Book Review: Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

-
Image
Mad Mabel  by Sally Hepworth  is a domestic thriller about the youngest person convicted of murder in Australia, Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick. Now 81 years old, Elsie is living on Kenny Lane and has been for the past sixty years. When a mother named Roxanne moves into Mabel's neighborhood with her seven year old daughter, an unlikely friendship forms between Elsie and the seven year old child named Persephone. As Elsie's secrets come to light, her world comes crashing down.  Having read quite a few novels by Sally Hepworth, I requested an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of Mad Mabel  without reading the synopsis of the story. I was thrilled when NetGalley and St. Martin's Press approved my request. The expected publication date of the book is April 21, 2026. Not knowing anything about the storyline before I started reading Mad Mabel  made the story much more interesting to me as I had no preconceived ideas. The tale was told from Mabel's perspective in alternating timeli...
Post a Comment

Book Review: Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead (Finlay Donovan, #2) by Elle Cosimano

-

Mystery Book Review of Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead (Finlay Donovan, #2) by Elle Cosimano

Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead (Finlay Donovan, #2) by Elle Cosimano opens where the last book left off.  Finlay is struggling with her next novel and trying to find out who put a hit out on her ex-husband and father to her children.  On top of that, Finlay's nanny, Vero, is keeping secrets.  Will Finlay get everything done?

This is the second novel in the Finlay Donovan book series and is a lot better than the first book.  I can't wait to read the third book in the series.  I don't have any complaints about Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead.  I found it to be fun and entertaining.  What I found to be interesting is that yet again Finlay's agent and editor are bugging her for her novel and wanting her to put the cop back into it.  This felt very autobiographical to me.

I loved the the romance aspects of the story, but I hope it doesn't turn into a love triangle like the Stephanie Plum books do.  I hope Finlay does pick one of them and eventually gets married.  I have grown to really enjoy the characters and hope for a long series.  Steven and the kids have really grown on me, and I liked the character development of Finlay and Georgia's mom.  Additionally, there were some great twists and turns with one twist that I didn't see coming.

Five out of five stars is what I gave Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead (Finlay Donovan, #2) by Elle Cosimano.  This is a great series for those who love the Stephanie Plum book series by Janet Evanovich or those who enjoyed the television show Good Girls.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Book Review: The Dare by Natasha Preston

-
Image
The Dare by Natasha Preston is a young adult horror novel centered on Marley and her friends Atlas, Lucia, and Jesse, all seniors in high school. What begins as harmless, lighthearted senior pranks quickly takes a dark turn when Rhett starts assigning dares that are far more serious and dangerous. As the stakes rise, the question becomes whether Marley and her friends will survive the consequences of playing along. A huge thank you to NetGalley for providing an advanced readers copy of The Dare by Natasha Preston. The last book I read by this author was well written and engaging, so I was excited to dive into her latest young adult horror story. From the start, the novel feels reminiscent of R.L. Stine’s Fear Street series, which instantly brought back a wave of childhood nostalgia. Unfortunately, that initial excitement didn’t last. Before long, the plot shifts into territory that felt eerily similar to the movie I Know What You Did Last Summer . At that point, my interest started ...
Read more

Book Review: The Writer by James Patterson and J.D. Barker

-
Image
The Writer by James Patterson and J.D. Barker  was published on March 17, 2025. It opens with Detective Declan Shaw at a closed subway station trying to work up the nerve to commit suicide when he receives a call from his partner about a break in and homicide at the home of a true crime author. Shaw makes his way to the crime scene to work the case, and in a turn of events, Declan comes under scrutiny in another case loosely connected to this new case. I received an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of The Writer  from NetGalley and Little , Brown, and Company for free in exchange for my honest review. I'm appreciative that my request for this book was approved. With this story opening with the main character trying to commit suicide, I almost didn't go any further with the book. However, I am glad I stuck with it as it took me on a fantastic ride and had my emotions all over the place. There were so many twists and turns that just when I thought I had it all figured out, there was ...
Read more

Book Review: Dirty Thirty (Stephanie Plum, #30) by Janet Evanovich

-
Image
Book Review: Dirty Thirty (Stephanie Plum, #30) by Janet Evanovich Dirty Thirty (Stephanie Plum, #30) by Janet Evanovich is the latest installment in the long-running and beloved Stephanie Plum series, and it opens with Joe Morelli asking Stephanie to dog-sit his famously quirky dog, Bob, while he’s out of town testifying at a trial. As expected, things quickly spiral into chaos when Stephanie has to bring Bob along while attempting to apprehend her usual lineup of FTAs. Between chasing fugitives, dodging danger, and juggling her complicated personal life, Stephanie also finds herself seriously questioning whether marriage is something she truly wants. Each book in the Stephanie Plum series tends to follow a familiar and comforting formula, with everything wrapped up in a neat, tidy bow by the end. That predictability is actually one of the main reasons I keep coming back to these books. I always know Stephanie will get herself into trouble, Ranger or Morelli will step in to help,...
Read more