If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay is a fun thriller for the summer. I received an ARC audiobook from Netgalley and Macmillan Audio. There are both female and male voices to read the various narrators of the story (Poppy the new cop in small town Kansas, Ryan the law student, Shane the mobster being the major ones). I always enjoy multiple voices in an audiobook to help keep characters straight and both of these did a nice job.

Alison goes missing at the end of high school, Ryan, the high school boyfriend, is never charged but suspicion looms over his head for years that he is guilty of her murder. Shane O’Leary is a mobster whose teenaged son dies and is out for revenge. Poppy is a new cop in town who tries to solve Alison’s disappearance when new evidence comes to light five years later. Paths converge and the stories become one.
I really liked how the story lines were kept separate to start and the timeline was purposefully vague. I actually didn’t expect the first twist and when Michael delivers “that line” to Taylor, I was really surprised! Maybe it’s because it was an audiobook and I can sometimes get distracted, or maybe I’m just not as smart as some other readers ;), but Finlay got me with that first one, unlike other reviewers.
There was great energy to this story, lots of action, and more twists and turns to keep you guessing. The epilogue was detailed and wrapped all things up.
Anyone who enjoys action thrillers should like this one, and I think it’s worth a read or listen. Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my ARC.

This book really worked as an audiobook. The short chapters made it fast paced and never boring. The ending was a little rushed, at least that’s how it felt to me. However, I still enjoyed this audiobook and I would recommend for readers who enjoy thrillers that don’t lack crazy twists.

My first Alex Finlay book did not disappoint!

Likes:
- short chapters
- multiple POVs
- different audiobook narrators for the different POVs 👏🏼 (if you know, you know!)
- I couldn’t figure out “who did it” or who was guilty! airtight plot for me
- no unnecessary fluff, everything felt valuable to the story

Dislikes
- with all the multiple POVs there may have been one or two too many characters (at least for listening via audiobook) but I was able to keep everyone straight for the most part!

I’m definitely interested in checking out Finlay’s other work! 📚

The beginning of this book caught my interest right away. As the book progressed, there were too many other things- too many locations, too many other stories, too many people. It was hard to keep up with what was happening.

I also didn't connect with the readers. One of the voices sounded mechanical.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy of the audiobook.

Audiobook version of this was SO good. Multiple narrators really made the story come to life more for me. Super short chapters, which we love to see. Multiple points of view which the multiple narrators helped to keep straight along with locations of each character. The timelines of this weaves together seamlessly in my opinions and elicited a few gasps along the way when things got put together.

Definitely pick this one when it’s released in May 28th!!

TW: suicide

Thank you netgalley and Macmillan audio for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

ISHTM starts with a bang. Ryan and Ali are high school sweethearts getting ready to leave for college. Then, one night, when they are parked at a local makeout spot, someone pulls Ryan from the car, hits him over the head, and takes Ali. She and her car are never found. Five years later, Ryan gets word that Ali's car was found at the bottom of a lake with two dead men inside. Also inside is a note among Ali's things, with "If Something Happens To Me.." written on it.

Like I said, this one is fast-paced right out of the gate. I had so much fun listening to this story, and the super short chapters kept me metaphorically flipping pages. The use of multiple narrators is always a plus for me when listening to audiobooks, and these narrators did a great job with this one. I've listened to a few books read by Helen Laser now, and I always really enjoy her narration.

Were the twists shocking? Not really. Would I have liked to become a little more attached to the characters? Sure. However, this one was still a lot of fun, and I still definitely recommend picking it up for a quick, fun thriller! 4.5 stars

I have read every Alex Finlay novel except The Night Shift, and this may be the best overall. It was fun to get to know more about Shane O'Leary, whom I first met in What Have We Done. I found most of the characters to be weaker than those in What Have We Done, but the story was stronger.

