Woohoo! Finlay Donovan is back for another over the top adventure!

Same sense of humor
Same adorable kids
Same clever sidekick
Same love triangle
Same writer’s block
and oops…

Another accidental murder.

This time it’s the goldfish that bites the dust!

When Finlay learns that someone put a hit on her ex-husband, Steven, she and Vero team up once again to uncover the mastermind of this sinister plot before her whole family ends up floating like the goldfish.

This was one of my most anticipated reads this year, and it did not disappoint! Did you see my happy dance when I found out I was approved to review this ARC?! It moved straight to the top of my TBR! Thankfully, the second book is just as funny and over the top as the first. I highly recommend reading these books in order, as it will make the most sense. Finlay and Vero are the dynamic duo of amateur sleuths and continue to entertain with their shenanigans. Somehow they manage to solve the mystery while always escaping the law (it helps to be dating your neighborhood policeman). This adventure is just as fun as the first, and might not be last! Stay tuned for more adventures! I can’t wait!

4/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur books for the ARC of Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead in exchange for an honest review.

Our favorite accidental hit-woman is back!
When Finlay Donavan Kills It first hit the book world it was everywhere, bookstagram, bookstores, GoodReads you name it. I was a bit apprehensive at first to read it because sometimes overly hyped books don’t work for me but Finlay Donavan was one of the few that did live up to all the hype. I gave it a perfect 5-star rating and added it to my list of favorite reads of 2021. Needless to say, I couldn't wait to read the second book in the series.

Struggling to finish her second novel and being a single mom of two children, Finlay discovers on a mom's online forum that someone is looking to hire a hitman to kill her ex-husband Steven. Even though Finlay and Steven are not on the best terms, she still doesn't want something bad to happen to the father of her children.

This was one laugh-out-loud, suspense-filled, mystery puzzle ride that I did not want to get off of! Finlay’s story continues exactly where the first book ended. In case you forgot certain aspects of the first book, the second book perfectly recaps every single detail that happened. All of the beloved characters from the first book are in the second book too.

From the first page to the last I was completely hooked. Finlay puts her detective skills to the test again with a couple of new disguises. I loved all of the over-the-top action scenes including a shootout with molotov cocktails.

Finlay Donavan Knocks Em Dead is a must-read for all fans of Finlay Donavan is Killing it! I highly recommend both books in the series to all readers. A huge congratulations to Elle Cosimano for writing this magnificently entertaining read. Without spoiling anything, I am keeping my fingers crossed for a third book!

Many thanks to Netgalley, and Minotaur books for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

I was obsessed with the first book and it was hilarious and this one did not disappoint so funny and slight Thriller vibes. So so hilarious. Can't wait to listen to the audiobook version. Read both of these books! Such a good series!

I absolutely loved the first Finlay Donovan mystery, and the second iteration surely did not disappoint! It had the same witty banter and clever plot under a new set of mysterious circumstances. I loved learning more about Finlay as our main character and I enjoyed the quirky side characters as well. I feel that the longer this series continues, the more readers will get to know and become attached to the characters. I hope there will be many more! This was a perfect 5 out of 5 stars for me. I highly recommend picking it up when it comes out next year!

Thank you to both NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for providing me an advance copy of Elle Cosimano’s second book in the Finlay Donovan series, Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead, in exchange for an honest review.

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead is an apt title for not only the character, but especially the author since that is exactly what Ms. Cosimano’s does in her sophomore novel in this series. Similar to my experience in reading the first one, I felt as if the book was over in a matter of minutes—I couldn’t put it down! I was genuinely worried when the material was not as funny as the first, but I quickly forgot that nonsense because the plot was definitely more exciting and contained more grotesque passages.

True to the format of the first novel, I was once again pleasantly surprised when the book blurb lived up to its description, none of the obvious plot twists occurred, and readers received another satisfying ending. I am convinced someone on the publishing team is reading reviews because readers are blessed with further developed side characters without detracting from the excitement or pace of the novel, which is the sole gripe mentioned in my review of the first book in the series.

