Review: Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

BOOK STATS

Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5
Title: Finlay Donovan is Killing It
Author: Elle Cosimano
Series: Finlay Donovan #1
Genre: Mystery/Humor
Audience: Adult
Format: Hardcover
Length: 368 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Release Date: February 2, 2021
Source: Personal collection
Recommended for fans of: The Good Girls
Content Warnings: infidelity, violence, murder

SYNOPSIS

Finlay Donovan is killing it . . . except, she’s really not. She’s 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 . . . Soon, Finlay 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.

Fast-paced, deliciously witty, and wholeheartedly authentic in depicting the frustrations and triumphs of motherhood in all its messiness, hilarity, and heartfelt moment, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is the first in a brilliant new series from YA Edgar Award nominee Elle Cosimano.

MY THOUGHTS

Finlay is such a relatable hot mess mom who gets in way over her head in a hilarious and thrilling way when she is mistakenly hired for a hit job. This fast-paced mystery kept me guessing, laughing, and turning pages. Even though I did not even come close to predicting the killer’s true identity, I expected a bit more from the ending, although I’m not really sure what (I read this during a bit of a reading slump, so that may have influenced my reactions to the book). This book is perfect for mystery and thriller fans in need of something light and fun, and I am so excited to see that this is going to be a series!