Wow! Another page turner from Alex Finlay! A fast paced book that's gripping with multiple twists packed. The book caught my attention right from the first chapter and I couldn't put it down. It's a fast read as I finished it in a day, simply because I had to find out what was going on. And absolutely didn't see some of the twists coming!

It has multiple PoVs and timelines but at no point did I get lost. All the narratives come together to build the story. Even at times when it seems unrelated. Has to be a 5 star read for me!

Thank you NetGalley and Head of Zeus/Aries for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.

3.5 rounded down to 3/5 stars.

I’ll begin by saying that Alex Finlay’s books are some of the fastest reads for me. For some reason time seems to work differently while I’m reading them which is both a good and bad thing. Good I can always count on them to pull me out of a reading slump or prevent me from falling into one and bad because they tend to lack significance, memorability, or that special something.

This book leaned more towards mystery than thriller which I didn’t mind much because the plot line is solid, the twists are intriguing and the numerous POVs weren't overly exhausting to follow.
Halfway through I was convinced this was gonna be a 5 start rating, but then I stated noticing the main issues.

All of the characters felt more like conduits for the plot rather than fully fleshed-out people, there was zero character development and as a result I couldn’t get invested in any of them.
Also, the pacing was off. So much time was spent on finding out what’s been going on only to then wrap up everything in a few rushed chapters that felt quite unfinished.
Additionally, the 1 year later chapter in my opinion was completely unnecessary as it doesn’t add anything of value .

I'd still recommend this book to anyone who isn't into crime/mysteries much. It's a good, fast-paced read that can ease readers into the genre. However, I think more seasoned readers might find it a bit lackluster.

Thank you NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the digital ARC!

Having delved into Alex Finlay's work for the first time with "If Something Happens to Me," I'm already eager to try more from this author. This fast-paced novel gripped me from the start, and I couldn't put it down until the final page. With each twist and turn, Finlay masterfully weaves a captivating tale that kept me on the edge of my seat. An absolute thrill ride—5 stars without a doubt.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy.

My first read from this author and as the blub sounded like my kind of read, I was excited to get reading.
A great page turner with three different stories that left me wondering where we were going but come together they did and it all made sense At no time did the story lag and it was a gripping story with lots happening but still easy to read and hard to put down.
It was a very satisfying read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Head of Zeus for the ARC

4.5 stars
If Something Happens to Me is an absolute binge-worthy novel. The novel is divided into three parts and the first part has three alternating storylines about a law student, a mob boss and his young son, and a new deputy sheriff in the town of Leavensworth. I guess nobody could have predicted that on Poppy McGee’s first day they would find a missing girl’s car with two bodies inside. The questions were really burning on my lips in this one. How was this all connected? Who were those people they found in the car? The chapters were short and compelling and Alex Finlay knows what he’s doing, my attention didn’t drop for even a slight second and he had me questioning in every chapter what was going on.

Ryan Richardson saw his girlfriend for the last time 5 years ago but with new evidence emerging (her car and a note in her handbag) there are people coming out of the woods. Ryan knew he hadn’t imagined Pinky guy when he was grabbed on that night (the man lost two of his digits) when he suddenly sees him again but he's certainly not going to let him get away a second time! It's going to be a rollercoaster of the deadly kind!

Parts 2 and 3 blend the three storylines superbly in ways I had not imagined, and yet, there are still a lot more questions, about the cryptic note, the mystery man and who Poppy can trust in all of this. I had a field day trying to discern who was good and bad and if you are a little paranoid by nature you can eat your heart out at being suspicious. The sheriff, the FBI lady, the KBI lady (the foreign examiner), or even Poppy's own brother or father, who oh who knows more than they let on? I will only say I had someone in mind in Poppy’s entourage very early on, someone who seemed suspicious for me but that was just another brilliant red herring from the author and I completely fell for it.

Would I recommend this novel? Without a doubt. It’s a perfect fit for readers who enjoy C.L. Taylor or Claire Douglas. It's grippingly unpredictable with a whole lot of tension. What could you want more? The only thing I’d maybe change is that the ending was wrapped up a bit too quickly.

This was unputdownable. I was gripped throughout. Wanting to see how each story connected. The reveals left me shocked. I didn't see them coming.
The writing was fast paced with short chapters that made it so much easier to get through.
The ending has left me with questions. I wouldn't mind a book two following the end of this book.

Five years ago, Ryan Richardson's girlfriend Ali was abducted, leaving him injured and emotionally devastated. He is haunted by nightmares featuring glimpses of an unknown man, and is desperate to find answers.

After changing his name in an attempt to move on, Ryan is dragged back into the past from his new life in Law School when the car that he was thrown out of is found after dredging a lake in his hometown. But the only sign of Ali is a note that seems to be adding to the mystery rather than explaining it...

This is a gripping story with plenty of twists, featuring more than a few locations. Suspenseful and absorbing, it gets 3.5 stars.

I loved reading The Night Shift by Alex Findlay so I was really excited for this one. It had me hooked straight away and I did not want to put it down.

