Avengers and Rogues is the second book in J.R. Finn Mystery Series. While it is a complete story and the author does provide quick summaries of events which occurred in the first book - I would not call this a standalone in that it provides some answers for issues raised by the first book ("Assassins and Liars") but also raised several new questions which were left unanswered. Additionally, I would recommend you start with the first book in the series so you can fully understand the characters and their motivations. The ending does set up the next book in the series.

I listened to Avengers and Rogues in one sitting - I was completely transported into the world of Mary and Finn which is full of espionage, violence and the occasional cocktail at sunset on the beach. I was so into listening to this book that I audibly gasped at the unexpected twist at the very end. I highly recommend this series.

I really enjoy the two main characters in these books - Finn and Mary. Neither one of them is a known quantity. This book reminded me of the Bourne Identity series in that you were never sure whether you could trust what a character was saying or trust their actions which were frequently diametrically opposed to what they said or trust neither. Several times throughout the story, I came to the conclusion that a certain character was being honest only to be twisted around by them and then when I was now sure who their true character was, I was twisted again. I was constantly on the edge of my seat with anxiety over what was going to happen next.

In this story, we do learn a bit more about Mary but the focus is on learning more about Finn. Finn is a man who is very careful and alert at all times because he has to be given his line of work. Finn has always been a loner - it was easier that way to trust only yourself and no one else would be in danger. But now that Mary's in his life and he has an interest in developing a future with her, Finn starts daydreaming at inopportune moments and loses focus when he is always so self-controlled. Finn was much more personable and relatable in those moments when he felt insecure about Mary's affections or his own feelings about their developing relationship. I found these moments the most revealing and relatable about his character.

In contrast, Mary's character is still a tough nut to crack but still very intriguing. She is still less than forth coming but, the things she lets slip are very telling. For instance, Finn asks Mary about a gun she possesses and she explains she got it from her neighbor after he dropped it by her door. When Finn is somewhat surprised that someone would just drop a gun on her doorstep, she nonchalantly explains that the gun dropped from her neighbor's hand on her doorstep after she broke his arm when he tried to rob her. Clearly Mary is a very strong woman who can take care of herself in any situation. And then, out of the blue, she was very soft and tender to Finn - which made me like her even more.