Mystery

Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead

Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead

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  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2022-01-25 18:21:14
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Elle Cosimano
  • ISBN：1250242185
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Summary

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 soccer moms disguised as hit-women， 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。。。

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Reviews

Jamie | GallagherGirlReads ，

Thank you， netgalley for my advanced copy of this book！ I was so excited to read this one because Finlay Donovan is Killing It was one of my top reads of 2021。 I found myself laughing out loud and literally on the edge of my seat as I devoured this book。 The situations Finlay finds herself in are hilarious and had me seriously concerned for her。 I love all the characters in the book and I am 100% Team Nick！ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I can’t wait for the next book to come out！

Joy Benavides ，

4。5 starsSuch a good sequel！But it left me with so many questions。 I didn’t know there would be a third book， but there has to be！ So much sh** needs to go down！

Lata ，

Finlay Donovan and her hot mess of a life are back for another tense and amusing installment: at the end of the previous book， Finlay and Vero discovered someone had hired a hit woman on a mommies’ forum to take out Steven， Finlay’s useless， cheating ex-husband。 Because their kids love their dad， Finla，y and Vero， go to great lengths to protect Steven， while trying to uncover the identity of the assassin。 At the same time， Feliks Zhirov is in jail， awaiting trial， and also quite aware of Finlay’ Finlay Donovan and her hot mess of a life are back for another tense and amusing installment: at the end of the previous book， Finlay and Vero discovered someone had hired a hit woman on a mommies’ forum to take out Steven， Finlay’s useless， cheating ex-husband。 Because their kids love their dad， Finla，y and Vero， go to great lengths to protect Steven， while trying to uncover the identity of the assassin。 At the same time， Feliks Zhirov is in jail， awaiting trial， and also quite aware of Finlay’s activities。 And something is up with Vero， something not good that has her stressed （the dead bodies in book one and book two clearly weren’t as much of a big deal as whatever it is that has her secretive and scared）。 Finlay is still barely managing to keep her head above water with all that happening， and she has two hot guys in her life， and a jealous ex-husband baring his teeth， so to speak， at the idea of the other men near her。The pacing is fast， and the tone light and elicits chuckles。 Finlay still has writer’s block， and is evading her agent’s calls and emailsr—thank goodness for Vero （even this troubled version of that ultra-competent， smart and fantastic woman that she is。）I found it amusing how the harder Finlay tries to evade Feliks’ notice， bumbling around town trying to unearth the assassin’s identity， the more intriguing he finds her， as she inadvertently discovers criminal and other connections in their lives。I still wish Vero had more prominence in the story， though I was really heartened by Finlay’s realization:“。。。I wasn’t falling backward anymore。 From now on， there was only falling forward。 And if I had to pick a safe name of my own—someone I could count on to stick beside me， no matter how messy my life got—it’d be Vero’s。”The one sour note in this （and the previous book） for me is Nick。 I know this will seem unfathomable to most people as he’s employed， dedicated， good with Finlay's kids， and good-looking。 But， every time he enters a scene I found his presence and behaviour grated on my nerves， like nails on a chalkboard。 I know he’ll probably end up with Finlay some books down the line， but I just can’t stand him。That aside， I liked this book of a messy mum and her fantastic nanny and their evolving friendship and partnership。Thank you to Netgalley and to St Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my review。 。。。more

