Not sure why I slept on this one for so long after reading the first but alas, I'm in it now and couldn't be happier! This was such a fun book, mystery, murder, and a good dose of humor made this such an enjoyable read. I am hooked on Finlay and Vero now, can't wait to continue the series. Cosimano has truly created a great duo with some serious longevity if she so chooses....

This is not my normal type of read, but I love this series. This time around we see Finley try to save her ex husband after she sees a post on a women’s forum looking for a hit person to take him out. It has the same heart as the first one. Finley is doing better than she was before, but she’s still struggling. And I just really like how the author balances the mystery and the character development. Finley is often impulsive and makes mistakes but the reader knows she’s a good person. And I think it would be easy for the type of book where a person falls into the criminal underworld for the person to be dumb and kind of stumble through or for them to end up super skilled. But I think Finley is more realistic. She doesn’t have it all figured out but she is smart. I can’t wait to read the rest.

Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead by Elle Cosimano is an enjoyable, fast-paced read that blends mystery, humor, and a touch of chaos. The premise continues to be outlandish in a fun way—Finlay, a single mom and struggling author, finds herself wrapped up in yet another murder-related misadventure, this time while trying to protect her ex-husband from a hit list.

The book doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that’s part of its charm. The banter between Finlay and her nanny-turned-sidekick Vero adds a lot of energy, and the plot moves quickly with plenty of twists to keep things interesting. While the story never quite feels high-stakes or deeply emotional, it works well as an entertaining, escapist read.

Overall, it’s not a groundbreaking mystery, but it’s clever and lighthearted—a great pick if you're in the mood for something breezy and a bit offbeat.

4 stars for book 2 in the Finlay Donovan series. I have read book 1 in the series and I suggest that you read them in order also, as each book builds on the previous book. If you have not read book 1, stop reading this review, because in order to explain the plot line, I must include spoilers for book 1. Book 1 has Finlay being mistakenly offered money to kill someone because of an overheard conversation about a book that she is writing. At the end of book 1, she gets a message with a link to a dark web site. Someone is offering money to kill Finlay's ex husband who has joint custody of their children. How Finlay manages to keep her ex alive and her children safe makes for an engaging, wacky story.
Finlay's complicated romantic life gets more complicated.
Thank You Minotaur books for sending me this eRC through NetGalley.

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead is Elle Cosimano‘s second book in her mystery/thriller series, Finlay Donovan. It should be read after Finlay Donovan Is Killing It.

31-year-old Finlay Donovan is a stressed-out single-mom of two and a struggling novelist, reeling from her husband’s affair with their real estate agent. Her life is in chaos as she juggles parenting two preschoolers while trying to find inspiration to meet her writing deadline. She has spent the advance on her current book and is behind on all of her bills and frequently needs her ex-husband to bail her out financially. While she seems like a hot mess, she has a lot on her plate and is emotionally devastated by her husband’s betrayal.

Finlay Donovan is struggling to finish her next novel and deal with life as a single mom. Her children’s nanny, Vero, is her ride-or-die best friend. To add to her complicated life, someone wants to murder her ex-husband, Steven. He's a good father and financially supports Finlay, so of course the dynamic duo of Finlay and Vero have to try to save him. They deal with hit-women disguised as soccer moms and the Russian mob while being careful around Detective Nick Anthony.

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead is a fast-paced, clean and hilarious story about a young mother whose life is in the toilet. The descriptions of motherhood are spot-on, while Finlay’s adventures are pure escapist comedy. It’s a definite page-turner that will leave readers begging for a sequel. The Finlay Donovan series would make an excellent TV show.

I received an advance review copy (ARC) from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the complimentary e-ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Finlay and Vero are back in business again. This time they’re trying to save Finlay’s ex-husband Steven from being killed.

I love Finlay and Vero. They’re fun, adventurous (sometimes against their will) and always in a crazy trouble.

Not a winner for me, and I probably wouldn't continue the series if I didn't own most of the series. I thought the mystery was really loosely connected and I thought the "extra" stuff with Vero was much more interesting. Not a strong entry in the series, but often, second books aren't. Looking forward to 3.

I absolutely loved the first book in this series but this one was a little Slow. The characters and predicaments were still Amusing, but it didn't have the same oomph as the first one. It was still Bingeable and I'll continue with the series.

I don’t know if I like this one as much as I did the first one but will definitely will be continuing the series for now.

Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you, NetGalley and publishers.

