Cover Image: Finlay Donovan Is Killing It

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It

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Member Reviews

This was such a fun read. There was lots of wit, plenty of twists and turns and it kept me engaged the whole way through.
I was hooked from the very first page.
This certainly isn't your typical thriller and that's what I enjoyed most about it.
Some of it was a little over the top and it did slow down a bit in the middle. But if you lean into the craziness, it was definitely an interesting and wild ride to be on.
I also liked that the ending set it up perfectly for a second book, which I will be reading immediately.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

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4 stars!

I haven't read anything quite like this before, and I very much enjoyed it.

It was very much fun, different, funny, and clever.

Witty and goes by in a blink of an eye.

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This book is so beloved and I'm a tad disappointed that I can't join in the hype. But after one chapter, I wanted to throw this book across the room / have a panic attack / lie down for five days. In ten pages, the entire world caves in and it's a sensory nightmare - I couldn't even force myself to keep going. I like this vibe of an ordinary woman getting into extraordinary circumstances but all of the writing felt stretched beyond hyperbole to ridiculousness. The characters weren't people, they were caricatures. Genuinely, I think the audience for this book is a certain age with a certain life - and I am not that person. I am the 'don't give me your baby it's sticky' kind of ice person. Maybe I'm lacking a heart, who knows. But I DNF'd very quickly.

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What a roller coaster of a ride this book was! From the beginning to the end, Finlay Donovan is Killing It was filled with ups and downs, twists and sometimes stomach churning turns.

Finlay Donovan, a recent divorcee, now a single mother of two, is a struggling author who is also struggling to make ends meet. It is during a meeting with her agent at Panera, that she is mistaken for a hit woman by a woman, Patricia Mickler, sitting at the next table. Patricia Mickler wants Finlay to kill her husband and offers her a load of money.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Cue the crazy mess that ensues. Throw in a nanny, bartender, detective, a Russian mob and a nosey neighbour, the book provided many laugh out loud moments and made for great reading. I loved how unfazed the nanny, Vero was with everything that was happening.

I can see this book being made into an onscreen mini-series. The book finished on a cliffhanger and I look forward to reading the sequel.

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This book was so much fun! I loved the humour, the writing, it was really entertaining. A light mystery read with an engaging character.
Thanks a lot to NT and the publisher for this copy.

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I was excited to read this because I saw a review saying it's similar to the TV show DEAD TO ME, which I absolutely love. And it's true, the female friendship, dark comedy elements, and whacky scenarios do fit the book. The friendship between the main character, Finlay, and her nanny, Veronica, is my favourite part and the strongest point of the book. I loved how their friendship grows and how they support each other during what turns out to be the wildest time of their lives.

I did find the plot to be really over the top and some parts (like the mobster plotline) just don't seem believable. It felt like the book was trying too hard to come up with twists for the mystery. Finlay's voice is distinct but I didn't particularly care for her. I also thought the romance angle kind of corny and I wish the book doesn't spend so much time on Finlay's boring love interests. I must have missed the memo that this book is a romantic suspense so I suppose I'm just not the right audience for it. The ending is a surprise as I had no idea this is a series so I will still give the next one a try!

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Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for this copy of Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano.

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is very humorous take on the classic murder mystery. Bad guys die, good guys get acciddentally involved in something that they had no intention of being a part of. There are hot cops, hot lawyers and evil ex-husbands. All of the elements of a great book are here and Elle Cosimano does not let the reader down. Even though the plot is pretty standard for a murder mystery Cosimano manages to infuse just enough humor and sarcasm to keep the plot from getting too heavy. It's a pretty perfect read.

I really enjoyed Finlay Donavan Is Killing It, growing to like the main characters of Finlay and her nanny/accountant/personal assitant/partner-in crime, Vero more and more as the book progressed. I was really glad that the end of the book perfectly sets up a second book. I'll be on the lookout for it and I bet everyone that reads this book will be as well!

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A Life Of Crime....
Struggling crime writer finds herself embroiled in a life of crime. Quirky, smartly written with plenty of sharp humour and a dollop of mystery. An engaging and entertaining read.

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Finlay is a single mom, a struggling
writer and a... contract killer? Or is she...