Tessa Talks Books ，

What's it about （in a nutshell）:Someone has put a hit out on Findlay's ex-husband and， even though the job is tempting to Finlay， she decides to find out who posted the message instead and save her ex from the assassin who did respond to it。What I Enjoyed:The most enjoyable aspect of the Finlay Donovan series is how relatable Finlay is。 Her reactions to the situations that arise are also my reactions for her， so it's almost like the main character and the reader （me） are in this caper together。 What's it about （in a nutshell）:Someone has put a hit out on Findlay's ex-husband and， even though the job is tempting to Finlay， she decides to find out who posted the message instead and save her ex from the assassin who did respond to it。What I Enjoyed:The most enjoyable aspect of the Finlay Donovan series is how relatable Finlay is。 Her reactions to the situations that arise are also my reactions for her， so it's almost like the main character and the reader （me） are in this caper together。 She is a mom of two children trying to figure out how to balance the various parts of her life and feels like she is successful at none of it。 Her marriage failed， she never has an idea for the novel her agent and publisher are waiting for， and her trusty minivan is dying a slow yet unmistakable death。 Her life is messy， and the fact that this "every mom" is thought to be an assassin for hire by local gangsters makes it uproariously funny and thrillingly dangerous。The humor is slapstick with a dark edge to it that makes me feel for a second like I shouldn't be laughing， but I cannot help myself。 Reading this humor is a pure delight and puts me in a good mood。 How can I not love a story and a series that can create such fun？Finlay Donovan Knocks' Em Dead is extremely fast-paced。 It's one of those few books that I finished in one day， partly because of the pace that keeps those pages turning rapidly。 It's also because I am having so much fun in Findlay's world that I never want to leave。 The story pulls me right in， and I am more than happy to let it keep holding me there as I take it all in。There were quite a few jaw-dropping twists in this novel， and I loved each and every one。 I didn't look for clues because I enjoyed the story so much that it didn't occur to me to figure out who did it， but even if I was， I can't imagine that I ever would have seen the twists and turns coming。 Especially the central mystery of who put out a hit on Finlay's ex-husband。 The who and why left me in stitches once I picked my jaw up off of the floor。I even enjoy the trials and tribulations of Finlay's love life。 She has been casually seeing a young lawyer in training and has also caught the eye of a detective that works with her sister。 There is none of the typical angst that comes with deciding between two men because， in her mind， the only person she chooses is herself。 She's not looking for commitment， she is honest with all stakeholders， and she is unapologetically doing what she wants to do。 I find the situation to be rather refreshing， and I like that。Characters:I already talked about Finlay but not the other character of note – Vero。 Vero is the nanny/housekeeper for Finlay's children and their home。 Vero is an accounting student at a local community college and has so much sass and verve that it's hard not to be drawn to her。 She is not your typical caretaker – not at all。 And I love the combination of Finlay and Vero。 They make a great team！What I Wish:The only thing that I still have mixed feelings about is where Vero's storyline went in this novel and Finlay's reaction to it。 I think Finlay's response is commendable， but I don't know that it rang true to me as to how the character would feel – at least not at first。 Considering where they have been until now， I could see Finlay having a much different initial reaction。 Though， I could also see her working through it all to get to the point she is in the novel。 So， I guess that is what I wish – that Vero's situations and Finlay's reaction had all felt more believable considering what has happened in the series up to that point。 I hope that more clarity will be brought to it all in the next book， and maybe that will make it all more understandable。To Read or Not to Read:YES！ Just YES！ Read it， bask in it， and love it as much as I do！ 。。。more

caro | sanjariti ，

4。5/5 stars - RTC

Sonya ，

Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead is a light hearted mystery filled with quirky characters and laughable moments。 Book 2 in the Finlay Donovan series sees Finlay and Vero thrown in to craziness over and over again as Finlay tries to stop her ex-husband from being killed。 Add in a dash of connection to the first book and further unraveling the mess of Theresa， readers will find the familiar comical situations that Finlay just can't seem to avoid。 Finlay tries to navigate the chaos while writing her Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead is a light hearted mystery filled with quirky characters and laughable moments。 Book 2 in the Finlay Donovan series sees Finlay and Vero thrown in to craziness over and over again as Finlay tries to stop her ex-husband from being killed。 Add in a dash of connection to the first book and further unraveling the mess of Theresa， readers will find the familiar comical situations that Finlay just can't seem to avoid。 Finlay tries to navigate the chaos while writing her book and sorting out her romantic life。 Overall a fun read and worth picking up。 。 It's definitely a series I will continue to follow。 Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy as well as the opportunity to read and review this whimsical mystery read。 。。。more

Sharon ，

3。5 stars。 I really liked the first book in this series （which I also listened to on audio）。 I liked this one， but not quite as much。 I like Finlay as a protagonist and Vero as her friend/partner， and there are a lot of good side characters。 However， I didn't find this book as funny as the first， and some of the antics and situations that Finlay and Vero got into were a bit too much for me to believe， even knowing the overall premise of this book。 I was happy with some of the unexpected events i 3。5 stars。 I really liked the first book in this series （which I also listened to on audio）。 I liked this one， but not quite as much。 I like Finlay as a protagonist and Vero as her friend/partner， and there are a lot of good side characters。 However， I didn't find this book as funny as the first， and some of the antics and situations that Finlay and Vero got into were a bit too much for me to believe， even knowing the overall premise of this book。 I was happy with some of the unexpected events in the end， and will definitely put book three on my to-listen list。 Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ARC of this audiobook。 。。。more

