“It’s of an envelope. On the outside it says: “if something happens to me.” First of all, I LOVE when the title of a book makes an appearance in the text! *chefs kiss*

The suspense of this book is exactly what I have come to expect from Alex Finlay.

In the beginning it is a little confusing keeping everybody straight, but as the story unfolds it all begins to make sense! And let me tell you, the unraveling is such a thrill!!

There was one person that I knew had to be involved… so much so that I wanted to scream at a MC because I felt it was obvious. BUT it all played out well enough and was wrapped up nicely.

If you’re looking for suspense that will keep you flipping the pages, this book is for you.

Rating: 4 stars

Alex Finlay has become an auto buy author for me, so until next time… 😉

Oh, Momma........

We've got a live one here.

The night provided just enough depth of darkness for the two lovers who pulled into the wooded area notorious for midnight encounters. Alison had borrowed daddy's BMW for an exact purpose. With windows steaming up, Ryan was otherwise engaged and didn't notice the individual lurking outside the car until the door swung open. Alison was grabbed and Ryan lay outside of the car unconscious in the grass. But one fact was evident: Alison was abducted and fingers point to Ryan.

Five years later, Ryan is still looked at suspiciously. He's lost friends and respect. But then the tables turn thanks to a neighboring serial killer known as MRK, the Missouri River Killer. A long blonde hair belonging to Alison was found on a sleeping bag belonging to MRK. Case closed? Oh, not hardly, dear readers.

Alex Finlay, a master writer, introduces us to Deputy Poppy McGee just twenty-one and on the job at the Sheriff's office for a mere week. Poppy is a product of the community of Leavenworth, Kansas. Not much happens here, but when it does, it does. And now a BMW sedan is pulled from Suncatcher Lake matching the make and model of Alison's car. Things are gonna get real here on out.

Ryan happens to be in Italy on a student trip when the call comes in from his dad about the BMW. And someone will make an appearance in Ryan's life in Italy that will start wheels rollin'. Ryan remembers something critical. Will it put him in jeopardy?

Finlay switches gears to Philadelphia where we come upon the likes of a shady character by the name of Shane O'Leary. O'Leary runs a racket that mirrors Tony Soprano in his heyday. He wields power and isn't afraid to use it. But just how does O'Leary fit into the scheme of things here? Gotta stay tuned.

If Something Happens to Me is smartly and creatively written. Just how we like 'em. There is intensity from page one onward. Finlay knows just how to craft a storyline with the yank of the draw and the pull of well-defined characters. Each chapter ends like a high-wire act of wanting more. It's mindboggling to sit back and watch Finlay interweave all these locations and all these characters into a perfect tapestry at the end. Finlay doesn't disappoint. Find out exactly why.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Minotaur Books (St. Martin's Press) and to the talented Alex Finlay for the opportunity.

Alex Finley does a great job in storytelling! He takes three stories from different locations, this time Kansas, Pennsylvania, and various locations in Europe, and two of them makes sense in their connections, but then wham bang all of a sudden the third place makes sense and it is a race to the finish to bring it all together in a very satisfying ending. It all start with the disappearance of Alison, supposedly having been killed by the MRK though others think it was the boyfriend, Ryan and harass him so much he has to change his name. Then you have the new deputy sheriff, Poppy, looking into the cold case when the car is found in the lake with a couple of unexpected bodies. Mysteries and murder abound and the reopening of the case leads to several more deaths while others try their best to uncover the truth. I will not go into details, but it was really hard to put down as things are revealed and connected.

This was a fun read and I will definitely be on the look out for whenever he writes another book because I love his writing!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher giving me an advance copy of the book to read and review.

Alex Finlay continues keep his fans on the edge of their seats with his twisted and well thought out psychological thrillers. There were so many twists and turns in this book I couldn't put it down. Kudos Finlay for upping your game and thanks Netgalley for the advanced copy!

I absolutely loved this book. I swear at the end of every chapter you will be saying ‘what the…’ because they did not disappoint!

The plot of this thriller was so good! It didn’t take place in one setting or only focus on 1 set of people (make sure you pay attention to what location you’re at haha). I gasped on several occasions because there was twists and turns I did now see coming. So so so good!

This was my first Alex Finlay book but it will not be my last. 10/10 will be recommending this book to everyone in May!

** I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own**

Alex Finlay is one of the most underrated authors of the thriller genre. “If Something Happens to Me” weaves together several seeming unrelated stories into an satisfying novel.

Alex Finlay’s books are high energy, gruesome, and heartfelt. This book took me for a transatlantic ride. I couldn’t put it down. I love how this one ties in the O’Leary family from novels past without it being the same storyline from the past novels. The ending felt justified. It was a piece of entertainment, and just what I needed. Honestly, it reads like James Patterson but so much better. At times, his writing can be cringey. Run on sentences are everywhere. I don’t want to hear the word “goons” ever again. Character development can be too obvious (Chipotle, bad with tech, ~quirky women~). Yet, the way he ends every chapter on a cliff hanger keeps me coming back for more. One of my favorite authors, for sure.

Alex Finlay with another gripping, action-packed thriller! As a big fan of “The Night Shift” and “Every Last Fear,” I was dying to get my hands on this highly anticipated novel. Reading very little about the plot ahead of time, I quickly grew fond of each of the narrators as the fast-paced, intense and entertaining mob story unraveled. In typical Alex Finlay fashion, the twists kept coming and my pages kept turning. I can’t wait to see what Finlay has in store for us next!

Publishing date: 05/28/2024

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a digital ARC copy in return for my honest review.

Another great thriller!! Several stories that intertwine to make a very good story. It does keep you flipping the page to see what happens next. Would have liked to see a little more character development, but all in all, a very good book.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Minotaur for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

WOW Alex Finlay has done it again. How do you come up with these plots, sir? Edge of your seat thriller. I couldn't read it fast enough. Even if you figure out fairly early on what the connection is among the main characters, that won't stop the surprises from coming. Do not start this late at night unless you know you can stay up to finish it in one sitting. It's that good. It's action packed with short chapters that fly by. I've loved all of his books but this is easily my favorite so far. Put this on your TBR list today.

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.