Wow did this have an interesting, grab you from the first chapter premise!
Ryan’s high school girlfriend, Ali, was pulled from the car they were in and never seen again. Ryan of course was very much a suspect. Several years later, Ryan is moving on. He is in law school and has escaped the constant suspicion. Ali’s car is found submerged in the local lake with two male bodies. Ali’s body isn’t in it.

Enter new local police officer Poppy. She is given many grunt tasks to investigate and ultimately makes more headway than anyone else.

I really enjoy Finaly’s writing style. The pages flew by. The chapters would often end on a cliffhanger which only made me want to get back to that person’s perspective. Poppy was my favorite character. She was smart and ethical enough to keep going when she started to face answers she didn’t like.
Very action packed with multiple POV.

What didn’t work for me was a huge part of the plot. Organized crime as any part of a story never interests me. Obviously many other people disagree with me. Mob stories are prevalent in TV,movies and books. While this didn’t work for me, it might make this story and absolute must buy/read for other readers. As expected, there is violence on the page. Anything with torture elements is a no-go for me.

A big thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Really enjoyed this murder mystery with a twist. Several surprises and overall a very satisfying story. I will be looking for more books by this author.

This is an absolutely bingeable mystery that kept me guessing the whole time. The quick chapters made it super easy to read on & off. Its split into three parts and the twist in part one really threw me, I did not see it coming…but I do wish there were slightly more to the story as I didn’t feel satisfied with the ending, I needed more info to feel it was wrapped up. But overall thought it was such a fun read that kept me guessing. Thank you Net Galley & Minotaur Books for the digital copy of this book in return for an honest review.

New summer thriller from Alex Finlay - If Something Happens to Me.

"A teenage girl disappears from Lover's Lane. Her boyfriend claims he was knocked out and doesn't remember what happened, except for the man with no pinkies. Now the car they were in has been found in a lake - except there are two men inside and no sign of the girl. And a note in an envelope addressed with - If something happens to me."

There are three storylines. As a reader, you are unsure of how the timelines fit together or what the connection between them is. But Finlay pulls back a piece at a time and you realize that's it's crime fiction disguised as a thriller. There are some reveals and surprises but you will recognize this plot. Finlay does add a couple of extra layers to a familiar plot. And the ending has a big wild expolsive moment and then another part that was a bit of a letdown. Finlay does make you care about a couple of the characters. It would nice to see them in future stories.

Fans of Alex Finlay and crime fiction should enjoy this

I really enjoyed this fast-paced thriller by Alex Finlay!

The novel starts with the MC Ryan, who lived through the trauma of his high school girlfriend Ali being kidnapped out of their vehicle five years ago. No body was found, but of course Ryan is the primary suspect. Ryan cannot recall most of the details surrounding the event, but he has retained an an image of the man who attacked them. Although Ryan was never charged due to lack of evidence, he changes his name and moves on with his life to help escape his past.

Fast forward five years and Ryan has graduated college and enrolled in law school. He is traveling Europe with several classmates when he receives a call that Ali's missing car has been found, though her body is not inside. Later during his trip, he also believes that he sees the man who attacked them. Even more shocking, the police find an envelope in Ali's submerged vehicle labeled “If something happens to me," spurring the unraveling of this mystery.

I loved seeing how all the players in this thriller come together at the end. Overall, this is a great mystery if you prefer:

*Dual timelines
*European setting
*Multiple POVs
*Mafia/organized crime

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this e-book to review!

I’d never read anything by this author but I really liked this book! The POVs coming together well, and the short chapters, constant questions, and suspense without dragging it out. I wasn’t shocked to my core but plenty of little twists that kept me interested!

An edge of your seat thrill ride!! I was hooked from the first chapter! So many twists and turns, I barely could keep my head straight...but in a good way!! It was an easy read with lots of tension building throughout, many characters and POVs but the author manages to bring it all together to a satisfying conclusion, the adrenaline definitely kicks in in several places throughout. You will def want to binge this one...

Another action-packed page-turner readers have come to expect from Findlay! Ryans life is upended when he becomes the main suspect in the disappearance of his girlfriend, Alison, years ago as a teenager. When a car surfaces in the nearby lake, it is assumed that the body inside is Alison’s. However, Alison’s body is not recovered but rather two other young men and a note in Alison’s handwriting saying if something happens to me….
At the same time the bodies are found, Ryan, is in Italy with his law class when he sees the man who has haunted him since the night Alison has gone missing..
How are the bodies tied to Alison’s disappearance and who is the man ryan keeps seeing? That is what a young detective, poppy, tries to find out as long as she can stay alive.

This is typical Findlay-a fast-paced, page turner that will pull the reader in from the first pages. The multiple view points and changes of setting and scenery are easy to follow and all coincide together in the 1/3. Findlay has never been one for deep characterization, but his protagonists are always likable and easy to root for. A fun beach read perfect for this time of year!

Thanks to the publisher for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review.

