Parents Weekend by @alexfinlayauthor ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝓣𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝓰𝓻𝓸𝔀 𝓾𝓹 𝓼𝓸 𝓯𝓪𝓼𝓽… 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝔂’𝓻𝓮 𝓰𝓸𝓷𝓮.

It’s parents weekend at college! What could go wrong?!🍻

Libby, Blane, Felix, Mark, and Stella are freshmen in the same capstone group, and all have gone missing on the evening when they’re supposed to be at dinner with their parents. Told from various points of view, we are introduced to many characters to help us discover what happened to the students—aka The Five—, and the dramatic tidbits from each family’s story add even more depth to the book. I really enjoyed the audiobook and the narrator, and thought the book was well-paced and compelling. The mystery kept me engaged and wanting to finish! I would recommend this one; it’s a quick read and was enjoyably easy to get through!

Release Date - May 6th ☀️

Thank you to @netgalley @macmillan.audio @minotaur_books for this advanced audio copy! 🎧💕

#netgalley #netgalleyreads #netgalleyreviewer #netgalleyreview #parentsweekend #alexfinlay #alexfinlayauthor #booknerd #bookstagram

I thought this audio was really well done! The multiple POV and short chapters made this a breeze to get through. There were a lot of characters, which made this a tad confusing at times to keep up with, but not complicated enough to take me out of the story. The diversity of the families really added to the drama and suspense aspect and helped keep my overall interest because I just knew there would be some craziness between them. The pacing was well done, and the mystery was compelling enough to keep me listening, so I would definitely recommend this one!

Synopsis: A group of students go missing during parents weekend at their small private college in Northern California.

Thoughts: My two favorite Alex Finlay books (Every Last Fear and The Night Shift) feature Agent Sarah Keller, so I was excited to see her back for another story! This is a fast-paced thriller with short, bingeable chapters. The ending wasn’t predictable (for me), and I really enjoyed the ride to get there! A note on the audio: Brittany Pressley can do no wrong. Her narration is fantastic, as always, and she makes it easy to differentiate between the many characters.

Read this if you like:
🏫 college setting
🏫 missing persons
🏫 multiple pov
🏫 police procedural
🏫 short chapters

There was SO many characters in this, which actually made it a blast to read. I did not get confused at all, it was super easy to follow!

I’ve read a couple of Alex Finlay books and really enjoyed them, so when the opportunity to listen to the audio for his new book Parent Weekend I definitely had to make a request!

I had a great time Listening to this book, it’s fast-paced, packed with suspense, and totally pulls you into every parent’s worst nightmare! Five college students vanish right at the beginning of the weekend! From there, things spiral into a gripping mystery involving messy family secrets, unexpected twists, and the return of the fan favorite Agent Sarah Keller (loved seeing her back in action!).

That said, I’ll admit I had a tough time keeping track of all the characters… There are a lot of them! And it took a bit for me to keep everyone straight. As the story really picked up I was still able to follow along no problem, but I’ll admit I probably mixed up some of the people around in my head a time or two 😝!

The short chapters made it easy to fly through, and even though I didn’t feel super connected to all the characters, the mystery and pacing definitely kept me turning pages. If you’re in the mood for a thriller that’s intense but not too heavy, this one is definitely worth checking out!

⚠️While there were no spicy scenes, this book contains some adult topics like drug use, infidelity, and language.

Huge thank you to @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for the early copy of this audiobook! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is the third book I’ve read by Alex Finlay and I’m sad to say probably my least favorite. It was by no means bad, I just never felt any compulsive urge to find out what was going to happen next. I also didn’t feel a connection to any of the characters. There are a lot of different characters to get to know and it was a bit confusing at times, but every one of them plays an important role. The story is told through multiple timelines and multiple POVs. Both things that I like in my thrillers.

FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller was back in this story which I loved. I do enjoy her and her perseverance to solve cases.

Overall, there are twists and turns that I’ve come to expect from Alex Finlay’s books, but sadly this book just didn’t quite live up to her previous books. It’s by no means bad and I still think a lot of people will enjoy it. It just wasn’t as compulsive as I was hoping for!

I listened to the audiobook book and the narration was fantastic! Brittany Pressley always does such a great job! So for that reason alone, I recommend grabbing this audiobook if you decide to read it!

Yet another addictive thriller by one of our favorites, Alex Finlay!

There aren't many parents that DON'T worry about sending their kids to college, but these prestigious families certainly don't seem too worried. Until one disappears. Then they all disappear - on parents weekend. Are they being snotty teens? Or has something truly happened?

This was an exciting one for sure, and I highly recommend for anyone with college age kids for sure!

The narrators made the story!

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this arc in return for my honest review.