Sylvia and Julian are the only characters that take a major backseat this time around, but that is mostly fine because who wants to read about a boss pestering someone for work or a relationship that is borderline inappropriate in the #metoo era? Kudos, however, to the author for pointing out the social stigma re: men and women, and dating someone younger. That being said, I am happy to move on with the political commentary and to return to the original intention of this novel: pure entertainment and escapism. I caution readers who are not interested in suspending their beliefs to steer clear of this novel. None of us want you ruining our fun.

Again, while the dialogue lacked the clever witticisms that readers were exposed to in the first, the action-packed plot more than made up for the shortage of humor. There is plenty of suspense, red herrings, and police involvement. There is also a particularly arresting scene with the head crime boss, Feliks Zhirov. Another nice touch by the author to include a date that takes place at a Russian restaurant; an unusual and infrequently used cuisine by authors.

Are you still listening to my blathering? Stop, and go read this book. I promise you will not be disappointed. More Finlay, more Vero, and more badassery. Oh yeah, and more of hot cop Nick, who seems to be a hit with both real and fictional readers. There is also a well-written scene involving a shoot-out that is worth the read.

If this novel is any indication of how the script will be written for the upcoming TV series, then I am beyond excited for its release. I also cannot wait until book three is published, which I assume is happening given the way book two ends. I highly recommend that you read the Finlay Donovan series if you have not yet done so. Final word of advice: read them in order!

This book is such a fantastic continuation in the Finlay Donovan series! I loved it and it kept me guessing. I’m looking forward to another book in the series!

Thank you for my early review copy. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I believe this book will be a huge bestseller.

Finlay Donovan is—once again—struggling to finish her next novel and keep her head above water as a single mother of two. On the bright side, she has her live-in nanny and confidant Vero to rely on, and the only dead body she's dealt with lately is that of her daughter's pet goldfish. On the not-so-bright side, someone out there wants her ex-husband, Steven, out of the picture. Permanently. Whatever else Steven may be, he's a good father, but saving him will send her down a rabbit hole of soccer moms disguised as hit-women, and a little bit more involvement with the Russian mob than she'd like. With her next book's deadline looming and an ex-husband to keep alive, Finlay is quickly coming to the end of her rope.

Wow... what a sequel and what an ending. :) If you love the first book, you'll love this one too. It's fun, LOL moments... . It's total escapism. The characters are fun and totally out of this world. I like the mystery and the suspense as well. There's a hint of romance although I would have preferred more... :) But otherwise, a perfectly fun book to get lost in.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an arc.

It holds up to the first one. It’s so good!

In this sequel, we are back with Finlay and Vero as they deal with the fact that a mysterious person on the internet wants Finn’s ex-husband and father of her children dead.

Throw in the continuing love triangle between Finlay, the young lawyer, and the hot cop, questions about Vero’s past, and the continuing investigation and impending trial from the murders in book 1, and you have a wild time!

It’s so fun, suspenseful, steamy, and at times completely wonderfully ridiculous. It’s got everything I loved in the first book and more, and I truly can’t wait to see what Finlay and Vero get up to next!

There are high jinks*. Then there are higher jinks. But our old pal Finlay Donovan? She gets up to the highest jinks of all.

Finlay is back after romping her way through Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, where she was mistaken as a hit woman after a misconstrued conversation overheard at a Panera Bread. In this second book in the series, cleverly titled Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead, she and her sidekick Vero pick up a month after the first mystery left off. This time they’re trying to figure out who is attempting to whack Finlay’s ex-husband/baby daddy, while Finn is also facing down a fast-approaching deadline for her next “novel of romantic suspense” manuscript.

Do you need to read the first book before this one? Yeah, you really do.

If you loved the first one will you love this one too? Probably. It’s very much more of the same.

Who will adore this series? Readers of Janet Evanovich or Darynda Jones. Mystery + humor = over-the-top shenanigans.

Is there any romance? Yep, Finny’s got herself a little love triangle going on with two potential suitors. Not much steam here though… yet.

Will there be a third book? No doubt, given this one’s cliffhanger ending.

