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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
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:
No
Thank you to the publisher for providing me a free eARC for review! This one is out May 28.
Rating: 3/5 stars
Ryan’s girlfriend Ali was kidnapped before his eyes five years ago—but when the vehicle she was abducted in is finally found alongside a coded message, buried secrets might finally come to light.
Let’s start with the good: this one is pretty fast-paced, with a lot of action and drama, and a straightforward writing style that makes you want to keep reading more. I liked most of the characters (including the ones I was probably least supposed to, honestly) and was generally entertained throughout.
That said, while I am positive there is an audience for this book, I don’t think I’m really part of it. I guessed the twists early and, more importantly, didn’t like them—the plot felt predictable and a bit silly, and I didn’t like the way things wrapped up for anyone. For most of the book, I was probably rooting for the villains, which I don’t think was the intention.
Overall, this was a fast read and if it sounds good to you, I’d still recommend it! But sadly not a favorite of my year (or even month) so far.
CW: Torture/murder/death; suicide; bullying; mentions of child abuse/domestic violence
Rating: 3/5 stars
Ryan’s girlfriend Ali was kidnapped before his eyes five years ago—but when the vehicle she was abducted in is finally found alongside a coded message, buried secrets might finally come to light.
Let’s start with the good: this one is pretty fast-paced, with a lot of action and drama, and a straightforward writing style that makes you want to keep reading more. I liked most of the characters (including the ones I was probably least supposed to, honestly) and was generally entertained throughout.
That said, while I am positive there is an audience for this book, I don’t think I’m really part of it. I guessed the twists early and, more importantly, didn’t like them—the plot felt predictable and a bit silly, and I didn’t like the way things wrapped up for anyone. For most of the book, I was probably rooting for the villains, which I don’t think was the intention.
Overall, this was a fast read and if it sounds good to you, I’d still recommend it! But sadly not a favorite of my year (or even month) so far.
CW: Torture/murder/death; suicide; bullying; mentions of child abuse/domestic violence
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cancer, Death, Suicide, Torture, Blood, Death of parent, Murder
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
It’s hard to get connected to characters in thrillers, especially with thrillers that are multiple POV’s & timelines which is why I’m not giving it a higher rating, but the story was fun and addictive! A good palette cleanser with good writing. Would recommend if you’re looking for a quick easy bingeable read.
High school sweethearts Ryan and Alison are out on Lovers Lane one night when Alison is abducted and Ryan is left with barely any memory of what happened. Five years later, Alison’s car is pulled from the lake with two dead bodies in it, and the new Deputy Sheriff, Poppy McGee reopens a case long assumed to be closed.
IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME is the latest from Alex Finlay and just as bonkers as his other works.
We’re going international with this one, bopping from Kansas to Philly, to Italy, England, and France, and covering dozens of characters in between!
I honestly tend to really enjoy large cast thrillers (this one was no exception) and seeing how everyone’s stories came together in this story was very fun.
The mystery was intriguing, there were plenty of characters to root for (and roll your eyes at), and the addition of a cypher was an added bonus! I also flew through this one - it’s a quick read!
I did occasionally lose track of some of the storylines and their cliffhangers ( we’re covering a lot of ground in some very short chapters here!), which might have dulled the effect of some of those moments.
All in all, a Finlay read that I think a lot of his readers will enjoy!
Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Minotaur Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Publication Date: May 28
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Torture, Murder
Moderate: Suicide
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Suicide, Torture
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
If this book hasn’t been on your radar, it should be now! Add it to your tbr & preorder this bad boy immediately! If you love suspense and thrillers, you will LOVE this book, I promise 🫶
I was hooked from the very beginning. Each chapter left me wanting more.
Short chapters, different POVs, kept me glued to this story, wanting to know what happens next.
And those twists! 👏👏👏 they kept on twisting. Did not predict or see any of them coming.
Read this book y’all! I promise you won’t regret it. 🥰
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
“Look in your own house.”
Thank you to Goodreads and Minotaur Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This is the first book I’ve read by Alex Finlay, but I’m definitely curious about his backlog. I truly enjoyed this one as it hit a lot of elements I look for in thrillers.
The story is broken down into several points-of-view, depicting different aspects of the story. Each view is integral to the plot, showing how lives were changed after Alison Lane’s disappearance and how new people have been brought into the mystery. Poppy was extremely fun to follow as she navigates her new job while being saddled with this case. She is determined to figure it out no matter what.
Ryan’s arc was really great. He always maintained he had nothing to do with Alison’s disappearance, but that and the lack of evidence doesn’t stop people from accusing him. Watching him race to find the truth is exhilarating. The book is well-paced and the twists are surprising. This was a great read that I think thriller lovers will enjoy.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
Ryan and Alison are a high school couple parked out on Lover's Lane. Alison is pulled from the car by a man with missing fingers, Ryan is knocked out, and Alison is just gone.
Ryan is, obviously, at first a suspect. But there's no proof to arrest him and life goes on. Five years later, Ryan is in law school. He's on a trip with law school friends when he gets a call that Alison's car has been found in a lake in their hometown and two men are dead inside. There's a letter in the car that reads “If something happens to me”. And then we are all caught up in solving this mystery!
