This fast-paced modern thriller was just the palate cleanser I needed after a slew of heavy reads. From America's heartland in Leavenworth, Kansas to a flight of escapades across Europe, "If Something Happens to Me" kept me on the edge of my seat. While many of the characters were in their early 20s, they had a layer of maturity around them that many characters of that age these days lack. Not every new adult is a hot mess (I for one was not), and I appreciated that in the storyline. This was my first Alex Finlay book, and I can't wait to go back and read his previous novels.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.

Five years ago, Ryan Richardson lived a nightmare. Violently attacked and dragged from his girlfriend's car, Ryan woke up to no car, no girlfriend and a lot of people who thought he had done something to her. Now he has changed his name and is a successful law student on a celebratory class trip to Italy when he hears that the car has been fished out of a local lake with two dead men inside. But still no trace of his girlfriend, Ali, dead or alive. The only clue is a note from Ali which has miraculously been kept dry. It has "If anything happens to me" on the front and a message in code inside.

But Ryan has caught sight of the mystery man he vaguely remembers from that night, a man that no one believed was real. But he has contacted Ryan and Ryan instantly recognizes him.

But who are those two men in the car? How did they get there? And where is Ali? Is she still alive? Did Ryan really see this man that night? And who else knows what happened?

Told from several different perspectives and locations, this is a little confusing at first, but it finally becomes clear what is going on and the ending is one I didn't see coming.

This is the second book I've read by Alex Finlay (The Night Shift was the first) and I continue to be impressed and entertained. If Something Happens to Me has a strong plot and great characters.
It's one of those books that will have you so engrossed in one set of characters' lives that you feel disrupted when the plot switches to other characters. But then you become equally emersed in the next set of characters. Basically your always so into what you're currently reading that you never want to switch plotlines, but find yourself happy every time it happens because that chapter grabs your attention too. The ending was perfection.

This book has mystery and suspense, but at its heart, it is a thriller-lovers thriller. I give it 5 big bloody stars!

Note, thriller lovers are used to death and gore in their books. If you're new to the genre, or get triggered easily, this might not be for you.

One night in high school, Ali disappears leaving no trace. The only witness, her boyfriend, who has very little memory of what actually happened. Five years later, after being pegged as a prime suspect in her murder, Ryan is in Europe when he receives word that Ali’s car has been found. What happened to Ali? Will Ryan get sucked back into a police investigation? Will the truth be uncovered? If Something Happens to Me is a twisty, sleight of hand novel with a strong cast of characters. The way Finley weaves this story, sharing pieces to the story in such a unique way, kept me guessing and invested. I read this book in one day, very rare for me to do. This book is THAT good!

3.5 stars:

I was expecting this to be full of high school or college aged characters based on the summary, but it was completely different from my original predictions. There are a lot of characters to keep track of and several also have nicknames to learn, so the beginning felt overwhelming as I tried to organize everyone and their relationships with each other in my head. Once the connecting thread was revealed, it became a totally different story than I was expecting. It was a short book that felt fast-paced and could definitely be finished in one sitting. If you’re new to thrillers, this would be a good book to start you off.

It was an interesting start of the book where I thought events were playing out simultaneously only to discover there were two different timelines....then it all made sense. 
    The author tried to show a soft, normal side to a mafia-like family: caring husband, worried parents, kind wife.  But when the bullies come after their offspring, the gloves are off and there is hell to pay.
    The bullying incident and its heartbreaking result is the impetus for carrying out revenge that will endure until all the participants have been dealt with. It took years, but one small photo on social media was all it took to kick it all back in after a long hiatus where everyone thought they were safe.
    It's a book full of family loyalty, expectations, life in the privileged world, friendship, anger and brutality.
    Full of twists and turns, you'll not want to put down

I don’t love organized crime so this really wasn’t for me. I like my thrillers to be a little less obvious who the bad guys are. There were a few good twists that got me but overall just not for me. It also felt a little convoluted and confusing at times. The timelines were swapping in and out and it was kind of hard to follow plus all the different POVs

This is my favorite Alex Finlay so far! It’s a quick read, very bingeable, with short chapters, and even though it’s not super twisty, it’s suspenseful and keeps you interested (like I literally couldn’t stop reading). I did guess the main twist, but I loved the crime family angle, the cipher angle, the time angle, and the ending. Overall, this was a fun, quick thriller, and I highly recommend!

TW: bullying, suicide

Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read before pub day! ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME is out on May 28th!

This book reminded me a little bit of a different book I read about a cold crime and a suspect hating the spotlight, only this one was done well, with characters I cared about and wanted to root for and mystery that was fascinating to follow. I don’ read many thrillers and mysteries and I am not great at guessing what’s coming but I enjoyed guessing this one. I figured out some things about two seconds before they were revealed and some others I was just surprised. There were a lot of characters to keep track of at first but I loved figuring out their connection.

I really enjoyed the story, the journey, the characters, the different locations, the guessing and the end.