*Where does the term “high jinks” come from anyway? According to my trusty friend The Internet, “High jinks was a popular 18th-century drinking game in Scotland. The game involved throwing a die, and if the caster got a bad score, they had to choose between drinking more alcohol or performing an undignified task” Finlay must be pretty bad at throwing dice.

But I must have better luck than she does, because I fortunately received an advance copy of this book courtesy of the author and Minotaur Books for review via NetGalley. Finlay will be knocking ‘em dead in stores next February.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press Group for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5/5 stars

The scream that came out of me when I got this ARC. Finlay Donovan is Killing It was one of my favorite books last year when I read the ARC and I could not stop thinking about it. I am so glad that this is a series because I will read anything with Finlay and Vero.

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead picks up pretty soon after the first book and we find Finlay trying to finish her new book, pay her bills, and find the person who put a hit out on her ex-husband. Her and Vero then go on to get themselves in so many insane situations that made me laugh, but also gave me extreme anxiety (I love them so, but they stress me out).

This is such a perfect sequel. I loved the hijinks, the humor, and the romance. These books are just so fun and well-written. Cosimano writes the best plot twists that surprise you and also make you laugh out loud. I cannot wait until the next one and I need this series to become a show. All the stars.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Full review to be posted closer to release date.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Finlay Donovan is quick witted, sassy, down to earth, a successful writer, and single mom of two. She and her live in best friend, Vero, are staying out of trouble... At least, until Finlay discovers there's a hit on her ex-husband. Now both women are playing detective, trying to protect their family, and getting mixed up with the Russian Mob. Mix in some boy trouble and you have everything you could possibly want in this funny and deadly novel. I love the different character builds and strong plot. I laughed out loud a bit while reading and was genuinely shocked a few times towards the end. The perfect sequel to Finlay Donovan is Killing it.

TW: murder, mob violence

Finlay Donovan does it again! This fun follow up is a recommended purchase for collections where the previous title was popular.

Finlay Donovan is back! This time Vero & Finlay are trying to figure out who put out a hit contract on Finlay’s ex-husband, Stephen. There’s no love lost between the two but Finlay has no plans to see her children’s father dead. With stolen cars, bodies turning up dead, love interests making life interesting, & the mob on their tail, Finlay and Vero have their work cut out for them. Another fun comedy book that will keep you smiling for a few hours. Can’t wait for the next book!

I could not put this book down. Like the most unputdownable of unputdownable books, even more than the first one! The sequel keeps all of the feels of the first book, while delving further into the unsavory elements. The mob and murder elements were my favorite parts of Finlay Donovan is Killing It, so I was overjoyed to see them here. This book is the best kind of bonkers that will have you laughing and gasping the whole way through. Add on the classic Cosimano cliffhanger at the end, and I'm already on the hook for book 3.

*Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my copy of Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead by Elle Cosimano in exchange for an honest review. It publishes February 1, 2022.
Well, Elle Cosimano knocked it out of the park with this one, yet again. I loved Finlay in her debut, and I loved her here. I am already waiting for the next installment with bated breath. I love how smart these books are, and how absolutely ridiculous the situations are. I would love to see these made into movies!
I'm loving the character development and relationships blooming between all the characters. I like that there weren't a whole lot of new characters added, but that most characters were previously mentioned, lending to the enriching of the books.
I also felt like it was a bit of a book within a book within a book going on at times, and I found it delightfully clever. It made me wonder how Cosimano did research and if any of it was similar to what Finlay did!

Thank you so much to Elle Cosimano, Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5! Absolutely loved this and the sequel 100% lived up to the first books hype. The first book left on a cliffhanger, and this book jumped right in to where the first one left off. It was funny, dramatic, with a bit of romance sprinkled in. It was also just a really good mystery, and kept me guessing the whole time. My only complaint was that there were a lot of secondary characters and it could sometimes get a bit confusing to keep everyone straight, especially towards the end with the big climax. Other than that though, I really liked this one and cannot wait for the third instalment (hoping there is one based on that ending!)

"Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead" by Ellie Corsimano is a smoothly written, murder mystery. Written in a contemporary, chick lit genre, it tells the tale of one divorced mother of two justvtrying to cure her writer's block. With some steamy, but not overheated, romantic scenes, this book hits all the high notes of its genre. An easy read that makes me hope this is a series.

