Parents Weekend is a thriller about a group of 5 college students that are supposed to meet their parents for dinner and none of the students show up as expected. It is first blamed on college student behavior and forgetfulness and later discovered the students are all missing. This thriller was a bit slow for me and I did find it a little confusing to keep track of all the characters since there were so many characters introduced in this book. Overall the storyline was interesting and still enjoyable read. It isn’t the most thrilling thriller novel I have read but it was still worth the read if you don’t mind a more slow paced thriller. There were parts of the book that had me very intrigued and did pick up sporadically throughout and I did enjoy the narrator as well I felt she did a great job narrating this book. This is my first Alex Finlay book and overall i enjoyed it and will try other books by this author. I do recommend this book and think it will be enjoyed by different audiences. Overall I gave this book 3.5 stars out of 5 stars more or less for pacing and too many characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

First off I would like to say that I really enjoyed the narrator, Brittany Pressley. She made the story more interesting and her ability to change her voice made me be able to keep up with the characters.

This story is about 5 college students that disappear before a dinner with their parents during parents weekend. What made it more alarming was a student was found dead just shortly before.

I found that having so many characters made it difficult to follow at times. I would say the first half of the book I was confused most of the time. I did catch up and did enjoy the ending and how the author wrapped everything up.

This is the first book I have read by this author and am curious on reading more especially if FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller is in them. I really liked her character.

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, Minotaur Books, and Alex Finlay for the eArc.

A missing college girl is found dead shortly before Parents Weekend, putting everyone on edge.

Then, at the first dinner of the weekend, several students - both girls and boys - don’t make it to the dinner they planned to eat with their family’s.

As the story unfolds, secrets from each family are exposed. And it seems everyone has wronged someone who may seek revenge on their children.

Where are the college students? Who is responsible for taking them? And will they be found before it’s too late?

I’ve read all the books by Alex Finlay so far and always enjoy them. This was a three and a half star read for me, that I’m rounding up to four stars.

I felt the story was a little less suspenseful than other books; and I would have preferred more storylines from the college students.

But I would still absolutely recommend checking out either the book or audiobook. The audiobook was fantastically narrated by the very talented voice actress Brittany Pressley.

Thank you NetGalley, Alex Finlay, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen and read the book ahead of its release date of May 6th in exchange for a review.

At first, everyone thinks that they're just being college students, irresponsibly forgetting about the gathering or skipping out to go to a party. But as the hours click by and another night falls with not so much as a text from the students, panic ensues. Soon, the campus police call in reinforcements. Search parties are formed. Reporters swarm the small enclave. Rumors swirl and questions arise.
Libby, Blane, Mark, Felix, and Stella-The Five, as the podcasters, bloggers, and TikTok sleuths call them-come from five very different families. What led them out on that fateful night? Could it be the sins of their mothers and fathers
•ngies and thes
come to cause them peril or a threat to the friend group from within?
I was glad that FBI Agent Sarah Feller was back in this one.
There were way too many characters but I was able to keep track of all of them. I didn't have a strong connection to the characters so I didn't really care what happened to them. So l really wasn't on the edge of my seat are feel the suspense.
I loved the first half but I thought that the second half was too slow. This one is every parent's nightmare. Five families plan on a night of dinner and cocktails for parents weekend. As the parents stay out way past their bedtimes, their kids, five residents of Campisi Hall never show up at dinner. What happened to them?
The story was told through multiple points of view in past and present. I was on the edge of my seat at the end there was lots of action which I loved. I loved the short chapters. This was not a predictable read for me. I was not able to solve the mystery. I did enjoy the the conclusion. There were some twist and turns too.

Parents Weekend is a “modern” thriller set on a private college campus with an elite cast of characters. To me, it felt much more like a first book in a series revolving around the parent with a political career and/or the female cop than about the kids.

I struggled to find any reason to feel connected to any of the characters, especially because there are so many. It feels like if the same story had been written strictly from the point of view of the college kids, it would have been a much more successful story.

It seemed like the book wanted to be too many things at once, and that was a big downfall for me.

All in, if you don’t read many books, and you maybe get through 1-2 thrillers a year, this one may be one you’d enjoy after picking it up at the airport.

It’s Parents Weekend at Santa Clara University and for five freshman and their families, it is a weekend they didn’t anticipate. When five students from Campisi Hall fail to show up for dinner kicking off the annual family festivities, it sets off a race against the clock to find them and bring them back alive.

FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller returns from earlier Finlay books to head up the investigation into the disappearance of The Five, as they’ve come to be called. As she follows the clues, it’s clear that each family is hiding something.

PARENTS WEEKEND is a fast paced suspense that captures your attention from the opening pages. Finlay introduces many characters, but the well organized structure makes it easy to keep track of the action. There’s nothing ground breaking about this novel, but it is entertaining and a good way to lose yourself in the story. The audio is narrated by Brittany Pressley who brings the perfect amount of tension to the production.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Minotaur Books for the advance copies. All opinions are my own.

I don't think this thriller was for me. There were too many characters, and I spent most of my read trying to figure out who was who to be able to really follow the story. It also feel like it kept the author from going in depth enough with any of them for me to really care. My feeling, though? I've read that story many times before. Stupid teenagers making very poor decisions, families with secrets... I've enjoyed other books by this author, but this one was not it.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review volutarily.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. Brittany Pressley does a great job narrating this one and makes the story come to life for the listener.

Its parents weekend for Santa Clara University but one student is dead and 5 others are missing. FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller is temporarily relocated to San Jose with her wonderful hubby Bob and twins Heather and Michael to help care for Bob’s ill father. Sarah and SCU Police Chief Jay McCray are on the hunt for the 5 missing kids. Will they find them before its too late?

I have read other books by this author and felt this one was just as good as the prior books. If you are new to Alex Finlay, pick up his other books!

This is a fast paced thriller that I really enjoyed listening to. I found I liked the adult characters batter than the college kids who were more shallow and a bit underdeveloped. I did figure out who the kidnappers were but really did not care as I wanted to see how the story played out. The ending was great and overall an entertaining read!

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.