This is everything I want out of a mystery/thriller. Fast paced, interesting characters, attention keeping plot. The book kept the story moving and stayed engaging. I was invested the whole time. The audio performances were great. My first book by Finlay & it won’t be my last!

5 stars

I went back and forth between the audio and the ebook. I'm so happy I had access to both because I couldn't stop this one. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Trying to figure out how all the different POVs fit together was just a puzzle that I couldn't get enough of. I always go in blind and I would recommend that you do the same if you can. I feel going in blind with thrillers just makes the twists that much twistier and the turns that much more curvier. You don't know where you're supposed to go. You don't have any preconceived ideas of what the book is about.

Normally I have some sort of idea what's going on and start picking up on little things, but, honestly, idk if the book was just THAT GOOD or if I'm extra tired from work being crazy, but I didn't see this one coming until right before it happened. My jaw literally dropped. I had to pause the audio and just stared at my phone for a few seconds. I then grabbed the ebook to make sure I didn't hear that wrong.

The twists! The turns! The heartbreak! Picture it, I'm Charlie Day with red string all over my mind trying to piece everything together. IYKYK. I literally just finished and maybe the excitement/sadness of it being over (THAT EPILOGUE) is heightening my love for this book, but I hope not.

This is my first Alex Finlay book (although his entire catalogue is already on my TBR) and this book just made me oh so very excited to dive into the rest of them. Helen Laser, John Pirhalla, and Paul Dateh did such good jobs narrating this book. All the characters were brought to life in such a believable way.

Thank you, NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books for the ARC and ALC of this wonderful book.

This was an enjoyable reading journey from beginning to end. Just when I thought I had it figured out, there was some new plot twist thrown in that had me rethinking. I did feel like it got a little long at the end, but it tied up all the nicely and came together in a very satisfactory way. This one was a solid four stars for me. Thank you, McMillan and NetGalley for the ARC of this audiobook.

I’ve got to say, I was quite impressed with this one! I’m not usually one for books involving crime families but I really enjoyed If Something Happens to Me. It just took me 2 days to read it once I started, with breaks to work and sleep. This is my second book by @alexfinlayauthor and I’m definitely a fan! The characters were well developed and relatable, and I was rooting for Ryan! This book is told through multiple POV throughout and that really helped to keep me invested and to get a better understanding of the characters. I read the book and also listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the narration! The narrators did an excellent job and really helped me to relate to the characters.

Listening to the audiobook of “If Something Happens to Me” by Alex Finlay was an unforgettable experience. The story’s gripping narrative and complex characters had me completely immersed. Ryan Richardson’s harrowing journey to uncover the truth behind his girlfriend’s disappearance is both heart-wrenching and exhilarating. Finlay’s skillful storytelling, combined with the excellent narration, made for a thrilling listen that I couldn’t pause. The twists and turns kept me guessing, and the emotional depth of the story resonated with me deeply. I highly recommend this audiobook to anyone who loves a good mystery with a strong emotional core

After reading The Night Shift by Alex Finlay, I became a big fan of his writing! He keeps you on your toes and throws in the perfect amount of twists to keep you guessing from start to finish.

The chapters for this one were short and intriguing but unfortunately it didn’t give me that adrenaline rush like his other book. Maybe the whole mob thing threw me off lol idk but I can say it was different and I like that! I would still recommend this one if you enjoy fast-paced thrillers with a little something different!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC in exchange for my honest review 🤍

This is a twisty and thrilling mystery book that will keep the pages turning long into the night. The story is told from multiple points of view in a dual timeline fashion. Since the chapters are short and the narrative shifts you a kept on the edge of your seat the entire time. The book centers on the disappearance of Allison five years earlier. She was with her boyfriend, Ryan Richardson, at “make-out point” when the door to the car was ripped open and Ryan was knocked out and yanked from the car. For years everyone believed that Ryan was lying about that night and a cloud of suspicion has followed him wherever he goes. Ryan has since changed his name and seems to be moving on with his life and is on a trip to Italy with his law school classmates when he is visited by the man who has only existed in his memories of that night. Around the same time, Allison’s car is recovered from the bottom of a local lake with two unidentified men inside. A young sheriff’s deputy named Poppy is working on the case despite the fact her boss, the sheriff, has relegated her to manning the tip line and avoiding the investigation. In true mystery/thriller fashion their paths cross and the stakes are high. I enjoyed how seamless this book was. Alex Finlay was able to jump around characters, time and the world in an effortless manner. The characters all had rich lives and secrets to uncover so there was never a section of the story that felt less than the others. This book definitely has summer beach read/ road trip vibes.
I listened to the audiobook which features a multi-cast narration. Each of the readers delivered excellent performances complete with accents. I was able to get lost in the story thanks to the care they took with each of their parts. Thank you to MacMillan audio for the advanced listening of this book, the performances and presentation were all top notch.

