The Finlay Donovan series is so fun because Finlay knows how to make a huge mess of any situation. It leaves the reader constantly wondering how she will get out of trouble unscathed.

The second book in the series, Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em dead is so much fun! After learning at the end of the first book that someone has it out for her ex husband, Steven. Finlay sets out to save him (he’s the father of her children after all). Unfortunately, saving Steven requires interfering with Russian mob activities.

Finlay and her Nanny/Accountant/Partner, Vero, have their work cut out for them as they try to save Steven. Finlay also has to juggle both Julian (hot almost lawyer) and Nick (Hot Detective) while still pumping out pages to her editor for her next book. As you can imagine, things go awry… early and often.

You’ll have to read to find out if Finlay can really manage all of this and save the day. You won’t be disappointed!

Thank you to Minotaur Books for the ARC! This is a must read when published in February 2022!

Finlay Donovan is one of my favorite characters to date. Not only Finlay, but Vero. I am obsessed with their friendship!

Much like the first book, this story provides the same amount of wit, sass, and cringeworthy events. But cringeworthy in the sense of a face palm, secondhand embarrassment. You know, the best kind. The plot of this series is so wildly out there, but I’m addicted and couldn’t put this book down.

Was it as good as the first book? It was close, but I’m still picking the first book to be my favorite. With that being said, FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS ‘EM DEAD provided the same chaos in each chapter as you would expect.

The story is fun, easy to read, and laugh out loud worthy.

Big thank you to Minotaur Books for the eARC! You can get your copy February 1, 2022.

Content warnings: murder, cancer

✨ The Title/Cover Draw:
I absolutely loved the first book in this series and had to see what other crazy things Finlay was up to. Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press / Minotaur for allowing me the opportunity to read this ahead of publication.

💜 What I liked:
Finlay finds herself sucked into more impossible situations which is an extension of things that happened in the first book. If you liked that crazy premise, you will love this one just as much. This time someone is trying to get rid of Finlay’s husband. She spends the majority of the book trying to protect her family. As usual, the characters are so alive and interesting that you can’t wait to step into their world.

😱 What I didn’t like:
I felt like there weren’t as many outlandish situations as the first book, which made it so unique. However, the book was still fun and I am very excited for the next book!

🚦 My face at the end: 🤓☠️

💭 4 Reasons to Read:
1. Entertaining characters
2. Life imitates art
3. The Mob
4. Love triangle



🕧 Mini-Summary:
Elle knows someone wants her ex-husband dead. Can she stop it before she is the cause of one more dead person?

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Received from Netgalley.

💯 For more details on the books we read, be sure to follow me on TikTok (@zaineylaney) or check out our Podcast - Elated Geek!

Thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Last year when I read an ARC of Finlay Donovan is Killing It, I wasn’t yet on #bookstagram, so I didn’t know that it became a #booksta darling. I really enjoyed the hijinks and the setting (I lived near South Riding for two years back in the early 2000s), and I think I was so excited about this sequel that I built my expectations up to a place where they couldn’t be met :( However, once I adjusted my expectations to be realistic, I enjoyed Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead. It is fast-paced and fun, with more hilarious mischief that Finlay and Vero find themselves needing to escape to survive. I want more development of their friendship, not just their partnership. But the ending leads me to believe there will be a third book in the series!
If you haven’t read Finlay Donovan is Killing It, start with that book. And if you have, continue the fun by reading this sequel!

Elle Cosimano has done it again with this second installment in her Finlay Donovan series! I love Finlay so much, and I love to hate her jerk ex-husband, Steven. In this book, I am not alone is my disdain, because someone has put out a hit on Steven. As annoying as he is, Finlay doesn't want him killed, and she really doesn't want her kids put in danger, so she tries to figure out both who has put out the hit, and who the mysterious person taking the job is. All while getting pressure from her agent to write her next book, and trying to figure out why Vero has been acting so strange lately.

This book is everything I loved about the first and more. More crazy adventures snooping where she shouldn't be snooping, more great scenes with Vera as her ride-or-die, and more of the chemistry between Finlay and her two love interests; Nick and Julian. Elle Cosimano writes the most fun mysteries, and fans of Stephanie Plum are going to fall instantly in love with Finlay Donovan!

