An engrossing crime thriller told from multiple POVs. Finlay is a talented story teller, while the plot is similar to many crime thrillers I’ve read and the outcome is predictable, I still enjoyed the book. The story flows well with enough intrigue to keep me engaged to the final act.

ARC was provided by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review. Pub Date: 28 May 2024
#NetGalley, #IfSomethingHappenstoMe

I really liked this novel. The author always does a great job writing fast-paced thrillers and this one did not disappoint. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

Finlay delivers another entertaining, fast paced thriller with an interesting spin on telling the story merging past and present. While the mystery is somewhat predictable, Finlay’s witty writing style has a way of pulling me and capturing my attention to a solid conclusion.

ARC was provided by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review. Pub Date: 28 May 2024

This managed to be a suspenseful thriller while still being fast-paced enough to keep me interested and wanting to read more. I liked that there were different characters' POVs that seemed disconnected at first but pieced together so nicely later on with a reveal. It was also very easy to tell the characters apart and keep track of everything which always makes a mystery so much more enjoyable and easier to read. The build-up definitely gave enough to make the ending make sense and be worth the time spent getting to it.

Alex Finley is an auto-read author for me, and this latest book did not disappoint. This is a fast-paced thriller about a missing girl who is presumed dead; her boyfriend who is still suspected in her disappearance; a crime boss in the Northeast; and a novice sheriff, trying to put all the clues together. This book was a quick read, and very hard to put down. So many twists and turns! The character development is also exceptional, which is something I’ve come to expect from Alex Finlay. For the first half of the story, you wonder how all these people could ever intersect with one another. Just wait for it!

Many thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If Something Happens to Me is an upcoming suspense/thriller from author Alex Finley. I haven’t read his previous novels (most notably being The Night Shift), but I enjoyed his overall writing style. This is not an easy thriller to read; there’s lots of moving parts and character names to remember. My favorite part of the book had to be the grand reveal at the end of Part 1: I think I actually gasped out loud! Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my review!

This was a fast-paced and quick read. There were multiple characters but they were so distinctive that it wasn't confusing with the multiple POVs. The book was also set in multiple locations which I loved. I was wracking my brain trying to figure out these characters' interconnections and why they were relevant to the story. Highly entertaining! I think this would make a great movie btw.

There are 4 simultaneous stories, depicted in multiple POVs, and in multiple timelines. There is the story of Shane O'Leary, the big shot mafia and his wife, and his shy son. Second is the story of Michael, and his daughter, who works for Shane O'Leary, but wants an out now. Third story is of Poppy's, a newly appointed cop who worries about her ill father. Fourth perspective is of Ryan, who had to change his identity and move to a new country when he was publicly-accused of having a hand in his high school girlfriend - Allison's murder.
Now that Allison's car has been recovered after all these years, but her body isn't, the old news is back. Some are trying to find the truth while some are trying to hide it.
Very well-written, twisty book. A crime-thriller that will keep you hooked until you know how these stories are all inter-connected which becomes the big reveal of the book.
I've liked it and I will recommend it for sure!

This is my third Alex Finlay book and although I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the previous two, I did find it very compelling from beginning to end. If Something Happens To Me follows multiple characters and timelines in true Alex Finlay fashion. The story revolves are a cold case murder of a high school girl named Ali, who isn't exactly who she seems. I enjoyed how the multiple characters and timelines came together in the end, and I definitely didn't guess the plot. Unfortunately I found the dialogue and writing to be a bit cheesier than the other 2 Finlay books I read, so that's where it lost some stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and Minotaur Books for this digital early copy of If Something Happens to Me. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 he’s back stars

Oh, Alex Finlay, I’m so glad you are back and in fine form with this book! This was unputdownable, and I loved every minute of the journey with this one!

There are a few storylines in this one. Ryan and Ali are high school sweethearts until one fateful night when she disappears along with her car, and Ryan can’t remember anything. Ryan is a suspect but never charged. In the court of public opinion, he’s guilty, though. Five years later, he’s a law student and has changed his name. But someone knows who he is . . .

Another storyline features Poppy McGee. She’s a new sheriff in town, helping to care for her aging father. When Ali’s father’s car is found in the lake, Poppy investigates and finds more than she bargains for.

We also get the O’Leary mob storyline, which honestly was my least favorite, but you have to have bad guys in a book like this, right?

I really liked Poppy’s character, and I hope that we see more of her in future books.

The author does an expert job of bringing all the storylines together, and I love how this one wraps up. This one got me out of a book slump, and it earned every last one of those five stars.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and honestly review this one. Scheduled to release on 5.28.24.

If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay starts off with a captivating prologue that leaves you wanting more. You immediately getting pulled into the story of what happened to Allison. The story then jumps forward to 5 years later when everyone is still trying to pick up the pieces.
It is told in multiple view points that slowly reveal the plot of secrets and lies. It keeps you wondering how everything is going to connect and how everything is going to end. You get wrapped up in the story as you try to figure out how everyone and everything is connected, making it difficult to pause reading it for any reason. Alex Finlay definitely adds another hit to his repertoire with If Something Happens to Me. He is quickly becoming a master of mystery writing.
Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's Minotaur Press for the advanced copy, The opinions are my own.

If Something Happens to Me is a fast paced thriller about a missing girl and the new sheriff trying to put the pieces together. This thriller has it all-suspense, tension, and twists. I enjoyed this new book by Alex Finlay and highly recommend it. Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced reader copy.

