Thrilling, shocking, chilling, and unputdownable!… Not one to be missed!

An exciting thriller read with twists that keep you guessing till the end! Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

While 'If Something Happens to Me' boasts an excellent premise and a very strong crime motive that sets a gripping tone, it falls short in character development. The short chapters make it a fast-paced read; however, the frequent changes in points of view may leave readers wishing for longer chapters to delve deeper into the characters' minds. Additionally, the plot suffers from too many unlikelihoods and coincidences, detracting from its overall believability. The plot reveals were also rather predictable. This book could have been much more memorable as it's such a great premise. Nevertheless, it remains an enjoyable thriller for those seeking a quick and entertaining read. Thank you Netgalley for this ARC!

Wow, one of the best books I've read all year. An explosive thriller that twists and turns and keeps you entirely engaged.
The two main characters Ryan and poppy are substantial and likable.
The weaving storyline were really clever.
Essentially, for me, this book in addition to the fast pace, was about love. I'm different forms, young love, familial love, friendship and how love can push us into decisions we might regret and how it can make us seek retribution.
Fantastic.

Unfortunately I didn't enjoy Alex Finlay's last book, so I am happy to say that I had a lot of fun reading If Something Happens to Me. It was very addicting and fast-paced. I liked how the narration shifted between different characters and locations, and I enjoyed all equally. I especially liked Poppy and Ryan, and I followed not only their storylines, but also their character growth with interest.
As for the mystery, after a while I guessed the main plot twists. They weren't super unexpected, especially if you read many thrillers. That being said, I still found the book enjoyable, and I always wanted to keep reading to see how everything would wrap up.
Perfect for a fast and entertaining read.

This is Alex Finlay's latest twisted thriller, which while requiring a huge suspension of disbelief, I enjoyed reading, it is divided into 3 sections, with its fast paced chapters that drive the story relentlessly forward. 5 years ago Ryan Richardson felt he had no choice to leave Leavenworth, Kansas, and enrol on a new law course, after his girlfriend, Alison Lake, was abducted, he was hit and left only with fractured memories. He had to endure chants of killer and could no longer enjoy the sport he loved so much, the cloud of suspicion that followed him had him changing his name. He is currently with a group of students in Italy, when he hears Alison's car has resurfaced in Suncatcher Lake.

However, Alison's body is not in the car, instead there are the bodies of 2 men, who are they and did they kill Alison? Is there a remote possibility that she might still be alive? Ryan gets a chilling note which suggests someone knows who he is, leaving him apprehensive, but he wants to know more about the past he has been unable to get over and remains haunted by. It is this that has him following leads, perhaps not a sensible move, but he cannot help it, travelling to the UK and France, initially helped by Nora, and later by the whole group of students. Meanwhile, in Kansas, the ex-military Poppy McGee has returned home, her father has serious health issues and her brother, Dash, is unable to cope.

Poppy is now serving as a deputy sheriff and pulls at the threads of the past, only to find some of them come far too close to home, professionally and personally. Whilst I mostly enjoyed this, there were occasions when it felt more like a too convuluted a put together of small pieces of a puzzle designed to bamboozle and, yes, to impress readers, perhaps too markedly Having said, I have no problems recommending this to those who love the crime and mystery genre as it was still engaging, an intense thrill ride, with its widely disparate cast of flawed characters, and packed with a myriad of twists and turns. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

If Something Happens to Me is a standalone suspense thriller set in Leavenworth, Kansas, by the author of bestsellers Every Last Fear and The Night Shift, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed, so I was pleased to be approved for a review copy of this one in spite of some less enthusiastic ratings from fellow reviewers. I found I was gripped from the beginning and raced through it to see how it would turn out.

The night before they are due to head to separate colleges, Ryan and his girlfriend Alison visit their local Lover’s Lane in her father’s car for a romantic goodbye, but then they are attacked, and when Ryan comes round, both Alison and the car are gone. Five years later, law student Ryan is still trying to move on from the suspicion that surrounded him and guilt at not being able to save her. When he recognises his attacker on a trip to Italy, and learns that Ali may still be alive, he is determined to find her - but ruthless killers are also looking for her - and will stop at nothing to track her down.

This is another tightly plotted mystery thriller with appealing main characters and a satisfying denouement, even if the twist was too predictable. As I’ve said of his previous books, Finlay is one of the few authors I’ve come across who can pull off present tense narration - possibly because the story is told from multiple points of view. The plot hinges on some unlikely coincidences - the car being found just as Ryan’s attacker finds him, and the way all the key Leavenworth characters are connected - unless I missed how these events were linked, but I can forgive this. I liked the way the main villain’s motivation made complete sense and you could almost sympathise with their actions, which doesn’t often happen in a thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the ARC. If Something Happens to Me is published on June 6th.

