Parents Weekend: A Novel

When Five freshman from Santa Clara University do not show up to the University’s Parents weekend dinner, is it a coincidence or is there something more sinister happening? Blane, Stella, Felix, Libby and Mark had all spoken to their parents earlier that day to finalize plans for dinner, but by dinner time, all five were unreachable and nowhere to be found. Typically, the parents and campus police would not be overly concerned about their students not showing up. They would have figured they were side tracked by a party or friends, but earlier in the week, a student was found dead. When Sarah Keller asked for a temporary transfer to the Northern California office so that she could be with you husband Bob and the twins to take care of Bob’s ailing father. But in true Special Agent Keller fashion, she is asked to investigate the missing five students. There is a large cast of characters that we follow through this fast-paced journey. It seems that every family has plenty of secrets. From infidelity to betrayal and tragic losses, which hints at a deeper connection to the disappearances. I absolutely love Alex Finlay’s fast-paced, action-packed writing style, but this one was a little bit too much of a cozy thriller. I felt that there were so many families, faculty, police officers and FBI agents, that I kept needing to pause to remember who that was. Overall, this one was a 4 star read for me, I did enjoy the book and the unstoppable Agent Keller. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Parents Weekend is a classic Alex Finlay entertainment thriller: you read it in one sitting, and it keeps you glued to the pages with its effective premise (five college students disappear during parents' weekend) and cinematic pace.

However, the reasons it doesn't reach a perfect score are clear. The main flaw is the too-large cast of characters (five families, five students, the police, the FBI agent), which prevents you from forming an emotional bond with any of them. Some reviews describe the characters as "drawn a bit thinly" or even "odious." Moreover, for more demanding readers, some elements may be predictable or the writing not at the level of Finlay's previous works.

In short, it's the perfect choice for a quick, no-frills read (a "popcorn thriller," as some reviews define it). However, if you're looking for an intricate plot and unforgettable characters, it might leave you a bit short.

2.5-3⭐️

This one hooked me! Fast-paced and twisty in all the right ways, Parents Weekend delivers a tense, layered mystery with a unique setup. I was convinced Natasha faked her death to get revenge on The Five—and while I wasn’t completely wrong, the way things actually played out still caught me off guard. Told across multiple timelines and POVs, the story builds suspense while slowly revealing how a prank turned tragic and what grief can drive people to do. The sea cave scenes were chilling, and I could easily see this becoming a limited series. Some elements do stretch believability, but it was so entertaining, I didn’t mind. If you like thrillers with secrets, revenge, and moral gray areas, this one’s worth the read.

This is a twisty, suspenseful mystery set at a private college in Northern California. Five students go missing during Parents Weekend. What connects them? What secrets are their parents hiding? And will they make it back alive?

I loved unraveling each family's story—so many layers and secrets to uncover. My favorite character? Hands down, FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller. She was a total standout.

This was my first Alex Finlay novel, but definitely not my last. Solid, fast-paced mystery that kept me hooked from start to finish.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!