Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay 

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillion Audio for my ALC! 

I met Alex Finlay and his wife at Hamptons Whodunit and was so excited when I got home to have this on my bookshelf! I had the best time talking with them about his books as well as listening to the panel where he discussed how he got the idea for Parents Weekend. 

Santa Clara University is hosting parents’ weekend for the freshmen class. These parents include a federal State Department official with her security detail, a plastic surgeon with his wife, a well-known Superior Court Judge and his wife, and a single mom that works at the university. Unfortunately, on day one, their kids fail to show up to the dinner. At first, everyone believes it’s just college kids being college kids; except these parents find that hard to believe, especially the same day that another student was found dead. 

Immediately, the college security team and the police are notified of the five missing students. Also, the FBI is notified and Special Agent Sarah Keller, from Finlay’s previous books, is determined to find these kids. Once it is determined the kids are in danger, it becomes a race against time to get them home safely. 

Finlay produced a fast-paced domestic thriller with a large cast of characters that was well-thought out and entertaining. I loved how there were so many reveals of hidden family secrets that had you guessing what truly happened. My biggest critique is the ending felt a bit rushed and left me wanting more. I listened to the audio book, narrated by Brittany Pressley (a fav!), and she did an excellent job of immersing me in the story. 

I highly recommend grabbing a copy when it is released on May 6th!