I LOVED this one and could not put it down.
Fast paced, multiple POVs, and twists I did not see coming. I didn’t know how the multiple POVs were going to connect and when they did it was 👩‍🍳 💋.
The storyline kept me interested and engaged through out and the chapters were the perfect length.
You are definitely going to want to pick this thriller up!

I liked the idea of this book. However, I was often confused what character and what timeline I was experiencing. It was a unique plot line when the truth came out, but then I wasn’t wholly on board with it. It was almost too extreme. The book works as far as a crime drama, but it lacked thrill for me.

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press, and author Alex Finlay for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The current popularity of true crime podcasts has caught the attention of thriller writers. Many of these writers now structure their books with a true crime podcast hook. Introduce readers to a bizarre, sensational crime early, then turn the characters loose to get to the bottom of things. As with true crime podcasts in general, the quality of these thrillers varies. However, Alex Finlay has nailed the formula in his gripping novel, “If Something Happens to Me.” (A podcaster even briefly appears in the story and discovers a crucial piece of evidence.) Finlay effortlessly juggles points of view among a half dozen or more characters with action stretching over four countries on two continents. The result is a terrific mystery and thrill ride for genre fans.

“If Something Happens to Me” starts with a bang in a prologue five years before the book’s primary action. Two teenagers are doing what teenagers often do late at night at the local Lovers’ Lane in Leavenworth, KS. Their encounter is interrupted when someone pulls Ryan Richardson from his girlfriend’s car and clunks him over the head. When he wakes up the following day, the car and his girlfriend Alison Lane have vanished without a trace. Ryan becomes the police’s prime suspect in Alison’s disappearance until DNA evidence implicates a subsequently captured serial killer dubbed MRK (Missouri River Killer). To avoid further notoriety, Ryan changes his last name, attends Georgetown Law School, and later goes on a class break trip with some of his schoolmates to Italy. However, his vacation is interrupted when he receives a mysterious note saying, “I need to see you… I know who you are.” Soon after, he sees a man he is convinced was the assailant who dragged him from Alison’s car five years earlier.

Back in Leavenworth, the authorities have closed Alison’s case, blaming MRK for her abduction and presumed murder. That presumption is upended when an enterprising podcaster discovers her car at the bottom of nearby Suncatcher Lake. Alison’s body isn’t inside, but two dead men are sitting in the front seats. Newly hired deputy sheriff Poppy McGee, who was two years behind Alison and Ryan in high school, assumes control of the case. She later learns one of the dead men in Alison’s car is an unsavory mob character from Philadelphia. When further analysis reveals the hair found at MRK’s location earlier was planted, the case again becomes a national sensation.

Most of “If Something Happens to Me” details Ryan and Poppy’s twin investigations, separated by the Atlantic Ocean. Ryan traces his presumed assailant to rural England, where he makes a shocking discovery. Meanwhile, Poppy learns the official records in Alison’s case are highly meager for that notorious a case. Despite her youth, Poppy has a knack for detective work; her now-retired father was one of the original investigators on the case. She epitomizes a crime fiction staple: the unconventional but surprisingly adept cop. (I can imagine a young Holly Hunter as Poppy.) Meanwhile, Ryan is another archetype, the well-meaning amateur who repeatedly bulls his way into and out of trouble. The book has some good action and suspense sequences, most of which involve Ryan.

Despite these action scenes, “If Something Happens to Me” is primarily a mystery and a good one. Ryan and Poppy spend much of the book trying to figure out what happened to Alison and who killed the men in the car (as well as a few other corpses that show up later in the story). A major plot twist halfway through the story will upend many readers’ assumptions (I didn’t see this one coming), and a later, third-act twist I did predict. There’s even an old-fashioned coded message left by Alison the night she disappeared (with the words “if something happens to me” on the envelope). When the authorities find the still-intact message in a watertight compact in Alison’s purse in the submerged car, it provides Ryan with an essential clue for his investigation. (Unfortunately, any would-be Sherlock Holmes reading the book won’t be able to decipher the code on their own.)

All thrillers rely on coincidences, but “If Something Happens to Me” has more than its share that don’t pass muster even on a first reading. The book also has some attempted cash payoffs toward the end that play out like something out of a mediocre TV cop show. But the story as a whole holds up well. That’s largely because of the author’s skillful switching of locales and points of view from one brief chapter to the next. He helps the audience by adding a geographic tagline (“Leavenworth, Kansas”) at the start of any chapter in which the story’s location changes. Although the book has over a dozen significant characters, I rarely had difficulty following those involved in the story at any time. Poppy and Ryan make terrific, unlikely protagonists, but even the book’s villains are given some understandable motivations for their actions.

“If Something Happens to Me” is the first Alex Finlay novel I’ve read. I was very impressed with the storyline, the characterizations, and the skillful way he handled plot developments and twists. The author has written several other thrillers, and I hope nothing happens to me before I can read them.

NOTE: The publisher graciously provided me with a copy of this book through NetGalley. However, the decision to review the book and the contents of this review are entirely my own.

This book is restoring my energy and enthusiasm for thrillers and all of what’s to come out in 2024!
 
