This book was very well written, excellent to the last page. I really enjoyed peeling all of the layers back of the story and never knowing what was going to happen. I have to admit I was a little sad when the end didn't;t happen just the way I wanted, however, I do get why it was better off not giving the reader that ending. Great book, lots of great characters and very enjoyable.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of If Something Happens to Me! This was a fast paced thriller that kept me turning the page. I do love a book with multiple points of view and short chapters! That is my simple equation for a good book! I enjoyed how it was all tied back together in the end. Most of it was predictable but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the book! Another great book from Alex Finlay, but I think I still like The Night Shift better. Thank you again for the ARC! This will be a well loved book

This was a well Laid out and fun to get sucked up into thriller. this was my first Alex Finlay and certainly not my last! Readers will find themselves immersed in a world where secrets lurk behind every corner, and mysteries unfold with each turn of the page. As the story unravels with multiple Points of view, the intricate connections between the characters become clearer, leading to a climax that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Prepare to be captivated by the masterful storytelling and intricate plot twists that Finlay expertly weaves throughout the narrative. This book is a true gem for anyone seeking an engaging and thrilling reading experience that will stay with them long after the final chapter.

👀 M Y S T E R I O U S M O N D A Y 👀 featuring “If Something Happens to Me” by Alex Finlay!

BOOK REVIEW: 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤/5

Five years ago, what was supposed to be a romantic night with his girlfriend, turned into Ryan’s worst nightmare. Ryan watched his girlfriend Ali get ripped from the car they were in and never saw her again! Although never charged, Ryan was the prime suspect in Ali’s disappearance. His life was never the same again not knowing if Ali was still out there somewhere … or dead 😵

Now in present times, Ryan has changed his name and is trying to move on and excel in law school. That is until he finds out that Ali’s car has been found in the lake in his hometown with two dead men inside and a very cryptic note made out to Ryan that is labelled with “If something happens to me”. WHO are these men and WHERE is Ali?? And most importantly, WILL Ryan be able to crack the code of the cryptic note??

THIS BOOK 🤯!!! I immediately became completely invested after the first chapter! The SURPRISING twists and SHOCKING turn of events had me spiralling in every direction! The multiple POVs and action packed game of cat and mouse allowed me to easily finish this book in one sitting! BRAVO 🙌

Thank you kindly to @alexfinlayauthor @minotaur_books @stmartinspress @netgalley for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review! This 5 STAR stunner releases on May 28, 2024 … run, don’t walk to pick it up!

I have read other Alex Finlay books and have really enjoyed them. The same goes for If Something Happens to Me. The story quickly grabs you from the POV of three different characters. As the characters and the story develops they all start to make sense on how they connect. The character development was really good and made you want to know more about each story, The chapters are short and so easy to just keep turning through them. I ended up finishing this book in just one day because I had to keep knowing what was going to happen. It was a very well done thriller.
I would recommend this one for quick page turning thriller lovers.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The author has crafted another great story. You’ll find it all with excellent characters and a plot that starts quickly and then builds to a climax with twists and turns that lead you ever closer while maintaining the right amount of doubt.

This is a solid win. Each different perspective gets you individually invested and he doesn’t go for any cheap tricks with it.

It was a fun one, I read it all in one sitting. I didn’t feel the thriller urge to get through it to find out or be less creeped out but I genuinely wanted to know what was next. I cared about the characters and wanted it to work out. While the ending wasn’t my favorite it was earned and I can’t complain. Highly recommend this one, thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Five years ago, Ryan Richardson and Alison Lane were saying goodbye when they were attacked. Ryan was knocked out and left outside with no recollection of what happened, Alison disappeared. Now, Ryan goes by a new name and Alison has still never been found. As a new officer looks into the case and new evidence comes to light, there's plenty of questions about what really happened that night five years ago.

"We all delude ourselves for the ones we love the most."

Alex Finlay writes incredible thrillers. Period. I barely need to say anything more. The writing is just fantastic.

If Something Happens to Me was an incredibly fast-paced, multi POV, multi timeline story. Overall, the story was really intriguing and exciting. I loved a lot of the twists and turns. I could predict some of them early on, but the last little twist definitely threw me and I loved that! I want to be kept on my toes when reading a thriller and this delivered.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Alex Finlay for an e-ARC of If Something Happens to Me in exchange for an honest review.

A suspense novel about Ryan, who is haunted by the disappearance of his girlfriend Alison. At the time of her kidnapping, Ryan was the main suspect, it's always the boyfriend. Due to a blow to the head when Alison was taken, he doesn't remember much, except blurry blips of a couple of discerning features the kidnapper has. Without much evidence against him, Ryan is released.

