The Anniversary
- Judith D Collins
- 6 days ago
- 7 min read
By: Alex Finlay
Narrators: Ari Fliakos, Brittany Pressley Macmillan Audio
ISBN: 978-1250360755
Publisher: Minotuar Books
Publication Date: 05/12/2026
Format: Other
My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC) (ALC)
From the bestselling author of Parents Weekend, comes one of the most anticipated thrillers of the year.
Every Year He Comes For Them.
On one fateful night in 1992, the lives of two seventeen-year-olds are changed and intertwined forever. Quinn Riley, a boy from the wrong side of the tracks, is arrested after he innocently tries to break up a fight but ends up nearly killing someone. Jules Delaney, high school royalty, survives an attack by the elusive and terrifying May Day Killer—a serial predator who strikes every May 1st in midwestern small towns.
A year later, Jules is struggling with trauma and guilt, tormented by the question: Why was I spared? Quinn is newly released from juvenile detention and returns home to fresh heartbreak: the unsolved murder of his mother.
Over the next decade, their lives are revisited on a single day each year—May 1st. As secrets unravel and the paths of Quinn and Jules collide, two mysteries edge closer to the truth. All the while, the May Day Killer is still out there—and the clock is racing toward another May 1st.
The Anniversary is an utterly compelling story of the hunt for a serial killer. But it’s also a heartfelt—and heartrending—novel about fate, innocence lost, and two souls who find that sometimes being broken is the only way for the light to get in.
Twisty, high-concept, and emotional, the novel reaffirms Finlay as one of the leading thriller writers today.
My Review
"Every May 1st, he comes back."
"10 Years. 10 Anniversaries. One Killer."
"One of the most Anticipated Thrillers of the Year!"
In The Anniversary, Alex Finlay proves once again why he is a master of the high-stakes, multi-layered thriller in one of his best! When a tragedy from the past resurfaces on its anniversary, a group of survivors finds themselves hunted by a secret that refuses to stay buried.
With Finlay’s signature cinematic pacing and the powerhouse narration duo of Ari Fliakos and Brittany Pressley, this is a twisty, heart-pounding standout that cements his place at the top of the genre!
Intro:
On May 1, 1992, the lives of two seventeen-year-olds in a small Nebraska town are shattered. Jules Delaney, the high school "queen bee," narrowly survives an attack by the elusive May Day Killer, while Quinn Riley, a boy from the "wrong side of the tracks," is arrested after a birthday brawl. This high-concept thriller revisits their lives exclusively on May 1st every year for the next two decades as they hunt for the truth behind their shared trauma.
Setting:
A fictional, small Midwestern town in rural Nebraska. The author captures a "grounded, human element" through local references and era-specific pop culture that makes the setting feel like a real place growing up alongside the reader.
The Structure:
The story follows the characters over a decade, with each chapter taking place on the same day—May 1st—revealing secrets and trauma.
The Mood:
A "quietly intense" and "moody" mix of 90s nostalgia and modern suspense. It feels like a cinematic time-lapse, balancing the "heartrending" weight of a coming-of-age drama with the "nail-biting" tension of a serial killer hunt.
The Vibe:
~Unique High-Concept Thriller:
A "same day, different year" structure that revisits the characters only on May 1st across a decade.
~90s Nostalgia:
Packed with era-specific details like the OJ trial and the early days of the internet.
~Emotional & Gritty:
Blends a terrifying serial killer hunt with a poignant coming-of-age story
Character Highlight:
~Jules Delaney:
Evolves from a haunted survivor to a resilient woman who starts a non-profit to help others.
~Quinn Riley:
A "real and relatable" protagonist whose quest to solve his mother’s cold-case murder makes him a character you can’t help but root for.
Author's Writing:
~Finlay uses "razor-sharp" prose and "short, punchy chapters" that create a "propulsive" reading experience.
~The unique structure—skipping the filler to focus only on anniversaries—is praised as "masterful" and "efficient".
Standout:
The chronological structure is the clear winner. Dropping the reader into a new year without "hand-holding" forces you to piece together the character growth and plot shifts that happened in the gaps.
Themes:
~Fate & Inevitability
~Innocence Lost
~Resilience
Tone:
~Devastating yet Hopeful
~Engaging Rather Than Heavy
Audio Narrator Highlight:
~Ari Fliakos and Brittany Pressley make a "flawless" pairing. Pressley, as my favorite, brings her signature tension to the character Jules, while Fliakos captures the grounded complexity of Quinn.
~Their complementary dual narration is ideally selected, adding significant emotional depth to the alternating perspectives and enriching the overall narrative experience. I highly endorse the audiobook.
Takeaway:
~Trauma doesn't just happen once; it ripples through a lifetime. However, those "fractures" can eventually become the very things that lead us to the truth and to each other.
Metaphor:
~The story is like a shattered mirror—each chapter is a sharp, distinct shard of time that, when viewed together, reflects the complete, jagged image of a life altered by one violent night.
My thoughts...
"A haunting exploration of how a single moment can send shockwaves through an entire decade." A Serial Killer Thriller That Will Wreck You Emotionally."
