The Anniversary
by Alex Finlay
The Anniversary by Alex Finlay
Published by Minotaur Books on May 12, 2026
Page count: 336
Genre(s): Psychological Thriller, Mystery, Suspense
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Rating: 4.5 stars
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Summary
On May 1, 1992, Quinn Riley and Jules Delaney’s lives are forever changed. Quinn is arrested after breaking up a fight and nearly killing someone. Jules survives an attack from the elusive May Day Killer, a serial predator who strikes every May 1st.
Over the next decade, Quinn and Jules’ lives are revisited on May 1st of each year. The secrets surrounding their lives and experiences put their respective paths on a collision course, Jules with her trauma and survivor’s guilt, and Quinn with his determination to solve his mother’s murder.
All the while, the May Day Killer is still out there, hunting. And he’s about to strike again…
Likes
Character development: I loved the character development in this book–I felt like I actually witnessed Jules and Quinn grow up and I felt connected to them to an extent. The story is about a serial killer/predator, but there’s also a heartrending thread throughout the story that shows the innocence lost as a result of Jules and Quinn’s experiences. This story is a mix of suspense, heartbreak, and nostalgia.
Pacing: I also found the pacing of the plot to be interesting: the book’s events all take place on May 1st of a given year (hence, the “anniversary”), which just gave an interesting perspective of time changing. However, that pacing leads me a bit toward an “eh” for me…
Eh
This focus solely on the May 1st “anniversary” meant that large portions of the story were just missing. That’s the point, and what’s unique about this book.
However, let’s be real. I’m nosy. I want to know what’s going on in my characters’ lives at all times. This just felt a little disjointed at times. For example, a major development would occur at the end of May 1st of one year and then, instead of seeing how the characters responded to this development, *boom*, you’re on May 1st of the following year.
It’s a little hard to explain without giving anything away. Just trust me when I say that I didn’t always love this type of pacing, unique as it is.
Do I Recommend?
Yes! The Anniversary is definitely a book you should read if you enjoy mystery and suspense, especially if you get as nostalgic as I do about the 1990s.
Book source: I requested and received the eARC of this book from NetGalley and Minotaur Books in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
