TW/CW: Language, drinking, toxic family relationships, bullying, death by suicide, cheating, cancer, death of parent, anxiety, depression

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
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.
Release Date: May 28th, 2024
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 336
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

What I Liked:
1. The book seemed short
2. Writing style was good

What I Didn't Like:
1. Hated all the pov's - just too many for me
2. All kids in book are like 30 year olds in children's bodies
3. Book felt too basic for a crime thriller
4. Didn't feel like there was a mystery here
5. Repetitive parts

Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}

What is up with these huge synopsis' lately? It's like a whole page long.

How does the sheriff know there was foul play if the two bodies have been submerged for years?

Is it weird that I think that the sheriff was behind Alison's death.

Okay so the dudes don't have fingerprints but they have dental records so couldn't they identify them by that.

What is with this weird pov of Patrick? It's like it's 1940s and he's the Irish man in the Malfi and controlling the dealings and protection of the street on that side of town. Is this Fargo?

It's so weird to me that these Irish people are dining at an Italian place. Do the Italians not run any part of Philly? These parts sound like it's 1940s/50s mob.

I had to laugh because Poppy acting like she just knew that something was happening in her in her own family when so many people told her that her family was behind it all. Ridiculous.

Another kid introduced into a thriller where the kid is some genius. He starts a podcast at 8 years old and solves 3 cold cases in 4 years. Of course.

It was so stupid for two missing penkie dude showing up to tell Ryan him to figure out what's going on and then disappear. So Ryan just so easily can trace him down and jump a plan to find him. Plus this dude knows he's being followed but still uses his name and location in the guest book that's left open.

The Irish go all Final Destination on the kids that bullied Anthony, killing them off one by one.

This Jones dude was not that far ahead of him in travel, but by the time Ryan gets to his house finds Jones he got home, tortured, murdered, and the police are already at his house. {{it's been 2 days}}

Alison was actually Taylor and Taylor was apart of a group of people that bullied Anthony. Michael and Taylor restart somewhere else after Patrick sees that Alison was apart of it.

God, this book makes it seem sooooo easy to find people that were so hard for people with money to not be able to do. Ryan's just able to find allison. He manages to find the eight finger dude. It all just seems so simple when he tries to find them. I'm also completely confused why finger guy found Ryan when there was no point. No one was looking for Ryan. The only one who saw Ryan was the evening guy and he took off.

Why would Michael even tell the dude how much money he has in the bank account? I just think a normal person would like lie since he doesn't know how much he has.

Obviously Jane is the agent that is been turning over evidence to the crime family. There's a reason why the sheriff told poppy not to talk to her.

What is this book with Chipotle? Did the author have a deal with them to mention them so much.

Ended the way I thought it would.

Final Thoughts:
Yeah, there's a pretty small & basic mystery here, but honestly who cares. I found this story pretty boring. Everything was so dull and stale. It never felt like it was such a difficult book to understand. It definitely teetered on basic thriller book. I wish there was more to the story but it feels very generic Fargo to me.

This is my third book from this author and honestly I think it's going to be my last. Previously I have rated his books between one and two stars. I like the way he writes and I think he's very talented in how he forms sentences at structurally, but I have just been bored with the books I've read from him and felt like I wanted more.

I just found everything to be very exhausting. You get the perspective of Michael telling about Anthony dying. Then we also get Patrick talking about Anthony dying then we also get Allison's version of Anthony dying then we have to wait for poppy to catch up on Anthony dying. It's so repetitive that you're going to hear the same things over and over again while each character catches up on the story. Poppy is the densest character of them all. It takes her so long to catch up on what's happening. I don't mind being reminded what happened in the past in a story it's when it continuously happens that it wears my patience down.

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Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced ebook & Macmillan Audio for the audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

So, at first, I really got into this thriller, it gripped right at the beginning but started falling apart for me towards the last quarter. It just became confusing, keeping up with all the characters and the identity of Allison/Taylor/Sophia.... just too much going on for me, I guess.

Very disappointed because I was really enjoying this! It just lost me. Told in multiple POVs, which I am fine with, just could not hold my attention after a while.

What a gripping thriller! I started to put the pieces together when I was getting into part 2 but I love that I wasn’t able to guess the ending and it kept me wanting more the whole time!!

