This was such a quick read for me. There are quite a few characters to keep track of, but I really enjoyed the mystery and piecing together who was behind it all. Fast pace, that kept the story moving. The narrator, Brittany Pressley does a wonderful job portraying many of the characters. Her voice just draws you in. The tones and inflections were spot on, especially for the worried parents.

I always love an Alex Finlay mystery and Parents Weekend definitely kept me guessing. I had no idea how the missing kids were connected, if their parents’ past misdeeds were related, or how anything fit together.

There were a lot of characters and families to keep track of but Finlay did a good job of giving reminders and setting the reader up with the right information. I also listened to the audio and full cast helped with keeping everyone straight.

The novel is fast paced with countless red herrings. Just when you think you’re on the right track, something else throws you off. It was definitely surprising and if there was a way to solve the mystery, I never got there on my own!

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and St Martins Press for the copy.

READ IT IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN OR LIKED
Action packed thriller
Muliple POVs
Past/present timeline
Family dysfunction
Maze-like plots
Large cast of characters
Super short chapters
Strong friendships

BRIEF REVIEW
I really enjoy Alex Finlay's work but this one just had too many families and characters to keep track of. I didn't know what my limit was but now I do. The first half was pretty suspenseful and high paced but not as much in the latter half. More editing and less families and I would have loved this one.

Such a solid read! I always enjoy a book by Alex Finlay!

In this multi-character mystery/thriller, there is a lot to keep up with in the story line, but it all blends together in a seamless way. It definitely took me a while to piece some of the pieces together but I knew somehow the pieces had to fit. I just wasn't sure quite how. This was a clever book and I enjoyed each word. The characters were well developed and I could easily picture them. The setting felt idyllic which made it even more perfect for such a harsh scene.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: The audio was really quite good with top notch narration that pulls the listener into the storyline and keeps them immersed. 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for early copies of both the ebook and audiobook.

Book: Parents Weekend
Author: Alex Finlay
Format: ARC (audiobook)
Rating System: B.A.K.E.D. – Bookish Appeal, Atmosphere, Killer Twists, Emotional Punch, Delicious Prose

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B — Bookish Appeal
Score: 4.5/5
The structure of naming chapters after families, the elite school setting, and the layers of secrets between students and parents make this a gripping read. Diverse characters, solid research, and that investigative true-crime tone? Definitely appealing to thriller lovers.

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A — Atmosphere
Score: 5/5
The audiobook’s music and narrator brought immediate true crime documentary vibes. The tension between characters (that “Really, Hank?” moment!) and the private school backdrop had an immersive, cinematic feel.

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K — Killer Twists
Score: 4/5
The secrets were juicy and came from both kids and parents, which kept things dynamic. However, the ending twist didn’t fully stick the landing—you felt like the hype fizzled a bit. Still, solid mystery momentum throughout.

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E — Emotional Punch
Score: 3.5/5
There were strong moments of tension, especially with family dynamics, but the ending lacked the gut punch you were hoping for. Natasha’s storyline left a bit too much to be desired emotionally, especially given her importance.

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D — Delicious Prose
Score: 4/5
Witty lines (Beavis? Genius!) and tight pacing made this a smooth listen. The dialogue felt authentic, especially in high-stakes moments. Would’ve loved even more deep character exploration in the latter chapters.

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Final B.A.K.E.D. Score: 4.2/5
A sharp, high-stakes thriller with great atmosphere, compelling characters, and strong storytelling—but a few missed beats in the emotional and twist follow-through. Still a must-read for fans of school-based thrillers and secret-heavy mysteries.

Wow! Another stellar thriller from the talented Alex Finlay! It’s every parent’s worst nightmare - especially when you’re hoping to enjoy time with your college student during an exciting time! I was wrapped up in this story straight through until I finished. It’s one of my favorite #psychologicalsuspense novels of 2025!

One of my favorite narrators, Brittany Pressley, took me into the world of Parents Weekend flawlessly from beginning to end.

“The young will do nothing but make you feel your age.”

Parents Weekend, although enjoyable and entertaining, made me feel underwhelmed. There just wasn’t anything really fresh and new to keep me wanting more. I am writing this review a week after reading and I’ve already forgotten some of the plot points.

I did love the narrator for the audiobook, though. There are a lot of characters and she does a great job of differentiating them with her tones and voices. It really helps me to follow along when I can imagine a person for each voice, otherwise I may struggle to keep them straight and lose some of the enjoyment in the story.

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books, and the author for the ALC and ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan audio for the ALC.

There is something about Alex Finlay’s writing. You know you are in for a quick fun time full of flawed characters. This book certainly didn’t reinvent anything new but it kept me entertained while I did chores around the house!

Alex Finlay’s Parents Weekend is a fast-paced thriller that plunges readers into a suspenseful mystery set during a college event in Northern California. When five freshmen vanish during the festivities, the narrative unfolds through multiple perspectives, revealing a web of secrets among the students and their families.  

The story is driven by FBI Agent Sarah Keller, a returning character from Finlay’s previous works, who navigates the complex investigation with determination. While the plot is engaging and the pacing brisk, some characters may come across as underdeveloped or unlikable, which could detract from the overall experience for some readers. 

Despite these character challenges, the novel delivers an entertaining read with twists that keep the pages turning. It’s a suitable pick for those seeking a quick, suspenseful story that doesn’t require deep emotional investment in the characters.

Parents Weekend may not be Finlay’s most profound work, but it offers a compelling narrative that balances mystery and drama effectively.

This was just another middle of the road thriller for me. The characters were interesting, at least some of them. In this book we follow five first year college students whose parents all arrive at the school for a Parents Weekend dinner. When the students don't arrive at the dinner, the parents go about trying to locate their missing child. We have multiple perspectives, the kids, the parents, and even the FBI investigator who is on the case. I did enjoy the multiple perspectives of these vastl different lives. But overall, this just didn't wow me the way that I thought that it would when I first picked it up. The ending was way too predictable.

