What I've always admired about Alex Finlay novels is his ability to build out stories on the simplicities of human nature. Erring on the darkness, he pulls you into stories not to guess whodunnit, but rather taking on a Capote-esque quality that makes you keep reading to understand the why and how over the what. I'm a big fan, and while this one took some predictable turns, it didn't feel like it mattered, I wasn't in it for the twists, but for the compelling and relatable character development.

The only POV that didn't quite work for me was Poppy's, I understand that it was a necessary engine to keep the plot moving but it felt a little one dimensional. Always a fan, would always recommend Finlay, can't wait for the next one. Thanks, Netgalley for the ARC.

I liked how all the characters were connected despite them being all over the world. I found the book to be a quick read and kept my interest with the fast paced story line. It wasn’t my favorite book but definitely a unique read.

Alex Finlay does it again. He is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. This book was a quick read and an enjoyable thrilling plot. I really enjoyed the characters and cannot wait for his next book!

Alex Finlay is back! I was disappointed in his last book but this one is a return to form for him. It had me staying up late to finish chapters and maybe read just one more. Really fun and action packed!

When I started this I was expecting it to be a little scary but it was more mystery/action. I went in blind just knowing that I had liked the authors previous books.
Multiple POV, short chapters and fast paced. This was easy to read and it was fun trying to piece together all of the different characters!! I did predict where it was going pretty early on and I was hoping for more surprising twists along the way. Idk why but I hated Ryan 😂 I didn’t feel super invested in any of the characters. Overall still pretty entertaining!

Ryan and Alison were high schoolers in love spending their last night together in their favorite spot when a man accosted Ryan and kidnapped Alison. Ryan was the prime suspect until the case was dismissed when DNA evidence was found at a campsite of a serial killer. Ryan had to change his last name and relocate colleges to escape the ridicule of being called a killer.
…
In Italy, Ryan is on a summer school trip when his father calls to inform him Alison’s car has been found. For five years Ryan has been haunted by Alison’s disappearance. Nobody believed him when he said he saw the guy who took Alison. As Ryan tours Italy with his classmates he sees the guy from his nightmares.
…
In Leavenworth, Kansas lives Poppy a newly recruited deputy with the police department. On her first day Alison’s car was retrieved from a lake. The Sheriff gave Poppy this case believing as a newbie she would flounder at investigation work.
…
In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania lives O’Leary a dangerous man whom everyone is afraid of except his wife Gina. He’s involved in organized crime hiring people to do his dirty work.
…
A great book begins with a great concept, a great execution and a great writing voice. The concept lays the groundwork for the storyline building characters and the setting around it. In Alex Findlay’s recent book If Something Happens to Me the concept begins with Alison’s disappearance and Ryan the suspect. Finlay builds the story by creating multiple storylines connecting them after the story builds enough momentum. Here’s where it becomes tricky, finding the right reader and writer with the desired voice to communicate the story. Findlay’s writing voice didn’t speak to me on a level that had me glued to these pages. I enjoyed the breakthrough revelation. There was no way for the reader to know that is how it would play out.
…
I appreciate the originality put into producing this crime thriller. The effort to create a story that doesn’t follow typical templates is recognized. Maybe listening to the audiobook will enhance the experience by making it more interesting.
…
I imagine this storyline playing out better in a movie. I can picture these three different scenes being played better than I can imagine them in my mind. Since I’m a visual person requiring both my eyes and ears on the story it would be phenomenal.

Alex Finlay never fails to serve up a thriller that keeps you on your toes from the very first sentence. If Something Happens to Me is NOT a casual read. There are so many twists and turns, if you are not paying attention, you are bound to miss a clue! There were many times I questioned whether all of the concurrent storylines would find a way to weave themselves together– and did they ever! With a plot that sometimes bordered on the absurd, I was waiting for this book to go totally off the rails. But Finlay crafted such strong backstories for each of his characters that it all came together seamlessly, and shockingly!

SOOOO i dont think im in the majority on this one. i had high hopes for the book but it feel short for me around the 50% mark . the beginning kept me on my toes and guessing how all the different povs worked together but i literally figured it out rather quickly despite that i kept reading hoping the plot twist would pick back up for me but it didn't. I didnt care for the ending also.

updated can also be seen @drbooksreads via instagram

This was my first Alex Finlay read and I was so excited. This book has been getting a lot of hype. Well I dont think I’ll be in the majority for this one because after the 50%mark in the words of blues legend @bbkingofficial the thrill is gone. Or at least it was for me🫣. I love a good mob story. I will say I felt this book was like jack reacher meets the sopranos. I noooooo. This one was a 3 star read for me 🌟🌟🌟.

⚖️ the scales of justice weigh in this plot from so many POV. The book is so fast paced and you can easily finish in one sitting. You will want to because you will want to know how it ends. I did and the ending had me pretty disappointed.
What does an accountant, mob boss, small town Sheriff , law student, and grave keeper all have in common? This story! It’s a lot of moving pieces but the first half of the book is well done. Ryan smiths life changed the night his girl friend Ali went missing. Poppy’s life changed when she came home to help her dad and took a job with the local sheriff. Neither knew what was in store for them and the lengths a few good people would go to trying to protect family and friends. Every character in this book plays and important role from the introduction to the end.

⛔️There is a big trigger warning of child suicide and bullying. Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the ARC.

❓QOTD: What is your favorite Alex Finlay book?

#alexfinlay #ifsomethinghappenstome #mystery #thriller #mob #france #art #law

I always enjoy Alex Finley’s books and this one is no exception. The book includes an equal amount of action and mystery and tops it off with some fun characters.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/195790670

Alex Finlay does it again as he writes a complex narrative spanning across decades for a non-stop narrative that thrills to the maximum. You’re kept in suspense until the last act.

