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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
3.5 ⭐️s | Five years ago high school student Ali Lane was abducted from a car while with her boyfriend, Ryan, who everyone suspects killed her. Now the car has resurfaced with clues to what happened including a note that says “if anything happens to me…” with a code. This catapults the story into action across multiple cities and countries, different POVs/narrators, and storylines to find out what truly happened that night.
As the story developed and I could see where the storylines and characters connected, I liked the story more, but it took me a while to get into it. I think if you like high-action thrillers. you will enjoy this book. Also, if you liked The Last Thing He Told Me, this is up your alley!
I listened to the audiobook, and I would recommend reading a physical copy. Although there is a multicast of narrators, there were many characters in the book. Some of the narrators overlapped characters and it made it more challenging to keep up with who was who. I also only liked 1 of the narrators voice. Overall, there is so much going on in the book that I think it would be easier to keep track of what is happening by reading it vs. listening.
TW: bullying, violence, murder
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review!
As the story developed and I could see where the storylines and characters connected, I liked the story more, but it took me a while to get into it. I think if you like high-action thrillers. you will enjoy this book. Also, if you liked The Last Thing He Told Me, this is up your alley!
I listened to the audiobook, and I would recommend reading a physical copy. Although there is a multicast of narrators, there were many characters in the book. Some of the narrators overlapped characters and it made it more challenging to keep up with who was who. I also only liked 1 of the narrators voice. Overall, there is so much going on in the book that I think it would be easier to keep track of what is happening by reading it vs. listening.
TW: bullying, violence, murder
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review!
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Plot:4⭐
Audio Narration: 5⭐
It’s been five years since Ryan Richardson witnessed the kidnapping of his girlfriend Alison Lane in their hometown of Leavenworth, Kansas. Ryan was left injured, with a vague recollection of his attacker, who was never found, and Alison and her car disappeared without a trace. Initially a prime suspect in her disappearance, Ryan is eventually acquitted, but the unwanted media attention surrounding the case forces him to change his name.
In the present day, he is a law student at Georgetown and while visiting Italy with a group of friends he is informed that Alison’s car was found submerged in Suncatcher Lake with the bodies of two men and Alison’s bag with a cryptic note. Ryan, able to decipher the note, embarks on his own quest to find out what happened to Ali.
In Leavenworth, Kansas, Poppy McGee, who only recently joined as deputy sheriff after being discharged from the army, is pursuing the investigation into Ali’s disappearance. She has her hands full, reviewing case files from five years ago, trying to locate Ryan and decode Ali’s message. As she delves into the details pertaining to Ali’s disappearance, Poppy begins to suspect that there are people close to her who might know more than they are letting on and unbeknownst to either Ryan or Poppy there are other forces at play and people with their own agenda who are monitoring their movements.
A cleverly crafted thriller with well-thought-out characters, If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay is a gripping read. A lot is going on in this novel, but the author deftly weaves it all together into a twisty and suspenseful fast-paced narrative presented through multiple perspectives in short chapters and not a boring moment. I will admit that I could predict one of the major twists/reveals midway through the novel, but this in no way detracted from my overall experience because there were plenty of surprises along the way.
I loved the full-cast audio narration featuring Helen Laser and John Pirhalla and Paul Dateh, which made for a riveting immersion reading experience that I finished in one day.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this thriller! As with most books in this genre, there are OTT elements, but don’t overthink it and just enjoy the wild ride!
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for the digital review copy and Macmillan Audio for the ALC via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Audio Narration: 5⭐
It’s been five years since Ryan Richardson witnessed the kidnapping of his girlfriend Alison Lane in their hometown of Leavenworth, Kansas. Ryan was left injured, with a vague recollection of his attacker, who was never found, and Alison and her car disappeared without a trace. Initially a prime suspect in her disappearance, Ryan is eventually acquitted, but the unwanted media attention surrounding the case forces him to change his name.
In the present day, he is a law student at Georgetown and while visiting Italy with a group of friends he is informed that Alison’s car was found submerged in Suncatcher Lake with the bodies of two men and Alison’s bag with a cryptic note. Ryan, able to decipher the note, embarks on his own quest to find out what happened to Ali.