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead is the second in the series. Finlay thought she had put her days of accidental crime behind her and was ready to settle down to write best selling romantic thrillers, raise her kids with lots of help from trustworthy Vero, and spend quality time with the cute bartender/attorney (after he graduates!) Julian. But all is turned on its end when she discovers someone has put her ex husband on an online forum for unhappy women who have been pushed too far. Can she save him and does she want to? And how involved in this is the local branch of the Russian mafia? Is Finlay finally in over her head?

Another fun, fast paced read following Finlay and a slew of misunderstandings. Can’t wait to see what happens next!

okay. I am officially burnt out on Finlay Donovan. At first I was obsessed.... but now I cant. Just cant.

This is such a fun series and I’m having a blast reading it so far. I still love Finlay so much. She’s hilarious. Vera is even more hilarious. I love how Finlay has so many people in her corner. It’s this weird little group of found family in a way and I love it.
I’m still super curious how the romance will pan out. I love both Nick and Julian 🥲 i can’t wait to continue the series and see what happens!

On to book three!

Decided to DNF this series. Was super excited to see what all the hype was about and wanted to binge it but I just don't think the cozy mystery is the genre for me sadly, though I do totally get why other readers love it so much!

Easy breezy, super funny and cute. I’m completely invested in this series. Finley Donovan is hilarious.

Excited to finally read these! Finlay Donovan is as good as everyone said it was, can't believe I waited this long.

Thanks to Netgalley for giving me a nudge in the form of free copies of previous books.

This was such a fun and enticing second novel in the series! The fact that Finaly now has to save her no-good ex husband from his demise is excellent. As always, Elle Cosimano was able to do it again!

Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead is another hilarious, fast-paced read with my favorite accidental assassin. The mystery hooked me (EasyClean’s reveal? Brilliant!), and Finlay remains a delight, where her wit and intuition shine, especially alongside her sidekick Vero. Nick fans will swoon, though Julian’s subplot felt unnecessary.

That said, the book’s biggest flaw is its crowded cast: at times, I had to pause and remember who was who amid the chaos. The humor and twists still land (and the pacing is perfect), but the overstuffed ensemble made it slightly harder to follow than the tighter first book. The drama veers into over-the-top territory compared to the first book, and I wasn't a fan of that part. It was just one thing after another. I appreciate humor and wit, but at some points in the book, it felt forced.

Perfect for: Fans of Book 1 who don’t mind a little extra chaos, or anyone craving a laugh-out-loud mystery with heart. Just keep a character cheat sheet handy!

I am thankful to have been given the ARC of this book frompubl isher Minotaur from Netgalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

Favorite Quotes:

Not because I wanted to kill Steven. I mean, I did, I guess. Some days. Most days. Definitely whenever he opened his mouth.

My heart raced as I ducked into the passenger side and locked the door. I stared at the dashboard, unable to form words. The exterior of the car was a giant phallus, and the interior looked like Darth Vader’s bathroom.

My Review:

I gleefully bounced in my chair and frequently laughed aloud while I inhaled this amusing and cleverly penned series. I loved every well-chosen arrangement of words. Elle Cosimano is absolutely brilliant, and her Finaly Donovan creation is a gift. Poor Finaly, she was a semi-successful writer who had an ex-husband who couldn’t keep it in his pants and a toddler who refused to keep his pants on, or toilet train. Finaly was a hot mess.

Her adventures started with an inadvertent slip of paper on a Panera tray, which eventually led her to helping various women living in difficult situations who were “seeking a specialist with a certain skill set.” Finaly didn’t actually have the skill set, but she and Vero, her ever helpful nanny, kept managing to accidentally kill bad people, some they were supposed to, others just had the bad luck to die in their vicinity.

The engaging storylines were active, eventful, smartly plotted, and populated with a colorful cast of oddly compelling characters, many of whom were unlikable, yet quirkily and knowingly drawn. I downed six in a row and finished the last one hoping there are more to come.

FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS ‘EM DEAD, written by Elle Cosimano, is the second book in the Findlay Donovan series. The novel begins with a funeral for her five-year-old daughter’s fish, Christopher. Findlay learns she could earn 100,000 dollars to kill her ex-husband by accepting an offer placed on a computer forum. Silvia Barr, Findlay’s literary agent, is waiting for Findlay’s next book. I want to know what happens.

This is the second novel in the Finlay Donovan series, and I suggest reading the books in order. Cosimano’s humorous writing style often leaves me laughing aloud. The characters are memorable, and I care what happens to them. I like forward to reading future books in the series. Thank you, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley, for the chance to read and review an advance reader copy of FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS 'EM DEAD.