I've been wanting to pick it up ever since it appeared on my kindle, as I loved the sound of the blurb with the promise of an international setting and multiple layers... And I have to say that I ended up having a blast with this story. Engaging, fast-paced and action-packed: If Something Happens To Me turned out to be yet another more than solid thriller.

This story uses a multiple POV structure and is also divided into different parts. These layers gave the story more dimension, and while you might wonder how the different POVs fit in together at first, it all becomes clear in the end. The POVs are spread out over different locations as well: you begin with Ryan in Italy, deputy Poppy in Kansas and the third set in Philadelphia that will provide the mobster angle. The last one doesn't seem to fit in with the story at first, but once the connection became clear I admit it was a clever one.

I love stories with a travel element, and we get plenty of that while we follow Ryan around. Italy, UK, France... His journey takes him across Europe as well as the US, and I liked what the locations added to the plot. This is probably why Ryan's POV is one of my favorites, although I really enjoyed spending time with Poppy as well. I could also appreciate that the different POVs introduced different thriller subgenres to the plot, blending for example detective, crime, psychological and mobster elements along the way. The story as a whole felt well balanced and I quite enjoyed the resulting thriller cocktail.

Things can be said about the credibility of it all, as certain twists are either farfetched or too convenient. I also spotted one of the big twists quite early on, but as a whole there were still plenty surprises along the way as well. If you don't mind the plot being over the top and are more interested in the entertainment level, If Something Happens To Me most likely won't let you down. Between the fast pace and engaging writing style it will be easy to keep turning those pages!

Fast paced thriller across multiple countries.
I loved this book, the characters were believable and the plot was fact paced. The locations were interesting and well described.
Will be recommending to all thriller lovers!

A glorious twisty new book from Alex Finlay! I was dragged in by the first page and found myself binge reading this popcorn thriller! Can’t wait to discuss with Alex at our book club!

I know I'm an outlier in saying this, but the book had so much potential and just fell flat. This is coming from someone who read "The Night Shift" and LOVED it.

"If Something Happens to Me" reads in the same fashion as his other work and is told from multiple POV's as everything comes together. In his other work I really enjoyed the way he executed this, however in this book it felt very confusing and kept jumping everywhere. It was very hard to keep track of everything unless I wrote things down (and sometimes I don't want to do that even though I usually enjoy it).

The book starts off really strong and then the twist is revealed, and this is where everything went downhill for me. The book did not keep up momentum past this and it was disappointing. It was also a very predictable book and I love a good challenge.

This however will not deter me from reading more of Alex Finlay's work because one book that didn't work for me doesn't reflect on his ability as a writer. I am certain that some of my friends on Goodreads will love this one and I hope they do!

2.75 rounded up to 3 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is one book I absolutely flew through. I started off the day at 44% and cruised to the very end.

Ali Lane is with her boyfriend Ryan when she disappears in thin air. Ryan was the number one suspect. Fast forward to five years later, Ryan is trying to live his life but when notes turn up for him whilst in Italy everything he knows comes crashing down. Especially when the car Alison was driving turns up submerged in the lake but with a twist - two dead bodies are inside. The question on everyones lips - who is in the car and is Alison still be alive?

This book ticked all my boxes. Short chapters that made me want to just keep reading especially when I got that "no way" plot twist. I just had to continue reading even with a crazy toddler running around. I enjoyed the character development in this book. The book has a fair share of good and bad characters. I loved Poppy McGee - the new deputy sheriff. If you are a fan of dark and also twisty mysteries this book is definitely for you. But be aware once you pick this book up you won't want any distractions.

Thank you Head of Zeus and Netgalley for my gifted copy of this e-book for my honest book review.

Wow if you like your thrillers with plenty of action then this is 100% the book for you as the pace just never let up at all from beginning to end. It’s a story that just when you think you know what’s happening along comes another twist that completely blows your mind and I absolutely loved it.
The story has a whole heap of characters and I was worried I may get confused (it doesn’t take much!) as to who was who but the writing is so well done that although the plot line is complex the author is so good it just flowed.
Plenty of reveals that I didn’t see coming, short punchy chapters and a non stop pace made it a quick read making me desperate to know just how the story would end and I was not disappointed in any way.
So a brilliant thriller with a lot to give hold on to your hats as it’s a wild and twisty ride and one I would highly recommend.
My thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus, Aries for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I read The night shift a few years ago and really liked it. I’m glad to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this one as well. I liked the multiple stories blending in with one another at the end. Some reveals were very interesting and kept my attention high. Also, the short chapters were awesome, and they made the plot even more fast-paced. I completely recommend this novel.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Ryan Richardson and his girlfriend, Alison are at lovers Lane when they are attacked. When Ryan wakes up, the car and Alison are gone. For 5 years he fights his innocence. Now under a new identity, Ryan is trying to start life again and studying abroad.
The book also tells the tale of gangster Shane O’Leary and the tragedy of his son, Anthony. The relevance of this soon unravels and provides complexity to Ryan’s situation.
Now the missing car is discovered in a nearby lake, and Detective Poppy McGee needs to find out who the men submerged in the car are and understand the cryptic note also found.
There is a lot going on and told from various points of view, but all comes together to the most delightful story. Really enjoyed this book and warmed to Poppy’s character as she pulls it all together.

