What an un-put-downable read. This book had me hooked from the very beginning, even though I would say that anything involving organized crime is not really my thing. However, I read this in one day and raced through it-- I was unable to stop thinking about it over the course of the workday.

I actually did find most of the twists and turns to be fairly predictable, however I don't think it took away much from reading it. Finlay's suspenseful writing had me glued to the page to see how everything played out in the end for a unique and fascinating cast of characters.

I also appreciated Finlay's writing more in this one. The last novel of his I read, the Night Shift, irked me. It was a little too choppy and straightforward, and his portrayals of some of the female characters bothered me. I didn't find either to be the case for this book.

My only complaints would be I think a couple of things were a little rushed or convenient-- I thought the myriad talents of Ryan's law school classmates and how they came into play felt too "easy" and that one of the loose ends at the end wrapped up a little too quickly and tidily. And the overall predictability chipped away at my star rating in the end.

Still, for the sheer popcorn excitement that this one had, I would absolutely recommend it to anyone. I just personally find myself unable to to give a full five stars and would instead place it closer in the 4.25 star category.

Hands down the very best book from Alex Finlay to date. If Something Happens to Me is unpredictable and impossible to put down. A roller coaster ride from Rome to Italy to small town Kansas. You certainly don’t want to miss this.

Alex Finlay knows how to write an explosive edge-of-your seat action packed thriller! At one point I was surprised, which is hard to do and I have to give kudos where it’s due. That “aha”! moment and the break neck speed of the pacing made this a five star read for me. I’ll be digging into Finley’s backlist for sure.

Fast paced. Very gripping and worth reading. I enjoyed every moment of this book. Pace is faced and fueled by twists and turns.

If the 2nd half of this book would have gone like the first it would have easily been a five star read. I flew through the first half trying to figure out how everything was interconnected and it was so good. Then it got more predictable, violent, and mob based and it became less of a suspense book and more of a crime story. I still read it quickly and it still held my interest, but because I just didn’t love the 2nd part as much I gave it 4 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC.

This book started off so strong!
Great hook. An early, but good, “twist”. A fun way to have all the characters' stories flow together…

For the first 50% of the book you’re going to really be scratching your head wondering what’s going to happen! You’ll probably be feeling super invested too…

HOWEVER! At the 50% mark things start to become obvious, and as it moves on you’ll be thinking “hmmm 🤔 there’s still so much book left there’s no way I’ve sorted it all out!”…. Well sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you have indeed figured it all out.
The last half of this book was just too predictable. I had SUCH high hopes for something at the end to really wow me, but it just never happens.

I think this would make a better show than it did a novel.

Alex Finlay has done it again! You will never see the twists in this novel coming. When the car of a missing girl is found 5 years after her disappearance, it brings all the people involved back to where it all started. Will we finally find out what happened or will it lead to just more questions and more suspects. The thriller is truly a page turner and will keep you on the edge of your seat all the way to the end! 5 stars!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC.

I enjoyed this book for the most part. Disappearance stories always pique my interest. It starts off with a bang when two teenagers encounter trouble while parked at lover's lane. The girl is abducted, and the boy is soon under suspicion for her disappearance. Years later, a young female cop, new on the force, gets handed an intriguing mystery relating to the case.

To be honest, I lost interest at about the 80 percent mark. I am not sure why, but maybe I'm just not the right audience. Once things start to become clear and questions pretty much answered, nothing compelled me to keep reading, so I skimmed through to the end. There is a suggestion that the female cop may be interested in women, so what else is new. Recommended.

It has been five years since tragedy devastated Ryan Richardson’s life. Now a law student on vacation sees a man who was a part of that past. A kidnapping that happened back then that is intertwined with the lives of so many from all over. The twists and turns in this book will keep you on your toes figuring out who all is involved and the connections they all have with each other. Great read!



Thanks to Alex Finlay and St Martin’s Press for the read!

*round up to 4.5/5 stars* wow! This book truly did amaze me! I had read “The Night Shift” a while ago and found it to be a pretty average read, so this blew away my expectations. The research put into this plot was clearly shown through the attention to detail and intricacies of how each character was connected. I would’ve given this 5 stars, but honestly until about halfway through, the plot was almost too elaborate and complex that it was hard to understand the intensity of what was going on. The plot twists were fantastic, the connecting of stories was beautifully done, and the writing was a pleasure to read. I couldn’t put this book down!

