4.5- this was so much fun! Plucky single mom heroine who stumbles her way into a variety of insane situations that get progressively more and more insane as the novel goes on. I loved the tone of this novel, the right combination of funny, witty, and mysterious! I loved the pacing of this novel, it kept me engaged and guessing the whole time. I loved the development of the relationship between Finley and Vero and how it demonstrates that support and community are really what help you heal and move on from major life changes. And that cliffhanger??? HELLO???? So excited to get to the next one!

Thank you to St. Martin’s press and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review

This book was witty, chaotic and a ton of fun! From one misunderstanding to the next, it is a comedy of errors.

While I never thought of Panera as a perfect place to order a hit, one woman realized otherwise. While the beginning of the book had a few obvious steps, by the time it got to the middle I was no longer sure I knew where everyone was going to end up. I think if you’re looking for a funny murder mystery, this definitely fit the bill for me.

Finley Donovan is a character to love, laugh with, get aggravated at, and enjoy the ride with! The impossible happened and she somehow fights to make a way out of what seems impossible. She’s a great character to root for!

I went into this book completely blind, so I had no idea what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised. This book combined a murder mystery with some humor. Finlay Donovan is a great main character. This being the first of a series, of course landed on a cliff hanger. I’m excited to continue this series.

Finaly gets herself in so much trouble! She gets swept up in a murder pot accidentally and the hilarity ensues. Finlay is an author and is overheard in Panera talking to her agent. Finlay is sure her writing career is on its way out and her conversation is misheard. She is hired to off a husband. Finlay doesn't want to get caught up in the mess, but the husband ends up dead, in her car, in her garage. She knows she didn't do it, but who did?

I'm hooked. As soon as I finished this book I began the second! I can't see what Finlay gets into next.

I was given the opportunity to download this journal from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of my favorite reads of 2025. It was so good! Great comedic timing, mystery, romance, and a main character you'll love.
I will definitely be reading this entire series.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC

I kept hearing about this book and I think there was hyped up. Personally, I don't understand the hype. I found this book just ok. Not really something I would hype up and not something I would read again in the future. I will try and continue reading the other books but if it weren't for the fact I got them for review I probably wouldn't even bother reading them.

Oh my god, I LOVED THIS BOOK.

I’m sure you’ve seen a million reviews by now, but if you haven’t had a chance to pick it up or you’ve been putting it off (like I was), consider this a sign. ESPECIALLY if you’re in a slump, cause I guarantee Finlay’s series of unfortunate events will have you turning pages fast enough for paper cuts. I finished this in a single sitting.

Finlay, a recently divorced mother of two, is a struggling novelist who meets with her agent in a desperate attempt to extend her deadline. When another customer at the restaurant overhears them discussing the plot for her work in progress, she mistakes Finlay for a contract killer and…shit gets hilariously messy.

It’s murder mystery meets dark comedy with a splash of contemporary romance, and somehow it just WORKS. In a ridiculous series of events that lead our main character Finlay down a dark and dangerous path, it’s over the top in the best way and entertaining from start to finish.

I loved these characters, I loved the chaos & the drama, and I loved the ending. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next installment. Alsoooo, word on the street is Finlay is getting a TV adaptation!! 😍🙌🏼

This was a fun, quick read. It was a bit of a crazy premise, but I liked both Finlay and her nanny and found the book very enjoyable.

This book is so fun! I love how quirky and silly it is while also dealing with heavier topics. Finlay is such a realistic character and her everyday struggles mixed with such crazy plot points makes for a truly fun story. I think some of it was so outlandish that it was hard to latch onto certain parts believably but it was extremely enjoyable nonetheless.

A cute cozy mystery, set in Virignia. It's a quick read and you'll surely fall in love with Ms. Donovan.

Much better than the synopsis! This walks the fine line of serious stakes and zany behavior while being reasonable believable.

Did I enjoy it? Mostly. Do I think it's good? Not very. Maybe a good poolside read: easy, kind of funny, a bit stupid. The idea is good: single mom struggling with the bills, gets caught up in a mystery. But too much of it is implausible and the main character can be an idiot at times.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.

I absolutely love this series. Elle Cosimano can write a book! Looking forward to continuing the series especially with Vero, she is so fun!

Finlay is going thru a tough time: her husband left her & moved down the block with the realtor, she owes a new book to her publisher (like, yesterday), the nanny was let go by her ex and the bills are piling up. A meet up with her agent at a Panera leads to a misunderstanding as the woman eating at the next table assumes the conversation about bodies and murder indicate Finlay is a hitman. Desperate for money, she considers finding out more......a meet up at a bar leads to a dead man in her minivan.

This book is just so great. Unbelievable and funny. It sucked me right in and I couldn’t believe what was happening! I loved It!

Where it all began! The Finlay Donovan series is the ultimate comedy meets cozy mystery series. I soundly relate to her hot mess mom side so I can't help but cheer her (and Vero) on as hijinks and hilarity ensue. This book is perfect, escapist fun.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Oh my! Poor Finley really makes some BAD choices! I wanted to literally strangle her half the time but it was a fun, underdog story that by the end I really enjoyed! I will say the beginning is a bit slow but when things pick up look out you’re in for a wild ride!!

Thank you to Elle Cosimano, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review!

Struggling single mom and novelist trying to figure out how she got wrapped up in a murder while her life around her is falling apart? Along with some comedy and dark humor.....Now that sounds like a good time! Sign me up!

Finlay Donovan, newly divorce author is just trying to make ends meet. We've all been there, right? How about being mistaken for a contract killer because someone overheard you plotting out our newest book to your agent?

Yeaaaa, I don't think too many of us have had that happen to us before..🤣

Imagining that whole scene play out was such a hilarious time in my mind! OMG, it seriously causes me to laugh out loud at the insanity that was laid out on the pages.

If you can enjoy a little dark humor, then I definitely recommend this book to you.

Find an accomplice to the real-life crime that she's suddenly in the middle of, Finlay turns to her freshly fired nanny to help her get out of this mess. I know you're thinking, "Uhh, her nanny just got fired. Why would she help her?" Chill out, her scum of an ex-husband fired her. Not Finlay.

Together, they go on a mission to clear their names and help solve this murder mystery.

Fast paced, witty and extremely hilarious, Finlay and nanny Vero were a force to be reckoned with their hilarious banter between each other and other characters was enough to make you want to flip through the pages faster and faster. The action scenes and drama were such a good time.

Who said chaos was a bad thing?

Thanks to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for copies of the Finlay Donovan series by Elle Cosimano.

Finlay Donovan is Killing It
Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead
Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun
Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice

I have wanted to read this series for a while, and when I saw that the series was Read Now on NetGalley I decided it was time to give it a go. Finlay Donovan is a writer who is mistaken for a hitman and hijinks ensue with her nanny Vero. These books were perfect popcorn mysteries for me. I laughed, I was intrigued by the mystery aspect and I had a good time reading them! A perfect read when I needed something I didn’t have to think too hard about!

#bookstagram #mysteryreads #finlaydonovan