If Something Happens to Me is a taut thriller that you will hate to put down .

This book has it all: missing teen, secrets, the mob, bodies piling up, families on the run and that is just the tip of the iceberg in this action packed story.

Poppy is the new Deputy Sherriff in town and when a car found in the lake is brought to the surface her challenge has just begun.

It was Ryan's girlfriend that disappeared all those years ago and now someone is after Ryan.

The cast of characters are perfect and each plays a vital part to the story. Some you like, some you don't.

My review does not do If Something Happens to Me justice but suffice to say (no more hints) grab your copy and settle in for a book you wont want to end.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press and Minotaur Books for a compelling read.

I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Alex Finlay’s newest book after reading “The Night Shift”. In “If Something Happens to Me”, Ryan and Ali are high school seniors that head out to a “lover’s lane” for a fun night. Suddenly Ryan has been knocked out without memory and Ali is missing.

Skip forward a few years and we get to experience the story told through the perspectives of three separate characters in alternating chapters that will eventually intersect. (This is my favorite format of a thriller!)

Ryan is now a few years older in college and studying abroad in Italy. He hides his past from his new college friends because he has faced accusation of having to do with Ali going missing. While in Italy he receives a mysterious note in which the unknown sender says they know who Ryan is and requests Ryan meet them at a specified location.

The next storyline we meet Poppy McGee who is starting out brand new as a sheriff in the local police department in Kansas where Ali went missing. The third storyline we meet bad guys Shane and Chaz located across the country in Pennsylvania.

The three storylines are suspenseful and will weave together throughout the book to answer the questions - Will Ali ever be found? What happened to her that night she disappeared? Thank you NetGalley for this advance reader copy.

I loved this cat and mouse page turner! I really enjoyed how the different, seemingly unrelated POVs came together into a sinister, trust no one tale of secrets, loyalty, and revenge. When Ryan witnesses his girlfriend’s abduction, everyone blames him. No one believes him that he saw a man missing his pinkys take her. Fast forward five years and the car she was last seen in is brought up from the bottom of a lake, along with a cryptic message.
I was kept guessing as I couldn’t put this one down. Alex Finlay’s best one yet!

Another great page turner from this author. What starts off as a simple mystery turns into a web of suspenseful
Intrigue.

GO IN BLIND.

Short chapters for the win. Anxiety levels go from high to higher. Mobsters, innocent bystanders, and kids all make up a fantastic set of characters and you never know who to trust or what’s real. This book was so good, I didn’t want to put it down, but also I needed to sleep so I had to, but I picked it right back up in the morning. This is a book to be devoured and I will surely be thinking about it for a while.

Wow wow wow.

This story is told from a few points of view;
You have the rookie cop, moving back to her hometown as a deputy sheriff, to take care of her ailing father. Then you have the “papa” of an organized crime family on the other side of the country, and then the former boyfriend of the missing girl who was accused of her murder and is still looked at with suspicion. All tied together in this captivating and consuming story with love, anger, hate, revenge, friendship and wits.

There were so many “whoa” and “hold on” moments for me during this book. I absolutely loved how it switched points of view, but told in 3rd person in a way that was so descriptive and detailed. All of the pieces fell together nicely and the twists hand me hanging on to my Kindle for dear life.

This is now my favorite Finlay book, and I’ve read them all and I say that with each of his new releases and I won’t stop and I’mnot sorry for it.

An extremely large THANK YOU to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the chance to read this as an Advanced Readers Copy.

If Something Happens to Me was excellently paced with relatable characters. I loved the settings moving across Europe. Literally could not put it down and finished this title in a day. Read this one if you like secret identities, mafia double crosses, and racing through Europe at breakneck speed!

I'd always intended to delve into Alex Finlay's books, yet somehow never found the opportunity. So, when his new book came out, I eagerly seized the chance. "If Something Happens to Me" by Alex Finlay is an exhilarating thriller brimming with action and suspense.

The narrative unfolds in third-person format, weaving between three subplots, each following different protagonists. It kicks off with a gripping incident: the abduction of a girl named Ali in Kansas from her car, her fate shrouded in uncertainty. Her boyfriend, Ryan, finds himself under suspicion, despite never facing arrest. The shadow of doubt forces him to change his last name and relocate.