Just wow! Intelligent and complex mystery, the past haunting the present for all involved as some ghosts won't stay hidden, and some keep being found. No spoilers - a solid and well written mystery that will keep you hooked.

St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books provided an early galley for review.

Earlier this year, I read The Night Shift by Finlay and really enjoyed it. So, I was eager to see what he would write for his next novel.

There are definitely some similarities between that book and this one. Both involve a reopened cold case involving high school students several years later. There are several narrative viewpoints in both - including one from a male connected to the incident who changes his name to avoid the infamy and one from a female in a position of law inforcement that is investigating the case. This book is also divided into three parts and features many shorter chapters, allowing for jumping around to the various threads of the tale.

I found the story to have a slow build, much like a roller coaster. While everything still moved along at a steady pace, I was hoping for some faster thrills and much sharper twists. Granted, the "slowness" might too be where my brain was at when reading this (coming off a super busy week prior). Still, I was entertained by this story.

One of the secondary characters instantly became a favorite of mine - the true crime podcaster Ziggy dela Cruz (no spoilers). This is a character of which I'd like to see more. To be used in just a small way would be a waste. Finlay has reused characters in books in the past, so there might be some hope for Ziggy down the road.

As a would-be writer myself, I did appreciate Finlay's notes in the back where he talks about how locales in the book were places he had some familiarity. That reflects a lot of writing tips and guidances I've absorbed over the years ("write what you know").

Thank you Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the ARC of the book.

Ali was kidnapped in her car during a date with her high school boyfriend Ryan - which made him the number one suspect. It took years for Ryan to get on with his new life, when Ali’s kidnapper comes back into the picture with more mystery. Around the same time the true crime podcasters have located Ali’s car in the local lake with 2 male bodies and a coded message from Ali in it. Where is Ali and who are those men as well how to crack the code is a riddle for a new deputy sheriff to solve.

At the beginning I was trying to figure out who is who and how they’re connected because there were multiple POV. Almost every chapter ended on a mini cliffhanger and I wanted to cheat and skip some chapters but every POV had intriguing and unexpected twists that I didn’t want to miss.

It's probably a good idea to mention is that there’s mob involved so there are some ruthless scenes involved, as well as a suicide.

Alex Finley does it again!

An abducted girl, a serial killer and a secret code all make this fast pace novel a fun read!
Ryan and Ali are on the brink of adulthood when Ali is taken and presumed dead. Years later her car is found with a note that says “if something happens to me” and the new sheriff starts to uncover the truth behind this cold case.

Face paced thrillers are my favorite type of read so I thought I had this book figured out but my jaw was on the floor with that twist!!
If something happens to me takes place across several different US states and Europe with different character point of views.
I will say that there are a lot of characters and I had a little bit of trouble keeping everything straight. But overall this is a very fun read that feels like an action movie. I highly recommend it!
Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!

This was my first experience with Alex Finlay and I loved this new installment! It had me hooked from the first page all the way to the end - I couldn't put it down. I liked the way that the differing story lines all came together in a way that made sense and was seemless. I am looking forward to reading more by Alex Finlay!

Such an awesome thriller! There were so many twists and turns, and it kept my attention the whole time. Definitely pick this one up!

I really enjoyed this book. It was different than anything else I've read recently. I couldn't put it down! I will keep an eye out for this author's future work!

I have enjoyed most books by this author and this one falls into that category, too. Great? Not so much, but convoluted and twisty. The timeline isn't always as straight forward as it seems, either.

A teenager is missing. It is the night before leaving for college and she is out with her boyfriend who says a man knocked him out and took the girlfriend and her daddy's car. The boy is blamed, of course, as he was the last known person to be with her, but then, where is she and where is the car?

Years go by, he changes his name and is furthering his education into law school when the situation lands back in his lap. He's no longer a teenaged, helpless boy, but a man who wants to right some wrongs. This is where it gets a little hard to believe at times, but go with it and see where it takes you. Some surprises along the way, of course, can be found to keep you on your toes.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy. Honest opinions expressed here are my own and are freely given.

WOW. Alex Finlay has done it again. Just when you think you have this book figured out, another jaw dropping twist comes around the corner. This book is fast paced, gripping, and everything you could possible want out of a thriller. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this book, I cannot believe how good it was!

There is a lot going on in this story and all of it is great! Ryan had his girlfriend ripped from his life and no one knows what happened to her. Then out of the blue her car is pulled from a lake only she is not one of the bodies in it. Follow along as this story takes down an intersection path.
So good!