Galley and St. Martins Press for an advanced copy of this book.

This is my first time reading any work by Alex Finlay and I really loved the mystery. Its about five students who go missing during Parent’s Weekend, which they believe is some kind of joke. Turns out its not. I don't want to spoil anything in this book, but I highly recommend to read this book. I can’t wait for the audio book to be released.

So excited to have Agent Keller back in action! I enjoyed her character in the author's first two novels and was happy to be reunited with her and her family again. This was a quick, enjoyable thriller that I flew through in a day. The storyline flowed well, moving through multiple POVs and dual timelines with ease, and there were so many secrets and shady characters. Finlay provided so many possibilities for us readers to ponder on that I had no idea what happened to those five students nor who was responsible. The ending was somewhat disappointing and the reason for subtracting one star from my rating. There were a few plot holes that weren't cleared up and I would have liked a little more closure. I still had a great time reading this book and look forward to all of the author's future novels. I would definitely recommend!
 
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for granting me digital access via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

I received an advanced copy of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley.

This book centered around five college freshmen who vanish without a trace during their first Parents Weekend. What begins as an ordinary night of dinner and cocktails for their families quickly spirals into a living nightmare when the students—residents of Campisi Hall—fail to show up for the festivities.

Initially dismissed as typical college behavior, their absence becomes more alarming as hours turn into days without so much as a text or call. Libby, Blane, Mark, Felix, and Stella come from vastly different backgrounds, and their parents are equally complex and flawed. As the search unfolds, secrets bubble to the surface—both about the students’ own lives and the pasts of their parents.

It was a pleasant surprise when I first started reading this book that Santa Clara University was the school where the Parents Weekend was held (I went there, albeit, quite a while ago) and all the various references were fun to read. Told through shifting perspectives, this book masterfully weaves together the mounting tension of a mystery with the emotional depth of family drama.

This is a perfect pick for readers who enjoy unraveling mysteries against the backdrop of family secrets and shifting dynamics.

Although I have seen and read a bit about the author, Alex Finlay, I have never laid eyes on one of his books and I didn't quite know what to expect when I began this book without reading any of the "about" section or the book "blurbs". I also tend to avoid what are referred to as "campus" books, because I worked on college campuses as a police officer for almost 30 years and find that, in many cases, the written representation as to the location and the police don't stack up to the reality. Parents Weekend was a different animal, much closer to what I would expect.

When five freshman students go missing on Parents Weekend from a private California university, it brings together a mixed bag of parents with a host of their own issues. From infidelity to stalking, divorce to a high-profile public figure; could the parents' personal lives be the impetus behind the five students going missing or is it any one of a sundry of things that college students find themselves neck deep in, especially during their first year away from home.

I LIKED this book with its host of well-built characters; parents, students, and police. While there were a lot of viewpoints represented, Mr. Finlay transitioned easily and smoothly between them. I never had any doubt who was doing what. That's a huge plus and takes a degree of skill not every author possesses.

I really LIKED Special Agent Keller. It's tough enough being a female FBI agent, let alone trying to portray one in fiction. Again, Alex Finlay did a masterful job of painting Keller's portrait as an effective professional, devoted mother and loving wife. Nicely done!

Finally, the way in the story was resolved was well done, in that it highlighted a reality of college life - students can be undeniably cruel with no concept of the results of their actions. Sometimes, not even giving those results a bit of forethought.

This novel is the third book of Alex Finaly's that involves FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller. It is about five college friends who go missing on Parents' Weekend. The book was interesting from the get-go with multiple POVs and dual timelines. I will say, for me, it started to slow down around the mid-point, but still a good thriller. I was engaged with the story and liked the characters. I do feel the other two novels with Agent Sarah Keller were my favorite over this one, but again, still a good read.

Loved this book! It took me longer to read than I wanted, because I had to keep putting it down to live in the real world. Very well written with an interesting storyline. There are a lot of characters who all have their own things going on, along with the main issue that brings them all together. The transition between all the characters is smooth and it's very easy to keep track of who you're with. I really liked the way the chapters were broken up by character (s) and each chapter is a quick read. I look forward to finding and reading more from Alex Finlay.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of Parents Weekend!

A solid beach read, it was a quick and easy. A good novel to pick up if you want to start delving into some psychological fiction/thriller books. Parents Weekend would be great for a trip, or for relaxing on a sandy beach. It has plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing. The chapters are short and there are a lot of characters, however, each chapter tells you whos point of view you are reading.

