Every parents worst nightmare come true - your child says they will meet you for dinner and they never show up. Now times this by five! Five parents who expected their children for Parents Weekend Dinner and suddenly what was supposed to be a celebration turns into the worst night of their lives.

Oh what a delicious ride this was, as this book takes you deep into the hidden lives of parents and children until the truths are laid bare. But will everything come to light in time? You’ll just have to read this fabulous book and find out.

I highly recommend this book to lovers of thrillers, this was one of the good ones and I enjoyed every moment of it.

Parents Weekend was an enjoyable story set on a college campus. This was a pretty fast read but so many characters to keep up with. I did get sucked in from the beginning.

Another great book by Alex Finlay. "Parent's Weekend" is his latest book and it definitely grips you from the start. What a ride this book was for sure!!!

I thought I’d read Alex Finlay before, but according to my Goodreads profile, Parents Weekend is actually my first book by this author. After finishing it, I can definitely see why Finlay has such a loyal following. This thriller was more about the journey than the ending — which is probably for the best, because the ending felt a little predictable and, honestly, a bit of a letdown.

The story follows five sets of parents who travel to California for Parents Weekend, eager to spend time with their college freshman kids. All the students are part of the same capstone project, and plans are made for all the families to meet up for dinner. But when the time comes, the students never show.

FBI agent Sarah Keller (a recurring character in Finlay’s books) just happens to be in the right place at the right time and quickly becomes involved in solving the mystery of the students' disappearance.

Like I mentioned, I really enjoyed the journey — even if it took a little effort to keep all the characters straight, especially since almost every character has their own POV. That said, the audiobook narrator did a fantastic job giving each character a distinct voice, which definitely helped.
In the end, the story fell a bit flat for me, but it was still an entertaining read that kept me engaged. I think fans of slow-burn thrillers will find it worth their time.

I just finished an advanced reader’s copy of Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay and WOW—five stars from me! 🌟

This one grabs you from page one and doesn’t let go. Set against the backdrop of a prestigious college during a very unforgettable Parents Weekend, this twisty thriller explores the lengths parents will go to protect their kids, and the secrets that just won’t stay buried. 👀

We’re talking:
🛑 Secrets & lies
❤️‍🔥 Trust & betrayal
⚖️ Justice vs. revenge
🫶 Parental sacrifice
All wrapped up in an elite academic setting, complete with amateur sleuths, resurfacing past trauma, and enough jaw-dropping twists to keep you guessing to the very end.

If you’ve read Alex Finlay’s If Something Happens to Me, you’ll love the familiar feel here—multi-POV narration, a constant breadcrumb trail of clues, and characters you don’t quite know if you can trust. I thought I cracked one major twist early (DM me if you're curious—I’m staying spoiler-free here! 😉), but there were still plenty of surprises that caught me totally off guard. SO satisfying.

One heads-up for my fellow audiobook lovers: I listened to this ARC on NetGalley, and while the narration was great, this is a layered plot with lots of characters. If that sounds tricky for you, I recommend either reading the physical/e-book version or doing a combo read/listen. Either way—it's a ride worth taking! 🎧📖

Mark your calendars, thriller fans—Parents Weekend hits shelves on May 6, 2025, and it’s a perfect addition to your summer TBR. ☀️ Thank you, Alex Finlay, for another addictive, cleverly woven, and emotionally resonant story. I’m already looking forward to your launch day! 💙

And that, my friends, is today’s tea on “Parents Weekend” ☕️

When five college students don't show up to dinner at their school's 'Parent's Weekend,' their well-to-do families become concerned that this is more than just a case of playing hooky.

This was a good fast-paced read. I had both audio and ebook, but there is a pretty large cast of characters, so I found the ebook much easier to follow to occasionally flip back if I needed. I enjoyed how the story involved FBI agent Keller from some of the author's previous work (though this book is still a standalone) and she was my favourite character storyline. The tension built pretty well, and I had no idea what was going on. It was entertaining, with no real 'wow/twist' moment, but enjoyable and unpredictable. If you enjoy a good whodunit with a large cast, this would be a great book for you. I enjoyed the narrative of the audioversion!

I had the opportunity to read Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay, and it was a fantastic, fast-paced thriller. The story follows the mysterious disappearance of five college students just as their parents arrive for Parents Weekend. The plot kept me hooked from the start, and I found the character development easy to follow and well-executed.

I really enjoyed Finlay’s writing style—his pacing was spot on, and there were moments of humor woven in that added a nice touch to the suspense. This was a well-developed, engaging read, and I’m definitely looking forward to picking up more of his work in the future.

Reading in Between the Wines book review #40/125 for 2025:
Rating: 3 🍷🍷🍷
Book: Parents Weekend
Author: Alex Finlay
RELEASES on May 6, 2025!!!

Sipping thoughts: Parents Weekend was a near dear idea for me as I gear up to my daughter going to college in just a few short years. It is a parent’s nightmare for their child to go missing. But can you imagine 5 missing children?! This was a mystery that had a LOT of suspects and moving pieces. Be prepared to take notes if you are anything like me. It was initially hard to keep up with the characters, but I finally was able to keep them in order. The reveal was not far-fetched and made a lot of sense. I was surprised with one of the ending deaths, and it was very sad. I enjoyed this one from Finlay and look forward to his next release.

Cheers and thank you to @Netgalley and @Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy of @ParentsWeekend.

#ParentsWeekend #AlexFinlay #MacmillanAudio #NetGalley #ARC #advancedreader #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bokreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult

Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay tells the story of five students locked in a mystery who go missing, their parents who are visiting their college for parents weekend, and an FBI agent who has been assigned to discover what's happened to the missing students. The story dives deep into the lives of the families, exploring all the secrets a family can hold, while trying to uncover just what happened to the students who fail to show up for the parents weekend dinner.