If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay goes on sale May 28 2024 from St Martin's Press

I was engrossed in this book from the first chapter! We meet Ryan who’s young life was completely flipped upside down when he’s the first suspect in the disappearance of his girlfriend Ali. All he has is The Monster he sees when he thinks about that night and the fact he knows that she was the love of his life and he would never hurt her. 

This book has multiple story lines that are somehow tied together and as we get closer to understanding why, everything starts to unravel in a multi-country mystery chase, solving the puzzle of what really happened that rainy night.

Finlay's books have been hit or miss with me, but I believe this might be his best one yet.

I would like to thank St Martin's Press for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my review. My opinions are my own.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest thriller by a favorite, Alex Finlay, wonderfully narrated by the cast of Helen Laser, John Pirhalla, and Paul Dateh. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!

In high school, Ryan and his girlfriend Ali were parked at the local lover's lane when the car door was ripped open and Ryan got a blow to the head. He was yanked from the car, hearing Ali's screams as she was taken. No trace of Ali or the car was found, and while Ryan was considered a suspect, he was never charged. But Ryan can't forget that night and has dreams of the man who took Ali. Five years later, Ryan has changed his name and is in law school, trying to put his past behind him. But then in Italy with classmates, Ryan gets a call from his father that Ali's car was found with two dead men inside and a note from Ali inside. When Ryan sees the man that has haunted his dreams, he begins a race to find him.

Another thriller that will keep you on your toes from Finlay! Told from multiple POVs - Ryan; Poppy, the detective on the case; and Shane O'Leary, a Philadelphia mobster. It was atmospheric, as Ryan chased his man, and I enjoyed Poppy's character immensely. You may have to suspend reality along the way, but isn't that why we read? This book was tense and gripping and had me glued to the pages to see how all these characters would intersect and the mystery would end. Bravo!

I’m always down for a good mystery thriller and I’ve read wonderful things about Alex Finlay. I went into this book blind mostly because I wanted to be surprised.

It has three POV’s , Ryan, whose girlfriend was kidnapped from his car one night. Poppy, a war veteran-that returns home to work as a deputy sherif on the case. Shane, the head of a crime organization.

I enjoyed the initial fast paced nature of this novel once it picked up, you were able to get into it rather quickly. I did think there were way too many point-of-views to keep up with. It made the plot more confusing and kind of convoluted. I mostly figured out the twist early on and the plot kind of lost me from there. I just wished there were more surprises. Overall , a fair read but not my cup of tea.

Thank you to Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review !

I got this as an ARC and meh. Maybe I just read this at the wrong time but I was so confused through the entire book. There’s a million different POV’s and timelines and it gets so muddled so quickly. I also don’t like thrillers or mysteries where it’s from a detectives POV which is what a big part of this was. Not to mention the “twists” were so predictable😤. Very painful read overall.

Alex Finlay books are always so fast paced and suspenseful and I love it! They are so easy to read and are like a great popcorn thriller with tons of action to keep you engaged the whole time. I appreciate that he reveals twists and turns throughout the whole book rather then just throwing them in at the end. Also the settings in this one are just *chefs kiss*.

With that said, my one complaint with this book was at times the timeline and different POVs was confusing and I was not sure how the author was going to weave them all together. I don't know why I had any doubt though, because Finlay always pulls it off in the end. This one is not my favorite of his books ( I gave it a 3.75 stars but rounded up on here), but I still recommend it especially if you like his other works as well.

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Looking for some much desired alone time, Ryan and Ali, a high school couple, find a quiet place to park in their hometown by Suncatcher Lake. The next thing Ryan knows, it's hours later, he's laying on the ground having been bludgeoned in the head and Ali is gone. He remembers being yanked out of the car at some point, and briefly seeing a strange man, but that's it.

In the aftermath of Ali's disappearance, everyone suspected Ryan. The ole' logic of, 'it's always the husband, or boyfriend', in full effect. The fact that there's no evidence against him, doesn't stop the world from speculating. Haunted by that night and the blow to his reputation, Ryan changed his last name and moved away for law school. Nevertheless, he hasn't truly been able to move on. Ali was the love of his life and it tortures him imagining what may have happened to her.

Five years later, in Italy on a trip with some law school classmates, Ryan gets an unexpected call from his father. Ali's car has just been found submerged in Suncatcher Lake. Once the car is recovered from the water, a grisly discovery is revealed. There are two dead men in the trunk, along with a cryptic note contained in an envelope that has five words written on it in Ali's handwriting:

'If something happens to me...'

Obviously, this reopens everything for Ryan. With that night fresh in his mind, the unthinkable happens. Ryan actually spots the man he remembers seeing that night. What is that man doing in Italy? Who the heck is he? Ryan is no longer a scared teen. He pursues the man. He needs answers and he's not stopping until he gets them.

