Finlay Donovan Knocks Em Dead follows its lead character, author-turned- crime-main-character, into a tussle with the mafia.
It is filed under mystery-suspense but for me they are so lightweight I'd almost call them comedies.

Struggling writer and single mother Finlay Donovan must deal with an ex-husband in danger, hit women posing as soccer moms, secrets from her nanny, and unwanted attention from a hot detective. As she races against time to save her family and meet her book deadline, Finlay finds herself in a dangerous situation with the Russian mob lurking in the shadows.

Here we go again! Finlay Donovan is at it once more, this time embarking on a mission to track down a hired killer as dead bodies continue to pile up. This comical, light-hearted, and spirited read is sure to provide exactly what you're seeking. Join Finley and her new roommate Vera as they navigate through sticky situations, offering an enjoyable back-and-forth dynamic between the two.

As Finlay unravels the mystery of who hired the killer, unexpected twists and turns keep the story engaging. This is the second book in the series, and I am eagerly anticipating more. I can't help but hope that this series will be adapted into a television show, as I adore Stephanie Plum and find similarities between her and Finlay.

If you're in search of a read that will allow your mind to wander and provide a few chuckles along the way, this series is perfect for you. I imagine the audiobook version would be even more enjoyable. I sincerely hope that this series earns a top spot on your TBR list. While I typically don't gravitate towards series, I would gladly revisit this one time and time again.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for the digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

BOOK REPORT
I’m gonna cheat just a little here with my Book Reports on the Finlay Donovan series by Ellie Cosimano, which I received complimentary copies of from St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books/NetGalley.

Instead of providing a title and description for—as well as a reaction to—each book, I’m doing one review for all and putting a summary of the series here first: ”Edgar-Award nominee Elle Cosimano’s witty, fast-paced adult mystery series follows struggling suspense novelist and single mom turned-amateur-sleuth Finlay Donovan, whose fiction begins to tread dangerously close to the truth.”

The reason for this approach is because I took advantage of the opportunity to download all of the books in the series to date all at once, including the newest one scheduled for publication in March 2025 (Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave), which was the reason NetGalley made everything available—to promote the latest. And then I basically binged my way through it, partly while doing things like folding clothes and watching TV at the same time.

This was a fun little series, as I expected it to be. Nothing very challenging, some predictability, some romance, some silliness. I got a little aggravated that Our Finlay never seems to learn from her mistakes. And the agent character gets to be more and more like a caricature as the series progresses. My favorite installment was the novella about nanny/accountant Veronia Ruiz; it was written a lot tighter and was more believable. Looks like the next book to be written will flesh out her back story even more, so I’m looking forward to reading it.

In short: This is the kind of series you will like, if you like this kind of series.

PS
I realized yesterday during a discussion with some friends at lunch that I’ve been ingesting an awfully not of non-serious fiction here lately. I decided that, you know what? That’s perfectly OK, given not only the state of the world in general right now, but also because at least seven people I know have died this year (two by intentionally self-inflicted gunshot wounds). I’ve been seeking both escape and comfort, and I very much appreciate all the authors who have brought me both.

I am loving those series. This book starts where KILLING IT ends. I read this so quick. I had to see what would happen. The action and suspense is non stop. Just when I think things will settle down (or I thought I figured it out) the story takes a turn and I couldn’t stop reading. I was thankful I snagged the audio for cleaning my house.

My favorite characters are back. Fin and Vero are awesome. This book has Fin’s parents and a new partner for Nick. And don’t forget Julian. Sylvia is still. hilarious. She’s still trying to get a book out of Finlay, but Finlay too busy dealing with her ex, Vero acting weird, relationship drama, and mob goons from the first book.

This book “knocked” me out and I can’t wait to see what is next in book 3.

The publisher graciously offered this series as Read Now on NetGalley. I listened to some of the audio from Libby.

What else does an over the top series need but getting mixed up with the Mafia? Of course this is the next twist on Finn's recently boarded roller coaster of life. Also of concern is the fact that someone seems to have put out a hit on her ex-husband. Finn ends up trying to save the ex while also trying to figure out how to deal with the hit job she has somehow been hired to do. Add a little "help" from Vero and we have all the trappings of another over the top but really fun book. I will absolutely be continuing this series.

