‘Finlay Donovan is Killing It’ book review: A laugh riot

I don’t remember the last time I laughed so hard while reading a book. ‘Finlay Donovan is Killing It’ by Elle Cosimano made me giggle and snort. It’s really not a good idea to read this book at work or in public spaces. People will look at you like you’ve lost it. And you very well might have since Cosimano’s writing is witty and sharp making Finlay come alive right before your eyes. I read this book at the beginning of January and I’m still thinking about it. I can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel—Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead—the premise of which was set at the end of the first book. I’m so happy that the third part of what is now a series—Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun—was just released on the last day of January this year. Even if the books are ten percent as good as Finlay Donovan is Killing It, I know I’m in for a rollicking ride. Finlay Donovan is Killing It starts with Finlay being overheard discussing the plot of her new suspense novel over lunch with her agent. Only, she’s mistaken for a contract killer and hired to kill someone. Finlay isn’t a murderer and has no intentions of actually killing someone but she is intrigued. So, she goes to meet the man she’s supposed to get rid of and, somehow, by the end of their meeting, the man ends up dead. In Finlay’s garage.

To make things worse, Finlay has to submit the draft of her book to her agent. Else she could lose the contract and, as a single mom, she can’t afford that. Her husband and his partner are already vying for the sole custody of her daughter, claiming she’s an unfit parent. She desperately wants to be able to give her daughter the things she needs and wants. Desperate, she fictionalized the truth and hands in the draft. Her agent and editor love it and they want her to work on the story. But her book could be all the evidence the police need to put her behind bars.

A great thing about the book, besides the story obviously, is that it has carefully crafted characters that add different dimensions to the plot. Cosimano has fleshed them out really well. Finlay’s nanny Vero adds a lot of spunk to the story. She’s the yin to Finlay’s yang. She balances things out and her laid-back attitude is something you wish you could emulate. Vero is also the friend everyone will wish they had. There are other interesting characters like Finlay’s four-year-old daughter, Delia, and her sister Georgia, who is a cop and hasn’t been on a date in 10 years. All in all, the eclectic mix of characters coupled with a great story will keep you hooked till the very end. Four and a half stars Finlay Donovan is Killing It Elle Cosimano Published: 2021 Publisher: Headline Review Pages: 359, Paperback https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53138099-finlay-donovan-is-killing-it