I used to think that maybe I had just read too many thrillers. However, I read a 5 start thriller last month so I know that it can be done!

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the advance listening copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

This was a very enjoyable thriller! I appreciated the multiple viewpoints and the unique characters. The story was bingeable and full of interesting details and twists. This is my second book by the author and I really enjoy their writing.

Picture this: You’re a proud parent, all dressed up for Parents Weekend at your kid’s fancy Northern California college. You’ve got cocktails in hand, your kid’s dorm is decorated like a Pinterest board, and you’re feeling smug about how well they’ve adjusted to freshman life. But then… poof! The kids never show up for dinner.

No calls. No texts. Just a big, awkward silence—and some parents still take tequila shots anyway. Priorities?

That’s the unsettling kickoff to Alex Finlay’s Parents Weekend, where five students—Libby, Blane, Mark, Felix, and Stella—vanish during what’s supposed to be a feel-good family reunion weekend. What starts as a weird no-show quickly snowballs into a full-blown media circus, complete with TikTok detectives, rumors flying faster than frat house gossip, and a campus police force in way over their heads.

Told from multiple POVs (with helpful chapter headers, thank you), the story shifts between the present panic and past secrets, unraveling the twisted threads of family dysfunction, academic pressure, and the dark side of dorm life. The author smartly brings back FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller (from Every Last Fear and The Night Shift) to connect the dots and keep the grown-ups from totally unraveling.

Finlay brings the heat with short chapters that punch hard and fast—you’ll fly through “just one more” until it’s 2 a.m. and you’ve ghosted your own to-do list. While it plays into familiar thriller tropes (missing kids, secret pasts, suburban scandals), it does so with energy, pacing, and just the right dose of emotional depth.

Final grade:
A solid 4 stars for a campus thriller that balances mystery, parental panic, and college chaos with finesse. If you love fast-paced reads and ensemble casts with secrets galore, Parents Weekend is your next binge.

Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC—I'll never look at a welcome banner the same way again.

Another WINNER from Alex Finlay! WOW! Fast paced, unputdownable! Many characters with story’s that will have you guessing until the end! I listened and read along. Fabulous narrator!

Thank you to everyone for this ARC!

Parents Weekend is a binge-worthy thriller centered on the disappearance of five first-year college students during Parents Weekend. I devoured it in just 24 hours! The ultra-short chapters made it totally addictive (always a win in thrillers).

I’m a huge fan of dark academia!! I thoroughly enjoyed the campus vibes, tangled family secrets, and solid twists. The story follows five families. With such a large cast, the story leans more plot-driven, but it was easy to follow thanks to clearly labeled POVs, especially helpful in audio.

I guessed the culprit early - which is rare for me. So, that made me feel clever. 😂 However, it didn’t take away from the suspense or the fun. I have to shout out my favorite character: Annie, the intern. Smart, determined, and a total standout. Maybe Agent Sarah Feller can hire her after graduation - just a thought, Mr Finlay. 👀

🎧 Narration Note: Brittany Pressley delivers (as always!), giving each character a distinct voice. I was glad to have the eBook for quick POV references, but the audio alone is excellent.

I wish that this story had had more character development. It felt like I was just thrown into the story that was already in motion, and as a result, I didn't really feel invested in the people and what happened to them.
The "action movie" plotting isn't my favorite.

I have listened to other Alex Finlay books and really liked them. I am also a big fan of Brittany Pressley as a narrator. But this story wasn't holding my interest at times and I found my mind wandering a good amount. I wish the college students had more backstory at the beginning, because I honestly was not invested in their lives and did not emotionally care what happened to any of them by halfway through the book. I think other readers will enjoy the book, and it wasn't a bad story, so this is why I gave it an average three stars rating.

This high-stakes thriller offers a fresh, entertaining twist on the classic whodunit, packed with suspense and a generous dose of red herrings.

Told through multiple perspectives and shifting between past and present timelines, the large cast can be a bit of a puzzle at first—but it was a welcome surprise to see the return of FBI Agent Keller from Finlay’s earlier novels.

The story is rich with drama, as long-buried secrets come to light—not just from the parents, but from the kids as well, making for layered, compelling tension.

Though some twists were a bit predictable, it’s a fast-paced read, and Keller remains a standout. I’m definitely intrigued to see if she’ll return in future installments.

3.5 stars rounded to 4 for Goodreads

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the review copy.

Normally I am a big fan of this author, but I found it difficult to get into this book. Characters were really hard to relate to. Would still read future books from author.

I found Parents Weekend to be a twisty, suspense-filled read that kept me guessing. While I was initially overwhelmed by the large cast of characters—particularly when trying to keep track of the parents and their kids—I eventually settled into the rhythm of the story. Some parts of the plot felt a bit drawn out, while others moved too quickly, making the pacing a little uneven. That said, Agent Keller stood out as my favorite character—sharp, witty, and refreshingly honest, she added real depth to the narrative. Although this wasn’t my favorite of Finlay’s novels (I especially enjoyed If Something Happens to Me), I’m still a fan of his storytelling and look forward to reading more from him. Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for providing me with an ARC!

I really enjoyed this book! It was my first Alex Finlay book and it delivered! The storyline was coming, interesting and kept you on your toes. The cast of characters were vast, and I think that’s what caused this to be four instead of five stars for me. Sometimes I had trouble staying focused in the story and I fell like I wasn’t able to connect as well with the characters because we were bouncing around a bit. But all in all, the story gripped me and I was super invested in what was happening! I highly recommend to mystery lovers!