This book was different from the expectations I had going into it, but not in a way that disappointed me. I thought the students would be more the focus of what was happening, but the points of view stayed pretty firmly on the parents and the FBI agent, which makes sense! Halfway through the book I got the sense that I was missing some story about the FBI agent and when I looked it up I realized that she is a recurring character from Alex Finlay's other novels. Because it wasn't marked as a series I didn't realize right away that I had missed books that came previously, but it really didn't matter to the story. It was a stand alone story for a character that has appeared in what I assume are other stand alone stories.

Finlay really took the time to explore the backstories of all the families, both to give all the kids motives for why they might have been involved in whatever led to their eventual disappearance, but also for the families to potentially have been responsible. The book went in a direction that I wouldn't have suspected at first, though he laid the pieces out in a cohesive and narratively sound way, enough so that by the end it never felt like anything was coming so far out of left field that I wouldn't have been able to guess it.

All in, I enjoyed this book more than some of the other mystery thrillers I've read recently and I'm glad that I picked it up and gave it a chance. I would recommend this for anyone who likes books they need to puzzle together, or have any interest in following a FBI agent recurring character. It felt like a detective story without solely being a procedural novel. For fans of things like Criminal Minds and John Sanford.

Thanks Alex Finlay, and Minotaur books for publishing it, Macmillan Audio for sending me an ARC and NetGalley for allowing me access to request it.

This is a fast paced, suspenseful thriller about rich people behaving badly that keeps you guessing until the very end. I enjoyed it from beginning to end.

Sometimes it’s hard to keep track of who’s who in a audiobook with many different characters, but Brittany Pressley does an outstanding job with the large cast of characters in this book.

Alex Finlay’s Parent’s Weekend immediately captivated me with its fast-paced, engaging narrative. Despite my initial understanding, a surprising twist led to an unexpected journey. The ending, with its intricate plot, was satisfyingly concluded by Brittany Pressley’s exceptional narration.

I loved this! The different view points were sometimes hard to follow, especially on audio, but the story itself was great. I loved the conflict between the various family members, their different struggles and priorities.. The twists and turns kept going to the very end, and its always a nice surprise to not be able to see each one coming.
Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to listen to this early!

I found the first book to add to your beach bag for summer 2025!

Alex Finlay can tell a story. Parents Weekend featured interesting characters, setting and premise - and goes very quickly which is perfect for a summer read. Set at a fancy pants private school, five families arrive to spend time with their kids but the kids all go missing.

There is a lot to unfold and, on audio, keeping track of the characters, their families and a lot of messy drama was problematic. I imagine a paper copy of this one would be a better choice.

Highly recommend.

Fast-paced, twisty, and full of tension—Parents Weekend is exactly what a crime lover wants in a thriller. When a college campus turns into a crime scene, secrets unravel and nothing is as it seems. The narrating was perfect!

Thank you to the NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the ALC!

A twisty, suspenseful mystery set at a private college in Northern California where five students go missing during Parents Weekend. What connects them? What secrets are their parents hiding? And will they make it back alive?

I loved unraveling each family's story—so many layers and secrets to uncover. My favorite character? Hands down, FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller. She was a total standout.

This was my first Alex Finlay novel, but definitely not my last. Solid, fast-paced mystery that kept me hooked from start to finish.

Another fantastic performance by Brittany Pressley!! She is truly a shining star in audiobook world!!

This was one of those thrillers I couldn’t put down. The story keeps you guessing the entire time, with layers of secrets and twists that actually surprised me. I loved the pacing and how everything tied together in the end.
Big thanks to NetGalley for the chance to listen to this one!

Alex Finlay is by far one of my most favorite authors. And he did not disappoint in this fast-paced, unpredictable, and on-the-edge mystery. The novel kept me on the edge of my seat, and I listened to the whole thing in one sitting. I enjoyed it so much that I didn't even realize how much time had passed. I wasn't able to put it down. This mystery kept me engaged until the very last page.

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC. #ParentsWeekend #NetGalley. #Macmillan Audio

I was so excited to read this book and I was not disappointed. Alex Finlay delivers another fantastic read!
The plot was intricate and complex. The pacing is pitch-perfect, ratcheting up the tension without losing the core of the story. Each chapter peels back another layer, revealing hidden motives, haunting memories, and unsettling truths.
This was a very enjoyable book and I highly recommend it! Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC.

"Parents Weekend" was a fairly enjoyable mystery that I binge-listened to in a single day. It's short and sweet, as mysteries go, and has a lot of characters to keep straight, but the premise and investigation into the backgrounds of each missing student kept my interest.

The narration was excellent (with the small exception of some really sharp "k" pronunciations that grated a little), and Brittany Pressley did a good job differentiating the characters.

One note: This book isn't listed as being part of a series, but there were lots of references to Agent Keller's past, and she turns out to be a character in another Alex Finlay book. I wish I had known that before starting this one so that I could have read it first, since this book seems to contain spoilers for the previous book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this ALC and provide an unbiased review!

I do love books set in an academic setting. We are at beautiful Northern California on parents weekend when 5 kids are missing. The story is told in so many POV that I lost track of which parent belongs to which kid.

It was great to see Agent Sarah Keller from Night Shift back and my favorite POV. Unforgettable with so many POV, I lost interest in the story and wasn't vested in any of the characters and the story moved slowly.

Once you find out what happens, it was a bit unrealistic. Brittany Presley is one of my favorite narrators but I think with so many POV, it would have been more suitable to have multiple narrators.

Thank you @minotaur_books @macmillan.audio for a copy of the audiobook.