4.5 for keeping me fully engaged and anxious to pick the book back up spurring me to read it entirely within two short blocks of time. Did the story work all the way though, did everything line up, were all the characters deep and likable? Does any of that matter if I couldn’t put it down?

Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay was a twisty, fast-paced mystery.

Ryan Richardson was left for dead the night his girlfriend Ali went missing. Everyone thinks that Ryan did something to her, but the police could never prove it. Now, he's changed his last name and is in law school. On a school trip to Italy, Ryan gets a call from his father: Ali's car has finally been found, submerged in a lake in his hometown. Inside are two dead men and a cryptic note with five words written in Ali’s handwriting: If something happens to me…

When Ryan sees the man who has haunted his dreams since that night, he races from the rolling hills of Tuscany, to a rural village in the UK, to the glittering streets of Paris in search of the truth, but he has no idea that his salvation may lie with a young sheriff’s deputy in Kansas working her first case, and a mobster in Philadelphia who’s experienced tragedy of his own.

There were quite a few characters, multiple points of view, and several locations, but it wasn't hard to keep them straight in my head. The writing was fast-paced and easy to read, with short chapters to keep the story flowing. The entire time you're trying to figure out how everything fits together, then wait, what? Twist! The characters are fleshed out enough to make sense, but not overly developed. This was my first Finlay book, and I definitely was not disappointed.

Thank you to @Minotaur_Books and @NetGalley for a digital copy for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.

This one sucks you right in from the start when Ryan’s girlfriend Ali is plucked from his car and he his left wondering what happened that night he was hit over the head. It is five years later now and while he is in Italy trying to move on, Poppy is a new detective on the scene back in his Kansas hometown.

I enjoyed the multiple settings and points of view but the Philadelphia mobster angle kinda got lost on me. The twists just kept coming, so much so that I seemed to lose track of who was who and what finally ended up happening. I found it had a masculine vibe, so would recommend to my husband.

I initially started this as a sampler, but within the first few chapters, I knew I needed to read the whole book early. Wow. Fun, engaging mystery, and interesting characters made this a hit!

I was excited to dive into another Alex Finlay book, hoping to find a gem since so many people love his work. Despite not being impressed by the first one I read, this book turned out to be a delightful surprise.

The mystery is complex and has you jetting across the world and that was a blast for me. It had a new take on the cross country roadtrip mystery and added a lot of fun dimension to the story. There is a lot to say about this book but I found the main characters motivations and how he had to change his entire life due to being essentially at the wrong place at the wrong time. His entire life fell apart and he was forced to forge a new path in the shadows.

Really just a solid mystery, with a bit of a weird twist, but it worked and wrapped everything up in a way that was fun and satisfying.

I had the chance to listen to the audiobook and it was nice to hear the characters come to life. If you like audiobooks then this one is worth the listen!

4.5 stars rounded up to 5

This book should definitely have a movie adaptation - reading it was such a cinematic experience for me. Characters came alive, there were some picturesque locations and the story had me intrigued throughout. What can I say, I’m definitely a fan of Alex Findlay’s writing!

I loved going into this one knowing almost nothing of the story. The first half of the book gives a good insight into motivation of various characters and the second half read more like an action movie. Pieces started coming together pretty fast and I was there for it.

I also enjoyed complexities of characters - it’s not about good vs bad but more about how seemingly insignificant decisions can change someone’s path entirely. Grab this one if you’re looking for an entertaining summer read!

Grateful to Minotaur books, SMP and NetGalley for my ARC!

We have multiple povs so it's a quick read jumping fromm each perspective. We have a mystery surrounding the disappearance of a young woman. It was an engrossing story with a few twists. I recommend for those whole enjoyed the author's previous work or those who enjoy a good mystery.

This one had all the makings of a good thriller.
☑️short chapters
☑️murder mystery
☑️multiple POV

Was it groundbreaking? No. But it was enjoyable.

This is my third book by this author and it will not be my last. This story was so deftly woven together. It begins with chapters alternating between three main characters and brings their experiences together eventually. The characters are all flawed and yet very likable. There are a couple crime mysteries to be solved. It doesn’t always go where you think it’s leading you. I am content with the ending. I’m grateful to NetGalley for an ARC of this book although it has now published. I definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys the thriller genre.

You can never go wrong reading an Alex Finlay book! This is the perfect summer thriller that will keep you turning the pages and have you on the edge of your seat.
Perfect storytelling that weaves multiple locations and characters different perspectives throughout, then miraculously pulling them all together with a great ending.

WOWZERS!! I think this is Alex’s BEST book yet! Murder, mystery, suspense and a really great plot contributed to this unforgettable story!

What’s supposed to be a night for young love turns into a kidnapping that leaves Ryan to keep reliving that night day after day. Could he have done something to prevent his girlfriend Ali from being taken? Is she still alive? Ryan has tried to move on and is now in law school until he gets a call that they found her car! They found Ali’s car submerged into the lake. Meanwhile Poppy has been hired as a deputy sheriff and in a town where nothing ever happens, everything has blown up with the discovery of Ali’s car…

This was a racing, hard to put down suspense filled novel. If I didn’t have a summer class, I would have finished this the very first day I began. It was that good! The story was really well plotted and full of intensity that kept me on the edge just waiting for more. I don’t read many male authors – seriously Alex and Riley Sager are my main men, if you’re needing a good page turner – look no further, this is a five star read!

