4 stars

Alex Finlay has does it again, but audiobook listeners beware: you will get great narration, but you need to focus. There are a lot of characters and a lot of details to pay attention to here.

One woman's disappearance impacts the trajectory of multiple characters, and since unraveling the mystery is the best part, I'll keep any further discussion of events quiet. What I will add is that it is a lot of fun to put the pieces together through various characters' perspectives, details, and revelations. Full disclosure, I did have to restart this one after realizing I must have missed some key information during my casual first listening attempt. This isn't the kind of thriller/mystery listeners should plan to engage with passively.

I really enjoy Finlay's work, and this most recent book is no exception. Added props for a quick read which - at this time of year - especially has its place on a beach or at a pool near you.

5 out of 5 stars!

Why did Ryan Richardon want to study law? Did he always have a knack for the law? Or, did it come after his ex-girlfriend, Ali, went missing? Even though he doesn’t remember a lot from that night, his last memory of Ali includes the car door being ripped open and hands yanking him from the vehicle while Ali screamed for her life. After that, Ali and her car vanished without a trace. Ryan was the only witness to this crime, so he quickly became the only suspect.

While Ryan is in Italy on a school trip, he gets a call from his father saying that the police have identified Ali’s car submerged in a lake. Inside the car confuses everyone even more. Two unidentified dead guys and an envelope in Ali’s handwriting saying, “If something happens to me…”. While Ryan is in Italy, something crazier happens. He spots the man he believes killed Ali. He doesn’t remember much about that night, but the man he sees looks so familiar. He follows the man, trying to make sense of it all, but he is led across the world. Little does he know, there is a new sheriff's deputy in his hometown working the same case with the same suspicions, and a mobster in Philadelphia who has suffered a tragedy on his own.

“If Something Happens to Me” by Alex Finlay was the book I could not physically put down! Once I started it one evening, I had to finish it before going to bed. This was a fast, action-filled novel with twist after twist. With multiple perspectives changing every chapter, you will keep telling yourself you need to read one more before going to bed. Until, like me, you are so engrossed, you need to figure out what happened to Alli. Throughout the story you will start to unravel what happened to Ali and why all of these perspectives are intertwined. I would not be surprised if this made a book of the year list.

I LOVED all the characters in this book and what they brought to their chapters. I felt like I was rooting for everyone. Ok, maybe not everyone, but you will figure that out in time. They all had such emotional complexity that made me feel like I was right alongside them figuring out what had happened. Changing the point of view every chapter made the book fly by and was fascinating.

“If Something Happens to Me” by Alex Finlay will be published May 28th, 2024. Pre-order now, so you don’t miss out on one of the best books of the summer!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Alex Finlay, and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

This was a twisty, fast-paced thriller. I also found it kind of dull. It reminded me of "The Last Thing He Told Me" in the sense that they both had everything I'd expect from a thriller (short chapters, sketchy characters, lots of suspenseful twists and turns) but it didn't totally work for me.

I liked it. I just didn't love it. I never really connected with the characters, which is always a bad thing in my book. I'd recommend it for a summer, poolside/travel read. It's the kind of book that's good to read in short bursts.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

TBR it right now! Wow. This book will leave you with a book hangover for days! This is a fast thriller that kept me guessing and never knowing who to trust. A who done it with quite a few twist!

Predicting Top 5 of the Year Read!

Thanks Netgalley for this Advance Readers Copy. I can not wait to this book hits the shelves to recommend it over and over again!

Alex Finlay is an auto-buy author for me! His books are so fast paced and interesting and this one is no exception. I enjoyed this one so much. It’ll be a great read for the beach or by the pool. There are so many different elements that make it unique and suspenseful. Thank you Minotaur Books and Netgalley for my copy!

“A good rule to live by: Never criticize someone’s family.”

Woah! When I requested an ARC of this book I was convinced that I had read and loved Alex Finlay. To my surprise, I realized that this is actually my FIRST book by this author. And if If Something Happens To Me is any indication of this author’s other works I will be adding them all to my tbr asap!

