Finlay Donovan and Vero find themselves in another insane situation- this time with the Russian mob! Owing a favor to a mob boss is no small thing. How do you do what is right and keep your head on your shoulders? Finlay and Vero will keep you on your toes to find out!

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun and Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice by Elle Cosimano (Books 3 and 4)
Writing: A-
Story: B
Characters: B+
Setting: B
Best Aspect: Still a great storyline with lots of action.
Worst Aspect: Books 3 and 4 didn’t pack the same punch and didn’t have the same laughs. The start of book 3 was very long.
Recommend: Yes.

In this book, Finlay and Vero attended a police academy training week for civilians while hiding from the mob and Vero’s loan shark. I loved meeting all the new characters as they continued their hunt for the contract killer from the last book. Finlay’s romance with Nick was intense and kept me yearning for more. I especially enjoyed how this story dove into Vero’s history and trouble. I want to learn more about her and Javi. The ending was a great hook into the next book.

I am loving this wild and fun series!

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | A Wild Ride with Finlay & Vero!

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano is another fast-paced, hilarious, and action-packed installment in the series, proving once again why Finlay and Vero are one of the best crime-solving duos in modern fiction. This time, their antics take them into the heart of a police academy, blending mystery, humor, and chaos in the best way possible.

Cosimano’s writing is sharp, witty, and engaging, making it easy to fly through the pages. The banter between Finlay and Vero is top-notch, and their friendship remains the heart of the book. The plot is filled with unexpected twists, and while some moments feel a bit over-the-top, that’s part of what makes the series so fun. The romance subplot adds a nice touch, though it doesn’t take center stage.

The only reason for the four-star rating instead of five is that the plot can feel a little crowded with all the different threads, and at times, Finlay’s choices seem more reckless than clever. However, if you love cozy mysteries with humor, strong female friendships, and plenty of suspense, this book is a fantastic read.

Highly recommend for fans of fast-paced, lighthearted crime fiction with a comedic twist!

This is my favorite installment so far. I absolutely loved the police academy plot line and how it wove so beautifully into the already established story line. The characters are still amazing, the mystery gets me every time, and I can’t wait to see where the next book takes the story.

4.5 stars, it's apparent there's no slowing down when it comes to Ms. Donovan and all of the shenanigans she finds herself in. With me having limited knowledge and books to compare this cozy series to, I still get the quirk for this series.

I really like this series! It surprised me because this comedy/thriller/whodunit is not usually something I’d read but after enjoying the first two I just can’t stop!

This was a fun book! I like that when Finlay was about to reveal the villain’s identity she finds out she is wrong and ends up at square one again. It kept me guessing. And while the search is going on, Finlay has to hide her secret life from her love interest who happens to be a cop!

There’s also tension with Finlay’s ex-husband sticking his nose into everything, Vero’s past creeping up on them and the Russian mob is expecting results or else!

To top everything off, right when I thought the rollercoaster ride had come to an end the book ends with a major cliffhanger!

It’s a quick, fun read and I’ll definitely finish the series.

Many thanks to St Martins Press/ Minotaur books for the free ebook!

When I say Vero and Finlay leave me in stitches laughing about their antics. It’s amazing how they get caught up in the things they do!

"Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun" by Elle Cosimano is another cozy mystery that hits just right! Finlay's quirkiness and her ability to getting into sticky situations make this book an enjoyable and entertaining read. The mystery and humor are perfectly balanced, and the plot is filled with surprising twists that keep you hooked until the very end. Another great addition to the series!

This was a fun addition to the series. The setting was unique and I thoroughly enjoyed the character development. Something about this series is quite addicting and I am excited to continue.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy. This is out now!

Finlay, author and single mom who’s becoming a pro at getting in unsuspecting trouble with her nanny Vero. To top it off Finlay now has a task to do for Russian mob boss, after they took care of a problem for her.

Still running the show from behind bars, mob boss Feliks has a task for Finlay: find a contract killer who is blackmailing him before the cops do. Problem with that is the killer might be a cop. Luckily for Finlay, Nick, the hot cop who is the inspiration in her books has started up a citizen’s police academy, so Finlay has the perfect cover-up to snoop around, all in the name of research for her new book, all before her book deadline and Felik’s deadline.

If you are looking for something funny with some mystery this book and series is for you. I have laughed so much between conversations and situations that Finley and Vero get into. The antics with her young kids are hilarious. I also loved the connection with family she has. I am so interested and invested in the characters I honestly can’t wait to see what happens next.

This is the third book in the Finley Donovan series. I did the audio book and the narration was great!

This was so fun!! I really enjoyed the police academy location and the surprises along the way! I am looking forward to reading the next one!

Finlay and Vero are back at it again in book #3!! These two get themselves into some hilarious situations which make for quite an entertaining read. I do have to say this is my least favorite in the series so far, but with that being said, it is still an extremely enjoyable book. The characters are all fantastic and well developed! The only negative of this book for me, is it is very unbelievable and has a lot of super far-fetched scenarios. I expect it to be some level of far-fetched because that’s what makes the book funny and light but this time, it was just too much. In the next book, I’m really hoping to see a bit more happen in Finlay and Vero’s love lives. I can’t wait to see what book #4 brings.