Lou Jacobs ，

Book ReviewFinlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em DeadElle Cosimanoreviewed by Lou Jacobsreadersremains。com | GoodreadsA new genre arises: the screwball comedy mystery！ Mix into the pot a heaping amount of misunderstanding and misadventure， a humungous amount of humor， a tinge of romance， a deepening friendship and murder， and you’ve got an amazing propulsive read。Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead is the perfect vaccine for Covid。 This actually is the second Finlay adventure， but can certainly be enjoyed as a Book ReviewFinlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em DeadElle Cosimanoreviewed by Lou Jacobsreadersremains。com | GoodreadsA new genre arises: the screwball comedy mystery！ Mix into the pot a heaping amount of misunderstanding and misadventure， a humungous amount of humor， a tinge of romance， a deepening friendship and murder， and you’ve got an amazing propulsive read。Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead is the perfect vaccine for Covid。 This actually is the second Finlay adventure， but can certainly be enjoyed as a standalone， as Cosimano seamlessly weaves into the narrative the necessary backstory。 Finlay Donovan is a struggling B-list writer of romantic mysteries， facing impending deadlines for her next book。 She is the mother of adorable four year-old Delia and perpetually sticky two year-old toddler， Zach。 Donovan is divorced from her ex-husband， Steven， who carried on a lengthy affair with their curvy， blond realtor。During her first outing in Finlay Donovan Is Killing It， she was mistaken for a hit-woman during an “accidental” murder。 She was aided by the unusual college student， Vero， who now wears many hats: trusting nanny， confidante， accountant—and from this， a blossoming friendship has evolved。 In this adventure returning for an encore， are Finlay’s young law student and sometime lover， Julien， as well as her sister’s cop partner， Nick Anthony， who is determined to wheedle his way back into Finlay’s life。 （ He was the “hot cop” in her first book， for whom fans are clamoring for more。）Finlay—while surfing an online message board for disgruntled women—discovers a covert request for a “hit” on her ex-husband， Steven。 She recognizes he is still a good father and feels the need to intervene。 Her attempts to uncover the plot and its players lead to confrontations with both cops and the Russian Mob。 （Reminiscent of encounters with the Keystone Cops。） At the same time， deadlines for her next book are looming， and she doesn’t even have a plot。 While walking a dangerous tightrope and her agent pestering her for “a few pages” she spins her ongoing dilemma into the plot of her next book， which is met with ecstatic approval of both agent and publisher。Elle Cosimano spins a twisted and hilarious tale that is well plotted， suspenseful， and is marvelously outfitted with multiple colorful characters that are both flawed and believable。 The burgeoning relationship and “sisterhood” between Finlay and Vero is nothing less than amazing。 The dialogue flows in an entertaining fashion， frequently funny and at times， sarcastic， as our two main protagonists entangle themselves in the world of murder and mayhem。 Could this be a modern-day “Lucy and Ethel” adventure？ This propulsive page turner is a welcome antidote to everyone’s angst。 Hopefully this is not the end to the life and misadventures of Finlay Donovan。Thanks to NetGalley and St。 Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more

Kelly ，

If you were a fan of Finlay Donovan is Killing It then I feel you will also love Finlay Donovan Knocks "Em Dead。 We pick up on the cliffhanger left for us in book 1 and follow Finlay and Vero as they attempt to solve a murder for hire scheme that hits a little too close to Finlay's family。 The humor from book 1 continues into book 2 and the friendship between Finlay and Vero is definitely one of a kind。 Reading book 1 is a must if you plan to pick this one up as there are key characters from bef If you were a fan of Finlay Donovan is Killing It then I feel you will also love Finlay Donovan Knocks "Em Dead。 We pick up on the cliffhanger left for us in book 1 and follow Finlay and Vero as they attempt to solve a murder for hire scheme that hits a little too close to Finlay's family。 The humor from book 1 continues into book 2 and the friendship between Finlay and Vero is definitely one of a kind。 Reading book 1 is a must if you plan to pick this one up as there are key characters from before that show up in this story as well。 If I had to note something about this particular story is that there are few situations that seems a little outlandish or unlikely， but this book kept me entertained all the same so no complaint here！ The book leaves a little tidbit for more to come， I am already eager for the next adventure of Finlay and Vero！ 。。。more

