Alex Finlay has a way of captivating his audience from the very beginning...so many turns and twists leading nowhere...just had to keep reading to find out what was happening next!! I also love how he mentions his other books, which if you have read it's thrilling and if you haven't, you wouldn't even know it. I loved seeing Agent Keller again.

THANK YOU!! Minotaur, Alex Finlay, and NetGalley for this ARC!!

PS will we be seeing Annie in a future book?!?!

The novel starts off strong as the parents of children attending a small, elite private college descend for parents’ weekend. The plan is to begin the weekend with dinner with their children, but when four children don’t show up (and it’s later determined a friend of theirs is also missing), the police and FBI agent Sarah Keller get involved. The campus is on high alert because of a drowning of a student earlier in the week. Most of these parents are prominent in their fields, so law enforcement looks into each family to see if that may have something to do with the disappearance.

I didn’t like the ending quite as much as what led up to it. There are a lot of parents to keep track of, so at the start of each chapter, which bounced around from various points of view, it would take me a moment to reorient myself as to who was who, but this is a mostly enjoyable mystery.

NetGalley provided an advance copy of this novel, which RELEASES MAY 6, 2025.

It's parents weekend at a private college in California. The families of five students show up to meet their children for a dinner party, but none of the students show up. FBI agent Sarah Keller has recently moved from NY to the area, so she is called in to investigate.

After I got the students and parents straight, I really enjoyed this story. The plot was fast-paced and unfolded through chapters told through the eyes of the parents, students, and FBI agent. Each set of parents had their own conflicts which kept me interested in the storyline. I kept trying to guess how it would play out, but I couldn't until almost the end. This was my first Alex Finlay novel, but I will definitely look into reading other ones.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC copy.

I received and ARC of Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay from Netgalley!

This book was pretty good. However, there were so many characters and so many different families to keep up with throughout the story, especially in the beginning. I did grow to enjoy reading about some of the characters but didn't care much for others. Unfortunately, it took me a while to push through the book and I kind of felt it was a little more on the YA side of a thriller. I usually do love Alex Finlay books, but this one just did not do it for me.

Parents Weekend has arrived. Parents from all over the country make their way to Northern California to celebrate their kids and see how their college experience is going. When their children don't arrive to the dinner event the parents begin to wonder. Could they be hiding and partying? Maybe their avoiding a chat with their families. The parents begin to worry that their kids have gone missing.

Soon "The Five" gain media attention as police join the search for the five teenagers. Everyone's secrets are aired out. Could the kids have been taken by the cheating spouse's lover? A kidnapping by a high up opposing government, an angry ex, running from their own actions? Soon special agent Sarah Keller is placed on the case, she will stop at nothing to bring these kids safely home.

Alex Finlay writes books that you can't put down. They are fast paced mystery you want to know how it ends. The characters are all placed well within the story and serve purpose. There are a lot of names though. Well worth the read. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy.

I thought the book was gripping, but at times, it felt a little complicated with all the characters and their intertwining storylines. It took some effort to keep track of who was who, which occasionally slowed the momentum. If you enjoy thrillers with multiple POVs and tangled mysteries, you'll enjoy this one.

Such a great thriller! Finlay captured unique family dynamics PERFECTLY. The short chapters helped moved the story along, as did the alternating points of view. Please excuse me while I go read all of Finlay's backlist!

Five students are a part of a capstone group at their college, SCU. On Parents Weekend, all five do not show up to the scheduled dinner and the parents immediately suspect something is wrong. Previously that week, a student of the college went missing and was eventually found dead so alert is high. The story switches back and forth between the drama of each of the parent’s situations and the students point of views. It also switches between the present and past week as we learn what actually happened to cause this disappearance.

I loved the short chapters! It was so easy to fly through this book. I liked that Alex Finlay brought back Agent Sarah Feller to solve this case. She was great in a few of his other books as well.

There are a ton of characters. I was finding it hard to follow at first and even thought about writing down a list to keep track of who’s who. Once you get into the book a little more, it is easier to follow. I gave it 4 stars because although it was a good read, it didn’t top a few of his other books which I loved. As always, I’m willing to read more by Alex Finlay.

