If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay is about Ryan who has had suspicion all around him for the last five years after he was pulled out of a car and his girlfriend was abducted. Now, he’s in law school traveling in Italy when he sees the person he remembers from that night…. Meanwhile, a new deputy sheriff starts work in her hometown and on her first day a submerged car is found in the lake with two bodies inside…

This is the first Alex Finlay book I have read and really enjoyed it. There were definitely a lot of characters and the setting kept changing, but I really enjoy books where the separate storylines merge eventually and things begin to make sense. I loved the short chapters which definitely made this book a fast read. The ending was a little too neatly wrapped up, but better than leaving too much hanging. Definitely a good summer binge read! Putting Alex Finlay’s backlist on my to-read as well!

For the past 5 years Ryan has lived with the horror of the night his girlfriend Allison was taken and he was helpless but could hear her screams. Now in law school and on a summer trip to Rome, his father calls to let him know that her car has been found but her body is not in it, oddly two dead men and a note written in code are all that are found. Then to his horror, in Italy, Ryan sees the man who grabbed Allison and has haunted his dreams. Ryan races to follow him all the way to the UK needing to find out what happened to Ali. Back at home a young deputy sheriff is also trying to solve the case and also determine how her family may be connected to it all - and she may be the only person that Ryan can trust to help solve him.

This was immersive from the first chapter and I loved every twist and turn of this one. I switched between audio and reading which can sometimes be confusing (especially with so many characters, timelines and storylines) but in the case both mediums worked really well together. I loved the multiple POVs and the intertwining storylines that at the outset I couldn’t figure out how they would ever meet, but the author wove a great story and tied everything up at the end seamlessly. This is one of those books that is picked up in the morning and done the same day because you can’t go to sleep without knowing the end! I will definitely need to look at the @alexfinalyauthor’s backlist!

4.25 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC

4.00 stars
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TW: Suicide, Murder, Bullying, Child death, Torture, Drug abuse, Terminal illness, Kidnapping, Gun violence
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Alex Finlay has done it once again, If Something Happens to Me is a masterpiece. Told via multiple points of view and timelines, the story weaves perfectly together. Eventually, your jaw drops when you find out how everything is connected. If you haven't read anything by Alex Finlay yet, you should.

Ryan Richardson will never forget his past, five years ago Ryan and his girlfriend Ali were attacked - she's taken from him and he'll never forget her piercing screams. With the help of a good lawyer Ryan is off the hook but his past is not forgotten. Years later on a trip to Italy Ryan receives a phone call stating that Ali's car has been found with dead bodies in it, but neither are Ali. All that was found was a letter written in Ali's handwriting: If Something Happens to Me. To top things off, Ryan sees the face of the man who's been haunting his dreams since that night.

This is such a twisty thriller, once you stop, you won't want to put it down. As a reader, you sit there and start to wonder how everything is connected - there's a point where something is revealed and I was shocked. I'm not usually a fan of mob stories, but this one got to me. I will admit, the story was a little hard to follow along with at the start just with all the characters, but I promise it all makes sense. Get through the first 1/4 of the book and you will be hooked!
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I would like to thank NetGalley, St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, and Alex Finlay for the opportunity to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinons are my own. If Something Happens to Me publishes on May 28th 2024 - pre-order your copy now.

I'm an avid suspense reader, so I'm always on the lookout for more! I have enjoyed Alex Finlay's previous books, so picking up his latest book, 'If Something Happens to Me", was an easy decision.

The story is told through multiple characters. Five years ago Ryan was knocked out and his girlfriend Ali was taken. No body was ever found - and Ryan was the prime suspect. And then he sees a man that he has seen before... And a cryptic clue starts the hunt all over again.

A Philly mobster is the second voice and a new to the force sheriff’s deputy is the third. I really liked Deputy Poppy McGee! (Nudge, nudge maybe she'll turn up up in another book?) There's a number of supporting players as well.

I always like a tale that is told from more than one viewpoint. We're privy to what's going on in all three threads. Well, we do and we don't in this plot that is. By the time you get back to the first voice, things have changed. Finlay is a master at giving the reader many many twists and turns - also another element I really enjoy.

The pedal is on the metal in this suspense, action filled novel. An entertaining beach read for sure. I also think it would make a great streaming series!

If Something Happens to Me is suspenseful, addictive, and totally entertaining, but I'm not at all surprised, because Alex Finlay has become one of my must-read, must-binge authors. He has a way of hooking me right from the start, and this is the latest in his lineup of twisty thrillers. Speaking of twists, I didn't see it coming. Looking back, maybe I should have, but I was having too much fun to notice, and I was wondering how the multiple storylines would tie together, but it all came together perfectly, and I am predicting we will see If Something Happens to Me everywhere this summer!

