Member Reviews
Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay is an action packed mystery that keeps you entertained. The story centers around the Pine family, whose oldest son is in prison for a murder he may not have committed. Evan and Olivia Pine are certain that Dan is innocent so they agree to be part of a documentary about the murder, making the family instantly famous. Matt Pine, Dan's brother, runs off to college and tries to stay out of the family drama, until an FBI agent appears to inform him that his remaining family has been killed in Mexico. Was his family's death an accident? Matt and Agent Keller try to piece the information together to find out the truth.
This story is fast paced and keeps you wanting to read more. You begin to question everyone involved and wonder what is true. The characters are well developed and you start to feel sad for Matt as he struggles with his grief. The plot focuses on both the past and present crime, interweaving seamlessly.
I really liked this story because the mystery was not easy to figure out. The story kept me interested from start to finish and the ending was satisfying. I look forward to reading additional stories from Alex Finlay.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of the book. The opinions are my own.
This book did not disappoint. it pulls you in from the beginning with a typical college kid, Matt Pine hungover from a party the night before. He is missing his jacket, phone, wallet and is met at his dorm by an FBI agent. The Pine family is dead in Tulum, allegedly from a gas leak while they were on vacation. He must fly there to have their bodies released but this is no ordinary family. The oldest brother, Danny is in prison accused of murdering his girlfriend but his family believes in his innocence. A documentary to gain attention and help free his brother was produced and has put them into the spotlight, giving these deaths celebrity status. The story switches from present day Matt and Danny along with the agent Sarah and the Pine family before the tragedy that befell them. The mysteries keep piling up as the pages turn and it doesn’t look like an accident, but why kill an entire family and who is responsible. Will they stop there or is Matt in more danger than he realizes?
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review! Highly recommend! Can’t wait to see what the other comes out with next!
Holy cow, wow! This is one of those thrillers, which will leave you mind blown! Riveting, original, fast paced, and unputdownable! This book was so well written, character development absolutely perfect, and plot details so great I could not put it down! It had me on the edge of my seat, in suspense! Full of tension, thrills, chills, twists, and shocks! Highly, highly recommend! Why? Two worded: mind blowing!!! Clear your schedules and plan to be without sleep. As this one is one that will not allow you to put to the side, until you finish that last word! Then it’ll sit in your brain and spin, spin, spin!
Will make sure to buzz around and use low amazon reviewer number on release date!
This is a twisty psychological thriller that grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. It is extremely well written and an interesting and unique story line. The book shifts perspectives between past and present and I loved getting to see multiple sides of what happened. College student Matt Pine is about to have a very bad week. He learns his parents, sister, and younger brother have all died mysteriously on an impromptu trip to Mexico that they took. Matt’s only family now is his older brother Danny who was sentenced to prison for murdered his girlfriend years ago. Matt’s parents had always believed Danny was innocent but Matt has avoided participating so he could move on with his life. This book was very well done, and I hope to see more in the future by this author.
Very well done, this is probably the best page-turner I have read this year. Doesn't feel like a first book and from what I understand the author is a pseudonym but maybe it is their first stab at this genre and if so job well done. There are lots of points of view and some time shifting from the past to the present but it's not confusing at all and the short chapters keep the pages turning. The plot is a cross between the Netflix series Making of a Murderer and other scummy real-life recent news events. Young NYU student Matt is left alone to uncover if his brother really did commit a murder that put him away for life 7 years ago and if those events relate to the recent tragedy that has befallen his family. Along with agent Keller from the FBI and with plenty of twists along the way the truth eventually comes to light.
Thank you to Netgalley, St Martins Press, and Alex Finlay for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was such a fun quick read. It took longer for me to read this novel only because I took a reading break this month. However, I was sucked in from the start. Usually I have to read a few chapters before really getting into the book, but not this one!
SO lets get down to the pros and cons:
Pros: I could not put this down. Each chapter left me a little more of a clue to figure out what was going on. Was there some sort of conspiracy or did the brother (Danny) really kill his high school girlfriend? I wasn't able to figure out what happened that night until maybe at the 60-70% point. At that point I was analyzing the shit out of the characters. It was a quick twisty read which would be great for a plane trip, beach read, or even possibly on a road trip via audiobook.