In Leavenworth, Kansas, Poppy McGee, who only recently joined as deputy sheriff after being discharged from the army, is pursuing the investigation into Ali’s disappearance. She has her hands full, reviewing case files from five years ago, trying to locate Ryan and decode Ali’s message. As she delves into the details pertaining to Ali’s disappearance, Poppy begins to suspect that there are people close to her who might know more than they are letting on and unbeknownst to either Ryan or Poppy there are other forces at play and people with their own agenda who are monitoring their movements.
A cleverly crafted thriller with well-thought-out characters, If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay is a gripping read. A lot is going on in this novel, but the author deftly weaves it all together into a twisty and suspenseful fast-paced narrative presented through multiple perspectives in short chapters and not a boring moment. I will admit that I could predict one of the major twists/reveals midway through the novel, but this in no way detracted from my overall experience because there were plenty of surprises along the way.
I loved the full-cast audio narration featuring Helen Laser and John Pirhalla and Paul Dateh, which made for a riveting immersion reading experience that I finished in one day.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this thriller! As with most books in this genre, there are OTT elements, but don’t overthink it and just enjoy the wild ride!
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for the digital review copy and Macmillan Audio for the ALC via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay
In this story we meet several groups of people and for a large part of the story I couldn't figure out how they connected to each other. I loved learning the connection and how everything fit so well. That aspect of the story is just one of many that made this story work so well for me.
I won't mention everyone we meet because it's better to meet them as you read the book. Ryan Richardson is pivotal to the story and my heart went out to him after his girlfriend of four years is kidnapped while he was with her on "Lover's Lane". Thus ensues years of accusations against Ryan that he was the one who disappeared his girlfriend Alison, causing Ryan's parent to go into debt to protect him and Ryan to change his name and drop his promising college basketball pursuits and change schools. Even five years later, Alison is always on Ryan's mind, that night haunts him, and he's forever in fear of others finding out his real identity.
The pressure does lessen once evidence is found that a serial killer took Alison. None of that makes up for Ryan's losses and when Alison's car is found with dead men in it but no Alison, Ryan can't help hoping she is still alive. Then he sees him, the man who Ryan remembers attacking him the night Alison was taken...Alison's kidnapper.
There are a lot of characters in this story but it's amazing how well we get to know so many of them. One of the many themes running through this story is how far a parent will go to protect their child. Good guys, bad guys, gray area guys, good dads, bad dads, gray area dads, all seem ready to do anything for their child when they realize they need help.
Another main character we meet is red headed Poppy, a brand new sheriff's deputy who takes it upon herself to go way farther than an extra mile to determine the identities of the dead men in the car. When I call her brand new, we meet her on her first day as a deputy but her newness doesn't slow her down. She sees a problem and she attacks it hard and fast.
There are other very interesting characters, lots of violence and gore, and even the chance to feel a bit of empathy for some really bad people. Bad people seem to beget more bad people. But there is some redemption here and there and I would not mind seeing Poppy and Ryan again someday.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for this ARC
In this story we meet several groups of people and for a large part of the story I couldn't figure out how they connected to each other. I loved learning the connection and how everything fit so well. That aspect of the story is just one of many that made this story work so well for me.
I won't mention everyone we meet because it's better to meet them as you read the book. Ryan Richardson is pivotal to the story and my heart went out to him after his girlfriend of four years is kidnapped while he was with her on "Lover's Lane". Thus ensues years of accusations against Ryan that he was the one who disappeared his girlfriend Alison, causing Ryan's parent to go into debt to protect him and Ryan to change his name and drop his promising college basketball pursuits and change schools. Even five years later, Alison is always on Ryan's mind, that night haunts him, and he's forever in fear of others finding out his real identity.
The pressure does lessen once evidence is found that a serial killer took Alison. None of that makes up for Ryan's losses and when Alison's car is found with dead men in it but no Alison, Ryan can't help hoping she is still alive. Then he sees him, the man who Ryan remembers attacking him the night Alison was taken...Alison's kidnapper.
There are a lot of characters in this story but it's amazing how well we get to know so many of them. One of the many themes running through this story is how far a parent will go to protect their child. Good guys, bad guys, gray area guys, good dads, bad dads, gray area dads, all seem ready to do anything for their child when they realize they need help.
