Elle Cosimano does it again! I really enjoyed this one, it was a perfect continuation of Finlay’s story. That ending left me wanting more of her and Vero’s shenanigans and I’m crossing my fingers we will get more of them!

Finlay and Vero are killing it again (pun intended?) in this action packed sequel!

I was so excited to snag an ARC of Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead because I thoroughly enjoyed the first novel of this series. In this sequel, Finlay has to tackle the challenge of discovering who wants her ex-husband dead while trying to keep up on her deadlines for her next novel.

This sequel started off slower than the first, and it has a more tense tone compared to the first novel. But it did not disappoint. The characters from the first novel carry over to this one, and you'll meet some new ones as you go along for the ride. This sequel is still filled with mystery, adventure, suspense, and action. I read it all in one sitting. And the best part? The ending leaves some doors open for the perfect set-up for a third novel.
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Thanks so much for this advanced copy, Minotaur Books and NetGalley!

Finlay and Vero are at it again and in deeper than ever!

Another laugh out loud mystery from Elle Cosimano.

A light book about murders with strong female friendships and funny moments 🤩 Talk about right up my alley!

Finlay and Vero are back and dealing with an online forum of soccer moms, hit men, and the Russian mob!

Always makes me think of Dead to Me which is one of my favorites. There is A TON going on in all aspects of their life but it all comes together in the end. The ending is set up for another book 🥰

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartins for my advanced reading copy!

Short Review: Finlay is back and better than ever.

Long Review: This book came into my life at just the right time. A time when I needed to laugh. And laugh I did. It's no secret I adored Cosimano's first Finlay book - Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, so this second book was one of my most anticipated books of 2022. I loved it.

In this book, we follow Finlay and Vero as they attempt to discover who has put a hit out for Steven, Finlay's ex husband. The wonderful comedic hi jinx we got in the first book soon follow. But that's not all. I realized something as I was reading this one. You see, in the first book, Finlay is a laughable and total hot mess while everyone around her has to continually "rescue" her. This time, we see cracks start to appear in others. We see vulnerabilities show up in Vero's story and Finlay's Mom. I love the message here - we are never alone. No matter how much we think everyone else has it all together and we are floundering, it's not true. Everyone is in this life together. And coming together is what matters.

Here is the link to my review on Instagram!!

https://www.instagram.com/simplybooksandcats2/p/CXXt8jBgAmi/?utm_medium=copy_link

I really enjoyed this book!! I felt like there was a little too much going on in parts and lost track of which character was which at times. Overall it was a light, fun, mystery and I will absolutely recommend it!!

I'm so often let down by the second book in a series but I'm happy to say that is far from the case with Finlay Donovan! These books are the perfect escape without sacrificing substance. This had just as many laughs, thrills and twists as book one, not to mention more focus on my favorite literary love triangle. Also did some research after finishing the book and realized I. Marlene King is in charge of the upcoming TV adaptation which is great news for Pretty Little Liars trash like me!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced reader copy.

Shenanigans continue in Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead. I enjoyed this twist on the typical murder mystery where Finlay is trying to catch a contract killer before any crime is committed.
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This one is even more over the top and twisty than the first but is just as much fun. I read them back to back and they read as one continuous and crazy story. I was not a big fan of the love triangle, another cozy mystery series I read had a long standing love triangle involving a cop so it’s a personal “over it” trope for me. But when I focused on the mystery at its heart and the ridiculous hijinks that occur I really enjoyed the ride!

This book brought a smile to my face and made me laugh out loud a couple times. I enjoyed Finlay Donovan in her first adventure and this follow up didn’t disappoint. An improbable string of events, but written in a way that you just loose yourself in the hijinks, escape for a couple of hours, and laugh.

Definitely recommend to others.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

Finlay Donovan does it again! After meeting and adoring Finay in Elle Cosimano's previous novel, I was excited to get continue reading and find out what would happen when someone put a hit on Finlay's ex-husband.
As you can imagine, things get interesting as Finlay juggles dating, motherhood, and trying to protect her ex while figuring out who wants him dead. Oh, and she has a deadline from her literary agent and a wild case of writer's block.
These books are just so much fun and while I wasn't entirely satisfied by the answers to some of these questions, it was a thoroughly enjoyable read and it was lovely to see Finlay lean in to her new life as a single mother. I hope to read about. more of her adventures!
The audiobook was great and the narrator did a great job telling Finlay's story with lots of humor. Definitely give the audio format a try for this book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

There was a lot of things to love about this book. It is hilarious and quirky. And if you like cozy mysteries you'll love this one no doubt. But like with any cozy mysteries you need to suspend belief. But that doesn't bother me as long as I expect that going in and I did.

The only things that didn't work for me is that it wrapped up too neatly. And once you read it maybe you'll see but Finlay does some crazy stuff and it is just waved away by cops and everyone. But it's probably because — my second issue— the cop and every other male is obsessed with her.

For me it is irksome when there are so many characters hung up on the MC. And not just trying to hook up but like legit into her. And not that it doesn't happen but it is just unrealistic that most women are out here with three or more men trying to get with them at a time— in my experience and the experience of women I know. I am not saying it doesn't happen. But it isn't the experience of most women. And it is a tired played out plot. Again in my opinion.