At the end, I felt let down...the ending came really quick, and there multiple plot holes, and the final twist wasn't as dramatic as I'd like!

I went back and reread the prologue and I wasn't sure how it related to the story...

Upon reading other reviews, it seems that FBI agent Sarah Keller was in a previous Finlay book. This was my first Alex Finlay book, and I do not think I would have needed to read the previous book she was in to understand her role.

All in all it was a good read, there were multiple twists that you felt could pan out, and again it is good book for a novice psychological thriller reader.

I give it three and a half stars, rounded down.

In the typical style of Alex Findlay, this is a fast paced mystery/thriller set in a private expensive west coast college during parents weekend. A student has been found dead, drowned in the ocean near campus. The parents descend upon the college for the weekend; most of them are one-dimensional unlikable and annoying caricatures.

This is a common style of mystery- the “five” end up missing and unreachable, the police, an FBI agent and all the parents go looking for them and to figure out how they can help.

The climax/ending seemed very rushed and wrapped up all the storylines really abruptly. I can say I liked this book, but I didn’t love it. Honestly the problem with Parents Weekend is that it has entirely too many characters. Five college kids and a menagerie of parents. It was just too many. It was difficult for the author to really develop any of the characters so they ended up flat, and there just wasn’t time for any development or good background information.

If you are caught between audiobook and physical book, I wouldn’t recommend audio because it will be difficult to keep everyone straight.

This could be a good, quick read for someone looking for an exciting story.

Thanks to @netgalley and @minotaur_books for the ARC. Book to be published 5/6/25.

#booksbooksbooks #booktok #bookstagram #arcreader #bookreview #bookrecommendations #ParentsWeekend

Flew through this one in two nights and it filled my thriller craving, but ultimately wasn't one that was super memorable.

Loved that it took place in the Bay Area (South Bay primarily) and had a bit of a campus thriller feel it took place at Santa Clara university!). It has multiple perspectives, mostly from four different families + one detective working the case. I enjoyed getting into the backgrounds and drama of each family and their child at the school, however it also felt fairly surface level and I thought more parts would be relevant. This read super quickly because of the short chapters so it did keep me engaged. However there wasn't really any plot twists and I did find the ending to be underwhelming. Overall, didn't love it but didn't hate it, but you can check it out for yourself when it releases 5/6/25!

I love good mystery novels. I especially liked Alex Finlay's story about shocking events at a beautiful college campus in California. Santa Clara sounds like a dream place to study and live. The students' parents gather for a weekend to enjoy the fruits of their labor in getting their kids into this perfect school. Behind every student, there are parents with secrets and lies. The novel unfolded with great characterization and an intricate plot line. Even if you aren't a mystery or thriller fiction fan, this is a novel not to miss. I highly recommend Parents Weekend!

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book, which will be published on May 6, 2025.

This was a fast-paced mystery written in short chapters so it made for an easy read. It did keep me interested along the way even though the reveal/ending was just so-so. I did really enjoy the FBI agent main character and would like to see her in more books!

Alex Finlay delivers every time! Each novel immerses the reader in an entirely different world of intrigue, suspense, and problematic though sometime too relatable characters. While I was able to predict the part of the "who done it," it in no way compromised the skilled writing, delicious twists and turns, and compelling plot. I highly recommend Parents Weekend to anyone that enjoys a good mystery and doesn't mind being pulled in to a great story to keep you reading even until the later hour.

Alex Finlay’s Parents Weekend is a gripping and suspenseful page-turner that masterfully weaves family drama, campus intrigue, and a chilling mystery. The story begins with an innocent, celebratory tone as parents gather for the festivities of Parents Weekend. Still, the disappearance of their children quickly plunges them—and readers—into a tense and twisting narrative.

Told from multiple perspectives and moving seamlessly between past and present, the book keeps you guessing as familial and personal secrets unravel. Exploring parental expectations, the fragility of family dynamics, and the bonds of young friendship add emotional depth to the mystery. FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller is a welcome anchor to the chaos, providing sharp insights and continuity for fans of Finlay’s earlier works.

While the story is captivating, the large cast and shifting timelines can sometimes feel overwhelming, leaving some characters less developed than others. That said, the pacing and plot twist more than makeup for it, delivering a satisfying and thought-provoking read.

Perfect for fans of psychological thrillers and family dramas, Parents Weekend is a compelling reminder of how the sins of the past can ripple into the present—and how far parents will go to protect their children.

This book captured my attention from the start. I loved the multiple perspectives from the different families. This would be great to read if you are looking for a cozy fall campus novel.