This book was a little slow to start and it was incredibly hard to keep up with all the characters (and their parents) but once you find your way and learn the characters this book will hook you! Came with twists I definitely did not see coming and was truly a great read that becomes hard to put down! Highly recommend checking this out when it releases in May!

This was definitely an interesting and captivating read but not one of my favorites by Alex Finlay. I found the story a little predictable but also outrageously out there at the same time. If you’re looking for a quick, entertaining popcorn thriller, pick this one up. 3.5 rounded up.

I absolutely love Alex Findlay’s writing so when I was provided an advanced copy of his newest book i was very excited. This story surrounded the lives of several college students and their parents.

I found each and everyone of the families was unique and interesting in their own way and I was intrigued to follow how their sins may have impacted the fate of their children.

There was a large set of characters and it did take me some time to wrap my head around them but when it came together it formed a very interesting dynamic between the students and added layers to the characters plot.

It was a little less mysterious than what I normally enjoy but I am hopeful for more stories featuring Agent Keller. This is my first time reading one of Findlay’s books featuring her and I really enjoyed her as a character.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this advanced copy

Alex Finaly writes another entertaining novel that will keep his readers engaged. The story follows a group of freshman college friends during the parents’ weekend at the university. When one girl is reported missing, and the others are no where to be seen during the dinner event with their parents at the college newly transferred FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller must find out what has happened.

The book follows the five students and the lives of their parents as Keller tries to unravel the events around the disappearance. I enjoyed the characters in this story. They were believable, especially how the college students interacted and use of social media. Finlay does a good job showing how gossip and anonymous posting can influence the lives of the others. The story was a smooth read, that keeps the reader engaged, and I like that he ends every chapter with some type of hook to entice you to keep going. The only issue was that it took time to keep get to know the characters and I found it slightly difficult to keep track between the student’s name and the parents.

Overall, I think the book is a good read. If you are looking for a fun story that moves at a good a pace, I highly suggest this book.
Thank you Net galley, Alex Finlay and Minotaur Books for the advice readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

In his latest thriller, Alex Finlay proves once again why he's become a master of suspense, crafting a story that transforms the usually jovial occasion of a college parents' weekend into a nightmare that will keep readers turning pages well into the night.

Set at a small private college in Northern California, the novel follows five families whose paths intersect during what should have been a routine parents' weekend dinner. As reported by Macmillan, what begins as a celebration of their children's first year of college quickly derails when their five freshmen students mysteriously vanish before the planned dinner gathering.

Finlay, the bestselling author who writes under a pseudonym from Washington, DC, demonstrates his trademark ability to weave complex character studies with pulse-pounding suspense. The narrative expertly explores the delicate dynamics between helicopter parents and their college-aged children, all while maintaining the mounting tension of a missing persons investigation.

The strength of the novel lies in its layered examination of family dynamics and expectations. As noted by Barnes & Noble, "the intricate world of wealthy parents with sky-high expectations collides with the struggles of young adults at a small private college," creating a powder keg of tension that explodes in unexpected ways. The author deftly captures those exhilarating first days of college life when friendships form and students taste independence for the first time, only to subvert these familiar experiences with a dark twist.

The novel's structure, told through multiple points of view, keeps readers on their toes as they piece together the puzzle of the students' disappearance. In classic Finlay fashion, the story "combines astute character studies with shocking twists, turning the growing pains between parents and their college-aged kids into mesmerizing fodder for high-tension thrills."

While some readers might find the large cast of characters initially challenging to track, Finlay manages to give each family distinct characteristics and motivations that become clearer as the story progresses. The author excels at portraying the complexities of parent-child relationships during the college transition phase, making the characters' fears and anxieties palpable.

The novel's pacing is relentless, with short chapters that compel readers forward. However, some may find the resolution slightly less satisfying than the build-up, as noted by some early reviews. Despite this minor criticism, the journey to the conclusion remains thoroughly engaging.

Parents Weekend succeeds not just as a thriller but as an exploration of modern parenting, privilege, and the sometimes suffocating weight of familial expectations. The book delves into family dysfunction and those pivotal moments when the parent-child relationship must evolve or break under the strain of growing independence.

For fans of domestic suspense and campus thrillers, Parents Weekend delivers a compelling mix of psychological tension and family drama. While it may not be Finlay's most shocking work, it's a solid addition to his growing bibliography that will satisfy both longtime fans and newcomers to his work.

