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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Alex Finlay (author of What Have We Done) is back with a new, twisty thriller!
The Gist - a five-year-old missing person case is reopened when the bodies of two men are found in the car of a missing teen girl at the bottom of a lake. When police find a note from the teen victim saying 'If something happens to me ..' featuring a cipher, new Deputy Sheriff Poppy McGee (great name) investigates.
My Feelings - This slow burn thriller is told using multiple POVs, multiple cities and several subplots. It's an intriguing premise with a lot going on (perhaps a bit too much), making me feel like I was being pulled in every direction.
There's a large cast of characters from various walks of life (teens, lawyers, police, mobsters, FBI ...) so there's a lot of people to keep track of (see tip below). But if readers are patient, the tension increases, and the pieces come together for a suspenseful read that will take readers on a globetrotting hunt for a murderer.
The addition of a cipher was a cool idea, but I was surprised it didn't play a bigger role. With this puzzle and the multiple locales, I had expected a Dan Brown-ish kind of adventure. There is some adventure, but readers will have to suspend disbelief in this over-the-top and twisty thriller that has a lot going on. I'd recommend reading it just a few sittings to keep all the plot points and characters clear in your mind.
If you enjoy popcorn thrillers with short chapters that will keep you intrigued, grab If Something Happens To Me when it hits stores May 28, 2024.
Tip for kindle users: when there's a large number of characters, highlight the names of each character as they're introduced so you can go back through your highlights and read the initial descriptions of them
Disclaimer: Thanks to Minotaur Books for the advanced digital copy which was provided in exchange for my honest review.
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
slow-paced
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
If you are looking for a binge-able mystery/thriller? Look no further.
I listened to this book in less than 36 hours. I was hooked from the beginning. This is a fast pace, easy read with an interesting if not a little unrealistic storyline. The short chapters kept the story action packed. It was a fun time even if I guessed some of the twists.
I enjoyed the multi-POVs and each narrator did an amazing job! Poppy was an exceptionally likable character for me in this books which doesn't happen commonly in mysteries.
Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Minotaur books for this free ALC!
I listened to this book in less than 36 hours. I was hooked from the beginning. This is a fast pace, easy read with an interesting if not a little unrealistic storyline. The short chapters kept the story action packed. It was a fun time even if I guessed some of the twists.
I enjoyed the multi-POVs and each narrator did an amazing job! Poppy was an exceptionally likable character for me in this books which doesn't happen commonly in mysteries.
Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Minotaur books for this free ALC!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Torture, Murder
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
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
Quick binge (I love short chapters). There were a lot of characters and timelines to keep track of, so I did have a hard time keeping everything straight. But the ending and how everything was related came together well, though like most thrillers, I wanted a little more. The twist at the end of part 1 I did not see coming at all. Very fast-paced and highly recommend!
I absolutely loved Alex Finlay's first two books, especially, The Night Shift. He has quickly become a favorite mystery/thriller writer for me. His last one did not quite hit the mark for me as a favorite. But he was definitely back on his A game with If Something Happens To Me. This was so fast paced and kept me up late reading. This is the story of the mysterious disappearance of a teen girl, Ali. Right away, the boyfriend, Ryan quickly becomes the top suspect. But with no real evidence and him having a really good lawyer, he is never charged. But he continues to have a cloud of suspicion hanging over him. Years later Ali's car is found at the bottom of a lake with two dead men and a cryptic note inside. Things quickly take off from here. There were so many twists and turns in this one that I didn't see coming, especially the ending. Overall, a fun, fast paced read and I will continue to read whatever he writes in the future!