Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay is good, old-fashioned suspense that you will want to read in one sitting. I was engaged from beginning to end.

When film-making student Matt Pine learns that almost his entire family has died while on vacation in Mexico, his world comes crashing down. All he has left is his older brother Danny, serving time in prison for killing his girlfriend, a crime he may or may not have committed.

For years, the Pine family has been consumed with the fallout from Danny’s alleged crime. A documentary about the murder has put the family and their small town in the spotlight. Its been incredibly stressful and fighting Danny’s conviction has cost the family their entire savings.

Matt has to fly down to Mexico to deal with the paperwork and red tape of getting the bodies back home. FBI agent Sarah comes on the scene, trying to figure out what happened and why? There are so many questions, conspiracies, and lies.

Check it out:

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.

I read so many books with similar plots so what I especially liked was a fresh story that I’d never seen before; I liked how things were tied up at the ends. I will be looking forward to the author’s next book!

This one will be published on March 2, 2021. You can pre-order here!

There was nothing wrong with this book. The plot was okay. The characters were distinct and had some personality. The pacing was fine. There just was some spark missing for me. Maybe part of it comes down to the structure of the book. Each chapter focuses on a different character, and because my attention was split among all the characters, I never really felt all that connected to any of them.

After I read a description of Every Last Fear, I eagerly awaited a response to my request to review, hoping I would get a chance to read this before it came out! With a blurb on the front by one of my favourite authors, Karin Slaughter, I knew this would be one to read!
Therefore, I was beyond excited to review an advanced copy of this book. From the description of the story I knew it would be something that would catch my attention- and it certainly did not disappoint!
The story is focused on a family that was the subject of a Netflix series regarding the eldest child, Danny, and his conviction for killing his girlfriend. The story takes place after the series has aired, but switches between timelines past and present. It is told from multiple perspectives, with the majority being told by the second eldest son, Michael, and the FBI Agent.
From the very first page, this story had me engaged. Having multiple perspectives created an intensity as you slowly saw the story come together from the past to the present by way of different characters providing perspectives in the past and the present. Not only did it allow you to see the story from varying characters, but it also dropped hints as you read that helped bring the major plot together. As you read you would get pieces from each character that all came together in the end, and definitely had some surprise elements.
I really liked Alex Finlay’s writing. It didn’t drag, and at the end I couldn’t read fast enough to see what happened to the characters. I found myself wishing that the family had a different ending (than the one we knew was coming after the first chapter) because I just wanted the best for them! I also enjoyed the characters, they weren’t unlikable yet they were also normal people that had flaws. I was also really intrigued with the basis for the story- what happens to the subjects of a popular true crime series after the series has aired. The fall-out from the series, both the good and the bad, are highlighted, as well as the impact of the series on Michael (who chose not to participate), and other persons who did not participate. It isn’t a storyline that I have read before, and I thought it made an excellent basis for the book.
The entire story was interesting, with good twists and turns. A perfect read for people who liked books about similar concepts by Gilly MacMillan and Kathleen Barber. The only negative for me was I wanted to hear a bit more from the incarcerated son, Danny, throughout the book. (really I just wanted the book to be longer because it was that good!)
This book definitely lived up to the high expectations I set for it once I read the outline. It was engaging, entertaining, suspenseful, and had me thinking about it when I was done. I liked the characters enough that I was sad to see them go, and it made me excited to see what else this author has to offer.
All in all, I was excited to read the book and it did not disappoint in any way. I would highly recommend that people go and get this when it is released, as it is a thrilling ride that is a perfect read for the time we are living in. The only warning I have is that you will want to set aside some time, it is a read you won’t want to stop until the final page is done.
Well done Mr. Finlay, I can’t wait to see what you have coming next!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me an advanced copy of this book to review.

What a great debut book for Alex Finlay! This was a great mystery/thriller. I enjoyed the story being told from different perspectives. This way I got to know each character and their side of the story. I will definitely be on the lookout for more books by this author in the future.


Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the digital arc in return of an honest review.