Fast forward five years, Ryan is now in law school, striving to leave the past behind. While vacationing in Italy with his peers, a call from his father shatters his peace: Ali's car has been discovered submerged in a lake, with two bodies inside. The plot thickens when Ryan receives a cryptic message: "I need to see you. I know who you are."

Moving from Ryan's story, we meet Poppy, a deputy sheriff in Kansas, compelled to return to her hometown to care for her ailing father. Upon the discovery of Ali's car, she begins digging, uncovering more than she bargained for. The final storyline introduces Shane O’Leary, a Philadelphia mobster, and his bullied thirteen-year-old son.

I enjoyed the story very much. There was never a lull in the story, and it hit with dramatic detail, fast and furious. The tale alternates between those three storylines, which start separately and then overlap in interesting and surprising ways. Each chapter switches perspectives to follow different storylines, skillfully advancing their narratives. Initially, I pondered the connection between these storylines, but clarity emerged as the tales unfolded.

The narrative delves into themes of love, family, grief, friendship, revenge, and bullying. With a brisk pace and numerous twists—some anticipated once the storylines converged—the book proves difficult to set aside. I appreciated the nuanced portrayal of characters, where even the antagonists are not portrayed as strictly black and white.

Finlay's writing flows smoothly, crafted with finesse. The plot's twists and turns keep readers engaged and eager for more. His descriptive style vividly paints scenes without overwhelming the reader. As evident, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and intend to explore more of Finlay's work. It's an enjoyable read, likely to captivate a wide audience. I rate it five out of five stars and recommend it to fans of a fast-paced story with action-packed adventure.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

FIVE STARS!!!! Great book from beginning to end!

This is the first book I have read from author Alex Finley and let me tell you, it will NOT be my last!! This book had me hooked since the prologue. What a way to start a story full of suspense, anticipation, and unforeseeable twists!

This is what I call an unputdownable book! Please, please, please!! Read this book!! You will not be disappointed! I HIGHLY recommend if you want to read a mystery/thriller full of suspense!!! This one will surely keep you on your toes!!

I want to thank St Martin's Press and Minotaur Books for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!
I’ve never read anything like this before - it was a very refreshing, new type of thriller that kept me guessing and page turning to figure out how all these stories connect. My one complaint is the use of location at the beginning of the chapters rather than names. I am fully aware of why the author chose to do this, I just found it a little harder to follow than if they would’ve used names. Overall, I thought this was a great, quick read that kept me engaged and interested until the very end.

I went into this not knowing what to expect and I am happy to report this book was GOOD. I always enjoy a good multiple pov book and the way you can’t figure out how they tie together and then they do. As things were coming together, this book was genuinely heart pounding and I don’t think I’ve ever used that word to describe a book. My first by this author but safe to say not my last!

At first it took me a bit to get used to the three different storylines going on at the same time. After getting those straightened out in my head I was CAPTIVATED! Eventually the storylines come together in a twist that helped to give someone another chance at life. In the end it all came full circle with a walk in the rain.

This was a fast paced page turner that I couldn’t put down! There were a couple things I was able to figure out and a couple I didn’t. I really enjoyed it - it was a quick read and an interesting unraveling of the plot. One of my favorites of more recent thrillers that I’ve read.

I was provided an ARC from the publisher.

A thrilling, page turning read.
A student bullied at school commiits suicide leaving his parents seeking revenge on those responsible.
Allison and Ryan are at Lovers' Lane when Ryan is knocked put and Alison and the car disappear.
Five years later, Ryan has entered law school under a new name. Back home, the missing car has
been retrieved with two dead men but no Allison. As the investigation begins, Poppy McGee, deputy
sheriff, uncovers information not revealed in the investigation of Allison's disappearance and surprising
connections among those invovled. Ryan gets caught up in the investigation while on vacation in Italy
and returns home to help solve the mystery.
#IfSomethingHappenstoMe #StMartinsPress #NetGalley

If Something Happens to Me is an engaging, vivid thriller that demands attention and dares you to put it down. Adrenaline-fueled, edge of your seat stuff by Alex Finlay.

