This book was not like his others.

I was excited for a new Alex Finlay book after loving two of his previous works but this was fell flat in so many areas for me.

Pro’s-
-fast paced chapters
-multiple pov’s that intersect eventually
-interesting storyline

Con’s
-the tone of this was trying to be light hearted and funny with its out of place pop culture references and some odd language choices that made me feel like I was reading cartoon characters rather than a potentially real life event.
-so many characters to keep track of for each POV and then even more side characters that only existed to boost the purpose of main characters in that segment.
-it was trying to be more sophisticated than it actually was( code breaking, taking place in parts of Europe, etc)

While I was able to read this quickly and wanted to know how the story blended together, you don’t realize the connections until late in the book and with so much going on you lost parts of the book that would have made more sense if the reveal happened sooner.

This had twist and turns all through it and just kept you sucked into the story as you continued to read. I think the author did such a great job coming up with this story and love how the story was setup in parts, I feel it helped with the flow.

IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME by @alexfinlayauthor is the definition of an unputdownable, edge-of-your-seat thriller. This has all the excitement and suspense perfect for making into a movie. It is told from a few different POVs, and the audio has a narrator for each one to help differentiate between them. They were all fantastic!

There’s a disappearance of a teen girl, a mafia, and police detective stories all intertwined. I loved how all the pieces fit together. I feel like I can’t say much more without giving something away. Just go grab a copy and enjoy!

Happy Pub Day to this great read! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you @minotaur_books for an eARC AND thank you @macmillan.audio for this early listening copy! I’m so thrilled I was able to read this one! @alexfinlayauthor has definitely done it again! This one is sure to be liked by many!

This one is a windy thriller that goes a lot of places I didn’t expect. The set up is that five years ago, high-school student Ryan Richardson was in a parked car with his girlfriend, Ali, when someone opened the door and ripped her out of the car. She was never seen again, nor was a body ever found, but that didn’t stop the police and press from painting Ryan as a killer. Not only has he been dealing with the trauma from that night, he also had to change his identity to stop being branded a murderer. Now a car and body have been found that open the case back up.

The book is told from multiple perspectives that all weave together in really interesting ways. There’s a bit of a police procedural element, along with a mob story, and the story of Ryan trying to figure his way through the world while still wanting answers about what happened to his girlfriend. I always enjoy Alex Finlay’s books. I find them engaging and hard to put down. I will say that one of the constructs of this one is something I’ve encountered a few times recently in books so it wasn’t as surprising as it might have been, but when a person reads dozens—maybe more—thrillers a year, it’s really hard to completely fool them.

The audio for this one was a full cast recording and I definitely recommend listening. It was really fun to be immersed in the book, although having a hard copy to refer to in the beginning when I was getting introduced to all the characters was helpful. That said, Finlay makes it pretty easy to keep up with all the different story strands and the narrators did a great job giving voice and life to all the characters.

I would definitely recommend this one to thriller fans. It’s an addictive read that has some deeper themes about the repercussions of how you treat people that really resonated with me.

If Something Happens to Me is a thrilling read that had me hooked right from the start.

Finlay skillfully intertwines the stories of Ryan, who suffered a head injury years earlier during a mysterious incident involving his missing girlfriend Alison, Poppy, a rookie cop faced with a chilling case on her first day, and O’Leary, a crime boss seeking revenge.

The fast-paced plot kept me eagerly turning pages to uncover how these seemingly unrelated tales would come together and once they did, I was left eagerly anticipating what would happen next.

Overall, I found this book to be incredibly engaging and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

I want to express my gratitude to @minotaurbooks, alexfinlay and @netgalley for providing me with an ARC of If Something Happens to Me.

I loved this story and right up to the end I was on the edge of my seat! Alex Finley wrote another winner with “If Something Happens to Me”. This was my kind of book with multiple storylines and quick chapters. There was so much going on and I loved every second of it. If you like a twisty thriller, this one is for you.
I loved Alex Finley’s book “Night Shift” and this book was just as intriguing. Many thanks to the author, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I was drawn into this story from the very beginning and I love how the different lives and storylines all come together. I enjoyed how Finlay plays around with the timelines and how the chapters are not dated, you assume they’re in linear order, and when you find out they’re not!!! The first big twist at the end of part one had my jaw on the ground. The plot was enjoyable for me as I was able to suspend my disbelief as we traveled all over the world and explored multiple well-known thriller tropes. Finlay’s characters are complex and multidimensional, and I was still learning more about them right until the last pages.

