The Anniversary: A Thriller
May 2026 · Sold by Minotaur Books
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9 reviews
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320
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About this ebook
AN INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER
From the national bestselling author of Parents 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 Killer—a 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 news—the 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 truth—what really happened the night Jules was attacked, and who murdered Quinn’s 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 Anniversary is an addictive murder mystery and nail-biting thriller—but it’s 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 Anniversary reaffirms Alex Finlay as one of the leading thriller writers today.
From the national bestselling author of Parents 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 Killer—a 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 news—the 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 truth—what really happened the night Jules was attacked, and who murdered Quinn’s 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 Anniversary is an addictive murder mystery and nail-biting thriller—but it’s 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 Anniversary reaffirms Alex Finlay as one of the leading thriller writers today.
AN INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER
From the national bestselling author of Parents 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 ...
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Ratings and reviews
9 reviews
Kayla Cooper
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May 13, 2026
Not the worst but not his best either. I don't think this book is worth the $14.99 that I paid. I have read all of his books and this one fell flat. It was not fast paced or thrilling until the very end. I didn't like the timing of it and how it jumped from year to year on the same date. Unfortunately this one was pretty boring. I was able to guess one of the twists early on.
Linda Brown
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May 13, 2026
Loved it!🤓 Great plot and suspense and I really liked the way the two main protagonists weave in briefly and then out of each other's lives for so long until their reunion is almost inevitable. A masterful twist at the end, too. Not the first excellent Alex Finlay thriller I've read and it definitely won't be the last. Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.
Vickie Watts
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May 13, 2026
This book is a propulsive thriller that captivated me and would not let me go until I reached the satisfying and somewhat surprising conclusion. The characters are realistically flawed, the plot is a deep dive into a serial killer who manages to stay hidden for decades and the story is a haunting and unforgettable one.
About the author
ALEX FINLAY is the bestselling author of several acclaimed novels, including the 2025 instant national bestseller, Parents Weekend. His work regularly appears on best-of-the-year lists and has been translated into twenty-seven languages and sold around the world. Alex’s books have been optioned or in development for film and television, including Parents Weekend, which was recently acquired for adaptation to the screen. Alex is a director of the thriller/mystery section of the Leopardi Writing Conference in Italy, and a board member of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation. He lives in Washington, D.C.
ALEX FINLAY is the bestselling author of several acclaimed novels, including the 2025 instant national bestseller, Parents Weekend. His work regularly appears on best-of-the-year lists and has been translated into twenty-seven languages and sold around the world. Alex’s books have been optioned o...
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