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.

Thanks to Netgalley and Head of Zeus for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In Kansas, a high school goes missing and her boyfriend is thought to be responsible, but then her car surfaces 5 years later in a nearby lake and she isn't in it. Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, a couple's son is being bullied and the father wants revenge on the culprits. What is the connection?

4.5 stars.

Another good one from this author who is on my must read list. I didn't really like his last action packed read, but his first 2 books were outstanding and he got back into form with this one. I love the travel element, where they were in Rome, England, Paris, and the story was fast paced, I read it in a day. I love a book that I don't want to put down and that's what this was. Looking forward to his next offering.

I jumped at the chance of reading this, I'd enjoyed a previous book very much.
This one too now, it cements Finlay as an autobuy author for me.
It has some good twists and turns, and surprises right up to the last page.
Characters you could like, characters you definitely wouldn't like, and interesting connections throughout.
Perfectly paced, and just an entertaining, if slightly tense read.

I've been in a bit of a reading slump recently taking 3 or 4 days to get through a book which would generally take me a day - two at most.

Picking up this one, I was convinced this would be a read in one sitting novel and it definitely was. As soon as you are dragged into the premise, a missing girl whose car is discovered five years on with two dead bodies in it (but not hers) then the book never lets go. It's the very definition of a page turner and you will need to know how it ends as soon as you pick it up.

Highly recommended to all. Thanks to Netgalley and Head of Zeus, Aries for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

One of my most anticipated thriller of the year, this is what you call a pacy, edge-of-the-seat popcorn thriller. Checks every single box with perfectly developed characters and a brilliant premise and several cliffhangers to make the ride ever so entertaining!

Texas - Alison Lane gets abducted and no one knows what happened to her. Her boyfriend takes the blame.

Italy - Five years later, Ryan has now changed his name and is pursuing Law. His life is fine, protected by a high profile solicitor back in Texas, until a phone call from his dad changes everything.

Alison's car has been discovered but with two dead guys inside. Who are they and where is Alison?

With a new local sheriff trying to figure out the biggest puzzle of all time, If Anything Happens To Me is a pacy edge-of-the-seat suspense thriller that takes us from small-town Texas to Italy with twists thrown everywhere. There are several POVs and just when you think you've figured it out, you're in for so many action sequences.

Loved it and comes highly recommended.