Disclaimer: I was a paid proofreader for this book, but all thoughts and opinions are my own, and this blog post is not part of my paid proofreading.
Title: Finding Fionn: A Mystery Inspired by the Kidnapping of the Irish Racehorse Shergar
Author: M. J. Evans
Year Published: 2023
Publisher: Dancing Horse Press
What's it about?
Patrick McCallin has only ever wanted to be a jockey. His dream comes true, and he is assigned as Fionn MacCool's jockey, the biggest racehorse in Ireland. The only problem is Fionn is kidnapped and his owner doesn't seem to care. Patrick must work with his friends to find his beloved horse before it's too late. This story is inspired by the real kidnapping of the Irish Racehorse Shergar.
Thoughts:
I loved this story and had so much fun reading it. As a reader, I was engaged with the whole story and never wanted to stop reading. Evans is great at writing quick paced and easy read books. I was on the edge of my seat while reading. There are many twists that I didn't expect that caused me to pause in my reading to consider how they happened and how the rest of the story would be affected.
This is a historical mystery set in Ireland and France in the 1980s. This story talks about a culture and time I didn't learned about in school. Evans is able to mix the big (The Troubles of Ireland) and little things (family disputes) of the world and life in this story. The story, plot, world building, and characters are all multi-dimensional. The characters are lively, and I couldn't not worry along with Patrick for Fionn's safety.
I love Patrick's determination and perseverance to find Fionn even after every one else gives up. Patrick's friends agree to help him find a horse they never met because they know how much Patrick loves Fionn. None of them think twice about putting themselves in danger in order to save Fionn. They are all true horse people. This book shows the power of love, friendship, and horses.
The connection between Patrick and Fionn is so real and exactly what every horse person aspires to have with their horse. Evans has great horse and horse racing knowledge that made this a pleasant read for this horse lover. I could feel Evan's love and knowledge of horses fall off the page.
I enjoyed that even though there was danger and tension within the story, I was never scared. That makes it perfect for the targeted at readers of 12-18, but this is a fun and engaging story for anyone older.
The only bad part about Finding Fionn was that it ended. However, even though there's no more Fionn stories, Evan has so many other great books to read next, including one of my all-time favorite books The Stallion and his Peculiar Boy (click here to read my review on this book).
I can't tell you if Fionn was found or not, but I will tell you that Shergar, the real racehorse who inspired this story was never found. So the question is, will Fionn have the same fate?
Finding Fionn is out today! Order it here.
Learn more about M J. Evans and her books here.
Find more book recommendations from me here.