Thank you for the ALC for my honest review

Another amazing thriller/mystery from Alex Finlay! This five-star read joins the ranks of his other phenomenal books. I have been a fan since “Every Last Fear” - and each book since has proven that he is one of the best in the genre.

This story is told from three perspectives: Ryan Smith, a college student, Poppy McGee, a new Deputy Sheriff, and Shane O’Leary, a Philadelphia businessman. These three people appear to have nothing in common, but soon enough, the reader is drawn into a story of cat and mouse that moves at a pace so fast your head will spin.

There are so many great twists and turns in this story, but there is one that made me yell “Wow!” out loud. It is so hard for me to get into the details here without giving anything away. I will say that what I really liked with this one was the short, fast chapters, and the small details this author leaves along the way. I would come across one, and know that I needed to file it away for later. If you are a reader of this author’s books, you know he ties everything up in the end. This one was no different. The epilogue left me a very satisfied reader.

I would also like to highly recommend the audiobook version of this one. It has three incredible narrators that do a terrific job.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read/listen to this fantastic book! I am truly grateful. This author is an auto buy for me, and I will be recommending this one to everyone! It releases on May 28th. It is the perfect thriller to kick off your summer reading.

I’m a huge Alex Finlay fan, and this book may be my favorite of his yet!

When his girlfriend Alison was pulled from his car and went missing in high school, Ryan took most of the blame from his community. He was forced to change his name and start over, but five years later that night still haunts him. While on a college trip in Italy, he hears that new evidence has come up in the case, and then he sees the man from that night in his past.

Buckle up for a wild ride on this one! The book begins with two storylines that seem entirely separate, and I was just waiting for the reveal that would tie the two together. In an interesting twist, Finlay reveals most of the big secrets semi-early in the story, leaving to an action packed back half as the characters race to put the final piece together. It truly felt like an action move as we went from city to city around the world, chasing down bad guys and answers.

I found this one to be compelling, full of intrigue, and completely binge-worthy, and I finished it the same day I started. I just couldn’t put it down! The audio was well done with three fantastic narrators for the multiple PoVs. They put the correct tone and urgency into their voices to tell an excellent story.

Thank you to NetGalley and SMP (Minotaur) for the arc. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for my arc copy of this book.

I was excited to test this book out, as I had heard some good things. We are following in three different POV's and locations.

The first one is in Italy, we are following a gentleman years after his girlfriend was abducted from their small town. He is on his way to becoming a lawyer, but he has changed his name since the media went hard on him thinking that he was involved in his girlfriend's abduction.

We are also following a young police officer as she come back to her small hometown. Not long after being there, a car is discovered at the bottom of a lake. It is believed to be the car of a young girl who went missing years ago.

We are also following a different POV from a man with a lot of power.

It takes quite some time for you to figure out how all of these POV's come together. I will say that it was not the most predicable, but it also could be guessed if you have read enough of these books. I was initially pretty invested, and then my interest tapered off at about the 50% mark. I do think that it is a forgettable book, but I had enough fun with it while I was reading it.

Listening to this book on the audio version you cannot get distracted for even a second or your lost! There are several characters and quick transitions. Overall I really enjoyed the plot and the character development. It certainly kept me guessing. I will admit I wanted more of the flashbacks vs. the real time story. The ending unfolded nicely and did not end up a disappointment. I enjoyed that I never felt like I knew what was coming or had the book "figured out."

Alex Finlay's suspense thrillers never disappoint the reader. The author has a way of involving the reader in his character's lives. As the chapters rotate between a few different characters, it's tough to put this one down because you just have to get back to see what happens next and what the relationship between these people is. Ryan and Alison are high school sweethearts until Alison is gone. What exactly happened that night, why wasn't Ryan taken? Did he really see what he thinks he saw? And, if he really did, will anyone believe him? Fast forward five years, and Ryan is in Italy with his law school classmates and he sees the man who took Alison? Is that even possible? Who should he tell? Is he in danger? Is Alison alive? If you like suspense/thrillers with well drawn characters who aren't crappy people, you will enjoy this story.

4.5 rounded up ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
WOW . This thriller hit hard and fast. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and Alex Finlay for this audio ARC in exchange for an honest review. It was worth every second of the 7 hours and 16 minutes. Helen Laser, John Pirhalla, and Paul Dateh drew me in from their first words. Paul Dateh might just have the most genuine, endearing, buttery voice of any male reader I've heard. His interpretation of Ryan was calm, yet urgent. Loved these voice actors.

