Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is a hilarious, modern-day Cozy Mystery, that will leave you simultaneously at the edge-of-your-seat and clutching your sides with laughter.
As a start to a series, this story succeeded in making me fall in love with these characters. I cannot wait for more!
Finlay Donovan is a struggling novelist. She is also currently single-moming two small children, as her jerk ex-husband left her for the hot, blonde, real estate agent he had been having an affair with.
Making matters worse, on the morning of a very important meeting with her agent, to discuss her barely existent new novel, Finlay discovers her ex-hubby has also fired their nanny. Without giving her any advanced notice!
Not a great start to the day. As single-moms are known to do, however, Finlay figures it out, all whilst barely holding herself together on the inside.
She makes her meeting with her agent, at a Panera, of all places, and they have a great, albeit slightly stressful discussion about Finlay’s career.
Unbeknownst to Finlay, another patron was listening in on the conversation.
Not understanding they were discussing the plot of Finlay’s floundering novel, this woman now mistakenly believes Finlay to be a successful contract killer.
She then proceeds to try to hire Finlay to kill her husband. He’s a scoundrel, she says; he won’t be missed and she is willing to pay a hefty sum. While Finlay is intrigued, she obviously sees the problems with this plan.
However, somehow, as turns out to be common in Finlay’s life, she ends up in over her head. Before she knows it, she is embroiled in the dark underbelly of her community, where murder abounds.
This novel is fun from the first chapter. You are immediately thrown into the chaos of Finlay’s life and into her hilarious inner musings.
Not long after the Panera incident, Finlay is able to rekindle her relationship with their fabulous nanny, Vero and the two become, quite literally, partners in crime.
The relationship between Finlay and Vero gave me life. They played off each others personalities so well. I loved how they worked together and became like family.
There were great side characters, red herrings, action and drama. It is just pure fun to read; light, funny and full of over-the-top hijinks.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Minotaur Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I really appreciate it!
I cannot wait to see what Finlay and Vero get up to next!