4 stars-It is always exciting to read a new Alex Finley book and this one was no exception! It’s parents weekend at SCU and five very different families are in town to visit their students. The students have planned to meet their parents at a capstone dinner (the five students have been assigned to group within their dorm.) The parents are waiting, and waiting, but the group never shows. The parents and students all have their issues, is one of them the reason the kids are missing? Or is it tied to a girl who died just days before parents weekend? I enjoyed the multiple POV’s in this story and the ultimate resolution. This was definitely a page turner! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc. It was a pleasure to read and review this book.

It’s Parents Weekend at Santa Clara University. Parents have gathered for special events, meals and visits with their children. The parents of freshmen Blane, Stella, Libby, Mark and Felix have very different backgrounds and standards but they join together on opening night to share dinner with the students but as the hours go by, they realize that The Five, as they are soon called by the press, are missing. What follows is a desperate search that will lead through a maze of bad judgment and hidden secrets by both students and parents.

Parents Weekend by the talented Alex Finlay, is a mystery/thriller with multiple narrators. As each parent tells part of the story, the reasons for their behavior are shown. The students’ problems are revealed slowly, through the deliberately slow-paced plot. Sarah Keller is a particularly strong character and a recurring one. Her husband Bob is delightful. I look forward to seeing them again. 5 Stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Alex Finlay for this ARC.

Alex Finlay does it again, another thriller I couldn’t put down and didn’t see the end coming! At first it felt like too many characters to keep track of, but that turned out to be one of the best attributes to this novel. Highly recommend!

Alex Finlay has done it again in a twisty thriller where you don't know who to trust! In it, we find Special Agent Keller (who has appeared in a few other of Finlay's works) on the case as five college students have disappeared into thin air. This book goes between multiple points of view as the race is on to find out what happened and how to save the teens. I enjoyed getting the inside scoop on all the parents of the students as they have their own secrets coming to light in the pages.
Thank you to Net Galley for the advance copy!

Alex Finlay does a really good job of writing a bingeable book and PARENTS WEEKEND was no exception.

I loved that we got to see the recurring character of Special Agent Keller who was in Finlays thriller THE NIGHT SHIFT (which I highly reco.) She and the short chapters were about the only redeeming things in thriller that was set on a college campus.

There were so many characters to keep track of and I felt it took away from the story. The twists didn’t pay off, imo and the ending was wrapped too tightly with a bow which just isn’t how I prefer my thrillers.

I'm so happy for Sarah Keller and Bob to be back on my pages. But more Bob I request! The absolute perfect husband. (Sorry if it means we'll have Sarah having to solve even more horrific crimes).

Was this one predictable? Sure it was. Did I still enjoy it? Absolutely. Well written, good characters and a heart and soul for parents and their bonds

Alex Finlay is one of my favorite thriller writers. I flew through this book.
Parents Weekend is about 5 college students that never show up to a dinner during Parents Weekend. This book is told in multiple POV's. We get the FBI agents view, as well as the parents and the missing kids point of view. This is a very fast paced read and I really enjoyed it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for a copy of this book for review.

There were a LOT of characters in this book, but the plot was very interesting. It kept me intrigued throughout the book and I found myself not wanting to put it down. I thought it was a bit chaotic at times, but I did enjoy it! 4 stars! This was my second book by this author- I need to read more!

The story brings together the complex lives of parents and students, each carrying their own secrets and conflicts. Blake Roosevelt’s parents, Cynthia, a powerful political figure, and Hank, her estranged ex-husband, grapple with their complicated history. David and Nina Maldonado’s strained marriage brings added tension as they support their daughter, Stella. Ken Akana, a judge, and his wife Amy shower attention on their seemingly perfect daughter, Libby, while mourning the loss of their son. Single mother Alice stumbles upon unsettling secrets involving her son Felix. When the students fail to appear for the scheduled dinner, panic ensues, especially since a student had been found dead earlier in the week. Special Agent Sarah Keller steps in to investigate, and unsettling clues come to light.

Are the kids in serious danger, or is this all an elaborate hoax?

I love all the Alex Finlay books I have read so was very excited to have received an Arc of this book through NetGallery!


I enjoyed the premise of the book. You know there are going to be unexpected twists with this author which I really enjoyed This wasn't my favorite book he's written but I'd definitely recommend to others to read!

Went into this one full of hope. I have really enjoyed this author’s books in the past. This one was just okay. I figured out “whodunnit” toward the very beginning of the book and was disappointed that I turned out to be right, as I felt it was glaringly obvious. I feel like the concept was there for this plot, but could have been better executed. I do, however, feel that the characters were pretty fleshed out and I appreciated that. That being said, it is genuinely so difficult to keep so many points of view straight. Overall, it was a 3 star read for me and I will continue to read everything this author puts out.

Tons of characters presented in each chapter made it a tad bit to keep track of who was who in this book. However, the story was exciting. I like Finlay's ability to craft a well-thought out book. The story entertained me, and I was eager to reach the end to find out how the story concluded. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This is a drama fest that the parents had more drama then the kids. The first half of the book I read so fast the middle was a little slow and I felt the ending was a little rushed. I loved the character development and it kept me guess on what was going on. There was many good twists the main twist was ok it was something I wasn't expecting. Ill read more from this author and I would recommend this to people that like drama and a fast read.

"Parents Weekend" by Alex Finlay is a captivating thriller that weaves together suspense and the complexities of family dynamics. Set against the backdrop of a picturesque Northern California college, the story begins with the excitement of Parents Weekend, where five families gather to celebrate their children’s first year at school. However, as the night unfolds, their children mysteriously go missing, and the initially festive atmosphere turns into a gripping race against time.