Ryan Richardson, haunted by the disappearance of his girlfriend Ali five years ago, lives under the weight of suspicion and online harassment. Despite never being charged, he changes his name and pursues a law career to move on. However, his past resurfaces when Ali's car is discovered in a lake with two bodies and a mysterious note, reigniting his quest for answers. During a trip to Italy with classmates, Ryan receives a chilling call from his father, leading him on a journey across continents to unravel the truth behind Ali's disappearance. Along the way, he encounters unexpected allies, including a rookie sheriff's deputy in Kansas and a mobster in Philadelphia, as he races against time to uncover the secrets of that fateful night.

Multiple storylines are expertly developed in parallel, containing twists and turns to keep readers off balance, before converging in an explosion of violence. Pulsating with an intensity that thrusts readers onward with a craving for discovering the truth and witnessing the end game. Which only works because the characters are expertly crafted with depth that elicit complex emotions. So, while they are divided between groups of characters that you root to succeed versus those you harbor hope of being destroyed, most of the individuals are not straight good or bad. Allowing readers to sympathize with the “bad guys” while still wishing for their demise…and harboring dislike for some of the actions of the “good guys” but ultimately cheering for them to win the day. A well-written, fast-paced and action-filled tale that’s brilliantly crafted by one hell of a thriller author.

A high school couple are about to leave for separate colleges and want to enjoy one last, special night together. The night will most certainly be memorable - but in the most awful way possible.

Ryan is hit over the head and Ali is taken. The community suspects Ryan so much that he tries to create a life somewhere else. That effort is thwarted when Ali's father's car is found in a lake five years later - with 2 dead men in it.

Plus, there's a coded, odd letter from Ali, a newbie detective on the case, a mob accountant on the run, and a crime family with its own dramas.

For a while, it isn't clear how all these things come together. But just enjoy the ride. This was my first book by this author, but it won't be the last. I read this thriller in a couple of sittings and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I want to thank St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars!

This is my second Alex Finlay book and again I am not disappointed! If you are a fan at all of police procedurals or crime novels I highly recommend this one. The surprises and twists never stop coming and I was legitimately shocked by several of them. The chapters are short but succinct and never dull. One of the big surprises happened at just 58% and I was wondering if that was going to be the big twist but NOPE! There were several more that kept coming and I gobbled it up. I couldn't put this down.

I only have one minor criticism and that is how many of the characters have several different aliases, or are referred to in different ways depending on who's perspective we are hearing from. It can be a bit confusing to keep track of who is who. By the end of the story I think I was able to gather who everyone was, but I was confused throughout a few times.

Overall, absolutely loved it. There are two other popular Alex Finlay books out there that I can't wait to get my hands on.

Absolutely loved this book!! So many twists and turns you’ll never guess what comes next. This book had me glued to the page. Full of suspense and not a dull moment. Great writing. I enjoyed the multiple stories being told and how they come together. Highly recommend this fantastic thriller! Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy. So good!!

4.5 stars!!! WOW this was sooo good. It held my from the first chapter and I finished this in about 2 hours. I really like how the author built the story up. I had no idea which was this was going to go and the ending caught me off guard. I would like to say that I am pretty good at figuring things out while the story develops but I could not with this one. Poppy quickly became my favorite character.

At times, the story was slightly hard to follow since it went back and forth but once I got it, it was easy. Super fast read! This was my first book by this author and I will definitely be reading more of his work.

Five years ago, an unknown assailant pulled Ryan's girlfriend, Ali, from her car. and knocked Ryan out in the process. Ali was never seen again. Ryan initially was the person of interest in the disappearance and the public's subject of suspicion. The police ultimately placed the blame on a serial killer - even though the killer vehemently denied that Ali was one of his victims. All these years later, Ali's car is found submerged in a lake, but she's not in it. What really happened to Ali, and can Ryan finally officially clear his name?

Every book I've read by Alex Finlay has been a 5-star read for me, and If Something Happens to Me is another 5-stars. I love how this author told this story - short chapters, multiple narrators in different locations, elements of mystery and suspense, twists and turns, the seemingly invincible villain, and the underdog. I legit couldn't put this one down and could total see this made into a limited series or movie. I loved it!