5 years later and with the past put behind him, Ryan is on a school trip to Italy. During the trip he's told that Alison's car was recovered, but she's not one of the bodies found inside. The past resurfaces in more ways than one when Ryan sees the person who took Ali. In search of the truth, Ryan goes on a mission across Europe. Where is Alison? And who took her?

Told from several perspectives, lives collide and the truth of what happens to Alison unravels.

*Review* Another killer book by Alex Finlay that I devoured. I typically don't read novels involving crime families, but this one really hooked me after I got all the characters sorted out. If Something Happens To Me is fast paced, adrenaline pumping, and unputdownable. It was fun to put together all the clues and see how my predictions worked out. It's a wild ride through many interesting locations and situations and shows an intense look into what a family will do for those they love. I really enjoyed this book.

Thank you @NetGalley and @stmartinspress for the ARC. If Something Happens To Me is set to be released May 28, 2024.

I’ve come to really look forward to new Alex Finlay books and If Something Happens to Me did not disappoint.

The synopsis of the story makes it seem like the story is really focused on Ryan, the boy whose girlfriend disappeared. While his story is definitely an important part of the book, there are several other storylines and perspectives, as well. There’s Shane and Chaz, the mobsters. Michael, the Accountant, and his daughter. Poppy, the new Sheriff’s Deputy, and her father and brother. While all their stories eventually connect, I liked the individual character development, as well. The short chapters and multiple POVs made me fly through the pages.

Were parts of the plot often improbable? Yes. Did I guess basically each and every twist from a mile away? Yes. Did either of these things hinder my enjoyment of the book? Not at all! This was a very fun, fast paced read with characters I cared about. After trying several books in a row without becoming invested in any of them, once I picked this up, I never wanted to set it down. I definitely recommend it and will be looking forward to Finlay’s next book.

Trigger Warnings in this book: Suicide, Murder

Okay okay i need to put spoilers but first no spoilers.

This book kept my attention from the start. I had so many questions! Why was Alison taken? Did Ryan really see a man or is he lying? Can Poppy help solve the case? Is Fincher really not trustworthy? Did Poppy’s brother and dad have something to do with Alison’s disappearance? Who is Shane O’Leary and why is his story relevant to the book? All of these were answered and I really enjoyed the plot and twists. I didnt figure everything out, which I like when a book makes me guess like that. It was an easy read and the mystery was pretty good.

Ok to the fun part, the spoilers!

Ryan did not have anything to do with Alison’s disappearance. He really saw the pinky man. I just wish he and Alison couldve had a better ending together. I didnt really care about his relationship with Nora. I wanted to see Alison and Ryan discuss and then go their separate ways, not just have Alison’s thoughts about finding herself. I want closure for this.
Poppy is great. I liked her character a lot. She’s young so shes easily trusting. Even though Ken told her not to talk to Fincher, she did and unfortunately that led to Michael’s death.
At first, I was so confused why Shane O’Leary had a story. Then we find out right before part 2 that Michael Harper was his accountant and was almost killed and so they changed their names. Michael’s daughter, Taylor, becomes Alison Lane. Those first few Shane stories were flashbacks! Im glad Finlay didnt put timestamps. What Taylor and her friends did to Shane’s son was diabolical and horrible. I hate bullies. I dont think Alison is necessarily a good person. Yeah she was a kid, but most kids do not bully to that extent. I feel for Shane and Gina, but killing all of them won’t bring their son back. Luckily Michael sacrificed himself to end this all. I had a feeling Fincher was a bad FBI agent since Ken said not to trust her. Poppy shouldve done some background checks on Fincher before they started talking.
The ending with Chaz was his comeuppance. It all came full circle.

Overall, a good thriller.

I was able to read this copy on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A tour de force of intrigue and misdirection! Bullets fly and blood splatters when a man who will stop at nothing to protect his family comes up against another man of the same caliber. Poppy, a new investigator, finds herself at the center of the fight. When her own family is implicated in the case, she becomes determined to solve the riddle of what actually happened to Ali on this fateful night she disappeared. The author did an incredible job of involving so many characters across multiple countries, and linking crimes into a complex web of deception and revenge. You will question what is justice vs what is heated revenge. This is a book you don’t want to put down once started!

This is an exciting, fast-paced novel which will draw you in right from the beginning.
The story begins with the disappearance of a young woman. You soon realize there are 3 stories with their own set of characters. As the stories evolve, you figure out how they all fit together and what has happened to Ali, the girl who disappeared.
This is a fast-paced, exciting read, until the very end.
If you enjoy puzzles and trying to figure out how the stories fit together, then you'll love this twisty and suspenseful this book!
This was my first Alex Finay novel, but it will not be my last.

This book is exciting, edgy and full of suspense from the first page.

