In The Escape Diaries, Mazie Maguire has spent the last three years in prison for her husband’s murder – a crime she didn’t commit. Taking advantage of the chaos caused by a tornado, Mazie escapes. At first she spends all her energy just eluding the law, but soon she realizes this could be her chance to throw herself into the mystery of who actually killed her husband and framed her for his murder.

Mazie is a treat, perfect for fans of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum. Like Plum, she’s quirky, funny, and charming, with moments of brilliance and many of supreme luck. She finds herself in one absurd situation after another, quickly pulling you into her wild adventure. The mystery of what happened to her husband is engrossing and vastly entertaining, with Rosetti doing a fantastic job of balancing the line between outlandish and unbelievable.

The supporting cast, though in the book only in limited bursts, is great too. Her mother-in-law ferociously blames Mazie for her son’s death and is a hoot and a half as she tries to take Mazie out. She’s crazy as can be and the mastermind behind some of the best moments in the book. Mazie also has the support of people she meets as she works out everything that happened leading to her husband’s death. Since this is the first in a series, I hope to see more of everyone in future books.

The mystery itself is just weird enough to be entertaining, but well-thought out and complete. It’s a more light-hearted suspense but with the depth and detail needed to keep readers engrossed. Since it is the start of a series, there are a few threads left hanging, an opening into the next installment, but Rosetti wraps up the main plotlines well.

For off-the-wall fun, with a zany mystery thrown in, pick up The Escape Diaries. You’ll quickly find yourself holding your own “Go, Mazie, Go” sign.