So excited that I got to read an eARC of Every Last Fear. This twisty thriller is already popping up on must read books for 2021.

Here’s the description from St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books:

“‘They found the bodies on a Tuesday.’ So begins this twisty and breathtaking novel that traces the fate of the Pine family, a thriller that will both leave you on the edge of your seat and move you to tears.

After a late night of partying, NYU student Matt Pine returns to his dorm room to devastating news: nearly his entire family―his mom, his dad, his little brother and sister―have been found dead from an apparent gas leak while vacationing in Mexico. The local police claim it was an accident, but the FBI and State Department seem far less certain―and they won’t tell Matt why.

The tragedy makes headlines everywhere because this isn’t the first time the Pine family has been thrust into the media spotlight. Matt’s older brother, Danny―currently serving a life sentence for the murder of his teenage girlfriend Charlotte―was the subject of a viral true crime documentary suggesting that Danny was wrongfully convicted. Though the country has rallied behind Danny, Matt holds a secret about his brother that he’s never told anyone: the night Charlotte was killed Matt saw something that makes him believe his brother is guilty of the crime.

When Matt returns to his small hometown to bury his parents and siblings, he’s faced with a hostile community that was villainized by the documentary, a frenzied media, and memories he’d hoped to leave behind forever. Now, as the deaths in Mexico appear increasingly suspicious and connected to Danny’s case, Matt must unearth the truth behind the crime that sent his brother to prison―putting his own life in peril―and forcing him to confront his every last fear.

Told through multiple points-of-view and alternating between past and present, Alex Finlay's Every Last Fear is not only a page-turning thriller, it’s also a poignant story about a family managing heartbreak and tragedy, and living through a fame they never wanted.”


My thoughts: The story was great with twists and turns aplenty. I did figure out part of it early on, but there was way more to the story that I wasn’t counting on. Definitely some great final twists.

I have two complaints. A rushed ending, which many thrillers have so it’s not a unique problem, and two, that side characters were given way too many backstory details that didn’t matter. Let me say that none of this detracted from the main story and even though I grumbled to my family about the side characters, when they asked me why I was still reading it, I answered “Because I have to know.”

Rating: Despite the overuse of details for unimportant characters, this book will thrill, and I guarantee it will be a big hit. I give it 4 Stars, and I would definitely recommend this for anyone that wants to sink their teeth into a twisted mystery.

**Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC. My opinions are my own.**

Trigger warning: Death of children.

"Every Last Fear" was a good thriller. The book starts off with a maid cleaning a villa in Tulum, Mexico discovering the bodies of the Pine Family -- parents Evan and Olivia and children Maggie and Tommy. Olivia and the children look peaceful, as if they had died in their sleep (prompting conclusions of a gas leak), but Evan's body was mangled and missing pieces (courtesy of wild dogs). The only survivors were the oldest boys, Danny and Matt, but only because Danny Pine is in prison for killing his girlfriend and Matt is a student at NYU and his spring break did not correspond with his father's spur of the moment Mexican vacation. Matt learns about his family's deaths when an FBI agent (Sarah Keller) shows up on campus. The Mexican authorities are being less than fully cooperative and it is necessary for Matt to go to Mexico to claim the bodies. Tragic accident or foul play, the death of an American family in Mexico would not generally generate much excitement. However, the Pine family was infamous due to a highly successful Netflix documentary, "A Violent Nature" about Danny Pine, the murder of his girlfriend, Charlotte, his conviction, and the campaign to prove he was innocent. The small town Nebraska police officers utilized the interrogation techniques that they had been trained to employ, but they had no experience with a homicide investigation and did not know that the techniques had been found to result in a high percentage of forced/false confessions. The video of the interrogation makes it clear that Danny confessed because he was tired, overwhelmed, and just wanted to go home (which does not necessarily mean he was innocent, just that he did not confess of his own free will).

Seven years have passed since the murder, but it has devastated the Pine Family, as well as their former hometown of Adair, Nebraska, which was the subject of a lot of unwanted and negative attention following the release of the documentary. The book alternates between the present, the recent past (the actions of Evan, Olivia, and Maggie in the days leading up to the trip to Tulum and events in Tulum) and the events of seven years ago (the murder, the trial, the documentary, etc.). Information arises that suggests that the death of the Pine Family was not an accident and that there might be a larger conspiracy at work, possibly related to the events of seven years ago. With the exception of Tommy, who was born after his brother's arrest and has never actually met his oldest brother, Danny, every member of the Pine Family has secrets, as do a number of the residents of Adair, Nebraska. The author does a good job of building and sustaining the suspense, revealing information about past and present events in a manner that provides some possible answers but also leads to more questions and leaves the characters (and readers) trying to figure out what really happened seven years ago, what is happened now, who is behind the current events, and what is the connection with past events. The author has created an interesting cast of characters, especially Matt's college friends and some of Maggie's high school friends. I would certainly recommend this book.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Thank you for the book!

