Well hello again Special Agent Keller! I love the way we get another look at a recurring character. She adds to the story without taking away from it. Jay and Annie were such delights and I'm really hoping to see them again in the future.
As for The Five. At first I had no idea who took them and why. The little peeps into each family and their dynamics was a nice curveball into my theories. That secret file and Alice really had me going in one direction for awhile. Even with a famed judge and high government person with their own issues. The infidelities. But before the reveal, I'd already figured the connections and who was behind it. The standoff though, now that was surprising. And the graduation was so so so very sweet.

Alex Finlay is one of my favorite authors and I devoured this book over the course of a few hours. It centers on a group of families who gather for dinner at a college parents’ weekend, but none of the kids show up. What is initially chalked up to irresponsible teenager behavior soon escalates into the sense that something is very wrong. The story is told in short chapters, alternating POVs between the families, the kids, and the FBI agent, Keller (to whom we were introduced in previous books!).

I thought the author did a great job at differentiating the various families so it was easy for me to know who was who without having to remind myself at each new chapter. This is impressive in itself but especially so in short chapters. Some characters were more likable than others but all of them were believable. The mystery in the book was pretty good, though I didn’t necessarily feel shocked about any of the twists. Finlay tends to kill off people that I didn’t expect, so there was tension the whole way through about who may or may not make it to the end of the book. I thought the end of the story tied things up nicely, though it did leave me thinking (as all of his books do) how sad it is that things that seem like small decisions at the time end up having disastrous consequences. I hope that the introduction of a couple great characters means that we might see some more reoccurring characters in future books.

Overall, this is another winner from Finlay that made me neglect everything else in my house (including sleep) until I could finish it. Would recommend to those who enjoy mysteries. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! First, thanks to MacMillan Publishing and Net Galley for allowing me to read an early copy of Parents Weekend. Alex Finlay you’ve done it again. I could not put this book down. I keep telling myself just one more chapter. I finished the book in 2 days. The characters are beautifully written and the pace is fast with twist and turns. It’s a great read for a weekend snuggled by the fire or something to put in your carryon for the next vacation.

3.5

***Trigger Warning: mention of cancer and mention of suicide***

Parents Weekend follows five families who plan on a night of dinner and cocktails before the open festivities of parents weekend. All the parents show up to dinner but the kids don’t. At first they think the kids are just joking around. But then serval hours go by and no one shows up. Now the police are involved to find out what happened.

I thought this was a solid thriller but I did think it had a few flaws. There were a lot of characters and different perspectives to keep up with. That got confusing for me at times. I also didn’t really feel like we got a clear explanation for the motives behind what happened. I just wish things were wrapped up better. But this was a fast paced thriller that will keep your attention. This is fourth book I have read by this author and I will keep reading books by him.

Thank you Alex Finlay, St. Martins Press, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Parents Weekend was a fun read with the perfect mix of suspense and detective work! I really enjoyed the multiple perspectives and getting to see both the parents’ and students’ views. 90% of the characters are incredibly unlikable, but it was interesting to see how all their secrets came back to haunt them.

I loved the return of Agent Keller and getting a further glimpse into her relationship and family dynamics. She was easily my favorite part about the book! Jay McCray was a great addition - I loved how he deferred to Keller’s expertise and would love to see them partner up again in the future. I also have high hopes that Intern Annie could be a new recurring character.

Overall, Parents Weekend is a great read if you’re looking for an escape. The plot is incredibly fast-paced and all the different leads will keep you guessing. Another solid novel from Alex Finlay!

Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and St. Martin’s Press for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay was such a fun book! It took me a little bit to get a grasp on all the characters. I knew who the culprit was almost immediately and o wasn’t sure if it was supposed to be that way or not. But it didn’t turn me off to the book. I found it thrilling and enjoyable!

I’m not normally a fan of multi-POV books, but this Alec Finley novel kept me guessing. Every time I thought I had my theory figured out, the next chapter and perspective had thrown that out the window. The characters are pretty much all insufferable, but aren’t we all to a degree? I couldn’t put the book down despite my disdain for the victims in this story. Read it in a few hours because the suspense was addicting. Alex Finley’s style of writing is addicting to read.