This thriller takes us to the mind of Ryan Richardson who has been reliving that horrible night in high school when the car door ripped open and there was a crushing blow to his head as someone's hands yank him from the vehicle and he hears his girlfriend, Ali's, piercing scream. After that traumatic night, suspicions surround Ryan. And though he is never found guilty, internet trolls and podcasters have a field day at his expense. Ryan decides to put his past behind him, change his name, and enter law school. But, on a summer trip to Italy with some law-school buddies, Ryan receives a call from his father that Ali's car has been found submerged in their hometown lake. There are two dead men inside and a cryptic note from Ali that says, "If something happens to me..." Then, halfway around the world, Ryan happens to see the man who has haunted his nightmares since the night of Ali's abduction. As Ryan sets out in search for the truth, he has no idea that a sheriff's deputy in Kansas has already been digging into this case.

This is my first Alex Finlay book and I love how it is told by several distinct, compelling characters whose paths intersect, shaping a story of twists and thrills. This mystery had me on the edge of my seat! The plot was intricately woven together to bring about an ending like no other. Such a page turner!

Alex Finlay has yet to disappoint. None have been as good as The Night Shift, but that’s hard to live up to! Lots of well woven intertwined stories in this thriller filled with falsely accused lovers, the mob, families running from the mob, and so much more. Finlay pulls it all together seamlessly, however this one had a few truly unbelievable pieces that pushed me to drop to four stars. Still a good time nonetheless!

Ryan Richardson has never gotten over the fateful night his girlfriend, Ali, went missing five years ago. With no leads to speak off, Ryan took the brunt of the blame. Although never officially charged with a crime, speculation still swirled. So Ryan decides to start over as someone new in an attempt to distance himself from his past.

Now five years into the future, Ryan is in Italy with fellow law school friends when he receives a phone call that Ali‘s car has been found, the case reopened. However, inside the vehicle is not Ali’s body. Instead there are two mysterious men and a note written in Ali’s handwriting that cryptically starts with, “if something happens to me….”

As the events of that night come crashing back, so does the man that’s haunted Ryan’s nightmares for years. Assuming he must be losing his mind, Ryan follows the clues. But unbeknown to Ryan, there are other players involved, making the stakes, and the mission, much more complicated than originally anticipated.

If Something Happens to Me is a page turning thriller, expertly executed by a cast of narrators. The story itself left something to be desired though with the different characters coming together a bit awkwardly. I’m not gonna lie, I’m still not 100 percent sure what happened. However, this is a popular thriller from an equally popular author that’s gaining lots of traction. Perhaps if I had read the book instead of listened to it I’d feel differently. Unfortunately, for me, If Something Happens to Me fell short on a certain something.

A good fast-paced story that has Taylor/Alison/Sophia having to change her life multiple times after being involved in the suicide of a classmate when she was 14.

my very first alex finlay book, thank you Macmillian Audio for the advanced copy!

man oh man, if something happens to me was a WILD ride from start to finish. the short chapters made for a fast paced reading experience! the tension had me on the edge of my seat between the unfortunate bullying and mob torture to abductions and murders throughout a five year timespan. I loved how this took place in Italy and France but also in a small town in Kansas.

having multiple POV’s added a unique perspective to the book. I LOVED being in the mind of poppy mcgee. there were a BUNCH of characters but the cliffhanger chapter ends & smooth transitions, merging the varying storylines, made for an easy reading experience.

it wasn’t necessarily a mystery because the story was straightforward and was easy to see where it was going. this was more of an action packed thriller, and it almost felt like I was watching a movie. I guessed some of the twists and sketchy situations that came to light but it didn’t take too much away from the story.

the narrators Helen Laser, John Pirhalla and Paul Dateh brought this mystery to life!
3.5 stars! #MacAudio2024

Great narration, fast paced story. Fun and interesting plot; definitely will make a good movie. Only complaint is the reader was never given enough information to reach the right conclusion. There was some repetition as well - as if the reader wouldn't have caught things the first time. Felt a little YA.

This was a fast paced thriller with short chapters and multiple POVs. It definitely held my attention and was a fun popcorn thriller. I guess I was just expecting a little more? None of the twists really shocked me, and I found most of the book predictable, but it was still a fun time.