The author did a good job of keeping up suspense and the story was relatively fast-paced. It’s been a little tough for me to focus on reading lately, and this book was one I was ready to pick up and keep on with the story. There is quite a bit happening in this book, and though the timeline of the story isn’t linear, its easy to keep up on what is happening. The story had an overall satisfying ending, though with the deaths of Matt Pine’s family, there is always an overtone of sadness. I liked the tie-ins with the true crime documentary (and that should work well in an audiobook), and I wish I could have learned more about what happened to Danny. I thought the side story of the financial crime was unnecessary in this book, and there were a few times I had to suspend my disbelief, but overall an enjoyable book.

I was kindly given an advance copy of Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay by St. Martins Press as well as Netgalley, and it was a fantastic read! I always appreciate when the story is told in short chapters using multiple point of views because I remain engaged within the book and devour it quickly! This was the kind of book I wanted to devour but also savor at the same time. Fans of CSI or Law and Order will need to pick up a copy of this investigative thriller when it releases in March because I felt like I was watching a crime scene tv show coming to life when I was reading. The clues were laid out for the most inquisitive minds to catch onto early on in the story, but if you're like me I fell for all of the author's tricks and was absolutely shocked by this fantastic ending. I cannot wait to see what Alex Finlay chooses to write about next because I was an absolute fan for his writing style and execution of this story!

Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay is everything you want to experience when you settle in to read a thriller: gripping, twisty, and suspense-filled at every turn. The action begins immediately with Matt Pine being informed that his parents, sister, and younger brother have been discovered dead while they vacationed in Mexico. However, it becomes clear that foul play is afoot and his family was actually murdered. By whom and for what reason remains to be discovered. At the same time we find out that Matt's older brother Danny is in prison for allegedly killing his high school girlfriend seven years prior. Did Danny actually kill Charlotte or has he been wrongfully imprisoned? So many questions and threads of evidence come together with evidence and answers as the plot moves deeper alternating character perspectives with each chapter. I really enjoyed the novel from beginning to end and highly recommend for those who love to solve a good mystery along with the characters. Look for this one March 2, 2021. Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book is a ride of twists and turns so much so that I couldn't put it down. Matt Pine is at NYU and returns from a party to learn his family has died in Mexico from an apparent gas leak. Or was it? Also, in the mix is Matt's brother serving time for killing his girlfriend. Could that murder have something to do with the rest of the family dying? This book has multiple timelines but instead of being confusing adds to the story. I can't wait for Alex Finlay to write move books.

4 stars. What an enjoyable ride! I normally am weary of books with many POVs but it didn’t bother me in this. The author does a great job of developing each perspective and I truly was guessing until nearly the end. I’m looking forward to seeing more from Finlay.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

While Matt may have moved on from his brother’s arrest for murder, his family has not. As amateur detectives, they strive to prove his innocence and set him free, until the entire family is found dead on vacation. It’s up to Matt now, to set his brother free... but is that what he believes should be done?

This was a suspense and thriller that had a lot going on. This would normally not be a good thing for me, but this was so well done that it worked. I had no issue following the multiple perspectives and dual time line. There were many characters, but I was able to keep track of them. I liked how the characters were all so different, with their own side problems going on. The mystery was well done, and there were multiple characters that I suspected throughout the read. It was pretty creepy reading chapters in narration of family members that I knew were dead... especially as it lead up to their deaths. Overall, a clever, suspenseful read that was believable and not overly complex.

“There was one positive that had derived from all of Dad’s fears: he’d made sure his children were prepared if they ever encountered a monster.”

Matt Pine’s family, parents and younger brother and sister, have been found dead in Mexico. His older brother, Danny, is imprisoned for life. He and his entire family are despised by the townspeople in Nebraska since a documentary revealed the shoddy investigation that put his brother in prison. When he travels to Mexico to claim his family’s remains, a stranger attempts to kill him. Assisted by the FBI and supported by the concern of his NYU friends and the memory of his beloved family, he seeks answers. Why was his family in Mexico? Did it involve his brother? Who really killed Charlotte, if not Danny? Why does Matt feel at every revelation more the pursued than the pursuer? Who hates him enough to harm everyone he loves? This novel is a page-turner. Alex Finlay provides two storylines, following Matt in the present and family members in the past. The reader becomes part of the investigation, always on edge because of the twists and turns toward a solution. The suspense builds; the anxiety and anticipation do not cease.