Recommended for readers who enjoy character-driven suspense novels that examine family dynamics, particularly those who appreciated Donna Tartt's The Secret History or Tana French's The Likeness, though with Finlay's distinctive contemporary edge.

This was the first book I've read by this author, but the description was compelling enough to make me want to read it, and I was not disappointed! The characters were clearly laid out, and while there were several to keep up with, they were easy enough to distinguish based on chapter names alone. The story had a couple small twists and turns, nothing major, yet it kept me captivated enough to want to read until the end. It was a quick read for me, but I enjoyed the ride and couldn't wait to finish to see how it all came together in the end.

A solid popcorn thriller. Parents weekend is a fast paced, quick read. Perfect for a long flight, beach read or to bring on vacation. This one definitely won’t stay with me forever but I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the multiple POVs. Parents vs students. There are A LOT of characters. I would have to stop and think about who was who when starting each chapter. I found myself liking the drama of the parents stories more than the students. Overall the story was entertaining and I would try another book by this author.

3.5 stars rounded up. This is my first Alex Finlay book and I plan on reading some more of his work soon. Overall, I enjoyed this thriller. The beginning was a little confusing at first and hard for me to get into because of there were so many characters. This book was fast paced and kept me guessing until the end, which I enjoyed. I really liked the FBI agent's character and chapter's the best. She was the most relatable for me.


Thank you Netgalley and St.Martin's Press for the digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

A quick popcorn thriller, but not something that will stay with me for a long time. I enjoyed the multiple view points, but I would have to stop and think about which person was which before diving in to their chapter.

I have read all of Alex Finlay’s books and will continue to pick them up as they come out. I like the small Easter eggs that they put in from their previous books, but you don’t have to have read them prior to reading this one.

This book centers around 5 college freshman and their families, who come from very different backgrounds. Each (short) chapter tells the story of a different family, keeping the reading light & quick.

As parent's weekend at college commences, "The Five" and their families plan for a night of dinner and cocktails. But as the kids fail to show up for dinner, the parents start questioning what happened to them? This story takes you through multiples points of view in both past and present. While nothing particularly kept me on the edge of my seat, the overall pace was fast and it was an easy book to read in a weekend.

Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an early copy of the book!

Another great book from Alex Finlay! Parents Weekend centers around five college students who reside in Campisi Hall. As the families show up for parents weekend, a dinner is planned for the students and their parents, however, the students don’t show up. At first, everyone thinks it’s just irresponsible college kids who got a better offer, but they soon realize there is a much bigger, more sinister, issue at play. The weekend is already tarnished by the death of a student, so their fears are not unfounded. The story is told in multiple POV’s, but it’s very easy to follow, and the chapters are quick reads.
The mystery surrounding the missing Five will keep you guessing until the end who is behind everything. Detective Sarah Keller, who you may recognize from other Finlay books, questions each parent, and the secrets and dysfunction of the family dynamics only clouds any clear cut path to what really happened to the students, and will they be found in time before they all suffer the consequences of their actions. Great character development, the mystery is riveting and easy to follow, and each of the parents secrets will have you shaking your head, especially at the shocking conclusion.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Minotaur Books and Alex Finlay for an advanced reader copy of another heart pounding thriller. 5 ⭐️

Another fast paced, twisty popcorn thriller from Alex Finlay! I love Finlay’s writing style and the short chapters always make for a bingeable quick read. I was hooked in right from the start which is always nice with thrillers. I was a little lost with all of the different characters/families for a bit at the start but once I got them all down was able to fly through. This was a fun ride and I loved it! Can’t wait to see what’s next from Alex Finlay as he’s become one of my favorite thrillers authors!

Thank you to Minotaur and NetGalley for my early digital copy 🫶🏻

3.5* - Parents Weekend kept me hooked! (even if it wasn’t a perfect read for me) The premise was intriguing, and the duel timelines worked. However, with so many characters navigating their own struggles, the chapters felt a bit overwhelming and crowded. While I was curious to see how everything played out, I never formed a strong connection with any of the characters. Still, the mystery was compelling, and if you like multi-POV thrillers then you'll likely enjoy the journey!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review will be posted (Instagram, Goodreads, bookishlytara blog, Storygraph) on April 22, 2025. An additional post (with a reposted review) will be posted on Instagram on the publication day as well as an Amazon Canada review. (links below)

It took me a little bit to get into this thriller, but I’m glad I held on! Once it picked up, I was flying through the pages. There are some great twists and turns that helped to keep me guessing throughout. In this book, everyone has a secret.
The multiple POVs had me struggling - there were so many. But again, once I got the hang of who’s who, the chapters flew by.
Overall, I’d recommend if you’re looking for a quick thriller with a bunch of twists.