Ceecee ，

#2 3。5 rounded down。 Who wants Finlay‘s ex husband Steven dead after she finds a post on a female chat forum？ Who is FedUp？ Even more to the point who is EasyClean？ What can Finlay and Vero do to stop it？ Can Finlay deliver on her next book as the deadline looms？ Maybe inspiration for the plot lies in this latest mess she finds herself in。Trouble doesn’t just knock at Finley‘s door， it’s already open wide and lets it self in。 She sure gets herself into some ‘situations’ in this latest mad caper。 #2 3。5 rounded down。 Who wants Finlay‘s ex husband Steven dead after she finds a post on a female chat forum？ Who is FedUp？ Even more to the point who is EasyClean？ What can Finlay and Vero do to stop it？ Can Finlay deliver on her next book as the deadline looms？ Maybe inspiration for the plot lies in this latest mess she finds herself in。Trouble doesn’t just knock at Finley‘s door， it’s already open wide and lets it self in。 She sure gets herself into some ‘situations’ in this latest mad caper。 Russian mobs， check， hit women and hits， check， hot detectives， definitely check， hot student lawyers， ditto， corpses， yes， hackers， yep， threats and more than threats， most certainly。 It’s a fast paced escapade， absolutely crazy as each time the dynamic duo ‘solve’ something it unleashes something else as they bumble about in the dark。 It’s not meant to be taken seriously， it’s overblown and ridiculously convoluted but it’s fun。 It’s not laugh out loud funny and didn’t have the fizz of the last one but it’s still worth reading especially for the quirky characters of Finlay and Vero who you can’t help but like。 Some scenes are especially colourful and creative and are movie worthy。 The ending is really good， parts of it are a surprise and make me smile and yes， it ends on a cliffhanger。 If you want a lighter read in the mystery and thriller genre then this series will fit the bill。 With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Headline for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review。 。。。more

Carla Johnson-Hicks ，

4。5 stars rounded up: Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead was just as enjoyable as the first book in the series。 Finlay has received a new contract for her books and is in a better place financially， but still seems to have writers block。 Once again， her agent is hounding her about her next book and she is scrambling。 Vero has moved in with them so she now has a live-in Nanny。 Steven's girlfriend is on house arrest and they are no longer together with him living temporarily in the trailer he uses as 4。5 stars rounded up: Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead was just as enjoyable as the first book in the series。 Finlay has received a new contract for her books and is in a better place financially， but still seems to have writers block。 Once again， her agent is hounding her about her next book and she is scrambling。 Vero has moved in with them so she now has a live-in Nanny。 Steven's girlfriend is on house arrest and they are no longer together with him living temporarily in the trailer he uses as an office on the sod farm。 When she and Vero find out that someone has taken a hit out on him， she is back in action。 She might not love him， but he is the father of her children。 Getting back involved with the Russian Mafia， finding a dead body and trying to deflect questions and interest from Nick， her sister's cop friend， she bumbles around trying to save her ex-husband while keeping out of jail herself。 This situation could be just what she needs for her new book。Elle Cosimano introduces us to new characters in this book。 Vero and Finlay stumble upon the dark web and need help making sure no one can trace them。 We meet a couple of young men who can do that， which seems to be the way it is in real life。 We also meet Theresa's parents and sister， as well as Bree's parents。 All are involved in the happenings in this story。 Detective Nick Anthony plays a much bigger role in this book。 He pops up several times when Finlay needs him and she is beginning to develop some feelings towards him。 I do like him， but he seems a bit too good to be true， is he bending the law to get Finlay to like him？ There was a lot happening in this book that kept me on my toes。 There were a lot of twists and some crazy characters。 These books are just plain fun， so don't expect it to be realistic， just sit and back， hang on and enjoy the ride。 I did a read/listen with this book and once again， enjoyed Angela Dawe's narration。 She has great voices for the various characters and her expression is perfect。 I will say that I enjoyed the audiobook more than the sections I read， but the story shines through no matter which format you select。 Once again， I recommend this book and series for those who enjoy a fun， romantic comedy and mystery。 The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request。 The rating and opinions shared are my own。 。。。more

Rachel ，

FD is back at it again！ Shenanigans galore。 I will say the first part of it seems a bit slow， but then about half way through everything kicks off。 It is such a fun series。 I am definitely looking forward to the next one。

