NYU student Matt Pine learns that his entire family is dead after a mysterious and sudden trip to Mexico. This leaves Matt Pine crestfallen since the only other family member he knows, his brother Danny, is behind bars for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Charlotte. This series of unfortunate events sets off a quest to acquire his family members bodies from Mexico and discover what they were doing on this fateful trip.

If you are a fan of mystery and thriller novels, I would highly recommend this book. What Finlay does well is set up each of the characters so you get to know. their backstories and what their emotions are before the time of death. I highly enjoyed learning about each of their characters and reading about their stories before their ultimately deaths.

The story itself is very vast and there is a lot to unpack so the obvious villain isn't clear. I know myself from reading a lot of mysteries sometimes the villain or story is very obvious and you don't get that with this book. There are many sub plots to keep you guessing as well as reading to discover the answer. I had trouble putting down this book but also didn't want it to end since the story was very intriguing and kept me guessing.

If thriller is your genre, I would highly recommend this book. I can also see this as a potential film down the road if it gets acquired.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4 stars.

This was a pretty average thriller for me! I was really interested the first third, but I started to lose interest the more it went on. There were points that I got excited again, but it ended up going in another direction that felt pretty “meh” to me. I wish it had more true crime elements. It was enjoyable, and I’m glad I read it, but it wasn’t a new favorite thriller for me!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing for me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Pine family has been through a lot. Their eldest son, Danny, has been charged and found guilty of murdering his high school girlfriend. After being incarcerated for a number of years, a pair of documentary directors take an interest in Danny’s case. The popularity of the documentary thrusts the Pine family into the spotlight and gives Danny’s father, Evan, and sister, Maggie, a chance to plead Danny’s innocence. The other brother, Matt, isn’t so sure and keeps his distance because of that. When all of the Pines turn up dead in Mexico after a last minute vacation to follow a lead, Matt is left to pick up the pieces and find out what really happened.

I really enjoyed this one, at this point just give me all things based on true crime. There was so much going on that was intriguing. The novel is written in before and after segments (before and after the murder of the Pine family). The reader also gets all of the Pine family’s perspectives at some point except for the youngest brother. The retellings of their lives just made them so human and I thought the portrayal of their trauma of having a child falsely incarcerated was spot on. The characters were flawed but loveable. The sensationality of Danny’s Netflix documentary seemed loosely based on Making A Murderer, which I thought was an interesting avenue to explore. I did catch on to the end but I didn’t even care but I was invested in the Pine’s seeing justice. I didn’t love Agent Keller either, but the rest of the characters made up for her.

this book kept me on the edge of my seat. i didn’t want it to end. all the characters point of views were interesting to read. i connected with all of the characters. i just loved everything about this book. i can confidently say this is one of my favorite thrillers ever:)

Every Last Fear is such a solid thriller! Alex Finlay is one not to be missed. The story includes a true crime documentary that made the family at the center of this story famous. This attention makes it all the more rough when Matt Pine returns home to bury his family who died from an apparent gas leak while on vacation. The true crime documentary was actually on his older brother who is currently in prison for murdering his high school girlfriend. What happens when Matt finds a connection to both these crimes? The character development is very good. The story had me on the edge of my seat. Highly recommended to anyone looking for THE thriller of 2021.

A man seeks the truth behind his family’s suspicious deaths in Alex Finlay’s superb debut, EVERY LAST FEAR.

We meet NYU student Matt Pine, who learns his mother, father, brother and sister have all died from an apparent gas leak while vacationing in Mexico. The deaths make headlines, especially because it’s not the first time the Pine family has been in the news. His older brother, Danny, was the subject of a viral documentary after being convicted for murder. And while the public largely believes in Danny’s innocence, Matt has kept a secret from that night long ago, convincing him that Danny belongs behind bars.

When Matt journeys to Mexico to claim the bodies of those he loved, however, things happen that raise serious suspicions. Before too long, the case begins to spiral into something appearing far more sinister, something… that may be connected to his brother, Danny.

To figure out what happened to his family, Matt must face the past and confront what really happened that night and what he really saw that convinced him of his brother’s guilt.

Finlay delivers a knockout thriller rife with twists and turns that kept me rapt. Unraveling in alternating past and present chapters, the story explores what happens to one family in the aftermath of tragedy and turmoil. It was wildly entertaining—the kind of book you fly through in a single sitting. Think big-time drama, secrets and layers aplenty, masterfully woven together to develop a propulsive thriller that’s emotional, compelling and full of surprises.

The perfect one-weekend mystery binge.

A family made infamous by a true crime documentary is found dead leaving their surviving son too look into what happened and uncover the truth: Could it. be related to his brothers crime?
Loved all the twist and turns very good story

This was a strong mystery/suspense with excellent character dynamics. I loved the setting and the characters. Held my interest to the end!

Lately it seems like there have been several thrillers that have tied in the trend of podcasts or true crime shows, so I was a bit hesitant, but this one really kept me entertained!

I would definitely suggest this book!

