WOW!!! This book is hard to put down. Very well written, changing chapters among all the main characters was the way to go. The reader was given clues but not enough to guess who and why everything unfolded the way it did. Agent Keller was a bad ass, I loved the very last chapter from her. Definitely will recommend to all my thriller seeker friends.

Thanks NetGalley, Alex Finlay and Minotaur books for the ARC!

How far will someone go to cover-up potentially damaging information?
That is the question that this story explores as the Pine family is put through the ringer.

When I say the Pine family has had it rough, that is not an exaggeration, at all.
The eldest son, Danny, is serving time for murdering his girlfriend.
The father has been fired for his actions in a documentary about his son.
The town the family called home, has turned on them.
And as if that's bad enough, four of the family members are found dead. Leaving only Danny, and his brother, Matt, as the survivors.
Were their deaths the result of foul play, or just a tragic accident? I immediately suspected the former, especially as details about their deaths are revealed. What I didn't suspect was how everything tied together.

This story would have come to a quick end if it wasn't the persistence of one FBI agent, Sarah Keller, and Matt Pine. I admired their tenacity in not accepting the Mexican police's conclusions about the "accident". But as details about the past are revealed, it also was clear that the family's search to clear their son's name, may have triggered a series of events that sealed their own fates. Sad all around.

The answer to my initial question is eventually revealed, and while I had my suspicions about the person in question, I never put together all of the why’s and how’s, so those revelations were shocking and also quite sad. So much tragedy caused by a cover-up.

On a more positive note, I adored Matt's friends, known as the Island of Misfit Toys. I loved how they had his back and were there for him in the toughest of times. He was lucky to have such a great support system.

Overall, this mystery/thriller was full of twists and new revelations that kept me engaged throughout. If you are a fan of this genre, check this one out.

This book has all of the mystery/thriller things - multiple timelines, multiple POVs, a possible wrongful conviction, a true crime documentary, a badass woman FBI agent, some twists and turns and red herrings - it's a decent thriller and a quick read.

HOWEVER - as @lindas_reads (and other reviewers) have pointed out, there is some serious bullshit going on with the author's depictions of Mexican characters (or should I say caricatures?) in this book - AAAGH. SO DUMB.

I would feel remiss in recommending this book when it has been clearly identified as problematic, especially when these issues could have easily been avoided or remedied at many points in the writing and editing process.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a very thought out book and as the pieces start to come together, you get to see two stories; the story of the past, and the story of the present. The characters were really well crafted and you can really sympathize with nearly every in the book, especially Matt. Just when you think that you have something figured out, you get a plot twist, which is amazing. This book kept me guessing until the last page. I would highly recommend this book to a friend.

I guess I am in the minority here, but I did not enjoy the book as much as I thought I would. The plot is certainly new and interesting, and I appreciated the author's attempt to include diverse characters. However, there were too many things happening and the final reveal was predictable. I understand the role of having red herrings to make a story interesting and keep the reader engaged, but they should also actually add something to the story...

Maybe it's just me because this book certainly has a lot of good reviews. :( Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

Wow! This book is explosive. I am so stunned, and in all the right ways! Filled with action, twists and turns that I didn't see coming. Every Last Fear is a the book you label "UNPUTDOWNABLE". I am a lover of Thrillers, and I hate when I am disappointed. Naturally when I started seeing Every Last Fear pop up, I knew I had to request it, and I am so glad that I did. Welcome to my first 5 star Thriller of the year, Every Last Fear nails it!

From well developed charcters, with clear storylines, The plot flows flawlessly, and keeps going, and building until the explosive ending. Alex Finlay has knocked this debut out of the park and has found a fan for life. I can tell you that this will be an "auto buy" author for me.

From the first chapter to the last Finlay spins a perfect web, using multiple POVs. I love a well written POV book, and I know this isn't easy. The fact that Finlay did it that flawlessly is EVERYTHING. On top of the multiple views we get to read the transcipts from a documentary about Matt's brother, who is inprisoned for the murder of his GF. I love that there is a storyline, and a mystery within each storyline. It's so intricately done. A masterpiece. I really hope I see this detective Keller as a series.

