Finlay Donovan Is Killing It
A Novel
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4.2 • 435 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
"Getting the job done" for one single mom takes on a whole new meaning in Finlay Donovan is Killing It.
A USA Today bestseller!
One of Suspense Magazine's "Best Thrillers of 2021"
One of New York Public Library's Best Books of 2021
Nominated for the Left Coast Crime 2022 Lefty Award for the Best Humorous Mystery
“Finlay Donovan is irresistible!”—Janet Evanovich
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 moments, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is the first in a brilliant new series from YA Edgar Award nominee Elle Cosimano.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
This madcap thriller from Elle Cosimano revolves around recently divorced mystery novelist Finlay Donovan, who is used to coming up with ingenious ways of hiding bodies. But the down-on-her-luck writer’s skills are really put to the test when someone overhears her talking with her editor and gets the wrong idea, offering her a job as a killer for hire. Cosimano never takes her foot off the gas as Finlay navigates the bizarre twists and deadly turns that follow. We loved this book’s perfect combination of over-the-top excitement and laugh-out-loud humor. As Finlay deals with shady mafiosi, a distasteful ex-husband, and dirty diapers—and somehow gets herself permanently banned from Panera—we’re treated to a screwball comedy and fun murder mystery rolled into one.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This amusing series launch from YA author Cosimano (Seasons of the Storm), her adult debut, has a pleasingly absurd premise. Wronged wife Patricia Mickler overhears Finlay Donovan, a down-and-out romantic suspense novelist, talking about her next book with her agent in a suburban Virginia sandwich shop. Mistaking Finlay for a killer for hire, Patricia offers the author $50,000 to kill her no-good husband, Harris. The money is just what Finlay needs to deal with her ex, who's trying to renegotiate their custody agreement. Of course, Finlay has no intention of actually killing Harris, but fate intervenes and when she witnesses Harris attempting to drug a woman in a bar, Finlay is launched into a screwball mystery involving Russian gangsters, more angry wives, and a disturbingly attractive police detective. Finlay's antics require a suspension of disbelief that some readers may find difficult to sustain, and others may be troubled by seeing issues such as date rape and revenge porn handled with such a light hand. But those willing to enter into the spirit of Finlay's world should enjoy this romp from a skilled comic writer.
Customer Reviews
What Fun!
I kept trying to stop reading but tge humor kept drawing me back.
Anxious to read #2!
i want to love it..
Funny at times, but the story was just okay. Boring. It took me two months to read it, books usually take a week or two depending how busy i am.
Adorably chaotic!
I’ve seen some of the reviews here complaining it wasn’t “believable” etc., but I found it to be as comically hilarious and the perspectives of her anxieties and frustration regarding her ex husband in custodial and co parenting matters equally as realistic as the plot of the hiring contracted killing was hilariously unrealistic.
I adored the sardonic humor, her fierce love and protective nature towards her children and the interpersonal relationships she has with her secondary characters to be realistically portrayed