This book is hilarious, funny, and a page turner! I love a female heroine in my page turners too! When Finlay is mistaken for a contract killer while discussing the plot of her next thriller book at lunch with her agent, all kinds of chaos follows!

This was a pleasant surprise! Well-plotted & suspenseful while still being hilarious. Finlay was a likable character and her friendship with Vero was heartwarming. I look forward to reading the sequel! This was a book that I did not want to put down.

Finlay Donovan is having a bad morning. Her preschool-aged daughter has cut her own hair (and part of her scalp). Her infant son is sticky and poopy. Her kitchen is a mess. Unpaid bills are piling up. She has a meeting shortly with her book agent, and she’s way behind on her deadline. And her ex-husband just fired her part-time nanny. Finlay is broke, late with her book, and may be losing custody of her children to her ex-husband. And she has to go to the one Panera she was once kicked out of.

But she can’t put off her meeting with her agent anymore. So she slaps on her blonde wig and scarf combination, hoping that it’s enough to disguise her from the manager who kicked her out when she dumped food onto her ex-husband’s new fiancee, also known as Theresa, Finlay’s (former) realtor. So Finlay slides into the small table across from her agent and talks about how frustrated she is, with the same murders over and over. She wants something different, and she wants a lot more money for her next contract. Her agent tells Finlay that she just needs to fulfill the obligation of her current contract or she’ll have to give her advance back. And then she leaves. As Finlay is cleaning up to leave, she finds a piece of paper on it with a man’s name, a phone number, and a dollar amount: $50,000.

When she calls the number, she realizes that the woman who had been sitting next to her had completely misconstrued their conversation. She though Finlay was a contract killer, and she wants to hire Finlay to kill her husband. She tells Finlay what a bad man he is and that he’ll be at a specific bar that night. Finlay doesn’t want to kill anyone, obviously, but $50,000 could pay for an amazing lawyer, one who could fight her ex-husband’s lawyer if he really does try to get full custody of their kids. It could pay off all of her bills. It could fix her minivan. And it could pay back her publisher, if she can’t come up with her new book really fast.

Finlay feels like it wouldn’t be wrong just to do a little research on this man and his wife, and a quick internet search on Theresa’s computer shows her that he is an abuser. So she takes a little black dress from Theresa’s closet and heads to the bar to see the man for himself. After a flirty conversation with the bartender, Finlay heads to the bathroom, right past the husband’s table. That’s when she sees the man drug his date’s champagne. Thinking fast, she detains the date and goes to talk to the man herself, distracting him long enough to switch the glasses, so the drugged champagne is now his. When it kicks in, Finlay helps him into her minivan, intending to take him back to his wife. She doesn’t want him and tells Finlay to look on his phone. She does and she finds the photos of women he had drugged, slept with, photographed, and then extorted. Clearly, he is not a good man. But Finlay has no idea what to do with him.

She drives the van home with him still in the back, and after heading in to clean herself up, she goes back out to the garage to see that she had left the van running. And the garage door was closed. She did just what she had been contracted to—she’d killed a man. And when Finlay’s former nanny Vero stopped by then to pick up the rest of her stuff, Finlay told her everything. They decided on a 60/40 split, and then they head out to get rid of the body.

Within days of Vero moving in to the house, the kids are in good shape, the bills are paid, and Finlay has written several chapters of the story, to try to figure it what exactly had happened that night. But then a new client offers $100,000 for Finlay to get rid of her husband, a handsome cop stops by to get Finlay’s help with his missing persons case, her agent cancels her current book deal to get her a much better deal based on this new story, and Finlay wonders if Theresa is involved with the Russian mob. So, just typical working mom stuff.

But Finlay has to figure out how it all fits together, both to keep herself and Vero out of prison and to finish writing her new book. Will Finlay figure out an ending where she’ll get to live happily ever after, or will her story end in a different way?

