Finlay Donovan is a murder mystery author well past deadline meeting with her agent and is overheard talking about her last book, her next book and getting the job done, burying it and money in advance. The lady at the next table sees a bloody knife and duct tape in Finlay's diaper bag and puts 2 and 2 together and comes up with Finlay being an assassin for hire. She is willing to pay Finlay lots of money to kill her husband, who has done "bad things" to several women and deserves it.

Finlay's day started off bad. Her ex-husband fired the nanny without telling her, she is running late for the meeting with the agent, her 5 year old daughter has cut her own hair and wants mommy to fix it like daddy would - with duct tape, her bills are all overdue, and her ex-husband and his fiancé are threatening to evict her and petition the court for full custody of the kids. Finlay wants to kill someone but not necessarily a stranger's husband.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an unbiased review - and for turning me on to a new author that I will seek out and read more from (especially when I need something fun and light and humor.)

Fun, Quirky, and Totally Delightful

This a hyped book that totally deserves all the hype! When I think of a cozy adventure mystery this is exactly the hat I envision. The balance of humor, subtle drama, screwball action comedy and whip smart dialogue all rolls together into a rollicking rollercoaster of A ride that anyone can fall into.. Easy to read, vivid, and compelling, this is truly the gate into a wonderful series you will not get enough of.

I know I was late to the Finish Donovan series, but I only regret coming so late to the party!

Thank you St. Martin's Press for generosity of hearing this series with me!

This was such a fun whodunnit! Just like shows, sometimes I’m craving a deep, long drama, but sometimes (most times?) I want a lighter sitcom. As someone who loves a good thriller, this felt like the sitcom version of a mystery in the best way. Sure, some moments were predictable, but I especially loved the sisterhood developed between Finlay and Vero. Opposing energies, but cheering for each other. Definitely recommend for folks who love a mystery, but also the lighter writing that comes with rom com books.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This was a really good book! I loved that there was humor mixed in with the mystery and I loved the characters!

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is the first in a series and I am so glad picked it up. I really loved the characters and couldnt wait to learn more about them. It was fast paced but not too fast, interesting and twisty but not really gruesome. I cannot wait to read the rest in the series and get caught up before the new book.

It was so much fun! This book is set local to me and I knew many of the places and areas mentioned, down to the mall I shop at frequently. That was such a fun connection for me. The story was hilarious and everything was over the top and ridiculous and just so much fun to read. I loved it. It truly helped me escape when I needed it. And the first line is phenomenal

This is a most bizarre cozy I have ever read. Also very entertaining! The "good Guys" are so crazy you can't help but love them and hate the "bad Dudes". There are a lot of twists and turns with surprises .

Finlay Donovan has just divorced her husband. He is making her pay rent on their former home, he is fighting for custody of their two kids even though he leaves them with someone else whenever it's his weekend, and he is still cheating. Finlay is just trying to survive. She has a meeting with her book editor about the fate of her newest book, a book whose advance can barely pay the rent she owes her ex. Someone overhears her conversation with her editor and gets the wrong idea about what it is that Finlay does. The next thing she knows, she's been hired to murder someones husband. She writes about these things, but doesn't know how to do that. The events that take place after this are tragic, humorous and just downright unbelievable. With the help of her no-nonsense nanny, Finlay finds a way to turn her life around and get back on her feet.

I loved this book. I'm not sure why I hadn't read these books before. I can't wait to dive into the rest of the series.

Finlay is a hot mess, and her life just gets more messy when someone overhears an innocent conversation and tries to hire Finlay to kill her husband.

The author, Elle Cosimano, starts the story off with a very descriptive and hilarious scene every parent can relate to. One kid smothered in syrup while another gave herself a haircut.

From there, and all throughout the story, you find reasons to relate, sympathize, and cheer for the main character. I enjoyed this book from the first page to the last and can't wait to move on to the next book.

If you are a fan of Janet Evanovich, this book is for you!

This was a new series’s to me so I grabbed all of the books. I’ve only read the first couple but I’m loving it and will be continuing with the series and looking forward to the next ones.

I’m late to the Finlay Donovan fan club, but I’m absolutely now a full member! Life couldn’t get any worse for our heroine, her husband has left her for their realtor, the pile of overdue bills might soon need their own zip code, everything seems to be breaking around her house, and, also, her latest mystery book is going nowhere and her agent is after her for a completed manuscript. And yet it does. A misunderstood overheard conversation, leads a woman to hire Finlay to deal with her husband, which takes a very bad turn in her attempt to not kill the husband. I absolutely enjoyed Finlay’s rollercoaster as she tried to solve her problems, keep her kids, and hopefully not get any deeper. Warm, engaging dialogue that makes you root for Finlay to find a way out.

