On May 1, 1992, Jules Delaney and Quinn Riley are strangers whose lives collide in ways neither could imagine. Jules, the high school queen bee in a small Midwestern town, survives a brutal attack by the elusive May Day Killer; a predator who strikes every May 1st and then disappears without a trace. That same night, Quinn, a boy from the wrong side of the tracks, is arrested after trying to break up a fight and nearly killing someone. By morning, their fates are permanently intertwined.
Over the next decade, the story revisits Jules and Quinn on each anniversary of that night. Jules struggles with trauma and the haunting question of why she was spared, while Quinn returns from juvenile detention to the devastating news that his mother has been murdered. As the years pass, secrets unravel, truths edge closer to the surface, and the shadow of the May Day Killer looms large. Still out there, still counting down to the next anniversary.
I loved this book. I loved getting Jules and Quinn’s stories and watching them grow over the decade the story spans. There’s something so powerful about seeing their lives revisited year after year. Seeing how trauma shapes them, how guilt lingers, and how hope flickers even in the darkest moments. The mystery is engaging and incredibly well thought out, layered with twists that feel both shocking and earned. I guessed part of the ending, but I’ll absolutely admit I didn’t guess it entirely and I love when a thriller can still surprise me like that.
Being inside Jules and Quinn’s minds was one of my favorite parts of this novel. Their character growth feels raw, real, and deeply human. Their stories are heartbreaking, messy, and ultimately inspiring. The structure (revisiting one single date across ten years) is masterfully done and adds a propulsive, almost ticking-clock tension to the entire book. It might honestly be my favorite from Finlay yet.
I literally binged it and now I’m sad to be leaving Jules and Quinn behind. Five stars without hesitation.
Other Alex Finlay Reviews
AMAZON | GOODREADS | BOOKSHOP |★★★★★
The Anniversary comes out May 12, 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.
