Finlay Donovan is Killing It is a quirky mystery about a thirty-something divorced mom of two. She’s a writer with potential who just hasn’t had much success (yet). She’s got bills piling up, her ex-husband is engaged to the realtor who sold them their house. That same ex-husband also tried to seduce the only help she could count on.

At a meeting with her book editor, someone nearby overhears and misinterprets the conversation about the potential book plot, and incidentally tries to hire Finlay to kill her husband for a LOT of money. Money that could really turn things around for Finlay and her family. But, murder? She couldn’t possibly, could she?

Finlay Donovan is a little bit of a hot mess, but she is a super caring mom determined to do the best she can for her kids. I could TOTALLY relate to this. I love all the #momlife descriptions and scenarios included in the book.

This plot, while a bit outlandish at times, (in the best possible way--kind of reminiscent of Stephanie Plum‘s early adventures.) The author’s writing style is fast-paced, quick-witted, and clever. It’s the kind of style that keeps the pages flying.

Vero is maybe my favorite character. She’s Finlay‘s babysitter/accountant/housekeeper/roommate/partner-in-crime/manager? I’m kind of jealous that I don’t have a Vero in my life to help run the show. She is truly awesome.

There is a little bit of romance mixed in with the hijinks. The love interests involve a super hot cop and a super hot bartender/law student (not simultaneously… but not quite a love triangle).

It truly has all the elements I love about books rolled up into one “extra” (I LOVE EXTRA) package – – suspense, mystery, romance, comedy, motherhood, friendship, revenge, and lots of fun twists along the way.

This was a super fun, kind of campy, over-the-top read. I couldn't put it down and finished it literally in less than a day. Personally, I found the plot / twists at the end a bit hard to follow at times (only reason for rating 3 stars, not 4), but the overall premise was hilarious and I loved the badass, unintentionally hilarious duo of Finn and Vero. I'm already looking forward to the sequel!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

"Finlay Donovan is Killing It" was thoroughly amusing; one of the most fun stories I have read in a while. Finlay Donovan's life is a shambles. Her husband, Steven, has left her for their real estate agent, Theresa, with whom he was having an affair. Rolling Green Sod and Tree Farm, his landscaping business, is really taking off. Finlay (Finn), on the other hand, is an author of romantic suspense novels, but her books are not exactly bestsellers and she is far behind on writing the current book, much to the annoyance of her agent and her editor. She is also far behind on her bills and keeps having to ask Steven to bail her out financially. Due to multiple mini disasters (par for the course for a parent with two young children), her brunch at a nice restaurant with her agent turns into lunch at a local Panera (where she has to wear a disguise because she has actually been banned from this particular Panera location). The discussion between Finlay and her agent is overhead by a woman sitting nearby, who misinterprets the discussion of murders, contracts, partial payment up front, and a bad guy getting handled, and believes that Finlay is a contract killer. After her agent leaves, Finlay leaves her table temporarily and upon her return, the woman is gone, but there is a piece of paper under Finlay's plate with a name, address, sizable dollar amount, and phone number. She calls the number and discovers that the woman wants Finlay to kill her husband for $50,000, stating her husband is not a nice man and he has been doing strange things.

Finlay is not a killer and has no intention of killing anyone. However, her curiosity gets the best of her and she decides to research the guy she has been asked to kill and then check him out at the bar where his wife said he could be found that night. A series of unintentional and intentional but spontaneous actions and events results in the guy, Harris Mickler, ending up in the back of Finlay's minivan, later ending up dead (but not by Finlay, at least not intentionally), and Finlay being discovered with the dead body by Veronica (Vero), her children's former nanny, who agrees to help her hide the body in exchange for a portion of the fee.

