Alex Finlay is so good!! This one I felt was a little more on the violent side than normal, but maybe that was just me. I really would have enjoyed more backstory on some of the characters to paint the larger picture, but even still they were still developed well. It was very uniquely written with the different POVs and locations. I enjoyed that and thought it brought a lot to the story. This one was hard to put down when you only had small amounts of time in the day to read.

A special thank you to NetGalley, Alex Finlay, and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This thriller sucked me in with fast moving, short chapters that didn’t seem to connect at all. I knew they had to and my patience paid off in the end when the storylines converged and I was left with a satisfying result to a wild plot. Good variety of characters with dimension, made some solid guesses that worked out, saw some good growth from others. There was a bit of misdirection that I enjoyed and twists that kept me reading well past my bedtime. Call me a new Alex Finlay fan!

This was my first Alex Finlay book and it was good, but I did not realize what I was getting into! It was intense and a little more violent than I was expecting. I enjoyed the three perspectives from three different locations, but definitely had to slow down to remember what was going on in each place and which characters were connected. Overall, it was a suspenseful murder mystery/crime scene investigation that kept me on the edge of my seat. The audio had three different narrators which really added to the reading experience so I’d highly recommend listening to it! Thanks @macmillan.audio for the gifted audiobook!

Summary: 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. He changes his last name before entering law school, putting his past behind him, until, on a summer trip to Italy, 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…

This wasn’t my favorite by the author. I felt like the story was choppy. I would have liked to have more backstory on the sherif, Michael and others. It was good but very typical and predictable. I felt it was kind of lackluster compared to his previous works

Rating: 5/5 Stars
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Welp, once again Alex Finlay has created a masterpiece. I think this one may be my new favorite of his. I flew through this one in a single night and this has been sitting with me ever since. I love when an author weaves such intricate stories, it just makes for that much more fun of a read. I really loved this book.
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If Something Happens To Me is told in multiple POVs. The characters were all well developed, and dare I say, I actually liked all of the characters?! Even the ones with the not-so-great intentions!? I loved how Finlay tied the present into the missing persons case from 5 years prior and I absolutely loved every single second of the cryptic message that was found. I literally through on my little detective sleuth hat so quick to try to figure this one out and man did I not see any of what unfolded coming. Every single detail was thought through to perfection. Finlay did a phenomenal job of piecing everything together. This is a fast paced read and you will not be able to put this one down once you start it.
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I was able to listen to this one while reading along via the ebook. The narrators: Helen Laser, John Pirhalla and Paul Dateh absolutely knocked this one out of the park. They were fantastic, they complimented one another, and they were able to really drive home that suspenseful listen that I am always looking for. Highly recommend the audiobook!
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I am amazed at how Alex Finlay is able to create such amazing books. I am convinced that he could write a grocery list and I would find it so intriguing. This is definitely one of those books that you will not want to miss out on if you are a thriller / mystery lover like me. If Something Happens To Me will be released on 5/28. Be sure to get this one! Huge thank you to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio, St. Martins Press, Minotaur Books and Alex Finlay for the ALC and eARC in exchange for my honest review!

What a journey!!! Okay, I really enjoyed this one. It was a quick and easy read. Once I got started, I didn’t want to put it down. I loved the dual storyline on this because it made it really intriguing to figure out. I pieced a lot of it together but Finlay absolutely nailed the storytelling.

Thank you to Netgalley, SMP, Minotaur and Macmillan audio for the ARCs of IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME BY ALEX FINLAY!

✨𝕊𝕌ℕ𝔻𝔸𝕐 𝔹𝕆𝕆𝕂 ℝ𝔼𝕍𝕀𝔼𝕎✨

📖Title: If Something Happens To Me
🖊Author: @alexfinlayauthor
Pub Date: 5/28/2024
Publisher: @minotaur_books
Genre: Thriller

Thank you so much to the tagged publisher for the gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review🤗


Swipe for synopsis➡️


𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
I always love Finlay’s books, so I was so excited to get my hands on a copy of his up-coming thriller, and it did not disappoint! This is a fun, fast paced, bingeworthy popcorn thriller that had me hooked with the characters, the different POVs, and the short chapters🙌🏻 I love Finlay’s writing and how he never seems to disappoint me. This one definitely gave me some Karin Slaughter vibes throughout it (and you should know I am obsessed with her books.) This book is definitely one that you pick up and cannot put down until you consume it all.


𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗘𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆:
✦Mob stories
✦Fun and strong characters
✦Short chapters with different POVs
✦Popcorn thrillers
✦A book that you can finish in one sitting

𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫4.5/5



❓𝚀𝙾𝚃𝙳: 𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐?

What a ride!!! I love Alex Finlay, and this book did not disappoint.

This story centers around Ryan, whose life drastically changed when he was knocked out and his girlfriend was kidnapped from his car. For years people have assumed Ryan was behind his girlfriend’s disappearance. When her car is found in a lake with two dead bodies in it the story gets even stranger.