Con: I felt that there were simply too many characters in the book to easily keep track of. Example, in just one storyline, Ryan is studying abroad and has a group of five or six friends, all of whom are mentioned by name. I took the time to try to remember who was who, but their names did not end up being super relevant to the story. I also struggled a bit with keeping track of each name of who was in O’Leary’s circle. It was just a lot of different characters overall and I feel that limiting the number of characters could have helped the story flow a little better. Or this could just be my brain refusing to retain new information at this point in my life…

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…

Another win for Finlay and might be my current favorite. With having an ecopy and audio I binged through this one so fast. I’m a huge fan of the short chapters that kept me wanting to know more. I thought for sure I had it all figured out, but that twist threw me. Loved the note and the rush to figure out what it meant. Don’t want to give anything away, because it’s a must read. Fast paced and fun to read - 100% recommend!

I really enjoyed this one. Fast paced, addictive read with a compelling cast of characters. An interesting plot with just enough surprises to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Thank you to Net Galley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’m Five years ago, Ryan Richardson experienced the unthinkable. While on a date with his girlfriend Ali, he was hit on the head, knocked out, and pulled out of his car and when he woke up, Ali and her car were nowhere to be found. He was not accused of a crime and the case went unsolved.

Five years later, Ryan is now a law student living under a different last name and is on a trip to Italy with his classmates when he hears the news that Ali’s car has been found with two dead bodies in it. A letter written by Ali that says “If something happens to me” is also found. Meanwhile, in the US, new Deputy Sheriff, Poppy McGee is assigned to the case and Ryan receives a mysterious note stating that someone knows his identity. With Ryan and Poppy desperate to find answers, the race is on to figure out what happened to Ali, who is following Ryan and who the dead men are that were found in the car…

This was a fast paced quick read that kept me turning pages. It is told from multiple points of view and switches between a few different storylines that ultimately come together like a puzzle to reveal many secrets, lies and twists! This is the first book that I have read by Alex Finlay and I will definitely be readi

The past five years, Ryan Richardson has relived the terrible night, the car door ripping open, a blow to the head. Being yanked from the vehicle, his girlfriend Ali’s piercing scream as she is taken. If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay is told by multiple narrators, at differing times, past and present. I found it easy to follow, with suspenseful twists throughout. I truly did not know what to expect up until the very end. Thank You very much to the Author, Publisher, and Netgalley for the complimentary egalley.

My perfect kind of thriller...short chapters! multiple point of views! storylines that you don't know they are connected until you do! and saying "oh shit" out loud!! Really enjoyed this thriller, and have enjoyed all of his others as well! This is a fun read.

Thank you to @netgalley for this arc of If Something Happens To Me by Alex Finlay! I had not read a book by him but I do have one other one on my shelf to read. Now I’m excited to read that one!
This was an extremely twisty, fast paced, and crazy ride! I loved the multiple points of view as well. The plot kept me on the edge of my seat. I could not put the book down as I needed to know what happed next!!!
If you like a good psychological thriller, you will love this!!! Check it out asap, you won’t regret it!!!

Reading Between the Wines book review #42/130 for 2024:
Rating: 4 🍷 🍷 🍷 🍷
Book: If Something Happens to Me
Author: Alex Finlay
Available TODAY!!

Sipping thoughts: Wow! What a flip in the script! I was not expecting what I read. I love it when you are thinking one thing and then all of a sudden you realize that you had it all wrong. The first chapter opens with a bang and the thrills don’t stop there. Just imagine if someone you loved disappeared and then you get a cryptic message that says “if something happens to me…” The mystery behind the message and the kidnapping all stems from a mistake that carries over into many lives. I really enjoy Finlay’s writing style and I could not read this one fast enough.

Cheers and thank you to @StMartinsPress and @Netgalley for an advanced copy of @IfSomethingHappensToMe.

#IfSomethingHappensToMe #AlexFinlay #StMartinsPress #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press/Minotaur Books for my gifted ARC, and MacMillan Audio for my gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review.

What a fun mystery thriller! I predominately read via audio format, and I enjoyed the narration style, with multi-narrators bringing this story to life.

What to expect:
✨️ Fast-paced
✨️ Multiple points of view
✨️ Intricately woven story-lines
✨️ Lots of twists
✨️ Short chapters

This is a bingeable thriller, and a novel that will keep you guessing. If you're looking for a fast-paced twisty thriller to binge, definitely consider picking this one up!

This is a summer thriller that is right up my alley. I love a book that tells separate stories that are intricately woven and when it all came together it blew my mind!
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Ryan Richardson has spent the last five years reliving the night that his girlfriend was taken. After much suspicion that he was involved he started a new life, with a new name and law school. He’s a law student on a trip in Italy when he gets the call that Ali’s car has been found submerged in water, with no Ali. Instead, two dead men and a note. When he sees the man that haunts his dreams he knows his nightmare has become a reality.
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Somehow his new reality will include a young sheriff deputy from Kansas and a monster from Philadelphia who’s living his own nightmare.

