Book review: if

I heard lots of buzz about this book and was very excited to dig in.

I found I wasn’t connected enough to the characters to care deeply. I found them to be a bit flat.

Redeeming elements for me:
I did appreciate dipping into the power of bullying. I think this is a tricky topic that often isn’t portrayed.

Female police officer. Love her determination and persistence to solve the case.

Parent care. I think this narrative gave more strength to Poppy!

The end did have me eager to see how it ends, and did not forecast the plot twist, which I often do.

Appreciate the early read.

2.5⭐️

This thriller wasn’t for me - it was more of an action mystery thriller, whereas I prefer psychological thrillers. The reason I didn’t care for it besides the plot was the writing. It was really confusing at times and I had trouble keeping up with the characters. I also didn’t care about any of them.

I received an advanced copy from netgalley in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.

If Something Happens to Me is a great thriller that I couldn't put down. The story is about Ryan, whose high school girlfriend was abducted and presumed dead five years prior. Ryan insists that he saw a man with no pinkies before he was knocked out. Fast forward five years, when Ryan is in law school, he sees the man with no pinkies and a chase ensues.

This is a great story about a new sheriff that is trying to solve this crime. There are bad guys, crime bosses, and corrupt FBI agents. This is the first book I have read by Alex Finlay and I look forward to reading more. Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

My first book by Alex Finlay and I loved it! Will try this author again for sure.
Honestly this is the kind of book that reminds me why I enjoy a good, easy to read thriller so much. It had everything, including a gripping start and ofc fab twists (that actually worked and made sense.
When I say I couldn't put this down, I mean whenever I HAD to I really really didn't want to &. This was one of the occasions where I could not figure out where the story was going at all.
I was impressed that, despite the many characters, it was easy to follow with good character development.
Suspend disbelief is necessary but it all worked so well.
Would recommend this book, especially if you're in a bit of a reading slump! Added bonus is the short chapters, which IMO always keep books moving at a faster pace.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I devoured If Something Happens to Me! I could not put it down. There were twists and turns everywhere. I was hooked from beginning to end.
Honestly, I don’t typically like 3rd person pov, but this author did a really good job organizing the book so that I didn’t mind the pov. It was fast paced and very easy to follow each characters part in the story. Thank you so much for this e-arc!

» 4 stars ᯓ★

➞ this is my formal apology to anyone who's told me to read alex finley before because i thought i would hate his books but here we are, one book and four stars later, and i look like a FOOL.

🧸┊the plot: literally can't even begin to describe what was going on here. to put it shortly we follow different storylines that seem totally unrelated but all end up coming together at the end. & plot twists galore!

💐┊my thoughts: this is definitely the sort of book that you can sit down and just absolutely binge in a day. i did it in three with a ton of stuff going on so that's that. the writing is so catchy and easy to read, you can tell finlay was made to write thrillers and thank god that he found that out! was literally on the edge of my seat for a good portion.

the characters fell a little flat for me? i don't put much thought into characters in thrillers but i didn't really care about any of them. they all had their what the actual fuck are you doing moments but .. idk. not much to say other than i just didn't really like any of them, which is kinda crazy considering there were so many.

➞ a quick n fun thriller! yay! i have such hit or miss luck with this genre so anytime i find a 4 star i feel like the universe has declared me its favorite person for the day of course it has.

🏷️┊tw: death, gore. keep in mind there may be more that i forgot here! ur mental health matters <3

Overall, wasn't my favorite Alex Finlay book. I didn't really connect with Ryan as a character and his group of traveling friends in Italy weren't really necessary for the overall plot--they just added more characters. The character I liked the most was Poppy, the deputy sheriff--she had spunk. Overall, I think the wow moments for this book weren't really wow moments and I didn't love the whys and hows of the thriller. Mediocre read.

Before I can write my review, I'm going to need a minute to catch my breath.

Ok, so, here we go. Pulse pounding? Yes. Action packed? Oh, yes. Edge of your seat thrills? Hoo boy, yes. Characters that come to life, horrify you and bring you to tears? Check, check, and holy buckets, yes.