Five years ago, Alex and his girlfriend, Alison, were both in her car when the door is ripped open, he is hit on the head and she is taken. Fast forward to today, Deputy Sheriff Poppy receives word that Alison's car has been found submerged in Suncatcher Lake with the remains of two males. But where is Alison? And so begins the investigation.

I enjoyed that the story was told in short, easy to read chapters from the alternating points-of-view of mainly Alex, Poppy, mobster Shane and Michael, who owes a debt to Shane.

There were however way too many characters for me to really buy in to any of them. Ryan is painted as the primary character, but he wasn't overly interesting. The author tried to cram too much into the story that when the twists happened, it just became yet another thing to digest rather than delivering the shock factor.

Ryan Richardson will never ever forget the night five years ago when his girlfriend Ali Lane is taken screaming from her car and he receives a blow to the head. Hours later when he recovers consciousness, the car is gone and so is Ali. Probably inevitably, a cloud of suspicion hangs over his head and although he’s never charged, he faces tough questioning. The experience definitely scars him but motivates him to want to study law and currently he’s in Italy on a law school trip with some classmates. Whilst there, he receives a call from his father informing him that Alice’s car has been discovered submerged in Suncatcher Lake. Inside are the bodies of two men, and some possessions of Ali’s including a cryptic note ‘If something happens to me’ …. This news sends Ryan into a tail spin, but when he believes he sees the man who has haunted him since that shocking night, his anxiety levels rocket to sky high. Thus starts a quest that takes Ryan from Italy to England, France and eventually back to Leavenworth in Kansas.

Meanwhile in Leavenworth, newly appointed Deputy Sheriff Poppy McGee is working the case and how on earth does Philly mob leader Shane O’Leary fit into the mystery? The story is told via Ryan, Poppy and Shane, the latter giving us a conundrum to figure out.

Thwack. Can you hear that? That’s the whack of the ball as Alex Finlay knocks it out the park, again. I love the way that he deepens the mystery, as if he’s dropped a stone into water with the concentric circles rippling out. It’s multilayered, unsettling, there are some fantastic images and great settings that provide an atmosphere backdrop to the unfolding jaw dropping drama.

It’s a totally engaging and thrilling storyline, the pace is spot on keeping you on the edge of your seat, turning pages and desperate to get to the truth. The tension levels escalate, at times I can scarcely breathe as the danger is so intense especially as I become wrapped up in Ryan’s life and Poppy’s actions. These are very likeable characters, they’re resourceful, brave and full of gumption.

Overall, Alex Finlay delivers yet again, making him an auto read author for me. It’s clever but also fun and highly entertaining. Yes, there’s a bit of disbelief suspension but what a ride! It’s a cracker of a read, an easy five stars and one I can highly recommend.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Head of Zeus/Aries for the much appreciated and returned for an honest review.

I really enjoy this authors books, this is another great read.
Factor in a missing student, the students then boyfriend, a newly appointed deputy sheriff fresh from the military, and a gangster and you have links to a fast paced thriller set around the world.
Really engaging and well written as per the author, this is a winner

I’ve read the last 4 books from this author and whilst I enjoyed Every Last Fear, none of the other books have lived up to that one in my opinion.

It has short snappy chapters and it was really quick to get through so thumbs up for that.

This book follows 3 narratives and whilst I don’t mind different POVs there were way too many characters in this book for me to care much about them and so the ‘twists’ when they came were just meh.

This book currently has a 4.26 rating so clearly some people are loving it but sadly it just wasn’t for me and unless the synopsis really sounds like my thing I’m not sure this authors future books are for me.

Thank you to netgalley for providing an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If Something Happens to Me has an intriguing premise which the book further manages to develop into a page-turner. A missing girl, a newly appointed deputy sheriff and a gangster are all linked by events in this fast paced thriller that takes place in the US, Italy, England and France.

Very involving and written in a way that will keep the reader engrossed, If Something Happens to Me is definitely going to be a hit with a lot of readers.

For the past five years, Ryan Richardson has relived that terrible night. The car door ripping open. The crushing blow to the head. The hands yanking him from the vehicle. His girlfriend Ali’s piercing scream as she is taken.
Ryan is still stuck in the past, that night when his girlfriend was taken. While he has gone off to law school and has a new group of friends, he's had to change his name due to the ongoing suspicion that somehow he was involved. Then one day, he gets the call - Ali's car has finally been found at the bottom of the lake in his hometown. But the contents of the vehicle bring more questions than answers and he is drawn in to investigate and relive the past all over again.
This was Action packed and incredibly tense. I flew through the pages, having to be mindful to slow down at times as I just could not wait to see what would happen next. The writing was masterful in the way the author weaved the clues throughout and this will definitely be one of my favourites this year.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this gifted review copy.

Five years ago, Ryan and his girlfriend Ali sneak off in her fathers BMW to do what young couples do. They are about to go their separate ways to different collages and want one more special night to themselves. They drive and park at their special place but soon something terrible happens that will have long term consequences for them both.