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is a phenomenal story that blends the struggles of a working mom with two kids and a jerk of an ex-husband along with a murder mystery with enough twists to keep you guessing. Author Elle Cosimano brings humor and street smarts to her first adult novel and ends up with a comedic thriller about misunderstandings and modern life.

I really enjoyed Finlay Donovan Is Killing It. I thought it was smart and interesting, and while some of the situations may seem far-fetched, Finlay struck me as the type of person who could get herself into (and out of) such situations. I thought it was fresh and fun, and I look forward to seeing how Finlay gets herself into and out of more shenanigans.

Egalleys for Finlay Donovan Is Killing It were provided by Minotaur Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read and review.

Ah this was so much fun to binge! Finlay, an author, gets mistaken for a hitman and becomes embroiled in murder. Between juggling her ex, custody of their kids, writing her next book, and now this mistake Finlay is at her end. This book has the same vibes as Agatha Arch and I loved it!

Hilarious and will have you shaking your head. You will be on the edge of your seat in the last few hours of this book.

That ending sets you right up for book 2!

This book was a wild ride, and I enjoyed it. It was entertaining from start to finish. The whole time I was reading this, I was just curious how Finlay was going to get herself out of this not safe, not smart predicament. The lure of money mixed with bad decision making, got her into one big mess.
I had a fun time with this. It was a page turner. Something was always happening that just sunk Finlay deeper and deeper into this hole. I did think things were going to go differently when Vero showed up, but then she surprised me.
Finlay also has two men who have popped into her life. I liked both of them, but it did feel just a little jarring when Nick is introduced. He came on so strong from the first, which didn't feel the most natural. I mean, Julian is pretty quick to fall for her too, but the way he was introduced just didn't feel as forced. I'm not sure who I'd pick. There's definitely some challenges when it comes to one of them.
I mentioned Vero before, but I really enjoyed her and Finlay's team dynamic. Finlay is lucky to have her. I mean, I question their choices, but they made a good team.
This book also ended with a tantalizing lure, so I'm curious to see where things go in the next book.
I received a free electronic copy for honest review through Netgalley and checked out a physical copy from my library.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4/5
Finlay, this is not a good idea.

Okay, I forgot I had requested this, though the description had sounded so entertaining! Then I saw notice of the ARC available for the SEQUEL, and figured I’d better check out this popular series. So glad I did! My customers will love it. I usually read straightforward, gritty thrillers. Well, sometimes the protagonists have unrealistically fantastic defense skills, but you get the picture. Finlay Donovan doesn’t have superpowers. Some of her ideas towards solving problems are far-fetched. But her character is delightful. She and Vero, her equally impulsive, refreshingly unusual sidekick/nanny/ accountant/partner in crime are indeed a dynamic duo. Read it! I’m ready for the sequel now.

When overheard discussing the plot of her new suspense novel, Finlay Donovan--novelist, mother-of-two, and divorcee) is mistaken for a hitman by a desperate woman who needs to get rid of her husband. Finlay wasn't intending on taking the job, but her curiosity and research into the target leads down a slippery (and hilarious) slope.

I finished this book in about a day. It was a super quick, very funny read told in first person from Finlay's POV. I love the friendship between her and her baby-sitter-turned-nanny, Vero, who is a true ride-or-die. Finlay is honest about her quick temper (who wouldn't pour Panera soup on your ex-husband's fiancée who he had been having an affair with...but really it does take two...) and gets into comical situations (minus the threat to life). 4.5 rounded up. The only flaw was in how neatly everything falls into place despite the high stakes. Already have my eARC request for book 2.

What a fun and original mystery. I was a little late in getting to this but was thrilled that the sequel was already available as an ARC -- I requested it immediately.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

While I get what this book was supposed to be doing, it just fell short for me. I did not enjoy the main character but I enjoyed the plot.

This was an entertaining read that felt a bit like a cozy mystery novel.

Finlay Donovan is a mystery writer and a newly divorced mom. When discussing an idea for her next book with her agent, she is overheard and gets mistaken for a contract killer.