🌟🌟🌟🌟
Parents Weekend releases May 6, 2025

Five students seemingly vanish into thin air during their freshman year at Santa Clara University. The bizarre timing of their disappearance happens during Parents Weekend shortly before they are supposed to meet for a group dinner. Their parents are left feeling “ghosted” and continue the dinner in their absence. With the no call, no show happening the same day another student is found to have tragically drowned, some parents are left feeling uneasy while others are enjoying shots.

The author does two of my favorite things in this thriller - short chapters and multiple POVs. This book is fast paced and each chapter left me wanting more causing me to abandon all responsibilities. Apologies to my husband who directly suffered from this! (Me, writing this after midnight because I couldn’t sleep until I finished)

The first 5 chapters introduce new characters in each one. Initially, I found myself saying “wait, who is this?” and flipping back to check. But I caught on quick! Mr. Finlay does a superb job at creating some really lovable characters which I don’t always find in thrillers. Don’t worry, there’s still plenty of messy characters for your entertainment!

The description does indicate a recurring character. Regrettably, this is my first book by this author. Since I haven’t read the others I cannot guarantee that there isn’t a spoiler. However, I feel pretty confident that this absolutely can be read as a standalone and nothing will be spoiled if this is your first too! It seems to me that the recurring character is a thread that the author has woven into his books, which I love. Hands down, Alex Finlay has me hooked and I’ll be binging his other books.

Side note, unrelated to the book itself. I checked out the author’s social media. He is constantly supporting and shouting out other authors. It’s one thing to love a book but to see the author is a genuinely good person is a pleasant added bonus.

Thank you to Alex Finlay, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"𝐇𝐞'𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐛𝐨𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐛𝐨𝐲𝐬."

Seeing an upcoming release from Alex Finlay available to request always makes my day better, but I was completely shocked and surprised to see a familiar character from EVERY LAST FEAR and THE NIGHT SHIFT! That's right, Agent Sarah Keller is back! She’s taken a temporary assignment in California so her husband can help care for his ailing father.

Sending a child off to college is often bittersweet, but for five families attending parents' weekend at a small, exclusive private college in northern California, it will become the stuff of nightmares. Five very different families arrive on campus to spend time with their child, who each reside in Campisi Hall and were brought together over a Capstone project. But when none of the kids show up for a planned dinner, the parents are annoyed but chalk the absence up to typical irresponsible college student behavior. But when hours pass and calls and texts go unanswered, the parents call in reinforcements.

It took me a minute to keep the families straight, but each one is hiding a secret, from the high powered woman who travels with an entourage because of her job to the Superior Court judge with a troubled past. There are SO many moving parts, and my attention was all over the place. I had no idea why the kids were missing, and I had no idea who was behind it and what their motive was. I appreciated the fact that this was a thrilled grounded in reality as I'm growing weary of thrillers touting their "shocking, unbelievable twists." This one made complete sense, and that's exactly what I needed!

Told in alternating points of view with varying timelines, PARENTS' WEEKEND will grip you from the opening pages, and if you're a parent, it will be a stark reminder that no matter how close you think your relationship is, you will never really know your child as well as you think. Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martins Press/Minotaur Books for this early copy. At the time this review was written, this book was expected to publish May 6, 2025.

2.5 stars This book was an ARC from NetGalley. This book was very similar to Every Last Fear in layout and pacing. It even features Agent Keller. The further development of her character and relationship with Bob where the best part of the story. There was a large cast of characters both on the parent and student side of the story. This did a disservice to character development. Additionally, it was difficult to keep track of the carousel of characters in the first third of the book. Due to the short chapters, the story moved along at a fever pace. Overall, I found I just wasn't invested in the story or the outcome. It was fairly predictable, and felt a little lazy in delivery. The plot felt very YA. As an Alex Finlay fan, I would have to this is my least favorite of his catalog. #netgalley #parentsweekend #collegewhodunit #mystery #thriller

I really liked this book! It was a unique setting ;college campus during Parents Weekend) and I loved the alternating chapters to get the different characters perspectives! I love the FBI agent Sarah Keller and was fascinated by the process of her trying to find the missing college kids. This book wasn’t quite as “twisty” as some other thrillers but I still really enjoyed it nonetheless. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC! It completely made my day when I received the approval notification! I hope Alex Finlay continues to write for many, many years!

