So glad that I was introduced to Finlay Donovan and her antics through net galley! Finlay is the perfect protagonist, a kind mama bear with fun, mischievous kids and a lousy ex and divorce. Loved the outrageous plot and love interests in this book! Couldn't wait to read more once I was finished with this one.

What a humorous cute story. I absolutely loved this book and I am adding it to my pile of comfort reads to save for a rainy day reread. I just couldn’t put it down. I found the plot unpredictable and unique. I plan to continue the series starting immediately.

This book was recommended by an influencer a few years ago, and it has been on my TBR list ever since. I didn’t even realize there was a whole series now. I can’t believe I didn’t pick up this book when I first heard about it! It kept me on the edge of my seat, and there were times I did not want to put it down! I started recommending this book to people before I even finished it. I loved it!

Masterpiece.
I loved every thing about this book. The characters had depth and were funny. The story was wild, I had no clue what direction it would take. Kept me on edge. I genuinely enjoyed every bit of this story. Can’t wait to read the rest of them.
And that last sentence………. 🤯

This book had everything I've been looking for. A cozy rom-com style mystery with plenty of action of and a cast of quirky characters.

When divorced and down on her luck Finlay Donovan is accidentally hired as a hitman, a series of unfortunate events kicks off and the reader is taken along for a page turning adventure. This book and the first in the series reminded me of the early days of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series where you could laugh out loud at the antics before they became tiresome and overplayed.

Finlay Donovan is certainly killing it with this first installment and I am all here for it, even if it means my laundry doesn't get put away or I lose track of time starting dinner because I simply could not put this one down. Hoping the rest of the series is just as entertaining.

Recommended for fans of Janet Evanovich and cozy clean mysteries with humor.

Thank you to NetGalley, Elle Cosimano, and Minotaur Books for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

Finlay Donovan is such a great character- a mom, a writer and someone who constantly gets into unhinged situations. This book isn't my go to genre, but I am so glad I picked it up. I couldn't wait to see how she would get herself out of this one!

Finlay is having a very bad day/week/year. Her husband left her, her bills are piling up, her ex-husband has fired the nanny, and the deadline for her latest book is looming. After discussing her latest book idea with her agent, she finds herself mistaken for a killer for hire. Chaos ensues.

I was very unsure about finishing this book. After reading about 1/3, I was rolling my eyes so much I was dizzy. There are so many bad choices being made, and the results were sure to be either preposterous or ridiculous or disastrous. Yet I kept reading. There is something completely compelling about this character., and I could not quit reading. So many twists and turns kept me guessing. Although I knew that this was only the first in the series and that book #2 was NOT Finlay Donovan Goes to Prison, I was definitely curious how she was going to get out of the situation she had created for herself. What a fun book! Note that there is some profanity and sexual content, but nothing too graphic. Just go along for the ride and enjoy the suspense and humor. On to book #2 -- Finlay Donovan Knocks Em Dead (who knows? Em might stand for Emily. LOL)

Finlay Donovan is killing it... well actually her life as she knew it is falling apart. Her husband has left her for their realtor, she's behind on the manuscript she's supposed to be writing, and her agent is on her case. When Finlay changes the destination for the meeting with her agent at the last moment to a local Panera's, she doesn't realize just how much her life is going to change. Mistaken for a contract killer in disguise, a woman with a problem husband puts a note underneath her tray. In exchange for $50,000 dollars Finlay is to get rid of the woman's creep husband, for good.

This is my first time reading an Elle Cosimano book, and I just zipped right through it. Can't wait to start reading the rest of the series!

What a fun book! Part mystery, part murder, part romance, and lots of comedy makes for a terrific first book of this series.
Finlay is a recently divorced single parent and mystery writer who is struggling to get her life in order. Some of the other characters are her ex-husband and girlfriend who live up the street, her recently fired nanny who is now her best friend, her sister who is a local police officer and quite a few other fun characters as the story progresses.
Finlay is fighting with writer's block and has a meeting with her agent at the local Panera (it was supposed to be a fancy brunch, but Finlay just can't make that work! ). As they are discussing her murder/mystery book, or lack of, a nearby patron overhears their conversation and this is when the confusion and fun begins.
Such a wild adventure and I can't wait to read more!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for this ARC.

Netgalley offered this book in its read now section. I read the synopsis and had to give it a try. It sounded intriguing with a good dose of humor. This is the first book by Elle Cosimano that I have read.