Very gripping and hard to put down. Will look forward to this author’s next book. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Wow! Another page turner from Alex Finlay! A fast paced book that's gripping with multiple twists packed. The book caught my attention right from the first chapter and I couldn't put it down. It's a fast read as I finished it in a day, simply because I had to find out what was going on. And absolutely didn't see some of the twists coming!

It has multiple PoVs and timelines but at no point did I get lost. All the narratives come together to build the story. Even at times when it seems unrelated. Has to be a 5 star read for me!

Thank you NetGalley and Head of Zeus/Aries for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.

3.5 rounded down to 3/5 stars.

I’ll begin by saying that Alex Finlay’s books are some of the fastest reads for me. For some reason time seems to work differently while I’m reading them which is both a good and bad thing. Good I can always count on them to pull me out of a reading slump or prevent me from falling into one and bad because they tend to lack significance, memorability, or that special something.

This book leaned more towards mystery than thriller which I didn’t mind much because the plot line is solid, the twists are intriguing and the numerous POVs weren't overly exhausting to follow.
Halfway through I was convinced this was gonna be a 5 start rating, but then I stated noticing the main issues.

All of the characters felt more like conduits for the plot rather than fully fleshed-out people, there was zero character development and as a result I couldn’t get invested in any of them.
Also, the pacing was off. So much time was spent on finding out what’s been going on only to then wrap up everything in a few rushed chapters that felt quite unfinished.
Additionally, the 1 year later chapter in my opinion was completely unnecessary as it doesn’t add anything of value .

I'd still recommend this book to anyone who isn't into crime/mysteries much. It's a good, fast-paced read that can ease readers into the genre. However, I think more seasoned readers might find it a bit lackluster.

Thank you NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the digital ARC!

Having delved into Alex Finlay's work for the first time with "If Something Happens to Me," I'm already eager to try more from this author. This fast-paced novel gripped me from the start, and I couldn't put it down until the final page. With each twist and turn, Finlay masterfully weaves a captivating tale that kept me on the edge of my seat. An absolute thrill ride—5 stars without a doubt.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy.

My first read from this author and as the blub sounded like my kind of read, I was excited to get reading.
A great page turner with three different stories that left me wondering where we were going but come together they did and it all made sense At no time did the story lag and it was a gripping story with lots happening but still easy to read and hard to put down.
It was a very satisfying read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Head of Zeus for the ARC

4.5 stars
If Something Happens to Me is an absolute binge-worthy novel. The novel is divided into three parts and the first part has three alternating storylines about a law student, a mob boss and his young son, and a new deputy sheriff in the town of Leavensworth. I guess nobody could have predicted that on Poppy McGee’s first day they would find a missing girl’s car with two bodies inside. The questions were really burning on my lips in this one. How was this all connected? Who were those people they found in the car? The chapters were short and compelling and Alex Finlay knows what he’s doing, my attention didn’t drop for even a slight second and he had me questioning in every chapter what was going on.

Ryan Richardson saw his girlfriend for the last time 5 years ago but with new evidence emerging (her car and a note in her handbag) there are people coming out of the woods. Ryan knew he hadn’t imagined Pinky guy when he was grabbed on that night (the man lost two of his digits) when he suddenly sees him again but he's certainly not going to let him get away a second time! It's going to be a rollercoaster of the deadly kind!

Parts 2 and 3 blend the three storylines superbly in ways I had not imagined, and yet, there are still a lot more questions, about the cryptic note, the mystery man and who Poppy can trust in all of this. I had a field day trying to discern who was good and bad and if you are a little paranoid by nature you can eat your heart out at being suspicious. The sheriff, the FBI lady, the KBI lady (the foreign examiner), or even Poppy's own brother or father, who oh who knows more than they let on? I will only say I had someone in mind in Poppy’s entourage very early on, someone who seemed suspicious for me but that was just another brilliant red herring from the author and I completely fell for it.

Would I recommend this novel? Without a doubt. It’s a perfect fit for readers who enjoy C.L. Taylor or Claire Douglas. It's grippingly unpredictable with a whole lot of tension. What could you want more? The only thing I’d maybe change is that the ending was wrapped up a bit too quickly.