I’m a huge lover of thrillers/mysteries and Every Last Fear did not disappoint.

The story starts out with Matt Pine, a college student at NYU, being informed that his family had passed away while on a vacation in Mexico due to an apparent gas leak. A tragedy that becomes much more interesting when we learn that Matt’s brother is a convicted murderer and that all may not be as it seems.

From there, the story is so twisty and turny, I couldn’t put it down. The story is filled with a memorable cast of characters that were so well developed it felt like you really knew them, even the characters with smaller roles in the story.

Alex Finlay does an amazing job of keeping the reader guessing, I did not see the ending coming!

I highly recommend this one for anyone looking for a fast-paced, mystery.

Thanks to Alex Finlay, NetGalley and St.Martins Press for the eArc in exchange for my honest review.

Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay

What a time to read a book that I didn't want to put down. I was reading this book on Christmas Eve and Christmas so I couldn't just read nonstop and ignore my husband, like I might do on other days...ha ha. This story starts with a dead family, mother, father, son, daughter, on vacation in Mexico. Such a terrible tragedy caused by a gas leak. 

The Pine family had suffered so much already. Years ago, the oldest son, Danny, was convicted of murdering his high school girlfriend although a true crime documentary has made a compelling case that the boy's confession was coerced and that a serial killer could be responsible for the death. Due to the crime and then the documentary, the family is both pitied and despised and the second oldest son, Matt, does his best to stay completely under the radar of anyone who wants to discuss the case. Now, Matt is in college when he is notified that his parents, sister, and youngest brother are dead. 

The FBI has reason to believe the deaths were not an accident and asks Matt to go to Mexico to get the remains released. Before Matt leaves, someone tries to hurt him and once in Mexico, Matt runs into troubles also. Things cascade from there, red herrings and suspicious people make their appearances, and it wasn't until about halfway through the book that I could pinpoint a potential suspect. So many moving parts, so many points of view, had me questioning everything and everyone. 

The story is told in the past and the present. There is the party that Danny attended all those years ago, the night the girl was killed. Then there is the immediate past, where we get to know Matt and his family. Seventeen year old Maggie, Matt's sister, and his dad, Evan, have worked endlessly to clear Danny's name. They've just received a video that sends them hightailing to Mexico to check out their latest lead. It's so hard to get to know the family, especially Maggie and Evan, knowing from the beginning of the book that they are going to be dead in a few days. I really became attached to the Pine family and we know they are dead, in the present timeline. 

For me, this fact didn't take away from the tension of the story. Matt is still in danger, someone does not want the truth to come out and will continue to kill. Why was the girl killed, who killed her, who is still killing those connected to the case? The story keeps feeling bigger and bigger as the FBI investigates a cartel and the Mexico government puts roadblocks in front of the investigation. Thankfully FBI agent Sarah Keller is not going to be thrown off the trail. She's a great character and I'd love to see her again, in a future book. 

Thank you to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

This debut is a psychological thriller about the Pine family found dead in Mexico. The oldest son, Danny, is in prison wrongly convicted of killing his girlfriend, Charlotte. The younger son, Matt, is left to uncover the truth about his family's final days. The local police claim it was a gas leak but the FBI and the State Department claim it is foul play. The story is told through multiple points-of-view and alternates between the past and present. I was hooked at the beginning and it didn't let me go until the very last page. I loved the short chapters, the twisty plot and the believable characters. I would recommend to those who love thrillers and I look forward to the next book written by Finlay. I would like to thank NetGalley and Minotaur Books for a free copy for an honest review.

5 “can’t believe this is a debut” stars

I really enjoyed this one and I’m pleasantly surprised this is a debut novel. I will be watching for Alex Finlay’s future books! This one kept me guessing for almost the whole book and the ending was well done.

This powerhouse opening has four bodies found in Mexico, a family dead from an accident while on vacation. We learn that older brother Matt is a student at NYU and eldest brother Danny is serving a life sentence. This family can’t seem to catch a break. A recent documentary attempted to show that Danny was innocent, and this latest news keeps the Pine name in the headlines.

