Thank you to Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and Alex Finlay for my advanced reader copy of The Anniversary. This book is available in the U.S. May 12, 2026!

The Story

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 one question: Why was I spared? Quinn is newly released from juvenile detention and returns home to fresh 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.

My Thoughts

If you know me, I am a big fan of efficiency. Thus, it is (one of) the highest forms of praise for me to say The Anniversary is one of the most efficient thrillers I’ve ever read.

It was so well paced! I mean, it takes place over the course of a decade, but it’s only one day from each of those years. There’s no superfluous nonsense trying to drive you in a different direction. However, I still could not put it down (because of the efficient pacing!).

I also found the characters overall to be likable. You were rooting for Jules and Quinn, hoping that the ending would resolve itself in a way that you wanted. (No spoilers here!) Plus, what thriller lover doesn’t love reading about a hunt for a serial killer?

I’ve read Alex Finlay’s other books, and I think The Anniversary might be my favorite. He’s a solid author if you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller that will keep you guessing. Plus, he has a hilarious friendship with Sarah Pekkanen that’s just a hoot. If you don’t believe me, just check her Instagram.

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