Member Reviews

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

I LOVE Alex Finlay, and don't get me wrong -- this novel was highly readable; I flew threw it. The writing keeps you enthralled. But of all of the Finlay books I've read, this is probably the one I like least. Mostly because, I don't really feel interested or engaged with organized crime/mob boss plotlines. The excessive violence lost me. I'm not sure about the ending either -- will there be another book?

Was this review helpful?

Ryan is at lovers lane with his girlfriend Allison when she is abducted and never seen again. 5 years later and halfway around the world, Ryan is led to believe Allison is still alive. Wow! Twists and turns from the start right up to the end. The story is told in multiple POVs and fluctuates from past to present until you get the clear picture of what’s really going on and how it’s all connected. I couldn’t read fast enough! Alex Finlay has shot up to one of my go to authors for a great read.

*ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Another good book by this author, I am glad I found him. Our story actually takes place five years after Ryan's girl friend Allison is kidnapped while on a date with him. Although it can't be proved, everyone is sure that Ryan has done something to her. While he is in Italy with some kids from his law class, new evidence comes to light, and we learn what actually happened. The story is set in three different places, Italy, Kansas and Pennsylvania, but the connections soon all come together. The story also moves back and forth during those five years without warning, so sometimes it can be a little confusing. All in all a good story and I want to thank ST. Martin's and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read it.

Was this review helpful?

Another great book from Alex Finlay!! I was so excited to get an advanced copy of this book, and it did not disappoint.
This story is told by multiple narrators, and it really kept me guessing. I couldn't figure out how the pieces fit together until clues started falling into place. I was able to figure out the last surprise ahead of the reveal, but so many other things were kept cleverly under wraps.
I thought the Taylor character was really well done. She was conflicting, but she showed personal growth. Ryan was a classic good-guy. Poppy was a breath of fresh air. I enjoyed Chaz's chapters. All around, great characterizations.
Thanks to Net Galley for the book to review.

Was this review helpful?

4.75 stars.

Alex Finlay really knows how to write a thriller that will keep you guessing up until the very end. I'm always impressed by his ability to weave together so many storylines and characters into something that makes sense.
This book was full of so many twists and turns that even when I guessed a plot twist it still surprised me.
This book follows a cold case and the events both preceding and following it. I thought all the characters were super interesting and I really enjoyed all the settings this book took place in.
There was no moment while I was reading this book where I could guess how it would end but looking back it all tied together so well. My least favorite twist in thrillers is the unreliable narrator/when the author intentionally misleads you and this book did not have it which is a win for me.
If you're looking for a crime thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat and keep surprising you, I definitely recommend checking this one out.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC!

Was this review helpful?

Wow, what a wild ride of a thriller! I've come to expect no less from Alex Finlay. The book begins with a flashback where we learn Ryan's girlfriend, Ali, was kidnapped right in front of him. It's years later, and this whole time, everyone has thought he's guilty, utterly destroying his life as he knew it. He changed life paths, even changed his name, trying to move on. But a summer trip abroad is interrupted by the news Ali's car was found, and that more clues to the case have emerged. Ryan soon after sees the man he thinks took her, and gives chase. This wild ride of a book is in multiple POVs which I think is very difficult to do well--but Finlay does it! Five stars from me.

Was this review helpful?

This book was super fast paced with excitement from the very beginning. There are multiple storylines at first that seem to have no connection, but are all pulled together cohesively to form one incredible book! I loved it. The author did an excellent job weaving the multiple stories and timelines.

Thank you to the author, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. Publication date May 28, 2024. 5⭐️

Was this review helpful?

Alex Finlay does it again. I’ve been hooked on his books since Every Last Fear. If Something Happens to Me was a well thought out and executed mystery/thriller. Finlay does an excellent job of adding just enough police procedural in without taking away from the overall plot of the book. My only complaint is that we didn’t need to hear in almost every chapter how tall Ryan is.

Was this review helpful?

This was a decent by Alex Finlay. I didn't love it but I didn't hate too. It was a who none it with a handful of characters you had to keep straight. The ending was pretty predicable but overall enjoyed it. Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy.

Was this review helpful?

There were lots of great twists and turns, and suspense in this newest book from Alex Finlay. I loved the writing, the plot, the unreliable characters, and especially the way the book came together at the end. I read this rather quickly, and was very invested in the outcome- which I was not able to predict- always a plus!

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC. I’m looking forward fo sharing my review closer to publication date.

Was this review helpful?

🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆
𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: If Something Happens To Me
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Alex Finlay
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 05/28/24
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝:⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⇥ This is so fast paced and wild, you could easily finish this in one sitting. The chapters are short and leave you on a cliffhanger.
⇥ There was one scene where I verbally said, “Oh, hell yeah!” And another scene I was reading and felt like I was watching a movie with action and suspense.
⇥ If you like mafia/Sopranos type characters in your thriller, you’ll love this. Alternating POV’s that each has their own storyline.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐝:⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⇥ If you didn’t get approved for this on NetGalley, you have four more months until it comes out—sucks! But this book is worth the wait!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
★★★★★
Where do I start? I loved this book. I said LOVE!!! I hope it becomes a movie because it was written like it was perfect for the big screen. This was everything I wanted in a mystery/thriller. Wondering how it all fits together and where the story will take you. Well, it takes you on one insane adventure. Alex’s best book yet.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Thank you @minotaur_books and @netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Alex Finlay is an author I’ve come to love for his fast-paced thrillers. This was no exception from what I love about his writing style.

