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.
This might be Alex Finley’s best boon yet. It’s a compelling mix of a serial killer thriller and a coming-of-age trauma story. Even though it’s a slow burn in terms of how the secrets, backstories, and reveals unfold, it feels fast-paced with its short chapters and the plot jumping forward one year at a time. At its core, this is a story about trauma and how it shapes the two MCs over time, and you’ll care about both of them. Thriller fans will love the tropes—serial killer with a pattern, dual timelines, survivor’s guilt, misdirection, and a cold case—and the compelling themes of grief, fate, identity, and how the past never really goes away.
The story follows Quinn Riley and Jules Delaney, whose lives become linked after a violent night in 1992. Quinn, from a troubled background, makes a split-second decision that lands him in juvenile detention, while Jules narrowly escapes a serial killer who returns on the same date each year. As the story revisits May 1 over the next decade, both are shaped by that night—Quinn seeking answers about his mother’s murder and fractured family and Jules living with the lasting trauma of survival. Over time, their paths steadily converge as buried secrets resurface and the truth behind the killings is uncovered.
The story is told via dual POVs of Jules and Quinn, which makes it layered and very immersive as you follow their experiences over many years. In some chapters, the POV even shifts between them, which adds to the fast-paced feel and keeps the tension high. Their relationship is not like a typical romance—it feels like a fated connection where you just know their lives are going to collide many times, and it’s fascinating how it all unfolds. At the same time, this is very much a slow-burn thriller—the story takes its time presenting suspicious characters, the truth about Quinn’s family, and the history of the serial killer’s crimes—and you need to pay attention to all the small details if you want a chance of figuring it all out. There are also a lot of side characters that make the story feel cinematic—from the people Quinn meets during his time in the army/Italy to the people Jules encounters during her modeling career across Europe, along with those eventually involved in the investigation—so it’s not a bad idea to jot down names as they appear to keep track of it all!
The best part of this book is how it keeps getting more interesting and intricate as it goes, making it impossible to put down. The second half has misdirections and twists that keep you guessing, but a few are a bit predictable if you’re paying attention to the clues. Be prepared to suspend your disbelief in a couple of key scenes that could have been written a bit more cleverly. That said, it doesn’t take away from how addictive the story is overall, and the ending delivers a last-minute jaw-dropping twist, followed by a quick but satisfying wrap-up chapter that’s perfectly executed!
This is a must-read for fans of character-driven thrillers, serial killer mysteries, dual POVs, and interconnected storylines with coming-of-age trauma and fated connections. If this all sounds intriguing, grab a copy ASAP!
Narrator Performance
The Anniversary is narrated by award-winning performers Ari Fliakos and Brittany Pressley.
Pressley portrays Jules with a compelling voice that’s layered with vulnerability, determination, and resilience. After Jules is attacked, Pressley makes her trauma feel alive and constant—something listeners will feel that follows her year after year. As Jules evolves—from survivor to professional model to founder of an organization to help find missing people—Pressley gradually adds more confidence, self-assurance, and maturity to her voice. It’s a subtle shift, but it feels very authentic and makes you feel Jules’s coming-of-age—and care about her outcome!
Fliakos portrays Quinn with a grounded, steady tone that highlights his good nature and determination. He brings a quiet intensity to the role that makes the character believable and likeable—especially in scenes in Italy with the family of a fallen friend and later when he works as a PI. Fliakos narrates the most thrilling moments with high tension and a sense of urgency—and you really feel that Quinn is a man on a mission who will do anything to uncover the truths.
Both narrators do a great job conveying the strong connection between Quinn and Jules. Their dialogue feels natural and compelling, and there’s a sense from early on that their lives will collide in meaningful ways. But the biggest strength of this audiobook is how well both narrators match each other’s pacing, mirroring the intensity of the story—truly masterful storytelling! They each give side characters distinct, recognizable voices, which makes the audiobook feel almost like a full cast performance and makes it impossible to stop listening!
Narrator Performance
The Anniversary is narrated by award-winning performers Ari Fliakos and Brittany Pressley.
Pressley portrays Jules with a compelling voice that’s layered with vulnerability, determination, and resilience. After Jules is attacked, Pressley makes her trauma feel alive and constant—something listeners will feel that follows her year after year. As Jules evolves—from survivor to professional model to founder of an organization to help find missing people—Pressley gradually adds more confidence, self-assurance, and maturity to her voice. It’s a subtle shift, but it feels very authentic and makes you feel Jules’s coming-of-age—and care about her outcome!
Fliakos portrays Quinn with a grounded, steady tone that highlights his good nature and determination. He brings a quiet intensity to the role that makes the character believable and likeable—especially in scenes in Italy with the family of a fallen friend and later when he works as a PI. Fliakos narrates the most thrilling moments with high tension and a sense of urgency—and you really feel that Quinn is a man on a mission who will do anything to uncover the truths.
Both narrators do a great job conveying the strong connection between Quinn and Jules. Their dialogue feels natural and compelling, and there’s a sense from early on that their lives will collide in meaningful ways. But the biggest strength of this audiobook is how well both narrators match each other’s pacing, mirroring the intensity of the story—truly masterful storytelling! They each give side characters distinct, recognizable voices, which makes the audiobook feel almost like a full cast performance and makes it impossible to stop listening!
The Anniversary is narrated by award-winning performers Ari Fliakos and Brittany Pressley.
Pressley portrays Jules with a compelling voice that’s layered with vulnerability, determination, and resilience. After Jules is attacked, Pressley makes her trauma feel alive and constant—something listeners will feel that follows her year after year. As Jules evolves—from survivor to professional model to founder of an organization to help find missing people—Pressley gradually adds more confidence, self-assurance, and maturity to her voice. It’s a subtle shift, but it feels very authentic and makes you feel Jules’s coming-of-age—and care about her outcome!
Fliakos portrays Quinn with a grounded, steady tone that highlights his good nature and determination. He brings a quiet intensity to the role that makes the character believable and likeable—especially in scenes in Italy with the family of a fallen friend and later when he works as a PI. Fliakos narrates the most thrilling moments with high tension and a sense of urgency—and you really feel that Quinn is a man on a mission who will do anything to uncover the truths.
Both narrators do a great job conveying the strong connection between Quinn and Jules. Their dialogue feels natural and compelling, and there’s a sense from early on that their lives will collide in meaningful ways. But the biggest strength of this audiobook is how well both narrators match each other’s pacing, mirroring the intensity of the story—truly masterful storytelling! They each give side characters distinct, recognizable voices, which makes the audiobook feel almost like a full cast performance and makes it impossible to stop listening!
