The narrative was great! Kept me guessing and intrigued. The only thing, and this has nothing to do with the book, poppy Mcgee. I have a dog names poppy and thats exactly what I call him. Couldn't help but smile each time :)

Alex Finlay is one of my immediate #addtocart authors so I couldn't wait to listen to this audiobook! The plot centers around a missing girl, a mob boss, and a sheriff and how their lives become intertwined. The author wastes no time and hooks the reader in immediately with the first chapter when Allison gets taken with her boyfriend Ryan in the passenger seat next to her. Ryan is then accused of her murder for the rest of his life and has no idea what happened to her.

Things I liked:
The storytelling and the plot of this novel is very original and descriptive. Finlay does a phenomenal job detailing the characters for you so you can be right there with them as he is telling the story. The author also does a great job with making sure the story came full circle and tied up any loose ends that the reader might question. The fact that three narrators were used since there were a ton of characters really helped me follow along and keep track of who was talking.

Things that I wasn't a fan of:
The plot twists, although surprising, were not jaw droppers for me, I could predict the ending pretty much before it was revealed especially due to the foreshadowing earlier. Also, one character in particular- the man with four fingers- I wish we would have gotten a little more about him.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for my advanced audiobook in exchange for my honest review. I will still be reading another Alex Finlay book very soon!

Yet another fun Alex Finlay thriller!! Was it a bit crazy and unbelievable?! Yes. But do unbelievable things happen in this life time every day? Also yes! It was fast paced, thrilling and the blend of characters really is what made this book! There’s quite a few to follow but once you have each one and their story imprinted on your mind, it’s easy to follow. Each of their stories blended into one extremely wild thriller lol but I loved how it was told!

Like most thrillers, I rarely read the full synopsis and I definitely recommend that with this one!it’s binge worthy and fun and that’s all you really need to know!

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the gifted copy. #MacAudio2024

This popcorn thriller was filled with buttery plot twists and salty antagonists. I enjoyed every minute of this. The way the author connected the two storylines, I didn't see it coming at all.

Ali is kidnapped. Everyone blames Ryan and thinks he killed her, leaving him with the aftermath. Shane is seeking revenge for his son's bullies. And Poppy is stuck in the middle of it all, coming back home from the military to become a deputy sheriff and putting the puzzle pieces together for all the storylines.

It was hard to keep up with all the POVs and storylines going on at first, but they eventually came together. As a reader, this is one of the thrillers where you have to pay attention to almost every detail for you to understand how everything fits. I did have an issue with the slight mention of police brutality. I really do not think that was handled tastefully considering all MC's were white, and we know that white people have privileges when it comes to the police that minorities do not. It also did not add to the story, so why on earth was it written? I don't know, but me mentioning this is not a deal-breaker for the book; it is constructive criticism, and for me to remember, if I see it again, I won't tolerate it.

Although the book had its flaws, I'd still recommend it for a quick, thrilling read. Alex is a great storyteller, and I want to check out more of his books. 

4.5/5

3.5⭐️

Big thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books & Macmillan Audio for the ARC & ALC copies of this new thriller, out 5/28!!!

This was actually my first book of Finlay's, though I do have a couple of his others on my TBR list!
I really enjoyed how this one started with a suspenseful opening and really kept us guessing on what was going on. I thought that it did get a little slower towards the middle, and I started to piece together what was going on, but the story still worked out well.

I definitely think a different ending would have suited this better, but it definitely did not take away from my enjoyment of the book overall.

My downside with this one is that there were quite a few characters, and at times I felt myself a little confused on who was where and doing what. However, I will say that MacMillan Audio did a great job distinguishing between the characters, and that really helped alot!

I will definitely pick up another of Finlay's books, as I thought this was an enjoyable thriller.

Thanks to MacMillan & NetGalley for providing an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my second Alex Finlay book, and I did enjoy this one a bit better than the last. However, the plot is, well, let's say highly unlikely. That's fine, I'm a believer in thrillers being just a little bit incredible, but if the book doesn't absolutely carry me away, then I nitpick the credibility {shrug}

We have: teen lovers, mafia (which are Irish, for some reason, in Philadelphia? We don't have Irish mobsters here, ALEX), accountants, law students, and a brand-new-to-the-job-today Deputy Sheriff, covering at least three locations (including Europe).