Paromjit ，

Elle Cosimano follows Finlay Donovan is Killing It with this sequel with the further crime capers and mayhem of the accidental hit woman and divorced single mother with two young children， Delia and Zach。 Once again Fin is suffering from writer's block and struggling to meet her deadlines， although her good for nothing ex-husband， Steven， is no longer engaged to Theresa after dead bodies were discovered on his farm。 He is no longer seeking full custody of the children， but he does still want to Elle Cosimano follows Finlay Donovan is Killing It with this sequel with the further crime capers and mayhem of the accidental hit woman and divorced single mother with two young children， Delia and Zach。 Once again Fin is suffering from writer's block and struggling to meet her deadlines， although her good for nothing ex-husband， Steven， is no longer engaged to Theresa after dead bodies were discovered on his farm。 He is no longer seeking full custody of the children， but he does still want to see them， and this is proving to be a problem for Fin as she has discovered someone wants him dead， and is willing to pay to have him killed by an assassin。 Whilst she is not averse to seeing him killed， there is the rather small matter that he is the father of her children， and they love him。She tries to work out who could possibly want him dead， but that list is rather extensive， as she and her live in nanny and now close friend， Veronica 'Vero' Ruiz， a woman with her own secrets， attempt to follow and keep Steven safe。 Understandably， Fin wants to protect the children and is rather reluctant to let him have them as she comes up with excuse after excuse。 Her love life is rather fraught， she has been seeing the younger Julian， bartender at The Lush and law student， but he has gone off to Florida with his mates， and Detective Nick Anthony is back in her life， still smitten with her。 A whole host of familiar characters return， including， unfortunately， Feliks and the Russian Mafia， Theresa， and her best friend Aimee。 Will Fin be able to finish her novel on time and save Steven？Cosimano keeps the absurdities and comic humour coming in this fun and entertaining addition to the series， although it has to be said that with all the action in the novel that our central protagonist， Fin， has very litte time to spend with her children。 I do love her family， particularly Georgia， the cop， who is responsible for Nick turning up in Fin's life again when he comes to Delia's school for a careers talk dressed in his SWAT uniform， which has all the women swooning。 Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC。 。。。more

BookBloggerJanine ，

Finlay Donovan Knocks Em Dead by Elle CosimanoI give this book 4。5 stars Meet Finlay Donovan - single mum， floundering crime writer and accidental hit-woman 。 With her book 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。 。 。 This is book 2 in a seriesWelcome to your time out/escape from reality book of the year。This fast paced fun romp has a great combination of mishaps and misadventures，l Finlay Donovan Knocks Em Dead by Elle CosimanoI give this book 4。5 stars Meet Finlay Donovan - single mum， floundering crime writer and accidental hit-woman 。 With her book 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。 。 。 This is book 2 in a seriesWelcome to your time out/escape from reality book of the year。This fast paced fun romp has a great combination of mishaps and misadventures，light hearted humour， romance and mystery and relatable （with a pinch of salt） but chaotic lead characters。Finlay and Vero are to date my favourite sparky duo。Totally entertaining and highly engaging……。l loved EVERYTHING about this book。 How long do l have to wait for book 3 ！？With thanks to Netgalley，Elle Cosimano and Headline for my chance to read and review this book 。。。more

jocelyn • floorstackedbooks ，

2。5 — this could have been way shorter。 I was not as invested in the plot as the first one and it just felt a bit repetitive。 Still， Finlay and Vero are friendship goals and I look forward to the third。 Thank you Minotaur Books for the gifted arc

Amy ，

Just as satisfying and fun as the first， Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead is a great read！！ Once again Finlay is approaching the deadline for her next novel when her life gets "complicated。" This time Finlay and her feisty sidekick/partner/nanny， Vero， discover that someone wants her ex-husband， Steven， dead。 As they try to uncover the identity of this person， they， once again get in way over their heads。 The two find themselves tangled up with the Russian Mafia and are desperately trying to keep Just as satisfying and fun as the first， Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead is a great read！！ Once again Finlay is approaching the deadline for her next novel when her life gets "complicated。" This time Finlay and her feisty sidekick/partner/nanny， Vero， discover that someone wants her ex-husband， Steven， dead。 As they try to uncover the identity of this person， they， once again get in way over their heads。 The two find themselves tangled up with the Russian Mafia and are desperately trying to keep the charismatic Detective Nick off their trail。 This leads to many close calls， surprises and laugh out loud moments throughout。 The cast of characters are another reason why this story works so well。 I loved Finlay Donovan is Killing It and had high expectations for this new book。 It did not disappoint！！ These books are such a breath of fresh air。 I cannot wait to see what is in store for Finlay and Vero in the next book。Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review。#NetGalley #ElleCosimano #FinlayDonovanKnocks"EmDead 。。。more

Mary Hale ，

This is the second book in the series。 You could probably read it as a stand alone but I think reading them in order adds a lot of value。 This book is fantastic。 I laughed out loud repeatedly， it kept me guessing， and I like all the characters on some level。 Highly Recommend this series。

