I loved this book! It was silly and over the top and so much fun. I was rooting for the main character so hard that she could literally get away with murder in my eyes. I despised all her enemies and 😍 both of her love interests. The characters are all on point! So pumped for 2 more books to follow Finlay and Vero’s antics 😆 - that last page though!

This was such a fun book! Finlay is a struggling author, she’s had a few books published but she’s still relatively unknown. Recently divorced, she finds herself a single mother struggling to pay the bills. To make matters worse, her cheating ex-husband has been threatening to take sole custody of their two children. With every piled up bill & missed mortgage payment (he’s her landlord), he’s one step closer to his goal. Her next book needs to be a big hit. She’s already been paid a meager advance to write her next story. She’s running out of time. Past her extension with no idea in sight, she’s cornered into meeting her agent at a Panera’s. What transpires is a huge misunderstanding by an eavesdropping patron and the start of one wild & crazy ride. This was such a fun adventure and I can’t wait to read the next in the series. The 5th in this series, Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave releases 3/04/25.

Thank you to Minotaur Books, Elle Cosimano, & NetGalley for this gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It was a fast paced, fun, intriguing novel. I loved the relatability of Finlay's attempt at writing her novel and her references she used for "inspiration". Vero was a great addition to the story and really pushed the plot around. I'm definitely excited to read the next book in the series!

I was hooked from the very first line! Finlay is a sympathetic, realistic character - she's a single mom, struggling to keep all the balls in the air with her two young kids, her house, and her job as a writer.
After a chance meeting and a misunderstanding, she gets "hired" as a hit woman, and she involves herself in a series of interesting hijinks. Because she writes mysteries, she's pretty good at the accidental crime thing.
I adored Vero, the no-nonsense nanny/accountant. I want a Vero of my own. Absolutely cheered when she put the ex husband in his place.
Excited to continue the series.

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is a chaotic cocktail of hilarity, crime, and friendship that had me flipping pages faster than Finlay could clean up her latest accidental mess. The characters are so much fun, with Finlay’s frazzled single-mom energy clashing perfectly with Veronica's no-nonsense, ride-or-die attitude. Seriously, Veronica deserves her own spin-off—her banter and quippy comebacks had me laughing.
Sure, the plot is a bit of a chain of near-misses, accidents, and wild "right place, wrong time" scenarios, but that’s half the fun! It’s like watching your favorite rom-com accidentally trip into a murder mystery. I was fully here for the madness, and the friendship between Finlay and Veronica kept everything grounded in the best way. It’s clever, witty, and just the kind of escape you need when life gets too serious. Highly recommend for a good laugh and a lot of heart!

This was my first time reading a mystery, and I'm hooked! I giggled so much! I loved how relatable Finlay was as a mother; I connected with her character so much. The mystery of how she would navigate the challenges she faced kept me engaged. The babysitter, Vero, was such a delight and a character I would love to have as a best friend. The ending left me with so many more questions but in the best way possible. I'm excited to read the next book and find out what happens next with Finlay and Vero!

What an absolutely fun mystery! Finlay Donovan is a hot mess writer who accidently becomes a hit man for hire. Full of twists ans turns, this book is a gem and I can't wait to read the next one. Highly recommend!

I had kept my distance from this book for the longest time thinking that it would not be for me and boy was I wrong. I devoured this book in 2 days. Everything about this book on paper should not be geared towards me, but I LOVED it. This is the case of the right book at the right time.

The character of Finlay is great and I want to be friends with her. She is someone I can see myself hanging out and having a beer with. I was laughing out loud a few times of the situations that she gets herself into.

I cannot wait to see what happens next in her life and where we go from here.

Finished Reading

Pre-Read notes

I know these books were a bit of a juggernaut for Booksta readers in 2023. I never picked them up, but that's because I always had so many other books to read! I enjoy well-written women's fiction, and these books were very popular! So far, I don't love the fmc, but I want terribly for rings to get better for her! That's one good way to hook a reader!

Final Review

Theoretically, Noone should need a recipe to throw together a chicken soup or a simple meatloaf, but certain things about motherhood had always eluded me. Cooking had been one of them. Apparently , marriage had been the other. (4:22:20)

Review summary and recommendations

I liked this! The plot was too coincidental, but the characters made it fun. I really enjoyed what avmess the fmc was, though again, she was really *a lot* at times. But if you come to this book for a good time, you will likely find it.

I recommend this book to readers who enjoy what I call a crime caper, fmcs who seem to stumble through a pole of trouble and into some sort of success, and family drama.

Reading Notes

Three (or more) things I loved:

1. This book really reveals the challenges of raising two little kids. Forget the big stuff, the minute to minute stress sounds like torture! It builds really good tension throughout the book.

2. At about the time that the secondary fmc sniffs fistful of cash, I realized I might be enjoying my read!

3. I really get this character on a day to day level, struggling to make basic life work. I don't like her job, but I really want things to get better for her! She just needs to get out of her own way.


Three (or less) things I didn't love:

This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.

1. I'm really not a fan of hero mom narratives. They struggle to distinguish themselves and they're overly sentimental. This one is better because she's such a mess as a mom!

2. I'm not a fan of writer main characters. They are in part an easy opportunity for moments of meta, but the are weak in my estimation.

3. The premise is slightly ludicrous, but the humor is good and helps the absurdities go down easier.

4. The fmc has some very fuzzy morals. When she kills her first human, this time on accident, she has a freak out moment...about being caught...but never really expresses any emotions about being a murderer. I found this unbelievable at best, and icky at worst.