Pub Date: 06 May 2025

Told through multiple viewpoints, Parents Weekend showcases the diversity of the families involved, both in background and voice. At times, I did find it tricky to track all the characters simply because there were so many, but author Alex Finlay's skill at weaving each perspective into the larger mystery helped keep the story grounded for the most part. He also incorporated an interesting, but not overdone, social media angle, which added to the mounting tension without overpowering the plot.

I appreciate Finlay's signature blend of twists, crossovers, and fast pacing that never fails to entertain. It was fun seeing FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller make another appearance here, and while this book doesn't spoil any past cases/books she's a special guest in, her presence definitely helped anchor the narrative. Finlay also delivered some red herrings and curveballs, and while this wasn't his most emotionally gripping novel, it definitely held my interest.

A huge bonus for me was that Brittany Pressley narrated the audiobook. Her narration instantly upped my enthusiasm! I've been known to pick books based on whether she's reading them, and she once again gave every character their own voice and boosted the story's energy overall.

My only real gripe was the lack of emotional connection to the core characters; despite the high stakes, I didn't feel deeply invested in any of them. That said, between Keller's presence, the compelling pacing, and the well-layered mystery, I still had a good time with it and don't regret reading it by any means.

Bottom line? Parents Weekend isn't Finlay's best work, but it's a solid, twisty thriller that's worth picking up, especially if you love short chapters, layered tension, and a strong audiobook narration. This book strikes me more of a good read to avoid a bookish slump once finished a truly gripping novel (e.g., you finished a life-altering book and you need something to read that will capture and keep your attention, but not compete with how spine tingly awesome the previous one was... Or this just a me thing?)

Alex Finlay is an auto buy author for me, and this book only confirms that. Five stars for this twisty thriller!

It's Parents Weekend, and Felix, Mark, Blane, Stella, and Libby are awaiting the arrival of their parents. Right before they meet up for dinner, they disappear. At first, everyone assumes that they are just college students having fun. It quickly becomes clear that something is not right, and that is when law enforcement is brought in.

I am not going to give anything away here. Go into this one blind. It is a fun ride!

This story is told from each family's perspective. Secrets come to light, and everyone learns that actions have consequences. The chapters are short and fast, and they are packed with twists and turns. Also, I was so happy to see that FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller is back for this one! I loved "Every Last Fear" and "The Night Shift" - I am thrilled to see her in another book! I hope to see her again soon.

The audiobook of this one is incredible. That should not come as a surprise as Brittany Pressley is the narrator for this one. She does an amazing job - as always - and really gets the voices of each character.

I highly recommend all of this author's books! You will not be disappointed. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read/listen to this one early. It releases on May 6th - preorder it now!

I did not, unfortunately, enjoy this. The narrator was great, but the story felt rushed and the characters flat. Neither the parents nor the kids felt fully realized. I read a lot of twisty fiction, and none of the "red herrings" felt like real threats. I liked this author's debut but don't know if I'll pick up more from him.
Thanks for letting me review the audipbook!

I started off really enjoying the book, but the large cast of characters made it hard to keep track at times. It felt like some characters disappeared for a while, only to reappear later in the story. That may not have been the case, but I found myself losing track of a few along the way.

I enjoyed Brittany Pressleys narration of the book..

Publication date- May 6, 2025
#ParentsWeekend #NetGalley

Great narrator. The story was not very long, yet there were so many chapters. The book has a ton of characters, that at times it was hard to follow who was who, and whose point of view I was listening to.
The book is fast paced but there isn’t anything memorable about it. I’ve read every book by this author and hands down Night Shift and Every Last Fear are my most favorite. This one was a miss for me.

Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay delivers a suspenseful premise: five students vanish from a prestigious California college during a holiday weekend, just after a peer turns up dead. The school is buzzing, secrets are piling up, and it’s up to new-to-town FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller to unravel what’s really going on.

This was a fast listen with some solid momentum, especially in the second half. Sarah Keller is a standout protagonist—strong, sharp, and grounded—and I appreciated the perspective she brought to the investigation. The missing students were also compelling, and I found myself invested in where their storylines were going.

The downside for me? The parents. Their inclusion added more noise than value. They didn’t offer much to the core mystery, and their individual storylines often felt like unrelated tangents. The pacing also dragged in places, which made it harder to stay fully locked in.

What kept me going was the narration. Brittany Pressley is one of my favorite narrators—she never lets me down, and this book was no exception. She gave life and energy to each character, which helped smooth out the slower parts.

All in all, it’s a solid thriller with high-stakes tension, even if it loses focus at times. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance listening copy in exchange for my honest review.

The narration on this audiobook was great. It kept my attention and was fun to listen to. The actual storyline was a bit all over the place for me, but did come together in the end.

