"I can't look," I said, clapping a hand over my eyes. I had sworn to myself there would be no more dead bodies. [opening of the prologue]
and
NINE HOURS EARLIER
Vero hadn't so much as glanced up from the ransom note in her hand since we'd left her cousin's garage, when she'd handed me the keys to one of Ramon's loaner cars and slumped down in the passenger seat, reading and rereading the single sentence on the sheet of paper like it was a puzzle that might solve itself if she stared at it long enough. [opening of Chapter One of Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice]
I cannot imagine a novel in this series without a dead body, but I do understand where Finlay is coming from in that prologue opening. And how does that play in with the ransom note she and Vero received? I cannot wait to find out!
Vero and I straightened our wigs as we slunk out of the suite, hoping to blend in with the other partygoers who had left only moments ago. [excerpt from 55% of Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice]
I have so many questions! I have yet to be disappointed in a book in this series. It may be over the top at times, but it sure is fun.
Finlay Donovan and her nanny/partner-in-crime Vero are in sore need of a girls’ weekend away. They plan a trip to Atlantic City, but odds are―seeing as it’s actually a cover story to negotiate a deal with a dangerous loan shark, save Vero’s childhood crush Javi, and hunt down a stolen car―it won’t be all fun and games. When Finlay’s ex-husband Steven and her mother insist on tagging along too, Finlay and Vero suddenly have a few too many meddlesome passengers along for the ride.
Within hours of arriving in their seedy casino hotel, it becomes clear their rescue mission is going to be a bust. Javi’s kidnapper, Marco, refuses to negotiate, demanding payment in full in exchange for Javi’s life. But that’s not all―he insists on knowing the whereabouts of his missing nephew, Ike, who mysteriously disappeared. Unable to confess what really happened to Ike, Finlay and Vero are forced to come up with a new plan: sleuth out the location of Javi and the Aston Martin, then steal them both back.
But when they sneak into the loan shark’s suite to search for clues, they find more than they bargained for―Marco's already dead. They don’t have a clue who murdered him, only that they themselves have a very convincing motive. Then four members of the police department unexpectedly show up in town, also looking for Ike―and after Finlay's night with hot cop Nick at the police academy, he’s a little too eager to keep her close to his side.
If Finlay can juggle a jealous ex-husband, two precocious kids, her mother’s marital issues, a decomposing loan shark, and find Vero’s missing boyfriend, she might get out of Atlantic City in one piece. But will she fold under the pressure and come clean about the things she’s done, or be forced to double down? [Goodreads Summary]
Will you start a series if you know it probably won't be finished?
It depends on the type of series it is. Many of the mystery and romance series I read are made up of books that are able to stand on their own. There may be overarching character story lines, but they usually are not integral to the main mystery or romance featured in each book. These are the types of series I can jump into anywhere without feeling lost. Ideally, I prefer to read series books in order and, of course, if the series ends, it's nice when the author is able to wrap things up in a final book. Unfortunately, it's not unheard of for a series to suddenly end because of poor sales, a publisher deciding to go in a different direction, or an author's illness or death. With these types of series, I am less concerned with whether there's an official ending to the series.
For series in which the books rely heavily on each other, with the main focus on the overarching storyline (fantasy more often than not in my case), it might make a difference though. I would be less likely to want to start a series knowing it will have no ending. I am not a fan of forever-lasting cliffhangers.
That said, I like reading series and there is always a risk a series won't have a proper ending. Not knowing doesn't stop me from starting new series.
What about you?
Every Friday Coffee Addicted Writer from Coffee Addicted Writer poses a question which participants respond on their own blogs within the week (Friday through Thursday). They then share their links at the main site and visit other participants blogs.Which has more power over readers: a book blogger or a professional critic? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer)
I cannot speak for anyone else nor do I know what research may say on the subject (if any has in fact been done), but I do know that, for myself, a book blogger has more sway over me than a professional critic. I only occasionally read professional reviews and spend more time visiting book blogs. Book blogs tend to be a bit more personal. I see it less as anyone having power over me as a reader, but instead I am a part of a community of readers in which we share our bookish thoughts. And while, ultimately, I choose to read books that interest me, my wish list is influenced by recommendations I've picked up from my fellow book bloggers.
What about you?
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Be sure and tell me what you are reading!
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