4 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book. These opinions are my own.

Finlay Donovan Knocks Em Dead by Elle Cosimano is a witty and clever series that delivers unexpected twists and turns. The author weaves a suspenseful and well-plotted tale filled with a diverse cast of colorful characters who are both flawed and relatable. This propulsive page-turner serves as a refreshing escape from the everyday stresses of life.

Finlay is once again struggling with her next novel. Vero has become her live-in nanny and side-kick to her
unexpected career. Refusing the job would not bode well for her family as it involves the Russian Mafia, In
addition, Finlay learns someone has put a hit on her ex-husband which could put her children in harm's way.
Another page turner - book two in the series.
#FinlayDonovanKnocksEmDead #StMartinsPress #Minotaur #NetGalley

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to re-read the Finlay series in anticipation for the next book to come out in 2025. If you haven't read the Finlay Donovan series, I highly recommend you pick up these books ASAP!

If you liked the first book in this series then I think you’d really enjoy this! Finlay makes a lot of questionable choices but you can always really tell where her priorities are - with her family.

I think this is my favorite one- light on romance (a couple side guys: a young attorney and a cute police officer), plus LOTS of Vera and Finlay antics as Finlay tries to figure out who wants to kill her ex-husband (shockingly it isn’t her!).

All the while she is working on writing a novel for a comically hilarious agent and publisher.

All of the scenes and moments are over the top drama, which of course heightens the hilarity of some events in the novel.

Thank you @stmartinspress for my gifted copy of this series!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I adore Finlay and she is back! This book finished with lots of questions left unanswered and I'm so excited to see what the next book holds.

I originally borrowed the Finlay Donovan series from the library, but I loved it so much that I just had to get my own copies—thanks to NetGalley for making that possible! Finlay's adventures are such a perfect mix of humor, suspense, and charm, and I can't get enough of her. We absolutely adore Finlay and her chaotic, crime-solving life!

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me engaged and it only took a few days to read. I think this is going to be a good book club option for several clubs. I plan recommending to my book friends and I look forward to reading more by this author.

There’s nothing I don’t love about this series - it reminds me a bit like an updated Stephanie Plum series. I love how relatable the characters are - especially Finlay. She’s not perfect — in fact, more often than not she’s struggling through something with her ex, her kids or her conscience - but going through her tribulations with her makes us root for her more. I’ve enjoyed each entry in this series and can’t wait for more.

Is anyone else getting "Stephanie Plum with way worse luck but a much better support system" vibes? Just me?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book as part of promo for the release of Finlay Donovan Digs Her own grave. This is such a fun and fresh series and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

LOVED this book. Knocked half a star off because of a few GD curse words I don’t prefer. Other than that, loved if.
Great character development & great ending! I’m excited for the next one!

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead by Elle Cosimano
This was another fun one!
Finlay is struggling to come up with her next story, the deadline is looming and she’s stumped. She still has her live in nanny and confidant, Vero, but Vero is acting a little off these days. Finlay’s ex is being a pain and it seems someone may want him dead. Just living her everyday chaos, Finaly gets pushed closer to the mob than she wants to be. She’s trying to keep her ex alive and builds her next story on her pure crazy life experiences. There’s still the dilemma of the hot cop or the hot attorney - in both her book and her real life.
This was another great book! I really enjoy the characters, especially the interaction between Finlay and Vero. In this one the reader is introduced to more characters, including Finlay’s family. There’s a twist at the end! 4/5⭐️

I am loving the Finlay Donovan books.

If you are a fan of Stephanie Plum/Janet Evanovich, you will love these as well.

So much fun dialogue, crazy situations, roll your eyes lovable characters.
Do yourself a favor; snuggle in with this series.

I love this series! It is cozy, hilarious, and has twists and turns. It is so fun to continue on the journey. This wasn’t as good as the first but still a very good sequel. Can’t wait to read more!