Thank you to Alex Finlay and NetGalley for this audiobook in the exchange for my honest review.

Loved it! What a great summer thriller this will be. Another that is right up my alley. The audiobook is terrific--I worried a bit when I started that it would be too many characters to keep up with, but the story is woven in such a way that It is easy to keep up with which student goes with which set of parents. There are lots of twists and turns even though it takes place through a couple of days. The families are quite the assortment of characters, maybe like Bad Summer People meets a twisty thriller. I blew right through it. Sometimes the frat boy dialogue is a little annoying, but if it wasn't I guess we would complain that it wasn't authentic LOL. Most of the story comes through the POV of the FMC who is an FBI agent, and this organization offers a strong thread to keep it all together. Technically I wasn't happy with a piece of the ending, but that is what keeps it twisty. Just seemed like one poor family couldn't catch a break! A great summer thriller for anyone. Thank you to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced copy and the opportunity to share my review.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay, narrated by Brittany Pressley, published by Macmillan Audio

The novel was just ok, lots of characters and I lost track at the beginning as families were introduced. I found it hard to keep track of Parents vs children, who belonged to who. I didn't feel the characters had depth. The story just didn't grab me and I found myself not paying attention as the story was told. Nothing to do with the narrator, she was awesome
I've read other books by this author and loved them and that's the reason I requested this audiobook. The story needed more substance and some plot twists.

Its Parents Weekend at Santa Clara University this will be one none of them every forget. The book opens with each family on their way to the event. As they arrive and meet for cocktails and dinner, their children are a no show. They begin to wonder if this is normal college behavior, ditching the parents for a party or should they worry. After learning the death of a classmate, we learn that five students are missing. The narrator, Brittany Pressley did a great job bringing the characters to life, but there are a lot of characters (20+) to remember in this book. You have the five missing students, their families, professor, intern, and FBI agents just to name a few. Each family also has its own set of underlying issues.

I had a hard time placing which student belonged to which parent. This was a face paced read with short chapters. Overall, it's well written and a solid thriller/mystery. I really enjoyed FBI Special Agent, Sarah Keller and Annie the intern. I am hoping the next book will feature these two working together. 3.5 stars

It’s Parents Weekend at a small private college. The parents of five college freshman, plan a dinner together. But the Blane, Marck, Felix, Libby and Stella never show up for dinner. At first the parents just think – oh, it’s kids being kids. But as another 24 hours pass without a word from the “The Five”, they call in the police. With them come the reporters. And the rumor mill kicks into full swing.

It’s a fast paced thriller with so much action that I felt I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Did the kids get lost? Kidnapped?

Ah, so good! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!
You will love this one – and then go back and read his other books. You can thank me later! 😉

Thank you #NetGalley for the advance copy of #ParentsWeekend in exchange for an honest review.

At a private college in Northern California (heehee, that's where I'm from), a few families gather for parents weekend...but then, the kids go missing.

We get to see the modern-day response to this sort of situation, the internet obsessing over the story, making podcasts and TikToks about them and the situation. We get to see the police investigation and all of the family chaos and dysfunction.

This is another book that has a super interesting premise, but I just wanted a bit more from the execution. It was bad by any means, it just wasn't as exciting as it could've been. I didn't feel as if there were really any twists or shocking reveals. It wasn't necessarily flat, but it didn't have as much depth as it could've. Certain aspects could've been emphasized and explored more for the drama and dramatic effect within the story. I can totally see a lot of people enjoying this, for some reason, I see this as a beach read. (Maybe because it takes place in California, but as someone from California, that makes no sense because we do not go to the beach. You cannot get into Northern California water, that stuff is FREEXING.)

Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

I’ve read a lot of thrillers, and Parents Weekend landed solidly in the “average but entertaining” category for me. I listened to the audiobook version and thought the narration by Brittany Pressley was great. She kept the pacing tight and brought a lot of energy to a pretty complex cast of characters.

This one follows five college students who go missing during Parents Weekend at a small school in Northern California. Naturally, their parents panic, the campus gets swarmed, and the internet turns them into “The Five” while everyone tries to piece together what happened. There are a lot of characters, which made it a little hard to keep track of at first, but I appreciated that each family’s chapters included subtle reminders about who was who. That helped a lot early on.

The plot jumps between past and present and includes a returning FBI agent from Finlay’s earlier books. You don’t need to have read those to follow along. It has all the ingredients of a solid thriller: disappearing teens, secrets, family dysfunction.

It was a fast listen, well narrated, and entertaining enough. If you like ensemble thrillers or multi-POV mysteries, you’ll probably enjoy it.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advance copy of this audiobook.