Cons: I didn't feel like I figured out what was going on myself! I felt as the writer told me straight up like "yup this is whats going on." I was so pissed when the dots connected and there wasn't another twist that would lead me astray from that thought. It also did not feel realistic at all. I'm all up for discussion on this but I really don't want to spoil this for ya'll!
Wow, this is a really good thriller! You will be drawn in from the beginning and won't be able to put it down. So many twists and turns in the plot and characters are believable and well drawn. The story centers on the deaths of the Pine family and how they relate to the incarceration of their oldest son, Danny, who was convicted of murdering his girlfriend. The question is whether the deaths were accidental and whether Danny is guilty or not. Nothing is clear and the facts are very well hidden. Clues are subtle and hard to find. A great ride and I really enjoyed it. I will be suggesting this book to many friends.
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Every Last Fear was a fantastic mystery book to dive into. Not sure why it took me so long to finally pick it up but I wasn't disappointed after the prologue. Honestly, I devoured this book and it wasn't hard to do so either. It was pretty hard to walk away from the book but I somehow found a way to eat dinner pretty quickly just so I could go back to the book.
The one thing I really needed was answers. Like, seriously, I needed them. This entire book had me questioning every little thing and every single person. Not going to lie, I had zero suspects until the very end of the book. Which is when I found out who was behind it all.
What I can say is... my mind is blown. This whole entire thing was so freaking good. The twists, turns, and POVs kept me on the edge of my seat. Once I started getting closer to the end, things were starting to get hard to read. Especially when I got to certain POVs. My heart was hurting and I just felt so bad.
In the end, this book needs to be on everyone's mind and shelves. Enjoy the mystery people.
My thanks to St. Martin's Press, Alex Finlay and Netgalley.
This story. I don't even have the words to tell you how it broke me. The thing is that from the beginning,you know "mostly" how it ends. I got to know these people. I had hoped that the beginning was a ruse. It's not.
Everyone who knows me also knows that i love murder and mayhem. This though. This broke my brittle, dried up beef jerky heart! I hate when "family" is messed with!
In truth? As horrified as I am by this book, I do believe that "thriller wise" it's probably the best thriller book that I've read this year.
I'm ready to read much more from this author!
Danny, Matty, Maggie, and Tommy are the Pine children; but, Danny is in jail for life for a murder he probably didn't commit (or did he?). Matt is at college when FBI agent Sarah Keller shows up to break the news that Maggie, Tommy, mom Olivia and Dad Evan have all died in Mexico under mysterious circumstances.
Matt travels to Mexico to get his family's bodies released, and nothing goes as planned. Get ready for a wild ride.
The story is told from various points of views, giving the reader access to information and developments that Matt is not privy to. Matt has a wonderful group of loyal college friends. They come through with love and support and really are a highlight of the story, also reminding the reader of the wildly diverse friends we make in college based on proximity, and how lasting those relationships can be.
I loved every minute of Alex Finlay's Every Last Fear.. There were a couple of issues that I wanted to be addressed at the end, that were not, but I was very satisfied with this book, start to finish. This book came to me highly recommended, and I am so glad I got my hands on a copy.
Thank you to NetGalley, Alex Finlay, and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Every Last Fear by @alexfinlayauthor (Out March 2021)
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This book was just what I needed this weekend. Fast paced, twists & turns and an intelligent storyline! The prologue hooks you in immediately. Four members of a family are dead on a vacation in Mexico.
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I really enjoyed this whole book and the ending was really well done!
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Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book!
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What’s a thriller or suspense you always recommend?
What a thrill ride!
Great character development, plot twists, kept me guessing until the end! While I hated some of the tragedy that occurred, it was good to see some closure by the end of the novel.
For fans of thrillers, crime mysteries and don't mind alternating point of view - add this one to your must read list!
Thankful for the ARC!
Hmm the police show up at your college dorm room to tell you that your family has been found dead in Mexico apparently from a gas leak. This is the same family that several years ago they were featured in a true crime documentary featuring oldest son Danny being accused of killing high sweetheart.
