Every Last Fear

By Alex Finlay

Book Overview

"High-energy . . . Finlay expands the puzzle and ratchets up the action." --New York Times

"This debut is gripping from the first bone-chilling line until the final page." --Newsweek

One of the Most Anticipated Books of 2021: - Newsweek - CNN - E Online - Goodreads - BuzzFeed - PopSugar - BookBub - Bibliofile - Mystery and Suspense

A LibraryReads Selection -- A Top Book Voted by Librarians for March 2021
An Indie Next Pick -- A Top Book Voted by Independent Bookstores for March 2021

In one of the year's most anticipated debut psychological thrillers, a family made infamous by a true crime documentary is found dead, leaving their surviving son to uncover the truth about their final days.

"They found the bodies on a Tuesday." So begins this twisty and breathtaking novel that traces the fate of the Pine family, a thriller that will both leave you on the edge of your seat and move you to tears.

After a late night of partying, NYU student Matt Pine returns to his dorm room to devastating news: nearly his entire family--his mom, his dad, his little brother and sister--have been found dead from an apparent gas leak while vacationing in Mexico. The local police claim it was an accident, but the FBI and State Department seem far less certain--and they won't tell Matt why.

The tragedy makes headlines everywhere because this isn't the first time the Pine family has been thrust into the media spotlight. Matt's older brother, Danny--currently serving a life sentence for the murder of his teenage girlfriend Charlotte--was the subject of a viral true crime documentary suggesting that Danny was wrongfully convicted. Though the country has rallied behind Danny, Matt holds a secret about his brother that he's never told anyone: the night Charlotte was killed Matt saw something that makes him believe his brother is guilty of the crime.

When Matt returns to his small hometown to bury his parents and siblings, he's faced with a hostile community that was villainized by the documentary, a frenzied media, and memories he'd hoped to leave behind forever. Now, as the deaths in Mexico appear increasingly suspicious and connected to Danny's case, Matt must unearth the truth behind the crime that sent his brother to prison--putting his own life in peril--and forcing him to confront his every last fear.

Told through multiple points-of-view and alternating between past and present, Alex Finlay's Every Last Fear is not only a page-turning thriller, it's also a poignant story about a family managing heartbreak and tragedy, and living through a fame they never wanted.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1250268826
• ISBN13: 9781250268822
• Release Date: March 2021
• Publisher: Minotaur Books
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 1.31 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.4" x 9.9"

Customer Reviews

Twists and turns

Just when you think you have it figured out....

Couldn’t read fast enough!

Grabbed you from the start. Kept you guessing and waiting for the twist!

Such a good book

This book really grabs your attention and makes you feel like you know the characters personally. This one had me guessing who the killer was throughout the entire story. I was so surpised by the roller coaster of emotions.

A great twisty thriller!

This had so much going for this murder mystery thriller and it absolutely nailed it! So many twisty secrets and an ending that I did not expect. This chapters of this book varied between before the accident/murder of the Pine family in Tulum Mexico while they were on Spring Break and after when the bodies are discovered and everyone is looking for answers about why this tragedy happened. I really rooted for Maggie and her father as they looked for clues and evidence to exonerate Danny for the murder of Charlotte that he may or may not have committed. They stuck to it even when everyone else gave up. I liked Matt's part too and was really sad for him being the only family left that was not in prison. It was a great book that slowly unfurled itself until all the actions were explained in a very satisfying way. There were nice little action bits that kept me on my toes hoping that no one else had to die. I really liked it and definitely recommend it!

Twisty, intense, riveting and entertaining thriller

Every Last Fear starts with a bang when New York University film student Matt Pine receives the devastating news that his family has died from a gas leak in their vacation rental in Mexico. All are gone, except for his older brother Danny, who is in prison for the murder of his girlfriend, a crime which his parents and sister believe he did not commit. A Netflix true crime documentary has been made about Danny which proclaimed his innocence and resulted in a media spotlight on the family. Matt soon learns that the FBI has doubts that the death of his family is accidental, but they are clearly holding back information. Faced with suspicions about the tragedy in Mexico, Matt sets out to retrieve the bodies of his family and find answers about what happened. The story is told from multiple points of view, alternating between past and present, to provide the complex backstory of the Pine family. The characters are interesting, especially Matt's NYU friends and FBI Agent Sarah Keller, who battles misogyny while cleverly trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together. The story is intense, riveting and fast-paced, with unexpected twists and turns. Compulsive and addictive, Every Last Fear will have you staying up all night. #EveryLastFear #MinotaurBooks

Slow-build, multiple-narrator suspense novel

Every Last Fear opens on NYU student Matt Pine, who after a night of partying, returns to his dorm to find an FBI agent. His entire family has been found dead on vacation in Mexico in what appears to be an accidental gas leak. The local police rule it an accident, but the FBI suspects foul play. The Pine family is no stranger to the spotlight. Oldest son Danny Pine is currently serving life in prison for the murder of his high school girlfriend, a subject which is the plot of a popular Netflix documentary that attempts to show that Danny was wrongfully committed. But who would want to kill the rest of the Pine family? And why were they in Mexico in the first place? Is Matt also in danger? Frantic for answers Matt must uncover the truth on his own before it’s too late. Told in the third person from multiple perspectives, Every Last Fear leaves the reader unsure who to trust. In the present, it follows Matt and Agent Keller, the FBI agent assigned to investigate the suspicious deaths of the Pines. In the past, it follows father Evan, mother Liv, and loyal daughter Maggie, as they live out the final weeks of their lives. This is quite a dark story, not for the faint of heart, about death, loss, and murder. It makes you really think about the consequences of true crime documentaries to the families of both the victims and the suspected murderers. While the majority of the book focused on murder and loss, my favorite scenes involved Matt’s core group of friends from college. They’re such an eclectic group but they always show up for Matt when he needs it, and you could tell how much they truly loved him. Scenes with their group were quite a refreshing break. Every Last Fear is perfect for fans of slow-build, multiple-narrator suspense novels. Thank you to Minotaur Books and Netgalley for the review copy. All opinions are my own.