This has everything you would want for a mystery/psychological thriller. Fast paced and action packed.

I just finished the highly-anticipated psychological thriller Every Last Fear by @AlexFinlayAuthor.

Told from multiple POVs, present and very-recent past, the story’s about the Pine family who suffered a devasting loss when their teenage son was convicted of murdering his girlfriend. Mostly they’re adamantly convinced he didn’t do it. There was a Netflix documentary about the crime that was maybe trying to exonerate Danny, but maybe just trying to get ratings. The story starts when Danny’s younger brother Matt, now an NYU college student, learns that his parents and younger siblings were killed in a freak gas leak while vacationing in Mexico. Except all the thriller lovers know there’s zero chance it was an accident.

Every Last Fear keep me turning pages, and as dark as the plot sounds, there was a really sweet theme of family and redemption that almost made me forget everyone was dead. There’s a female FBI officer on the case who has the sweetest—and kind of unexpected because the book wasn’t necessarily about her—relationship with her stay-at-home husband. Then past chapters with the Pine family that really felt more about a family healing from devastating grief than trying to solve a mystery. Which was fine, but it felt like a sucker punch (in mostly a good way) that I got so attached even knowing they’re not going to be okay.

I did guess some of the twists but the structure of the book was so interesting and tightly woven that it almost didn’t matter. And like I always say, I go through every possible outcome in my head when reading a mystery so the fact that one of the options I hit upon turns out to be right doesn’t mean much.

The first character we’re introduced to is NYU student, Matt, and the author does an amazing job making you want to connect with him and keeping you at a distance. I was heartbroken for him and so wanted everything to be all right, but I was also never sure if he was a reliable narrator which is one of the subtle things that makes this book so interesting.

This one comes out March 2nd, and I’d recommend it to psychological thriller lovers. Thank you to @netgally and @minotaur_books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

Matt is in for a shock. His whole family except his older brother Danny who is in prison, has been killed in Tulum Mexico. Why? What happened? Does it have to do with the documentary his father made to prove the innocence of his older son? This story is about love and family and how a parent, a brother a sister, a mother will never give up. They will fight for their child's freedom even if it costs them their life.
With te help of Sarah, an FBI agent, Matt will figure out why his brother was framed, why his family was killed and who is responsible. Be prepared to devour this story and not stop reading until the last page and remember never to trust the good guy!

So, I’ll admit that the buildup on this was a teeny bit slow for me. The author takes his time building the story of multiple crimes and the various people involved. But, oh, once everything starts to come together, the book is absolutely riveting.

While I wasn’t sure at first about the way he introduced the characters, it ends up being extremely powerful – and terribly heartbreaking.

My suspicions as to the who and the why of it all were on target, but the author still had me second guessing myself until almost the end.

A very well written thriller!

Happy to read the author again in the future.

*ARC provided via Net Galley

"You have two choices when you're confronted with your every last fear: Give up or fight like hell."

Matt Pine returns to his NYU dorm after an all-nighter to find an FBI agent there to notify him that his mom, dad, and younger sister and brother are dead from a possible gas leak at their vacation rental in Mexico.
While the Mexican police claim it was an accident, they are not making the case easy -- stonewalling the state department and refusing to release the bodies to anyone other than a family member. Matt is soon on a plane to meet with the authorities so he can bring his family home.

This devastating tragedy is made worse when the media splashes it across the headlines - but it’s not the first time the Pine family has made the front page. Matt’s older brother Danny is serving a life sentence for the murder of his girlfriend Charlotte. Danny’s case became the subject of a true crime documentary that captured the nation’s attention and has left most with serious doubt about Danny’s guilt.

The Pine family never gave up on chasing down potential leads that could set Danny free though Matt has kept quiet about something he saw the night Charlotte died that leads him to believe his brother is guilty.
Matt’s brief visit to Mexico leads to more questions after a bizarre encounter with a woman he meets at the hotel. Did his family die in a tragic accident or were they murdered? If they were murdered: why ? ...and is he next?

Upon Matt’s return to his hometown to lay his family to rest he has to face an angry community, a media frenzy, and the documentary film makers hoping to profit off of this new tragedy.

