Suspend all disbelief before you open this book. Then prepare to go on one of the wildest rides you're likely to take this reading season. For example, Finlay Donovan is a moderately successful author/housewife. Things aren't going well for her as the book begins; she's out of money, the bills are piling up, her ex-husband is threatening to take her to court for her children, and the children are in the kitchen playing with scissors and syrup. Never a good setup for a calm life.

In the things can't get worse department, Finlay meets with her agent and the woman sitting at the table next to them overhears part of their conversation. Problem is, she jumps to the conclusion Finlay is a contract killer and before you know it she's given Finlay a huge wad of cash to kill her husband. Before she can extricate herself from the situation, Finlay's situation goes from bad to worse again, and then, try as she might to dig out of the problem she only succeeds in digging a deeper hole.

In the process, Finlay hires her former nanny, who was fired by the ex, to help her get out of the sticky situation. As they go about addressing the problem, things continue as....well, you need to read it for yourself. To give you too much information in advance would likely lessen your enjoyment of the book. Suffice it to say, prepare for a wildly unlikely tale, some terrific sticky situations, and a whole lot of fun.

This is the perfect counterpoint when you've been reading too many serious "who dun-its". My thanks to St. Martin Press/Minotaur Books for an advance copy of this book for review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Finished this right before 2020 ended and it was such a cute book to end the year on. It took a murder mystery and gave it a little humour and levity.

FInlay is a mystery author, not all that successful in her first books and struggling with coming up with something for her next release. Her life is a mess, bill piling up and long past due, her cheating husband engaged to his mistress and threatening to take her kids, her agent breathing down her neck. When someone over hears a conversation and mistakes Finlay for something she is not she's made an offer she can't refuse....but she probably should.

This book made me laugh and also cringe with anxiety throughout, it had a great pace keeping me engrossed throughout and was such an easy read. I would best describe it as chick-lit with a dash of thriller for some spice.

Definitely recommend!

I got Finlay Donovan is Killing It and finished it in a day. This is very rare for me.⠀
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Finlay Donovan writes murder mysteries and she’s behind deadline for her latest book, like really behind. The worst part, she has a lot going on in her personal life and she has no inspiration for a new novel. When she meets her agent, she’s overheard discussing plot ideas and someone mistakes her for a hit-woman. Then things get interesting. ⠀
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Between a unique plot and quirky characters, this book has something for everyone.

I didn’t read the description of Finlay Donavan is Killing It so I didn’t know what I was getting into. I’ll admit it, I thought the cover was cute. I enjoyed this book so much. I really liked the story of this mom turned contract killer and actually laughed out loud in several places. Finlay is a struggling author with a jerk of an ex-husband threatening to take custody of their two kids. He even fired her babysitter! Can her life get any messier? You’ll have to read the book to find out for yourself. 4⭐️

First of all, I would like to thank Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of Finlay Donovan is Killing It.

I think I might be into mystery books after reading this super fresh and spunky mystery. I usually am not one for scary books, but this one wasn’t scary but definitely had me at the edge of my seat waiting to see where the plot would take me. I also was not expecting this book to be about a murder by the looks of the illustrated cover.

This was such a unique and laugh out loud mystery, with a little bit of flirting thrown in. I could totally see this book turn into a movie, and definitely with a sequel after reading the cliff-hanging epilogue.

I highly recommend this book if you love a good mystery that isn’t all that serious, or if you have always wished you loved mystery books and what to dive into a new genre.

Finlay Donovan is the antihero I didn’t know I needed! Hilariously embroiled in a murder for hire plot, this mystery is a funny who-dun-it. Compulsively readable and I can’t wait for the next in the series!

This was such a fun read and I really loved the originality of the concept.

Finlay is an author who is having a very bad year. In the midst of a messy custody battle with a husband who left her for a “newer model” and a negative balance in her cheque book, add on being behind with delivering her next book and no idea where to begin with writing it, it’s not a good time. She writes under a pseudonym and wears a “wig scarf” disguise to meet up with her agent where someone mistakes her for a hit man for hire and ridiculousness ensues! Throw in the Russian mob and a babysitter who has her back and a few new suitors and many other layers and you have a wild ride that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

I had a bit of bad timing reading this over the Christmas Holidays and found myself distracted from it many times I wish I had been able to read it uninterrupted as I think I would have enjoyed it even more. I had heard so many good things about this and had been really looking forward to it and had to keep reminding myself that it was supposed to by implausible and fun! The writing was really good and I was surprised to see that this was Elle Cosimano’s first adult novel!