However, while at the bar checking out Harris, Finlay ends up flirting with the bartender (and law student) Julian, and she tells him that she is a real estate agent named Theresa. These lies come back to haunt her, especially when she realizes that Harris did not accidentally die; she has inadvertently made Theresa the prime suspect in his disappearance (which becomes more problematic when a detective (Nick Anthony) approaches Finn to obtain information on Theresa; she is contacted to perform another "hit", with the target someone much more dangerous than Harris, and she has to figure out who actually killed Harris. On the plus side, she has found a plot for her next book, which her agent and editor loves, and she will finally be a successful author, if she can survive. The efforts of Finn and Vero to keep what they have done hidden and to figure out the identity of the real killer results in a series of misadventures and near misses that is quite comedic at times. The reader will likely laugh numerous times throughout the story. While the story has many comedic elements, the reader also witnesses Finlay rediscovering herself. The support and assistance of Vero, the unexpected positive response to the draft of her book, her improved financial situation, the romantic interest of Julian and Nick (neither of whom knows the real Finlay), and the resourcefulness she has to show to navigate the situations she finds herself in enables her to get out of the doldrums and discover her identity for this stage in her life. The author has created a great cast of characters and a very amusing plot. She also sets up the possibility of a second book involving Finlay and some of the other characters. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an enjoyable and fun story to read.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

This book was definitely interesting and kind of odd but in a good way. I'm not sure I found anything about it funny but it was a very interesting concept. I really liked Elle Cosimano's writing and would definitely read more from her.

Finlay Donovan is a broke single mom to two young children after her husband left her for their real estate agent. She is a struggling author that has an agent desperate for her latest draft but all she has to offer is a blank word document. They agree to meet at a Panera near by to discuss her next book only to be overheard by another patron. A patron that mistakes Finlay as a hit woman.

Patricia, the patron, makes an offer to Finlay - $50,000.00 in cash to dispose of her wicked husband. Finlay can't believe it. This is all a terrible mistake. She can't kill anyone. She's a writer for crying out loud not some hitwoman. The longer that she thinks about it she realizes that the bills are piling up, the electricity got shut off at home, her van is barely running, and her husband is trying to get custody of her kids. Maybe she could kill just this once.....

This was such a fun and refreshing read. Finlay and her nanny Vero are a delight and they had me smiling and laughing on nearly every page. Even her kids cracked me up. A little bit mystery, a little bit romance, and a whole lot of laughs which was exactly what I was in the mood for. 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Finlay Donovan’s life is a mess. Her husband left her, is suing for custody of her children, and she is broke as broke can be. Plus she owes her agent copy of her latest book ASAP, which wouldn’t be a problem except that she hasn’t started it. A misunderstanding leads Finlay to a dangerous situation, while also helping to fix all the issues in her life. Will Finlay be able to pull this off?

This book was a delight, which is a weird word to use about a book centered around murder for hire, but it is what it is. Finlay and her antics had me flipping pages and laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation she got herself into. This book is part comedy, part mystery, part thriller-ish, and all parts amazing. I would love to see this one turned into a tv show in the future, it reminded me a bit of Dead To Me, which I loved! If this one isn’t on your radar, it needs to be! It was absolutely charming and I loved every second!

Elle Cosimano's Finlay Donovan is Killing It was a good read. Witty and a good whodunnit!
I recommend!

I would like to thank netgalley and St. Martins Press for an advanced copy of Finlay Donovan IS Killing It in exchange for my honest review.

Finlay Donovan is your average newly divorced mother of two small children trying to make ends meet as an author. Her bills are piling up, her nanny has quit, and she has a serious case of writers block. That is until she is mistaken as a killer for hire at her local Panera while meeting with her literary agent. What ensues is a tale of murder, intrigue, the mob, and a little romance sprinkled in for good measure. I blew through this book in no time! The story was fascinating and the characters were endearing. I hope that there will be more Finlay novels to come. I highly recommend!

I cannot tell you how much I loved this book! I did not read the description very well when I asked to read it and I am glad that I went in blind. It was the right type of campy murder mystery that I did not know I needed right now, and I blew right through it. Full of fun and terrible characters, mystery, romance, friendship, and drama, the book ended up being a wild ride full of twists and turns you will never guess! The cover is also wonderful and I cannot wait to get my hands on a hard copy!

This book was very unexpected. I thought I knew what I was getting myself into by reading the description and expecting a very different book than I got. But I had a lot of fun reading it, Finlay was an unconventional heroine, and I really enjoyed the Vero character. I felt like the book got a little chaotic towards the end, and some parts did feel a little hollow. Like, there should have been more depth invested in some of the motivations or reactions (and reveals). The mysteries themselves were wrapped up a bit too much, almost like oversights, but I found that I was invested enough in the characters that I was willing to let a lot go. Overall an entertaining book that I finished in two days. I liked the ending, I'd read more of Finlay's adventures.