The story is told from a rotating group of POVs (three for the most part). You know each individual story will eventually intertwine with the others, but you don’t know how. The end of each chapter had me craving the next. It was so hard to put down!

The hang-up I’ve had with a previous Finlay book was the difficulty in keeping up with everything that’s happening—all the layers, characters, and how it’ll all come together—on audio. Reading this story as an ebook really helped me keep everyone straight. I would’ve had a very hard time following all of this on audio & felt (for me) it would’ve taken away from my overall rating. That said, the narrators for past Finlay books have been terrific, but if you have a hard time keeping all the little details straight, I’d recommend this as a physical copy.

Overall, this was a revolving door of goodness in a book, and I devoured it in two sittings.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Publishing Group for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Be sure to pick this one up when it releases in May!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Alex Finlay does it again. From the first page, I was white knuckling it. I'm usually good about figuring out a plot early on but there were enough twists and turns that I was well over halfway before the plot came together...not to say this in a bad way but to encourage others to try out this book. If you're looking for a quick and twisty read, look no further. Also a great introduction to the author if you've never read Alex Finlay before.

Was this review helpful?

Whenever I get access to an Alex Finlay thriller, I must read it immediately. This guy writes thrillers that have such unique plots and angles, and I just cannot get enough. Five years ago, Ryan was in a tragic car wreck with his girlfriend. She was presumed dead from the wreck even though her body was never recovered, and many view Ryan as responsible. Ryan has always maintained someone else was there that night, but has no proof. Now, five years later, Ali's car has been found. Within the car, there's a letter from Ali, and two dead bodies. Wild, right? What I loved most about this one was the storytelling mechanisms. There are different locations with different characters, and part of the mystery is how these are all interconnected. And y'all, there were some big twists in this part of the story that I just loved. This one is a literal ride, and I couldn't put it down. Thanks to NetGalley for the look at this May 2024 release!

Also, I just have to note as a Kansan, I loved the Leavenworth, Kansas setting. What I loved about it was the accuracy of the details about the area. That attention to detail was just another reason this was so, so good.

Was this review helpful?

This was such a twisty read with lots of turns! I sat down with this book and read in it one sitting. ADDICTIVE. I absolutely love Alex Finlay’s writing and just can’t get enough of it! When I saw this book was coming out and I was approved I lost my mind! Definitely hold onto your britches for this one. If you love police procedural with multiple POV, lots of amazing characters, lots of mob related goodness with coverups, revenge, secrets then this book is for you.

We follow a couple who encounter a nightmare of a night where he is assaulted and she is taken and has never been found even a handful of years later. Without saying too much because you have to read to find out for yourself, characters find themselves elbows deep in investigating/trying to solve the mystery while falling deep into some secrets that are not supposed to be uncovered regarding the mob. I was sitting on the edge up until the very last page. This book is absolutely a book to have on your tbr and while you’re at it toss ALL of Finlay’s books on your tbr because hands down one of my favorite authors!

Was this review helpful?

I always enjoy a thrilling Alex Finlay novel and this was no exception. As you’re reading you feel like you’re reading three different stories, wondering where this is going, and then it GOES. Finlay executes the weaving together in a thrilling manner, and you’re really invested in seeing it to the end.

My only criticism (and this is a big one) was I felt the story portion following Ryan in Europe felt a little flat. His character just didn’t have the same feeling of completeness of others involved in the story, and the romance push with Nora just felt a little weird. He may have been a integral part of the missing girl case but it almost seems like the story could have happened without him in present day. In comparison, the O’Leary family background was so fleshed out and heartbreaking, it really made the book.

Thanks so much to Alex Finlay, St Martins Press and Minotaur Books for making this advance copy available to us!

To Alex Finlay in particular- THAT EPILOGUE HURT MY HEART 😭

Was this review helpful?

This was decent. Many, if not most, of the twists were predictable. There were way too many characters to keep straight. But it was tense, suspenseful, and fast paced.

Was this review helpful?

While parts of this book were predictable, I thought it was very well done. There are definitely some trigger warnings in this one, especially around child bullying/suicide

Was this review helpful?

"If Something Happens to Me" by Alex Finlay is a thrilling book with lots of surprises and different perspectives. It's full of twists that keep you guessing until the end. This was my first book by Alex Finlay, and I really liked it! The story is exciting, and the characters are interesting. It's a fast-paced mystery that will keep you hooked from start to finish. If you enjoy books with lots of unexpected turns, this one is for you!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and Alex Finlay for the opportunity to read this book!

Was this review helpful?

Alex Finlay has become an "auto-read" author for me- so I requested his latest, "If Something Happens to Me" without even reading the synopsis because I knew I’d love it. And I really did!! This one centers on Ryan, whose girlfriend Ali was abducted back when they were seniors in high school. Then 5 years and Ali’s car is found, by a great character - a deputy named Poppy who is new to the police department & from the military and the kidnapping investigation is reopened, which leads to many more characters & lots of locations. Even though there was a lot happening , I was able to follow it well - Finlay is excellent at weaving multiple storylines into one cohesive narrative., reminded me a LOT of a season of "Fargo", in that respect. There were a couple of really good twists that I did not see coming! I'm down for Finlay's next! My sincere thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for the complimentary DRC, my most sincere pleasure to review it!!

Was this review helpful?