Laura | bookishandlegal ，

Thanks to Netgalley， Elle Cosimano， and McMillian Audio for the arc in exchange for an honest review。 Solid follow up book to Finlay Donovan is Killing It！ This one had the same fun energy and mystery as the first one without as many bodies to dispose of。 I liked the change of Steven being in danger and Finlay/Vero trying to solve the mystery before he was killed。 It added a fun change on the first book while keeping the same vibes。 There were parts if this book that felt like reality really wen Thanks to Netgalley， Elle Cosimano， and McMillian Audio for the arc in exchange for an honest review。 Solid follow up book to Finlay Donovan is Killing It！ This one had the same fun energy and mystery as the first one without as many bodies to dispose of。 I liked the change of Steven being in danger and Finlay/Vero trying to solve the mystery before he was killed。 It added a fun change on the first book while keeping the same vibes。 There were parts if this book that felt like reality really went off the rails and that were more unbelievable than the first one。 Finlay and Vero made a lot of dumb decisions in this one that I was shaking my head at frequently。 Despite that， I still enjoyed this book even though it dragged a little in parts。 I don’t know if there will be another book， but the epilogue definitely set it up for one。 I’ll for sure keep reading Finlay’s stories if for nothing else than the fun and hilarious antics her and Vero get up to！ 。。。more

Erica （sand_between_pages） ，

Thanks so much to Macmillan Audio for the alc of Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead！。Surprisingly， I enjoyed this book quite a bit more than the first！ I've listened to both on audio， but I found I had an easier time following this one。 I also found Finlay and Vero's friendship a bit more fleshed out and endearing。 The narration is excellent， too！。I'm looking forward to installment three as FDKED somewhat ends in a cliffhanger！ Thanks so much to Macmillan Audio for the alc of Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead！。Surprisingly， I enjoyed this book quite a bit more than the first！ I've listened to both on audio， but I found I had an easier time following this one。 I also found Finlay and Vero's friendship a bit more fleshed out and endearing。 The narration is excellent， too！。I'm looking forward to installment three as FDKED somewhat ends in a cliffhanger！ 。。。more

Tiffany ，

A month after Finlay Donovan was mistaken for a hit-woman for hire and having to deal with more dead bodies than she would like， she's back to trying to juggle her looming book deadline and taking care of her kids。 However， before her life can return to （somewhat） normal， she gets a tip that someone has called a hit on her ex-husband via an anonymous internet forum。 Who？ Why？ Before she knows it， she's tangled up in a web of secrets and having encounters with the Russian mob （again）， while simul A month after Finlay Donovan was mistaken for a hit-woman for hire and having to deal with more dead bodies than she would like， she's back to trying to juggle her looming book deadline and taking care of her kids。 However， before her life can return to （somewhat） normal， she gets a tip that someone has called a hit on her ex-husband via an anonymous internet forum。 Who？ Why？ Before she knows it， she's tangled up in a web of secrets and having encounters with the Russian mob （again）， while simultaneously trying to navigate her feelings towards the almost-lawyer and cop in her life。。。 Finlay Donovan Is Killing It was my first read of 2022 and I absolutely adored it， so I was stoked to get an ARC of Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead！ This book had all the humour and fun of the first one， and I flew through it！ I love， love， love Finlay and Vero's relationship and dynamic so much， and I'm really intrigued by Vero's past and what she's hiding。。。 I also enjoyed the progression of the love triangle that was set up in Book 1 （I'm fully Team Nick now！ His relationship with Delia is everything）， and getting to catch up with all the supporting characters。 I can't wait to see how Finlay's story continues in the next book， especially with how this one ended。。。 （Also， RIP Christopher）（Note: I would definitely recommend reading the first book before starting the second as it introduces you to all the supporting characters and their backstories。 You'll probably be a bit overwhelmed otherwise。）Thanks to NetGalley and Headline for an ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more

Cindy ，

I won this ARC as a giveaway on Instagram。 I haven’t read the first book but this one was funny， silly at times， but overall a fun mystery。

Kindle Worm ，

Taking off where Finlay Donovan is Killing It left off， Finlay and Vero once again are up to their necks in trouble。 Trouble that leaves us laughing out loud。 Trouble that has us shaking our heads and saying no， no， NO！！When Finlay finds out there’s a hit on her ex husband’s life， she and Vero start their own investigation into who might want Steven dead。 Unfortunately， it’s not a short list。 Regardless of the divorce， Steven is a good father and Finlay and Vero get themselves into some hilariou Taking off where Finlay Donovan is Killing It left off， Finlay and Vero once again are up to their necks in trouble。 Trouble that leaves us laughing out loud。 Trouble that has us shaking our heads and saying no， no， NO！！When Finlay finds out there’s a hit on her ex husband’s life， she and Vero start their own investigation into who might want Steven dead。 Unfortunately， it’s not a short list。 Regardless of the divorce， Steven is a good father and Finlay and Vero get themselves into some hilarious situations to save him。 As Finlay tries to balance two suitors （a young law student and a “hot” cop） home life and saving Steven with her loyal sidekick， Vero， we readers are highly entertained。 Once again Cosimano takes us on a delightful journey with Finlay and Vero。 Their hijinks are highly amusing and I’m hoping for much more from Finlay and Vero！！Angela Dawe keeps us enthralled as we listen to her perfect narration。 Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ALC of this book。 。。。more