Parents Weekend is a fast, uncomplicated read, but it struggles with a predictable plot and an overload of characters. While it's great for passing the time, there’s little suspense or surprise, making it a good choice for those looking for a light, straightforward story without much depth.

"Parents Weekend" is an engaging and quick read that successfully weaves together elements of suspense and mystery. The plot centers around a group of parents during a weekend visit to their children's college, which provides a unique perspective that I found refreshing. However, one aspect that could be improved is the development of the teen characters; they lacked depth and individuality, making it harder to connect with their experiences.

While the focus on the parents offers fascinating insights into their lives and relationships, I would have loved to see a more balanced approach highlighting the teens' perspectives. This would have added further complexity to the story and allowed for a richer exploration of the dynamics between generations.

The book features a wide array of characters; at times, it can be challenging to keep track of everyone. Providing more distinct traits or backstories to differentiate them might have been helpful. Nonetheless, Alex Finlay has done a commendable job crafting a narrative that captures your attention from the first page to the last, with well-executed twists that keep you guessing.

Overall, I enjoyed "Parents Weekend" and would recommend it to readers looking for an entertaining and thought-provoking story, especially as a perfect choice for a relaxing beach read!

The story opens up with the parents of 5 college age children getting together for dinner but then the kids don't show up to dinner. Then we learn that recently another college student was found dead just a day earlier and now the pressure has heated up.

Our previous Alex Finlay's character, FBI special agent Sarah Keller, once again in the spotlight.

I enjoyed how the book highlights each family and tells a well rounded story not just focusing on one outlet. This was a great instance of how when you expect to only read one or two more chapters turns into staying up to finish the entire book. The start was a bit confusing in the sense that there were a lot of characters to keep straight but in the end I think it added to the pace of the book.

I’ve enjoyed all the books I’ve read from this author and this one was no different! Another great read to add to the collection.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press

I've been wanting to read some of Alex Finlay's previous books but hadn't gotten to them yet, so when I saw this book pop up I jumped on it. It didn't disappoint! It was twisty and turny and I will definitely be getting to those backlist books now!

Thank you Net Galley and Publisher for this ARC. I have enjoyed many books from this author, but this one was not my favorite. I really liked the short chapters but I felt that the twists were very predictable and there was too many characters to keep track of. I had a hard time getting through the book and connect long with each character. Even though I don’t enjoy this book , I will continue to read more from this author .

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.

My 4th Finlay novel and this one was so much fun!

In true Finlay fashion, there were a lot of characters and a lot of POVs. It does take a little time to get to know everyone before you can really sit back and enjoy… but once you do, it moves fast.

I saw someone give this a 1-star reviewing describing it as a “popcorn thriller”. Why is that a bad thing? Personally, I love a popcorn thriller! Sign me up.

4⭐️

I was really excited for this one, I really enjoy this author. This book though it just had too many characters and the plot was entirely too silly. It didn't hold my attention and I felt myself loosing interest quickly and not wanting to pick it back up. It was hard for me to push through and finish it..

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

There's a lot going on in this book. You have five different families, parents and children. and the investigators. All with perspectives. Chapters are short, which I do like but they needed more substance, especially Agent Kellers viewpoint.

Overall, its a good read, kinda a slow burn until 50-60% through.

It was also an easy one to figure out for the reader.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for letting me read this arc! This book was good. I liked that the chapters were short and made for quick reading. There were alot of characters and i wish they were more developed. I would recommend for a quick read.

Parents Weekend was a fast, engaging read with solid pacing, and I enjoyed reuniting with Agent Keller. I did figure out the big twist, but it didn’t take away from the ride. My biggest gripe? I wish the student characters had been more developed. Definitely plot-driven, but still a fun thriller!

Five college students disappear during Parent’s Weekend. Agent Keller takes over the case and uncovers hidden motives and secrets among these college students and their influential families.
This was an exciting story that had plenty of twists and turns. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this eARC that will be released March 2025!