Alex Finlay is one of my auto-buy authors and I was thrilled to see If Something Happens to Me drop in my inbox.

And wow, this did not disappoint.

With short, action-packed chapters, expertly-woven plotting, a cast of interesting characters, and humor running throughout, this might be my favorite Finlay yet. If you're looking for a cinematic thriller with a splash of mystery and an international bend, this will definitely be the read for you. Smart, engrossing, and whiplash fun, If Something Happens to Me is an instant favorite.

Big thanks to Minotaur and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.

I have mixed feelings about this one.

There were a lot of characters and a back and forth plot that could be too much at times. Just a lot of details, dialog, and a plot that was very heavy in it all.

There was thrill, drama, family dynamics, and lots of murders.

I didn’t love the ending, but all in all it was an okay book.

This was my first Alex Finlay book and I really enjoyed it! It has so many twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. The multiple POV with dual narration was very engaging. I went in blind and was happily surprised with all of the connections. Definitely fast paced if you’re looking for a quick read/listen!

I love Alex Finlay books. They are always action packed and full throttle, If Something Happens to Me was another one sitting read for me. Going into Alex's books blind is my preferred method, just buckle in for a wild ride! This one is told in alternating POV's and timelines so it might be handy to have a physical copy to use along the audio if you're an audio girlie like me. The narration by Helen Laser, John Pirhalla, and Paul Dateh was fantastic! If you love an edge of your seat thriller full of revenge, mystery, and suspense, look no further. This one comes out May 28th, 2024 so preorder it now, and while you wait I'd recommend checking out The Night Shift by Alex Finlay which is my personal fave from him! Thank you to @macmillan.audio @minotaurbooks and @netgalley for my gifted eARC and ALC.

It's been five years since the night Allison was taken, Ryan's only memory of the car door yanked open, then blackness until he woke up in a field... alone. With no clues other than a vague memory of a nondescript man with both pinkie fingers missing, the case has gone cold, but many in his hometown still blame him, forcing him to change his name. But now, Allison's car has been discovered at the bottom of a lake with two unknown bodies and an envelope with the words, "If something happens to me" written in the outside in Allison's handwriting. What really happened that night?
In chapters told from the perspective of many different characters, the pieces of the puzzle slowly start to fall into place. There are so many seemingly unconnected storylines until that aha moment when you start to understand, and then can't stop flying through the pages to find out what happens. This is my first book by this author and I loved it! I highly recommend to any thriller lover!
Thanks to St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for the advance copy of this book. The opinions in this review are my own and given voluntarily.

Alex Finlay always writes books that I enjoy and this one was no different.

The only thing I really struggle with in reading Alex Finlay books is a double edged sword because I LOVE fast paced books BUT his tend to be so fast paced that I feel like I don’t really get to know the characters all that well. So I sorta wish I could learn more about a character before other characters and twists are thrown in.

Even though I couldn’t keep the characters straight or remember all of them I was still able to enjoy reading this one. It was fun to see this story play out. You def feel very untrusting while reading it.

I opted for the audio and that was very well done. Looking forward to reading more of his work.

IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME by Alex Finlay is an intense thriller that had me on edge!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This story starts with a teen Ryan and girlfriend heading out to have an intimate moment only to be interrupted by a storm! They race back the car and as they settle in, it all goes black for Ryan. When he wakes up, he is alone in the field, his girlfriend and the car are gone.

I was gripped by this story immediately and it rarely let me relax and the events unfolded that explained this event and those following in the years after. I didn't catch on to the structure for a bit, but that made it all the better when it clicked!

I loved the ability to listen while following along on digital. A huge thanks to @minotaur_books & @netgalley for this ARC publishing on May 28th.

This is a true thriller with a deeper dive that made this story one that will be remembered. I highly recommend.

This is my fourth Alex Finlay novel, and I have to say, I’m a fan! This one seemed very different than his others, for some reason, but that’s not a bad thing!

Although this book started off a bit confusing for me, it definitely turned into an unputdownable story!

It was confusing because there were SO many characters, settings, and plot lines. I would forget what happened to some characters by the time it got back around to them sometimes. But once I started getting a feel for this style, it was much easier to pick up the story where it left off.

It was really suspenseful, too! There were some pretty good twists and turns throughout the book.

I liked how all the stories were weaved together to make it work, but it does it but by bit to reveal the story at a good pace.

Ryan has been living a nightmare since high school, when his girlfriend Ali was ripped from his arms one night, never to be seen again. His recollection of that evening was vague. To compound the pain, no one believed his tale of what happened.

Years later Ryan changed his last name hoping to reinvent himself.

On a trip to Italy with his law school classmates he catches sight of something that shocks him to the core. It’s the man from that dreaded day! Ryan must risk his own life to track this man down and finally find out what happened to Ali.

Once again Alex Finlay writes a propulsive read that keeps you fully engaged trying to assemble the pieces of the puzzle together. I’ve enjoyed all his previous books and look forward to more in the future! He’s definitely become a go-to author for me.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC. I enjoyed this! It was quick, read it in an evening after work. It hooked me quickly.