Phoebe （readandwright） Wright ，

Thank you Minotaur Books and St。 Martin’s Press for my copy！ All thoughts are my own。 Finlay Donovan is Killing It was one of those books I saw EVERYWHERE in 2021。 And when I finally read it， I totally got the hype and ended up loving it。 That’s one of the best feelings as a reader and the sequel did not disappoint for me！ I had so much fun reading it。 It’s one of those books that just grabs you from the start and brings you along for a wild ride。 I loved Finlay even more in this book and I can’ Thank you Minotaur Books and St。 Martin’s Press for my copy！ All thoughts are my own。 Finlay Donovan is Killing It was one of those books I saw EVERYWHERE in 2021。 And when I finally read it， I totally got the hype and ended up loving it。 That’s one of the best feelings as a reader and the sequel did not disappoint for me！ I had so much fun reading it。 It’s one of those books that just grabs you from the start and brings you along for a wild ride。 I loved Finlay even more in this book and I can’t wait for the next book in the series！ Synopsis: What I Liked: The Pace—I couldn’t put this book down。 I had so much fun reading it and laughed out loud several times。 I don’t read thrillers （cause I like to sleep） but this thriller-comedy-romance combo is something I could really get behind。 The Concept/Plot—I love how meta this series is。 It might just be the actor in me， but I love when there’s a book within a book or a play within a play。 It’s so fun to me。 And I think I really love this series because it feels very Neil Simon and I think it would be such a fun play or movie！The Characters—Vero， Finlay， Nick， Julian， even Susan！ I love Zach and Delia。 All the characters feel so dynamic and fun and complicated。 I can’t say enough about how much I enjoyed this book！ What Didn’t Work: I wanted more Nick。 Team Nick， and not just cause that’s my husbands name。 CW/TW:murder， cancer， gun violence， fireCharacter Authenticity: 4/5 Steam Rating: 0/5 Overall Rating: 4。75/5Full review to come but these books are so damn fun。 Thank you Minotaur Books for my copy！ 。。。more

Danielle ，

Another fun mystery in this series。 It was great to reconnect with all the characters and dive into the all the wild hijinks。 I really enjoyed all the interactions and situations Finlay found herself in。 The narrator was great doing excellent voices。 I really liked the listening experience。Overall fun listen and definitely a book I’d recommend to someone looking for a fun mystery。

Jeimy ，

From text messages I just sent to a group chat with fellow bookworms:I’m struggling with how to review the second Finlay Donovan。 What I loved about the first one is that I didn’t mind how predictable the book was because of how ridiculous—and ridiculously funny it was。However the author has clearly matured and this story is less predictable and less over-the-top。 Finlay has matured as well， she is less clueless， which helps her be steps ahead of the police。My initial thought was to give it thre From text messages I just sent to a group chat with fellow bookworms:I’m struggling with how to review the second Finlay Donovan。 What I loved about the first one is that I didn’t mind how predictable the book was because of how ridiculous—and ridiculously funny it was。However the author has clearly matured and this story is less predictable and less over-the-top。 Finlay has matured as well， she is less clueless， which helps her be steps ahead of the police。My initial thought was to give it three stars， but I literally stayed up past my bedtime to finish reading it。 I may end up giving it four stars。 。。。more

