Finely is back and just as much hilarious fun as the first. Filled with action. Quick fun read! Finlay gets a request to "off" her husband but that's not going to happen. Come along for a fun ride! Thanks #Netgalley and #StMartinsPress for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

Finlay Donovan is a clever, fast-paced, and humorous mystery series. This book combines domestic chaos (which is really relatable for many busy parents), sharp wit, and intrigue. It is an entertaining and unique story. I appreciate the suspense as well as the relatable situations and strange circumstances that Finlay finds herself involved in. I think this book would appeal to readers who like a variety of genres as well as mystery/thrillers. I had a great time reading this book and I look forward to starting the next book in the series.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily, free of outside influence. Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this copy.

3,5 ⭐️

“Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead” is the second book in the series that follows Finlay Donovan, an author.
In the first book she wrote a book about a contracted killer and was mistaken for one in read life.
Now she receives a message with a request to off her ex-husband and tries her best to make sure that doesn’t happen.

The book is full of hilarious situations from which you could not escape in real life, there is a lot of action, danger and a (kind of) love triangle.

Vero is also an interesting character and I want to know more about her.

Overall I recommend this book is you like cozy mysteries. It is also a quick read.

I received an ARC from St. Martin's Press via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The second of this series, I enjoyed this one more than the first. The characters were more developed and the flow was better. I still would recommend reading in order so all to make sense, but you could get enough to enjoy it on its own. One good twist for me as well, which isn't common and was a treat.

I love books in a series and this is one you need to read in order. While each is OK as a stand-a-lone, they are just easier to follow if read in order. This is the 2nd in the series and they are hard to put down. Finlay is a divorced mom of 2 and her nanny lives with them. Trying to be a published writer and overheard discussing her story at a coffee shop got her in trouble in the last book. So trying to stay contract killer free in this one is her goal. Unfortunately, she has discovered a web site that is a forum for moms. Or is it? It is really an online way to look for a contract killer.

Vero, Finlay's nanny, is right there to help her resolve any issues but she really can make it worse at times. Between the two, they hunt for one particular contract killer. One who has accepted the job of killing Finlay's ex-husband. Between Georgia, Finlay's cop sister, and Nick, the cop who is investigating the web site, she is surrounded by knowing the right thing to do. If that is not enough, a young law student bartender, has her eye. To make matters worse, Nick also has his eye on Finlay.

Between contracts for murder and a contract to get her next book published, she has her hands full. Funny and full of the ups and downs of a divorced woman, this book is one I highly recommend.

Absolutely loved this book! Such a fun ride and laugh out loud funny! Can’t wait for the rest of the series!

Note: Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and author Elle Cosimano for the advanced reader copy of this book. This review will also be posted on NetGalley. What follows is my unbiased review of the book.

This is the second book in author Elle Cosimano’s series about romance author Finlay Donovan who inadvertently gets herself hired as an assassin. In the course of events, she finds herself entangled with the Russian mob, all the while trying to finish her next book. In the first book, just as Finlay and her live-in nanny, Vero, believe they have extricated themselves from the situation, they discover an ad on a forum offering $100,000 to assassinate Finlay’s ex-husband.

Now, Finlay might not be too fond of her ex, but he is the father of her children. Steven isn’t the most upstanding guy around, which leaves open a number of possibilities as to who would want him dead. Finlay must also think about who has the cash to pay that as well. The list of suspects is long. At the same time, Finlay is dealing with a younger boyfriend who disappears with his buddies to the beach, as well as the cop her sister set her up with, both of whom end up playing key roles in the mystery.

Steven doesn’t believe someone’s out to kill him, despite several near-misses. This leaves him at odds with Finlay, whom he accuses of creating the situation so she can stop him from seeing their children. Finlay deals with cybercrime as she tries to wipe her identity from the forum where she found the post in question. The police are catching on that the website is a front for the Russian mob, and Finlay must convince the man she put in jail in the previous book to have it taken down.

The adventure in Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead is a lot of fun. It’s a mystery in the style of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series with Finlay and Vero finding themselves immersed in improbable events. Suspension of disbelief is required for this book. If you can manage that, though, it’s a fun read. With all that’s going on in the book, the most trouble I had was believing a college student could take off for a week to the beach in December. Doesn’t the author know that the semester usually ends in December? The last thing they would do is take a spring-break-like trip.

The crazy antics of Finlay and Vero are fun, if a bit predictable. I had an idea what Vero’s big secret was in the very beginning. It’s pretty obvious what she is trying to hide from Finlay. This will, of course, lead to more adventures later on. The books are a continuation of events, with some situations resolving by the end of Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead while others are left open for consequences down the line. I like Finlay and Vero, even if there are a few things that fall into their laps a little conveniently. Don’t we all know a hacker who can feed us information at any time? Don’t we all know a cop who is willing to look the other way when we break the law?

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead is a great light read that entertains and makes me laugh in several spots. I do think you need to have read the first book to grasp all of the events here, and likely that will be true for the entire series. This is more of an ongoing saga than a stand-alone story. It is a fun series that is worth getting into so far.