This was a great mystery/dark comedy with an exciting plot. It was easy to read and easy to follow.

Finlay is a likeable character. A little ridiculous at times but you definitely root for her. Has many laugh out loud moments and you can’t help but sympathise with Finlay’s poor choices and feel like you’re on the wild ride with her.

The pace of the book was pretty good. Although it did get a little slow in the middle, it picked back up and I enjoyed the ending.

If you’re looking for a fun, easy read with a great plot, this one is for you!

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I knew I wanted to read this book as soon as I heard about it - it sounded like a fun read, and reminiscent of books like Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series which I have always loved. And all I can say is that I hope it is true that this is the beginning of a Finlay Donovan series, as I'm definitely in! I raced through this crazy rollercoaster of a book - part mystery, part dark comedy - with a big smile on my face and was sad to get to the end.

Finlay is a recently divorced mother of two, a struggling crime writer and having a hard time making ends meet. Whilst talking to her agent about her latest novel in a cafe, a woman at a neighbouring table mistakes her for a contract killer and asks her to kill her husband - and so the adventures begin.

Cosimano does a fantastic job of combining mystery, humour and a bit of romance and has created a memorable cast of characters. Finlay is a relatable, lovable mess who you both root for and inwardly groan as she makes some questionable decisions, and her sidekick, Vero, her babysitter, provides the perfect foil as the slightly more sensible of the two. Its a mad and over the top story but so much fun to read, and I can't wait to meet Finlay again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

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This book was humorous, suspenseful and interesting. I was hooked with the book right away and couldn’t stop reading; thinking I would read one more chapter and sleep but I couldn’t stop reading the book. I was so curious about what would happen next so it was a quick read for me.

Although Finlay does everything wrong, here the readers can’t help but keep rooting for her. I could absolutely see this becoming a movie and that too a great one. I enjoyed the book thoroughly; it’s fresh, brilliant and has well-written characters. Vero is such a badass character and I also liked Nick. The plot was a bit unexpected and a hilarious one too.

Highly recommend to anyone who loves reading funny, mysterious, unexpected twists and entertaining books. Thankyou Netgalley and Headlines for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

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'Finlay Donovan is Killing It' by Elle Cosimano is such a fun read. It twists and turns through outrageous scenarios involving family drama, mistaken identity and a healthy dose of murder. Finlay and Vero have great chemistry as our central duo, so much more than mother and babysitter, and I look forward to any future books involving these two and their hijinks.

Finlay is a newly divorced single mother in the middle of a custody battle she cannot afford and a serious case of writer's block. When meeting with her agent in a local Panera, a woman on the next table overhears Finlay's discussion about her next thriller... and wrongly believes she is an assassin for hire. Cue a trail of misunderstandings and crossing the wrong kind of people.

There were moments I felt the story had slower dips but the rollercoaster ending and amazing final reveal made the journey worth it. I look forward to seeing where Finlay's adventure goes next! 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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This book only recently came on to my radar but I’m so glad it did! This book is definitely not your typical thriller and I would describe more as a dark comedy. I’ve seen comparisons to Netflix’s Dead to Me which is pretty spot on. The writing is witty and slightly sarcastic, we have a relatable and likeable protagonist in Finlay Donovan and the plot is definitely unique and a little bonkers. I would definitely recommend you pick this one up because it was a hell of a lot of fun to read and it has the potential to have a follow up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for providing an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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This book has been on my radar for months. I definitely haven't been disappointed! This is a book that has completely pulled me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until I read the very last page.

I have adored Finlay, what an amazing main character of this book. We begin with an introduction into her slightly chaotic life. I have had full laugh out loud moments reading this book.

This is a fun and easy read which is guaranteed to lift your mood. This is my first read by this author but I am now 100% a converted fan. I have nothing negative I can say about this book.

I love the cover of this one, it is fun and inviting. Definitely a cover that catches your attention. The author has a superb writing style that pulls you in from the beginning and makes you feel as though you know the characters.

This is one of those books that I really hope is turned into a series or movie. I've been given laughs and become invested in the characters. This is a book that I absolutely highly recommend, a definite five star read.