If Something Happens To Me is a fast paced mystery that doles its clues out as deftly as it switches narrators. Our main points of view come from Ryan, a man who was accused of killing his high school girlfriend and is now in Italy on a college trip. The mystery around what has happened to her has plagued his life, but he’s about to be sent across Europe in search of answers.
We also hear from Poppy who has returned home after being discharged for slapping her superior officer. She’s starting a new career in police enforcement and her first case is gonna cut close to home.
Then there’s Shane, the crime boss from Philadelphia, hell bent on revenge.
I really enjoyed this book, especially the first half. The best part was figuring out how all these different characters were connected.
I listened to the audiobook version of this book and it has a cast of narrators, Helen Laser, John Pirhalla and

This was the first book by Alex Finlay I have read, and I am hooked! I loved all of the pieces of this story and how they played together. I was hooked from the very beginning! Very great read/listen!

Ever read that book that you totally thought you were tracking right until all of a sudden you're hit right in the face with the realization that the truth has been right in front of you for half a book but you hadn't even seen it at all?!?! Well if not, be warned, you only think you know how to read between the lines before 'If Something Happens to Me.' This twisty turny book will have you hooked from the beginning. How in the world do all the threads come together in such a way that makes so much sense once you step back and see the finished piece? If you like thrillers, mystery, family drama, etc. you MUST add this to your TBR immediately.

This was an absolute joy to listen to and I am so thankful to #netgalley and #MacMillanAudio for allowing me to listen to the #arc.

I’m thinking audiobook is not the way to go for this book. There was a lot going on- characters, multiple locations- and I had trouble keeping it all straight. A little far fetched, this one missed the mark for me. I think reading a physical copy would have been better.

This was an easy listen. I liked the multiple narrators. I lost track of characters midway through, but caught up later on. Overall a good book.
Thank you netgalley for the prerelease audiobook.

Loved this book, finished it in one setting!

POV from three main characters a female cop, a college student and a mob boss (some others sprinkled in). At first I was irritated by the multiple voices, I am not a fan of graphic audio but this makes it easier to understand the character changes. It all makes sense later.

It was a super intertwined story but not confusing. Easily question how everyone is tied together but then suddenly there is a twist and everything clicks and then the story takes off! Once you understand the twist it isn’t difficult to see who did it but it’s still an exciting journey to the end.

Exciting, fast read.

Posed to Goodreads.

Overall this was fine- kept my interest and the narrators were good. I'm not sure I will recomend it to anyone.

"If Something Happens to Me" by Alex Finlay presents a promising premise with a good amount of suspense initially. However, the experience was a little marred by an overwhelming number of characters and multiple points of view that were hard to follow, which made it difficult to connect with any of them or understand their relationships. Despite these issues, the 3 narrators delivered a solid performance that added to the overall listening experience.

Thank you #Netgalley and #MacMillanAudio for allowing me to read this early in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded to 4.

Summary
If Something Happens To Me is intricately plotted and compulsively readable. While I guessed some of the twists, I was eager to keep reading to see where the story was headed and how the author would tie everything together. It’s set in various cities across the world, which is fun and different for a missing girl mystery. My biggest hang up with the book is that so much of the mystery's unraveling happens due to chance. After a while, favorable outcomes start piling up, distracting from the reading experience and disrupting the emotional resonance of the story. If this bothers you, I’d recommend skipping this one. Otherwise, the complex plot, compelling characters, and interesting locales make it worth picking up.

Audio
We get various POVs throughout the story, voiced by 3 different narrators. The female voices are performed by Helen Laser, who I LOVE! She does a wonderful job here bringing them to life. The two male narrators are new-to-me voices, but I’m not sure I noticed a difference between the two, except when we got one right after the other. Based on the context of the first few lines, it was always clear whose POV we were in, so I’m not sure the third narrator was strictly necessary.

Characters (3.5/5)
There are a lot of characters and it’s not clear how they’re all related at first. Some are more prominent at different parts of the story, and some don’t make it to the end. This made it harder to stay close to any one character. I do think this was necessary based on the level of complexity to the plot, but I didn’t feel much of a pull to anyone in particular.

Atmosphere/Setting (4.5/5)
These characters trot all over Europe and the US throughout the course of the story. We visit Italy, France, England, Kansas, Philly, and probably others that I’m forgetting! This globetrotting fits the story well – it’s a complex plot and the expansive setting reflects the various threads we’re trying to follow at once.

