Where to Start with Alex Finlay
If you are new to Alex Finlay’s high-stakes world of psychological suspense, you have a couple of excellent entry points. Because his books are written as standalones, you can technically pick up any novel without feeling lost. However, there are recurring threads that reward long-time readers.
For the absolute best experience, we recommend starting with his debut novel, Every Last Fear. Not only does it establish the author's signature multi-perspective, fast-paced storytelling style, but it also introduces FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller. Keller is the closest thing to a recurring protagonist in Finlay’s universe, appearing in multiple books across his bibliography. If you prefer to jump straight into a classic, nostalgic thriller setup, The Night Shift is another popular starting point that highlights his ability to weave past and present tragedies together.
Alex Finlay Books in Publication Order
Alex Finlay has maintained a consistent release schedule, publishing one major thriller per year. Reading in publication order is the most straightforward path and ensures you catch every subtle nod to recurring characters as they develop. Here is the complete list of his novels in order of release:
1. Every Last Fear (2021)
Matt Pine’s life is shattered when he learns that his parents, brother, and sister have died from an apparent gas leak while vacationing in Mexico. The tragedy immediately draws intense media scrutiny because Matt’s older brother, Danny, is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of his high school girlfriend—a conviction Matt has always quietly questioned. FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller is assigned to investigate the family's deaths, uncovering secrets that connect the tragedy in Mexico back to the original murder case in Nebraska. The novel shifts between Matt's present-day struggle and the final days of his family's lives.
2. The Night Shift (2022)
On New Year's Eve in 1999, a brutal attack at a Blockbuster Video store in Linden, New Jersey, leaves four teenage employees dead, with only one survivor. The suspect vanishes, and the case goes cold. More than twenty years later, in the same town, a similar attack occurs at an ice cream shop, again leaving only one survivor. FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller—now pregnant with twins—is called in to investigate. She must work alongside the survivors to determine whether the original killer has returned or if a copycat is replicating the historical horror.
3. What Have We Done (2023)
Twenty-five years ago, five teenagers bonded at Savior House, a abusive group home for parentless youth. To escape their situation, they committed a desperate, secret act that bonded them forever. In the present day, they have gone their separate ways: Jenna is a retired assassin trying to live a quiet suburban life, Donnie is a washed-up rock star, Nico is a debt-ridden reality TV producer, and Arty is a wealthy tech billionaire. When their former Savior House friend Ben, now a federal judge, is murdered, the remaining survivors realize they are being systematically targeted and must reunite to face their past.
4. If Something Happens to Me (2024)
Five years ago, Ryan Richardson’s girlfriend, Alison Lane, disappeared after they were attacked at a local lover's lane. Ryan survived but was long suspected of involvement, prompting him to change his name and move away to attend law school. The case erupts again when Alison’s car is pulled from a local lake with a cryptic note written in her handwriting. When Ryan spots the man who attacked him five years ago while on a trip to Italy, he embarks on a dangerous chase across Europe while local deputy Poppy McGee works the cold case back in Kansas.
5. Parents Weekend (2025)
Set during a busy Parents Weekend at a prestigious private college in Northern California, five close-knit freshman friends go missing right before a planned dinner with their visiting families. The search quickly escalates into a national media sensation. FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller returns to lead the investigation, digging into the students' shared secrets, their parents' hidden pasts, and the suspicious disappearance of another student just days prior.
6. The Anniversary (2026)
Structured around a unique ten-year timeline, this thriller checks in on two survivors on the exact same date—May 1st—every year. In 1992, high schooler Jules Delaney survives a brutal encounter with the 'May Day Killer,' a predator who strikes annually on that date. That same night, teenager Quinn Riley is arrested in a separate violent incident. As the years unfold, their paths repeatedly cross as they attempt to heal from their trauma, protect their siblings, and track down the truth behind the killer and Quinn's mother's unsolved murder.
The FBI Agent Sarah Keller Connection
While Alex Finlay's books are standalone novels, readers looking for character continuity should pay attention to FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller. She serves as a primary investigator in a loose subseries within his books. Her development—including her career progression and her personal life raising twins—continues across these specific titles:
- Every Last Fear (2021) — Introduces Agent Keller as she investigates the Pine family tragedy.
- The Night Shift (2022) — Keller leads the investigation into the copycat murders while pregnant.
- Parents Weekend (2025) — Keller returns to Northern California to search for the five missing college students.
Reading these three books in order will give you the complete picture of her character arc, though you can still enjoy the individual mysteries out of order.
What to Know Before You Start
Alex Finlay is the pen name of Anthony Franze, a prominent Washington, D.C. appellate lawyer who has argued cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. Franze also publishes legal thrillers under his real name. His background in law and the justice system heavily influences his writing, providing a realistic foundation for the FBI procedures, courtroom scenes, and legal battles depicted in his Alex Finlay novels.
His storytelling style is frequently compared to authors like Harlan Coben and Lisa Gardner due to his reliance on multiple viewpoints, shifting timelines, and high-intensity cliffhangers at the end of chapters. If you enjoy thrillers where everyday families are thrust into extraordinary criminal conspiracies, Finlay's catalog is a perfect fit.