If Something Happens to Me is a mystery/thriller that perhaps seems surface level at first glance; however, has a truly complicated web of betrayal, hurt, lies, and a LOT of history.
Although I think this book was well done, it didn’t strike me as super memorable, and I will say I don’t have a lot of interest in the subjects approached in this book (mobs, crime bosses, witness protection, etc). If those are things you love to read about I suggest picking it up. If you were like me and thought it would be more “small town” true crime, don’t expect that to be the case.
3.5/4 stars

This novel is a fast-paced thriller about a missing girl presumed dead, a notorious crime boss, and a new deputy-sheriff trying to put the pieces together. There are three primary narrators: Ryan, once accused of his girlfriend’s murder, and he is now on a law school trip in Italy. Poppy, a young war vet who returns home to Leavenworth, Kansas, to work as the deputy sheriff, and Shane, the head of a major crime syndicate in Philadelphia. A few additional POVs are mixed in. How the narrators/story fit together is a bit of a puzzle, but seasoned thriller readers will most likely figure out how the pieces connect early on. It's a wild ride.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio e-arc.*

What I loved:
Multiple POVs
Fast Paced
Short chapters
Action packed

Another highly anticipated read for me that did not disappoint. I was hooked from start to finish and loved all the characters and locations. Even though there were multiple POVs and settings the author never made it feel overwhelming or confusing. I never wanted to stop listening because I just wanted to know how it was going to all come together. All three narrators did a fantastic job with these characters and it really helped to keep things from getting confusing. Whether you prefer physical books or audiobooks I definitely recommend this one! And go in blind!! Thats the best way to do it

4.5 ⭐️s rounded up

Alex Finlay knocked it out of the park with his home run twist.

Often with thrillers, an author tacks on a twist that is not only from out of left field, but from completely different ballpark, just because twists are expected in this genre. Not so in this book. I absolutely loved that I didn’t see a major twist coming, but when revealed, made perfect sense.

So close to being a 5⭐️read. But any time my *humble* amateur sleuth brain thinks “Why didn’t you…..?” of the crime-solving characters, I give the 1/2 ⭐️ to me instead of the book.

If Something Happens to Me would make a great summer beach read for those who prefer page-turners over rom-coms.

A romantic night between Ryan and his girlfriend, Ali, turned into a complete nightmare. All Ryan can recall from that night is a blow to the head, the car door being yanked opened, and Ali screaming as someone took her away.

This audiobook grabbed my attention from the beginning but it left a lot to desire by the end. Too many characters, too many stories, and too many locations to keep up with.

There is just way too many POVs, especially coming from a thriller book. I found myself confused often, even with the multiple narrators. This has nothing to do with the narrators themselves, simply the fact that there is way too much going on. All the POVs seemed to intersect each other (not seamlessly) and I had to keep rewinding.

There was a lot of over-explaining in this book as well- basic things at that. I was not a fan of the ending either; it was predictable, anticlimactic, and felt rushed. I was hoping for a crazy, action-packed finale but it just did not deliver.

I would love to read more from this author but this one didn't quite work for me. Again, take my review with a grain of salt because you may enjoy it.

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for my complimentary ALC, NetGalley, and the author.
Pub date: 05/28/24

Grab yourself a copy of this book now! I read this in one day, it was so gripping. Ali and Ryan are high school sweethearts at their favorite spot when Ali is grabbed without a trace. Ryan doesn’t know if she’s dead or alive. Years later Ryan gets a call that they found Ali’s car and a note that says “if something happens to me”. Then Ryan sees the man he thinks took her, the man with the missing pinky fingers. That man confirmes that Ali is alive. Now Ryan needs to find Ali.

There are multiple characters and at the beginning you, as the reader, have to figure out how everyone is connected. This book surprised me. I wanted more. I feel like everything fit together perfectly.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this audiobook. The 3 narrators did a fantastic job. I absolutely love when the audio is a cast of narrators. It really makes the story easier to follow while listening. I enjoyed this book so much I plan on having a copy on my shelf!