If Something Happens to Me is a whirlwind ride. The drama takes place in multiple countries and follows a few different perspectives. Initially, it's jarring, but as the pieces start falling into place, the various connections are revealed. Even though this isn't my favorite Finlay novel, that distinction goes to [book:The Night Shift|57693427], there's no denying he knows how to deliver the action and page-turning intrigue.

This is a very action-oriented Thriller, most in line with Finlay's earlier work, Every Last Fear. The various perspectives each help to build out a different aspect of the underlying mystery and it always impresses me how much detail Finlay goes into. For me, Ryan's perspective was the most memorable, but I also enjoyed Poppy McGee, a young deputy from Ryan's hometown, brought onto the case after the car is found. As a side note, there were certain elements of this that reminded me of the series, Your Honor, featuring Bryan Cranston, but with an international twist.

Overall, this is fast-paced and twisty. I listened to the audio and enjoyed the narration. It felt compelling and I needed to keep reading until it was complete. Thank you so much to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. Alex Finlay is a force to be reckoned with in the Thriller space, and I'll continue picking up his work!

Alex Finlay knows how to write a thriller! His books are always so fast-paced with so many interwoven parts. It’s hard not to read these books in one sitting.

If Something Happens to Me was honestly such a rush. There was soooo much going on and it was fun trying to guess how all of the stories were going to connect. I definitely wasn’t expecting how everything ended up connecting and how one of the storylines ended up being in the past 😮

And why did I cry during the epilogue?! 🥲

It has been so long since I’ve read a thriller or any sort of action book, and this was the perfect way to get back into it! I loved this book and highly recommend picking it up! The multiple storylines, the twist that happens half-ish way through so you get to really experience the action instead of an adrenaline rush at the end, and the chase across Europe…. it was perfect! The pace that clues are revealed keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire book, which I could not put down. Only docking half a star because after the rest of the convoluted puzzle of the story I feel like it almost ended a little too easily? This book leans more towards action adventure than psychological thriller, and if it was made into a movie I would be first in line!

If you’re looking for a thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat yet not give you nightmares, this is a great option! It is intense but also there’s a reason for why everything happens, like people mostly did stuff to get them into the situation they’re in.

This was an entertaining thriller which some may call a police procedural (I have trouble telling the difference) with some touches of literary fiction. I have heard some criticize the book for having too many details about the characters that seemed (to them) to be irrelevant. For me, however, this worked. Sometimes I find with these kind of novels that they can be so plot driven, that the characters are neglected. I like delving into the characters, like this one does. I also like that the characters were well developed and not just the biggest ones. We learned a lot about Poppy, who the reader could not help but root for, as well as Ryan Richardson, who suffers the guilt of not doing enough to prevent his girlfriend from being taken while in high school.
I did not figure out the twist until the end but that is not my forte; if you are the person that is good at that, you might have been able to figure it out sooner. For me, it is more important how we get there anyway. There are things that I did figure out along the way because certain things needed to happen in order for the story to go forward.
We also get a good sense of place. Much of the story takes place in Leavenworth, Kansas and through the characters we get a good picture of the place. There is also Paris and England which were welcome settings.
I definitely plan to read more of Alex Finlay's work.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to enjoy this work in exchange for my honest review.

Some nights change the course of your life forever. For Ryan it was a rainy night on lovers lane with his girlfriend Ali. What was suppose to be a night they have waited years for turned into a nightmare. Ryan was struck in the head and pulled from the car and Ali was taken, never to be seen again.

This story is told from multiple points of view and as the reader we are trying to piece together how they fit together. The three main P.O.V.'s are: Ryan who has long been suspected of foul play in the disappearance of his girlfriend Ali who is now a law student, Poppy returning home from her time in the military as a deputy sheriff in Leavenworth, Kansas, & Shane O'Leary a mobster in Philly.

It has been five years and everyone has tried to move on. Ryan is now a law student and has changed his last name. He is away on a school trip in Europe when he the news breaks that the car Ali was abducted in has been found. Here is where the story really takes you on a twisted ride of what really happened to Ali. I would go into this blind and enjoy the ride. This is one of those addicting reads that you will want to finish in one sitting. I just had to know what happened next.

If you are looking for a fast paced mystery/thriller that will take you on a wild ride then buckle up this is the one for you. I loved how the title represented in the book as a cryptic note left by Ali. All the P.O.V's converge perfectly giving us a full picture of the past that led to the events in question. There was never a lull or a moment when it was safe to look away. There was a perfect amount of tension throughout making this an unputdownable fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest review.

This was an enjoyable read, as the reveals came throughout the story and that kept me hooked.. However: the plot was a bit too over-the-top for me, I couldn't get into any of the characters, and the ending came off as rushed..

I found this to be a fast-paced thriller read with lots of plot threads that at first seemed unconnected but which came together near the end of the book.

It is a popcorn thriller and requires suspension of belief at times and the characters are not very well developed but the short chapters, fast pace and likeable main character made it a very engaging read. I couldn’t stop turning the pages and flew through this one. Readers looking for an action-packed, entertaining read will like this one!

Thanks to the publisher for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.