I didn’t fully connect with the characters but did find their choices true and believable (even if they left me thinking, why would you do that?? 😂) and that’s all that matters to me, I don’t have to like them, I just need to get them. I will for sure tune in to what looks like the set up for a sequel but that being said, I wont probably think too much about the characters in the meantime, I think that’s what stopped it from being a 5 star for me.

But please don’t get me wrong, I did really enjoy this and it was a lot of outrageous fun, and I definitely recommend that you see if Finlay is killing it! 🔪

**Thank-you to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book which will publish on February 2nd 2021**

When I started this novel, it sounded a bit different than my usual reads.
Finlay Donovan is a struggling, suspense novelist, single mom, and is struggling from drowning in debt. She gets mistaken as a hired killer and offered $50,000. Which, of course, it extremely tempting!
I soon discovered that Finlay and Nick are sure a lot like Stephanie Plum and Joe Morelli; Nanny/accomplice Vero, although much much younger and not exactly but somewhat similar to Grandma Mazur; however, no one is quite like Lula!!

Although described as a ‘dark comedy’ I guess because of the way Finn gets caught up in being a murderer! But to me it is a situation “The Bounty Hunter’ would easily find!

This story is fun read ~ a total treat!


Want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press ~ Minotaur Books for this eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for professional review purposes only. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for February 2, 2021

Wow.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

When a book starts out- “It is a widely known fact that most moms are ready to kill someone by eight thirty AM on any given morning.” you know you’re in for something good. (Especially for a mom stuck in quarantine for months with two young children and a husband working from home!) I was sucked in from that first line. I have never read a book quite like this.

Finlay Donovan is trying her best to stay afloat after her cheating husband moved out with his mistress. She’s left with no control and no money. She has to juggle motherhood while providing for her kids on her measly author salary all while dealing with her ex. After he fires their babysitter she’s late to meet with her editor and her life spirals from there. She is strangely offered a job to murder someone’s mobster husband which is convenient as she writes murder mysteries (but knows nothing about killing someone.) She’s not a murderer, but a mom who would do anything not to lose her kids. She teams up with her babysitter and attempts to get control of her life back.

I simultaneously didn’t want this book to end and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to know what would happen next. Finlay’s choices gave me anxiety but also totally intrigued me. She was so relatable I felt like I could be her (but wouldn’t want to be faced with her life.) I had crazy dreams after reading one night- thats how invested I was in this story. I loved the real news of Finlay’s character as well as Vero, the babysitter. Nothing beats a good murder mystery especially when you’re on the very confused side trying to figure it out too. There was one part of the story I didn’t love as it turned out to be too much of a coincidence for me but can totally look past it. I was speculating and guessing the whole time. And the epilogue! Phew! I can not wait to read the next one!

I wanted to love FINLAY DONOVAN but only liked it. brief synopsis: author writing murder mysteries & recently out of a broken marriage finds herself in the middle of a real-life murder mystery involving a broken marriage. this is a comedy & a thriller, but I didn’t find it especially comedic or thrilling. protagonist Finlay is likable & extremely clumsy, though I didn’t find her character to be well-developed. my favorite parts of this book were descriptions of writing, coffee, hot chocolate, and the one & only Panera. breakout star was Vero, Finlay’s sidekick who’d make a better protagonist. pretty cover, but wouldn’t prioritize tbh.

If you like slapstick comedy, a solid plot mystery, engaging dialogue and a humorous romp with an eclectic cast of characters, this is the book for you. From the start, this book captured my attention, and I could not put it down, quickly becoming a page-turner. A struggling writer in over her head propels this wonderfully entertaining tale of miscreants and unintentional mayhem as our protagonist tries to do the right thing but instead hilarity ensues. The writing was superb with a comfortable tone making it easy to follow along with what the author intended. The mystery was filled with excitement as I eagerly flip the pages in anticipation of what will happen next and the author did not disappoint. Everything you can imagine, happened and as the drama neared the finished line, the pacing escalated, and I couldn’t wait for the last word to be read. Bravo, a fantastic read.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. I'll be posting my review on Goodreads and Amazon

So Finlay accidentally became a hitwoman. The story sounds astounding and yet very much believable. Finlay's character is a sharp-witted, housewife and completely relatable to it. When everything is falling apart for her, she somehow found a silver-lining, in killing someone else, or did she? Vero and Finlay are like modern Thelma and Louise. The story was very believable up until the police found the bodies. I find it hard to believe that forensic did not do any autopsy to determined the death of these people. One person would stand out as an odd man out. Without giving away the plot, to know what I mean, you would have to read the book. It is still very much enjoyable.