Mr Finlay has written a non-stop roller coaster of a suspense tale. We start out with what we assume are the main characters, in Leavenworth, KS. Next we travel to Philidelphia to meet a new set of characters, and then off to Italy, where we revisit one character and meet another fresh set of characters. I'll grant you, at first it all seems pretty daunting, There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to these events or the various people inhabiting them. But slowly, slowly the different threads come together. The brightly colored purple yarn twists into the muted tan of twine, and both braid themselves into the shiny silver chain. You end up with a fascinating work of art that you can't take your eyes off of.

This novel is the very definition of a page turner. Run, now, and get it for yourself.

Helloooo. Man, I loved this book. I recently read Alex Finlay's The Night Shift and really enjoyed it, so I was excited to start on his new novel. I was not disappointed at all. 

This book is told in many different POVs ranging from Ryan, Poppy, a mobster, and a few sporadic others. It's written similarly to The Night Shift and I liked the writing style there, so this felt familiar. Be warned, though, considering that there's mobsters, there are some pretty gut wrenching scenes. 

So, our story is basically about several different people as they all follow down the same thread. You have the mobster and his wife (both brutal in their own ways), you get the mobster's right hand man (who becomes a particularly interesting character, you get Ryan (the brooding boyfriend of the abducted girl who actually gets accused for her murder), you get Poppy (think badass woman who doesn't take other people's shit). All characters were important and so vivid in the way they were built. Poppy is following the leads on Ali's cold case, Ryan is following his own lead in Italy, and the mobster is following leads that don't fully make sense until closer to the end (which I totally appreciate because you get to try and figure it out on your own). 

My favorite part about this novel was definitely the plot. It was woven together so seamlessly that I literally was following the tracks of the mystery as all of our characters were. There comes a point about 70% of the way through the book where you know more than the characters did overall (unless you're really good at solving mysteries). This is the first time I've read a mystery and really went "wow, it all makes sense" because you get every piece of the mystery slowly enough to play detective on your own. 

Overall, this novel was so much fun to read and an absolute thriller. Mysteries are one of my favorite genres and Alex Finlay's If Something Happens to Me is the perfect example of why I love this genre so much. A huge thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of this novel in exchange for an honest review.  

***This review (along with my thoughts on some spoilers) will be posted on my blog on May 17th. Spoiler-free versions of my review will be posted on Amazon, Goodreads, and BookBub on this novel's publication day.

What a ride! Finished it in less than 24 hours. The story grabbed me from the very beginning and the pacing was great! As soon as you’d start to settle into a theory something would happen to surprise you or get you guessing again. I enjoyed the relationships in this story. Yes, there were a bunch of characters but they were introduced in a way that made them easily identifiable. There was a point about midway through where something was revealed that caused me to literally have to talk it out loud with myself to grasp it. Well done! Loved it! ♥️

I really enjoyed this book. I have enjoyed other books from this author. It was really well written and easy to follow. It had enough twists to keep me engaged.

If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay is a spectacular thriller!!! I was hooked from the first chapter and actually read this book in one day - I couldn’t put it down. Multiple POVs are a must for me in any thriller & Finlay delivered that in this book. This was my first book by this author but it definitely will not be the last!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, & Minotaur Books for an ARC copy of this book.

This thriller is absolutely incredible. This is my first Alex Finlay book and I cannot wait it read more.

The author did a superb job of gripping you from the start with a high action beginning and then did a terrific job of weaving a highly creative story across continents and timelines. There were quite a few times I had to pick my jaw up off the ground and I definitely did not guess what was happening. The characters were all built really well and the story was unique and interesting. I don't want to share too many details aside from the synopsis but this thriller was awesome!!

Thank you to St Martins Press and NetGalley for a digital copy in exchange for my honest feedback.