Story goes back and forth between then and now, as well as multiple POVs.
I love psychological thrillers and don’t have a problem with multiple POVs. But found I needed to take notes on who is who and when they said or did what!
I read some reviews and it seems everyone loves it and gave 4 or 5 stars.
I did wasn’t love it but hung in there as I wanted to know “Whodunit”
I wanted Danny to be proven innocent~ felt his prison term was the result of Danny saying what the interrogators wanted him to say and they just wore him down… he was a teenager in grief and said whatever they wanted to hear just for the interrogation to stop Unfortunately that was enough to get him a prison sentence..
Then with the family being killed, I wanted to know the answer. SO yes the story kept me interested.
However, I had a hard time staying focused ~ I am sure it was just my mood at the time and Yes! I was anxious to find the answer but got distracted by the then and now and multiple POV.
I want to support a debut author or authors but don’t have much info on the author ~ In fact; it seems they don’t want us to know. I checked the Author’s Facebook page but it doesn’t give anything away. NOW I am curious as I love a mystery!
I am betting on two or more authors, which would explain the disjoin I was experiencing ~
Want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press ~ Minotaur Books for this eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for professional review purposes only. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for March 2, 2021
This book was amazing! It was a fantastic thriller debut that was very fast-paced and beautifully plotted. Matt Pine is an NYU film student who is told that his parents and younger siblings have died in Mexico from an apparent gas leak. The family had made national attention years before because their oldest son Danny has been incarcerated for allegedly killing his high school girlfriend.
WIth his family dead and older brother in prison, Matt is left alone to find out what happened. This thriller definitely stands out to me as an avid thriller fan. It was great characters, plot and suspense.
I liked this book over all but I thought there were a few too many alternating view points, but I also feel like it needed all the view points to tell the story.
This was a mind-blowing, action-packed and heart-racing mystery that I won't forget anytime soon!
This book made me feel so much. Adrenaline, fear, anger, love and sympathy for the Pine family. You name it, I went through it all and I am so glad I had an ARC of this book. Otherwise, I'm pretty sure I would have missed this gem.
In this book, we learn that Matt's family (his parents, younger sister and little brother) died mysteriously in a so called "gas leak" while they were in Mexico for a Spring break. However, quickly we find out that the scene present signs of foul play and that leaves us wondering who could be behind it and why? We also learn that the oldest brother Danny is in prison for the murder of his girlfriend during a party. Is the case related? You'll have to read the book to find out.
There was never a dull moment and with multiple POVs, we get to know Matt but also each member of the Pine family "before" they were murdered. I cared for everyone in this book and as the chapters flew by, the ending was closer and closer and the final "before" chapters broke my heart.
If you like Mystery/Thrillers, Every Last Fear should be one of your most anticipated releases of next year and I can't wait for you to read it. I hope you'll love it as much as I did.
(Thank you so much for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)
Every Last Fear is the fast-paced, action-packed book of the year that is just begging to be made into a movie. This book would be a slam dunk for any movie producer looking for the thriller of the year. The dynamic plot is intricately crafted, complex and perfectly executed. Can't say enough wonderful things about this book.
4.5 stars
This book was exactly what I needed right now! It was super fast paced and I loved how it alternates between all the family members’ perspectives so we can piece together the puzzle. I really enjoyed this one and I’d recommend it for fans of legal-based thrillers like A Good Marriage or The Night Swim.
What a fantastic psychological thriller!! This is the first book by Alex Finlay I've read, and not the last! The book was gripping from the very beginning, and with all the twists and turns I couldn't wait to see what happens. Highly recommended.
TB
Wow this book was an absolute page turner. I had much of the perp plot figured out as the story progressed but it was still a solid whodunnit until the end.
An alternating timeline story of family dealing with murder and tragedy in the spotlight of the public eye that won’t be put to rest until the answers of the past are revealed.
I expect this book to be one of the top reads of 2021 - release date 3/2/21.
This author is a pseudonym that I assume will be revealed as the book is released but I am already reviewing other books because this one was that good.
A big thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.