But if you are looking for someone fun and light then this is a good book to read!

Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur for this eARC!

Finlay is back! This book picks up right where the previous one ends. While it does stand alone, I highly recommend reading Finlay Donovan is Killing It First. That book is simply amazing and introduces all the characters and drama we see here. It's plot is briefly summarized at the start of this book, so this would serve as a spoiler.

Once again, Elle Cosimano has blown me away. Finlay is working to write her next book, and Vero is around to help. We get all of the great characters from the last book (law student Julian and Detective Nick for the win!). Finlay has a mystery to solve, and gets further and further pulled in to alarming and hilarious situations.

There's tons of intrigue and lots of twists and turns. It ends with another set-up for the next book, and I don't know how I will be able to stand waiting. This is one of those series I recommend to all my friends.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy. These opinions are my own.

4.5 stars rounded up

Speaking of good books, I recently finished “Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead” which is the second book in the series and I absolutely LOVED it!

All I can say is I love Finlay and Vero’s friendship 🥰 they are the best ride or dies and I love their banter throughout the book!

Sequels can always be tricky, especially when the first book is so good. But the storyline and characters introduced in this book are just as good and really suck you in! It was definitely hard to put down!

The ending leaves us on another cliff hanger so I am so excited to see what crazy adventures Finlay and Vero find themselves in next!

Thank you so much St Martins Press, Elle Cosimano, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

What a funny, far-fetched adventure this was. Just like the first novel, Finlay and her friend Vero find themselves in the most absurd situations while trying to stop the murder of Finlay’s ex-husband. And of course, there are many accidents and mishaps along the way.

The absurdity of this story is what makes it so great. Reading is an escape for me, and this story put me in a whole other world. This book is supposed to be funny, it’s supposed to be unbelievable and it’s supposed to take you away from the present world we’re living in. If you need an escape from reality with some humor thrown in, grab this book! (But make sure to read them in order, you’ll be confused otherwise). It’s out February 1st✨

Thank you @netgalley for my advanced eARC!

I cannot even express to you the amount of joy and excitement I had when I was approved for this book! I LOVED the first one in the series so I knew this would be another winner for me. I listened to the audio version and the narrator absolutely brings the story to life with her different voices for different characters. If you enjoyed the first in the series, you’ll like this one too—same humor, similar chaotic life storyline, and same quirky core characters. If you haven’t read the first one yet, do yourself a favor and get started!

I was so excited to be sent an arc of Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead! Thank you so much to the publishers for my copy in exchange for my honest review!

I thought this book, following up Finlay Donovan is Killing It, was PERFECT! The same old hilarious shenanigans that we came to know Finlay for are back and her and Vero's relationship is amazing. I also think the author did a good job of setting this up for a third so I hope I am right!

Fresh, fun and hard to put down! I loved this new installment in the Finlay Donovan mystery series. In this book Finlay and her friend/sidekick Vero are trying to figure out who has put a hit on her ex-husband. The best part for me is how relatable a heroine Finlay is - she's a mom, struggling writer and trying to get back into the dating scene (cue attractive detective Nick). Throw in some Russian mob connections and this book has a little bit for everyone! Highly recommended especially for fans of Dial A for Aunties or Christina Hovland's Mommy wars series. Much thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for my advance review copy!

Thank you @netgalley and @minotaur_books [partner] for the E-ARC! Ever since reading Finlay Donovan is Killing It last year, I've been dying to get my hands on this one! I am happy to report it was everything I wanted and more! I laughed out loud at the hilarious situations that Finlay and Vero got themselves into. Is some of it completely unbelievable? Yes. Does that make it any less amazing of a story? No way. The series kind of reminds me of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series which I have been happily reading for many years. I hope that Ell Cosimano and Finlay have that same level of success as Evanovich has found. This was a quick and fun read, and I was so happy to see Detective Anthony back in the picture! What can I say I am a sucker for the handsome police officer troupe! Highly entertaining and fun! Just what I needed to read during the crazy and stressful time! This one is out February 1st!

Finlay is back!

The first book in this series, Finlay Donovan is Killing It, perfectly set up this sequel, and this book has done the same for a third book. It's an engaging formula that will absolutely keep me reading for as long as the series goes on.

The mystery in Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead expertly incorporates characters and events from the first book, while also presenting new conflicts and twists. The characters are vibrant and the humor is sharp, just like in the first book. It's a fantastic follow-up!

In this second installment in Elle Cosimano's mystery series, we see Finlay Donovan tracking down who has put a hit out on her ex-husband, and keep another assassin from taking him out in the meantime. All your favorite pieces are back: Finlay struggling to meet deadlines on her book and taking some inspiration from real life when she has too, Finlay donning a wig and pretending to be someone she shouldn't, Finlay torn between the hot young law student and the hot cop, and, of course, lots of hijinks, dead bodies, and Vero! While it doesn't have quite the same punch as the first book (which will be impossible to beat, with its set-up), it is an excellent and entertaining read and promises some great places for the series to head in the future.

Thanks to Minotaur for my ARC and Dreamscape Media for my ALC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10