I enjoyed this book. It was a new to me author. I will definitely be looking for her other books. I hope this one has a continuation!! I really felt for the people in this book. I was so into it that I was getting anxious for them!!! Would definitely recommend this book!

3.75/4 stars

This is a fun read that is oddly light-hearted for its genre.

Finlay Donovan is NOT killing it when the novel begins. She is living scenes of motherhood that are too realistic and thus kind of the most terrifying aspect of the novel. Her kids are running amok, her house is a mess, and her ex-husband - a cheating dirt bag - is still making her life terrible. Oh, and she's barely into her 30s.

After a series of strange coincidences, Finlay finds herself getting inspiration for her actual job - writing - from her real but unbelievable life. She has a fantastic collaborator in Vero and a pretty awesome sister, and I would have loved to know more about and see much more of both of these characters. They were my favorite parts of the book by far, and I hope that they both feature prominently in any future installments.

I read a lot of YA, and in many ways, this novel possesses the most frustrating quality of that genre: too many convenient circumstances. For the genre, especially, I wanted to see a little more struggle, creativity, and also consequence. Finlay makes a lot of mistakes, but her outcomes almost never reflect this. I needed more tension to root for her authentically.

While I guess this is mystery-adjacent, it read a lot more to me like women's fiction. Readers who enjoy a soapy, women's centered (but - honestly - these women are largely driven by the men, so...) semi-revenge novel may find that this is a good option.

Extra points for a fun ending - I'm already looking forward to what might come next.

This is the most fun I’ve had reading in a long time. This is one of those stories that makes you say “no that did not just happen”! Fun, witty, and fast-paced. Highly recommend!

family-dynamics, friendship, suspense, situational-humor, verbal-humor, mystery, mystery-writer

I was thinking about The Housewife Assassin when I saw this one, but this is even funnier because the assassination was so weird. The whole tale is so convoluted and funny that I can't recap it without being afraid of doing a spoiler. Come for the suspense and you'll definitely stay for all the situational humor. I sure did!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

Thank you to both NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for providing me with an advance copy of Elle Cosimano’s first adult novel, Finlay Donovan is Killing It.

I am not familiar with any of Cosimano’s YA works, but after finishing Finlay Donovan is Killing It overnight, I am already looking forward to her next adult novel. The story opens with what would normally be a humdrum scene—two screaming kids at a breakfast table and a parent who is at their wit’s end—yet somehow Cosimano’s writing makes it sparkle. Yes, it is true: I have finally discovered a book blurb that lives up to its description!

The novel maintains its fast-pace and witty banter throughout the entire story; not once did the momentum falter or the words become filler. The author truly makes every detail and description count, so pay close attention! By chapter 3, which is around 20 pages, the plot is in full swing. Though I do not want to spoil anything here, I am happy to announce that the majority of twists I predicted did not materialize. In fact, readers who love mysteries and crime novels will be pleasantly surprised.

My one gripe is that some of the side characters could have been better developed (e.g., Steven, Theresa, Georgia, etc.), but that probably would have detracted from the pacing and the much more exciting storyline. Also, you guys, I cannot believe I am writing these words, but readers actually get a satisfying ending! (Unless, of course, you are a reader who enjoys ambiguous endings).

Apologies, for rambling. I am sleep deprived from not being able to put this down. Anyway, back to the plot: our protagonist, Finn, is a single mom whose husband cheated on her with their realtor and is now fighting for custody of her two kids. She is also an author who has had some meager success writing romance novels, but is now on the hook for spending the advance she received to write her current book, which is overdue. Initially, Finn is so strapped for cash that the utilities company shuts off her electricity and stacks of bills pile up on her front steps.

To put this into perspective about how dire her situation is, here are all the debts she is saddled with when the reader is first introduced to her: maxed out credit cards, past due bills, royalties that barely pay for groceries, a mortgage that her ex-husband had to refinance to become her landlord, and a car that needs serious repairs. Plus, her husband cut her off from funds, she breached her book contract, and spent her entire advance with no draft to show for it.