This was bonkers.

Just when she thought she was out, they pulled her back in… Finlay Donovan thought she was safe, what with her accidental hitwoman caper tied up in a pretty little bow and a promising book deal in the works. But writer’s block is back, and now that she’s been made aware someone has put a hit out on her ex Steven, she can’t just walk away from her newfound life of crime, blundering as though it may be. Finlay and Vero find themselves back in the mix, going down a rabbit hole of sketchy online postings that leads them right back to the mob. With her lawyer love interest MIA, gorgeous cop Nick seems ready to make his move, but him getting closer to her also means he’s closer to her illicit activities. How is Finlay going to get herself out of this one?

My review for the first book in this series opened with “This was so fun” and I am so pleased to say it still applies. But this one also upped the ante when it comes to crazy twists and turns.

I will say there was a lot going on here, and a ton of characters weaving their way through the story. I was never confused and could keep track, but the second half was wall to wall action, drama, and red herrings. It was unputdownable, but also quite a lot to take in. Don’t pick this one up before bedtime or if you only have a few minutes. Sure, the chapters are quick and you *could* just fit one in, but you will not be able to stop at just one and will curse yourself for trying.

Just like in the first in the series, you shouldn’t expect realism here. It’s very over-the-top, but with a wink and a nod. This is a book that is clearly aware it’s a fun and crazy romp. It’s not pretending to be anything else, and I’m fine with that when the material itself is clear that it’s not taking itself too seriously. Buckle up for a crazy ride with Finlay and Vero, and maybe you’ll even get to take a spin in something a bit more exciting than the mom van.

This is scheduled for publication on February 1, 2022 and not only can I not wait, I am already dying to get my hands on the third instalment!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of this book for review.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead is the second book in the Finlay Donovan series and a laugh-out-loud mystery that will have you guessing until the end. I read the first book, and I have to say that the second one is even funnier and better than the first one. The plot revolves around Finlay and her partner-in-crime Vero as they juggle catching hitmen with Finlay's life as a single mother-of-two. Someone has put a hit out on Finlay's ex-husband Steven. Finlay and Vero have to find out who ordered the hitman so that Steven doesn't end up dead. Meanwhile, Finlay's law school boyfriend Julian and hot cop fling Nick are both trying to get to know her better. Will Finlay succeed in stopping the hitman before it's too late? And who ordered the hit anyway?

Here is a dark and humorous excerpt from the beginning of Chapter 1:

"Christopher was dead. They’d found him bobbing on the water’s surface, his eyes bulging and empty, just after dawn. While I couldn’t honestly say I’d ever killed anyone before, this time, there was no denying I was one hundred percent responsible.
“It wasn’t your fault.” Vero gave my arm an encouraging squeeze through the sleeve of my long black sweater. I hadn’t had anything else appropriate to wear; it’s not like I’d woken up expecting to attend a funeral. And yet somehow, my children’s young and ultra-hip nanny had managed to pull off a pair of form-fitting slacks, a killer updo, and a designer blouse. She offered me a wan smile. “It’s not like you meant to do it.”
My daughter’s hand was frail in mine, her body tucked close to my other side, her eyes red from crying.
“In your defense,” Vero whispered, “the instructions were in very small print."

Overall, Finlay Donovan Knocks Them Dead is an amazing sequel that lives up to and exceeds its predecessor. There were laugh-out-loud moments as Finlay and Vero get into all sorts of hijinks trying to find the woman who put a hit out on her ex-husband. There were romantic moments, like when Finlay and Nick go to a candlelit dinner. And there were plenty of exciting moments, involving dead bodies, arson, visits to jail, etc. There were times where I was scared for the main characters and hoping nothing bad would happen to them.

One highlight of this story is the humor. I love mysteries that mix in comedy, and this book definitely delivers on that front! If I had to complain about something, I would say that things got a bit convoluted at the end with the large cast of characters, but I was never not entertained. I really enjoyed reading this book, and I could not put it down until I finished it. My Kindle actually ran of battery because I had been continuously reading this book for hours without pause. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of funny mysteries, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in February!