I was excited to read the new Alex Finlay book …If Something Happens to Me. I was a big fan of Night Shift. This book was a pretty straight forward plot .. I figured out a couple of the big reveals pretty early. I didn’t always feel the characters were well developed. Some of the story lines were a little far-fetched.
Wasn’t terrible but neither was it memorable.
Thanks NetGalley for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved all the twists and turns in If Something Happens to Me. There were definitely surprises throughout the book, which kept my attention. There were definitely several characters who personified the “good people who do bad things.” I really enjoyed these characters, so when karma paid a visit, I was devastated. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the ending - one main relationship was brushed over, with no explanation on why things ended the way it did.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC, in exchange for my honest review.

If Something Happens to Me" by Alex Finlay totally blew my mind! This book had me hooked right from the start, like seriously, I couldn't put it down for a second!

First off, the way Finlay connects all these different stories together is next-level awesome. I was like, "Whoa, wait, what?!" when everything finally clicked, and let me tell you, it was EPIC! Like, I did not see that coming at all, but it made so much sense and tied everything together perfectly.

And the characters? Ugh, don't even get me started! Ryan, Ali, Poppy, the O'Leary fam - each one is so vividly drawn and compelling that I found myself emotionally invested in their fates. And the way their lives intersected in unexpected ways kept me on the edge of my seat, desperate to uncover the truth.

Seriously, if you're into mystery and thriller stuff, you HAVE to read this book. It's got everything—twists, turns, drama, t and did I mention the jaw-dropping moments?! Alex Finlay totally nailed it with this one, and now I'm, like, dying to read everything else he has written.

If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay

4.5 stars
A huge thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for the ARC ebook.

This is the second book I’ve read by Alex Finlay and it is another terrific read. I like the short chapters because it makes me keep flipping the pages thinking that I’ll only read one more chapter and it leads to one more and one more. An entertaining read from first page to last.

A fast paced thriller with an intense plot that is well written with great characters. So glad I requested this and was able to get it. Checked all boxes of what I like in a good mystery/thriller. Best to go in with not too much info so you aren’t spoiled.

Story with dead bodies, local crime boss, a missing girl and a new Deputy Sheriff that will stop at nothing to resolve the mystery surrounding this incident from years past along with a tad bit of romance.

If you like thrillers that feature several different characters whose stories all intertwine, with a few good twists and a fast pace, I’m sure you’ll like IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME.

Ryan has lived under a cloud of suspicion since his girlfriend, Ali, was mysteriously kidnapped five years ago. He’s now in law school, but he always feels like a piece of him is missing.

Meanwhile, a rookie deputy is starting her first day on the job in her Kansas hometown when Ali’s car is found submerged in a lake. Inside is a mysterious note that Ryan might be able to decipher.

There are mobsters and hitmen, cryptic clues and jetsetting. There’s friendship and love and sacrifice and revenge. This is a really well written thriller and I enjoyed it a lot. I'm giving it three and a half stars, rounded up to four.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the early digital copy of IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME in exchange for my honest review.

Alex Finlay is back with another twisty face paced thriller that will have you turning pages late into the night! The book uses multiple overlapping POVs to tell the story of the disappearance of one of the main characters (Ali) and her boyfriend who, at the time, who was accused of the crime. As the story unfolds the mystery of the disappearance is revealed along with a lot of overlapping related plot twists. I enjoyed the clever way the author told the story with different timelines in the plot to lead the reader to assume the story was taking place present day. In typical Alex Finlay fashion there is a fair amount of gore/violence in the organized crime parts of the book.

What I liked:
Multiple POVs and timelines occurring throughout the book
Fast paced page turner with lots of great twists
Lots of interesting and shady characters who made the book interesting

What I didn't like:
One of the plot twists at the end was super obvious and took a way a little momentum for me
Some of the plot was somewhat unbelievable but didn't detract from the story
I didn't find the ending to be very strong and it fizzled out a tad over the last few chapters for me

Overall I really enjoyed this book and give it a 4.5/5

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur books for a digital ARC copy of this book.

This was a clever, fast paced novel with a plot that held the readers interest. There is a lot of murder and mayhem and mafia killings that were excessive in my opinion. There were several characters that were very much stereotypes and unoriginal. I dud enjoy the narrative but ultimately it did not rate five stars. The effects media has on teenagers is so blatantly dangerous and this book definitely highlighted this problem. For that it deserves applause.

If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay
4 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin's Press Minotaur Books for a copy of this ARC!

When Ryan's girlfriend Alison is taken, with him as the only witness, he is thrown into suspicion. Though he has never been charged with her disappearance, public opinion believes he is guilty. Ryan changed his last name, and our story takes place on a summer trip abroad with his law-school classmates.

While in Italy, Ryan gets a call from his dad saying that Alison's car has been found - and it contains two dead bodies, and a cryptic note titled "if something happens to me...". Ryan roams around Europe trying to solve the mystery of what happens to Ali.

My thoughts:
If Something Happens to Me is a multiple-POV thriller with different storylines that take a while to all join together. While the synopsis focuses on Ryan's POV, there are a lot of characters to keep track of. I do feel like this was organized and written in a way that made it easy to keep them straight, but there was a lot going on at times. That being said, it was engaging, exciting, and I was eager to find out what had happened to Ali all those years ago.

This talented author has written a page turner. Love and romance…red herrings and secrets…family and friends… the realistic characters keep this story moving…a quick read…intrigue. Thanks Netgalley.

Alex Finlay never ceases to amaze me. This novel is a fantastic read!

My initial reaction to this novel was that I was hooked immediately from the first page to the final page. The book was more plot-driven than his other books. It works well because of its fast pace. I like that!

