Title: FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS ‘EM DEAD
Author: Elle Cosimano
ISBN: 978 1472 2922 78
Publisher: Headline Publishing
Pages: 353
Source: Private Copy
BUDDY READ
Finlay Donovan is―once again―struggling to finish her next novel and keep her head above water as a single mother of two. On the bright side, she has her live-in nanny and confidant Vero to rely on, and the only dead body she’s dealt with lately is that of her daughter’s pet goldfish.
On the not-so-bright side, someone out there wants her ex-husband, Steven, out of the picture. Permanently. Whatever else Steven may be, he’s a good father, but saving him will send her down a rabbit hole of hit-women disguised as soccer moms, and a little bit more involvement with the Russian mob than she’d like.
Meanwhile, Vero’s keeping secrets and Detective Nick Anthony seems determined to get back into her life. He may be a hot cop, but Finlay’s first priority is preventing her family from sleeping with the fishes… and if that means bending a few laws then so be it.
With her next book’s deadline looming and an ex-husband to keep alive, Finlay is quickly coming to the end of her rope. She can only hope there isn’t a noose at the end of it…
Official Summary
05 January 2023
Zelda’s Review
I loved the first book in this series and could not wait to get my hands on the second one. What a fabulous read. If you enjoyed Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, then you have to add this one to your TBR. This is a fun, light mystery that keeps you guessing while Finlay keeps a smile on your face. Humour is never my first choice when selecting a book, but this has stolen my heart. I am eager to dig into the next book due to be released this year.
Elle Cosimano took an everyday woman and turned her into a remarkable character that manages to get herself caught up in the worst possible situations. This character keeps you smiling with her silly choices while her devotion to her children warms your heart. The author adds just enough humour keep you smiling. While I was not laughing out loud while reading this book, I loved the light feel of this mystery and the final twist is brilliantly delivered. Another five-star read from Elle Cosimano.
Finlay Donovan discovers that someone posted a request for a hit on her ex-husband. She would love to kill him herself most of the time, but she knows that her children will suffer if he dies.
Determined to find out who wants Steven dead and to make sure the hitman who accepted the job does not succeed, Vero and Finlay find themselves chasing two people while trying to keep a man safe who does not even believe he is in danger.
This is a light, gripping read that had me racing to reach the last page. I loved how I could not drag myself away. The author has me hooked on this series and I cannot wait for the next book to be available. Finlay has become one of my favourite fictional characters.
Finlay Donovan is the woman next door. She is a divorced mother of two who is fighting with her ex, and an author struggling to meet a deadline for her next book. The woman will do anything for her children and again you see how she puts them first. With only the best intentions, Finlay finds herself caught up in terrible situations and she shows all her inner strength as she tries to keep her ex and her children out of harm’s way.
This five-star read is definitely on my loved list and I cannot wait to spend more time in Finlay Donovan’s troubled world.
If you have not read the previous book, Finlay Donovan is Killing It, you might feel as if you are missing some details. I would recommend reading that one before you reach for Finlay Donovan Kocks ‘Em Dead – but even if you don’t – this book guarantees a light, gripping read that will keep you entertained from start to finish. The author created a perfect balance between mystery and humour that guarantees you will fall in love with the characters and look forward to reading more about them. I highly recommend this book – it’s a gripping entertaining read you do not want to miss.
Alicia’s Review
‘Finlay Donovan knocks ‘Em dead’ picks up where ‘Finlay Donovan is killing it’ left off. Finlay must try to keep Steven alive after someone posted online that they were looking for someone to kill him for a hundred grand.
Throughout this book, you watch as Finlay tries to juggle between trying to save her ex-husband’s life and trying to reach her writing deadline and add in trying to juggle two guys at the same time (FYI I am totally Team Nick). Overall you see Finlay trying her best to stay afloat in all the trouble she has landed in.
One thing I loved about this sequel is that it still gave some context from the last book. I find sometimes with series because I read them so far apart I have a bit of a hard time remembering what happened in the first book and which characters are who. However, I never had that with this book as there was always context given from the first book which helped a lot.
Finlay Donovan is such an interesting character, she has a way of creeping into your heart and you just can’t help but root for her success despite all the bad luck she seems to attract. She is fun quick-witted and honestly kind of a badass. Her love and devotion to the people she cares about make you wish you had someone like her on your side.
One thing that truly drove me mad was Finlay and her writing her novel. Oh my gosh, I don’t know why but it just made me so mad every time she put off work and then complained about
Now I know book three is expected to come out at the end of this month, but that still is way too long to wait and it will probably only be available locally in a couple of months, which just isn’t fair! I honestly look forward to reading the next book in this series.
The mystery in this book was so good, the last few plot twists had my jaw on the ground. I one hundred per cent did not see any of that coming.
I would definitely recommend this series to anyone looking for a light-hearted fun mystery to read. An easy five out of five stars from me.
Also By Elle Cosimano
Finlay Donovan is Killing It
Finlay Donovan is killing it…except, she’s really not. A stressed-out single mom of two and struggling novelist, Finlay’s life is in chaos: The new book she promised her literary agent isn’t written; her ex-husband fired the nanny without telling her, and this morning she had to send her four-year-old to school with hair duct-taped to her head after an incident with scissors.
When Finlay is overheard discussing the plot of her new suspense novel with her agent over lunch, she’s mistaken for a contract killer and inadvertently accepts an offer to dispose of a problem husband in order to make ends meet. She soon discovers that crime in real life is a lot more difficult than its fictional counterpart, as she becomes tangled in a real-life murder investigation.
Finlay Donovan Jumps The Gun
Author and single mom Finlay Donovan has been in messes before―after all, she’s a pro at removing bloodstains for various unexpected reasons―but none quite like this. When Finlay and her nanny/partner-in-crime Vero accidentally destroyed a luxury car that they had “borrowed” in the process of saving the life of Finlay’s ex-husband, the Russian mob did her a favor and bought the car for her. And now Finlay owes them.
Mob boss Feliks is still running the show from behind bars, and he has a task for Finlay: find and identify a contract killer before the cops do. The problem is, the killer might be an officer themself.
Luckily, hot cop Nick has just been tasked with starting up a citizen’s police academy, and combined pressure from Finlay’s looming book deadline and Feliks is enough to convince Finlay and Vero to get involved. Through firearm training and forensic classes (and some hands-on research with a tempting detective), Finlay and Vero use their time in police academy to sleuth out the real contract killer to free themselves from the mob’s clutches―all the while dodging spies, confronting Vero’s past, and juggling the daily trials of parenthood.
About the Author
Author bio from the author’s site
Elle Cosimano is a USA Today bestselling author, an International Thriller Award winner, a Bram Stoker Award finalist, and an Edgar® Award nominee. Her acclaimed young adult novels include Nearly Gone, Holding Smoke, The Suffering Tree, and Seasons of the Storm. Elle’s debut novel for adults, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, kicked off a witty, fast-paced contemporary mystery series, which was a PEOPLE Magazine Pick and was named one of New York Public Library’s Best Books of 2021. In addition to writing novels for teens and adults, her essays have appeared in The Huffington Post and Time. Cosimano lives with her husband and two sons in Virginia.
Thank you for stopping by and reading our reviews. In case you didn’t notice I love Finlay Donovan – I cannot wait for the next book to be available locally. I will share a review as soon as I manage to get my hands on a copy. Please share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below. Until next time…Happy Reading!