4.5 ⭐️

After reading “Every Last Fear”, I predicted that Alex Finlay would be the next BIG thriller author that everyone would want to auto request! And, after devouring “The Night Shift”, I doubled down on that bet! But, then, his third book, “What Have We Done” was a BIG miss for me! 🫤

I am happy to report that Alex Finlay has returned to form with his latest-this was nearly impossible to put down!

Alison Lane and Ryan Richardson were a young couple in love, parked on “Lover’s Lane” when they were attacked. Ryan was knocked out and left behind when Ali was abducted and taken in her own car-never to be seen again.

There was not enough evidence to convict Ryan of any involvement in the crime, but he couldn’t live under the cloud of suspicion that followed him, and he was forced to change his name and move elsewhere.

Five years later, Ali's car has finally been found, submerged in a lake in his hometown of Leavenworth, Kansas, about 40 minutes outside of Kansas City.

Inside are two dead men but no female body. But, a cryptic note has been found in the car, with the words, “If something happens to me…” written on an envelope which has been sealed in a plastic bag-and the handwriting is definitely Ali’s.

Inside the envelope is a code-a series of numbers called an”book cipher”. The numbers reference the page, line and word in a book or another piece of writing but to decipher the message, you have to know what document to use.

Perhaps, Ryan would know?

Poppy McGee has just been discharged from the Military Police, and appointed Deputy Sheriff, of Leavenworth, Kansas. This will be her first case, and it’s a big one. She has to get this right.

And, how does a hit man, Shane O’Leary, from Philadelphia, PA tie into this case?

These three narratives alternate in PART ONE, and converge in PARTS TWO and THREE.

I’m not a fan of Assassins and World Wide chases, so I enjoyed the first half a bit more than the second half, but this was definitely a book that I couldn’t wait to pick up, whenever I got the chance! The plot requires some suspension of belief but if you can do that, the way that the story ends, is actually quite believable!

Engaging from the first page through the last, I was thoroughly entertained!

Watch for DeAnn’s review to see if she and I agreed on this one.

And, watch for this book, publishing on May 28, 2024.

Thank You to Minotaur Books for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

He cracked this one out of the ball park! I was loving this one straight from the beginning and to the very end. I could not put it down. So much was going on. I couldn't put this one down. This is a very intense read. When you open up the book make sure you don't have any plans because all you will want to do is read this book. Lock your doors and turn off your phone. This book was Amazing! Also it's full of twists and turns with characters that are so well developed.

This had a lot of factors intersecting, which was brilliant on the author's part. I'm not a fan of mobsters because it is always going to be gruesome and there were some torture scenes, but other than that it was a suspenseful ride around the world.

Ryan and his girlfriend were making out at a popular parking place when some creepy men nabbed Ali and knocked Ryan out. The police accused Ryan of killing her, so the community did too. Innocent and trying to move on with his life 5 years later, he has changed his name and in law school with a new girlfriend. His dad calls him to let him know Ali's car was found submerged with two men inside and a handwritten cryptic note by Ali. Ryan understood the note! She is alive!

There were a lot of shady characters tied in with the mobsters, but a fantastic and young sheriff's deputy, Poppy, that pieces together the connection. The mob is quick to suffocate everyone out of the picture that has done them wrong, so hang on for a dynamic move to the truth. There were some sad factors at the expense of others...bullying, suicide, murder.... It was well written and fast paced with not a moment to spare to see who is going to win this fight.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I liked the twists and the pacing and it was an entertaining enough read for me. The plot was interesting but I never connected with the characters very much and something fell flat for me. I think I was expecting more of a thriller novel but it ended up being more of a crime drama.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I truly enjoy this author’s writing style! I didn’t find this to be much of a thriller but it definitely carried some suspense. I was a bit confused keeping the characters straight - it also took me more than halfway through to realize that there were chapters going between past & present - as this is an unedited copy, I hope that is specified in the final version. All in all, a good story that kept me interested.

THANK YOU to the author, Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Hooked from the start…oh man that prologue!!!
This was a fast paced Thriller. I couldn’t put it down. There were so many characters but I never felt lost, it had smooth transitions into each chapter. I became so emotionally invested in the characters. Alex Finlay takes you on a wild ride it seems like a movie with all of the action taking place in your mind.
I say go in blind and enjoy the ride.
Everything was answered and wrapped up in the end I wasn’t left hanging.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced readers copy I was so excited when I received it. I will be buying this book for my personal library!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

I enjoyed this book while I was reading it. However, it's been a few weeks since I finished it and I honestly couldn't remember what it was about until I read the synopsis. It just didn't stick with me. It wasn't a bad book by any stretch but it doesn't stand out against other books or make me want to read it again.

The first chapters were choppy to me, back and forth between Leavenworth, Italy and Philadelphia with alternating characters. There are many people to arrange into the plot. Once I got into the flow it became clearer but, I still didn’t appreciate the abrupt leaps from one chapter to the next to a completely different place and character. The plot revolves around teenagers in love, soon going to attend different colleges, an event that haunts the guy for years afterward. Ali vanished from the car just as ‘Dodge’ (Ryan) was making moves. He’s now in law school when he thinks he’s seen the man who took Ali. What follows is his search for her, for answers, life and death scenes, harrowing chases, escapes and confrontations. There’s a strong cast of supporting characters from villains to federal agents and local police. There were unexpected motives and reveals that surprised me. I enjoyed the latter part of the story much more than the first.
NetGalley provided a digital advance reader copy of “If Something Happens To Me” by Alex Finlay, Minotaur Books, St. Martin’s Publishing. Expected publication date 05/28/2024. These are always all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.