Once upon a time, there was a mobster whose accountant helped the mobster get his kid into a cushy private school. where the kid was bullied. Things go downhill from there, and it takes a looooonnng time to find out how all the threads are connected.

While we wait, there's a missing girl, a boy convicted in the court of public opinion, and some gnarly torture of an LEO (kinda wish that one wasn't sticking with me).

If you like stories about wrongly-accused but good-hearted kids, this might be for you. Overall, I liked it: it was mostly fast-paced (a bit slow here and there) and it kept my interest. I don't think I'll run out and read the next Finlay book, they're a little generic for my taste, but it was entertaining enough and I'll probably RA it to some of my mystery peeps who haven't tried him yet.

3.5 stars rounded to 4

This was my first Alex Finlay and I definitely can see how masterful this author is with mystery and thrillers! While having a romp on lovers lane, Ryan and Allison are having a moment up until things get incredibly rough, with a knock to the head and a shrill scream. Ryan awakens without Allison who is effectively missing, though there are many who think Ryan is responsible for it. However the web tangles deeper than a random abduction, soon enough clues start appearing and it dives into a world of the mafia, crooked informants, and ultimately a big reveal that explains why what happened to Allison that night was necessary. I feel like the audio for this was very emotive but for me it made me lose the plot going from POV to POV, which is why I feel this reads better on print rather than listening. But the structure of figuring out the mystery along with the high stakes was very interesting to read!

🚗Mini Review🚗
*
Summary: 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.

With no trace of Ali or the car, a cloud of suspicion hangs over Ryan. But with no proof and a good lawyer, he’s never charged, though that doesn’t matter to the podcasters and internet trolls. Now, Ryan has changed his last name, and entered law school. He’s put his past behind him.

Until, on a summer trip abroad to Italy with his law-school classmates, Ryan gets a call from his father: Ali’s car has finally been found, submerged in a lake in his hometown. Inside are two dead men and a cryptic note with five words written on the envelope in Ali’s handwriting: If something happens to me…

Then, halfway around the world, the unthinkable happens: Ryan sees the man who has haunted his dreams since that night.

As Ryan races from the rolling hills of Tuscany, to a rural village in the UK, to the glittering streets of Paris in search of the truth, he has no idea that his salvation may lie with a young sheriff’s deputy in Kansas working her first case, and a mobster in Philadelphia who’s experienced tragedy of his own.
*
Rating- ⭐️⭐️
*
My thoughts: this one was quite disappointing thank you @macmillanusa and @netgalley for the advanced copy but this was not for me. There were way too many characters and contradicting plot lines. It felt like two different books shoved into one. I almost DNFed but I normally love this author, this was just not it for me.. I couldn’t get into the characters on this one at all. I just really didn’t like this one at all 😂 the twist was fun and that’s what earned it the stars but this was a totally meh and weird read.
*
QOTD- do you enjoy audio books? I had this one as audio and it was a full cast which was super fun to listen to! Unfortunately that was about all the fun I had 😂
*
#ifsomethinghappenstome #alexfinlay #bookreview #bookstagram #booksofig #booksofinstagram #bookworm #booklover #bookobsessed #bookaddict #bookaesthetic #readersgonnaread #readmorebooks

Many thanks to NetGalley and Alex Finlay for the complementary advanced audio copy in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve read Alex Finlay before and have rated them at a solid 3/3.5. I would say that this book meets that same rating.

Let me start off with what I appreciated about the book. First, it is an interesting story. I liked that it took some time for the dots to connect regarding how all the separate character stories linked together. I found myself wanting to continue the story to find out what was going to happen to the main characters - such as Ryan, Ali, and Poppy. Finlay knows how to craft narratives in a way to make sure you know and understand each character and their motives. I would say that Ryan was my favorite. He is so steadfast in his beliefs and in trying to find Ali. He really is a sweetheart. I also liked how Ali matured and was finally ready to take a stand.