Five years ago, Ryan and his girlfriend Alison were parked on the local Lovers' Lane. Ryan is rendered unconscious by a man who attacks them. When he awakens, Alison is gone. The car is gone and everyone in his hometown of Leavenworth, Kansas suspects the tall, popular high school basketball star of murder. Recent DNA evidence has tied a serial killer to the murder of Alison and Ryan is now a law student, hoping to help others. While on vacation in Italy, he learns that the car from that dreaded night has been found in a lake with two bodies inside. Also found is an envelope from Alison that reads: "If something happens to me…" and inside is a coded message. It also happens to be the first day on the job for Deputy Sheriff Poppy McGee, who is determined to figure out the mystery as she is not convinced the true killer has been identified. In Tuscany, Ryan believes he has spotted the man who attacked him the night Alison disappeared, and he goes in pursuit of him. One thing he's never forgotten about the man is that each hand was missing the pinky finger. In a seemingly unrelated incident, a Philadelphia mob boss experiences an unimaginable loss and now he's out for revenge.

There's a lot going on in Alex Finlay's new and exciting book If Something Happens to Me. Grab some popcorn and prepare to be entertained. This fast-paced thriller will keep you on your toes. With three storylines, locales and points of view, the action is kept at a high level. The characters are all intriguing and there are some top-notch surprises awaiting. Finlay has kept his spot on my must-read author list.

A solid 4 star read! This was a classic suspense novel full of cliff hangers that keeps you turning pages. The book has a lot of characters and I had a difficult time keeping them straight in the first 1/3 of the book. Once the book picked up at the 30% mark or so I couldn’t put it down! I had to know what was going to happen.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this Advance Readers Copy (ARC) to honestly review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was fast paced, and I got through it in less than a day. The author did a great job of keeping you guessing until the big reveal. I enjoyed the characters and the settings. I’ll definitely be reading more from this author.

This was my first Alex Finlay and certainly won’t be my last. What a wild, fun and thrilling ride. With multiple POVs and lots of twists, you can’t help but become ingrained in the story and find yourself wondering what’s going to happen next. I will say thrillers aren’t books I gravitate towards, but every so often I’ll pick up one and this reminded me why when I do I love them so much. It checked the boxes in all the right places a thriller should. Just when you think you have it all figured out, everything changes and you’re lead down another rabbit hole of trying to figure the story out. What I initially thought was a story about Ryan proving his innocence of harming his girlfriend, turned out to be so much more than that. Loved this book and I’ll definitely be checking out more from the author.

The first 3/4 of this book was very slow, but the last 1/4 definitely made up for it. It was a mob-crime family book filled with tons of suspense. It was a very fast read, large part due to the extremely short chapters, which I personally prefer.

Thank you Alex Finlay, NetGalley, and Minotaur Books for a copy in exchange for an honest review!

I rated 4.5 stars but rounded up for Goodreads and NetGalley.

Thank you so much to Minotaur Books & St Martin's Press for an advance copy of this book!

This book will be published on May 28th, 2024.

This is my third Alex book (still need to read his debut) and as much as I loved this last book, this one may have dethrone the prior. I was hooked from the start and with the fast paced short chapters, it really helped move the story along.

"Whoever said if you're seeking revenge dig two graves - one for your enemy and one for yourself.- had it almost right."

Similar to his last book, Finlay broke the book down into 3 point of views (Poppy, Ryan and Shane) which all eventually converge. As I was reading, I was trying to figure out how all were connected (of course I was wrong). I am not sure which storyline I enjoyed following the most as at different points I was tapping on my screen to hurry to get to the next chapter as often times they were left. There were a lot of side characters that were thrown at you and that sometimes made it hard to remember who was who and what role they played.

This book is such a suspenseful ride from start to the end. I think this book will be great for summer & readers will eat it up!

PS - I am always happy when Philadelphia is a setting in a book!

This book was very fast paced and kept my interest throughout. I did have some trouble with the many different POVs. There were a lot of characters to keep track of and I found myself getting confused at times. Overall I enjoyed this read.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the arc of this book. all opinions are my own.

I will post my full review once SMP address the insensitive comments of their employee.

Thank you Netgalley and St Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for allowing me to read an ARC copy of If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay.

Ryan and Alison (Ali) are about to graduate. They go to Lover's Lane to spend their last intimate time together before they begin their new lives at different colleges. Suddenly someone busts through the car and knocks Ryan out. When he comes to, the car and Ali are gone. 5 years later, Ryan is in Italy when a series of events unfold that brings everything to the present. Ali's car was found submerged in water with two unknown men, not Ali. And there is a cryptic note found with Ali's handwriting on the envelope titled, "If something happens to me...". What happened to Ali and where is she? Who are the men in the submerged vehicle? Why is Ryan seeing a man he believes took Ali in Italy?

I am a fan of Alex Finlay books! They're easy to read, fast-paced, action-packed, and overall great stories. Like his other books, this one is told in different POVs chapter by chapter. There are multiple settings in this story such as Italy, Kansas, and Pennsylvania. I never felt like there was a dull moment. Each chapter leaves some sort of next reveal and there were some good twists. I always felt like I could see Finlay's stories as movies or TV shows. Always a good time!