I would personally like to thank Alex Finlay for taking a stand against bullying. Growing up, I was severely bullied to the point where I will suffer psychological side effects for the rest of my life. I would not have survived in today's world of social media and cell phones. I am also a parent who has lost a child. For these reasons, I had a personal emotional investment in the plot. I suppose I was an atypical reader, in that my "good guys" were the people that most readers will consider the "bad guys." This is no matter, because the morals of the book were so gray. There's some great wisdom in it, though, as well as an unusual amount of topics for a book club to ponder, more than I'm certainly used to seeing in a thriller.

I would like to thank Macmillan Audio for allowing me to experience this NetGalley audiobook. As always, I appreciate a cast. All three gave excellent performances. I was happy to hear from Helen Laser again (having just heard her performance in When Among Crows, ironically another fable involving revenge and forgiveness. I was also familiar with John Pirhalla's work. I actually enjoy hearing some of the same narrators over and over, the same way I will read everything an author I like writes, so, in that regard, If Something Happens to Me satisfied on even another level.

I liked it but didn’t love it. I had to force myself to continue. Glad I finished it. This could totally be me. I am just coming off a magical book.

Wow. Binged this within 12 hours.

Loved it. I surely didn’t know where all these places and people were going to lead me to.

It wrapped out very nicely, even with the tidbit of the FBI agent at the end.

Very well placed twists throughout the story.

Great narration as well!

My favorite so far from the author.

I found the book a little slow at first, but it started picking up and I started liking it. There were so many twists and turns and it was very fast paced, i found the dual timelines confusing, but it made more sense as the book progressed. Thanks Net Galley for letting me listen to this book and review it.

This book was so easy to listen to and get involved in the story. I loved all the emotions and how Ryan never gave up in his search for the truth. I would recommend this book if you are looking for a quick listen (can be done in a day).
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy!

This audiobook is such an addicting listen! The narrators, Helen Laser, John Pirhalla, and Paul Dateh were fantastic and fully immersed me in the story. I couldn't stop listening—it was that good. There's several POVs and my favorite character was Ryan's because of everything that he had to go through when his girlfriend disappeared. The mystery is gripping, involving bad guys and mysterious murders. This was a thrilling ride from start to finish.

If Something Happens to Me was my very first Alex Finlay novel (shocking, I know!) and it did not disappoint! I enjoyed the multiple narration/storylines that seemed to weave into one another, carefully building suspense and intrigue. I did feel that some parts of the storytelling were a bit repetitive or over explained, but I was still captivated from the very beginning and flew through the story needing to know how it was all going to end. I enjoyed the audiobook format as it contained three narrators and each voice brought the characters to life and helped support the multiple narration format. If you like psychological thrillers, then this book is for you!
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ALC. I received this audiobook for free in exchange for an honest review.

This was the second Alex Finlay book I’ve read. I enjoyed this book as much as the last one. I am beginning to like this author. Her books are solid thrillers. This story was good but not amazing. I was engaged for most of the book. I think there were a bit too many POVs. I really did not care about the chapters from Chaz’s POV. I don’t think this book had any very surprising plot twists. The ending was a bit unexpected. This was not a murder mystery. Readers didn’t have to guess whodunnit. I was just along for the ride and I had a good time reading this story.

This was a pretty solid book. It wasn’t overly graphic while still providing a good level of suspense. A bit predictable, but overall a good read

A Highly Enjoyable and Intricately Written Tale

SUMMARY
Tonight is Alison and Ryan’s last night together; tomorrow they are headed off to different colleges. They are parked in a secluded wooded area when suddenly, their car door is ripped open. Alison screams, and Ryan is hit in the head. The next thing he knows it’s morning, he is lying in the wet grass, the car is gone, and so is Alison.

Five years later, neither Alison nor her body has ever been found. Ryan has always been under suspicion for her disappearance and has never gotten over that experience or the loss of Alison.

On a summer trip to Italy with law school classmates, Ryan gets a call from his dad. Alison’s car has just been found submerged in a lake near their hometown or Leavenworth, Kansas Inside are two dead men and an envelope with Ali’s handwriting that says, “If something happens to me. ”

REVIEW
If Something Happens To Me is a skillfully written and intricately woven tale of mystery and intrigue. Author Alex Finlay's writing is captivating and gut-wrenching.