There are a handful of characters – some good and others connected to the mob. No one wants to cross Shane O’Leary for the fear that he will have his men either kill you or make you pay in some way or another. Michael is on the run with his teenage daughter. He’s an accountant and has control of Shane’s money – a lot of money which he has invested well. He’s also aware that Shane has his men looking for him. It’s not easy to hide when the assassins are using all their connections and technology to hunt him down.

It's the type of story where you can't stop reading once you start with all the tension, twists and apprehension. At the end of each chapter, Alex Finlay gives you a cliffhanger which keeps your eyes glued to the pages. He's an expert at capturing your attention until the end. Even if you think you have it figured out, it's such a fun plot that keeps you on your toes.

It's a perfect book for film with all the action that takes place in Kansas and Philadelphia along with small towns in Italy, England and France. It’s well written and entertaining with a smart, deputy sheriff on the look-out for the crooked criminals. For those that crave a good thriller, this is a must and just in time for those headed to the beach.

My thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of May 28, 2024.

Ryan Smith, his new name, is spending part of his summer from law school in Italy where he receives a strange note that takes him back five years ago when his high school girlfriend Alison disappeared and most everyone believed Ryan Richardson killed her. After reading the note Ryan get notification that Alison's car has finally been found at the bottom of a lake with two dead men in it. When Ryan meets the person who left him the strange note it's the man from that awful night, the man from his nightmares, the man no one believed existed and this man tells Ryan "she" is alive; Does he mean Alison? Then a new deputy from Ryan's hometown contacts him and informs Ryan a coded message was found in Alison's car and once the deputy reluctantly tells Ryan the message he knows she's alive and he is determined to find her. With mobsters, liars and killers also on the trail of Alison and her father Ryan is determined to find her and the whole truth.

Ryan Richardson's whole life changed in an instant. Once a top line basketball player at his high school with a shining image, is now been labeled a killer. One night Ryan and his girlfriend, Alison, head to a local teen make-out spot, when Ryan's world goes dark. Upon waking up, Ali's gone and the entire town blames him.

Fast forward five years, Ryan is trying to move his life in the right direction. He attends law school and hides his former self. When Alison's car is pulled from the lake outside their hometown, what will become of Ryan's future now. Will everything he's worked for crumble? Two men are found dead in the car, with some help from the sheriff's office, a mystery five years in the making slowly unravels. Cryptic clues found in the car begin to give way for more questions then answers. Alison may still be alive and Ryan won't give up until he knows for sure.

This story stretches across several countries and perspectives. Alex Finlay wrapped a police procedural within a mystery/lost love and threw in mobsters. It was well done, the characters were well developed and an interwoven story was built around them. I've never read Alex's work before but I will definitely be adding more to my list. Thank you Netgalley and Minotaur for the advanced copy.

Oh man did I love this book. I very rarely am able to finish a book in one sitting, and if my body didn't shut itself down at 1 am (I fell asleep), that's exactly what would have happened here.
This was an absolute page turner, I can't recommend highly enough.

Ryan Richardson is haunted by the night his girlfriend, Alison Lane, disappeared from Leavenworth, Kansas, five years ago. Their pre-prom tryst in Lovers Lane went wrong when rain interrupted their special picnic and they were subsequently attacked by assailants that Ryan can not to this day identify. Initial sympathy turned into suspicion, forcing Ryan to make a new life and identity for himself. But he never forgot Alison, or forgave himself for letting her get taken.

But now, while travelling in Italy for a law school assignment, Ryan learns that the car Alison was driving that fateful night has finally been found. With two bodies. And one cryptic note. Is Alison still alive?

If Something Happens To Me is a brilliant exhibition of mystery and suspense. It begins with three disconnected narratives, each with its own spark of interest, vying for the page, taking turns jostling into focus. It is not immediately apparent how the viewpoints of Ryan Richardson (now Ryan Smith), Poppy McGee (the new deputy sheriff in Leavenworth), or Michael (an accountant in Philadelphia) fit into the whole picture. Their stories witness a build up of raw tension, culminating in an explosive completion of the puzzle by the two thirds mark. Thereafter the suspense was so palpable that I experienced real visceral and throat tightening anxiety for my heroes and heroines. The danger just didn’t let up until, well, the very end!

Alex Findlay is a very clever writer who really knows how to craft an enigma and captivate his reader. I need a moment to calm myself after this heart-stopping excitement. Well done!

What a thriller! You know you’ve got a 5 star read when you put it down and try to sleep, only to pick it up again to read some more and repeat over and over. Bonus that a lot of the book took place in Kansas. Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read it early through a digital reader copy.

Alex has great pacing and does well with multiple perspectives, twists, and keeping you engaged until the very end. A must read!