Told through multiple perspectives, Finlay gives readers insight into the lives of the parents and their children. The narrative skillfully juxtaposes the carefree college experience with the darker undercurrents of expectation and family dysfunction, making it relatable and thought-provoking.

Ultimately, "Parents Weekend" is a riveting exploration of friendship, family ties, and the haunting impact of past choices. With its clever plot twists and rich characterizations, this novel keeps you on the edge of your seat, making it a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and anyone who appreciates a well-crafted story.

I flew through this book and finished it in 24 hours, so not a difficult read. Which is how I like my mystery thrillers - easy to consume and fast-paced. This book is about a bunch of parents coming together on their kid's college campus for their parent's weekend, and the kids go missing. What ensues are some twists and turns (one that I did not anticipate).

What did I enjoy about this book?
FBI Agent Sarah Keller is awesome. I loved her relationship with her husband and family, how resourceful she is, and that she is clearly willing to step outside of the box to solve a case. Her care for others shines in this book as she saves multiple lives. The culmination is also complex. There are a lot of loose ends that Finlay had to wrap up and I think that was done well.

What did I not enjoy as much?
Some of the parents are just horrible. This isn't surprising, but no wonder some of their kids hate them or don't have a good relationship. Other than that, some of the plot points I saw coming from a mile away - this didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book overall, but something to keep in mind.

I enjoyed this book way more than the last one I read by Finlay, so this encourages me to continue picking up books by this author.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the Minotaur Books for a chance to read an ARC of this book.

“Parents’ Weekend” is a mystery/thriller by Alex Finlay. This book follows five families over the course of a long weekend. The parents are to meet up with their kids - but the kids (adult college students) never appear … and it could be due to secrets the kids are hiding from their parents … or the parents from their children. I liked Agent Keller and the action “race against time” things she faced. I also liked the mentions of “we used to be able to do X” and “it’s not like police dramas” - nice little asides. Also on the positive - short chapters, quick engaging read, and most of this book took place in an area I knew. On the negative, it took me a while to keep the families separated and which kid was connected to whom. I found the conclusion to be a bit - well, a bit of a let-down. A few too many things seemed to work perfectly. However, I fully understood the grief aspects in this book. I had a laugh at some of the things in this book that were so minor, but fun if one knows the Bay Area. Overall, I found this a good fast engaging read and must admit to reading it in one evening.

Thank you so much NetGalley & St martin's Press for giving me access to this ebook in exchange for my honest opinion!
Parents Weekend is the new (and very anticipated!) Alex Finlay's book for 2025!
Five families gather for Parents Weekend at a college in Northern California, excited to celebrate their children’s first year. However, their five kids never show up, leading the parents to assume they’re off partying. As time passes with no contact, fear grows, and the campus police bring in additional support. Soon, the whole town is consumed by search parties, reporters, and rumors, with many asking if something from the parents' pasts or within the group has put The Five in danger.
I had a blast with this one! I loved the short chapters, the themes (college/disappearances/family drama) and reading again about the FBI Agent Sarah Keller!
I understood the twist quite early so it's not a 5 star reads but I recommend this one to anyone who love a good police TV show episode! It reads the same, Fast and so good!

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martins Press for allowing me to read and review this arc.

Alex Finlay is one of my favorite authors but i think this is the first arc i have ever received, it immediately hooked me in from the very first page and kept going. It started off by giving a brief description of each of the families involved, and how they were all coming to parents weekend at the college their kids attended.

Each of these families have some issues/secrets that no one wants to be known plus the kids have issues as well but seem to find their place when they go off to college. There is a mysterious death and that is where everything comes into play, there are lots of interwoven stories, secrets and drama that unfold throughout this book, and a temporary FBI agent just transferred to the area who gets handed the case (loved her relationship with her hubby), she develops some close relationships with other people while working this case and it carries through to the end of the story. So many twist and turns and secrets revealed in an explosive ending make this book one that definitely needs to be read..

Thanks again to Netgalley and St Martins Press! This is one fast paced easy book to read.

“Parents Weekend” is my favourite Alex Finlay book to date!!

The plot follows 5 teens who go missing on the evening of Parents Weekend. The mysterious disappearance rings alarm bells as it is closely following the tragic accidental death announcement of another student.

The chapters are split in POV between the parents, the students and a FBI agent on the case. The split POV was definitely my favourite aspect of this book, getting to see the behind the scenes of each dysfunctional family, the secrets they are hiding, the drama, the betrayals the affairs.

I also enjoyed seeing how the parents dramas bled into their children’s school lives. The effect it had on their personalities, confidences and behaviours. From a psychological perspective I think the author nailed the personalities of the students and I loved seeing the growth and changes to the dynamics in the families, particularly a three year follow up in the epilogue.

I loved the first chapter nailing the high stakes danger from the first page and then following it with fast paced short spaced chapters throughout. The pacing and the timeline was done perfectly.

I can’t wait to read more from this author!

Thank you to Alex Finlay, St Martin’s Press & Minotaur books for the EARC!

Publish date; May 6th 2025

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Four sets of parents head to Northern California for their freshman childrens' parents weekend at their private college. They are all supposed to meet for dinner but none of the kids show up and they can't be reached on their phones.

3.5 stars.

I was so excited to get this arc as I was leaving on vacation because I love this author. This was a very straight forward quick read. There weren't the twists and turns that I really like. There were a lot of characters to keep straight which I eventually had under control. There honestly just wasn't much to this book. It was a lot of backstory that didn't necessarily add anything to the mystery. I felt the mystery was pretty light too. It wasn't his best but it was a decent one day beach read. I have loved other books by this author, so I will still eagerly await his next novel.