This is a great cautionary tale about so many things: the gossip mill, psychedelic drugs, social media, and obsession. Five students at Santa Clara College go missing before Parents Weekend and FBI agent Sarah Keller is called in to investigate. One of the students--Natasha--is discovered dead in a cave on the beach and no one can understand why or where the others are. It's a complex and elaborate plot that reveals many things about colleges students and their desire to belong, their jealousies over "crushes," and the extent to which one will go to be popular and "fit in."
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

good mystery and loved the different point of views. Loved that the killer was still a mystery til the end. Loved meeting the different parents over the weekend and how the kidnapping affect their relationships with their kids and after.

I loved this book from beginning to end! I was not surprised because Alex Finlay never disappoints! There’s even crossover characters from another book of his which was so fun.

When five college students go missing during parents weekend, FBI Agent Keller gets involved to bring them back to their families. While everyone speculates where they have gone, we get glimpses into each families life to see of their potential involvement. Lots of characters in this one, so pay attention. But it was such a good story that i finished it in a day!

This was a book that just draws you right in
.abd first honestly I thought there would be too many characters to keep straight but it is perfectly written that you get to know and understand each and everyone of them. I loved everything about this book.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an early release of this book.

Mostly a solid beach book, although I got a bit bored after the culprit was identified. A good novel to pick up for a plane trip, or for relaxing on a sandy beach. It has plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing. At no point did I want to dnf. But upon finishing it, I felt let down by (1) the too-quick ending of those responsible for the crimes; (2) the lack of a clear explanation of how the crimes were carried out; (3) the improbable final twist; and (4) the absence of in-depth characterization.

The prologue tells us that five friends are in danger from an unknown source—whether one person or more is not clear. Then the story switches to their families, who are coming to visit for a “Parents Weekend” visit at their university. Each of these families has considerable problems—two marriages are disintegrating, two marriages have already ended, and one is a disgraced widower.

The only brightness on the scene, is the return of FBI agent Sarah Keller and her husband, Bob:
“There are two kinds of people in this world: those who arrive at the gate two hours early and constantly check to confirm they haven’t lost their boarding pass—the Sarah Kellers—and those who pride themselves on making it just under the wire—the Bob Kellers.”

The chapters were short vignettes about each of the different families, switching quickly from one to the other without really exploring any person in depth. This allowed the reader to read quickly and form hypotheses about who had abducted their children, and why they were abducted, without providing definitive answers. Plenty of misleading clues.

Sarah is assigned the case by her new California boss. She conducts a systematic investigation that eventually leads in the correct direction, after a convoluted fact-finding process.

After finishing it, I felt that among the twists and turns there were a few holes in the narrative, plot twists that seemed designed to bamboozle readers. (I can’t mention the worst without getting into spoiler territory, but suffice to say that Sarah put it together in her mind after the excitement, but there was no proof that this was what actually occurred.)

Still, for the most part it was an easy read, and kept me turning pages. It was plot-based and I prefer character-based narratives, so readers who prefer twisty plots will likely give it a higher rating than my three stars.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for providing an electronic copy of this book via Netgalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions.

Jumping from POV within chapters and having so many different narrators was a choice, and I’m not sure it worked for me. The pacing in this is good (as is most of Finlay’s novels) but the urgency wasn’t there. I didn’t care about these kids and once the mystery was resolved, somehow cared about them even less. The development of the thrill itself was just not well done, likely because it was bogged down by too many characters. This was just ok.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Alex Finlay is a favorite author of mine. His latest work, Parents Weekend, was an awesome book! I loved it!

Super quick, super fun read, but...Am I a jerk for wanting a more twisty ending? I came out of this thinking "Sure, that makes sense." And that just feels a bit anticlimactic to me.

The story flowed well and the characters were well developed. I recommend this book and look forward to more from this author.


****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****