Every Last Fear: A Novel

"They found the bodies on a Tuesday." With that line, I was expecting a suspenseful, fast-paced read. What I got was a heartbreaking story focused on a dead teenage girl, a possibly wrong conviction, and a young man whose parents and younger siblings have just died. Matt is the main character; his older brother Danny is in jail for the murder of a high school classmate, and Matt finds out that the rest of his family has just died under suspicious circumstances. A true crime documentary focused on Danny's conviction and appeals have made the family somewhat famous - and there's a possible connection between the father and sweeping financial crime. The mystery that unfolds kept me engaged - this one felt well-plotted for a debut. At times I was frustrated by characters' choices, but I think they are in line with the characters themselves. I'd recommend Every Last Fear for Making a Murderer or Serial fans - excerpts from the documentary are interspersed with the story. I do want to mention that the depictions of Mexico gave me pause. I haven't been to Highway 307 myself, but I find it hard to believe there's *that* much litter bordering the road (and even if there is, how is that relevant to this story?). There also are some derisive comments toward the Mexican police - I want to think the characters would make the same comments for any force, but it felt like bad stereotyping. It was also funny, within a few pages, two characters credited men with soothing them - one, that she'd never felt more at ease than when she was with him and another, that he helps her heart rate slow, blood pressure level. Odd asides in a thriller - especially when one of the women is the FBI agent we're supposed to see as being outstanding. Those sorts of things took me out of the story a bit, and ultimately are why this one feels more like three stars than four. But a solid debut, and I'll be interested in whatever Finlay writes next.

NYU student Matt Pine returns from a night of partying to news that his entire family have been found dead while on vacation in Mexico. The local police say that Matt's mom, dad, little brother, and little sister died from a horrible gas leak accident but the FBI don't seem convinced that is the case. However, they won't tell Matt why they think that. This isn't the first time the Pine family have been the center of media attention. Matt's older brother, Danny, was convicted for the murder of his girlfriend and is currently serving life in prison. After a true crime documentary that focused on Danny went viral, the country felt that Danny was innocent. However, Matt wasn't so sure since he saw something that night that made him believe his brother is guilty. Now that Matt is back home to bury his family, and the suspiciousness of their deaths start to seem more and more connected to Danny's case, Matt must try and find out the truth of what happened both on the night Danny's girlfriend was murdered, and the night that his family died. I had seen this one around and was interested in reading it so when I snagged a free copy I was so excited. Overall, it was a really great book! There were a few things that I feel were left unexplained but all in all, I really enjoyed it!

Every Last Fear is the “debut” novel of pseudonymous author Alex Finlay. It is a fast-paced and compelling thriller with multiple narrators, numerous subplots and many revelatory flashbacks. Finlay’s talent is creating a complex and high-speed thriller that is intriguing enough to withstand potential temporary confusion. As the book opens, Matt Pine, a film student at NYU learns that most of his family has died under mysterious circumstances in Mexico. The only other surviving member of the Pine clan is his older brother, incarcerated for murdering his girlfriend. While Matt has accepted his brother’s conviction, his father and sister have been consumed with proving his innocence. Some of the chapters contain depictions of their exoneration quest, others stay with Matt in the present as he is faced with the responsibilities and obligations that accompany such a tragedy. He is aided by the formidable Sarah Keller, an FBI agent who has been assigned the case. Every Last Fear is so cinematic and filled with twists and red herrings, that it seems to scream out for a series adaptation. More time could then be spent exploring the mysteries and immersing into the well-developed characters. Many of the events and coincidences stretch credulity, but this book is so entertaining that readers will willingly accept these and just go along for the ride. Thanks to the author, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.