📖 Review:
Alex Finlay’s If Something Happens to Me is an adrenaline-fueled thriller that takes you on a whirlwind journey through Europe and beyond. If you’re a fan of gripping mysteries with unexpected twists, this book is an absolute must-read! 📚🔥

Ryan Richardson’s life has been a nightmare since the night his girlfriend Ali was taken. Just when he thinks he’s put the past behind him, a shocking discovery in his hometown drags him back into the chaos. Ali’s car is found in a lake with two dead men and a cryptic note in her handwriting, reigniting Ryan’s desperate quest for answers. 😱🚔

From the picturesque hills of Tuscany to a quiet village in the UK and the dazzling streets of Paris, Ryan’s search for the truth is a thrilling ride. Each location adds a new layer of intrigue, and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to see what would happen next. ✈️🇮🇹🇬🇧🇫🇷

Finlay’s storytelling is top-notch, with multiple compelling characters whose lives intersect in unexpected ways. The young sheriff’s deputy in Kansas and the Philadelphia mobster both bring unique perspectives and depth to the story, making it even more captivating. 🌟🕵️‍♀️🕵️‍♂️

The twists and turns kept me guessing until the very end. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, Finlay threw in another twist that left me speechless. This book is a masterclass in suspense, and the tension never lets up. 🤯💥

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝙏𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙨𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙩, 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙩, 𝙙𝙚𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙖 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙬𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙥𝙪𝙡𝙨𝙚-𝙥𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙬𝙞𝙨𝙩.

I have enjoyed some of this author’s previous books, so I was eagerly waiting to pick this one up. I did a combo of the ebook and audiobook (provided by Macmillan Audio), and both were solid methods of digesting the story.

I absolutely loved this fast-paced thriller filled with multiple POVs, short chapters, and suspense… it was entertaining and captivating.

I was immediately pulled into the story and wanted to keep reading until I reached the end. It’s best to go into this one now knowing much. I think you’ll get a better experience that way.

I will say, I enjoyed the first half of the book a bit more than the second half. I feel like it began to drag (just a tiny bit). Still a solid and quick thriller!

Thank you so much NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for the review copies in exchange for my honest review!

I read this book at the end of May. I'm writing this review at the end of June and struggling to remember the plot. That's not a good sign! But a quick refresher and it is coming back to me now. Here's the basic plot: Ryan has always been suspected in the disappearance of his high school girlfriend Ali, but there was never enough evidence against him. Five years later, he has moved on with his life until new evidence and new bodies are discovered.

As is the case for me and many thrillers, this one started strong. I was interested and eager to see what was going to happen. But as the story went on, it got really wild and far-fetched, and there was just a lot going on here. It was not hard to keep up with all that was going on in this story, the bigger issue was that I just didn't care all that much about what was going on. A big twist in the middle throws in a nice element of surprise. But in the end, the story was not especially memorable and just was too hard for me to believe. Popcorn thriller, fast read, short chapters, action packed-- but not my favorite.

Loved it!

Mobster storylines aren’t usually my jam, but this one was great!

The story was SAD, horrifying, intense and suspenseful.

Everyone neatly tying together scratched just the right part of my brain. Each character you follow is great. No complaints with this one!

Ali and Ryan are high school sweethearts who are attacked while getting some “alone time” on a secluded dirt road. When Ryan regains consciousness, Ali has disappeared and he is suspected of murdering his first love.
Five years later, Ali’s car and possessions are found in a lake and inside her purse is an envelope that says “If something happens to me.” The note inside is written in some kind of cipher, causing detectives to be stumped. There are many interweaving stories in this novel but they are all connected to the main mystery. Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was a violent, page-turning, popcorn thriller. Don’t think too hard about the plot and enjoy the ride.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an arc in return for an honest review.

I am shocked by the low reviews for this book as I was completely captivated the entire time. I'm hesitant to even write too much of a review because any type of explanation might spoil an unexpected twist.

Part 1 shifts between multiple locations & characters, Italy - Ryan, Kansas - Poppy, and Philadelphia - Shane. As the different settings develop and more characters are introduced, it's the Philadelphia chunk that surprised me the most and that provided the biggest "I'm sorry, what?!" moment of the section.

Parts 2 & 3 explain a bit more about how each of the the settings and characters are connected and uncovers numerous secrets along the way.

The saddest part of the book is in Part 1 - the depiction of high school bullying and the impacts that are felt. Without the cruel party prank at the elite private school, each of the lives in this book would have evolved differently. I imagine there won't be a ton of teens reading this novel, but hopefully the parents who read it take the time to have a conversation with their kids about treating others with respect.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy!

DNF

I've been meaning to read something by this author for a while now, but I don't think this was the best one to start with. The writing was fine, but the way the story was told wasn't my favorite.

I love a good suspense and this fits the bill. Multiple locations and multiple characters and yet you know they must all be connected...somehow, right?! I enjoyed the format and the pacing of the book. It's a great read!

Alex Finlay is great at having several different perspectives and storylines going simultaneously, and then pulling them all together at the end. This story definitely made me keep reading!

So many twists and turns! If Something Happens to Me was a fun ride. Perfect for a quick summer read.