Thank you to Martin's Press and NetGalley for letting me read this fabulous ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fun book with well-drawn, lovable characters. Part romance, part crime novel, neither one competing for top billing as genre. Loved that it was a somewhat romance book that didn't end up with a wedding, not even a long term relationship, just the main character doing her thing and succeeding. Crime was wrapped up enough to satisfy but not bore with details. Ending proposes possible second novel, which I would read. Hopefully Vero gets her own story in the future.

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano is a super fun, entertaining crime mystery. Finlay is a mystery author who meets her literary agent at Panera to discuss her latest book. She ends up being overheard and mistaken for a hired criminal. An unhappy wife wants to hire Finlay to kill her husband! This story is super funny, and I can't wait to read the next book in this new series! Highly recommend! Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

Finlay Donovan is Killing It is a fun mix between a murder mystery and the story of a 30-something single mom of two just trying to hold it all together. I found Finlay to be an endearing main character, even as she repeatedly (accidentally) gets herself in over her head. This is an easy read that I breezed through in two days. It kept me guessing and engaged while still be a light mystery read. Recommend if you’re not into gory thrillers and like a second plot!

This was an interesting mystery. Better than expected. I will recommend it to patrons. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

You know that scene at the beginning of The Lion King where Rafiki walks out to the edge of Pride Rock and hoists baby Simba in the air to be presented to all the animals of the Pride Lands? The one where the opening chant of “The Circle of Life” blares in the background? "Nants’ ingonyama, bakithi, baba. Sithi hu ‘ngonyama.”

Well I’m Rafiki and this book will be Simba anytime any of my suburban book club member friends (“SBCMFs”) ask me what they should read next in 2021.

Not to say only SBCMFs will enjoy this romp about a barely-scraping-by newly-divorced writer and mother of two who’s mistaken for a hit woman, but man those MFs are gonna love it.

I did too. 4.5 stars.

My appreciation goes to St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books and the author for granting my wish to read an advanced copy via NetGalley. Thanks to you, my 2021 recommendations are already killing it.

When we first meet Finlay Donovan things are not going well. She’s already burned through a measly advance for her stalled book, and she’s trying to move on after a somewhat messy divorce. You might not see this as a setup for hilarity, but from the gate there’s a lot of relatable snark to Finley’s predicament.

One day Finlay stumbles on a unique opportunity that could change everything. All she has to do is break the law and compromise herself morally-no biggie. As Finlay gets further into this other world, the lines between fact and fiction begin to blur. When you’re a writer with a serious bout of blockage, you’ll take inspiration wherever you can get it. What happens next proves the old adage, sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction.

Finlay Donovan is Killing It is an aptly titled book that was a fun thrill ride from start to finish. It’s a mystery, but not your typical whodunnit. It also had serious Dead to Me vibes with a splash of Adventures in Babysitting’s adventurous whimsy thrown in. Basically, it had a little bit of everything for a lot of different readers. I also would venture to say the story doesn’t end here, even if that is just wishful thinking on my part.

This title will be released on February 2nd. Thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and most importantly, Ellie for writing a comical mystery that truly slays.

Ever overhear a conversation in a coffee shop, and wonder if you REALLY heard what you thought you heard? Finlay Donovan is having a bad day. She and her husband are in the middle of a divorce, her four-year-old daughter just cut her own hair, and her agent is threatening to take back her advance because her latest book isn't finished (or really, even started). Then she and her agent are overheard by someone at Panera who thinks that she is a contract killer (instead of just writing about them). The woman slips Finlay a note about killing her husband for $50,000, and, being desperate for money to keep herself afloat and not lose her kids to her obnoxious ex-husband, she decides to at least research this woman's husband. And then stalk him at a bar. And switch drinks so he gets the date rape drug instead of his "date."

Finlay doesn't exactly commit the perfect crime, but you'll laugh at the miscues and craziness that ensues when she and her babysitter find themselves dealing with dead bodies, intriguing bartenders and policemen, members of the Mafia, and crazy women who decide the men in their lives need to go.

This was a fun read, because every woman will identify with the urge to "deal" with the sleazeball men in this world, and the worth of a good friend who knows where the bodies are buried!

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book.