Without giving much away, there is a band of brothers/military story interwoven in the story. I enjoyed that perspective and how a small town cop gets a fresh look - instead of being a crooked cop, he is actually a decent cop. I wish the story regarding this group was a bit tighter and more detailed. I felt like the 8 fingered man didn’t quite get the full explanation he deserved - aka a better understanding of his full involvement.

Here’s what I was disappointed by - the ending. I don’t like when you know a betrayal is coming. As soon as you are introduced to that character - you know that she is going to betray the group…and it’s not even a surprise. The climax at the end is so short and quick - that when you come to the resolution, you’re left thinking if that was really the best way for the book to end. It almost felt like a cop out. But, at the same time, the way Finlay sets it up - it makes sense to end that way.

I listened to the audiobook and found that you don’t know when you’re jumping timelines. I think the author tries not to tell you the timelines so that you’re left waiting longer to put the stories together. I am not a fan of that, but I think it’s just a personal preference.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and would read another Alex Finlay story.

I really enjoyed this one! I loved the twist of why and the mafia ties behind it all. Finlay did a great job keeping me on my toes for the entirety and the connections between all the characters was very well written.

If Something Happens To Me by Alex Finlay. WOW! This book was good! I knew everything would eventually come together but I had NO idea how. Once It started to come together.. I was SHOOK! The characters, the plot, the twists - EVERYTHING WAS AMAZING! Kept me on the edge of my seat, for sure! The narrator was fantastic. Read this book!

This started off so good.

In the prologue, we have two teenagers about to go off to college. They have dated throughout high school and tonight is <i>the</i> night. Except suddenly Ryan is hit on the head and Ali is taken. Everyone thinks Ryan did something to Ali- enough that he has to change his name and quit basketball. Ryan has vague memories of a very average face and only eight fingers. Five years later, while abroad, Ryan sees him- the eight fingered monster. He races to confront him, hoping to finally have answers to what happened to him five years ago.

But then it got less good. Not bad. Just pretty predictable. Not sure if any of the twists were supposed to be shocking surprises- but they weren't. I saw them all coming way before they happened. All the suspense built in the very beginning, then it all unravels at once and becomes predictable.

This story is told through multiple POVs. Three narrators were used for the audiobook- Helen Laser, John Pirhalla, and Paul Dateh. Basically it was 'female', 'young man', and 'middle aged or older man'. I appreciate the effort, but it is kind of weird. I always like multiple narrators, but we had multiples but fewer narrators than POVs. Made it kind of weird.

I received an advance audio book in exchange for an honest review.

Overall this was a pretty good thriller and had some really tense and exciting moments. I will admit that I usually love when there are multiple narrators and several characters that I can immerse myself in… but I found myself getting a bit lost at times while listening to this book. I found it hard to keep track of the timelines as we went from past to present (maybe reading the book would have made this easier?) and there were so many storylines to keep up with!

As I have come to expect with Alex Finlay, there were some great twists and revelations in this book. I was interested throughout and even though I felt a little lost at times, it never deterred me from listening and wanting to know how it would end. Another solid thriller!!

IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME - Alex Finlay

4.5⭐

PLOT
5yrs ago Ryan Richardson's girlfriend was taken from their car after he was hot on head and the suspicion lies on Ryan but no proof and a good lawyer he was not charged. Now he is enrolled in law school and put his past behind . while on a summer trip he gets a call telling Ali's car has been found with a cryptic note If something happens to me and Ryan sees the man who has haunted his dreams since that night.
Now Ryan races all over Europe in search of truth along with a young deputy Sheriff from Kansas working her 1st case.

MY THOUGHTS -
Alex Finlay's thrillers are always binge worthy and this was just that with multiple pics and timelines I ended up finishing it very quickly.
It's more mystery and at one point you will figure out what happened but still it didn't deter me from reading and the action in the end was totally worth it.
The audiobook production was great too thoroughly enjoyed it.