I believe this is my first Alex Finlay book and it was really fun and exciting and also I was sucked in from the very first chapter. (I may be a little biased as well since I live in Kansas and I ALWAYS enjoy a good book that takes place here)

The dual timeline wasn't terrible but I it was hard to follow at times, especially considering we were also flipping between cities and characters.

The audio was great. I really enjoyed it!

This is my fourth read by this author. I was excited about this one based on the descriptions since it gave me that first book feeling and I’m happy to say that I couldn’t put it down once I started. I found it immensely readable even though I saw several of the twists coming. I was enjoying the story and the characters so much that I didn’t care. I started on audio then picked up the ebook to finish when I couldn’t stop reading. The audiobook is narrated by Helen Laser, John Pirhalla, and Paul Dateh. All the narrators did a fantastic job with smooth and compelling voices for the story and characters.

The story is told in third person with multiple narrators. Ryan is currently in Italy with law school classmates and was previously accused in the case of the disappearance of his high school girlfriend, Ali, in Leavenworth, Kansas, but the case was ultimately attributed to a captured serial killer known as the Missouri River Killer despite his denials. Poppy returns to Leavenworth to be near her sick father and starts her new job as a Sheriff’s deputy the day that Ali’s car is found in a local lake five years after her disappearance. Shane is trying to run the “family business” in Philadelphia while juggling the issues his sensitive son is having in his new private school.

The belongings in the car include a protected enveloped addressed “if something happens to me” and the note inside is a book cipher code but Poppy and the forensic scientist are at a loss as to which book to use to decipher it. I really enjoyed the three separate storylines in this novel and the journey to bring them all together even if I found it a bit predictable. It was filled with compelling characters, intrigue and gripping thrills throughout. I easily read this one in a day through stress-filled trips to the vet for a dental procedure.

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and Minotaur Books for a copy provided for an honest review.

My first Alex Finlay book, and I inhaled it. What a wild ride!

 I suggest going in blind if you can. The gripping suspense starts almost immediately. The story is fast-paced and told in a multiple-POV format with short chapters that keep the action moving. Three action-packed storylines span the globe and involve an array of characters, leaving the reader guessing how it will all converge. And the stakes are high, so there are several tense moments.

I enjoyed Finlay's writing style. The characters are vivid and jump off the page. You have to suspend disbelief sometimes, but this was a fun, edge-of-your-seat thriller. It was hard for me to stop listening to it, and I finished it in a day, which is rare for me with audiobooks, even when I love them.

I look forward to exploring Finlay's backlist now.

Helen Laser, John Pirhalla, and Paul Dateh narrated the audiobook.
I love full-cast narrations, and this cast was stellar. They made it very easy to keep track of all the different characters, and their performances added to the suspense. The performance of the character Shane was a standout and the voice fit the character so well. Thriller lovers and anyone looking for a highly entertaining audiobook will enjoy this!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the free audiobook!

I couldn’t put this one down! The story did not disappoint and kept in the edge of my seat and guessing until the end. I

I struggled with this one. The many different characters, settings and timelines were too hard to keep up with while listening to the audiobook and I found myself confused by the end of the book. I will say that it started out strong though and I was pretty invested until the other characters were introduced and then I started to lose my way. Might be worth reading this one instead of listening if you decide to give it a go. Many of my friends have enjoyed the book so my review is definitely in the minority.

If you are looking for a binge-able mystery/thriller? Look no further.

I listened to this book in less than 36 hours. I was hooked from the beginning. This is a fast pace, easy read with an interesting if not a little unrealistic storyline. The short chapters kept the story action packed. It was a fun time even if I guessed some of the twists.

I enjoyed the multi-POVs and each narrator did an amazing job! Poppy was an exceptionally likable character for me in this books which doesn't happen commonly in mysteries.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Minotaur books for this free ALC!

The high ratings on this book have me a little disappointed. I was expecting a great book and it just wasn't.