Ryan and his high school sweetheart are enjoying a romantic evening at the local lover’s lane when someone pulls Ryan from the car and hits him over the head. When he wakes up, his girlfriend is gone. Five years later, her car is found and inside is a note that reads: if something happens to me…

I really loved how fast paced this book was and how every chapter ending on a bit of a cliff hanger making you want to read more. I also loved the multiples POVs and the different audiobook narrators all did an amazing job. However, I did want a little more and felt like the ending was anticlimactic.

Ryan Richardson, haunted by his girlfriend Ali's disappearance five years ago, faces suspicion and harassment from podcasters and internet trolls despite never being charged. Now, studying law and using a new last name, he tries to move on until Ali's car is discovered with cryptic clues, prompting him to embark on a global quest for answers involving unexpected allies in Kansas, Philadelphia, and abroad.

I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed this one. The different narrators made the shifting perspectives easy to follow.

The different perspectives were well done, and it’s the type of book where you can understand and relate to the motives of each character regardless of who is “the bad guy.”

New to me author, and I will definitely be grabbing more of Alex Finlay’s books.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Alex Finlay for the ARC.

Thank you to the publisher for an early copy for review.

*Audio edition: The audio is a good way to intake this story if you choose to read it. No concerns noted with the audio version, the narrator does a good job.

I am really sad to report that I DNF'd this book. at 60% I didn't get off to a good start for me. My early notes say "the start of the story feels very off and scattered, I can't quite figure out what's going on and how these pieces fit together. I feel like I am coming through half-way through a story." Looking at other early review it looks like this is a me problem. I just felt like coming into the story I was on like chapter 15 of a book instead of chapter 1. There were a lot of different people and moving parts which is something I typically enjoy but in this story didn't feel cohesive. I really, really loved this authors release right before this one so I feel quite disappointed. Usually in reviews I am able to pinpoint if I am the problem or if it's an off book by the author, in this case I am really not sure.

Although this was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and it didn't work out for me, I still think it's worth you giving it a try.

*I give my DNF's 3 stars unless there is something problematic with the book, to be fair to the author.

While I’m not a huge thriller reader, this is my third book by Alex Finlay and I’ve loved them all. If Something Happens To Me is the story of Alison Lane and Ryan Richardson, but it’s so much more. The Prologue sets the scene: Alison is abducted from a car in an isolated “lovers lane” area, and Ryan has no memory of what happened. Suspicion falls on him but he’s never charged and he winds up changing his name to avoid the notoriety. Her disappearance haunts him. What happened to Alison and why did someone take her? Is she still alive?

In answering these questions, Finlay takes us to a number of locations: Leavenworth, Kansas; Italy, England, France, and Philadelphia. There are a lot of characters to keep track of too. There’s Poppy, a new deputy sheriff in Leavenworth; Anthony O’Leary, a young teen in Philadelphia, who is mercilessly bullied (his dad is a mobster so ….), Ryan’s fellow law students, on a trip around Italy, and so on. I loved the multi-faceted view of a lot of these characters: for example, while you know Anthony’s dad is a mobster, you do get to see a softer side of him along the way.

I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient, and allowed me to continue with the story even when I could not sit down and read - or when I could not listen. The audiobook has three distinct narrators who all do a wonderful job: Helen Laser, John Pirhalla, and Paul Dateh.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this one a lot. I know that a lot of people will figure out the biggest twist before it is revealed, but that didn't bother me. I still enjoyed the ride getting there. Finlay's writing kept me interested the whole time.

Also, be aware that almost half of the book happens after that event is revealed. I know this can put off some readers and some people felt that the book slowed down at this point. I didn't find the pacing slowed; I just thought the focus shifted a bit. I continued to enjoy the story and looked forward to seeing where it would go.

Overall, I found this to be an entertaining and engaging read. This is only my second book by Finlay and I look forward to reading more of his work.

I received an audio copy of this book. It is a fairly short audio (7 hr 16 min) narrated by Helen Laser, John Pirhalla, and Paul Dateh. I thought it was very well done and enjoyable to listen to.

3.5⭐️

I loved the different POVs and the different narrators in the audiobook version. The first part was somewhat of a slow burn and kind of confusing until the stories all come together. I loved Poppy but didn’t love any of the other characters. I’m not a big fan of mafia stories but if that’s what you’re into, I think you’ll really like this one!

Thank you to NetGalley andMacmillan Audio for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.