“The list of resolutions I’d adopted two weeks ago had included three very important bullets: no more junk food, no more men, and no more bodies in my minivan. Not necessarily in that order.”

Finlay Donovan has been in messes before―after all, she's an author and single mom who's a pro at getting out bloodstains for rather unexpected reasons―but none quite like this. After she and her nanny/partner-in-crime Vero accidentally destroyed a luxury car that they may have "borrowed" in the process of saving the life of Finlay's ex-husband, the Russian mob got her out of debt. But now Finlay owes them. 

She’s back! This is the third installment in the Finlay Donovan series and it is just a crazy and cooky as the prior books. Although not quite as good as the first two in my opinion, this one was still fun and I always enjoy revisiting characters. It follows the same format of Finlay getting herself into the most unbelievable of shenanigans all while trying to navigate divorce, solve crimes, and write a book. The opening scene had me laughing out loud!

The audiobook was done so well! I enjoyed the narration. These books are so quick and you really can just fly though them.

Thank you to Goodreads for the giveaway copy, Netgalley, Minotaur Books, St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, and the author for the ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent audio as always! Absolutely love Angela Dawe and everything she brings to Finlay and the other characters. This series is one of my most recommended audiobooks. Thank you for the opportunity for early listening!

From my blog: Always With a Book:

This is the third book in Elle Cosimano’s Finlay Donovan series and much like the previous two books in this series, I really enjoyed this one. These books are just pure fun, entertaining reads and I really cannot recommend them enough!

What I love about this series is I know these books are going to make me laugh and sometimes you just need that! There’s a little mystery, a lot of crazy antics, usually some good action and so much laughter! I just adore Finlay and when she and Vero get themselves in the middle of something – watch out! I loved that this time around, not only are they trying to identity a contract killer, but they also find themselves attending a week-long police academy camp, taught by none other than hot cop Nick.

I loved that once again, this latest installment kept me on my toes. I really never know what to expect when I pick one of these books up – and that is such a good thing! The twists are expertly places and I loved that while I am not a huge romance fan, it’s well-placed here! Yes, some of the situations are a little over-the-top, but this is just pure entertainment and the perfect book to escape in and I love it all the more for it. Do yourself a favor and pick up this series if you haven’t already done so…you won’t be disappointed!



Audio thoughts: After listening to the last book in this series, I decided audio was the way to go with this latest installment and I was not disappointed. It is once again narrated by Angela Dawe and she nails the performance. She really brings her A-game here, giving each character their own personality and infusing just the right amount of tension and emotion into her voice as needed. Such a fun listening experience!

Finlay Donovan is back and still in trouble! Another great installment of Finlay & Vero’s unhinged shenanigans. How did they get themselves into such a pickle? How do they get themselves out? You’ll blow through this in a day, it’s such a fast and easy way read! Thank you Macmillan Audio for the arc!

My favorite of the series so far! I laughed so many times during this book and believe the true star is Vero. I was happy to learn more about her past. But really, what could go wrong if a bunch of civilians are thrown into a cop training camp? Not only is Finlay attempting to deal with real bad guys, but she is also juggling the ex husband, the ex boyfriend, the hot detective… A fun read for those who enjoy crime and a side of humor.

Finlay and Vero are back at it! This time, they've decided to join a week long "citizen's police academy" as they try to uncover who the lethal Easy Clean is.

Finlay & Vero have easily become one of my favorite literally duos! I love their friendship and humor.

Each of these books has been just as fun as the last. Zero disappointment in this one. Elle Cosimano brings it! I hope she keeps them coming!

I really enjoyed this narration! Easy to listen to with the perfect comedic timing.

I’m such a massive fan of the Finlay series and couldn’t wait to gobble up Book #3. Which is exactly what I did.

This book delivered on the humor + relatability + mystery + best friend vibes that made me fall in love with this series from the start. The mystery is well crafted and there are lots of enticing suspects. I love following the arcs and evolutions of the characters and I love seeing how Finlay & Vero get themselves in - and out - of trouble.

It’s always a bit tricky to talk about a book in a series and since I refuse to be the reviewer who gives spoilers. In short this was a total hit for me. I loved the first book in the series and feel like this book captured that same feeling I had of thoroughly enjoying the story, keeping me engaged and keeping me guessing.

In case you haven't started the series yet let me tell you a bit about the first book to entice you to give this series a go. It’s a must read!

Finlay Donovan is a struggling writer and newly single mom of two young children. Her trash bag husband left her for their relator and he lives down the street so he’s way too *in* her life. He also fired the nanny leaving Finlay even more stressed out.

While Finlay is chatting about the plot of her latest suspense novel over lunch with her agent, a woman at a neighboring table overhears the conversation and mistakes Finlay for a contract killer. She offers Finlay a lot of money to kill her husband. Finlay could really use the money but she wouldn’t kill to get it. Would she?

It’s the perfect blend of humor + mystery + the best friend relationship I live for. Finlay & Vero are goals! It’s kind of Lucy & Ethyl-meets-Dead To Me-meets Thelma & Louise with some deliciously fun mystery and romance on top.