Another main character we meet is red headed Poppy, a brand new sheriff's deputy who takes it upon herself to go way farther than an extra mile to determine the identities of the dead men in the car. When I call her brand new, we meet her on her first day as a deputy but her newness doesn't slow her down. She sees a problem and she attacks it hard and fast.
There are other very interesting characters, lots of violence and gore, and even the chance to feel a bit of empathy for some really bad people. Bad people seem to beget more bad people. But there is some redemption here and there and I would not mind seeing Poppy and Ryan again someday.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for this ARC
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was a wild ride. I was so confused in the beginning as to what was happening but once everything comes together it was great (and twisty if you ask me!) I love how Finlay weaves seemingly different storylines into a cohesive thriller. I thought the ending was fantastic and enjoyed learning the backstories of the characters, I liked the audio as Helen Laser is one of the narrators and she always gives an excellent narration.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Debts must be paid sooner or later.
Five years ago, Ryan’s life derailed when the unthinkable struck He was out with his girlfriend Ali in her dad’s BMW in Leavenworth, Kansas’ equivalent of Lover’s Lane. A sudden storm interrupted their amorous intentions, but even when they were back inside the car their feeling of safety proved misplaced. Ryan remembers being struck hard, and waking up later lying on the ground outside and alone. There was no sign of Ali or the car ever again, and Ryan quickly became a suspect in her disappearance. Charges were never brought….there was no body nor evidence of a crime, and his parents hired an excellent attorney….but in the court of public opinion he was guilty. He went from a popular star basketball player with a great future ahead of him to a pariah. He changed colleges and his name, and now hides his past from those he meets. He is studying to be a lawyer at Georgetown Law School and finds himself in Italy with a cohort of his fellow law students including Nora, the first person to make him smile in years. When he receives an anonymous note from someone demanding a meeting who says that he knows who Ryan is, he panics…..and so begins a nightmarish game of hide and seek. Meanwhile, there’s the story of Philadelphia crime boss Shane O’Leary, whose teenage son Anthony is not adjusting to life at his new school. Shane pulled strings to get Anthony admitted….,the usual students are from families whose wealth and status in life are socially far above that of those whose money comes from gambling and other shady pursuits….but will come to regret that decision when the extent of the bullying that has been going on erupts in the most horrible of way. Back in Leavenworth, Deputy Sheriff Poppy McGee starts her new job back in her hometown after a forced honorable discharge from the military (she took action against an aggressively handsy superior, and the powers that be just wanted the situation to go away), and her first day is a corker. A civilian outfit that has made a name cracking cold cases has discovered, in the wake of a recent teenage girl’s disappearance, a car at the bottom of Suncatcher Lake….but its not the teenager’s Honda they thought they’d find; its the BMW that belonged to Ali’s dad. In it the divers finds not one but two bodies….both male. Who are they? What happened to Ali that night? Who has found Ryan? It looks like the past is coming back with a vengeance, and it will claim many lives before the full truth will be known.
Briskly paced and well plotted, this is a thriller with enough subterfuge, hidden secrets, and vengeance that has waited long enough to ensnare a reader’s attention and keep it from the first through the last chapter. With narrative shifting between the POV of different characters, there are a lot of moving parts to keep in view. Ryan blames himself for not saving Ali….and is branded as being a killer by those who knew him well. Shane is a violent yet occasionally sympathetic criminal, a Tony Soprano of sorts, who will move heaven and earth to bring solace to his grieving wife and retribution to those who pushed his son to the brink. Poppy is dealing with the loss of the military career she had worked hard to achieve, her mother lost suddenly and her father battling cancer; her brother may have some connection to Ali and what happened to her, and while she wants to trust her new boss she keeps hearing that all is not as it should be in her department. The lives of these three and the people who surround them are slowly converging, but working out the how, the why, and even the where is a satisfying conundrum. Readers of authors like Thomas Perry, Lisa Scottoline and Eniko Jean will find If Something Happens to Me a fascinating addition to their TBR pile. Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for allowing me early access to this gripping thriller.