Christina ，

This is my second Finlay Donovan reading experience， but my first audiobook。 At first I was not sure what I thought of Finlay’s voice。 “This wasn’t how I pictured her in my head！” was my first thought。 But I’m pleased to say that Angela Dawe’s strong performance quickly changed my mind。 She truly embodied the spunk， quirkiness， intelligence and sass that makes all of us adore Finlay。 I really enjoyed this audiobook and in the future I think I’ll listen to all of Finlay’s adventures on audio。This This is my second Finlay Donovan reading experience， but my first audiobook。 At first I was not sure what I thought of Finlay’s voice。 “This wasn’t how I pictured her in my head！” was my first thought。 But I’m pleased to say that Angela Dawe’s strong performance quickly changed my mind。 She truly embodied the spunk， quirkiness， intelligence and sass that makes all of us adore Finlay。 I really enjoyed this audiobook and in the future I think I’ll listen to all of Finlay’s adventures on audio。This is another charming， warm， well-characterized mystery featuring Finlay Donovan， intrepid novelist and sometime detective， and her nanny and good friend Vero （who at times I love even more than Finlay！）。 Not unlike our author Elle Cosimano， Finlay is finding her way writing her next novel; but unlike the author （I hope）， Finlay has once again found herself embroiled in a murder-for-hire plot， this time involving her ex-husband， Steven。 The author peppers in just enough romance to keep things fun and cute while then refocusing on the mystery。 There are some hilarious characters and misunderstandings in the sequel， just as there were in the first book， and I thoroughly enjoyed this ride， which was smooth and exciting， not unlike a sports car that features prominently in the plot。I love Finlay and Vero and I am excited to read the third installment of this series！ Thanks to Minotaur Books， Macmillan Audio， NetGalley and the author for this charming and fun mystery that totally lives up to the fun of Finlay’s first outing。 4。5 stars ⭐️ 。。。more

Kerry-louise Jones ，

I absolutely loved the first book in This series so had been eagerly awaiting this book。 I enjoyed how quick it was to get into， the pacing and how the storyline the main character was writing make a joke of the book but this one was just too far fetched even for me。

Heather ，

Thank you， NetGalley， for the advance copy of the audiobook of this novel in exchange for an honest review。 Finlay Donovan is back！ She and her nanny/accountant， Vero， get wrapped up in another big mess when they discover that someone wishing Finlay’s ex-husband Steven harm has put a hit out on him。 Finlay takes on the task， not for the $100，000 but to find out who wants her ex dead and to stop them。 Steven， not realizing the danger he is in despite Finlay repeatedly trying to tell him， is pursu Thank you， NetGalley， for the advance copy of the audiobook of this novel in exchange for an honest review。 Finlay Donovan is back！ She and her nanny/accountant， Vero， get wrapped up in another big mess when they discover that someone wishing Finlay’s ex-husband Steven harm has put a hit out on him。 Finlay takes on the task， not for the $100，000 but to find out who wants her ex dead and to stop them。 Steven， not realizing the danger he is in despite Finlay repeatedly trying to tell him， is pursuing shared custody of their two young children。 Finlay must discover who wants her ex dead to save him and make sure her children aren’t in harms way。 Oh and there’s a hot law student and a hot cop both vying for Finlay’s affection plus Vero has something to hide。 Finlay must save her ex， untangle her love life and figure out exactly what Vero is hiding。 I really liked this audiobook。 The narrator was really good， giving a voice to each character and keeping my interest。 And as a sequel， this book did not disappoint！ I really enjoyed the first book in this series so I had high hopes for this audiobook。 Expectations exceeded！ There was a lot of action but definitely some character development as well as we get to know each character and their story even better。 This was a well written book with some clever parts， laugh out loud sections and even some heavy emotions。 The story was just plausible enough to not be distracting and the way the door was left open for a third book in the series - let’s just say I can’t wait for the next one！ 。。。more

Darla ，

Could the second book in the Finlay Donovan series actually include more hijinks and hilarity than the first？ You betcha！ There is intricate plotting that is intertwined with Finlay's next book。 And just like that， we have a new series that is reminiscent of Stephanie Plum。 Not to replace， but to give readers the enjoyment of a closely-knit family， a strong female friendship and partnership， a love triangle， fast cars， the mob， and crazy situations。 The characters are flawed， but some are lovabl Could the second book in the Finlay Donovan series actually include more hijinks and hilarity than the first？ You betcha！ There is intricate plotting that is intertwined with Finlay's next book。 And just like that， we have a new series that is reminiscent of Stephanie Plum。 Not to replace， but to give readers the enjoyment of a closely-knit family， a strong female friendship and partnership， a love triangle， fast cars， the mob， and crazy situations。 The characters are flawed， but some are lovable while others are irredeemable。 After two books， I know readers are beginning to choose their favorites。 This book ends with a cliffhanger。 Hurray for another Finlay story。 My question is: Are you Team Julian？ Or Team Nick？Thank you to Minotaur Books and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more

Michele Dubois ，

A completely satisfying sequel to “Finlay Donovan Is Killing It”！ Part II of Finlay’s outrageous adventures as a author of thriller/romantic murder mysteries while raising two toddlers as a divorcee with the help of her sassy nanny， Vero， delivers an action packed thrill ride with laugh-out-loud dialogue。 Cosimano combines a perfect balance of mystery， suspense， romance and humor for an excitingly fast-paced novel。 These novels will make for a very fun Netflix series！

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0