If something happens to me A novel

Allison and Ryan are teenagers in love. Like many teenagers, they find themselves one night in a secluded spot in town, hoping it will be a night to remember. Instead, they are attacked inside their car, Ryan is knocked out, and Ali goes missing. Five years later, Ryan still hasn't shaken off the town's suspicions and would like nothing more than to move on with his life. When Ali's car is found, along with a cryptic note from Ali, new deputy sheriff Poppy thinks she may be able to finally solve the case, but she quickly discovers that there's more to this mystery than meets the eye. The story jumps back and forth between several characters, leaving readers guessing as to their connection, and there is a twist about halfway through the story that even the most fervent mystery fans will find surprising. Finlay (What Have We Done, 2023) serves up another compelling, tension-filled thriller, perfect for fans of Kate Moretti and the crime-writing duo of Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen.

Finlay (What Have We Done) returns with a tightly coiled spine tingler about a law student under suspicion for his high school girlfriend's disappearance. Five years ago, while Ryan Richardson and his girlfriend, Alison Lane, were on a date, Ryan fell unconscious and Alison vanished. After Ryan woke up, he recovered vague memories of being attacked by a man with a missing finger, but the residents of Leavenworth, Kans., quickly came to suspect him of killing Alison. Now, Ryan has changed his name and fled Leavenworth for law school. He's on a summer trip to Italy when he learns that Alison's car has been discovered in a Kansas lake--but her remains are nowhere to be found. Instead, the waterlogged vehicle contains the skeletons of two unknown men and a cryptic note from Alison. In Tuscany, Ryan catches a glimpse of a man who resembles his and Alison's possible attacker and ends up chasing him across Europe. Meanwhile, back in Kansas, the deputy who recovered Alison's car traces the case to unexpected corners of Philadelphia. As in Finlay's previous novels, relentless pacing, impressive characterizations, and the author's knack for surprise combine to produce top-shelf entertainment. This is a smart, unpredictable winner. (May)