~Finlay skillfully crafts a masterclass in suspense, intertwining a gripping plot with a heartbreaking emotional core. The result is a razor-sharp thriller that probes deeply into themes of healing while delving into the relentless pursuit of justice.
~THE ANNIVERSARY is a thrilling rollercoaster set in the 1990s, immersing readers in the complex lives of victims grappling with their trauma. This fast-paced narrative is not only intricately twisty and high-concept but also brimming with emotional weight—making it an absolute knockout of a read. With a completely diabolical twist that takes you by surprise, Finlay weaves a profoundly heartrending tale that examines fate and survival, gripping you from the very first sentence.
If you adored Parents Weekend, you absolutely cannot miss this new, nail-biting masterpiece that’s loaded with emotional intensity and suspense.
Why You Should Read:
Read this if you enjoy character-driven thrillers that prioritize emotional depth over mindless action. It's perfect for fans of twisty mysteries who also enjoy a "slow-burn" connection between leads and a heavy dose of 90s nostalgic atmosphere.
Recs...
If you loved Finlay's Every Last Fear, this ambitious timeline structure will blow you away. For fans of the author (like me) and his previous work, as well as those who enjoy authors such as Riley Sager, Harlan Coben, Megan Goldwin, Taylor Adams, Michael Connelly, and Lisa Jewell.
Special thanks to Minotaur Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for providing an advanced reading and listening copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: May 12, 2026
My Rating: 5 Stars
May 2026 Must-Read Books
Praise
An Amazon Editors’ Pick for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Books of May
A LibraryReads Hall of Fame Selection for May 2026
A Library Journal Mystery Pick of the Month
A Goodreads “Top Mystery and Thriller Book of 2026”
A Shelf Reflection “Most Anticipated Book of 2026”
A Nerd Daily “Most Anticipated Book Releases 2026”
A New York Post “Page-Turning New Thriller to Read”
A She Reads “Most Anticipated Thrillers of Summer 2026”
“The suspense never lets up, the various story lines come together nicely, and there are a few twists that even the most well-read mystery readers may find surprising. This is Finlay’s best book in years.”
―Booklist (Starred Review)
“Somehow, Finlay manages to improve with each amazing book, and he has crafted another terrific suspense novel that demands to be read in one sitting. Jules and Quinn fly off the page, and readers will be emotionally engrossed in their journey to see where they are in their lives each May 1.”
―Library Journal (Starred Review)
“I couldn’t put down this engrossing novel about the intertwined lives of Jules and Quinn . . . As Finlay delicately untangles a web of deception and violence, a gripping novel emerges about fate, family, and the ties that bind us all.”
―Annabel Gutterman, Amazon Editor
“Two people are forever connected by the events of a single day. Piece by piece, Alex Finlay expertly reveals the secrets and lies that bind them together. Razor sharp, smart, and emotionally charged―it’s everything I want in a thriller!”
―Ashley Elston, #1 New York Times bestselling author of First Lie Wins
“The Anniversary is Alex Finlay at his best, an addictive murder mystery, nail-biting thriller, and tender love story, all beautifully told through a masterful story structure. I could not put it down!”
―Angie Kim, New York Times bestselling author of Happiness Falls
“This ingeniously structured thriller races through the 1990s with two sympathetic heroes and nonstop twists. It’s phat, it’s fly, it’s all that and a bag of chips!”
―Jason Rekulak, New York Times bestselling author of The Last One at the Wedding
“An unputdownable thriller that never telegraphs what’s coming next, or lets the reader off the hook. The twists and turns in the separate, tragically connected, journeys of Jules and Quinn is simply one of the best crafted novels of this, or any year. In the May Day Killer, Finlay has created one of the most compelling and mysterious villains anywhere in the genre. The Anniversary is a must-read, and why Alex Finlay ranks with Coben, Crais, and Connelly as one of the very best in the business. Hey, “Hollywood,” if you’re listening, your next blockbuster is between these two covers!”
―Jon Lindstrom, USA Today bestselling author of Hollywood Hustle and Hollywood Payback
“Alex Finlay is a master at creating complex, high-stakes thrillers that are charged with emotion.”
―Mary Kubica
“There is nothing as addictive as an Alex Finlay novel.”
―Ashley Winstead
“A master of his craft.”
―Jeneva Rose
“One of the leading thriller writers today.”
―Sarah Pekkanen
About the Author
Photo Credit: Kristina Sherk Photography
Alex Finlay is the bestselling author of the 2021 breakout novel, Every Last Fear, the 2022 Goodreads Choice nominee for Best Mystery and Thriller, The Night Shift, the 2023 Library Reads Hall of Fame recipient, What Have We Done, and the 2024 blockbuster national bestseller, If Something Happens to Me. Alex’s novels are regularly on "best of the year" lists and have been translated into twenty-five languages and sold around the world. All of Alex’s books have been optioned, secured, or in development for film and television, and his May 2025 release, Parents Weekend, was an instant national bestseller and has already been scooped up by Hollywood for adaption to the screen. Alex lives in Washington, DC and Virginia. WEBSITE
