I love a good Alex Finlay thriller and am always excited to jump into his page turners.

It’s Parents Weekend at a small private college in Northern California. Five families wildly different families are gather for dinner, expecting their children to join—but the students never show up. Initially dismissed as typical college behavior, concern turns to panic when the group remains missing overnight, prompting a major search and media frenzy. The missing students come from very different backgrounds, raising questions about family secrets.

As with all Alex Finlay books, this was a page turner, and I read it so fast! The mystery was compelling, and the pacing kept me hooked from start to finish. The use of multiple points of view worked well, especially in how each character, particularly the parents, were intricately tied to the story. Finlay does a great job balancing tension with emotional stakes. Add in multitude of perspectives there is plenty of depth and drama for all my mystery fans. If you’re read Finlay’s other books, you’ll see a familiar character in FBI Agent Sarah Keller. I’d loved getting a deeper look into her home life and honestly could go for a series following her cases.

There was one element (which I won’t expand on to avoid spoilers) that felt a bit like an afterthought — more of a red herring than a meaningful piece of the puzzle. It didn’t quite land for me and honestly, I think the story would’ve been just as strong without it. That said, it didn’t take away too much from my overall enjoyment, it just wasn’t my favorite.

Definitely recommend if you’re into fast-paced thrillers with layered characters and a touch of interconnected storytelling. This one will make a great summer vacation or pool read!

AMAZON | GOODREADS | BOOKSHOP |★★★★

Parents Weekend comes out May 6, 2025. Huge thank you to Minotaur Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.  If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.