After being mistaken as a contract killer in Finlay Donovan is Killin' It, we meet up with Finlay and Vero a month after the end of the last book. Finlay uncovers a posting for a hit on a website fronting as a women's forum for side jobs. The contract is on her ex-husband, Steven. And while Finlay is dealing with custody and financial issues, she does not want harm to come to Steven.

Finlay is working on another novel while trying to have a relationship with the young lawyer student as she works to find out who is trying to off her ex-husband. As Finlay tries to keep her kids safe, her cop-sister in the dark, and her "friend" Detective Nick Anthony at bay, she accidentally gets herself further entwined with the Russian mob.

Another comedy of errors, I am already looking forward to book 3. While some of Finlay and Vero's antics are completely outrageous, I thoroughly enjoy the meta-fictive components of the book that Finlay faces while writing her next best-seller.

Thank you to St Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The last book left us with a huge cliffhanger. Who wants to kill Finlay's ex-husband Steven and why? All of our favorite supporting characters are back, Vero the account/babysitter, hot cop Nick, young lawyer Julian, Theresa the ex fiancee who got mixed up with the mob. Finlay and Vero are stalking the forum and finally someone responds to the hit. Our dynamic duo have to get involved and try to solve the case before the killer strikes while balancing the kids and Steven, who is adamant nothing is actually going on. You will never believe who is behind this hit and will Steven finally believe Finlay and stop the killer?

This isn't a book you can read out of order so make sure you read book 1 first! I could not put this one down! I stayed up til 1am to finish it in one sitting. The story has a great balance of twists and turns while still revealing pieces that drive the story along. I loved the perfect pairing of mystery and comedy with a whisper of romance. And the ending definitely made room for a 3rd book!

A real who-dunnit!

I'm loving getting to know Finlay and Vero, they're such amazing characters that have only grown from the first book (and I'm sure will continue onto the next book!!), thoroughly entertaining the reader with their antics and their investigations to discover mysteries while also trying their best not to get into trouble!

I love mystery books that are easy on the reader and are enjoyable at the same time! It's perfect for those who want the mystery while not being stressed about the story. This book makes mystery fun and enjoyable for a nice read to relax and unwind.

Considering I haven't read a mystery book in a very long time, this book tempted be to fall back into the genre!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the earc in return for an honest review.

I am in awe of the complex, convoluted plot line that author Cosimano is able to develop around Finlay Donovan and her antics. In the first book of the series, I was so relieved that Finlay survived her narrow escapes and dangerous commitments, and in the second book, I did not see how she could get out of them all! Amazingly Cosimano displays her intricate plotting skills by credibly and satisfyingly resolving Finlay's problems and obligations.

Book two of the Finlay Donovan series is an excellent read: Engaging and sympathetic characters, a compelling plot that made me keep turning pages and staying up way too late to read what happened next. You'll want to read this book, for sure. It moves the series forward and develops the world and relationships of Finlay delightfully.

You'll want to have read book 1 in the series first: It sets the ground for understanding and enjoying the happenings and characters in book 2. Releasing Feb 1, this is a fun read that has depth and engagement. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for the chance to read an advance copy.

Much like Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead had me hooked from page one. Sure, the story gets a tad kooky and convoluted as it moves along, but that's par for the course in this genre. Finlay continues to be a hilarious Hot Mess Express protagonist, we've got more questions than answers when it comes to the people in her life, and there's a ton of momentum heading into the next novel. Plus, I'm still hardcore dying over this love triangle. Love me a chaotic and very good love triangle!!!

Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead by Elle Cosimano was a great second installment. Finlay's mystery adventure picked up right where the first book left off. Of course, the trusty nanny, Vero, is Finlay's partner-in-crime again. Those two always make me laugh! I had to keep listening to know what would happen next and remember to keep breathing! I enjoyed the narration of the audiobook too. These books always end on a cliffhanger, making me need to have the next one ASAP. Do yourself a favor and read this Finlay Donovan series right now. You won't regret it!

Thank you, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for my complimentary copies for this honest review.

Feels like a fun update to Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum. Down on her luck fake assassin Finlay and her fun and clever side kick Vero bumble through another mystery. This is silly and enjoyable and I flew through it.

Like Stephanie Plum, Finlay is strangely irresistible to men, despite being a self proclaimed “hot mess” single mom of toddlers, has multiple love interests (the book is pretty chaste- no steamy scenes but some tension). I don’t love the love triangle but both love interests are fine so we’ll see what happens.

It’s absurdly bordering on magic realism as everything clicks into place for the heroine despite all her hilarious missteps and blunders. A easy, low stakes and humorous read that will leave you smiling.

4.5 stars for the second installment in the Finlay Donovan series! I love getting to know Finlay and her family. Somehow this mom/writer lands herself smack in the middle of outrageous situations. Book two was just as intriguing as book one and the character development was well done. Multiple suspects and a surprise twist. I definitely will pick up the next in this series, I can’t wait to find out more about Vero and see what antics these two find themselves up to next. And of course I’m interested to see how her relationship with the hunky cop progresses. I finished this in one afternoon because I couldn’t put it down! Thank you the the author, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy, all thoughts are my own.

It can be hard for a sequel to a popular book to be just as amazing as the first. Book one, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, featured a main character who was truly at the end of her rope. She was a woman whose husband left her for someone else, a mom struggling to manage two small and unruly children, a writer whose agent was pressuring her to produce her next manuscript. When Finlay, in desperation, is pitching a seemingly far-fetched book idea to her agent, a woman sitting nearby mistakes Finlay for a contract killer and wants to hire her. Finlay, who needs money desperately, leans into this new side hustle with hilarious results.

Book two features Finlay in decidedly less dire circumstances. She’s published her book and has a reliable nanny. Her agent is no longer ready to drop her, her cheating husband has been somewhat neutralized, and there are not one but TWO hot guys interested in her. Where to go from there? Well, that’s sort of the problem. The level of conflict and peril in this book feels significantly reduced. Finlay is living her best single mom life!

The cliffhanger in book one puts her ex-husband, Steven, in danger. But why should she spend so much of Finlay Donovan Knocks Em Dead trying to protect her shady ex? Why should both the love interests from book one be almost completely sidelined in this second installment? Why has the wig-scarf also been sidelined? These are the mysteries I’m puzzled about.

I like Vero, Finley’s nanny, but this book was mostly Vero and Finlay running around trying to crack a mystery that felt a continuation of book one. I’m all for series mysteries but I think they should be pretty much self-contained. If you haven’t read the first book, I think you’ll be fairly confused. (But DO read the first book if you haven’t!)

In her afterward, author Elle Cosimano discusses how hard it was to write a comic book in a pandemic, and I completely understand. I am hoping that in book 3, Finlay gets her mojo back!

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!