Thank you Netgalley & St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, for an eARC of If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay!

What a bingeable book! This one sucks you right in from the very first chapter - 5 years ago, Ryan & his love Ali were enjoying each other's company in her father's car when she was taken - Never to be seen again and presumed dead. A cloud of suspicion has always hung over Ryan, even though he was never charged. He's changed his name, and in another country is trying to enjoy his "new" life.

That is, until he gets a call that Ali's car has been found in a nearby lake in his hometown. Two dead mean are inside along with a note she left: If something happens to me...Then, Ryan sees "pinky man" from that night and he will stop at nothing to figure out what happened to Ali.

Finlay is a master of multiple POVs that are seemingly completely separate, but weave together in the most intricate and satisfying way. This book is so easy to binge not only because it's delicious, but the chapters are so short, about 5 pages each.

I really enjoyed this one and would love to see more of the police force that worked on this case in upcoming novels!

Alex Finlay never disappoints! This is the third novel I’ve read in the Finlayverse and it was such a page turner! If you’re looking for fast paced, edge of your seat, no boring filler moments, pick this one up! The story follows Poppy a new detective assigned to a case that hits too close to home. I loved the dual perspective, dual timeline and dual timezone? Everything came together fantastically in the end, 4⭐️

Thank you to Minotaur Books for an advanced readers copy of this title via NetGalley.

Twisty and fast paced and a great way to kick off my summer reading. The short chapters and multiple narrators make it an easily bingeable book. Some of the twists were kind of predictable but didn’t make it any less entertaining. This is probably my favorite Alex Finlay book and I would definitely recommend if you’re looking for a thriller to keep you on the edge of your seat.

This story is told through multiple points-of-view from narrators in Leavenworth, Kansas, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and a couple different countries in Europe. There is a young man trying to move forward with his life after being a suspect in his high school girlfriend's death, a new deputy sheriff who has returned to her hometown and thrown in the middle of a complicated investigation, and a gangster dealing with difficult situations in his "business" and in his personal life.

I'm purposely not giving many details so I don't accidentally spoil anything, but even though a few of the connections between characters seem random at first, be patient because everything comes together! The book has a well-balanced mixture of likable characters and others I didn't care for. My favorite character is Deputy Sheriff Poppy McGee and it would be great if she appeared in a future book leading a new investigation. I liked the action of the story, even when I had to suspend disbelief or wish some characters would have made different choices. There is a long, detailed epilogue to wrap things up, and I'm glad the author doesn't go the obvious route with everything at the end. There are some violent scenes, but I still recommend this book to readers looking for a fast-paced thriller.

I received an advance copy of this book at no cost from NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

Really enjoyed this!! Second book by the author and both have been better than average thrillers. I will say there were a lot of characters so I did get slightly confused but it did not take away from the suspense.

Will read more from this author

Thank you to net galley for advanced copy of this book

I tore through ALEX FINLAY’s latest thriller IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME. Buckle up, friends! This is an attention-grabbing, page-turning delight to read!

I’ve been a fan of ALEX FINLAY’s since his debut EVERY LAST FEAR, and this might be my second fave of his. It's totally on brand - a twisty plot, action-packed, multiple POVs & a swirl of mysteries culminating in a wholly satisfying ending.

Much like EVERY LAST FEAR this book blended action with the emotional stories of these characters. I really appreciate a human connection in my books and enjoyed how the past and present events were woven together.

A play-fair puzzle of story for sure and no, I didn’t see the thing coming. Well played!

THE SYNOPSIS 👇🏻

It’s been five years since Ryan Richardson’s life changed forever. Spending his last night before heading to college with his girlfriend Ali was perfect until the unthinkable happened. The car door rips open. Hands yank Ryan out. A swift blow to the head. And the last thing he remembers are Ali’s screams as she disappeared into the dark of night.

In the aftermath, suspicion surrounded Ryan, but no evidence + a good lawyer meant he never faced charges. Now Ryan has a new name & a new life as a law student. During a trip to Italy with his classmates he gets a call — Ali’s car was found. And inside it are the dead bodies of two men. But no sign of Ali. When a man from Ryan’s past surfaces in Italy, he sets on a quest for answers.

Back in Kansas, the newly appointed Sheriff’s Deputy, Poppy McGee, is working Ali’s case and learns she’s more connected to this mystery than she realized. And in Philadelphia, mobster Shane O’Leary, navigates his own family tragedy, seeking the justice that’s eluded him.

Huge thanks to Macmillan Audio + Minotaur Books + NetGalley for the ARC. I had the great fortune of doing a combo of the eARC and AudioARC. Helen Laser, John Pirhalla and Paul Dateh did an outstanding job on bringing these characters and this story to life.

IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME is a must-read summer thriller!