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Many thanks to Headline Books, Elle Cosimano, and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for review. All opinions are my own.

Finlay is a struggling author, newly divorced and unable to pay or bills or finish her next book. So, when an offer comes her way after an overheard conversation at Panera - the perfect representation of suburban America, I must add - it's tempting, but she knows it's not right. But then a bit of curiosity and a set of hilarious unfortunate events occur and, before she knows it, Finlay is in over her head.

First off, I must start out by saying that I love reading books set in familiar locations and this one was set in Northern Virginia, so it took me straight back to my hometown and all its wonderful absurdities, right down to the toll road & carpool lane dummies.

But, setting aside, I still LOVED Finlay Donovan is Killing It. This is such a fresh and original mystery that had me laughing out loud and completely unable to put it down. I could've easily read it in one sitting if I hadn't started it late one night. Finlay is an absolutely brilliant character and she has some wonderfully written supporting characters both on her side and working against her, which made this such an enjoyable read all around.

I really hope we get more of Finlay in the future. But, in the meantime, I highly recommend you pick this one up!

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I was left speechless by this book honestly. There’s no way I would’ve expect anything like that crazy addictive scenes in here and it really made me think of who would stand by me through hell and hot water because there are so few people you can truly rely on in this life. And no, I’m not planning to bury any body in the future 😅. This is one of those books where you can probably say wrong person at the wrong time but go with the flow kind of stuff. I really enjoyed it.
Gripping, addictive and twisted story that will leave you wanting more from an intriguing character.

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Really fun read! Finlay Donovan Is Killing It follows Finlay a single mom and divorcee who is also a struggling thriller writer who accidentally ends up in a thriller type situation.

This has thriller and humour mixture that I love, reminded me of the Netflix show Good Girls. Finlay was a mess but in the best way possible. I especially liked the relationship between Finlay and Vero. The side characters were all really interesting and felt they all served a purpose, Hoping for a sequel!

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Finlay Donovan is Killing It - Elle Cosimano ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Finlay Donovan is a broke, single mum of two who is struggling to make ends meet. She’s trying to make a living writing suspense novels, whilst her ex-husband is trying to take away her kids. Far from ideal.

So when Finlay bumps into a stranger after a stressful morning and gets mistaken for a contracted killer, she soon finds herself entangled in a dangerous lifeline. How far will she go to save her kids and her career?

Just YES. Who knew that a murder mystery book could be so fun and oh so satisfying?

The writing style was great, and I knew from the off this was my kinda book. It was whitty, sarcastic and all round brilliant - with serious ‘dead to me’ vibes!

I was hooked from the start, and devoured the book in two short sittings. Again it was a toss up between not wanting to put it down and equally not wanting it to end.

There is one small twist near the end that I was slightly disappointed by (literally miniature) that seemed to line up too perfect to be true. Which is why I knocked off .5 of a star - but nevertheless the ending is extremely satisfying and you won’t be disappointed 💫

Overall a fantastic book, and I can’t wait to read more about what other hilariously messed up situations Finlay and Vero find themselves in next. I have my fingers crossed for a second book 🤞🏼📚

Thank you to the publishers @headlinebooks and @netgalley for sharing an advanced reader copy with me. This book releases on the 2nd February 📚

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5 Star Review because I found this such a brilliant book 👏🏻

Finlay Donovan is struggling. She’s an author who can’t get a break for her next novel, her husband left her for the cute real estate agent he is now engaged to, she has a pile of bills she can’t afford to pay, and her publishers are on the brink of dropping her. And to top it all off, her daughter just cut her own her on the morning her ex-husband fired the nanny, Vero.

When she meets her agent for lunch to discuss the topics of her new novel, she receives a note... ‘$50,000 cash. Harris Mickler.’ And his address. Finlay Donavan had been mistaken for a contract killer, and been offered a huge sum to carry out the murder of this woman’s husband.

As her curiosity gets the better of her, Finlay, with the help of Vero, gets herself entangled in a web of lies, drama and police investigations. Luckily, she needs a good narrative for her new novel, but is it a little close to home? Could it cost her everything?

This gave me a lot of Dead To Me vibes, what more could you want?

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