This book had a lot of POV which are sometimes hard to keep up with, but this was well done, especially in the audio. It was a fast paced mob story that kept me invested!
Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press for an eARC and MacMillan Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review.
Ryan is, obviously, at first a suspect. But there's no proof to arrest him and life goes on. Five years later, Ryan is in law school. He's on a trip with law school friends when he gets a call that Alison's car has been found in a lake in their hometown and two men are dead inside. There's a letter in the car that reads “If something happens to me”. And then we are all caught up in solving this mystery!
This book had a lot of POV which are sometimes hard to keep up with, but this was well done, especially in the audio. It was a fast paced mob story that kept me invested!
Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press for an eARC and MacMillan Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
*Thank you, Macmillan and Netgalley, for the audiobook copy!*
Alison Lane disappeared 5 years ago, and the only person who might know who took her was her boyfriend, Ryan Richardson. But Ryan was knocked unconscious the night of her abduction, and any lead he tried giving to police were dismissed. Still feeling guilty, Ryan finds himself taken back in time when the car Alison had been driving turns up at the bottom of a lake, with two bodies inside. A note was discovered entitled 'if something happens to me' written in Alison's handwriting.
New deputy sheriff, Poppy Mcgee, has returned to her old stomping grounds after being discharged from the military, and it just so happens to be at the same time Alison's case gains new evidence. Can she finally put the case to bed and figure out just what happened to Alison?
In this multi-POV thriller, there are twists and turns that move the story forward and will keep you wanting to know how it all ends.
This was my first Alex Finlay book, and I will say I'm going to look into others! The suspense was held throughout the story as more and more pieces of the events were revealed, and there was one point when the two storylines converged that I just had to know how it ended. Instead of being solidly from the POVs of three of the characters, the end jumped around a bit to be from other perspectives, and I thought that was really interesting. I feel like it fit the story, but it's not something you see happen very often.
I did get a little frustrated with the way some of the POVs would abruptly end and switch, causing all of these cliff-hanger moments that just felt like too much. I understand that it's a thriller, but to end some of the scenes the way they did felt choppy to me. I just wish that certain parts had gone on a little longer before shifting to feel a little more fluid. I also guessed some of the ending, and the way that it was revealed made me think that maybe I was supposed to have guessed it, but it was kind of unclear. If I wasn't supposed to, then I feel like it was kind of obvious. But if I was supposed to be screaming at one of the characters because of a poor decision they made and add to the suspense, then mission accomplished.
With all of that being said, obviously I did still really enjoy this story and would actually consider listening to it again in the future to see if I can pick up any other foreshadowing moments I might have missed the first time around. I feel like thrillers tend to have a lot of subtle hints at things to come, and if you're really invested in the emotion of it and feeling anxious, you might miss them. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys thrillers with multiple POVs, interconnecting storylines, and suspense.
Alison Lane disappeared 5 years ago, and the only person who might know who took her was her boyfriend, Ryan Richardson. But Ryan was knocked unconscious the night of her abduction, and any lead he tried giving to police were dismissed. Still feeling guilty, Ryan finds himself taken back in time when the car Alison had been driving turns up at the bottom of a lake, with two bodies inside. A note was discovered entitled 'if something happens to me' written in Alison's handwriting.
New deputy sheriff, Poppy Mcgee, has returned to her old stomping grounds after being discharged from the military, and it just so happens to be at the same time Alison's case gains new evidence. Can she finally put the case to bed and figure out just what happened to Alison?
In this multi-POV thriller, there are twists and turns that move the story forward and will keep you wanting to know how it all ends.
This was my first Alex Finlay book, and I will say I'm going to look into others! The suspense was held throughout the story as more and more pieces of the events were revealed, and there was one point when the two storylines converged that I just had to know how it ended. Instead of being solidly from the POVs of three of the characters, the end jumped around a bit to be from other perspectives, and I thought that was really interesting. I feel like it fit the story, but it's not something you see happen very often.
I did get a little frustrated with the way some of the POVs would abruptly end and switch, causing all of these cliff-hanger moments that just felt like too much. I understand that it's a thriller, but to end some of the scenes the way they did felt choppy to me. I just wish that certain parts had gone on a little longer before shifting to feel a little more fluid. I also guessed some of the ending, and the way that it was revealed made me think that maybe I was supposed to have guessed it, but it was kind of unclear. If I wasn't supposed to, then I feel like it was kind of obvious. But if I was supposed to be screaming at one of the characters because of a poor decision they made and add to the suspense, then mission accomplished.
With all of that being said, obviously I did still really enjoy this story and would actually consider listening to it again in the future to see if I can pick up any other foreshadowing moments I might have missed the first time around. I feel like thrillers tend to have a lot of subtle hints at things to come, and if you're really invested in the emotion of it and feeling anxious, you might miss them. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys thrillers with multiple POVs, interconnecting storylines, and suspense.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Violence
Minor: Gun violence, Torture, Kidnapping, Murder
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:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No