I had the great fortune of getting an eARC and ALC of this book and read a blend of the two. Angela Dawe does a magnificent job with the audiobook and completely nails the voice of this story. Massive thanks to @minotaur_books, @netgalley and @macmillan.audio.

I truly love this series so much and the latest installment is no exception. Not only is the narrator absolutely perfect in the role of Finlay but the series keeps progressing yet it doesn't lose its humor. This latest installment has lots of action, lots of trouble and lots of humor plus a little spice that we have been waiting for! I cannot wait for more Finlay Donovan and I definitely recommend this series!!

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun comes out next week on January 31, 2023, you can purchase HERE! This series is SO good!!

Love this new Finlay Donovan. My only complaint is how open the ending was. I know it was setting it up for a fourth book, but there was way too much unanswered. The second book left it open for the third, but still wrapped up the storyline. I'm hoping I don't have to wait a whole year for the next story! I did like how they advanced Finlay and Nick's story. I also liked the growth of the characters and how we learned more about all of them and why they are the way they are.

I really enjoyed this book. I love the combination of mystery, humor, friendship, and romance. I love the dynamics between all of the characters. Since I’ve listened to the previous 2 books in the series I felt connected to the narrator.

I enjoyed the ending and looking forward to the next book already!

I do think that you have to have read the other two books in order to follow along with the plot of this one.

This was such a fun read! I listened to the audio book and the narrator did a fantastic job. The plot was a little far fetched but kept me hooked the whole time.

Thank you so much to the publishers for allowing me an arc in both print and audio format in exchange for my honest review. I absolutely LOVE Finlay Donovan and this series. This third book in the series is just as good and fun! The antics crack me up and I hope she keeps on writing. I think she set her self up perfect for a fourth book. The narrator is also wonderful and super entertaining!

I so enjoyed the third installment to the story of Finlay Donovan. This book is laugh out loud funny and kept me guessing until the end. I loved that it concentrated more on Vero and her background. The ending was not what I expected and didn't want the book to finish. I hope there is a book 4!! I want to thank NetGalley and Elle Cosimano for allowing me to get a preview of this book before it's release date.

It was fine. I feel like other reviews have said this too but I think the antics of Finlay have run its course even though the ending of this one makes it pretty clear there's a 4th book planned. It's a fun, fast read if you enjoyed the first two you'll enjoy but perhaps not quite as much.

This is the most delightful series! I am so grateful to Bookish Friends for letting me know I needed to absolutely read this series in order. Therefore, when I was granted. access to this title via Macmillan Audio (THANK YOU!), I quickly got ahold of the other two books to read before tackling Elle Cosimano's latest installment of Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun.

I have been in the need for a mystery series that laugh out loud funny and Cosimano nails it through and through. Finlay and Vero once again are in it knee deep. They are trying to live life on the straight and narrow, avoid discovery by the handsome detective, Nick, and somehow, they've landed themselves in a week long training at the citizen's police academy. What could go wrong?!

I laughed, I cranked up the speed on the audiobook,, and I felt my heart hurt at times for Finlay who is truly trying her best as a mom and as a person. I just had to know how things worked out! I really liked the setting for this novel, the variation that Cosimano offers keeps things fresh! There are some fun reappearances of characters in book three, and I am sincerely hoping for a book 4....No spoilers, but it seems likely!

Angela Dawe does a fantastic job with the audio narration per usual! I highly recommend the audio! Dawe does such a good job bringing Finlay to life that I laugh at Cosimano's excellent wording!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Finlay Donovan: Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano
I can’t tell you how enjoyable these books are! They are so funny and a quick read.
Finlay and Vero have gotten themselves in to another situation where no one is safe. Not even the bad guys!
This time she’s caught the attention of an Russian mob boss whose in prison he’s given her a job to do only it just doesn’t seem possible with the time and resources she has.
When Finlay’s cop sister tells her about the citizens camp and how it might give her ideas for her next book she and Vero off to live in police camp for a week, it seems like the safest place to be since it’s crawling with cops and since her ex-husband has come out of hiding she’s forced to trust him to keep the kids for the week.
There really never is a dull moment with these two and I always look forward to what trouble they can get in to!
Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ARC

Finlay and Vero are back for another adventure in Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano. The third edition in this series follows the same format as the prior two which will be fun for those who enjoy this series.

While I have loved Finlay and Vero's humor and silliness, I started to feel a little tired of it in this book. I was hoping that there would be more going on in terms of plot as well.

Many will really love Finlay and Vero's new set of shenanigans but for me, this one fell short and left me wanting more content. This audiobook by Angela Dawe is also well done and I enjoyed listening to the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Finlay Donovan books are always a good time, and Jumps the Gun doesn't disappoint! If possible, be sure to pick up the audiobook of this title, it's amazing! I appreciate how Cosimano manages to lightheartedly pepper in things like dismemberment, murder, kidnapping, and crazy plot lines with laugh-out-loud moments and a fast-moving story.