Every Last Fear is told through alternating chapters of past and present, from the points of view of the Pine family members as well as FBI agent Sarah Keller to unravel the truth about their deaths as well as the truth about Danny. This delivery works really well; the writing is clear and detailed without the confusion that sometimes happens with alternating narrators and timelines.

This is a fantastic fast-paced thriller expertly plotted with exciting twists and equally compelling subplots that kept me turning the pages! I loved the gradual reveals from different characters and how it all comes together without feeling contrived. A phenomenal debut by Alex Finlay - I’m looking forward to more from this author.
I highly recommend Every Last Fear to readers who enjoy fast paced and expertly plotted thrillers!

Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Every Last Fear is scheduled for release on March 2, 2021.

I have been itching for a book that I couldn't put down - and here it is! This was such a great read. I'm, admittedly, a bit of a true crime junkie and a huge lover of thriller fiction novels so Every Last Fear was definitely perfect for me and it did not disappoint.

Matt's entire family, excluding his older brother Danny - currently serving a life sentence for murder - is found dead in Mexico. The Mexican authorities say it was an accidental death due to a gas leak but the FBI think there's something foul afoot.

The story is told through multiple viewpoints and in both the past and present. The tension builds with each page, I was on the edge of my seat and absolutely could not put this book down. Anyone who knows me, knows that I far too often guess the twists and turns long before they happen but this one had my jaw dropping numerous times. There are also some emotional moments, I found a tear in my eye at one point. A fantastic debut novel, can't wait for Finlay to release more!

A Great Debut Novel

The novel opens with the discovery of four bodies in a Mexican resort south of Cancun. The wife, son and daughter appeared to have died without a struggle in the house. The husband is found outside and badly mutilated. The main storyline shifts to New York City where another son is going to New York University. A FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller informs Matt Pine that his father, mother, sister, and younger brother had died in Mexico and that the Mexican Police believe that the cause was a gas leak and have closed the case. Matt tells the Sarah that he was invited to the trip but his spring break didn’t coincide with his sister and little brother. She informs Matt that it would be better if Matt tells his older brother, Danny, who is in prison, for murdering his girlfriend. Then, events happen that just do not seem right. Sarah is from the Financial Crimes Section that does not handle murders. The Mexican authorities will not release the bodies at the direction of US Consulate but require that a family member sign some paper work for the bodies to be released. As the mainline continues, more and more anomalies are discovered. Questions arise as to who was responsible for the deaths and why.

The main storyline unfolds with chapters in the voice of Matt and Sarah, and back flash chapters in the voice of the father, mother, and daughter that matches the discoveries in the current timeline. Also, there are incidents that indicate that there is much deeper and sinister going on below the surface. Ferreting out the truth is presented in an intriguing manner. Even though many questions did arise as I read, my interest was quickly captured and maintained all the way to the end.

The B-storyline for Matt Pine is extensive especially as the author wove it into some flashbacks as well as with his interactions with his friends, his older brother and Sarah. For me all of these characters are well-developed. The same is true for the Sarah Keller character also. The author wove her background with interactions with her family and colleagues and especially in the chapters that are in her voice. One aspect of hers that really struck me as true was that she wanted to interview people after getting all of her ducks in a row and not on the fly. This is what happens in most TV shows and in too many novels. These aspects enriched my enjoyment in reading this novel.

For aspects that may turn off some readers, there are not any intimate scenes. There is a level of impolite language, but it was not near any level that raised any concerns for me. There is some violence, but the worst of it is described after the fact. One instance is described this way and later as it happens, but the author described these events leading up to but left what happened to the imagination of the reader.

For aspects that I did not like, there was only one. A character, who had a definite role, just disappeared. Maybe that was the best exit for this character, but I would have liked to know what happened to this character. On the plus side, the story kept my interest and compelled me to continue reading I wanted to continue reading late at night when I should go to sleep. I couldn’t wait to start reading again.

This is the debut novel by Alex Finlay. After reading this book, I want and will read more novels by this author. I rate this novel with five stars. If the teaser interests you, read it as I believe you will enjoy it also.

I received a free e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from St. Martin Press with an expectation for an honest, unbiased review. I wish to thank St. Martin Press for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.

