I really enjoyed this! I definitely didn't see the ending coming, and enjoyed all of the characters. I wouldn't say this was my top thriller read of the year, but it was a solidly enjoyable book.

Quick easy read. Perfect for a plane ride. Very short chapters which I love. There was not a lot of character development and the ending left a lot to be desired. I wanted more information at the end and was left re-reading to see if I missed anything. Definitely some plot holes here. Not a bad read just not great either.

One of the things I appreciated most about Parents Weekend was its well-paced plot and the way Finlay slowly unveils the connections between characters, creating a web of suspense. The book does a great job of keeping readers on their toes, constantly shifting between perspectives and providing just enough misdirection to make it hard to predict where the story is headed.

Finlay’s writing is sharp and accessible, with engaging dialogue and a sense of urgency that pulls you through the pages. The psychological tension between the characters feels real, especially as long-buried secrets come to light. It also explores themes of privilege, pressure, and the dark side of academic institutions, which adds an interesting layer of social commentary to the mystery.

While the twists and turns are exciting, some of the character motivations felt a bit forced at times, and the satisfying ending left me with a few lingering questions. Still, overall, I found Parents Weekend to be an enjoyable and suspenseful read, perfect for fans of mystery and thrillers looking for something to keep them guessing until the very last page.

This explosive thriller was fantastic and full of non-stop suspense from the get-go! I loved the subplots that collided with the main plot! A unique trope with surprises sprinkled throughout. One of my top 5 thrillers this year. I couldn’t read fast enough with this quick-paced gem!!
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was such a fun one! I have enjoyed all of Finlay’s books and was happy to see the return of Agent Sarah! She is a great down to earth character and she is believable. Findlay gets the law enforcement angle right, which keeps the story on track. Finlay kept the pace brisk and the characters interesting. I flew through this one in two days. Five college students go missing on parents weekend - but the parents all have their own secrets as well. I will be recommending to friends! Thanks to Net Galley for an advance digital copy.

Another pretty good thriller by Finlay! I pick up everything he writes, because I can always be sure the story will be unique, full of great characters, and have a solid ending. Admittedly, this is not my favourite book by Finley, but it was still a good read, and I finished it in two sittings. I loved that the story had familiar characters from previous Finlay novels, and referenced previous book plots, to tie together lots of old and new elements. I recommend this one!

This is my first read by Alex Finlay, and I'm surprised I've taken so long to pick up one of his books because this one was a fun ride. It took me a bit to get a handle on all the characters/families, but once I did I was hooked. The plot was lightning fast, and the short chapters and quick developments kept me furiously flipping the [kindle] pages. Seriously, I finished about 85% of the book in a single sitting. You will not be bored.

The book focuses more on the titular parents versus their missing kids, and I honestly actually didn't mind this approach. Teen thrillers definitely have their moments, but I appreciated the parents' more mature struggles being the lens through which the search was conducted. With this approach, the book moved out of popcorn thriller territory and dipped a toe into the more human drama space. Even if that drama wasn't always related to the central mystery, it still captured and held my interest throughout.

That said, I do wish the book had bit more character development; I think the sheer number of characters made this a challenge, and since we spent most of our time with the parents (and Agent Keller) we *barely* got to know the kids. This lack of depth made the ending/reveals weaker, because we weren't actually invested enough in the students' backstories and their relationships to be hung up on how their fates shook out. It's not like the book has a bloated page count, so I think much more attention could've been given to the students' stories to lend the ending some more punch. Without that investment, the conclusion felt somewhat rushed and unsatisfying.

So that lack of depth at the end knocked off a couple stars for me, but "Parents' Weekend" is still a solid thriller that kept me engaged the whole time. I'm sure I'll reach for another Alex Finlay after this!

[Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for an advance reader copy of this book!]

Five families plan on a night of dinner and cocktails for parents weekend. Their kids, 5 residents of Campisi Hall, never show up at dinner. The 5 are Libby, Blane, Mark, Felix and Stella. During that weekend the body of a missing student, Natasha Belov, is found. Agent Keller is asked to get involved.

The story is told from different perspectives: those of the missing students, their families and Agent Keller. The families reveal messy personal lives and relationships.

The ending was disappointing and anticlimactic of what happened. The mystery wasn’t complex or surprising. There was no plot twist. More character development was needed. I did enjoy the updates of how all of what happened affected the families. The story showed the impact of death of a child, alcoholism, infidelity on a family.

Publishing: May 6, 2025

Thank you #netgalley and MintourBooks/St Martins books

I really like Alex Findlay books and this one doesn’t disappoint. This book is about 5 college students who go missing while their parents wait for them to meet them for dinner. The book had some surprises for me, was easy to read, and kept me interested until the end!

Sometimes You Just Can’t Wait!

My favorite books by Alex Finlay, (Every Last Fear and The Night Shift) featured whip smart FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller, so when I saw that she was back for “Parents Weekend”, I just had to read this right away!

The podcasters, bloggers, and TikTok sleuths call them-The Five.-all Freshman students who failed to show up for dinner and drinks with their parents for Santa Clara University’s Parents Weekend.