Writing (4/5)
Nothing specific to note. The dialogue is effective and the narrative is engaging. No WOW factor.

Plot (3.5/5)
- The plot is quite complex, and the reader gets all the information that individual characters get… so we know more than any single character. This is always fun, but perhaps gave too much away… I guessed most of the twists.
- I love a thriller with unreliable characters where I’m not sure who I can trust and this one delivered!

Intrigue (4/5)
I felt compelled to keep reading even though I guessed many of the twists. The plot is complex enough that I wasn’t sure how the author would eventually weave everything together.

Logic (2/5)
This is my biggest issue with this book. So much of how the answers are revealed hinges on chance. It's understandable for this to happen once or even twice in a book as complex as this one, but it’s not just once – over and over again, the characters catch a lucky break that propels the story forward. While it was satisfying from a plot perspective to keep things moving, it distracted and pulled me from the story when it kept happening. A huge part of the emotional resonance of a story like this is that it could happen to anyone, in any town, and the continual lucky breaks dispel this connection with the story.

Enjoyment (4/5)
The complexity of the plot plus the varied settings held my interest despite the plot holes and the somewhat predictable twists. I really enjoyed it!

I listened to this as an audiobook. The story had a perplexing start with various points of view, but the narrators skillfully differentiated between the characters. Halfway through, I believed I had figured it out, but the multitude of unexpected twists kept me guessing until the end.

The reading experience could have earned a 4.5-5 star rating if the conclusion had been slightly more extensive. The narrative unfolded with such intensity that it left lingering questions by the end. To prevent any plot gaps, some chapters could have been shorter or the author could have opted for a more extended book.

Overall, a good quick thriller! Be sure to give it a listen on May 28th. Special thanks to Macmillan Audio!

Alex Finlay always writes books that I enjoy and this one was no different.

The only thing I really struggle with in reading Alex Finlay books is a double edged sword because I LOVE fast paced books BUT his tend to be so fast paced that I feel like I don’t really get to know the characters all that well. So I sorta wish I could learn more about a character before other characters and twists are thrown in.

Even though I couldn’t keep the characters straight or remember all of them I was still able to enjoy reading this one. It was fun to see this story play out. You def feel very untrusting while reading it.

I opted for the audio and that was very well done. Looking forward to reading more of his work.

IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME by Alex Finlay is an intense thriller that had me on edge!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This multiple perspective story was made even more engrossing with a cast of narrators. I love cast narrations, and this cast nailed it. I am so grateful to @macmillan.audio for access to this title publishing on May 28th.

This story starts with a teen Ryan and girlfriend heading out to have an intimate moment only to be interrupted by a storm! They race back the car and as they settle in, it all goes black for Ryan. When he wakes up, he is alone in the field, his girlfriend and the car are gone.

I was gripped by this story immediately and it rarely let me relax and the events unfolded that explained this event and those following in the years after. I didn't catch on to the structure for a bit, but that made it all the better when it clicked!

I loved the ability to listen while following along on digital. A huge thanks to @minotaur_books & @netgalley for this ARC.

This is a true thriller with a deeper dive that made this story one that will be remembered. I highly recommend.

Book Review - If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay
Narrated by Helen Laser; John Pirhalla; Paul Dateh


Ryan and Ali appear to be the perfect high school sweethearts until their special night at Lovers’ Lane goes unexpectedly awry…

Ryan awakes with a throbbing headache, and Ali is nowhere to be found. As this story unfolds, the listener is taken on a whirlwind journey, getting to know each of the main characters and their intentions. The plot moves from Leavenworth, Kansas to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to various places in Europe, eventually concluding in Georgetown, Washington DC..

Throughout this book, corruption and conflict seem to be lurking at every turn! Noone can be trusted and everyone seems to be a suspect! This book follows Ryan’s quest to find out what happened to his one and only true love. Not everything is what it seems, but Ryan perseveres in a quest to find answers! This fast-paced thriller hooked me right from the start as I grew increasingly intrigued as the plot unfolded.

When Poppy returns to her hometown from the military, she is faced with the unsolved case of Ali’s disappearance. During her investigation, she uncovers a lot of evidence that relates back to her family. How will she handle this? Tension arises as Poppy stives to find the truth. My allegiances swayed throughout the story; the story is told through multiple voices, which adds to the suspense and overall quality of the story. The narrators, Helen Laser, John Pirhalla, and Paul Dateh do a beautiful job giving voice to each character as they struggle to either find or hide the truth.

There were times in which I felt like the story could have moved at a slightly faster pace, but there were several twists within the storyline that I definitely did not see coming!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Alex Finlay, and Macmillan Audio for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.