Thanks so much to Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Elle does it again! Such a fantastic book. Book two picks up where book one left off. I love this series and can’t wait for a third book. There was just the right amount of humor and suspense. When I got 50% in I couldn’t put the book down. Such a fast read. Page turning and fantastic !

Give me more of Finlay Donovan, I’ve read both these books in one sitting and can’t wait for more!
I really enjoyed this one more than the first, and liked seeing the shenanigans she continued to find herself in

Thank you @minotaurbooks and @netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I adored FINLAY DONOVAN IS KILLING IT and I actually squealed with joy when I received the @netgalley approval email for FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS ‘EM DEAD. And then I got SUPER nervous that FDNEM wouldn’t be as good as FDIKI. Thankfully I was worried for nothing because FDKEM is just as hilarious and an equally wild ride!

@ellecosimano does a wonderful job of slowly peeling back the layers of the mysterious Vero that left me wanting to know even more about her past. And OMG the slow burn of Finlay and Nick *pants*. It’s SO good.

I won’t go into the plot as there are spoilers if you haven’t read the first one yet (and why haven’t you read this series yet?!) but it picks up immediately where the first book ends and sprints towards the conclusion. If I didn’t have any responsibilities, I would have definitely stayed up all night reading it!

And the ending definitely makes it seem like there is a third book in our future! YAYYYYY!!!

Have you read these? Are you Team Hot Cop (Nick) or Team Hot Lawyer (Julian)?

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I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book has its own genre- comedy thriller, so funny and a mystery at the same time. The part where Finlay was making out with her boytoy in the car while her ex- husband pulled up in the drive way had me snorting with laughter.

Oh my goodness what a fun ride!! There is just something so engrossing about Elle Cosimano’s writing. It was so easy to fly through it and I could see everything playing out in my minds eye. I was a little nervous about this being book #2 since sometimes they can’t do book 1 justice, but I am so happy to say this one did not disappoint! I can’t wait till book 3 now!
Also the romance in this one was so so good! I’m obsessed and I can’t wait to see more of that in book 3 as well!

I loved every minute of this and I’m so sad it’s over. I love Finlay, Vero and their wild adventures. I loved the elements of romance with Julian and Nick. I couldn’t stop listening and find out who put a hit on Steven. I’m really hoping the way this ended that we’ll get a third book. More Finlay Donovan please!!

I will update when I post to my bookstagram account.

Elle Cosimano has done it again! If you havn't read Finlay Donovan is Killing it (the first book in this series) you definitely need to do that! And then you need to grab this one as well because it's really good. This one takes place shortly after the first one ends and has Finlay back in the middle of some crazy situations.

Her and Vero are such an awesome duo. They somehow always manage to find themselves in troublesome situations that they need to get out of. The novel is fast paced, suspenseful and also quite funny! The humour is one of my favourite things about the writing. I hope there is more to come because I love following Finlay on these crazy journeys!

I loved this book just as much as the first book in the series. In Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead, readers get mystery, romance, and humor all in one amazing package!

Finlay and Vero are back and they get into some even crazier situations. Someone wants to kill Finlay’s ex-husband Steve. The mystery plot was interesting with Finlay and Vero trying to figure out who is trying to kill Steve (and bending a few laws along the way).

I liked that there are a couple of love interests for Finlay because it really added to the richness of the story. I especially loved her interaction with hot cop Nick, particularly when she is bending the rules.

I am loving this series and I can’t wait to read more books about Finlay and Vero! If you are looking for a book that is fun and entertaining, this is the book for you! Book: 5/5

First off - I adored the first installment in this series. Literally screamed about my love for the book from the rooftops, so this one had a lot to live up to.

While this wasn't my favorite book of all time, I still laughed A TON and was constantly rooting on Finlay and Vero from the sidelines. This series is begging to be turned into a TV show - it would be so fun to see who they would cast! I really loved Nick's role in this book. It was sweet to see his affection carried over from book 1. And just WAIT until you find out who is behind a of the mischief and mayhem - you won't see it coming from a mile away!