Blane (Roosevelt), Stella (Maldonado), Felix (Goffman), Libby (Akana) and Mark (Wong).

Normally, Campus Police would not be overly concerned immediately, assuming the students were involved in a hazing or sidetracked by a party-but earlier in the week, after not taking an anonymous call about another missing student seriously, she was found dead, and they can’t afford to risk another tragedy.

After a prologue featuring THE FIVE, the story opens on FRIDAY-the night of the dinner and the chapters alternate between each of the students PARENTS, giving us background on why THEY could be the reason that the students are missing-with additional chapters from the Kellers (Agent Keller, husband Bob and their now 9 year old twins).

I was engaged immediately and as always, I enjoyed Agent Keller’s chapters and her sleuthing skills. But, the chapters featuring the students felt YA and were not quite as compelling.

Because of the LARGE cast of characters, it takes awhile to set things up. And, perhaps for the same reason-I never got to know them well enough to become emotionally invested in the outcome.

The mystery itself wasn’t as strong or as complex as some of Agent Kellers earlier cases, so this was probably my least favorite of HER stories, but it was still entertaining and well worth adding to your TBR. It can be read as a stand-alone as Agent Kellers earlier cases are not spoiled.

3.5 ⭐️ rounded ⬆️

This title will be released on May 6, 2025.

Thank You to Minotaur Books for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts!

Five college freshman students have gone missing over Parents’ Weekend. This novel follows the families of these students, along with the investigator’s family, through an emotional and harrowing weekend.
I found the plot to be engaging but predictable. The characters were interesting but could have been explored more. Overall it was an enjoyable and quick read.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

Great fun, quick read that kept your interest although a few outlandish plot lines that for some reason made it fun. Interesting settings and interesting characters.

I loved this book! This was great. The title really drew me in but the story kept me. The story is exciting and will have you second guessing everything.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this book.

I really enjoyed yet another Alex Finlay book. This one for sure kept me on the edge of my seat and I was guessing the whole time. I will admit, though, it did drag just a bit for me in the middle, but otherwise I liked it. I would recommend.

I’ve read all of Alex Finlay’s books, and let me tell you, the man knows how to deliver a fast-paced plot that keeps you hooked without feeling overdone. The secret? Quick, bite-sized chapters and a rotating cast of characters. He loves multiple POVs, and it works — mostly.

Parents Weekend synopsis: 5 rich college kids go missing during Parents Weekend, their parents are messy, and somehow, an FBI agent gets thrown into the mix. The plot moves fast and keeps you on your toes. I loved the short chapters because they made it easy to take breaks and dive back in without feeling lost. But with the breakneck speed and so many characters, the character development takes a bit of a hit. Honestly, I’d love to see Finlay tackle a 400-500 page thriller where he could really flesh out the characters while still delivering that tight plot.

Now, let’s talk about Special Agent Sarah Keller. This is the third time we’re following her, and I’ve gotta say, it feels a little tired. I don’t love detective series, and Keller isn’t quite as badass as Finlay seems to think she is. Time to move on, please. That said, I do appreciate that this book isn’t marketed as part of a series — it stands alone just fine, which is a relief.

Finlay’s writing still feels a bit juvenile at times (does he have to say “or whatever” so much?), and the 80s references could use a refresh. But honestly, it adds to his charm. He tells a good story, and he does it well. Plus, he’s the only author whose Acknowledgments page actually makes me laugh.

In the end, I really like Finlay. I’ll keep reading his books no matter the size or quality because he’s a thriller writer, and thrill he does.

Rating: 4 stars

I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley and I'm happy I got to read it. I enjoyed Finlay's other book Night Shift and so I knew I'd probably like this one as well.

I have a love/hate relationship when books switch POVs because on one hand, it makes me more engaged since I want to know what secrets are to be revealed but on the other, I am extremely impatient. I still enjoyed the different POVs and how the stories intertwined with each other. I did guess the ending a little bit before it was revealed but it was still a great read. I still need to read more of Finlay's books but so far the two I have read have been really good.

Wow!!! Finished this book in two days!! It was so good. Loved the short chapters and the multiple POVs it was a page turner that kept me on the edge of my chair and never saw the end coming!!! I also loved that Keller was in this book too! Highly recommend for all thriller lovers!

Alex Finlay's Parents Weekend is a thrilling read that masterfully combines suspense with emotional depth. Set against the backdrop of a college parents' weekend gone awry, the story weaves together multiple points of view and cleverly uses flashbacks to reveal layers of mystery and betrayal. Finlay’s writing is fast-paced, keeping readers engaged with unexpected twists and turns.

5 students go missing and one is dead. We meet Agent Sarah Keller from his previous book as they figures out where these students are before it's too late. Another fast paced, page tuner by Finley. I like his writing style, he makes you want to read more as chapters are short and the story is captivating. There were a lot of different characters in this which at times for me got confusing and the ending felt a bit rushed but I still rather enjoyed the book. It isn't my favourite of his but if you want something thats fast paced this would be a good pick

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy for a honest review.

This was just an ok story. I thought the characters and the plot were well developed. Overall it was good read to get you out of a reading hole.