Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is a humorous cozy mystery/thriller and the first in the eponymous series by Elle Cosimano (4/5 stars)

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is a humorous cozy mystery/thriller and the first in the eponymous series by Elle Cosimano.

I borrowed the audiobook from my local library after NetGalley offered the entire series as Read Now for 24 hours to see if I liked it enough to grab all of them (RIP my ratio), and I’m glad I did!

I absolutely ate this up and loved the author’s prose. I laughed out loud several times and I really liked our two main characters, Finlay and her babysitter-turned-accomplice Vero. The series is set in my neck of the woods, and it’s always fun to read about places I know and have visited.

Probably the biggest thing to know before going into this book is that it’s pretty madcap and you’ll need to be able to suspend your disbelief a bunch. I personally find these kinds of reads very entertaining. This series would make a really fun tv series or movie.

If you’re a fan of the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich, you should absolutely check this series out!

CW: firearms, murder, violence, domestic abuse (briefly mentioned)

I received a complimentary review copy from NetGalley and Minotaur Books. All opinions contained herein are my own.

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The Finlay Donovan series includes:

• Finlay Donovan is Killing It
• Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead
• Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun
• “Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank” (a prequel short story)
• Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice
• Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave
• Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line (expected in 2026)