Ryan has been under suspicion for five long years, but he is adamant he had nothing to so with Ali’s disappearance. Ryan has now commenced law school but has changed his name so hopefully his past will not haunt him and somehow, he can begin to move on with his life.

Out of the blue Ali’s father’s car is then found submerged in their hometown lake and there is one piece of evidence that has remained intact.

As with all of Alex Finlay’s books this is another excellent page turner. I picked it up yesterday afternoon and did not put it down until I had finished. It has a brilliant plot and cast of characters, I found myself on tenterhooks several times throughout the book and was on the edge of my seat as I kept reading to see how it would all resolve. If you have not read this author’s books, I really suggest you give them a try, they are of a high quality and as soon as I see his name I do not even bother reading the blurb. A five-star read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy, all opinion expressed are my own.

5 years ago Ryan's girlfriend Alison was snatched from her car. She was never found.

However when Ryan on holiday he sees a familiar person, the person who took Alison.

Who is he and what's happened to Alison?

At first I struggled to get in the book. Too many characters with different narratives, however as I read on these narratives starting to come together and I could not put the book down.

My Rating: 2⭐️⭐️ sitting out here on outlier island… very meh for me!!

Ali and Ryan are high school sweethearts out at lovers lane the last night of school. Its all young love and fun until someone smashes Ryan over the head leaving him for dead and kidnaps Ali only for no one to ever see her again.

There are secrets and lies and five years later is Ryan about to crack the case wide open and who is that going to put in danger.

Alrighty, at the time of writing this review (7 April 2024) this has a Goodreads rating of 4.26 with 763 ratings… quite popular. Those reviews are most positive and people seem to love it… however, for me this was what I can only describe as meh! It started strong and I thought it was going to be for me. I knew it would be a chuck your disbelief out the window kind of story and that was true… but it just didn’t do it for me.

What I did like was the alternating POVs I do love changes in timelines and the parts of the book and the POV changes.. that always is a winner. The short chapters were awesome I loved that and it did go quite quickly. So all of that was positive. It was set up as a winner…

Everything else however just fell flat… I felt like the writing style was very hand holdy (or as Lit With Leigh would say Close Caption) I didn’t feel like there was much in the way of letting the reader work out what was happening through nuance and imagination. Especially the Epilogue which was probably the worst part of this book.

I think the author was trying to make this story exciting and that definitely came through but to do this he put so much into the story that there was TOO MUCH in there… I get why … it was intersecting storyline’s so we could go oooh that twist… which was ok… the twist midway made me raise an eyebrow with interest but it wasn’t that far removed from what was happening so it was quite believable for the story. In terms of the ending twist… I guessed it… which is fine… I didn’t care about that… but it didn’t leave much left to get excited about.

It just got really boring sorry to say… there were all these characters and none of them (except for maybe Poppy and Michael) were that interesting. I wasn’t really rooting for anyone, I didn’t really care what happened to any of them… and really I was kind of glad it was over.

As I said earlier that epilogue … ugh… I didn’t like it. And if we were going to get a wrap up of some chracters why not others… I dunno I just really didn’t care by the end. I have been putting off reading this authors books because I have head they can go a bit wild which I don’t mind sometimes but also have to be in the mood for it. I was ready to roll … and it was just kind of boring.

Overall, I am on outlier island with my review… I suspect most people will love this, most people are already loving this. So if you love this author and are thinking oh how disappointing… ignore me and read it anyway. I think this will be a super popular mainstream popcorn thriller and most people will enjoy it… it just wasn’t really for me.

Thank you to Head of Zeus/Aries, NeGalley and Alex Finlay for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A taut page turner, 'If Something Happens to Me' is a wild ride of three stories converging on each other that had my jaw dropping when major pieces of the puzzle clicked into place.

Five years ago Ryan Richardson lost his girlfriend Alison after a visit to Lovers Lane where he's bashed on the head and wakes up to find her and her car gone. Now a law student, he's in Italy when a note is left for him asking to meet the next day. Meanwhile in Leavenworth Kansas, new deputy sheriff Poppy begins her first day with the news Alison's car has been dredged up from the lake with two dead men and a cryptic note from her. The final story is set in Philadelphia, where a young mobster's son is being bullied at his exclusive high school resulting in tragedy.

Alex Finlay knows how to keep the plot moving forward with short, sharp chapters deftly going between each story. It felt like watching a movie. I was absolutely glued to this book and finished it quickly as I was on the edge of my seat. If I had any quibble it would be that once we had all the missing pieces together I kinda lost a bit of interest waiting for the final showdown.

Thanks to Head of Zeus and NetGalley for the ARC.

This author is a “must read” for me as he never disappoints.

Ryan’s girlfriend disappeared 5 years ago leaving him the main suspect. After changing his name and moving on Ryan is pulled back into the investigation after the car they were using that night is found at the bottom of a lake.
Several narratives twist and weave, eventually joining in a way I didn’t see coming.

Character driven, strong storytelling, great book.

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 a rare occasion 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.

Anticipated publication date: 28 May 2024.
⚠️ Please check TWs online, notably some pretty tough HS bullying scenes ⚠️

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for my honest review.