Unique concept and story line told in a before and after sequence. We have a family whose oldest son is accused of murdering his girlfriend but you know he is innocent. What lengths would you go to, to prove his innocence. You agree to a in-depth documentary not realizing the after effects. Meanwhile the real killer is orchestrating and maneuvering the real facts. I liked the characters and how the story came to a tidy conclusion.
Thanks Netgalley and Minotaur publishing for the opportunity to read and give honest feedback.

Wow! Where do I start!? This thriller has it all, rich, believable characters, a well crafted tale and enough twist to pull the reader in! I honestly didn’t see it coming...and then, when I did, I yelled “yes!” Great!

Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay

This book is a must read for psychological thriller fans.
“Every Last Fear” is overflowing with little secrets and twists you won’t see coming. Alex Finlay incorporates a some of today’s popular entertainment media into his work, which for me, made the story more realistic and pulled me in. His characters actually had character (good and bad), which makes them easier to relate to. It was hard to put down once I started it, I wanted to know what was going to happen to who next! Highly recommended.

This is a fantastic book! It was suspenseful, intriguing and engaging. There were sad and heartbreaking moments, along with many twists along the way. I highly recommend it!

Matt Pine is away at college at NYU when he receives a visit from FBI agent Sarah Keller. His parents, Olivia, and Evan, along with his sister Maggie and little brother Tommy, have been found dead while vacationing in Mexico.

Matt is in shock and feels this is another spot light he does not want to be in. You see, Matt's older brother Danny Pine is in prison, convicted of killing his girlfriend Charlotte. This murder made headlines and a Netflix documentary that aired make the Pine Family somewhat famous. Now Matt needs to fly to Mexico to claim his family and bring them back home.

Through multiple points of view we get and insight of the Pine Family in the "before" pages before their deaths. Where Evan Pine and Maggie Pine want to track down who really belongs behind bars. Where Olivia feels guilt of what happened that night and who harbors a big secret.

This was an engaging read. With short chapers to keep you on edge. There was some minor issues (for me at least), but somewhat descriptive characterization of certain people was a little uncomfortable. However, maybe I read to much into it as I''m sure their are books out there that can be worse, so don't mind me. This was still a great THRILLER!

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for this digitsl ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Fast-paced and surprisingly grim, this read would pair well with a few smaller British crime dramas that my mother loves. Not knocking it! Really engaging through the final page.

Every Last Fear is a fast-paced, action-packed book that is just begging to be made into a movie.

Matt’s brother Danny is in prison for a crime his family knows he didn’t commit, even though he confessed to it. It all stems back to a party years ago where a girl was murdered. When another tragedy occurs, Matt dives back into investigating the old case, along with some documentary filmmakers who made a popular movie about the case.

This author has an infectious page-turning style. It’s hard to believe this is a debut novel because it’s so well-written. I could visualize every scene and feel sure someone is going to turn this into a movie. It’s full of action and the plot moves along at a very fast clip. Some of the twists, especially a very early twist, are genuinely shocking.

I loved the plot and the characters. The only negative for me is that the tale is told from so many perspectives that I didn’t get to know some of the main characters as much as I would have liked. I loved Matt and Danny’s perspectives, as well as his sister Maggie’s. I might have liked to hear more from those characters to get a little deeper into their minds, rather than some of the other characters like the FBI agent (who I also really liked, but not as much as the family at the heart of the book).

Nonetheless, this was an expertly plotted book and the way the mystery unfolds is fantastic. I will definitely read Finlay’s next book. Finley is a talented suspense writer to watch! He knows just where to lay traps and when to explode the dynamite, and the end result is a really fun suspense novel with a great ending. I predict this book will be a huge hit with suspense readers.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Alex Finlay for the advance copy! This review is honest and my own.

Fast paced and kept my attention all night long. Stayed up much too late trying to piece it all together!