This situation and a few mishaps along the way are what drive her to follow through with committing murder. She meets with her book agent in an attempt to negotiate another advance. They link up at the local Panera where a patron overhears their conversation and mistakenly believes Finn is a hitman. The patron proceeds to leave a note with a promise of $50K if Finn “takes care” of her husband.

From that moment on, the wild ride begins and we are introduced to some crazy, but smart and well-woven plot lines. Her kids’ babysitter, Vero, follows her down the rabbit hole and becomes her literal “partner-in-crime.”

If you are searching for a fun murder mystery, I highly recommend this book. It is entertaining, well-written, and reads as if it will soon be adapted into a screenplay.

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to review this book.

Excellent book! I loved all the characters. There are some definite laugh out loud moments, which is always a great thing in a book. I can't wait to read more by this author.

While Finlay Donovan was killing it in this story, Elle Cosimano killed it with this book.

I LOVED this book. I repeat: I LOVED THIS BOOK.

I was thoroughly entertained from start to finish. The plot was interesting from the very start, and I knew immediately that this was a book that I wasn’t going to be able to put down. There was never a dull moment to be found, and I found myself laughing out loud more times than I can remember. If not for life getting in the way, I most definitely would have read this book in one sitting, no doubt about it. I did manage to finish it in a few hours though, because it was just that good!

Reading this book was the most fun reading experience that i’ve had in 2020, and I seriously hope that there will be more books in this series because I am going through major withdrawals after having finished this one.

This book was fresh, clever, fun, twisty, quirky, and just so damn entertaining!

I loved Finlay as a main character, and I can honestly say she is at the top of my list of favorite female characters of 2020. She always ended up in ridiculous situations that she had to find her way out of and she cracked me up on nearly every page.

I also loved the friendship between Finlay and Vero, and the crazy shenanigans they got into together were some of my favorite moments in the book. Their banter is hilarious and I am dying to see what they get themselves into next!

This book didn’t have the darkness that many other thrillers/mysteries out on the market right now do, and while I love my dark mysteries, I found that to be a plus with this book, a much needed breath of fresh air. I very much enjoyed the humor and lightness to it. It was exactly what I needed in the midst of all the darkness currently taking place in the real world right now. Plus, it just worked in this book.

This book had the perfect blend of mystery, humor, family drama, with a dash of romance added in.

I was completely engaged in the story the entire way through, and the ending was perfect, as it paved the way for a second book. (Please let there be a second book!)

This was an engaging, thrilling, hilarious book with lovable characters and hysterical situations that will keep your eyes glued to the pages from start to finish.

If you love dark humor and mysteries, pick this one up!

Oh my goodness! This story is a comedy of errors!

How can a mistaken identity lead to life threatening circumstances and avoiding the cops?

Finn is put in a precarious predicament when something overheard is taken out of context and wrongly interpreted. What follows is a wild roller coaster ride of emotions and a bit of hilarity.

A definite must read!

I was so pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. Finlay is so likeable and relatable and kept me laughing. I look forward to reading more by this author and hope the Finlay Donovan story continues.

From the first sentence of Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano, I could tell this book was going to be great! Finlay Donovan is a divorced mom of two who writes crime novels for a living. She has writer’s block, is struggling financially and in a custody battle with her ex and his new fiancée. When she's mistaken for a hit woman for hire at a Panera she gets pulled into the world of crime and is in over her head before she knows it. Together with her babysitter Vero, Finlay needs to solve this crime before the wrong person is accused. The plot was interesting right from the very first chapter. I was immediately drawn in and couldn't put the book down. The twists and turns were surprising and I kept guessing who the murderer was. Finlay and Vero’s banter is hilarious and crazy and they work so well together. They’re like Thelma and Louise.

It definitely doesn't have that darkness of other thrillers and mysteries, which is a nice break. This book had the right amount of murder mystery and romance, while also being very humorous. The two love interests were a nice side plot and Finlay kept me on my toes throughout the whole book. She was an engaging character and I loved all the antics she got up to. She was always in a ridiculous situation and had to get herself out of it. She is reminiscent of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum, but I like Finlay much better. I was always left guessing and there was just enough suspense to make the book interesting. The ending was perfect but left more to the imagination and I hope that this is the start of a new series. Overall, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is a thrilling, hilarious, lovable murder-mystery suspense you won't want to put down. I'd recommend it to anyone who loves dark humor and mysteries.