I don’t want to say too much but I couldn’t stop reading this one! This one is out today!
Thank you @minotaur_books and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

“If Something Happens to Me” by Alex Finlay
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Release Date: 5/28/24

Thank you Netgalley for the arc! Finlay has quickly become one of my favorite mystery/thriller author. I like that his books have a solid story and a breadcrumbs are left a long the way to figure out what’s happening.
Five years ago Ryan Richardson life flipped upside down when his girlfriend Ali was abducted in front of him and the town made him the #1 suspect. Now the car they were driving was discovered in the towns lake, but it wasn’t Ali inside. It was two men. What happened 5 years ago? Where is Ali?

I'm a little at odds with myself over Alex Finlay's newest novel, If Something Happens to Me. There were plenty of things that I really enjoyed about the book, such as it being a fast-paced ride with short, punchy chapters that make the book *so* hard to put down. Short chapters and multiple POVs are my kryptonite in this particular genre, so that earned some brownie points, for sure. The characters are also well-developed and likeable, and it was easy to care about what happened to them over the course of the plot. The same cannot be said for me with many other suspense thrillers, which is why it was so disappointing that I didn't love ISHTM as much as I wanted to.

Don't get me wrong; its a good book, and I enjoyed it. But while I found the book engaging and appreciated the pacing and plot, something didn't quite sit right. I think my primary issue was with the mafia aspect of the plot. If I'm being honest, I just didn't buy into it, and it felt a bit cheesy at times. Given that the mafia storyline is a significant part of the overall plot, my skepticism about it really dampened the initial enthusiasm I had for the plot and characters. Even though I was curious about how things would resolve, I wasn't particularly excited whenever I picked up the book.

It's important to note that this is a matter of personal preference. I tend to gravitate more towards psychological thrillers rather than action-packed stories. For readers who enjoy high-octane action and a strong mafia angle, this book is likely to be a real hit (pun intended). It delivers plenty of suspense and excitement, with enough plot twists to keep you guessing.

So, while it wasn't a perfect match for my tastes, I can see the appeal for a slightly different kind of reader. If you’re a fan of action thrillers with a mafia twist, this one is sure to satisfy that craving.

Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for providing me with an electronic copy of If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and are not influenced by any third parties.

Ryan Richardson, accused of murdering his girlfriend while in high school, has taken on a new life studying to be a lawyer. Through a series of connected events, Ryan begins uncovering the truth of Allison’s disappearance.

Wow. So I’ll admit I had a hard time at first keeping all the different characters straight and trying to figure out all the connections. Once I realized how they were all connected (in a way I didn’t expect), I couldn’t stop reading.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. Fast paced, and a quick read, this has way more twists than I expected.

Real Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars

The issue with giving books a 3.5 star rating is that people automatically assume that means you hated it or that it was a bad book. That’s usually the case. For If Something Happens to Me, it simply means it was an alright thriller that I didn’t mind reading, will likely appeal to the average thriller reader not looking for something deeper or with more substance, but isn’t a title I’d go around recommending or putting on my own bookshelf.

ISHTM starts with a killer (ah, come on, let me have my fun) opening scene straight out of a slasher flick or scary story that ends with one of this novel’s main characters blacking out. It’s well-written, creepy, and immediately engages you. It’s a very nice piece of bait to lure you into a boiler-plate plot that’s been dressed up with a hodgepodge of other story elements: A boyfriend who was wrongly accused of his girlfriend’s death who ultimately had to leave town and change his name, a shadowy eight-fingered man, a young and plucky new female officer in town just as new evidence comes to light regarding this cold case, a good ol’ boy police force that may be keeping secrets, a mysterious FBI agent, and an organized crime syndicate with a bone to pick. It’s a puzzle, so, how does it all fit together?

Of course, there are the predictably-timed turns. There are some attempts at red herrings and misdirection, but I don’t think this book was plotted very well because they didn’t hit like I assume they were supposed to. The pacing was actually done very well, without much lagging or rushing. There were some attempts at social commentary that I felt were clumsy in nature and ultimately came across as trying too hard and that made the ending of this book feel more than a little cheesy.

At the end of the day this book was an okay read and I don’t regret spending my afternoon on it, but I can’t say I’d recommend you rush out and buy it. It’s not the worst time either.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: Crime Thriller/Psychological Thriller/Suspense Thriller