Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead
Author: Elle Cosimano
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books
Rating: 4 stars
Publish Date: February 1, 2022
*Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing Far Flung Readers with a free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
The Synopsis
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.
St. Martin’s Press
The Review
Our favorite accidental assassin-for-hire is back in this sequel to Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, and I absolutely love it! Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead is just as fun. hilarious, and escapist as the first book. We are reunited with Finlay, her BFF Vero, her ex-husband Steven, and the other characters we know and love.
Finlay is trying to figure out who has put a mysterious hit on her husband, without tipping off hot-cop Nick to her shenanigans. Aston Martins, body parts in the washing machine, and shoot outs ensue. Cosimano has kept the same amount of humor, mystery, and fast-paced action in this sequel. If you loved Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, you’ll probably love this book too.
The only critiques I have are that there were a lot of characters to keep track of, and towards the end I was like, “Who?” but Cosimano’s writing explains everything pretty clearly if you just keep reading. Vero’s characterization was kept very mysterious throughout the book, but I feel like it wasn’t fully explained or resolved in a satisfactory way. Maybe that’s for a later book?
Critiques aside, this is a wonderful romp that will make you laugh out loud and gasp with all its twists and turns. We both highly recommend this series!
Should You Read It?
This series is super fun and escapist! We highly recommend if you’re looking for something fast-paced, funny, and light-hearted with a dash of murder. Read Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead if you:
– Loved Finlay Donovan Is Killing It
– Enjoyed the Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich from back in the day. (Does anyone else remember these??)
– Like crime or mystery stories that aren’t super violent or gory.
– Want to distract yourself from the agony of the world.
– Love a good love triangle. Yes, the hot cop and hot law student are back!
The Book
Excited to read Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead? The book comes out February 1, 2022! You can pre-order your copy here, or buy a copy of the first Finlay Donovan book here.
We received a free digital ARC of Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to them for providing us with a copy!
Far Flung Readers participates in Bookshop’s affiliate program. You can learn more about our participation here.