I read this book in less than a day. It was unbelievably brillant. Bravo! Thank you to @mintotaur, @ netgalley for the copy for an honest review!

Thank you to Minotaur Books, Alex Finlay and Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Pine family is infamous in America after the Netflix docuseries was released a few years ago. The producers support the family in their crusade to release Danny Pine from prison after being convicted of murdering his girlfriend almost 10 years ago.

But then younger brother Matt Pine gets information that will forever change his life. While on vacation in Mexico, the rest of the Pine family, Mom, Dad, Maggie and little Tommy, are found dead in their rental unit. Allegedly from exposure to a gas leak.

As Matt helps FBI agent Sarah Keller with his family’s suspicious deaths, they begin to suspect that just maybe it wasn’t an accident…. and it might all lead back to Danny’s case.

Overall, this book had the potential to be completely riveting. But the story was bogged down by too many characters’ POVs and the timeline jumping around. I think the story would have been much more convincing with either just Matt and Agent Keller or Matt’s current perspective and Maggie’s past perspective.

This book is definitely influenced by the Netflix series Making a Murderer. The interview scene of Danny with the police seemed pulled directly from the actual docuseries.

The only character I wanted more of was Maggie. She was tenacious and vibrant and it broke my heart to know that she was dead from the very beginning.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3614169995
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CLZsru_AGSL/

I will also post a pub day post on Instagram.

I could not put this down. So good. I figured some things out but that didn’t matter. What a ride!

Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Wow! From the start of the first chapter, this is an amazingly twisty roller coaster of a ride. I couldn’t put it down. The final twist packed a big punch, too.

The bodies of four Americans are found in a vacation rental in Mexico. The local authorities rule it a carbon monoxide accident, but the FBI suspects something worse.

After all, this isn’t just any family. This family is famous because of a documentary about their oldest son’s claim of innocence in the case of his murdered high school girlfriend.

With Danny in prison and the rest of his family dead, it’s up to college-aged son Matt to help the FBI investigation, all the while trying to stay one step ahead of shadowy forces that are trying to kill him too.

Told in a dual-timeline, multi-person perspective, this thriller reveals the right details at the right time. It seamlessly weaves past and present and even includes scenes from the documentary.

This is the best thriller that I’ve read in a long time.

I have feelings y’all. So many feelings. I’m super confused on several things but loved others. There are so many POVs rolling around too.

Blurb is as follows-this is the story of the Pine family. Danny is in jail for a murder his family swears he didn’t commit. Brother, Matt is an aspiring film student. Sister, Maggie is determined to find the truth along with the help of dad Evan. Mom, Liv, just wants her family back to normal and wants to raise little Tommy out of the spotlight. There was a true crime documentary on the family which caused lots of problems. The FBI gets involved when Matt’s whole family is found dead in Mexico. Who killed them and why or does this go back even further to the murder Danny is in jail for?!

Overall it was a fast read. It only took me a week because kids. It’s a bit of a grisly story where we begin with the slaughter of a family. I felt as though there were a few loose ends not tied up but this was a wild thriller, with twists and turns I never saw coming. If you like thrillers pick this one up as it breaks the mold a bit!

3.5 stars overall. I wasn't a huge fan but I know that is an unpopular opinion.

Matt Pine's older brother is in jail serving life for the murder of his girlfriend, a crime he insists he did not commit. His family has stood by him and participated in a true crime documentary about the case. This was one of my fave add ons to the book with its Making a Murder vibe. When Matt learns that the rest of his family are murdered on vacation in Mexico and the FBI is involved, he's pulled into the case and the search for the truth.

The multiple POVs from various family members were well done added to the character development and how the mystery revealed itself. The writing is well-plotted and builds intensity as the story progresses. I love a media tie-in and the documentary was a fun angle.

As a thriller, I loved it. But there are problematic elements, particularly the stereotypical & derogatory language used to describe Mexicans, that people have raised and that shouldn't be ignored. I encourage you to check-out some own voices reviews. And I am personally going to make sure I pay more attention to this when I am reading thrillers.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

Woah. 😳 That was such a twisty, fun read!