5. I hate it when an audiobook narrator ruins the audiobook with their speech quirks. This reader upward inflicts most of the sentences. *edit She tries to give a character a Russian accent, and it does not go well. It would have been better if she had not used an accent, and instead just lowered her vocal register.

Rating: ☠️☠️☠️ /5 dead men
Recommend? yes
Finished: Feb 6 '25
Format: digital arc, NetGalley; accessible (audiobook) copy, Libby
Read this book if you like:
👮‍♀️ crime capers
🫄 hero moms
🔫 accidental criminals
🤥 unreliable narrator
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 family drama

Thank you to the author Elle Cosimano, publishers St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of Finley Donovan Is Killing It. I found an accessible (audiobook) copy on Libby. All views are mine.
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Book 1 of 6

I can’t believe I took so long to read this series. Once I started I couldn’t stop till I read all the ones available

My husband was the third person to recommend this book (series) to me, so I finally took the time to read it. Overall I enjoyed the twists and turns and it fit the bill for a humerou suspense novel with likable characters and a good set-up for sequels/series. For me personally, though, I found it too far-fetched and silly, and I felt myself rolling my eyes and wrinkling my nose at each more proposterous turn of events. Fans of Janet Evanovich will likely really enjoy this series as well.

Well, I finally read this book - thank you NetGalley - and understand all the hype surrounding this book when it first came out. I was definitely laughing out loud many times in the book. I will absolutely continue this series!

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔾𝕚𝕤𝕥:
Stressed-out single mom and struggling novelist Finlay Donovan's life is in disarray—she's behind on her book, her ex-husband has fired the nanny, and she had to send her daughter to school with duct-taped hair after a scissor mishap. While discussing her new suspense novel with her literary agent over lunch, Finlay is mistakenly identified as a contract killer and inadvertently agrees to dispose of a problematic husband to make some extra cash. However, she quickly realizes that navigating crime in real life is far more complicated than writing about it, as she becomes embroiled in a genuine murder investigation that turns her chaotic life upside down.

𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕞𝕖𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕋𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕤:
😂 𝘓𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘰𝘶𝘵-𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘰𝘳
🔎 𝘊𝘰𝘻𝘺 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺
💞 𝘚𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘮
📚 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳

𝕊𝕚𝕞𝕚𝕝𝕒𝕣 𝕍𝕚𝕓𝕖𝕤:
📚 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗮 𝗪𝗼𝗻𝗴'𝘀 𝗨𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗿𝘀 ʙʏ ᴊᴇssᴇ ǫ sᴜᴛᴀɴᴏ

𝕄𝕪 𝕋𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:
𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗞𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝘁 had me laughing out-loud from the very first chapter. I found Finlay to be such a relatable character. When a misunderstanding quickly entangles Finlay in an actual murder mystery, a combination of hilarious misunderstandings and nail-biting twists kept me turning the page and engaged throughout the whole story.

I thoroughly enjoyed all of the characters and felt like they all brought something to the story. The banter was top notch and I adored the friendships and relationships.

Fans of 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗼 𝗠𝗲 will love this series. I can’t wait to read more of Finlay’s adventures!

𝕄𝕪 ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (𝟺/𝟻)

This book was so fun, I love the cozy, humorous murder mystery types and this hit all of the right spots! I’ve been dying to read this book when I first heard of the series but kept putting it off till I finally got my hands on it!

Finlay is struggling with her bills, children, and her ex-husband with her new book deadline coming up, and when someone overhears a conversation out of context, all the sudden her life issues could be fixed with one easy task….kill a man. And then she does, but nothing lines up and she keeps getting more offers to kill other husbands and this all spirals out of control. She starts dating a cop, which makes it even messier but I love how it all played out.

Adding in Vero who pushes her to take risks and fights with Steven makes her the adorable sidekick who is actually running all of this. I love it all. Can’t wait to start book 2!

Funny, irreverent, crazy book. Findlay tries so hard - but life just keeps on knocking her down.
But then opportunity presents it's self in the strangest way..
Findlay bumbles her way through and manages to come out on the right side!

This was a fun read! Finlay is just an absolute mess and stumbles into a life as a contract killer. I enjoyed this and mystery lovers will enjoy it! Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read this e-galley!

It had been a while, so I first reread the series starter, Finlay Donovan Kills It, and once again felt the rollicking energy right from the start. That Susan Isaacs energy with a DC flavor. In ...Digs Her Own Grave, the author is still every bit as good at making me squirm with that N0-Don't-Go-Down-That-Dark-Staircase kind of crazy action that she manages to get away with.

As a man, I find Finlay's romantic and other interactions with men and boys to be enlightening and funny in equal measure; and once again, the plot twists and turns are terrific, if exhausting.

This was the first book I read by this author I will definitely read the rest in this series! The book was a fun read. It kept me interested right from the start The characters were fun! I enjoyed it. I’d recommend if you’re looking for a light read. Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

I LOVED this! I don't know why I resisted giving this series a try for so long - because it's phenomenal. I love the main characters, I didn't know where the story was going at any point ahead of time, and it kept me on my toes. I finished this one and immediately started reading book 2!

The book "Finlay Donovsn is Killing It" is a story I enjoyed very much. Finlay is an author with writer's block and down on her luck. Her ex-husband, soon to be remarried, wants sole custody of their children. Things look bleak for Finlay until a killing. It is a lighthearted murder mystery with a totally different presentation. If you enjoy books written by authors like Frederik Backman or Graeme Simsion, I think you'd enjoy this book. Go for it! I look forward to reading the next Finlay book!

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Thanks to the publisher, Minotaur Books, and the author, Elle Cosimano, for the privilege to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.