I finished the first book in this series unsure if I would pick up the next one. Then I saw that the entire series was available to read via NetGalley and decided to pick up the next in the series to give it another shot. Plus, the steep cliff hanger from the first installation had me wondering what Finn and Vero would get themselves into next. While I find a lot of fault with the character that is Finn, I do enjoy the mystery and the continuation of the plot between these books. I think in this book Finn started to make a turn to act a bit more mature and intelligently, but I'm not convinced. I finished this one and I am still unsure if I will read the next, but I just might to see what other shenanigans this unlikely duo of Finn and Vero will get themselves in and out of in the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley for my copy of this book.

this is the perfect light hearted murder mystery story that I think works for teens, young adults and anyone above. I personally didnt love this book as much as the first but i think it is always hard to make the second book hit the way a first one did.

Finlay, Vero and Nick are quite the gang. Even the idiotic Steven is hilarious. I like this series, suspend reality and just read it for the humor. The mystery and suspense is pretty engaging.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the free copy of this book. I love this series. I love Finlay and Vero and Nick. This is a fun series to read. I haven't had fun like this since the early Stephanie Plum books. And the way the author ends the book, I can't wait to find out what happens next. Huge kudos to the author and much thanks for this series.

I am reading this to catch up after being offered an ARC of the latest installment, "Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave". Finlay and her pal Vero definitely stress me out with how they handle crazy situations, but they are growing on me and I am leaning into the fun. I will keep updating as I read through the series. #sponsored

I definitely enjoyed Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead more than the series opener. Since Finlay is more involved in the crime circle everything is less ridiculous and feels more authentic. We are left on another cliffhanger at the end and this one is better than the first in my opinion.

4.5⭐️

Alright do Finlay and Vero want to be a trio? Because if so, I enthusiastically volunteer 🙋‍♀️ I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again- these women are straight up bad asses. How a hot mess of a single mom and an unsuspecting nanny pull off such clever moves, I’ll never understand (and I’ll forever wish I was as cool 🤣). This book starts off perfect- chapter one has all of the suspense and hilarity I came to expect after the first book. Then it just keeps coming! With each chapter comes a new and surprising twist and it was so hard for me to pause reading when life got in the way. You can expect more of the author/lawyer/cop love triangle, a new savage side to Finlay’s mom, teenage hackers who demand payment in slurpees, and lots of screeching fun in luxury sports cars. My only beef is that it feels like there were more loose ends in book 2- so many different subplots and people and not enough of them are tied up at the end. It left me a smidge disappointed, but of course I still loved it!

Finley Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead is a fun, fast-paced mystery brimming with humor, heart, and suspense. It’s a perfect pick for fans of cozy mysteries with a modern twist or readers who enjoy stories about strong, flawed, and funny female leads. Cosimano masterfully blends crime and comedy, making this book a great fun escape.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this advance reading copy.

This was another phenomenal installment in the Finlay Donovan series! I had a blast reading this and it was just as great as the original. Definitely read this series, it’s such a hoot!

This book is a delightful hot mess in the best possible way! Finlay Donovan’s life as an accidental contract killer has gotten a whole lot more complicated. Luckily, she’s got her nanny/best friend, a hot lawyer-in-training, and a sexy detective to help dig her out of trouble (sometimes literally)

Finlay Donovan is such a fun heroine. She’s so human. Somehow she manages to keep herself together despite so many terrible events and by being a (mostly) good person, gets out of them.

While I thought the story wasn’t as strong as Finlay’s debut, it was still a great read. I loved getting to know Vero a bit better and seeing Finn and Steven’s relationship get to a better place. I also love that Finlay isn’t expected to choose a love interest and continues to date both.

Overall, this was solid and I look forward to continuing the series. I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you to the publisher for making this possible.

The Finlay Donovan series is so much fun to read! While I did find that this second book in the series (Knocks 'Em Dead) did not read quite as quickly as the first and third, it was nevertheless a delight. While a bit outlandish (how many people can you accidentally-ish kill over a few weeks?), I could totally see this series being turned into a laugh-out-loud TV show. Finlay and Vero are a great team, and of course Finaly's love interests Nick and Julian are both top notch!

Elle Cosimano strikes again with Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead, a sequel that’s just as chaotic, hilarious, and suspenseful as the first book! Diving back into Finlay’s world felt like catching up with an old friend—the kind of friend who can’t seem to avoid messy, life-threatening predicaments, but somehow keeps you laughing through it all.

This time, Finlay finds herself juggling a looming book deadline, parenting struggles, and, oh yeah, the fact that someone wants her ex-husband dead. Her attempts to uncover the would-be hitman lead her into a world of soccer moms turned contract killers and another run-in with the Russian mob. As always, her ride-or-die partner Vero is by her side, bringing the kind of camaraderie that makes this series shine. Their banter and unwavering loyalty are truly the heart of the book.

While Finlay’s knack for making questionable decisions can be frustrating, it’s part of her charm—and the chaos is what keeps the pages turning. That said, I would’ve loved to see a little more personal growth from her this time around. The mystery itself is fast-paced and full of twists I didn’t see coming, though I did feel a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of characters.

Cosimano’s sharp, witty writing and knack for balancing humor with suspense make this an addictive read. I flew through most of the book in one day, laughing out loud at some of the absurd situations Finlay finds herself in. While I didn’t find this one quite as funny as the first, it was still a blast, and I can’t wait to see where Finlay’s antics take her next!

If you loved Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, you’ll definitely enjoy this one. Just make sure to start with the first book to fully appreciate the chaotic brilliance of this sequel.