Elle Cosimano has done it again! Finlay Donovan is one my favorite modern day characters. The antics she gets herself in, along with her best friend/nanny, Vero, are seriously hysterical yet some what believable. In this go around, Finlay and Vero are out to stop the murder of Steven, her ex husband, before it is too late. As much as Finlay is trying to steer clear of the "hitwoman" life, situations seem to simply fall into her lap.

I appreciate how Finlay is written a bit older in age and has a backstory with baggage. Between her ex-husband, her need for money in order to support her two young children and her desire to just maybe have an actual social life, she has her hands full.

All in all, Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead is comic gold and a must read!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books, and Elle Cosimano for the e-arc of Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead in exchange for an honest opinion.

Once again, Finlay is struggling to finish her book before her deadline and make ends meet as a single mom of 2. With Vero to help her, she is sure she can do what she needs to keep afloat. However, when a mysterious letter arrives letting her know that a hit has been put out on her ex-husband, Finlay struggles to keep everyone safe, figure out who wants him dead, and complete her book on time.

This second book in the Finlay Donovan series is funny and smart. You never know what antics Finlay and Vero are going to get up to or how they will get themselves out of it. The plot is outlandish and inconceivable, but it works so well in the world Cosimano has created.

I feel for Finlay on the relationship front, but I do hope the love triangle between her, Nick, and Julian is resolved soon. I think there is enough tension/chemistry with either love interest that both are not needed.

I loved getting more of Vero’s backstory and loved that we got to see her and Finlay’s relationship continue to grow. I’m quite interested to see where this series goes. This is definitely an auto-buy series for me. I can’t wait for the next one.

Full review will be posted on Goodreads and my instagram (www.instagram.com/madhattersfolly_reads) the week of publication.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Finlay and Vero are back! If you've read this first one, you definitely need to pick this one up to see the continuation of their story. I loved the first book because it was fresh, unique, and had me laughing out loud. This second book definitely made me laugh, but it felt too much like the first book. There was certainly a lot of action, but the story didn't move forward as much as I would have liked. There were many unanswered questions at the end, leaving me to believe there will be a third book. And I am HERE. FOR. IT. I just hope there will be something new/exciting to add to the story line.

3.5 stars

Finlay Donovan is my hero. She is an amazing character and I want more, more, more!
I received this as an ARC from NetGalley. I quickly read Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, book 1, and adored it and the characters of Finlay and Vero.
Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead was even better!
I tried to read this slow so it would last, but it was super hard to put down.
The chemistry of the characters, the fun and upbeat mystery makes it the perfect read!
Pub Date: February 1, 2022.

I loved Finlay Donovan is Killing It and was thrilled to get an ARC of the second in the series.
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Elle Cosimano had created such memorable characters and I just couldn’t wait to get back to their stories and find out what trouble they’d get into this time.
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This follow-up focuses on Finlay’s ex-husband and the ad she sees online to put a hit out on him. This one was a bit less slap-stick than the last one but I really loved diving into the story here.
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I highly recommend continuing on with Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead and will continue to reach for the rest of the series as long as they’re being written.
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Thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this eARC.

Finlay Donovan Knocks Em Dead was a great sequel to Finlay Donovan is Killing It! Finlay finds herself in hot water again when her husband Steven is the next target. Alongside Vero, Finlay tries to solve who is trying to take out her husband before it is too late..

I had a little difficulty getting into the sequel because it started off kind of slow, but about halfway through I found myself trying to figure out who was FedUp and EasyClean. Throw in a good romance subplot and I really started to get into this book. I just wished I got some closure at the end of the book because she left it on another cliffhanger!! Even though I struggled to get through some parts of the book, I definitely will pick up her next one!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for a gifted copy of Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead by Elle Cosimano.

I really enjoyed this one (and the first book too). There is so much I want to share but this is a spoiler free review. I can promise if you enjoyed Finlay Donovan is Killing It then you will also enjoy this one.

Finlay is back and still hilarious. How does one single mom get herself into so much trouble? She is still writing books and trying to make big life choices all while trying to keep herself out of trouble.

Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead takes place one month after the first book in the series, Finlay Donovan is Killing It. I absolutely loved both books and look forward to book three in the series.

Mystery & Thrillers
Release Date: February 1, 2022

Finlay Donovan is back at her shenanigans again. I love this character and all the escapades she has. Her sidekick Vero is right by her side again this go round. While I liked this second book in the series a lot, it felt a little forced and too neatly wrapped up. I would like to thank the publishers and net galley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Well, they did it again! All of the things we loved about Finlay and her supporting cast of characters the first time around is back again. They are authentic, messy, genuine, quick thinking, and most of all fun. I fell in love with Finlay and jumping back into her world was just as enjoyable in the sequel.

Finlay has just taken her first deep breath after the trouble she got herself into in book one when she notices that someone wants her ex-husband dead in a chat group for moms. Not ideal since she was under the impression that she had wrapped up her last *misunderstanding* and could go back to her normal life. At the same time, Vero (her live in nanny/accomplice/friend) is being a little sketchy, she's dating a guy in law school at least a decade her junior, and Nick, the hot cop, is still trying to take her out to dinner any chance he gets. There's a lot going on, as usual, in the life of Finlay Donovan and this book is all about how she balances it all while trying to keep Steven alive and her kids out of harms way.

This book was the perfect light read with just enough shenanigans to keep you laughing and on the edge of your seat. The author does a great job of weaving all of the details together throughout. This is an adventure I highly recommend!

Thank You to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this book. Pub date is Feb 1, 2022.

Elle Casimano does it again. Finlay is at it again.... writing a book about crime and finding herself in the midst of crimes at the same time. Finlay and Vero find out that someone has put out a hit on Finlay's ex-husband Steven. He is a good dad, so Finlay gets sucked in to save him. They encounter crazy adventures which involve handsome detective Nick and hot law student Julian while Finlay is dating both. As they try to figure out who put ordered the hit on Steven, they race against the clock to save lives which keeps the pace moving. The reveal of who ordered the hit is quite the shock. Some antics are a little far-fetched, but Casimano gives us a fun, quick read to allow us to escape. And begs the question-- what will Finlay get into next?

Another fun story! Love the character development, story line, and all of the hijinks! I hope this series goes on and on.

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead
Elle Cosimano
Mystery
Nancy
4

After having gotten the credit for the accidental deaths of two truly bad men and after having been paid for those deaths by the mob wives who had hired her to kill them, Finlay Donovan vowed never again to visit the women’s forum online where women gathered not only to kvetch about their husbands but where someone has just posted an offer of a hundred thousand dollars for a hitman (woman?) to murder Finlay’s ex-husband Steven. Regardless of how much she loathes Steven, Finlay refuses to consider killing the father of their two children. In fact, terrified that some other Steven-hater isn’t taking the kids’ feelings into account and has no compunction about wiping him out, Finlay is determined to find the potential killer and stop him or her before they get to Steven. This in spite of having two kids to raise, a sexy (young) law student to sleep with, sample pages of her new book to write and submit, and an enthusiastic nanny with murderous impulses to control.

This second in the Finlay Donovan series is just as much fun to read as the first; I thoroughly enjoyed it!

My thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

Nancy

NancysBookNook on Facebook

Finlay is back and perhaps better than ever! This book picks up right where we left off so we jump right into the action here. It is a lot more fast paced, less character build, in the sequel. I love the dark humor and unexpected hijinks you get from these books.
Finlay is still a bit of a hot mess and her nanny Vero is as dark and sarcastic as ever. This dynamic duo is very Dead to Me esque. But the stakes are even higher in this book as there is a threat on Finlay's ex husband's life. Even though he's a lying cheater, he is still the father of her children and needs to be protected.
Her professional and personal life is more complicated than ever featuring a: deadly mommy forum, body parts in washing machines, fake murders, and a sexy cop/lawyer love triangle. (oh yes, this plot is jam packed). This quirky mystery is such a quick read that I already need more! I also would recommend re-reading the first book in case you forgot any original plot details.
Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review, (PUB DATE: 2/1/22).

