Another amazing book by Elle Cosimano! This series is one of my favorites and I was so excited to get my hands on book two. Finlay Donovan is a great character who gets herself in VERY messy situations. If you love a mystery with twists and turns and laugh-out-loud moments, then this book is for you! Already excited for book three! Thank you, NetGalley

✨BOOK REVIEW✨

📖 Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead
📝 Elle Cosimano @elle
Method Read: Ebook/Kindle 📱
Thank you to @elle and @netgalley for the gifted ARC! This book releases February 1st, 2022 ☺️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5⭐️ {4}

Finlay Donovan is back & yet again, struggling to finish (or shall we say start) her next novel. The story picks up right where it left off in the first book - a MAJOR cliffhanger, involving the life of her ex-husband, Steven. I don’t want to give away too much because 🤯 but you’ll love getting to follow Finlay into another unexpected “job” & all the twists and turns that come with it!

Not only is Elle Cosimano an amazing author, but she is pretty damn hilarious too! The fun part is, her books show this & this one was no exception! The internal monologue of Finlay, escapades of Finlay & Vero, Georgia’s attempt at potty training the kids & more, will leave you laughing for sure! 🤣😂

The book takes you on a wild ride, making you feel like you know what’s going to happen & then having the rug pulled out from under you - in a good & page turning way! 😉 This book will be released on 2/1/2022!! Get your pre-orders in, because the continued adventures of Finlay & Vero are not to be missed!

Read this if you like books about:
🧠 A Killer Internal Monologue
👫 Love Triangles - IYKYK
🔀 All The Twists & Turns
🤪 Hilarious Banter
🔪Accidental Murder for Hire

Oh Finlay Donovan you are just the greatest character!! There is just something about both Finlay and Vero and their relationship that I love so much!!

In this second book of the ever popular Finlay Donovan series somehow Finlay gets into even more trouble trying to clean up the mess made from book number one. This time Finlays ex husband whom she can not stand is the target of hate on an online women's forum and though it started out innocent it becomes clear someone may actually want him dead. Though he may be a terrible husband, ex husband Steven is still a good dad and Finlay and best friend/ nanny Vero will stop at nothing to find out who this anonymous person may be.

I found myself laughing throughout this entire book and hanging on to ever last detail. This book wrapped up just enough to feel complete and left just enough open for book number three!

Finlay is back and she is better than ever! I enjoyed this sequel even more than the first book Finlay Donvan is Killing It. Finlay is still involved in dangerous adventures, this time someone is trying to kill her ex-husband which she has amusing mixed feelings about.

The action may be dangerous but the dialogue is still funny and there are plenty of shenanigans and twists and turns to keep you entertained to the end of the book. Of course it wouldn't be a Finlay Donovan book without a little romance in the mix.

All in all this book is a fun read that leaves you on the edge of your seat waiting for the next installment of Finlay's madcap adventures.

I came for the mystery and stayed for the romance! Our favorite, quirky '"assassin' is back with Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead. I was a fan of her first and knowing a bit more about the feel of the style, a humorous mystery, I liked this second addition even better. The plot line of someone wanting Finlay's husband dead was a great way to get me interested in the novel, yet for me, I was more interested in what love interest she would decide on in the end. A fun read, that keeps you wanting more!

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC!

Finlay Donovan continues her sometimes amusing, sometimes dangerous, shenanigans. I'm still reminded of the show Dead to Me and The Mysteries of Laura, in the best way. The twists and humor are on the same level as in Finlay Donovan Is Killing It. It's just one thing after another and will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Like the previous book, this one also ends on a cliffhanger to leave you craving the next book and I CANNOT WAIT.

Incredibly thankful to NetGalley for allowing me to read this a month early! All opinions are my own.

I received this book as an ARC and this is my review. Wow! This is an amazing story and I loved it! Truly hilarious dialogue is the toughest thing to write and this book has it in spades: it is laugh-out- loud funny! The characters are so flawed they could all be the “bad guy”! There are so many twists and turns, the reader can end up with whiplash! I totally recommend this book to readers who enjoy a good laugh served up with murder and mayhem.