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

This had more twists and turns than a rollercoaster at Great Adventure. Just when you thought you figured things out- nope. I thought this was such a smart and well thought out thriller. Very much enjoyed!

Finally, a book as good as its synopsis!

Every Last Fear really captured my attention from the first chapter. I loved how similar this was to an episode of Dateline (only much more suspense)! In fact, a big plot point of the book is the family’s previous feature on a true crime documentary, and now, after the tragic death of several family members while vacationing in Mexico, the main character (Matt Pine) is thrust back into a media frenzy as he tries to find answers on his own.

This book was so twisty, I honestly had no idea where things were headed. I felt like all the characters were well-developed and the investigative aspect was quite interesting.

It’s very hard to write much without giving spoilers! I’d definitely recommend this to anyone who is drawn in by the book description (and loves thrillers)... this book was original in so many ways! I definitely look forward to reading more from this author!

Thank you to @Minotaur_books and #netgalley for an advanced e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun, interesting, easy mystery. I enjoyed the family dynamics, small town feel, and the crime aspects. I'd definitely read more by this author!

I loved how the setting, characters, conflict, and plot development all seemed simple but had so many layers of underlying complexities.

I enjoyed how everything tied in at the end. It just didn't really have me hooked completely leading up to it. I was more intrigued about the happenings with Danny's case than what happened with the rest of the family.

If you are looking for a book that will take your mind off today’s headlines, Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay is the one for you. This is a mystery involving the Pines, a family whose problems are caused by one tragedy after another. Danny Pine, the eldest son, is in prison for a life sentence because he was found guilty of murdering his girlfriend, many years ago. His brother Matt is in college when the FBI seek him out to notify him that his parents, his teenage sister and six-year-old brother have been found deceased in their accommodations while on vacation in Mexico. But it may not be a gas leak as detected and foul play is strongly suspected. From then on, nothing will be predictable. The story is narrated from different points of view and alternates between the past and the present, between Mexico and Nebraska. This is a thriller like no other: never a boring moment and the reader will be fascinated all the way through. You will never guess how this mystery unwinds and you will not forget the Pines anytime soon. Highly recommended. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay is an exciting thriller about a university student Matt, who finds out after a night of parting that his mother, father, brother and sister were found dead while vacationing in Mexico. Matt's older brother, Danny was wrongfully convicted of killing his girlfriend, and is serving a life sentence in prison. The more the Mexico case is looked at, it becomes suspicious and connected to Danny's conviction it seems. My heart went out to Matt and Danny. This book was a wild ride, so many twists and turns that kept me reading way past midnight. I strongly recommend this book, you won't be disappointed. I look forward to reading more books by Alex Finlay.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Alex Finlay is the pseudonym adopted by a lawyer who has penned law-related books. His first novel published under that name, Every Last Fear is an absorbing, heartbreaking thriller, at the center of which is a young film student who has to come to terms with the death of his parents and two siblings. Finlay describes it as a tale that is, at its heart, a story about a family torn apart and brought back together by tragedy.

On a chilly April morning, Matt Pine has just finished a game of chess with Reggie, the homeless man with whom he has been playing for two years in the West Village's Washington Square Park. It is the last bit of relative normalcy he enjoys before learning that FBI agents are looking for him at his dormitory. Soon he is informed that his mother, father, sister Maggie, and younger brother Tommy, are all dead. Agent Sarah Keller tells him their deaths are believed to be the result of "a freak accident, a gas leak." So why are both the FBI's financial crimes personnel and State Department "working on" the case?

The story of the Pine family is related in alternating third-person narratives, one set in the present and the other the past, from the perspectives of the various family members. Also interspersed are excerpts from transcripts of the documentary about the case that sent Danny to prison, serving a life sentence for the murder of his high school girlfriend, Charlotte. Matt was only fourteen when Danny was convicted, and little Tommy had not yet been born. Matt thinks of that time as "Year Zero for the Pines," measuring everything in terms of before and after Charlotte. Learning about his family's deaths establishes a new "Year Zero" for Matt, as it falls to him to visit Danny in prison for the very first time and inform him in person.

Matt knew that his family suddenly decided to vacation in Mexico, but not that the trip was inspired by a video message sent to his father, Evan, that convinced him Charlotte was alive, frightened, and in need of help. Matt hadn't spoken to his father since Christmas when they again quarreled. When Charlotte's body was found, she was unrecognizable and Evan does not believe she was identified using DNA. Every day, something sets Evan off on a new trail, motivating him to keep searching for clues to Danny's innocence. He is obsessed with getting Danny's conviction reversed. While conducting research for the book, Finlay was shocked to learn how often people -- especially teenagers -- are wrongfully convicted because they confess to crimes they didn't actually commit.

Maggie humors her father while reminding him that video footage can be manipulated. The message came from the Moloko Bar in Tulum, a vacation mecca on Mexico's eastern coast. Although Evan has financial problems he has not confessed to his wife, Olivia, he tells Maggie that when her mother and little brother return from a trip to their hometown in Nebraska to deal with Olivia's elderly father, the four of them are heading to Mexico. Maggie has been victimized by Eric, an unscrupulous boy at school who posted a horrifying video online after feigning interest in her. She is again pulled to assist her father because his quest is the only thing that returns optimism and light to his eyes, and they bond over the ongoing investigation.