This was the first of Alex Finlay’s books I’ve read, and I’ve already put my name on the waitlist for another one of his.

The story centers around a young girl that is missing and presumed dead. Her boyfriend, Ryan, who was the last to see her, is the primary suspect. Unable to find evidence to prosecute, Ryan is left with a destroyed reputation and so many questions about the night that changed his life.

The multiple narrators effectively convey the shifting timelines and perspectives, enhancing the intricate and layered storytelling. Their seamless transitions and varied performances ensure that the listener is never lost, even as the plot weaves through different characters and moments in time. This multifaceted approach adds to the overall richness of the narrative, making each revelation and plot twist more impactful.

I couldn’t listen to this one fast enough. The twists kept coming, and it left me thinking about the story days after I finished. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my advanced audio copy!

Ryan has relived that awful night from his teen years many times including the blow to his head and Ali’s scream as she is taken. All fingers pointed to Ryan at the time, but with no evidence he walked free. He’s tried to keep that night in his past, even changing his name and carrying on with his life including being a law student.

A summer trip abroad with his law school friends brings the past to light when his father calls saying Ali’s car was recovered from the lake in his hometown. The remains of two people were inside, but neither of them is Ali. A note sealed in a baggie has survived the years underwater with the words “If something happens to me…”.

As if by chance when Ryan is in Europe, he spots the man he believes is responsible for the events of that evening including Ali’s disappearance. Ryan races to try to track down the truth of that night.

This novel by Alex Findlay did not disappoint. The story being told by many characters whose lives cross paths, only adds to the overall quality. I always enjoy listening to audiobooks with multiple narrators so there is a clear distinction between characters. I enjoyed listening to all of the narrators that helped bring this story to life and would listen to other books with the same narrators.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to an ALC of this book. #NetGalley #IfSomethingHappenstoMe

This was the first of Alex Finlay’s books I’ve read and I will definitely be checking out his others!

I really loved that this audiobook had multiple narrators. I love when stories are told from multiple perspectives and especially love when there’s an audio cast to match versus a solo narrator. They were so good!

This book was a page turner with a decent twist early on. (Can you still call it a page turner if you listened to it?! lol) I also honestly really loved Shane O’Leary’s character. He was so complex with the terrible things he did but such a tender side shown with his wife. Such an interesting paradox.

Overall, I loved it but did feel like the ending was a bit rushed and didn’t have a ‘wow’ factor for me like I love in thrillers.

Still a great book and I would definitely recommend! Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my advanced audio copy!

If Something Happens To Me is an action-packed suspense novel, an edge-of-your-seat page turner! The twists kept coming, one after one, and each one had me in a chokehold!

Ryan Richardson and his girlfriend Alison Lane were at Lover's Lane when they were attacked. By the end of the attack, Alison and her car were nowhere to be found. After being taunted and feeling an immense amount of guilt, Ryan decides to uproot his life in Kanas and move to Italy.

Five years later, Alison's car is found in Suncatcher Lake. When the car is pulled up, two men are found in the front seat, however there is no trace of Alison. Aside from the car itself, the only connection to Alison is her purse, and the note found inside it. The envelope reads "If something happens to me", and when Deputy Poppy McGee opens it, she is surprised to find the note is written in code. It is up to her to crack the code and find out what really happened to Alison Lane.

Talk about suspense! This book was so good! There are several characters, which can get confusing especially when you make it mid-way, but by the end they all play their part. They all add to the plot twists, many that we do not see coming! The pacing is fast, yet even throughout, and the characters and overall story were well developed. Alex Finlay nailed it with this mystery thriller! Helen Laser, John Pirhalla, and Paul Dateh all did a wonderful job at narrating and bringing the characters to life! 4.5 stars!

Thank you NetGalley, MacMillan Audio, and Alex Finlay for this read!

I listened to the audiobook and the narrators were excellent. I have loved books by this author before so I went into this one completely blind and really enjoyed it! So many twists and turns, parts of it were a little confusing but when clarified, better than expected. Highly recommend this one!

Lots of twists and turns!! A mobster book with a surprising ending I didn't see coming! The narrator was great!