Finlay Donovan Knock "Em Dead is a fun, mystery, thriller with some romance. There are multidimensional characters. It was wonderful to read this light, madcap escapade during these turbulent times. Although this book is a sequel, it can be read a standalone novel. Hoping for more Finlay books by Elle Cosimano!!!!! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

After enjoying the first book in this series, I thought I would like this one too, but it just wasn’t for me. It felt like reading the exact same back, except I found Finlay even more exhausting this time. I think people who loved the first one will love this one too, but unfortunately it didn’t do anything for me.

3.5 ⭐️

I was especially excited to read the latest adventures of writer-turned-faux-contract-killer and lovable Hot Mess Express Finlay Donovan (and her badass, stylish partner-in-crime Vero). While this sequel didn’t quite do it for me, I think anyone who enjoyed book 1–and lovers of lighthearted mysteries—will appreciate this read.

The first book left us with an intriguing cliffhanger: Someone wants Finlay’s cheating ex-husband Steven dead, and they’re willing to pay a LOT of money for it. I was excited to see where this took us, but I was a bit disappointed with the various twists and turns. Mostly, I was missing much of the lighthearted absurdity and quirkiness so unique to the first book (and, of course, Finlay’s signature wig!). This book went a little darker than seemed necessary for the series, there were a lot of extraneous characters who weren’t well-developed, and Vero’s “secret” plot line was not only uninteresting but also didn’t seem to align at all with her character as we knew it in book 1.

Finlay’s romantic life continues to be a bit of a dumpster fire, but (sadly) with very little ~steam~. I was honestly glad f*ckboy Steven’s life was in jeopardy, and I don’t really understand why the book’s love triangle between Finlay, Julian, and Nick keeps dragging along when the choice was obvious to me in this book: One love interest is hardly present and clearly emotionally unavailable, while the other is sexy, smart, age-appropriate, and overtly interested. There is no doubt that my favorite scenes in this book circled around Finlay’s obvious chemistry with Nick… and that cliffhanger! 🤭 That alone will keep me on board for book 3, and I look forward to seeing what new, reckless adventures come next for Finlay and Vero.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press & Minotaur Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was lucky enough to be able to jump into this one right after finishing Finlay Donovan is Killing It, so I didn't lose any momentum and the original story was still fresh in my mind. I loved this sequel ! Just like the first book, it has serious Good Girls vibes, and you do have to suspend reality a bit... but that's OK, just sit back and enjoy the ride because it's highly entertaining ! It's hard to say too much more without giving away any spoilers, but if you enjoyed the first book, I think you'll like this one too.

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead - Elle Cosimano

I liked the sequel to Finlay Donovan is Killing It even more than the first book. I thought the first book was a lot of fun, but that epilogue made me want to pick this book up right away, so luckily I was approved for an arc on netgalley!

This book continues to follow Finlay and Vero as they try to stay out of trouble and as Finlay continues to write her next book. This was a quick paced book and it was so fun. I loved all the little reveals along the way and it made the book hard to put down. I really loved this one and if you enjoyed the first book I think you’ll like this one too!

Let me start by saying that if you have not read the first Finlay Donovan book, run and get started on it! It is such a fun read and this second installment of the series is just as great. Finlay is trying to finish her newest book while also trying to solve the mystery of who wants her ex-husband knocked off. She and her friend/children’s nanny Vero fall into yet another assassination plot that they are hardly equipped to figure out.

The action is fast and the relationships are so enjoyable in these books. They perfectly balance mystery and comedy for such a great story. I continue to root for Finlay and Nick to find their way to one another (although Julian is such a sweet distraction). I highly recommend this book and I can’t wait for the third one in the series to arrive!

Thank you to Elle Cosimano, St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Well, it's another great addition to the Finlay Donovan story! In this story, Finlay is trying to stop a hit on her husband. She has to juggle her parent's, her cop-sister, her cop love interest, her lawyer love interest, her book agent, oh yeah...and the mob. It's an awful lot for her, but she's a kick-ass heroine, and she can do it!

