The Anniversary: A Thriller

From the national bestselling author ofParents Weekend, comes one of the most anticipated thrillers of the year.

Everything I want in a thriller!Ashley Elston
I could not put it down!Angie Kim
Nonstop twists!Jason Rekulak
A master of his craft.Jeneva Rose

Every May 1st, a serial killer stalks a small town.Every year he comes for them . . .

On May 1, 1992, Jules Delaney and Quinn Riley hardly know each other.

Jules is high school queen bee in a small Midwestern town when she survives a brutal attack by the elusive May Day Killera predator who strikes every May 1st and then vanishes without a trace. Quinn, a boy from the wrong side of the tracks, is arrested the same night after trying to break up a fight and nearly killing someone.

By morning, their lives are forever connected.

A year later, Jules is haunted by trauma and guilt, tormented by one question:Why was she spared?Quinn is newly released from juvenile detention and returns home to devastating newsthe unsolved murder of his mother.

Over the next decade, their lives are revisited on a single day each year: May 1st.

As the years pass, secrets surface, lies unravel, and the paths of Jules and Quinn draw closer together. Two mysteries edge toward the truthwhat really happened the night Jules was attacked, and who murdered Quinns mother? All the while, the May Day Killer is still out there.

And the clock is racing toward another anniversary.

Twisty, high-concept, and emotionally charged,The Anniversaryis an addictive murder mystery and nail-biting thrillerbut its also a tender, heartrending story about fate, innocence lost, and two people bound by a single day. With its masterful structure and propulsive tension,The Anniversaryreaffirms Alex Finlay as one of the leading thriller writers today.

An Amazon Editors Pick for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Books of May

A LibraryReads Hall of Fame Selection for May 2026
ALibrary JournalMystery 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
ANew York PostPage-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 Finlays 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)

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 chargedits everything I want in a thriller!Ashley Elston, #1New York Timesbestselling author ofFirst Lie Wins

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