Every Last Fear was a psychological suspense that kept me riveted and wondering what the heck was going on!

When Matt Pine finds out his entire family has been killed from an apparent gas leak in Mexico, he’s absolutely devastated. The only other surviving member of his family is his brother, currently serving a life sentence for the murder of his girlfriend. What seems to be cut and dry isn’t the case, and Matt is determined to find out the truth.

This was a shocking and twisty book! The conclusion was fast paced and delivered quite the punch. This was also full of emotion and my heart broke for this family. The dual timelines and multiple points of view added an extra layer of suspense to the story. I couldn’t put it down! This was a fantastic debut and I look forward to reading more from the author. 4⭐️ My thanks to @minotaur_books for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

Every Last Fear is sadly predictable and lackluster. Despite the fact that the story opens with a family of four being murdered, I couldn’t bring myself to care about any of the crimes or characters in the book. I had zero curiosity about was guilty and couldn’t have cared less about any of the characters so quit reading this book when I was about 30% through.

That said, if you’re a diehard mystery/crime lover with a soft spot for character driven stories and you are more patient than I am, you may enjoy this book!

In 2018, an Iowa family of four died after asphyxiating from toxic gas while vacating at a resort in Akumal, Mexico. Being an Iowan myself, this story was pervasive at the time. First they were missing, since loved ones weren’t able to get in touch with them, but Mexican authorities eventually found them dead in their rental condo. Their names are Kevin, Amy, Sterling (12) and Adrianna (7) Sharp.

Have you ever heard of the Sharps and their tragic story?

It seems as if author Alex Finlay has, as he begins his thriller Every Last Fear with, “They found the bodies on a Tuesday.” The bodies are those of a Midwestern family of four who seemingly died from toxic gas asphyxiation while on vacation in Mexico. There’s evidence that the bodies were staged though, so perhaps foul play is involved.

The story then jumps to follow their surviving college-age son, Matt Pine, as he deals with the aftermath and mysterious circumstances of their deaths. He also has to deal with the media and a maelstrom of public interest, since his family gained notoriety as subjects of a Netflix documentary that profiled his older brother’s murder conviction years before (an obvious nod to “Making a Murderer”).

Matt is guided by a gritty FBI agent, Sarah Keller, who believes there’s more to the story than gas poisoning. Was it a murder/suicide committed by the father? Was there a tie to his former employer’s shady cartel-related business dealings? Was the eldest son’s murder case somehow involved?

Clearly there is A LOT going on in this story! Whatever the opposite of a “closed room” mystery is, this is it. We go from New York, to Washington DC, to Tulum, to Chicago, to small-town Nebraska. Alternating chapters follow multiple characters at various points in time. While this zigzagging style can often be hard to follow, it's not in this case. In fact, it makes for a real page turner.

I flew through Every Last Fear in a few sittings, never knowing how the mystery would be resolved. It would have been a 5-star read for me had it not ended THE LAMEST WAY POSSIBLE. (See my GR profile bio if you don’t mind the spoiler.) There was also an inherent sadness I felt while reading it, constantly thinking back on the real Sharp family whose deaths I can’t imagine weren't the seeds that planted this story in Finlay’s mind.

My thanks to the author and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy via NetGalley. Every Last Fear is slated for US publication on March 2, 2021.

This book opens with the discovery of the deaths of 4 members of the Pine family - dad, mom, daughter and son. Two other sons remain - Matt, an NYU student, and Danny, in prison for life for murder. The deaths occur in a vacation home in Mexico where the local authorities have declared the deaths accidental. For some reason, the Mexican authorities require Matt to come and claim the bodies. Assisted by the State Department and the FBI, Matt goes south but by the time he gets there, the bodies have been returned to the US. And the government now suspects that the deaths may not have been an accident. The story is told from the viewpoint of several of the major characters in alternating chapters as well as past and present. Father Evan is obsessed with proving that Danny is innocent. Mom Liv has secrets that when exposed can destroy a marriage. Daughter Maggie, a high school senior, is as sharp as a tack - and clearly devoted to helping Evan clear her brother’s name. Matt holds a secret about the night of the murder that he has never shared. Add to the mix, a true crime documentary about Danny that shows that he may have been wrongfully convicted - and has turned the Pine’s hometown of Adair, Nebraska against them. Finlay’s debut novel will keep you on the edge of your seat as secrets are uncovered and perils endanger the truth. And can this be the beginning of a series featuring FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller? My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review the ARC of this book