A killer mystery about a single working mom who does it all and hides the bodies!

To say Finlay Donovan is "down on her luck" is an understatement. She's newly divorced from a certified douchebag, mother of two kids under 5, broke, struggling to write her next mystery-romance novel and retain custody of her kids, and now she's accidentally been hired as a hitwoman.

As everything in her life spirals out of control and she gets drawn deeper into the dangerous world of the Russian mob, Finlay joins forces with her resourceful nanny, Vero, to take out the bad guys and avoid jail. With not one, but TWO incredibly hot love interests and a new "killer" idea for her book - Finlay may actually come out of this okay.... but there are plenty of loose threads for Cosimano to pull for Book 2.

This book grabs you from the start and doesn't slow down. Fans of Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series - it's time to switch allegiances to characters that are just as fun to root for but more unpredictable and actually change and grow. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator hit it out of the park! I'm buckled in for the whole series!

The female protagonist and her sidekick will amuse you in this morally grey mystery. You will actually be on the side of the murderers on this one.

This was funny, dark, and delightful, if not bordering on slightly outlandish at times. Finley was a ln entertaining lead character, and although I enjoyed her, I questioned her sense at times. Overall I enjoyed this despite having to suspend my disbelief at some of the plot points. A read that kept my engaged and entertained, but I'm not sure I feel compelled to continue on in the series.

Elle Cosimano’s Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is a wildly entertaining blend of comedy, crime, and chaos. Finlay, a struggling novelist and single mom, stumbles into a contract killer mix-up, leading to a whirlwind of misadventures, accidental crimes, and laugh-out-loud moments. The novel’s sharp humor, engaging mystery, and relatable depiction of motherhood make it a refreshing take on the thriller genre. Finlay’s partnership with Vero, her sharp-witted nanny-turned-accomplice, adds an extra layer of charm and unpredictability.

While the plot requires some suspension of disbelief, the book’s witty writing and fast-paced storytelling keep it engaging. Some twists feel over-the-top, but they contribute to the novel’s fun, almost screwball-comedy energy. The balance of suspense, humor, and heart makes it a compelling read, perfect for fans of lighthearted mysteries with strong, flawed, and lovable heroines. Four stars!

Finlay Donovan is a mess. Her husband left her and is engaged to a real estate agent. Finlay is a writer of thrillers with writer's block who can't pay her bills or handle her children. I mean who puts duct tape on their kids head. At this point I wouldn't have put her in charge of a goldfish. While having lunch with her agent in a Panera discussing the plot of her new book in Panera she is overheard and is mistaken for a killer for hire and given her first assignment.

I thought the book was amusing. The characters weren't very well developed and the whole thing was a bit madcap but the plot came together and kept me guessing to end. The ending isn't exactly a cliffhanger but does leave an opening for the next book.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital copy.

I had seen the Finlay Donovan books come out over the years and for some reason I can't fathom, I never managed to pick one up until now. I don't typically love hot mess characters, but Finlay was one mostly by trying to do too much without the right resources and ax ex-husband butting in to sabotage her. Finlay was someone I could root for! Mash that up with an "I can't believe how that happened" storyline, and I was hooked. This was a fun escape from reality for me, and I can't wait to get on with reading the rest of Elle's books!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for this gifted copy to discover and get up to speed on this wonderful series!

Really enjoyed this new series and the characters. Some of the situations are unbelievable, but that’s what makes these books so fun. It’s an easy to read book. The characters spark your interest and keep you wanting more.

I am absolutely obsessed with this series, and I’m flying through them. The characters, the plots…it’s all so fun and refreshing.

Finlay is spunky, relatable and fighting tooth and nail to stay afloat for her kids in the midst of an ugly divorce. Her ex and his new fiancée are making life difficult for her, but she is refusing to give up. After a small misunderstanding, she finds herself as a newly minted hitman…which leads us down the path of a hilarious and twisted story.

If you like thrillers with a little bit of self depreciating comedy mixed in, I highly recommend this read!

So this is one of those books. It’s been on my TBR list for so so so long. But, with the second one coming out, I knew I needed to read this first one. And now I’m SO MAD that I waited so long to read this. It’s kind of amazing. Move over Morelli and Ranger, I’m now trying to find out if I’m Team Nick or Team Julian. Hot cop, or hot bartender soon to be lawyer? If you enjoy the Stephanie Plum series, you’re going to love Finlay and Vero.

I initially thought this was a romance. However it turned into more of a whodunnit with a splash of romance and a dash of chick lit. I loved the subtle suspense mixed with the quick wit that kept me laughing. It was a quick read, I finished it in a day, and now I’m sad it’s over.

SideNote: I would like Finlay to be my new friend, and if she were, I would introduce her to yoga dress pants. Yes they’re a thing.