Full review to follow on https://www.bestthrillerbooks.com/kashif-hussain

I have been waiting patiently for this book since I finished the last Alex Finlay book. My patience paid off.
If Something Happens to Me is so well developed, I never saw anything coming yet it was so perfectly thought out.
The story originally focuses on Ali Lane and her boyfriend Ryan. But 5 years after Ali is abducted and presumed murdered by a serial killer, things get interesting.
Not going to give anything away, because you need to watch it all come together.
Brilliantly done, thank you!

Alex Finley has done it again! If something happens to me was full of twists and turns and as a seasoned thriller reader, i did not see the end coming!

Talk about a blockbuster hit....

Let me first tell you that "mobster" books are typically not my thing but let's be honest, If Alex Finlay is writing it, I'm reading it. I can also tell you that since my approval came in, I never reread the description, so for the most part, I went in blind.

I know we take this unsworn oath as bloggers to try to read books in an order of release BUT, again, Its Alex Finlay, and Alex Finlay, always gets to jump the line.

If Something Happens to Me, was a wild ride. The amount of research that must have gone into this book shows on every page you flip.

I fell in love a large majority of characters but especially the three war heroes and the way they had each others back even when backed up into a corner.

The way that this book is broken down and told in different POV's really added to the triple plot. When I first started I didn't see the three stories would intertwine but when it comes together you can see that it was perfectly executed and everything makes sense.

This is my fourth book by Finlay and might just be my favorite yet. If Something Happens to Me, solidifies my admiration for this author and his work. I would absolutely love to see this book on the big screen.

Check out this teaser :

For the past five years, Ryan Richardson has relived that terrible night. The car door ripping open. The crushing blow to the head. The hands yanking him from the vehicle. His girlfriend Ali’s piercing scream as she is taken.

With no trace of Ali or the car, a cloud of suspicion hangs over Ryan. But with no proof and a good lawyer, he’s never charged, though that doesn’t matter to the podcasters and internet trolls. Now, Ryan has changed his last name, and entered law school. He's put his past behind him.

Until, on a summer trip abroad to Italy with his law-school classmates, 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 on the envelope in Ali’s handwriting: If something happens to me…

Then, halfway around the world, the unthinkable happens: Ryan sees the man who has haunted his dreams since that night.

As Ryan 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, 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.

In classic Alex Finlay form, If Something Happens to Me is told by several distinct, compelling characters whose paths intersect, detonating into a story of twist after pulse-pounding twist. The novel cements Finlay as one of the leading thriller writers today.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc!
I have read a few other books from Alex Finlay and enjoyed them. This being placed in Kansas for parts was intriguing to read since I live in Kansas. This was fast paced, although it did take me a little bit to keep the characters straight for some reason. So many twists and turns that were great! I will say this wasn’t my favorite book I’ve read of this authors, but overall I did enjoy and would recommend.

Engaging and immersive. A recommended purchase for collections where crime and thrillers are popular.

Thank you for a preview of this title by one of my favorite authors. I was so excited to receive it and this did not disappoint me! The story starts with young lovers Ryan and Ali parked at a Lovers Lane type spot one rainy night and something terrible happens..and Ali disappears. Ryan has spent years trying to establish his innocence and get over losing Ali, who has never been found. Meanwhile, we have a new young Sheriff in town, some evil mobsters and some other loose ends that I couldn't wait to see how it all connected, which the author did so well. This is a hard to put down mystery that follows many storylines, characters, settings and has a satisfying ending that left me surprised. A great thriller that I think will be a big hit in 2024.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

This is told from various different perspectives, including those of Ryan, whose girlfriend Alison disappeared 5 years ago and who was suspected of involvement, and Poppy who starts work as a deputy sheriff just as Alison's car is discovered in a lake wth two dead men in it. There are other perspectives and different timelines and the narrative was a bit complicated, although it did come together in the end.

I found the writing style a little YA and bright and breezy which clashed somewhat with the level of violence and body count, and I didn't feel the characterization was particularly strong. I think this was not for me, but I can see others enjoying it more.

Another Alex Finlay thriller another 5 stars for me. This starts right off with a bang and doesn’t let up. I was questioning how things all tied together but that was short lived as Alex did a phenomenal job making it make sense.

Thank you #stmartin and #netgalley for an early copy.

This one is another home run for Finlay . He gets better with each book . This was another fast paced thriller that keeps you guessing till the end . He knows how to write a book and is becoming in same league as Coben and Connolly .
Thanks for letting me review the book to Netgalley and the publisher

5 years ago, Ryan was the high school basketball star, had a beautiful girlfriend, Ali and was excited for the future. Until, one night, he was hit over the head and Ali was taken with no trace of her left behind. Suspicion held over him, he gets a good lawyer, changes his name and tries to move on with his life.

Flash forward to now, a car with bodies and a letter from Ali was found at the bottom of a lake. Ryan gets a call from his dad while on a trip in Italy. While there, Ryan gets a visit from the man who has been in his nightmares, the man who he thinks took Ali.

Meanwhile, in Kansas, a new deputy sheriff is helping solve the case of the car and how it connects to Ali. In Philly, a mobster has a misfortune of his own.

It may seem like a lot is going on but WOW does everything come together so wonderfully. I read this book in 3 sittings and want more. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The twists and turns are amazing and every detail is solved by the end. This was fast paced and will grab you in quickly! So well done, a 5 star read for me!