I felt like I was watching an action movie while reading this book. I was absolutely hooked from page one, and loved Ryan. If you’re looking for an action packed page turner this is the book for you!

This is a very well-crafted story, with interesting characters and lots of unexpected twists. I really enjoyed it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A missing woman, her innocent (but persecuted) boyfriend & an array of mobsters make up the content of Alex Finlay’s latest “If Something Happens to Me.” This book is fast paced & an easy read. I wish it was a little more fleshed out but a decent mystery/thriller.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the opportunity to read this book. I was hooked from the beginning and eager to see how this story would play out. Unfortunately, I felt like the end dragged and I found myself a bit bored. The end picked back up and I was definitely invested in how things would be wrapped up. I wasn’t attached to any of the characters except maybe one or two, though and I can’t pinpoint why that was. However, there was a twist that made me gasp and I always love when that happens. So overall I’m giving this a 3.5 rounded up to 4.

I wasn't sure what to expect from Alex Finlay and I loved the first few chapters, but the more I read, the more I had to suspend reality. There are multiple characters to keep up with and I wanted more from each of them. This is a worthy read for a twisty journey, but it's not a book I would pick up again and again. Still, I would enjoy reading more from this author, especially if the characters are more fleshed out.

I was hoping to like this book, as I've loved some of Alex Finley's other works; however, this one just didn't do it for me. The inner thoughts of several of the characters were very similar to me (several characters all had a "not like other girls / guys" vibe to them) and felt a bit juvenile. I also think one of the big twists was pretty obvious from the start. One thing I did love was the descriptions of places in Europe, Alex did a great job of making you feel like you were traveling across Europe and immersing yourself in new places.

Overall, while I enjoyed this for what it was, I wasn't wowed by it, but I look forward to Alex's next book!

Thank you to Alex Finley, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC.

I will say I have enjoyed all the author's previous books. If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay is a gripping thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. As a 46-year-old who has read her fair share of suspense novels, I found this audio version particularly compelling. The narration is superb, bringing an added layer of tension to the story.

What sets this book apart is the twist in the middle. Without giving anything away, it's a game-changer that you truly do not see coming, reshaping everything you thought you knew about the characters and the plot. It's clever, shocking, and perfectly executed.

Finlay's writing is sharp and engaging, making it impossible to pause the story. Each character is vividly drawn, with complexities that make them feel real and relatable. This isn't just a mystery; it's a profound exploration of human resilience and the secrets we keep.

Overall, If Something Happens to Me is a must-listen or read for anyone who loves a good thriller with a memorable twist. Alex Finlay has done an outstanding job with this one, and I'm already looking forward to the next book!

If you liked The Night Shift by Alex Finlay you will enjoy If Something Happens to Me. It’s a fast paced multi character thriller that develops across different cities from Leavenworth, KS to Paris, France. Fast, fun read!

This was my first Alex Findlay and it had me hooked from page one. While the story was a bit over the top, it had a fast pace and flowed nicely. Keeping me engaged. I also liked the multiple POV's and connecting how they all fit together. That said I did figure out where the book was going by the end of part 1. Though that is probably a by product of being a big thriller reader and most books following a fairly predictable path. It does have some good twists and turns if you're willing to apply some suspension of belief.

I do recommend going in blind. I requested the book based on others with similar tastes loving the author without really looking at the premise and it gave it that something extra for me. There was good tension and build up and I found it to be a fast easy read. Will definitely be looking into his back list.

Thanks to Netgalley and Minotaur books for my advanced copy in return for an honest review

ABSOLUTELY LOVED!!! Alex Finlay can do no wrong. His books are ridiculously twisty and such quick reads. Do NOT sleep on this book when it comes out!

Ryan and Alison are young and in love. They’re on a date in the park when she’s taken, but Ryan can’t remember what happened other than a man taking Alison. Ryan is a prime suspect, but isn’t arrested. Years later he’s in Italy studying abroad, when his dad calls to say Alison’s car was found…with two dead men and a note “if something happens to me”. Ryan is in Italy when he sees someone familiar…the same man who took Alison. A crazy manhunt follows.

Polly is a sheriff’s deputy interested in Alison’s case when the car is found. She’s determined to know what happened to Alison and who these two men are. She is sent down a rabbit hole to discover the truth.

Oh my god. This story had me hooked! Twists and turns throughout. Mobsters, FBI, cops, and more. Multiple POVs and interesting dynamic characters. Thanks Alex Finlay, Net Galley, and Minotaur Books for the ARC! Pub date 5/28/24

Fast paced, several good twists that I didn't see coming. The first half of the book is better, and I really did not like one part of the ending/epilogue, but overall a great read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me an advance reader copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

How have readers still not discovered Alex Finlay?? Every one of his books has me singing his praises even more! If Something Happens to Me is my favorite of his yet!!! The characters, the setting & the pace should help cement this novel's place on everyone's Summer Reads list this year!! Can't wait to meet Finlay on his book tour for this to learn more about his craft! Excellent selection for 99% of your readers this summer!

Description
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.