This book is such a page turner that I quite literally could not put it down. In fact, I read it in one sitting. It has everything that I love in a thriller: a crazy story that held my interest, short chapters, multiple pov, and both likable and veryyy unlikable characters. This is a mystery that unwraps like a present. Just..all of the stars!

“The only way to truly experience a city, or a country, for that matter, is to experience it with a local.” Absolute FACTS!

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press/ Minotaur Books, and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an eARC of IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME by Alex Finlay from Minotaur Books!

IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME centers on the disappearance of Ali. Five years ago, she and her boyfriend Ryan made a stop on lover’s lane. Ryan remembers the car door being opened and a hit over the head, then waking up to find his girlfriend and her car missing. Accusations were thrown at him, but he was let go. Still, he lives under the suspicion from many.

In the present, Ryan has a new last name and a new path in life. He’s a law student traveling in Europe with fellow students when he gets a call from his father. Ali’s car has been pulled out of a lake not that far from where he last saw her. There are two dead men inside and a cryptic message left behind in Ali’s handwriting beginning with the title words.

This was a really fun thriller for me. The author introduces multiple points of view including Ryan’s, an investigator on the case, and a few others for which the reader doesn’t initially know the connection. I did make quite a few good guesses on how things were going to progress and connect, but this didn’t take away my enjoyment.

The quick chapters and POV switches along with the story itself made this a very fast read. I would have liked to find something a little bit of a surprise along the way, but I also don’t fault a thriller for not surprising me since I do read so many. I did think that the plot was really well put together and paced perfectly to keep me hooked!

IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME is out on 5/28/2024!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance review copy in return for an honest review. This thriller was fun but there were moments that lulled. I love a book with short chapters though, makes it fly by and fun to read

Thank you Netgalley MacMillan audio for the e-Arc and alc. My opinions are being left voluntarily. This was a twisty layered book and dare I say my favorite Alex Finlay book yet. The twists I did not see coming the connections I was left in awe. What a great book gotta add this one to my forever shelf.

4.5/5☆

Many thanks to @minotaur_books and @netgalley for my #gifted (free) copy. Pub date 5/28/24.

Okay, so I'm sure it's me because I just finished some really great 5-star reads before reading this one, but this one just felt so over the top and unbelievable. This novel is getting rave reviews, so it has to be me. This was a fast-paced read with lots of action told through multiple POVs with short chapters that ended with cliffhangers, so I was eager to get back to that POV. I definitely recommend reading this one despite my review.

Five years ago, Ryan was on a date with his girlfriend Ali making out in the car. The next thing he knows, he is hit over the head and wakes up lying in the grass with the car and Ali gone. Ryan was a suspect but never charged. He vaguely remembers seeing the person who did this. Five years later, Ryan is on vacation for a school trip, and he recognizes a guy staring at him. It's the guy!

4.5 stars - This was a fun, quick read for me. I loved the multiple points of view - this writing style keeps me interested, and I couldn't put the book down! I don't want to spoil anything, but it was worth it to see how everything came together. As with many books, there are some points that are a bit unrealistic, but I read to escape and I thought this book was perfect for that. Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the advance review copy!

If Something Happens to Me is a fast-paced thriller that opens with a bang, throwing you into the harrowing experience of Ryan Richardson and his girlfriend, Alison. Finlay masterfully weaves a narrative from the viewpoints of several characters, including Ryan, an inexperienced sheriff's deputy, and a vengeful mob boss. This multifaceted approach allows readers to see the story unfold from different angles, building suspense and keeping them guessing about who to trust. Each chapter's end is its mini cliffhanger.
While the suspense is undeniable, the novel also delves into the psychological impact of trauma. We see how the disappearance affects Ryan, his family, and the entire community. It explores themes of grief, guilt, and the lengths people will go to in search of closure.
The number of characters and timelines sometimes feels overwhelming; many need a lasting presence to buy the conclusion. The first and second acts are on point with action and intrigue. However, the third act is predictable and out of sorts from the beginning. The characters are compelling, but as the mystery unfolds, they become unrealistic narrators, especially Poppy. Given her inexperience, the background is too thin to find Poppy a reliable investigator. Nonetheless, if you like twisty thrillers with a touch of emo, you may enjoy this one.