Another enjoyable and fast read. I was introduced to Finlay last month on an audiobook and I loved it. I also loved the plot twist and turns in this story. I wish I had it on an audiobook because I absolutely loved the narration. I hope they use the same one for this book!

Elle Cosimano does it again!

The hijinks and hilarity of the Finlay Donovan books are matched only by Cosimano’s ability to write a true page-turning mystery. This sequel has all the twisty-turning action of the first, but dialed up a notch.

I’m ready for book 3!

So I did really enjoy this book (and the first one). It's a solid read that hooked me quickly and kept my attention throughout. There were a lot of things I liked. A random highlight for me was the hilarious phone conversation between Finlay's mom and Steven. I appreciate when a book can make me laugh out loud because it's hard to do, so all the props to Elle on such great writing! I also appreciated that I felt all over the place trying to guess who was trying to kill her ex-husband and felt like I could trust basically no one! This is something I enjoy because often when you read a lot of thrillers or mysteries it gets easier to see what's coming next. When it comes to a thriller though, I always am hoping for a big twist or reveal. I think because it's a series book that ends, as many do, in a cliffhanger, I didn't feel fully satisfied at the end. I wanted more of an exciting conclusion. I think that's why I wasn't as blown away as I hoped. Still, it's a very enjoyable series and I'm ready to see what comes next. I think once I do, and a big reveal happens, I'll find a five star in the next book!

BOOK REVIEW- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My thoughts- Elle Cosimano does it again with the second book in Finlay Donovan series. Thank you to @netgalley, @ellecosimano, and @stmartinspress for this E-arc in exchange for an honest review! This will be the perfect winter cozy book for all you mystery lovers out there! We are treated to another fun and engaging mystery that is filled with personality and laugh out loud moments. I loved watching so many of Finlays relationships deepen and grow and I felt like we got to know the characters a lot more in this book. This one comes out 02/01/2022- be sure to add it to your TBR or preorder it today!! ✨

I am so happy that Finlay is back! I really enjoyed this sequel to Finlay Donovan is Killing It. All of the characters I loved from the first book returned for this one. Even some of the ones I wasn’t too fond of returned, but they are all part of the story so I was happy to have them back. This book once again did a good job of mixing suspense with comedy. I was frequently wondering how Finlay was going to get herself out of the situations she found herself in. There were lots of twists and turns right up until the end which definitely kept me guessing and leave an opening for a third book.

Overall this was a really fun read! I wish there was a little bit more of a recap from the first book though because I did find myself forgetting how certain things played out. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who was a fan of the first one.

I’m giving this one 3.5 stars, but rounding up to 4 because I love the characters. There were a couple plot points that felt unfinished and the ending felt rushed. I also really wonder about Finlay and Vero. I feel like they make some pretty wild assumptions and jump to crazy conclusions that don’t always make sense. And I question most of their choices, but I suppose that is part of Finlay’s charm.

I do love the whole premise of Finlay being an author herself. I felt like there were some moments where the author was poking fun at authors and readers at times. But it was all in good fun.

This book is clearly leading to a third one, so maybe that is why I got the feeling of being left hanging. We will have to see what trouble is awaiting Finlay and Vero in the next installment.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.

Finlay is BACK 💕🔪

If you liked FINLAY DONOVAN IS KILLING IT, you will also enjoy FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS EM DEAD, out Feb 1, 2022. Thank you for my copy, Minotaur Books!

The sequel opens a month after the first book ends. Finlay is once again behind on writing her book because she's spending all her time trying to figure out who put a hit out on her ex-husband. It's a race against time as she and Vero try to stop his murder (and figure out if Finlay should date sexy almost-lawyer Julian, or hot cop Nick).

This book is more of the same (in a good way!): disguises, dead bodies, completely unbelievable plots that you just have to go with. I would say it wasn't as "unputdownable" as the first Finlay, but I still really enjoyed it. I also wish I had reread the first book before I read the second, because I forgot a lot of the details, and there isn't much recapping in this one.