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bakingbookworm 's review for:
If Something Happens to Me
by Alex Finlay
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.