I totally binged Alex Finlays latest thriller: IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME.

My thoughts:
-a lot of characters and locations to keep track of
-fast paced
-suspenseful
-mob vibes

Although there are a lot of characters and locations, it all comes together nicely. If you’re looking for a quick thriller, I’d check this out and THE NIGHT SHIFT also by Finlay.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur for the arc ☺️

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Format: Audiobook & E-Book

Short chapters, writing so compelling that you’re hooked on page 1, and memorable characters so filled with surprises that you’re not sure who to root for as the book progresses — what more to ask for in a thriller? It’s one of those books where you keep telling yourself you’ll stop reading for the night after “just one more chapter” until you realize you’ve binged the whole book in one sitting, it’s that good.

Huge thank you to Alex Finlay, Minotaur Books, Macmillan Audio, & NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

This kept me on my toes the whole time. So good. So many plot twists. Loved it. I loved the short chapters and how fast paced it made the book feel.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.

I have yet to meet an Alex Finaly book I didn't like. This one was so intriguing to me, I love multiple POVs and this was no exception. I did not initially understand the connection to one of the POVs but when it was revealed at the end of Part 1 I basically was hooked and did not put the book back down until it ended. I always long for more of an ending, but I did like the multiple POV each getting their own bit of closure.

4/5 easily.

Omg this kept me on my toes the whole time! It gave me similar vibes to The Last Thing He Told Me and I absolutely adored that book. There were so many twists and turns and none of them I saw coming. I loved all of the different settings we were taken to throughout the story, and how everyone eventually tied together. Wow wow wow—Alex Finlay is quickly becoming one of my favorite thriller authors!

“If something happens to me” by Alex Finlay was an edge of your seat gripping thriller. This book was a really fast read because I just couldn’t put it down.

4⭐️

Five years ago, Ryan Richardson's girlfriend was taken from his car while they were parked at Lovers Lake. After being hit in the head, Ryan doesn't remember much from that night except the sound of Ali's screams and the man who was missing both pinkie fingers. No one in town believed the story about the man with the pinkie fingers and assumed that Ryan had killed Ali. After being found innocent, Ryan left town for college and later law school. He has mostly moved on.

That is until a car is found in the lake back home. A car that belonged to Ali's father. That car contained two dead, unidentified men and a note that said 'If Something Happens to Me' in Ali's handwriting. And even though he's on a trip in Tuscany, Ryan's pretty sure he just saw the man with no pinkies.

Alex Finlay quickly became an auto-read author for me last year and If Something Happens to me really cemented that belief. I loved the story building and the way the different points of view eventually come together. Each character was strong enough to stand on their own and their backgrounds really drove the story.

I think with this one I felt like I had to suspend my belief on what's possible a bit too much for this to be a five star read. I can't really say much with spoiling things but at times I kind of rolled my eyes at the luck these characters had for things to work out the way the did. There is also one storyline/character arc who's ending just felt like it wrapped up a little too easy.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin Minotaur for providing this ARC to me!

Five years after a horrible night where his girlfriend Ali disappears without a trace, and having the world think that he had everything to do with it, Ryan Richardson has seemingly begun to create a new life for himself. But then the past starts to come back to haunt him when Ali’s car is found with bodies and a mysterious note inside. Will he be able to find the answers to finally clear his name? His life is intertwined with a young sheriffs deputy and a mobster. They are the key to solving the mystery of what happened that fateful night.

I really enjoyed the building of all of the characters stories in this book, They all fit neatly together like a puzzle. I think the ending just really didn’t satisfy me for how much mystery and intensity happened throughout the rest of the book. Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read this story.