I'm not sure this book totally deserves the 5 stars I gave it, but it was just so much fun!! Finlay is a rare realistic and relatable protagonist; she feels like an actual person, and I loved the unique voice the Elle Cosimano wrote for her. And the rest of the cast is just as engaging—how could you not love Vero and Julian?!—while also effectively driving the plot. The setup is the best part of the this novel, as anyone who's read the back of the book would probably guess. And though of course there are some unbelievable moments (if you're reading a murder mystery with this description, you have to suspend your disbelief justtttt a little bit), the plot was unlike anything I've read before in the genre. That feat alone honestly merits some stars. And on top of that, the resolution was actually really smart and kept me guessing the whole time. Of course I wasn't going to predict the ending #kathyproblems, but this was more than that; I honestly couldn't even conceive of a way this book could conclude AND make sense. And lucky for us, we get that and more—a series!

If you're looking for some escapist fun that still has a flair of murder, mystery, and drama, this is a great one for you.

[I intentionally left spoilers out of this review for when I inevitably re-listen to this series after enough time has gone by for me to forget what happens.]