What makes this book a bit different is that in the “before” sections, we really get to know the Pine family members and I grew to love them. It was agony to know that their days were numbered. I also enjoyed the story of Keller, an FBI agent who is attempting to figure out what happened. One of my favorite new phrases I learned is BSD – you’ll have to read the book to find out what that means!

Matt is soon drawn into the drama and I worried for his safety as well. Was it really an accident in Mexico or this part of a bigger crime? The clues start to pile up, but this reader was not clever enough to put them all together. The ending made sense, but I was not close to figuring it out. I really like when that happens! There were plenty of twists to keep the story going and this one earns all the stars from me!

Aaah Every Last Fear reminded me of my love of police procedurals! I need more of these in my reading life immediately.

Fast paced, TWISTY, loads of unreliable characters who will play with your mind and emotions, Cartels and cross-border investigations, FBI, family sleuths, small town setting with shady as shit inhabitants! This book had it all and I loved every moment. As a reader, I appreciate when a book can grip me and Every Last Fear was definitely that kind of story.

Told from multiple POVs through a past and present timeline format, Finlay clicked and clacked all the pieces together bit by bit building nothing but amazing tension the whole way. I need more from this author ASAP!

I was given this book as a galley from St. Martin's Press in exchange for my honest feedback.

Absolutely loved this book! It's been a minute since I've picked up a mystery/thriller-type novel and this book showed me how wrong I was to spend so much time away from the genre. This story has many twists and turns, and some fascinating characters to boot. The only issue I had with the book was just *how many* alternating perspectives there were - my ADHD-laden brain had a bit of trouble remembering everything that was happening, but I do believe the additional perspectives really enhanced the read. Would definitely recommend!

I really enjoyed this book. The twists kept coming out of no where. When you thought you knew something, think again! Great novel!

I received this and as an eARC to read for free in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for giving me access.

Through out the story, I wasn't sure where the plot was going. Are we in the past or present? What does a murder from the past have to do with a current homicide? The link between the two was very long winded, BUT it was worth it.

Finlay ended up tying up everything neatly with a bow. With all the twists and turns, there is no way you can predict the outcome of this story and I am here for every page of it.

Wow! What a book!

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

Matt Pine a student at NYU wakes up with a raging hang over after a hard night of partying only to find that the FBI would like a word with him. His world comes crashing down when they inform him that his father Evan, his mother Liv, his teenage sister Maggie, and five year old brother Tommy died while vacationing in Mexico. An apparent gas leak but FBI agent Sarah Keller isn't so sure.

Matt's older brother Danny was convicted of murdering his high school girlfriend, Charlotte, and is in prison for life. Evan and Maggie never stopped investigating sure of Danny's innocence. Maggie had recently received an anonymous tip which is why the family flies out to Mexico. Was this truly a horrible accident or were Evan and Maggie getting too close to the truth? You'll have to read this to find out.

How often does it happen that you adore everyone in a book. Oh how I came to care for the Pine family. I adored Agent Sarah Keller and her husband Bob. Evan and Bob are devoted husbands and fathers and in the thriller genre that is very unusual but so very refreshing. Even Matt's friends were a devoted and loyal group and provided him a support system he so desperately needed.

This book had me riveted to the pages. A true page turner in every way. I can't think of one thing to complain about. Not one thing. I may have even gotten misty eyed a time or two. Highest recommendation. ALL THE STARS!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my digital copy.

Matt is a college student whose older brother is in prison for killing his high school girlfriend. Matt's family thinks he is innocent and are searching for answers when the family (minus Matt) die in what looks like a freak accident but may be more than that. This was good, not great. I wasn't all that surprised by the ending, but the story itself was decent. I liked Maggie best. 3.5 stars rounded to 4.

Thank you to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the eARC of Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay. Every Last Fear is a thriller that keeps you guessing right up to the very end. Danny Pine is in jail for murder. His entire family, with the exception of Matt, has been found dead in Tulum, Mexico. With the help of FBI agent Sarah Keller, Matt is on a mission to find out what happened to his family in Mexico. With Danny in jail and his family found murdered, Matt feels lost and turns to one of his old friends. In a moment of passion, Matt discovers what has really happened and it's an ugly truth.

Each chapter of Every Last Fear is told from the perspective of members of the Pine Family and FBI agent Sarah Keller molding together a great thriller that keeps you wanting to find out what in the world is going on. If you are searching for a great thriller, I highly recommend Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay! It's due out March 2, 2021!