It was hard to keep up with the four different locations and the four different points of view. I did listen to the audiobook but I don't think that would have added any more confusion.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Have I been sleeping on this author? This was a nice, quick, succinct thriller-ish story. I think I need to check out this author's backlist for sure. No complaints on the narration either.

What?

And again what?

First of all. Justice for Ryan. This poor kid. His life was shattered. Ruined. By the public and his own guilt. I can’t accept this life for him. He deserves so much more.

How could she live with herself on the other side of the globe all happy and moving on while he suffered? I guess the kind of girl who was also someone who wouldn’t stand up to her friends horrific bullying. Gross.

I mean I also feel for Anthony’s parents and I wished the had tried a bit harder to get through to him (they may have it just didn’t go into much detail on this part) they knew he wasn’t okay.

Poppy was just the best.

LOVED a the three POVS. Loved it.

Ryan and Alison are a high school couple parked out on Lover's Lane. Alison is pulled from the car by a man with missing fingers, Ryan is knocked out, and Alison is just gone.

Ryan is, obviously, at first a suspect. But there's no proof to arrest him and life goes on. Five years later, Ryan is in law school. He's on a trip with law school friends when he gets a call that Alison's car has been found in a lake in their hometown and two men are dead inside. There's a letter in the car that reads “If something happens to me”. And then we are all caught up in solving this mystery!

This book had a lot of POV which are sometimes hard to keep up with, but this was well done, especially in the audio. It was a fast paced mob story that kept me invested!

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press for an eARC and MacMillan Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review.

I am a huge fan of Alex Finlay! He is an auto-read author for me, so getting access to this book early was very exciting for me!
I was lucky enough to enjoy this as an audiobook and I think it was the perfect way to experience this story.
‘If Something Happens to Me’ has a very captivating storyline, and is extremely well written. I do, however, think this particular story was a bit mid for Finlay. I was able to expect the ending quite early on into the book. This did not take awake from the strong atmosphere of the three different stories going on at the same time.

I will continue to enjoy and support Finlay’s future books
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to review

If Something Happens To Me is a fantastic thriller. With seemingly unconnected stories, they came together in the most perfect shocking way, like 🤯. Brilliant!

It's action packed and intense,and I couldn't put it down.

The audio book was equally superb, the multiple narrators really brought this to life.

Maybe thrillers just aren't my bag anymore, but I wasn't a fan of this. I usually like Alex Finlay's intricate storytelling, small town drama, and the way his multiple POVs intersect with one another in unexpected ways. Somehow, this book felt overly complex, yet the twists were quite predictable. I might take a little break from thrillers for a bit - I find it's hard to find ones that really blow my mind these days!

This was my first Alex Finlay book, and I will say I'm going to look into others! The suspense was held throughout the story as more and more pieces of the events were revealed, and there was one point when the two storylines converged that I just had to know how it ended. Instead of being solidly from the POVs of three of the characters, the end jumped around a bit to be from other perspectives, and I thought that was really interesting. I feel like it fit the story, but it's not something you see happen very often.

I did get a little frustrated with the way some of the POVs would abruptly end and switch, causing all of these cliff-hanger moments that just felt like too much. I understand that it's a thriller, but to end some of the scenes the way they did felt choppy to me. I just wish that certain parts had gone on a little longer before shifting to feel a little more fluid. I also guessed some of the ending, and the way that it was revealed made me think that maybe I was supposed to have guessed it, but it was kind of unclear. If I wasn't supposed to, then I feel like it was kind of obvious. But if I was supposed to be screaming at one of the characters because of a poor decision they made and add to the suspense, then mission accomplished.

With all of that being said, obviously I did still really enjoy this story and would actually consider listening to it again in the future to see if I can pick up any other foreshadowing moments I might have missed the first time around. I feel like thrillers tend to have a lot of subtle hints at things to come, and if you're really invested in the emotion of it and feeling anxious, you might miss them. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys thrillers with multiple POVs, interconnecting storylines, and suspense.