This is the third in the Finlay Donovan series, and in my opinion, the most down-to-earth. Take that with a grain of salt, because there are still some wild adventures that require a suspension of disbelief, but this time around, they're delivered with a touch more realism that adds depth to the story. For me, that was a big win. I loved the first book in the series (and that's still my favorite), but the second one flopped for me, with everything going just a little too far for my taste.

In "Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun," Finlay and her sidekick Vero owe a favor to Russian mobster Feliks, who wants them to find and kill a contract killer -- one they suspect might actually be a part of the police force. To get close to the action, the duo signs up for the Citizens Police Academy, a week-long course that teaches citizens how to shoot, defend themselves, and evade pursuers. Readers will find it easier to follow along if they've read book 2, as they are seeking the same contract killer who was prominently featured in "Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead."

While ultimately, I think I've decided that Finlay needed to be a one-off read for me after finishing book one, I did feel better about the series after this book than I did with the second and am glad I gave it a shot. For those who want a light mystery with humorous, exaggerated antics, this remains a solid choice. 3.5 stars rounded down.

FINDLAY DONOVAN JUMPS THE GUN by Elle Cosimano
Published: 1/31/2023
By: Macmillan Audio
Narrated by Angela Dawe 8 hrs 38 min


What a hoot !! A new genre arises - the screwball comedy mystery. Mix into the pot a heaping amount of misunderstanding and misadventure, a humungous amount of humor, a tinge of romance, a deepening friendship and murder, and you’ve got an amazing propulsive read.
Finlay Donovan Jumps The Gun is the third Finlay adventure, but can certainly be enjoyed as a standalone, as Cosimano seamlessly weaves into the narrative the necessary backstory.
Findlay Donovan is a struggling B-list writer of romantic mysteries, always facing impending deadlines for her next book … and struggling with “writer’s block” …. She needs to provide a “spicy' ending for her next book. Her reader’s are clamoring for more romantic involvement with the “hot cop” from her previous book. She is the mother of adorable four year-old Delia and perpetually sticky two-year-old toddler, Zach … who forever is skirting away into escalating degrees of mischief. Donovan is divorced from her no-good husband, Steven… who carried on a lengthy affair with their curvy, blonde realtor. She continues to be “aided” by her most unusual live-in college student, Vero … who wears many hats: trusting nanny, confidante, partner-in-crime, and accountant - and from this, a blossoming friendship has evolved.
Returning for this adventure are the kids, Vero, Nick the “Hot Cop”, her sister Georgia ( who also used to be Nick’s partner), a cadre of police officials, a cameo from her previous flame, the law student Julien, and a cast of other nefarious operatives. Finlay quickly reneges on her New Year’s resolutions: no more junk food, no more men, and no more bodies in the back of her minivan. Incidentally, Vero is being hounded by a henchmen of a loan-shark from New Jersey…. who gets accidentally is crushed by the misadventures of Vero and Findlay.

Finlay has two pressing problems. She can’t seem to finish the ending for her impending next book. Her fans’ are clamoring for a romantic tryst with the “hot cop” from her previous book (based upon her real life escapades with cop, Nick Anthony ). As she faces “writer’s block” head on, she is being threatened by the Russian mob boss, Felix Zhirov, to help uncover the true identity of the contract killer, Easyclean, who’s trying to blackmail him. Findlay suspects it’s the same dirty cop who tried to kill her ex-husband, Steven. Felix is threatening to reveal some damaging dirt on Findlay, that will destroy her life. To accomplish both, Findlay and Vero enroll in a week long Police Academy Boot Camp for Citizen’s . Hopefully she’ll be able to investigate the cadre of officers involved in the event and uncover some damning evidence pointing to the identity of Easyclean, and provide inspiration to finish her book. The camp is being run by none other than Nick Anthony … who she has been trying to keep at arm’s length. Why? Their budding romance and involvement has been complicated and convoluted.
Elle Cosimano spins a twisted and hilarious tale that is well plotted, suspenseful, and is marvelously outfitted with multiple colorful characters that are both flawed and yet believable. The burgeoning relationship and “sisterhood” between Finlay and Vero is nothing less than amazing. The dialogue banter flows in an entertaining fashion, frequently funny and at times, sarcastic, as our two main protagonists entangle themselves in the world of murder and mayhem. This certainly rivals the “ Lucy and Ethel “ adventures of television lore. This propulsive page-turner is a welcome antidote to everyone’e angst. The denouement of this delightful gem begs for further adventures in the trials and tribulations of Finlay Donovan. Although I’ve read the first two installments on my Kindle … I opted to enjoy the experience of an audio version of this zany tale, through the marvelous narration of Angela Dawe. I’t truly amazing how she captured the voice and essence of both male and female characters. Her perfomance completely matched the timbre of this zany, hysterical madcap adventure. This certainly brought this novel to a new height in the theatre of my mind.
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an Advance Audio version of this novel in exchange for an honest review.