This book was on my must read list this year and it did not disappoint! This story follows Matt, who finds out his family died in Mexico from an apparent accident but as more light is shed on the case as well as intersecting points between Matt’s brother’s case (who was arrested for murder years prior) the accident doesn’t seem quite like an accident. This was twisty and caught my attention from the first chapter!

I was so excited to receive a copy of Every Last Fear as it was one of my most anticipated 2021 reads. It hooks you from the beginning and I was unable to put it down! There’s several points of view and the timeline changes a lot, but I found all the transitions to be pretty seamless.

Matt Pine is your average college student in NYC until you find out his brother is the subject of a documentary about killing his girlfriend. His family is convinced their son Danny didn’t do it and they dedicate themselves to find the truth. Until they are following a lead and they are all found dead except Matt. Every Last Fear follows Matt around figuring out what happened. I loved that this book really has two crimes we are solving- Danny’s case and the family.

There’s definitely a lot going on in this book, there’s 2 different crimes, the filmmakers of the documentary are making a sequel, Matt and his aunt Cindy are dealing with their father/grandfather dementia and his nursing home troubles. The locations of this book also vary, from NYC to Mexico to Nebraska.

Thank you so much to @minotaur_books @alexfinlayauthor and @netgalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

4.5/5 I've read so many thrillers that it's not often I can't work out what is going on by at least the halfway point. Although the identity of the killer seemed obvious to me, everything else in this book felt like it was coming from waaay out in left field. The plot was very oniony- peel back one layer to find something new and different underneath. Every time there could have been a simple or an extreme explanation, the author always went with the extreme. It's one of those kinds of books that you look back at the characters' decisions and think, a normal person really wouldn't have reacted that way, but that's what makes it such a fun read.

{3.5 stars}

Wow, poor Matt, this kid has been through some stuff! First, his older brother is convicted of murder and then featured on a highly rated documentary that seems to point to shoddy police work and a coerced confession. Then the rest of his family is murdered on a trip to Mexico. We find out the only one in his family that wasn’t obsessed of trying to overturn his brothers conviction and that just may be the reason he is still alive. His entire involvement in all the investigations is peripheral but we see the turmoil it creates in his life.

I would call this one more of a mystery than a thriller. But I really liked it that it didn’t go with the trope of throwing 50 red herrings at you on the guise of being “twisty.” Instead it had a metered approach to revealing little clues along the way. The action of the characters took were entirely plausible and there were not any overly reckless people or amazing superhero geniuses that are so common today in these stories.

I did figure out who did it and some semblance of what lead to the falling of the dominoes but I think that’s because there were good clues along the way.

“In one of the year’s most anticipated debut psychological thrillers, a family made infamous by a true crime documentary is found dead, leaving their surviving son to uncover the truth about their final days.”⁣
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This description pulled me in right away and I figured I would love this book! Well, I would have if it wasn’t filled with derogatory language used to describe Mexicans. I definitely cringed at times while reading, but wasn’t sure if I was over reacting or maybe it was just me. I sat with it for a while, but it was still bothering me, so I did some research and sought out opinions of POC. Like @bookswithlulu said in her review, if someone of Mexican descent is telling you this book is problematic then it is. Check out @lindas_reads, who is of Mexican descent, for her review, as well. ⁣
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The story itself was very entertaining, but I cannot overlook problematic language and microagressions. I feel they should be recognized. For these reasons, I cannot recommend this book. ⁣
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Thank you to @netgalley and @minotaur_books for the digital ARC.⁣