There were many funny moments in this novel; however, most of the time I was reading I was blown away at how far Finlay got wrapped up in this mishap. If she had been honest and clarified things for one second she wouldn't have had to deal with all the chaos that went on in this book. Don't get me wrong it was entertaining to read but it felt so unrealistic. The mystery of this one wasn't very satisfying, but the last line did hook me on to wanting to read the next book in the series.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the gifted ebook in exchange for my honest opinion.

Whyyy did I wait so long to read this one?!?! Biggest regret, no doubt!!! Did someone say sequel?!!! I NEED it NOW!!!

I could not stop listening to this one. Loved the narrator. Can’t wait to see what adventures book 2 takes us on!!!

So good!! I highly recommend!! 5 Amazingly Awesome stars!!

Absolutely fantastic. This is one my top books for the year. I've already gifted copies and recommend all the time!

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this title.

Thank you so much for net galley for sending me a copy of this book I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to read the second

The adult fiction debut by YA author Elle Cosimano, Finlay Donovan is Killing It is a fast-paced dark comedy about mistaken identities and murder. The author takes you on a wild ride and keeps you guessing on what obstacle Finlay will encounter next and what she will do to get out of it. I can't wait for the sequel! Recommended for fans of offbeat thrillers with a lot of laughs.

I wanted to like this book so much more than I did. The premise hooked me and a friend also read it and recommended it, but I just couldn't get into it. I did finish it and found it reasonably enjoyable, but I had to force myself to pick it up and read it. Hopefully it was just a blip and the next one hooks me because it seems like such a fun series.

So fun and different. Put me in mind of other similar type books but better written. really enjoyed this on.

A fun read - can't wait for the next! I've recommended to many patrons and will continue to do so. A very clever and refreshing change of pace from the usual mystery. Almost early Stephanie Plum meets the Hitwoman. Truly enjoyed it - recommend highly to someone looking for a quirky and humourous mystery.

Thanks so much to the author, Minotaur Books, and Netgalley for the complimentary advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts. All opinions are entirely my own. { partner } All of my reviews can also be found on Instagram @Tackling_TBR and on my blog at tacklingtbr.home.blog

TW: murder, death, gun violence, mention of sexual and domestic abuse, blackmail, custody battles, mention of infidelity

Sassy and sarcastic female lead? Check. Bad ass female friendship? Check. Hot potential-book boyfriends? Check. All wrapped up in a book about book people? Check and check! Oh, and did I mention there is some murder and crime solving thrown in for good measure? This book has it all, and I seriously loved every minute of it!

Finlay Donovan is a bit of a hot mess, and I mean that in the most loving way possible. I feel like I know Finlay, like our souls recognize the hot mess in each other, and we would be good friends. Plus, I know where all of the good hiding spots are, which could come in handy in her new line of work!

Moral of this review so far: I would TOTALLY help Finlay Donovan hide a body!

The characters in this book were so much fun to read about. And they all (for the most part) somehow still felt like real people, even when they were in these seriously crazy situations. Obviously Finlay was my favorite character - sarcastic author-turned-hitwoman, ready to jump right in to the crazy situations that life throws at her, and looking (mostly) fabulous while doing it. But a very close second favorite is Vero, the girlfriend that we all so desperately need in our lives. I always talk about sarcastic or witty banter between love interests in books, and sure there is a bit of that here too, but the book is dripping with that sarcastic banter between these two BFFs too, which makes it all the more fun! I left the book just really wanting to sit down with these two ladies and an entire bottle of wine, and just see what happens.

Overall I would absolutely recommend this book to friends! There is some romance, but it's not the main focus, so it feels much more like a comedy-thriller, which is just such a fun and gripping combination! I think that it could be a great way to ease people into the romance genre if they are maybe hesitant to read that way. I think the best way to read this book is in a bubble bath that lasts way too long because you don't want to put the book down, with a glass of wine and maybe a snack. Although I may be a bit biased, since that is how I read most of this one!