The book is compulsively readable. You can't help but sympathize with Ryan, and you will not be able to stop inhaling the pages until the mystery of what happened to Alison is solved. I really liked the new deputy sheriff character Poppy McGee, who is delightfully smart and vulnerable.

I experienced the book in both print and audio formats. Both formats were good. A multicast of narrators enhanced the listening experience. Narrators were Helen Laser, John Pirhalla, and Paul Dateh, all of whom did an admirable job at bringing the many characters in this enjoyable story to life.

Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martins Press, and Macmillian Audio for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.


Publisher St Martins Press / Macmillan Audio
Published May 28, 2024
Narrated Helen Laser, John Pirhalla, and Paul Dateh
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay audiobook version 3.5 stars rounded up. This was a decent thriller. Loved the multiple narrators and the different POVs. It kept me interested enough to finish the book, but I wasn’t gripped by this thriller. Those who read lots of thrillers probably won’t be surprised how this one turns out. I did enjoy the way it wrapped up though. It’s a solid thriller, and I’m glad I listened to it. Thank you to NetGalley, Alex Finlay and Macmillan Audio for an advanced listeners copy of this book. It’s greatly appreciated.

Thank you @macmillanaudio and @minotaurbooks for the gifted copy of If Something Happens to Me {partner}

Genre: Mystery
Trope: Missing Girl
Format: 🎧
Audiobook Narration: ☆☆☆☆
Pub Date: 5/28/2024
Star Rating: ☆☆☆

Dang it! I desperately wanted to like this one. I started it on my Kindle and was feeling meh about the storyline, so I started the audio. While the audio was entertaining, there was just too much going on. It was fast-paced and twisty, but it almost pulled me in too many directions, ultimately making the plot too far-fetched and unbelievable. Because I am who I am, I figured out where the story was headed from a fairly early point, but I didn't enjoy the path the author took to get there. 

💨 Fast-paced
📝 Multi-layer story
🔀 Twisty plot
🗣️ Multiple POV

⚠️ Torture and extreme bullying of a teenager

My opinion on this book might not be popular, but that's the beauty of reading, not every book is meant for everyone. If you're a fan of high-octane, action-packed stories, then If Something Happens to Me might be your cup of tea.

An incredibly twisty read! So many characters, all connected in some way - this was so well=done. I could not put it down.

2.5 stars 🌟

After reading other Alex Finlay novels, I was really excited to get my hands on this one. The premise seemed interesting -- albeit familiar -- and I was totally ready to get sucked into a nice thriller. The first chapter grabbed me right away.

Afterward, though, my enthusiasm started to wane. The audiobook narration was fantastic (minus someone attempting to speak French and butchering it, lol), and there seemed to be enough going on with each new character to make it interesting. Finlay usually does a good job throwing in pop culture references, but for some reason, it felt so out of place in this book. Maybe I'm out of touch?? But the specific note and callbacks to Poppy liking/having a Beyoncé poster felt completely random and irrelevant to anything. It's like trying too hard to be trendy and relatable. But she also somehow knew The Waltons, too!! It just felt weird to me as neither reference really fit Poppy's character.

I also realized early on that this entire book - plot, writing style, etc. reaaalllyyyy felt like a YA novel written by Harlan Coben. I am a huge fan of his, but once I had that thought, I couldn't see the book any other way. Like Finlay was trying to emulate Coben's style, which caused it to lose some of that magic found his earlier books. That's also why it felt so familiar - because I've read Harlan Coben novels with identical premises (and much stronger endings, too). I wasn't very invested in the plot and too many of the chapters ended abruptly anytime something slightly interesting happened (P.S. why does that always happen now?? Can we please stop that trend?).

While it was an alright story, unfortunately, I don't think it'll stand out within this year's read books. It was fine but didn't blow me away... other than my gripes with pop culture references and 'inspiration,' I wasn't annoyed reading this story. It just felt like something was missing. Maybe others will enjoy it much more than I did.

Shoutout to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio/Minotaur Books, and Alex Finlay for an early release digital audio copy in exchange for an honest review.