3 ⭐️

Unfortunately this is my least favorite of the series so far. The book has all the parts I still love like the humor, the dramatics, the over the top, the romance, and the mystery. However, I didn't really like the location this book takes place in (police academy). I also felt like with her asking so many questions the way she did how did no one suspect anything about them being involved sooner. It also has a feeling of it being dragged out. I feel like we could figure out the current mystery and have something new come up while Finlay is writing her books or researching for them. I don't know.

This book still has everything I love about the series but I was dragging through this one and wondering when it was going to end a lot.
I do love that Finlay is back with the cop. I didn't like the 3 different men being issues for her so I am hoping this one sticks.

Vero and Finlay continue to put themselves in another situation where they could get caught. This time they attend a citizen police training while trying to figure out who easy clean is.

Note: Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and author Elle Cosimano for the advanced reader copy of this book. What follows is my unbiased review of the book

This is the third book in author ElleCosimano’s fun series about author turned killer-for-hire Finlay Donovan. It’s a fun series about how a misunderstanding leads to not only her involvement in several murders but also with the local Russian mafia. The series really relies on knowing what’s happened already. It’s not something a reader can easily pick up in the middle.

Finlay is still trying to figure out who EasyClean is for the head of the local Russian mafia, Feliks Zhirov. She also owes him money after she “borrowed” an Aston Martin from his car dealership and it came back riddled with bullets. Plus, her nanny/friend/accountant Vero Ruiz is keeping a secret and now owes a loan shark in Atlantic City $200,000. What’s a girl to do? Why, join the citizens academy of the local police department, of course!

Finlay is certain EasyClean is a police officer. What better way to root him or her out than to spend a week with the local police force? The two sign up, and their antics during the week provide a lot of unrealistic, escapist fun as they try to root out the killer, keep Finlay’s sister, Georgia (a police officer), and love interest Nick (also a police officer) from figuring out what they are up to. Also in the picture is Finlay’s ex-husband Steven, whom Finlay saved from EasyClean in the previous book. He’s convinced that Finlay saving him means she still loves him and wants to win her back. Plus, FInlay’s neighbor and her grandson have joined the citizens academy and Finlay is determined to beat them.

If you enjoy the Stephanie Plum series, this is right up that alley. Finlay is constantly in over her head and second-guessing every decision. I feel like screaming “What are you thinking?” at her, but it’s also a fun ride. Vero is at a crossroads as Finlay learns her secret, and Vero is panicked she will lose her friend when she finds out. Every plan they make falls apart spectacularly, and with a lot of laughs along the way.

You have to suspend disbelief with a series like this and just enjoy it. Nothing makes sense, really, but it’s a lot of fun. Vero’s childhood sweetheart shows up to try to help them out, and every time he shows up he seems to get hurt. It’s a comedy of errors, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. Finlay is also trying to revise her next book and has writer’s block, while her agent is on her back to get it done. The problem is that she needs to throw caution to the wind both in her writing and in her life, and with all of the crises surrounding her, that’s hard to do.

Lots of characters from the previous books show up. We learn a little more about the hacker, Cam, who Finlay befriended and tried to protect. Nick’s partner, Joe, gets more in-depth here, as does Nick himself. He shows more of the side we’ve seen before that’s attracting Finlay but also forces her to hold back with him. Vero eventually gives her the pep-talk she needs about valuing herself, something she’s struggling with following her divorce. There are great moments like this in the middle of a lot of zany fun. And when does this woman sleep?

I enjoyed Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun quite a bit. It’s a fun bit of escapism that’s perfect when you need something light that will make you laugh. Think Lucy and Ethel meet Stephanie Plum.

Book #3 in this entertaining series. Finlay always manages to find her way into trouble and stumble out of trouble. Along the way, she uncovers enough drama to keep a soap opera running for many seasons. If you've not read this series, you are seriosly missing some excellent reading.

Thanks to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for copies of the Finlay Donovan series by Elle Cosimano.

Finlay Donovan is Killing It
Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead
Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun
Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice

I have wanted to read this series for a while, and when I saw that the series was Read Now on NetGalley I decided it was time to give it a go. Finlay Donovan is a writer who is mistaken for a hitman and hijinks ensue with her nanny Vero. These books were perfect popcorn mysteries for me. I laughed, I was intrigued by the mystery aspect and I had a good time reading them! A perfect read when I needed something I didn’t have to think too hard about!

#bookstagram #mysteryreads #finlaydonovan

Finley has so much going on in her life I don't know how she keeps it all from unraveling. Vero has gone and found herself in trouble and now she isn't sure how to get out of it. Finley has decided to help her and that is just the beginning of the twisty windy road this book will take you on!

I loved it and so will you!

Once again, this series delivers! The plot is full of twists, and I couldn’t put it down. If you’re looking for a smart, funny, and engaging mystery, this one is definitely worth the read.