This is the first book I’ve read by Alex Finlay and it did not disappoint. I literally had no idea where this story was going to take us. I especially enjoyed how we got POV’s from the Pines and Agent Keller. Let me just say that her husband Bob is legit. Everybody needs someone in their life like that.
First off Matt, I mean come on, he was naïve at times. He had no business going to Mexico by himself. I would have had one of them FBI agents coming with me or I ain’t going. Throughout the whole book, I have not the slightest clue as to who could have done this. Eventually other characters and events are introduced, and you are like yea something about this situation is sketchy sketch. You’ll know when the eyes match up! The final chapters and final moments are so… there is no words for me to describe how sad it was. Everything they did, at least they found justice and a semblance of peace.
Arc provided by publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Based on reviews, I started reading this with lofty expectations. That said, I found the first half pretty mediocre, At 75% through, I was just starting to question whether I was reading the same book when the pace and intensity picked up and made this an enjoyable read.

Read this book-it is all that the hype says it is. I loved it I devoured it.. It had so many different layers and I connected with most of the characters. The tragic murder of Charlotte, Danny Pine's h.s. girlfriend, is the the start of the end of the Pine Family tragedy. But, Alex Finlay's,"Every Last Fear" has so much more going on it.. Besides looking at how social media and publicity can harm people, we follow the Pine family after the wrongful conviction of their son Danny. How the conviction tortured the family members for years after they believe Danny was coerced to give a false confession for a murder he did not commit. In addition, we get an FBI agent's view point investigating fraud and the murder. Agent Kelly Heller and her husband were wonderfully written and very likeable characters that you enjoy reading about-I would expect a sequel to this book about Agent Heller and her family. . I highly recommend to anyone who likes twisty thrillers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

“Every Last Fear”—Alex Finlay [4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫] This psychological thriller is Finlay’s debut novel and what an awesome job! Make sure you set some time aside for this one because once you start, you won’t want to stop! Matt Pine returns to his dorm to hear the devastating news that his parents and two siblings were all killed in an “accident” while vacationing in Mexico. The only family he has left is his brother Danny, whose been in prison for the alleged murder of his teenage girlfriend Charlotte. The Pine family has been in the spotlight for quite some time after the famous true crime documentary was made which suggested that Danny was wrongfully convicted. When Matt returns to his small hometown in Nebraska to bury his family, he’s met with hostility from the locals along with media attention left and right. The FBI and State Department think the details of the family’s death in Mexico are suspicious and feel there’s reason to believe it may be connected to Danny’s conviction. Matt is determined to find out the truth about what really happened to his family along with the facts behind the crime that sent Danny to prison. The story shifts perspectives of the different characters, past and present, and was done really well to help us put together the pieces to the puzzle. This book was definitely a page turner and I highly recommend it for fans of a fast-paced thriller! 👍🏼This book is anticipated to be released in March 2021, but make sure you add to your TBR now so you don’t forget about it! *Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review*📚

This was my first Alex Finlay book and it was amazing! I will be reading more from this author in the near future! This book will be a top one in 2021, it was that good! Thank you Net Galley for my ARC of this book!
The character development was exceptional, I loved how the story was told, and I was hooked the entire time. What a great mystery thriller book! I loved the twist at the end too and will be recommending this book to all!

A college student returns to his dorm room after a night out with friends to and soon learns that his entire family, except for his brother who is in prison, have been found dead in Mexico. While initially it seems like an accident, it quickly changes into a conspiracy surrounding his brother’s conviction for murder. The book alternates between different narrators and the past and present which helps you keep turning the pages.

Overall, a great, fast paced book, which I would recommend. The ending was surprising and unexpected, which I love in a twisty thriller. The main characters were likable and strong. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley and Alex Finlay for an advanced e-copy of this book. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay
Pub Date 03/02/2021
Thriller

The Pine family torn apart and ultimately brought together by tragedy.
"You have two choices when your faced with your Every Last Fear; give up or fight like hell.
This was probably the best thriller I've read all year, I know it will definitely be in my top 10 favorites for 2020.
Action packed and scary, just what I like. It was an edge of seat book for sure.
Definitely be on the look out for this book coming out next year!
Thank you St. Martin's press and Netgalley for the advanced copy.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Wow ..what did I just read.. Wow!!!!
Such a fantastic book...loved the writing style,The characters and absolutely everything about this book.
First I've heard of this author hoping he has other books to check out.
Pick this one up. You will not be disappointed.

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for an early release of this book.