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!

Book #2 in the Finlay Donovan series gave me everything I expected and was looking for...except for her beloved wig scarf.

It’s been a month since Finlay Donovan was mistaken as a hitwoman, resulting in a big mess and a few dead bodies. Now, she is once again way behind schedule with the writing of her new novel, even though she has nanny/accountant/friend Vero there to help out with the kids.

Finlay finds out that someone wants her ex-husband, Steven, dead. The mysterious person is using an online forum to mask her request for the hit. Even though Steven was a terrible husband, he’s still the father of her children.

With Vero as her sidekick once again, Finlay decides she must find out who wants Steven eliminated...and try to stop it from happening. As one would expect with Finlay and Vero, things don’t go very smoothly. Before they know it, they’re thrust into a complex story involving the Russian Mafia, a chopped up body, molotov cocktails, and a whole lot MORE!

Still in the picture is bartender/law school student Julian, and Detective Nick, who makes it clear he still desires her. Can Finlay do the impossible and figure out her love life, keep her ex safe, and get back on track with her book?

Read it and find out!

I had an absolute blast reading this one, and I’m happy to say as one of my most anticipated reads, it did not disappoint. Finlay and Vero are a fantabulous duo, and there were so many moments I laughed out loud, while also being flabbergasted by the plot twists. Even though the much-loved wig scarf doesn’t make it to this sequel, we do get some fun scenes with a standard wig. I’ll take it.

Some of the shenanigans that Finlay and co. get into aren’t completely realistic, just like in the first book. Also, some plot points were hard to follow as the book tackles quite a variety of topics, scenarios, and bad guys (and gals). However, I told my brain to stop working so hard and just let myself have fun with it!

If you’re a fan of Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, then I think you will gobble up this juicy addition to the series. Of course, it ends with a cliffhanger...so once again, I am (im)patiently waiting for the next installment.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected publication date: 2/1/22.

Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com

Another fun romp with Findlay and friends. Of course, you must agree to suspend disbelief since it’s mystery, romance and crazy coincidence all combined.

If you have not read the first Finlay, you will be confused. This is not a stand-alone, it is part of a series, think Stephanie Plum, and already setting readers up for the next adventure. Although I enjoyed this, I didn’t like it as much as the earlier novel.

So, have fun, pick up both Finlays and look forward to the next.

Thank you Netgalley for this fun book to relax with and enjoy.

Holy friggin’ cow, this is the perfect sequel! Finlay Donovan is at it again, she’s working on book #2 and getting caught up in a women’s forum. She comes across a thread where someone requests a hit on Steven Donovan, with the help of Vero they must prevent the death of Steven, Finlay’s ex-husband. Knock ‘Em Dead is entertainingly fun to read as we follow Finlay’s & Vero’s crazy shenanigans, it’s twisty and full of suspense! Im hoping there’s a book #3! Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and St. Martin’s Press for a gifted copy. This is my honest review.

Finlay Donovan is by far my favorite series that I've discovered in the past year. She's the perfect mix of mystery, humor, and kick-ass hot-mess hit woman that we need in the pandemic. At the end of the first novel Finlay Donovan is Killing It, we find out... a hit is ordered on Finlay's ex-husband! We have to wait until now to find out that multiple killers are trying to get him while Finlay is chasing down leads to find out who ordered the hit, all the while balancing keeping her children safe and seeing the hot cop Nick, and the young attorney.

Highly recommend this fun, readable, laugh-out-loud mystery to everyone!