If Something Happens to Me is a fast paced thriller by Alex Finlay. Ryan lost his girlfriend Ali in an abduction since he was knocked out, he has no memory of the events. . He's moved on with his life, yet he knew there was more to the story. Years later, while he’s studying abroad, he sees the man of his nightmares. He follows him and what follows is a twisty thriller,
Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur books for my review copy of this book.

Ryan Richardson has spent the last five years trying to outrun his past. After that night—the sound of the car door ripping open, the crushing blow to his head, and Ali’s desperate scream as she was taken—he buried everything. No trace of her. No sign of the car. Just the endless whispers, the suspicion that followed him wherever he went. Though the legal system never convicted him, the internet trolls and podcasters never let him forget. They branded him guilty without evidence, and he couldn’t escape their judgment. So, he changed his name, started a new life, and entered law school, hoping the future would eventually drown out the ghosts of the past.

But on a summer trip to Italy with his classmates, everything changes. His father calls with news that shakes Ryan to his core: Ali’s car has been found. Submerged in a lake back home, miles from where she disappeared. Inside, two dead men. And in the glove compartment, a note with five chilling words written on the envelope in Ali’s handwriting: If something happens to me…

Suddenly, the past is back. And with it, the man who’s haunted Ryan’s nightmares for years. As he stands in Tuscany, far from home, he spots him—a figure from the shadows of that night. The man who took Ali. It’s too much to ignore. Ryan can’t keep running.

His search for answers leads him across Europe, from the sun-drenched hills of Italy to a small, quiet village in the UK, and finally to the crowded streets of Paris. But the truth is more complicated than he ever could have imagined. Along the way, Ryan uncovers unexpected allies—an ambitious sheriff’s deputy in Kansas, just starting her career, who is soon pulled into the mystery of Ali’s disappearance. And a grieving mobster in Philadelphia, whose own tragic losses may hold the key to unraveling Ryan’s darkest secret.

Every step brings Ryan closer to a terrifying revelation: the truth he’s been running from for so long may be even darker—and closer—than he ever feared. The past has never truly let him go. It’s always been just beneath the surface, waiting to resurface when he least expects it. And now, the pieces are falling into place in ways he never could have anticipated.

I devoured this one! Twisty, fast-paced, and everything I want in a thriller! Finlay kept me guessing the whole time, I was on the edge of my seat not wanting to put it down until I was done. When I finish a book in less than 24 hours, that’s definitely a good sign! 4.25 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to be able to read and review this book!

This was amazing. Alex Finlay never misses! Great read for winter times as well.

There are many POVs in this book. I knew they all had to be connected somehow, but wasn’t sure how. I was surprised when the connection was revealed. There were many twists and turns. I did have feelings about some things, but I was hoping I was wrong. Overall I enjoyed this book, but I’m not sure how I feel about how things were wrapped up.

First Thank you for the opportunity to read it! I've lived all that i have read by Alex Finlay and was excited for the opportunity to read this one.

Ali dissappears and Ryan is accused of it. He gets cleared, but decides to leave that life, he changed his name, and his to law school instead.

On a trip with friends to Italy, his life gets turned upside down and I loved reading everything in this book! I think it had a coyote eye rollers in there, maybe they just annoyed me, but I couldn't stop reading it, so 5 starts it is!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and the author for an ARC of this book.

This book was a wild ride that I couldn’t put down. As soon as I started, I finished it in 1.5 days. The premise of how the story begins is so interesting. How has Ryan seen the face? He was sure he recognized from the day, his girlfriend was taken… But in another country while studying abroad?

If I couldn’t identify a single word to label this novel, as it would be surprising. The little things and the plot goes so much deeper than they appear on the surface. And ways that I couldn’t see almost anyone predicting.

I also loved the dual point of view of Ryan: the boyfriend of the missing girl Allison and Poppy: one of the investigators. Normally, I typically favor reading from one specific characters point of view, but this was not the case here as both were pivotal to what occurred in the story.

Reading from Ryan and Poppy’s perspectives really makes the reader question how the heck is happening with Ryan and Europe could actually be related to his girlfriend at home. Everything seems so unrelated. And who are the two randos and Ali‘s car all these questions really keep the reader engaged.

I feel like I can’t really say much more about this book without really giving away something that would be very exciting to read about.