This is an easy, quick multi-genre read. My advice is to read the series close together ... I forgot a TON from book 1 so felt a little confused at where things picked up.

Finlay and the gang are back! Picking up where book one left off, Finlay has a lot on her plate: a book deadline looming, potty training, dating a younger man, and investigating who’s trying to murder her ex. Life is hard when you accidentally uncover a hit on your ex-husband’s life.

Fans of the first book will find a satisfying read that answers some questions while creating more. Finlay has a great cast of characters who love and support their lead. I can’t wait to get more glimpses into Vero.

With the plot playing out on the heels of book one, there is little room for character growth and development. It is similar to book one, but with less hesitance toward the crimes they’re committing. Overall it’s about Finlay getting further into a world of moral ambiguity with justifiable (to her) reasons.

I’m hoping there are more books that dive more into the characters developing and let Finlay confront the choices she’s making.

Book 6/52 in 2022: Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead by @ellecosimano

ALL. THE. STARS. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This series. I read the first Finlay a year ago and it was a top read from 2021. I could not WAIT to pick up the second one, and it did not disappoint. Within the first few pages, I basically sighed to myself, “ahhhhh HI FRIENDS!!!” Finlay and her bestie Vero are my ride or die favorites forever and ever. The situations they wind up in are ridiculous and amazing and hilarious, and their friendship through it all gives me so much joy. This book is smart, witty, funny - just like the first book. I’m going to need the third one ASAP.

If you haven’t yet, go read Finlay Donovan is Killing It. Then get your hands on Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead as soon as it publishes February 1st. Huge thanks to NetGalley for this ARC - I will absolutely be purchasing my own copy to reread whenever I need some joy in my life.

Finlay and Vero gets into heaps of trouble as they try to find out who put a hit on Finn's ex-husband. I didn't think that this sequel could be as good as the first. But I WAS WRONG. Elle Cosimano writes such perfectly flawed characters that you cannot help be enamored. I often found myself gripping the edge of my seat. I yelled at Finlay so many times that I had to put the book down for a break. I wasn't even bothered by the love triangle and I loathe a love triangle. Yea.....I was that invested.

Finlay Donovan is the amatuer detective / romance writer that we all need in our lives. Read it. Buy it. Love it. I can't wait for the next.

#TeamJulian

Thank you Minotaur Books, St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advance copy.

4.5 stars which I am happily rounding up to 5 for pure entertainment, laugh out loud moments.

Book 2 in the series is just as good and even a bit better as now I know what to expect from Finlay and Vero as they get themselves in and out of one mess after another.

Someone is out to kill Finlay's ex husband and she and Vero are out to stop them.

Can they figure out who?

The pages turned quickly as I laughed out loud and cheered on the ladies.

I will bail you if need be.

Elle Cosimano has continued to entertain us with mystery, murder and laughter.

Don't miss this series, put it on the top of your TBR pile for a refreshing read.

Can't wait to see the movie and read Book 3 .!! Fingers crossed.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for delightful read.

Name two things that don't usually belong together but for some reason work really well together: murder mysteries and witty humor. And that's exactly how I would describe Finlay Donovan. Reading the first FD book, I was so surprised at how much I was enjoying two completely different genres coming together. And I have to say, this second book was even more entertaining than the first! Finlay Donovan is a hot mess, but is the extremely relatable, genuine, and "untypical" heroine that we all should see more of!

I discovered Finlay Donovan last year on "bookstagram" - such a great read! The second Finlay Donovan is a delight - I read it while I was in isolation for Covid, and it was the perfect read. Fast paced, entertaining and laugh out loud moments!
Finlay, hot mess mom, is back with her tangle of friends and associations - from hot cops to student lawyers to the Russian mob. This novel is a fast paced, hilarious mystery of trying to figure out who wants to "off" her despicable ex-husband Steve. There are many, many twists and turns as Vero and Finlay try to solve the mystery, protect Steve, avoid the Russian mob, get the kids to school on time, and figure out why Julian's Instagram account is now private.
This is just such a fun read - I can't recommend it enough, even if this is not your typical genre. I hope there will be more of Finlay!
Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur books for an ARC in exchange for review.