Weaving several story lines together, author Finlay takes us on a journey over the years with Ryan Richardson, who was a teenager accused of the disappearance of his high school sweetheart. Although never prosecuted, Ryan has been the victim of "guilt via social media." Now enrolled in law school and under a different name, Ryan is pulled back through the years when the car they were in that night is discovered in a local lake and the mysterious man who attacked them that night (and who has haunted his dreams for years), is now stalking Ryan across Italy, France and England.
Meanwhile, back in the states, young Sheriff's department officer, Poppy is finding that the evidence in the decades old disappearance of Alison just isn't adding up. She goes against the advice of the Sheriff and starts digging into the past and uncovering links to not only the Sheriff, but also to her own father and brother. When the FBI gets involved, Poppy must figure out who is on her side and who is steering her investigation away from themselves in order to find the truth. Using a coded note left behind by Alison, Poppy and Ryan are determined to solve this case once and for all....but at what personal cost?
The tension builds as readers start to piece together what exactly happened that night and the chain of events that led to the attack on two teenagers parked in a "lovers lane" on a dark and rainy night. A fast and exciting read.

instagram post to come shortly!

3.5 stars

Pub Date: May 28th

If Something Happens to Me is a fun thriller with an interesting storyline and a few twists thrown in here and there. There are multiple POVs, which I always LOVE in thrillers.

I would HIGHLY recommend going in blind because there are so many aspects to this one that would be best to let them unravel organically as you’re reading. I didn’t see so many of the sub-plots coming and I really enjoyed that part of the reading experience!

I definitely want to pick up some of Alex Finlay’s back list to try out!

I did feel like this one was a bit cheesy and it read as if it was a Matt Damon or Ben Affleck movie

Thank you to St. Martins Press and Minotaur Books for my copy of this!

I've enjoyed every book I read from this author so I was really looking forward to this one. I'm glad to say it did not disappoint. I actually think this is his best book yet. It's a similar genre as he usually writes; but this one just had more to it. I read this really quickly as I couldn't put it down - even sneaking in a chapter or two at work. It really did keep me guessing but still, once I figured some things out (or they were told), I was still engrossed and needed to know how it all played out. Really enjoyed the ending as well. I think it really fit this book. Thank you!

THIS BOOK WAS GIVING. We had a dash of crime family, reunion, murder, vacation, etc! If you liked What Have We Done you will probably like this because it was the same vibe of a story but with slightly less storylines. I honestly love Finlay, he has such a way with crafting a story. I don't know if this makes sense but I think he tends to write books more like movies than books? but in the best way?

I was thoroughly entertained. Cancel my plans to stay home and read entertained. It got me right out of my slump and I loved it. I think it's definitely more thriller than mystery but I find when it leans thriller I usually find them serious page-turners. There are lots of well-developed plots and characters and I felt like I was reading multiple books that fit together super well.

The last thing I’ll say about Finlay is that he’s an author who knows how do deal with characters and isn’t afraid to make bold decisions!

Anyways, super entertained and I love a complex plot!!

This is a wild and action-packed book! At first, it seemed somewhat overwhelming because there are so many characters introduced and there is no real way to decipher a connection between them all. I felt that it was overly descriptive at times and the frequency of changing of POVs left me feeling frustrated. Some parts were a little unbelievable. The timeline on some parts of the book were not clear; however, that did make for a twist I didn’t see coming and it helped make the connections between characters. Overall it’s a good book with a lot happening, but most of it comes smoothly together in the end. I would recommend this book and look forward to reading more books by the author!
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

Abduction, allies, and apprehension.

This story is separated into 3 different locations and characters to follow throughout.

Ryan (relocated Italy), a traumatized kid/young man after experiencing his girlfriend being ripped from him in an intimate situation. Now in law school, still in pursuit of his trauma. Yes, he is still reeling from his past, and goes after leads on his own.
Poppy (small town in Kansas), is the new town detective. Little does Poppy know what she will be investigating in such a short time on the job. A missing woman case, and much more quickly emerges.
Shane (Philadelphia), is caught in some rough business. They have just recently moved to town, where their son experiences the unthinkable, and acts in a tragic manor.

Then as a good story does, the author does an incredible job intertwining all the stories. It took me a minute to catch on, but this book has been fast paced, thought provoking, and a nail biter till the very end. I love that Alex Finlay, NetGalley, St, Martin’s Press gave me the opportunity to read this novel for my honest review, thank you! This mystery/thriller will be published May 28, 2024 (soon)!

This was a great read. The only thing that made me question the credibility was a single crime Family from Philadelphia having such tracking skills and organization.

Great characters, suspense. It will keep you guessing, keep you reading.