I love everything about this book. The short chapters with a storyline like this one kept me well engaged. I didn’t find any lags in the book whatsoever. The incredible part of the book was how Mr. Finlay constructed his plot. Simply amazing!

I was satisfied with the book’s ending. Everyone, somewhat, had a happily ever after, well, except one character, LOL!

Please add this book to your bookshelf or Kindle library. Alex Finlay is one of those authors you’ll never forget because his brilliant storytelling is just the icing on the cake!

I read this one pretty quick. It was available for 72 hours on Netgalley. I wasn't sure if I had to read the whole thing in that time so I powered through! I've read others by this author and enjoyed them. This one was suspenseful and intriguing from the start. There were a lot of different characters and POVs to keep track of. I felt the beginning and middle were stronger than the end. Overall, a nice mystery suspense book to get me through a Monday.

I was completely captivated from the first page. The story twists and turns, yet brings you right back to where it all began. The multiple storylines all intertwined flawlessly. Once I started reading, I had to finish the book.

Five years ago, Ryan's girlfriend, Ali, went missing. Ryan was there when it happened - he was struck on the head and saw the hands of someone taking Ali from the vehicle. After all the years, Ali and her vehicle were never been found. Ryan was never charged with Ali's disappearance but that doesn't keep people from suspecting that he was involved. And suddenly, Ali's vehicle turns up with two dead men. The police also find a cryptic note, "if something happens to me..." Ryan also sees a man that he remembers from the night of Ali's disappearance. He starts to re-question everything and is pulled into a young sheriff's new investigation. What happened to Ali? And who are these other men that were involved?

Alex Finlay is known for his great thrillers - this one did not disappoint! It is filled with complex layers that keep you on your toes until the very end. All the intricate stories and characters weave together to make an enjoyable and suspenseful read. I also love thrillers with short chapters - keeps me wanting more! Alex Finlay succeeded with a well thought out storyline that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Thank you St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.w

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an ecopy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. I was hooked from page one. It was really an intriguing and suspenseful read. I just wanted to know the mystery so almost every chapter kept me engaged. I wasn't too fond of the multiple POV because sometimes it can get confusing when there are too many POV. Once it was revealed who was who and why everything happened, it was just a matter of how long until the ending that made it a bit dull. I didn't care much for the Epilogue. I get it, some readers want to know the aftermath of the lives that were entertwine but I felt like the ending was being dragged out too long that made me lose interest. Overall, it was a quick and good read!

If you've read any Alex Finlay books than you know it is going to be a good time. A convoluted story that somehow just works. You accept it. You step off the ride. You hand out 5 stars and wait patiently for the next ride to stop and pick you up. That is an Alex Finlay book. A great ride you wait patiently for every year in the hopes that it's just as good as last year's ride. And this one was. 5 stars.

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the eARC of If Something Happens to Me by @alexfinlayauthor in exchange for an honest review!

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 It has been five years since Ryan’s fiancé and high school sweetheart, Ali, vanished into thin air. He is absolutely traumatized by the memory of being forced out of the car they were traveling in together that then drove off with her in it, never to be seen or heard from. The grief is immeasurable for Ryan whose involvement is questioned relentlessly but he does his best to move on…until her car is found.
This gripping psychological thriller pulls you in from the beginning, making it impossible to put down! Alex Finlay creates a strong supporting cast of characters whose perspectives all weave together, drawing the reader in, and heightening the mystery of this story. If Something Happens to Me is a masterpiece in storytelling, one that will leave you guessing throughout the twists and turns!

Review is posted on Goodreads and will be on Instagram well ahead of the publication date!

If Something Happens to Me is the first book I’ve read by Alex Finlay, and it won’t be the last. It was a complete thrill ride as new sheriff in Leavenworth, Kansas tries to figure out a 5 year old cold case.

Chapters are short and gripping and represent a few different characters’ points of view. We have the new sheriff, the law student with a changed name because he was in the car when his then girlfriend vanished and once a suspect, the father of the vanished girl, and a couple of mafia chiefs. While this may seem chaotic, the author pulls it all together. Not only is the mystery in part one gripping, the cat and mouse chases in parts two and three are thrilling. Yet the book is more than the suspenseful plot. We care about the characters and they are all well-developed. I also liked that the action took place in areas in Europe as well as the US.

This a was a fun read and I could not put it down.

Thank you NetGalley for making this available for an advance reading! Even with several different POVs it was easy to follow. It was a fun, unpredictable ride and I thought the twists were well executed. The plot was addictive and kept me engaged and thoroughly entertained

Five years ago, Ryan and Ali’s date is brutally interrupted when a blow to the head knock’s Ryan out and Ali and her car disappear. Suspicion follows Ryan: was he somehow involved? Grieving, unable to prove his innocence, remembering only an unknown man’s face, Ryan finally changes his name and gets into law school. Then a call from his father: Ali’s car has been found submerged in a local lake, with two men’s bodies and an envelope with a cryptic note in Ali’s handwriting, “If anything happens to me…” Soon after, when Ryan spots the face that has long haunted his dreams in a crowd, the chase is on. What happened to Ali? Will he live to find out? Fast moving suspense, with surprising twists and turns; a satisfying read.

Another winner from Finlay! This reminded me a lot of Every Last Fear - fast paced with a very tight plot. It bounces from Kansas to Philadelphia to Europe, but it’s seamless and comes together so well. Very suspenseful and with short chapters, it’s easy to fly through and I read it in one sitting. It’s also a book where it’s best to know just the blurb and then let the story unfold.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy and a chance to read this early. All opinions are my own.