The Anniversary
A Thriller
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 30 days of Standard free
Buy for $18.74
-
Narrated by:
-
Ari Fliakos
-
Brittany Pressley
-
By:
-
Alex Finlay
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
"[Narrator Brittany] Pressley gives an expressive performance of this intricate narrative...From playful podcasts to menacing tension and twists, Pressley expertly delivers each distinct facet of the novel." —Library Journal on Parents Weekend
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.
A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books
Accolades & Awards
Listeners also enjoyed...
People who viewed this also viewed...
Rating: 4.5/5 🌟
If you’re looking for a psychological thriller that actually earns its "unputdownable" badge, Alex Finley just raised the bar. The Anniversary is brilliant writing at its finest—a masterclass in tension, pacing, and the "just one more chapter" struggle.
The Premise
The story centers on the "May Day Killer," a predator who strikes a small Midwestern town every May 1st and then vanishes into thin air. We follow Jules, a survivor of a brutal attack, and Quinn, a boy from the wrong side of the tracks whose life is upended the same night. The hook? We revisit their lives on a single day every year—May 1st—for an entire decade.
Why It Works
The Structure: The "one day a year" format is genius. It forces the character development to hit hard and fast, showing how trauma and secrets evolve over ten years.
The Twists: There was so much build-up, yet the reveals were completely unexpected. Just when you think you’ve pinned the killer, the rug gets pulled.
Dual Mysteries: I loved how the plot linked two seemingly unrelated murders. The different POVs keep the narrative fresh and the stakes high.
Final Verdict
This book keeps you guessing up until the very last page. It’s gritty, atmospheric, and incredibly clever. If you’re a fan of thrillers that weave complex character arcs with a ticking clock, put this at the top of your TBR pile.
May 1st
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
One of the best books I’ve read in a long time
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Exceeded Expectations!!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Done it again!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
5 ⭐️ read for me! Loved it!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.