I did enjoy this book but for me I think that there were a few too many POVs and a few too many main characters. I think that it got a bit overwhelming a bit confusing at times but it was a good story! I liked the thriller and almost mysterious vibe to it! I think with fewer POVs/ main characters my rating and enjoyment would have been higher!

Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced copy!

This one would definitely qualify as a popcorn thriller. Moves pretty fast. Lots of characters and chapters moving between different POV's. Keeps the story moving and the short-ish chapters help with that.

I read this one pretty quickly in about 2-3 days and it was a decently fun ride, but I don't feel like the story was fully fleshed out and I felt like I wanted more, like maybe another 50-100 pages to really get it to punch.

But as a popcorn quick moving thriller it worked well enough and made me interested enough in FBI Agent Keller to go figure out what other books she's been in b/c I found her interesting and compelling enough to want to go watch her solve some more murders!

This book had my attention from the beginning. I very much enjoy the writing, but this wasn’t a “thriller” for me, more of a mystery (that I admittedly thought I had solved but very much didn’t). Still a very enjoyable read that I had no problem picking up every night!!

This book had so much potential. I really enjoyed the alternating perspectives and the short, quick chapters. That being said, there were FAR too many characters and as a result, there were many storylines that weren't dove into as much as they should've been. I also think there were too many "red herrings" and as a result, the reader focuses on the most obvious answer... which was the correct answer. No big twist in a thriller is a serious con for me.

One more thing I want to point out is that I almost stopped reading in the second chapter - the parents in this book are horrendous and I can understand why their children have strained relationships with them. As an expecting mother myself, may I never behave this way.

2.5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Alex Finlay's "Parents Weekend" is a gripping thriller that pulls readers into the shadowed halls of a prestigious university, where secrets and lies converge during the eponymous weekend, during which a group of friends known as The Five go missing.

The return of the determined Agent Sarah Keller, who looks into the disappearences is especially engaging.

Finlay’s mastery of suspense is immediately evident, as he crafts a narrative that feels both claustrophobic and sprawling—trapping the characters within the confines of the campus while unraveling their stories in an ever-widening web of deceit.

The novel’s structure is a standout feature, as Finlay alternates between multiple perspectives, allowing readers to delve into the minds of parents, students, and faculty members. Each voice is distinct, and the shifting viewpoints heighten the tension, keeping readers guessing about who can be trusted. The choice to set the story during "Parents Weekend" , a time ostensibly devoted to connection and celebration, is a stroke of genius. It juxtaposes the warmth of familial bonds with the cold, calculating actions of those harboring dark intentions.

"Parents Weekend" is a probing exploration of ambition, privilege, and the lengths people will go to protect their secrets. The characters are flawed and deeply human, making their choices all the more compelling and, at times, unsettling. Finlay's knack for pacing ensures that the twists land with precision, and just when you think you’ve pieced it all together, the plot takes another sharp turn.

For readers who enjoy thrillers as thought-provoking as they are entertaining, "Parents Weekend" delivers on all fronts. Alex Finlay once again proves his ability to blend psychological insight with edge-of-your-seat storytelling. It’s a novel that ponders the masks people wear—and what lies beneath.

3.5 stars (rounded up)

When parents arrive for Parent’s Weekend, they expect to catch up with their college kids over dinner. But things take a bizarre turn when not just one—but *five*—students fail to show up and then mysteriously vanish. With a recent student death already casting a shadow over campus, panic spreads as the search intensifies. Enter Agent Sarah Keller, who’s on the case, determined to unravel the truth and bring the missing students home.
This was a quick, easy read—I flew through it. But honestly, the storyline felt a bit underwhelming. Every character seems to be hiding something, and when those secrets start coming to light, some feel a little too far-fetched. That said, this was my first time meeting Agent Keller, and she was the highlight for me. I really enjoyed her character and the glimpses into her family life.
While Parent’s Weekend isn’t my favorite Alex Finley novel, it’s still an entertaining read that I’d recommend if you’re in the mood for a fast-paced mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Parent’s Weekend is set to release on May 6, 2025.