Finlay has crafted a clever, deftly-plotted story about a family beset and challenged by unspeakably horrific events. They love each other, but are keeping secrets from one another. In addition to Evan's financial woes, Olivia has kept something from Evan that could have far-reaching consequences for the entire family. And Maggie has not revealed that she is being cyber-bullied. Matt has kept his own battles with loneliness and his temper to himself. After the family moved to Chicago from Nebraska, hoping for a fresh start when Matt got into a fight at school, he has mostly managed to hide that side of himself, with the exception of one night at a party when he punched a fraternity boy who made a comment to his girlfriend, Jane. "How alone he'd felt carrying around the truth about his brother, watching his father and sister spin their wheels trying to prove Danny's innocence."

As one narrative describes Matt's return to Nebraska to bury his family and his encounters with the residents of the small town they left behind, another details the family trip to Mexico and search for Charlotte. When Matt learns that it appears his family members were murdered, he decides that he survived in order to find out what happened to them. And journeys to Mexico in search of answers, anticipating assistance and cooperation from Mexican officials that does not materialize. He realizes that he is on his own, and remains determined to learn the truth, even as it becomes clear that his life is in danger.

The story progresses at a steady pace, never slowing or losing dramatic momentum, but accelerates once Matt arrives in Mexico. From that point on, clues and revelations come at perfectly-timed intervals that make it virtually impossible to stop reading. While revealing their flaws and difficulties, Finlay also makes the characters, particularly Maggie and Matt, sympathetic and endearing by illustrating that since "Year Zero" they have all just been doing their best to carry on. Matt, in particular, is blessed with an eclectic and entertaining group of supportive, devoted college friends who bolster and uplift him as he navigates his grief and need for answers. When all is finally revealed, it is evident that Finlay has constructed a tautly plausible and coherent story. And, through the inclusion of the documentarian characters and depiction of the media's interest in Matt's family, offers an insightful look at the myriad ways in which public interest and the attendant publicity can intrude upon family struggles and tragedies in the interest of advancing an agenda. Finlay observes that documentaries can educate and inform, but also result in "backlash against entire towns, [and] individuals being convicted on social media without due process."

Full of plot twists and shocking, emotionally jarring developments, readers of Every Last Fear will feel their hearts shattering for the Pine family. And pondering what they would do and what extreme measures they might employ if they became convinced a loved one was wrongly convicted of a horrendous crime. For Evan Pine, the answer was clear, as he told the filmmakers. "You have two choices when you're confronted with your every last fear: Give up or fight like hell."

Thank You to St Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Matt Pine finds out that a spur of the moment vacation for his parents and younger brother and sister has ended in tragedy. His family are all found dead in their rental vacation home as a result of a suspected gas leak. Matt is now all alone with the exception of his older brother, Danny, who is currently in prison for the murder of his high school girlfriend. A documentary about Danny's conviction first brought the family into the media's sights and now the deaths of the rest of the family add new interest. Matt is determined to discover the truth behind the deaths of his family and ultimately finds a surprising connection to his brother's murder case.
This is a fast paced adventure that will keep you on the winding road of truth, deception and betrayal. Full of suspense to keep you glued to the pages till the very end.

Every Last Fear is the “debut” novel of pseudonymous author Alex Findlay. It is a fast-paced and compelling thriller with multiple narrators, numerous subplots and many revelatory flashbacks. Findlay’s talent is creating a complex and high-speed thriller that is intriguing enough to withstand potential temporary confusion. As the book opens, Matt Pine, a film student at NYU learns that most of his family has died under mysterious circumstances in Mexico. The only other surviving member of the Pine clan is his older brother, incarcerated for murdering his girlfriend. While Matt has accepted his brother’s conviction, his father and sister have been consumed with proving his innocence. Some of the chapters contain depictions of their exoneration quest, others stay with Matt in the present as he is faced with the responsibilities and obligations that accompany such a tragedy. He is aided by the formidable Sarah Keller, an FBI agent who has been assigned the case. Every Last Fear is so cinematic and filled with twists and red herrings, that it seems to scream out for a series adaptation. More time could then be spent exploring the mysteries and immersing into the well-developed characters. Many of the events and coincidences stretch credulity, but this book is so entertaining that readers will willingly accept these and just go along for the ride.

Thanks to the author, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

I love thrillers/mystery stories and this definitely hit the mark! The story about a family torn apart.. and a dad (and sister) who would do anything and everything to find the real killer and set his son free. It’s about loss... not just from their son being wrongfully accused, but of their family seeking the truth to just be killed because they were getting close to the truth. It’s about confronting your demons, Matt seeing his brother the night of the accident...

I loved this story. I loved how the author started the story and how each story was from someone else’s perspective. The story finished perfectly and I can’t wait to find more books by this author! Solid 5 star for me!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book! I just could not get into this and did not finish. I won't be leaving a full review.