Five years ago, Ryan’s life derailed when the unthinkable struck He was out with his girlfriend Ali in her dad’s BMW in Leavenworth, Kansas’ equivalent of Lover’s Lane. A sudden storm interrupted their amorous intentions, but even when they were back inside the car their feeling of safety proved misplaced. Ryan remembers being struck hard, and waking up later lying on the ground outside and alone. There was no sign of Ali or the car ever again, and Ryan quickly became a suspect in her disappearance. Charges were never brought….there was no body nor evidence of a crime, and his parents hired an excellent attorney….but in the court of public opinion he was guilty. He went from a popular star basketball player with a great future ahead of him to a pariah. He changed colleges and his name, and now hides his past from those he meets. He is studying to be a lawyer at Georgetown Law School and finds himself in Italy with a cohort of his fellow law students including Nora, the first person to make him smile in years. When he receives an anonymous note from someone demanding a meeting who says that he knows who Ryan is, he panics…..and so begins a nightmarish game of hide and seek. Meanwhile, there’s the story of Philadelphia crime boss Shane O’Leary, whose teenage son Anthony is not adjusting to life at his new school. Shane pulled strings to get Anthony admitted….,the usual students are from families whose wealth and status in life are socially far above that of those whose money comes from gambling and other shady pursuits….but will come to regret that decision when the extent of the bullying that has been going on erupts in the most horrible of way. Back in Leavenworth, Deputy Sheriff Poppy McGee starts her new job back in her hometown after a forced honorable discharge from the military (she took action against an aggressively handsy superior, and the powers that be just wanted the situation to go away), and her first day is a corker. A civilian outfit that has made a name cracking cold cases has discovered, in the wake of a recent teenage girl’s disappearance, a car at the bottom of Suncatcher Lake….but its not the teenager’s Honda they thought they’d find; its the BMW that belonged to Ali’s dad. In it the divers finds not one but two bodies….both male. Who are they? What happened to Ali that night? Who has found Ryan? It looks like the past is coming back with a vengeance, and it will claim many lives before the full truth will be known.
Briskly paced and well plotted, this is a thriller with enough subterfuge, hidden secrets, and vengeance that has waited long enough to ensnare a reader’s attention and keep it from the first through the last chapter. With narrative shifting between the POV of different characters, there are a lot of moving parts to keep in view. Ryan blames himself for not saving Ali….and is branded as being a killer by those who knew him well. Shane is a violent yet occasionally sympathetic criminal, a Tony Soprano of sorts, who will move heaven and earth to bring solace to his grieving wife and retribution to those who pushed his son to the brink. Poppy is dealing with the loss of the military career she had worked hard to achieve, her mother lost suddenly and her father battling cancer; her brother may have some connection to Ali and what happened to her, and while she wants to trust her new boss she keeps hearing that all is not as it should be in her department. The lives of these three and the people who surround them are slowly converging, but working out the how, the why, and even the where is a satisfying conundrum. Readers of authors like Thomas Perry, Lisa Scottoline and Eniko Jean will find If Something Happens to Me a fascinating addition to their TBR pile. Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for allowing me early access to this gripping thriller.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If Something Happens to Me is a fast-paced book that kept me interested from the first page. I finished it in two sittings, because I didn't want to put it down.
Finlay weaves together three stories: one of Ryan, who was knocked unconscious 5 years earlier when his girlfriend, Alison, was pulled from her car, never to be seen again. The second, of Poppy, a brand new police officer (literally her first day!) when a car is found in a lake with two bodies in it; and the third, of O'Leary, the head of a crime organization who is trying to seek his own revenge.
The book kept me on the edge of my seat and wanting to know how these three stories were linked. Once I knew how they were linked, I needed to know what was going to happen next.
I really enjoyed this one!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Finlay weaves together three stories: one of Ryan, who was knocked unconscious 5 years earlier when his girlfriend, Alison, was pulled from her car, never to be seen again. The second, of Poppy, a brand new police officer (literally her first day!) when a car is found in a lake with two bodies in it; and the third, of O'Leary, the head of a crime organization who is trying to seek his own revenge.
The book kept me on the edge of my seat and wanting to know how these three stories were linked. Once I knew how they were linked, I needed to know what was going to happen next.
I really enjoyed this one!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I really enjoyed this great summer thriller from Alex Finlay. Following multiple characters, the case of a missing teen, Alison, is slowly uncovered. I loved how eventually all the characters' POVs came together to bring the big story together. There were a couple of OMG moments for me that I really enjoyed. The twists were good, and I felt that everything closed well with the ending. This is the perfect thriller for summer! Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur for the advanced e-copy!