This was an action packed thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. It was filled with twists and turns that keep me guessing right up to the end.

We follow multiple POV characters including the murdered family members (these are a past timeline leading up to the murders), the surviving son, and an FBI agent. We also get snippets from a true crime documentary.

This thriller was a breath of fresh air after reading so many domestic thrillers lately. I highly recommend it to fans of the genre.

Every Last Fear was everything I hoped it would be and more. I could not put it down. Wow. I have a feeling that this is going to be one of my favorite books of the year.

Every Last Fear is a fast paced, physiological thriller that keeps moving at a fast pace throughout the entire book. The twists and turns never let up. I took a guess half way through the book as to who the murderer was and I was right! That being said it didn’t matter because there were so many other twist and turns that shocked me! I have come to the conclusion that when I am in a reading slump, phycological thrillers will now be my go to reads! Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book honestly surprised me with how fast I read it! This is sure to be one of the years best thrillers!

Matt’s brother, Danny, was accused of murdering his high school girlfriend and has been living in prison ever since. Now the rest of his family, including his kid brother and teenage sister has been murdered on a vacation to Mexico. When Matt travels to arrange their funeral, he slowly realizes the two events may be connected.

This thriller was wild. Imaginative and unpredictable, Alex Finlay is an excellent writer! Alternating view points from both “before” and “after” the tragedy give a unique perspective to the story leading to his family’s murder and the chase to find answers after. I loved the friendships Matt has and the journey he takes to healing through the trauma he and his family has experienced.

A brother wrongly convicted of murder. A documentary that backslashes against the family. A gas leak. And then there is only one member of the Pine family left and it is up to Matt to figure out what really happened to his family.

For any true crime, thriller, Netflix documentary lover out there. Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay ticks all the boxes. The story was multi-layered and kept me coming back for more. A book rarely keeps me guessing as to the who, what, and why's but this one did. There were a few parts that seemed a tad bit unbelievable but it is fiction after all. I loved the different points of view from the multiple family members and other important characters. A solid thriller.

thank you to Net Galley and St Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for an ARC of this fast paced, can’t put down thriller.

initial thoughts: Every Last Fear started strong and didn’t stop. as a true crime fan, this book had everything: a Netflix documentary, a brother in jail convicted of murder, a family found dead in Mexico, and another brother left to find out what happened to his family in Mexico.

also, as a native Nebraskan, it was fun to see Nebraska featured as a location for this book. while the author got one major city wrong - Adair is in Iowa, not Nebraska - the references to Runza and Vincenzo’s were elements only locals would know.

overall, this thriller was full of twists and turns and I really appreciated the two strong female characters: Maggie & Sarah. this will be a popular read for 2021!

Dang, this book just kept going in twisty ways! After Matt Pine learns his family has been killed in Mexico, he has to put together the pieces of what happened and how it connects to his older brother, Danny, who is in prison for killing his girlfriend. And are the two events even related? Matt's father and sister were convinced of Danny's innocence, but Matt isn't so sure.

This book was a quick read, in a great way! It was hard to put down after each chapter, as the story was told from multiple viewpoints. It would be amazingly adapted into a movie or Netflix series, that's for sure. I can't wait to read more from Alex Finlay!

"They found the bodies on a Tuesday." Every Last Fear was definitely fast paced suspense novel and it will hook you, but ultimately I was not blown away.

There was a lot going on and a lot of clues to follow with both Danny's case and the family murder, which was a blessing and a curse. The clues were neatly displayed for both cases throughout and the author moved quickly from clue to clue, always keeping our interest. However, the writing and the story also felt very plain and predictable for that reason. It was just too easy. Danny gets attacked but it just lasts one page. How convenient that Maggie has a friend who can trace cell phone call records and explain how deep fakes videos work. There were also a few plot points that just had no overall effect on either story, like the financial crimes unit being involved. It just felt like a bunch of clichés tossed in for good measure.

I thought Danny would play a bigger role in everything than he did. Or at least I thought the author would have us get to know him a little more, especially if they wanted us to care about him being supposedly wrongfully convicted, but alas, I felt like I didn't know enough about Danny as a person to care about it. I thought the true-crime documentary snippets were a good idea, but they really just don't work on paper like they do on TV or in podcasts.

Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the premise of this story and am such a big fan of crime novels like this. I was ultimately disappointed in the execution and thought that the constant stereotyping of Mexicans was unnecessary and did nothing to propel the story forward. On top of that, the multiple perspectives was confusing and hard to follow.

This one had such potential but I could not get past the negative light in which Mexico was portrayed, as well as the Mexican people.

This book simply had too much going on. Told from multiple peoples point of view, and well and jumping from currently to past was way too much. I really enjoyed the beginning but then the author just kept adding more and more plot lines, some of which never amounted to anything. This coupled with his stereotyping of Mexicans and Mexico was just off putting. Rounded up from 2.5 ⭐️

When Matt Pine finds out his family has died on vacation in Mexico, he’s devastated. And not just in the way that pretty much anyone would be. But even more so, because his brother has been wasting away in prison for 6 years, being found guilty of murdering his girlfriend back in their hometown in Nebraska where he was the star quarterback of the football team.

And this vacation didn’t exactly happen under normal circumstances. The Pine Family was all but broke, because their Dad had spent all his money trying to prove his oldest son’s innocence, and went to such extremes that his participation in a true crime documentary also got his fired from his job. So what where they doing on an expensive vacation to Tulum Mexico?

Not to mention the fact that Matt finds out about his family from the FBI, who are looking into the father’s old firm who apparently had been in cahoots with a Mexican cartel. The plot thickens. If the family’s death wasn’t just an accident, is it linked to a killer who doesn’t want to be revealed, or a gang who is owed something?

Every Last Fear is a wild ride. It’s a two-fer mystery as the reader tries to figure out who-dunnit in not just one, but two, possibly three crimes. We travel to Tulum and back, to a small-town in Nebraska and the Chicago suburbs.

I have to say that one thing bugged me. Finlay had the Pine family living in Naperville. Which is fine, except I feel like that’s a pretty specific setting. Now, full transparency, I am from there, but it also just has this way about it and this reputation that I know reaches farther than Illinois. And it was Naperville but only in name. Nothing about the story had anything to do with or mirrored actual Naperville. So that did bug me a big. Even the high school- they called it Naperville High School, which is not a thing. They have 5 high schools. But I’m sure that bugged only me:)

Still if you can look past that, or don’t care about that detail, it’s a fantastic thriller. I loved this one and really appreciated how different and multi-faceted the story was. Special thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press. This one is out March 2, 2021. My review will be posted on my blog, Women in Trouble Book Blog on February 16, 2021.

3.5/5 stars

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

Who killed Charlotte?

The Pine family has been fighting for a decade to find new evidence to get Danny released. Due to a recent viral Netflix documentary trying to exonerate him of the murder of his girlfriend, the Pine family have become infamous. Even the President’s daughter believes in Danny’s innocence and is pushing for his parole.

There is only one person who thinks that Danny is exactly where he belongs. His brother Matt, who doesn’t have the courage to tell his family what he may have seen on the night of Charlotte’s murder.

So when four members of the Pine family die under mysterious circumstances while on vacation in Mexico, it isn’t too difficult to speculate that what appears to be an accident, could have actually been a murder.

Matt, now an undergrad at NYU, is forced back into the community that hates him, as he deals with the aftermath of the annihilation of his family. But maybe the last text his sister Maggie sent him has some answers to what really happened in Mexico. What actually happened that fateful night, and who was really responsible for Charlotte’s death?

Overall I did enjoy the story, but I think that this was a thriller that was on the tracks. There isn’t a lot of mystery as to who the bad guy is.

I also think that this novel emphasizes a problem with modern crime documentaries, which is that the victim gets forgotten.

We do learn a lot about the Pine family, and their story is lovingly told, but I don’t even think that Charlotte was given a last name. (If I’m wrong here, it’s also probably due to the fact that she’s barely a footnote in the story.)
I also want to mention that a huge trend in thrillers right now is intertextuality. I can’t even count the amount of books that I have read in the last couple of years with podcasts as a way to push the narrative. So even though it is in a similar realm, it was nice to see a slight change from that trope with the undercurrent of a Netflix documentary.