It’s twisty, it’s well-paced, we have some mystery elements and whole lot of moments where you’ll be gasping out loud. The right amount of red herrings to throw you off, moments that will leave you guessing and trying to grapple with what in the world is going on.
 
We have three primary narrators: Ryan, formerly accused of his girlfriend’s murder but on a law school trip abroad. Poppy, a young war vet who returns home to Leavenworth, Kansas, to work as the deputy sheriff, and Shane, the head of a major crime syndicate in Philly.
 
You may be thinking, how in the world do these people all interconnect? And it’s best you go in blind and hang on for a fun freaking ride.
 
My only gripe is the ending – I keep it spoiler free up in here so I will not divulge too much into my thoughts but I did feel somewhat uncomfortable with how it ended? One particular part felt abrupt and I have thoughts. If you’ve read this, DM me your thoughts on the ending so we can talk!
 
Here’s the synopsis: For the past five years, Ryan Richardson has relived that terrible night where his girlfriend, Ali, was taken as he was brutally attacked.
 
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. 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…
 
Halfway around the world, the unthinkable happens: Ryan sees the man who has haunted his dreams since that night. And as Ryan tries to piece together what he can, the unthinkable happens.

This is a well written story. The plot is interesting and intricate. The story is told from multiple characters points of view. The timeline is in the past and also seamlessly the present. The characterization is also awesome. Readers will eagerly turn the pages as they try to solve the mystery.

For five years, Ryan Richardson has been tormented by a terrifying memory: the violent night when his girlfriend, Ali, was snatched from their car. Despite no evidence linking him to her disappearance, suspicion follows Ryan. Now, as a law student with a new identity, he's moved on.

But when Ali's car is discovered in a lake with a cryptic note, Ryan's world is upended. On a trip to Italy, he sees the man from his nightmares. Racing across continents, Ryan seeks answers, unaware that help may come from unexpected places—a rookie deputy in Kansas and a mobster in Philadelphia.

Check out this gripping novel to see what happens!

Having enjoyed Finlay’s first two novels, I jumped at the chance to read his latest offering. But like Finlay’s third novel, I found If Something Happens to Me a bit disappointing.

Similar to Finlay’s third novel, What Have We Done, I found If Something Happens to Me too gimmicky. I mean an assassin in the last novel, and now an Irish Mob boss seeking deathly revenge for an accidental suicide. Really?

The novel started with a cliffhanger. But as the story unfolded, it became a tedious read with confusing timelines. And I didn’t quite catch on to the multiple aliases of a couple of the characters until close to the end. So unlike Finlay’s style where the multiple storylines converge at the end for a surprising conclusion, If Something Happens to Me didn’t have any surprises and the conclusion was lukewarm at best.

Hopefully, Finlay’s next novel will be as good as his first two novels. But his latest, If Something Happens to Me, just didn’t cut the mustard. Two okay stars.

I was invited to read a DRC from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. This review is completely my own and reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.

I thoroughly enjoyed If Something Happens to Me. It took me awhile to get into the story, to figure out who the characters were, but eventually everything came together. Once I figured out what was happening, I also figured out how it would end. It was a fun, quick read with a lot of twists and turns. I also loved all the mafia talk!

3.5 stars for me. Definitely recommend.

Thanks, NetGalley for this ARC!

If Something Happens to Me is an easy read to binge, with an intense plot and short chapters. There are three storylines and a lot of characters, which made me feel overwhelmed at first, but it ended up being easy to keep track of everything.

Unfortunately, it was almost too easy to keep track of everything. I had the mystery figured out in the first half and not much surprised me in the second half. Though what did surprise me was I found myself sympathizing with some of the “bad guys.” A couple of them were layered, and not all bad; and considering what one of their families went through, I understood their motivation (though I don’t condone their actions.) And even though the story was predictable, I still ended up enjoying it.

If you enjoy action-packed thrillers that entertain more than they surprise, you may enjoy this one.

3.5 out of 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you, NetGalley for an early copy. All opinions are my own.

If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay was my latest read. Thank you to the publisher, Minotaur Books, the author and NetGalley for my ARC.

This story focuses on an incident that happened to Ryan when he was younger. Ryan was abruptly taken from the car that he and his girlfriend, Ali, were in and she and her car have never been located. Ryan finds himself a suspect in her disappearance and the internet and media believe he did it. However, Ryan gets a good lawyer, changes his name. and is never convicted of any crime.

One day, Ryan gets a call from his father. Ali’s car has been found submerged in a lake that was previously searched. There are two men suspiciously in her car along with the note, “If Something Happens to Me” written by Ali.

The reader then goes on a whirlwind journey to discover the truth about what happened to Ali and more about her past.

What I liked about this book:

-The chapters are quick.
-There are many cliffhangers to keep the reader guessing.
-The ending surprised me.

The title of this book is the first clue that the reader should prepare for a thrilling ride. Beginning with alternating stories in various locations, the author keeps his readers guessing as to where he is heading. Then suddenly the pieces start falling into place to tie the stories and characters to each other. I can easily visualize this book being turned into a movie or series that I would be eager to watch. Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press/Minotaur and the author for an advance copy to read and review.