I loved seeing Finlay and Vero back in action together. There are crazy mishaps that land them in tight spots. I laughed, and then gripped my book with a bit of worry at times. It was a great mixture of emotional storytelling, and I loved it!

There's always something magical about a first book in a series, and then I worry if the second book will live up to the very high expectations the first on set. In this case, it was a success. Book two is just as entertaining as book 1...and sets up book 3 nicely!!

I highly recommend this one, but ya gotta read book 1 first, because it was awesome too!

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

After falling in love with Finlay Donovan in book one I was super psyched to receive an early copy of book two. However, this one is missing the trademark hijinks that Finlay and Vero got into in book one. There are few witty moments and very few laugh out loud parts. I skimmed a lot of this book. Sadly this one missed the mark for me.

It definitely picks up at the very end, so I’ll be curious to see if there is a book three. In the author’s note, there is a mention of this book being written during COVID 19 lockdowns, so I can definitely understand why the humor is lacking. I’ll still pick up book three (if there is one).

I received an advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

This book was a fantastic follow-up go “Finlay Donovan is Killing It,” and I love that it ended with an option for more. I don’t think I’ll ever have enough of Finlay and Vero, and all of the disasters they end up getting themselves into. I want to learn more about Vero’s past and what comes next for Finlay and Nick. I didn’t know what to expect going into this one and ended up loving it!

Sometimes you just need a good laugh! If you have never read the Finaly Donovan books, you have been missing out on some great humor! This mystery by Elle Donavon is wildly hilarious and out there! ​Forget expectations, roll with the story and enjoy the book.


Finely Donovan is a 31-year-old divorced author. She has 2 adorable kids, a spunky young live-in nanny named Vero, and Stephen her ex-husband. Stephen is a loving father to their two kids, but a veritable Casanova with the ladies. Finlay receives a warning that someone is trying to have Stephen killed. While it's true there are times Stephen is a "huge pain" in Finlay's hiney, she does not want him harmed. Stephen has regular visitation with the children. Are Finlay's children in danger? What if her kids get caught in the crossfire? Determined to get to the root of this, Finlay and Vero set out to find the killer and end up in some outlandish situations that will have the reader rolling with laughter.


In the acknowledgments, Elle Cosimano speaks of the difficulty writing a funny book during sadness of the pandemic. She says "'Writing comedy is hard; writing comedy when the world is on fire takes "hard" to a whole new level. Sometimes I wasn't sure I could.'".


Standing ovation to Elle for reaching deep to make the world a brighter place during Covid! I appreciate it. I'm still laughing about Christopher. (May he go to that big fish bowl in the sky!)


Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me the honor of reviewing this e-book!

I didn’t read the first in this series but found this follow-up (which picks up a month after the earlier story) to be a fast-paced, quick-witted romp with Finlay Donovan, everyone’s favorite devoted mom, struggling writer, and accidental contract killer once again teaming up with Vero, her side-kick in crime to figure out why someone wants Finlay’s ex-husband Steve dead. , The writing style is flat-out clever enough to keep you turning pages, there’s a bit of romance mixed in with the adventures, as well as suspense, mystery, and a few twists I didn’t see coming. A light-hearted mystery read with laugh-out-loud moments which made this a perfect read for a chilly January.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

The first book was so good that I was skeptical where this one was going to go but omg cosimano DID IT AGAIN! This book is funny and interesting and kept me on the edge of my seat and turning the pages just to find out how it was going to end. I love Finlay Donovan and I never want this character to end! Give me moreeeeee. Must read if you ask me!

4.25 stars; just like the first book, Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead was an absolute delight. once again, you need to suspend your disbelief a little but if you do, you're in for a fun ride. Finn, Vero, and the wide cast of characters are easy to love and will keep the pages turning. I definitely recommend rereading the first book before delving in (I did not and was a little confused) but I found the plot easier to follow in this one. I'm already excited for the next book!

also if Finlay doesn't end up with Nick, I'll riot.