I’m already an Alex Finlay fan, and this book was no less amazing than his previous stories. I would definitely recommend this book to any mystery and thriller lovers especially those liking Riley Sager books Sally Hepworth, Simone St. James, Sarah Pekkanen, Gillian McAllister, Lisa Jewell, and the like.

As for my ratings :
Excitement level: 5
Ease of reading level: 5
Overall rating : 5

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Alex Finlay, and NetGalley for the eARC of If Something Happens to Me.

I went into this book not knowing what to expect, and I’m glad I went in sort of “blind.” It was a thrilling page turner from start to finish! Although the twist wasn’t necessarily shocking, it still provided a lot of entertainment. Overall, great read if you’re looking for something quick and binge-worthy!

If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay. Pub Date: May 28, 2024. Rating: 4 stars. In this fast paced thriller, the reader is taken on a journey that combines past and present. Ryan was with his girlfriend one night in high school when she suddenly vanished. He was questioned about her disappearance and accusations of potential murder were thrown around, but there was never enough evidence to convict him. Fast forward to present day when the car she was last seen with is found submerged in water. Now it is a race to determine what actually happened to his former girlfriend and is she still alive? I loved the pacing of this story and felt it was fast and attention seeking. I think the blending of the past and present really propelled this novel and I enjoyed it! Perfect for psychological thriller readers. Thanks to #netgalley and #minotaur for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I really liked "The Night Shift" by Finlay and had really high hopes for this one. I chose to DNF around 15% of the way through the book as the storyline did not pull me in the way I hoped it would. I may attempt to read this one again in the future. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was incredibly addicting! So much so I finished it in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down. I loved the multiple points of view and it all coming together into a multi-layered fascinating story that had me suspicious of everyone. This was my first book by Alex Finlay and I can’t wait to read more!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the gifted copy of this book.

Fast paced but at times confusing. Simple writing but enjoyed the interlacing of the characters and there were definitely surprises at the end.

Another fun and twisty thriller by Alex Finlay that was the perfect book to kickoff poolside reading this week. It was fast paced, with short chapters and multiple POVs, and the audio was great!

*many thanks to Minotaur Books, Macmillan audio, and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.*

This is my first Alex Finlay book, though I've seen them and suspected they might be up my alley. When I saw this as an option on NetGalley I added it to my TBR.

This is an interesting story told in dual timelines of a girl who goes missing the night before she is meant to go away to college - snatched along with her car when she was parked on lovers' lane. Her boyfriend was left injured and with little memory of the event. The boy becomes a college student and eventually a Georgetown Law student who is studying abroad in Italy when he learns that his the car his girlfriend was taken is has been found submerged in a lake near his hometown. But her body is not inside.

It is also the story of a mob boss whose son is bullied by classmates to the point that he commits suicide. The boss takes revenge on the school and the students who were in the viral video of him being hazed by having them all taken out.

Both casts of characters converge in an interesting, if rather cinematic fashion.

I liked this one and I suspect it will become at least a Netflix movie if not a real one.

*with thanks to Netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for this honest review.

Alex Finlay is one of my favorite mystery/thriller authors, and he didn't disappoint with If Something Happens to Me. I really enjoyed the twist, and certainly didn't guess it.
This story follows Ryan five years after the disappearance of his girlfriend Ali. He's trying to move on from the suspicion that he had something to do with her disappearance, and while in Italy, he sees a man from his past, which leads him to looking into the truth about what happened to Ali.
I will continue to read anything Alex Finlay writes. His stories are so fun to read, and I couldn't put this one down.

Such a fun quick twisty book, so far I’ve loved everything I’ve read from Alex Finley and this was another love!

Another winner! Alex Finlay continues to be an auto buy author for me. The first twist caught me off guard, I had to go back and see if I had missed something hinting at the possible outcome at the end of part one. It kept me on the edge of my seat and was hard to put down at the end of my lunch breaks.

I really enjoyed this book by Alex Finlay. This is my first book by this author and I am excited to read more!

I am not quite sure what Alex Finlay puts in their books, but they make me want to consume them at the quickest pace possible, and this one was no exception. While this book takes a teeny bit of suspension of belief, it still was a gripping read worth reading to see how the twists play out.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book immediately grabs you and drags you into the story. Wow. Absolutely loved the beginning of this book. A teenager goes to Lovers Lane with his girlfriend only to wake I alone in the dirt and his girlfriend and her car are gone. This is somewhat a cat and mouse pursuit but a few stories also thrown in along the way. I did feel like the beginning was better than the ending but still I enjoyed this.