At first, I was not sure I would stick with it but loved the premise of someone overhearing a writer and her agent discussing an upcoming book that is misinterpreted by another customer.

After a slow start and a few eye rolls, I got into it. I easily feel in the “Steven needs to go” camp.
Ms. Cosimano infuses humor throughout the story. I am looking forward to the next book.

I mean, whyyyyyyyy am I so late to the FInlay Donovan game????? How did I miss this when it first came out?
This review is going to be for the entire series which I now love, and I'm pretty much kicking myself for not getting on the bandwagon sooner.

If you are looking for a FMC to get behind, to rally under, to cheer for... Finlay Donovan is your girl. I loved meeting her for the first time and going along her adventures. My favorite among the series is still the first book, but after going through a lot of "let-down sequels", I'm happily devoured these books. Perfect for someone who's kinda new to the genre. Love, love, love!

Stars: 3.5

Thank you St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for allowing me to read and review Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, a novel by Elle Cosimano in exchange for my honest opinion.

Published: 02/02/21

Slapstick humor injected into familial drama consisting of divorced parents, two young children, stepmother, and a nanny with potentially a murder plot.

This is not a typical mystery. It's fun to a point. I could see myself recommending one book at a time and not in a binge fashion.

The family drama is as close to realistic as can be in this type of fictional genre. The dad uses the children and that gets old for me.

There is profanity.

Overall, a good time.

Finlay Donovan is Killing It is the 1st book in the Finlay Donovan series. I truly didn't know what to except when I first started reading this book, but the story line seem to grow on me as I read more and more. Although I would not call this an amazing book, I would call it a very enjoyable read. I would recommend to others.

I received and ARC of this book from NetGalley, and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

I really like mystery books that have comedy in them. First time reading this author and I laughed at some of the quirkiness in the story. Quick read and waiting for more.

I don't typically read books like this, but this series was recommended to me so I thought it was worth a try. When I first started reading it, I thought it was going to be a little too kooky and "out there" for me, but I pushed through and wound up enjoying it. Elle Cosimano's writing is good, the characters are interesting, and it was a quick, easy read. I found myself shaking my head at some of the predicaments that Finlay Donovan would get herself into, but it was fun to see how she would manage to finagle her way through them. Finlay is a divorced mom of two young children who's struggling to meet the deadline to finish writing her latest novel. When she meets with her agent to talk about the plot of her new book, a desperate housewife overhears their conversation and thinks that Finlay is a contract killer. Desperate for money to pay her bills, she somehow finds herself agreeing to get rid of the woman's abusive husband. She soon realizes that she's in way over her head. The things she does from there are pretty hilarious. Thanks to #netgalley #minotaurbooks and #ellecosimano for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I look forward to the rest of the Finlay Donovan series.

Finlay Donovan is Killing It
Only she isn’t, killing it, that is. Finlay's life is far from ideal. Her husband left her for the realtor he was cheating with, and he even propositioned the nanny, causing her to quit. This left Finlay juggling two small children and a looming novel deadline. To top it off, she's mistaken for a contract killer. Her curiosity gets the best of her, and she ends up entangled in a whirlwind of dead bodies and incriminating evidence. The book is a delightful read, and I particularly enjoyed the strong female friendships. It’s a great fix for anyone tired of Stephanie Plum.

Thank you NetGalley for this book in exchange for an honest review.

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is a refreshingly unique take on the traditional mystery novel. Elle Cosimano masterfully blends humor, suspense, and relatable characters to create a story that is both laugh-out-loud funny and genuinely gripping. It’s a perfect pick for fans of lighthearted mysteries with a strong, quirky female lead. Highly recommended for a fun, escapist read!

I wish I had read this book sooner! It hooked me from the beginning and I stayed up trying to solve the mystery. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

This was a fun story. Rooting for
Finley to get ahead. Will read the rest of the series. The first book was a solid start to the series.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an electronic copy of this novel.

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano is the first novel of a very popular series. I have to admit I had never heard of this series but I saw it was being offered by NetGalley and it looked like fun, so I was in. And I was not disappointed. Finlay is a struggling romance and mystery writer whose husband has recently left her to go live with his mistress, now fiancee, leaving her with 2 young kids. After her nanny quits after being propositioned by her ex, Finlay is desperate to make a living and meets her book agent in a local Panera to talk about her stalled book. Unfortunately, someone overhears her talking about how to kill someone and infers that she is a hit woman and hires her to kill her husband.

Well written, fun and interesting, this book really caught my attention, and I am now reading the other books in the series.