Whew! What a ride! Twists and turns and thrills and chills! Another great read by Alex Finlay!! Highly recommend if you love a thriller you can’t put down! Thank you netgalley for this ARC in return for my review!!

I liked this story, it was a little confusing when you had to figure out what timeline you were in. There was no announcing of the date, year when you started the chapter, it would have made much more sense and been less confusing. I also felt it could have been great and shorter. The narrators did a fantastic job with the characters, I listened to the book on audio. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was my 2nd Alex Finlay thriller and it didn’t disappoint! Five years ago, teenaged Ryan’s girlfriend Ali was taken from in the car right beside him. He was questioned for her murder, even though her body was never found. Tormented to the point of changing his name. Poppy is the new Deputy Sheriff in town and Ali’s car has just been discovered in the bottom of the lake where she disappeared… with two dead bodies inside the car, and neither of them Ali. There was a cryptic note found in the car with “If Something Happens To Me” written on the outside. Poppy goes on a deep dive to determine what really happened to Ali. And you’ll never guess just how sinister things get. There’s mobsters, missing persons, crooked FBI agents, dirty cops, and multiple webs that take a lot to untangle. This thriller hands the reader a lot to keep separate so be prepared. There are a ton of different viewpoints, locations, time frames, etc. but they all come together at the end to make a compelling story. There wasn’t really an “ah-ha” moment for me, no major twist, and at the end they were still mentioning characters I still didn’t quite know who they were. The premise of the novel was good but it could have been better with fewer points of view and less side characters unnecessary to the plot. Overall, I would recommend reading this one but be prepared to be fully focused or else you can get easily lost. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Oh boy, full of action - Ryan's story definitely intrigued me - what happened to ALI and where is she? Ryan's story takes him all over the world which was fun. To think five years later, Ryan's insane past catches up with him. You get a missing girl / presumed dead, a new sheriff who's trying to figure everything out. Lots of POVS in this one which took some getting used to in the very beginning to sort out all the storylines. Overall a fast paced and addicting story. This is my second book by this author and I really enjoyed The Night Shift.

This was a fantastic book. I love when thrillers go deep with a plot and there is a true web to unweave for how the story lines connect and to solve the mystery. Unfortunately, I read book with a similar twist recently so it wasn't as satisfying or shocking as it would have been otherwise. But I appreciate the international vs. small town settings, the well-developed characters, and the fast-paced speed. I kept reaching to pick this up to see how the story unfolded, which to me is an automatic 4+ star read. By far my favorite Alex Finlay book to date and I cannot wait for his next read

Thrilling, action packed book!

Alison was kidnapped while in the car with her boyfriend, Ryan. He was hit on the head and can't remember most of what happened and now Alison is dead. Its now 5 years later and the man who Ryan thought he imagined has shown up once again.
Ryan is now racing around the world to try and figure out what actually happened that night, along Poppy the new deputy sheriff.

Quick, fun and full of suspense. Loved every minute of it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for providing me with an ARC of this ebook.

This was a quick read that had me completely hooked. I couldn't put it down. There were so many twists and turns and I loved how everything came together in the end. Finlay has a brilliant mind, giving as much information as needed but not giving it all until the right moment. The story was really unique. Thoroughly enjoyed this book.

This was a great thriller, and my first from Alex Finlay! You’ve got some mystery and suspense to start with, and then pure thrill through the end of the book. I was listening to this so raptly that I didn’t even pause to think there might be a twist coming up, and it totally surprised me. I loved there were multi POVs, and the chapters were just the right length for me. I almost think there could have been more to this book, but at the same time I’m glad the pace never slowed.
4.5/5 rounded up.

While the premise of this book was great, it just was too unbelievable for me and the time jumps were super confusing. I lost interest about 60% in.

This twisty thriller grabbed me from the first page!! Ryan Richardson and Alison Lane are parked in a quiet area close to Suncatcher lake for some time together.

The next thing that Ryan remembers is the passenger door being ripped open, hearing Ali’s piercing scream and being struck on the head as he is pulled from the car!! Later he will come to remember only one thing about the attacker — you will find out what that is.

Ryan is never found guilty of Ali’s disappearance but he is nevertheless hounded by podcasters and the press. He changes his name and enters law school to start a new life.

Poppy McGee is a young deputy sheriff in Ryan’s hometown, recently discharged from the army. Before she has a lot of time on the job, a submerged vehicle is pulled from Suncatcher lake. There are two men inside and a cryptic note!

It is 5 years since Ali’s abduction and Ryan is on a school trip to Italy. He gets the news about the vehicle that was pulled from the lake and a cryptic note “If Something Happens To Me” written in Ali’s handwriting!

There is yet another POV in this novel, that is Anthony O’Leary who has started in a new academy. His father is Shane and is the leader of a mob family.

OMG, there is so much going on in this book. The short chapters kept my interest and I thought this was a wild and entertaining ride.

Poppy was my favorite character as she tries to untangle the mystery that the recovered vehicle presents.

I think this is the return of Mr. Finlay to his earlier very twisty and character driven plots and I loved it!!