Genre Fiction
![Elle Cosimano - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B00E6M2074.jpg)
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It: A Novel
"Getting the job done" for one single mom takes on a whole new meaning in Finlay Donovan is Killing It.
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
"Funny and smart, twisty and surprising."―Megan Miranda
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.
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
"Funny and smart, twisty and surprising."―Megan Miranda
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.
Editorial Reviews
An American Booksellers Association 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
One of "26 Murder Mystery Books You Won't Be Able to Put Down"―Country Living
One of "The Most Anticipated Books of Winter 2021" ―Parade
One of "The Most Anticipated Debuts of 2021" ―Bustle
One of "The Most Anticipated Mysteries and Thrillers of 2021" ―Goodreads
One of "The Most Anticipated Crime Books of 2021" ―Crimereads
One of "The Highly Recommended Books of 2021" ―Brit + Co
One of "The Best Books to Read in 2021" ―Betches
One of "The Must-Read Mysteries and Thrillers of 2021" ―Frolic
One of "The 18 Best Beach Reads of Summer 2021" ―PureWow
One of "Our Picks for the Best Mysteries and Thrillers of 2021"―Bookbub
A "Favorite Suspenseful Beach Read"―SheReads
One of "15 Best Murder Mystery Books that are Total Page Turners"―Redbook
"A twisty delight."―PEOPLE
"[Cosimano's] main character is so endearing it's easy to surrender..."―New York Times Book Review
"If you love thrillers, but wish the genre would lighten up a little then you absolutely must read Finlay Donovan Is Killing It."―PopSugar
"Fast-paced, fresh, full of humor, and original."―Jill Orr in St. Louis Magazine
"Part comedy of errors, part genuine thriller… Deftly balancing genre conventions with sly, tongue-in-cheek comments on motherhood and femininity, Cosimano crafts a deliciously twisted tale."―Booklist
"Suspenseful, funny...
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
One of "26 Murder Mystery Books You Won't Be Able to Put Down"―Country Living
One of "The Most Anticipated Books of Winter 2021" ―Parade
One of "The Most Anticipated Debuts of 2021" ―Bustle
One of "The Most Anticipated Mysteries and Thrillers of 2021" ―Goodreads
One of "The Most Anticipated Crime Books of 2021" ―Crimereads
One of "The Highly Recommended Books of 2021" ―Brit + Co
One of "The Best Books to Read in 2021" ―Betches
One of "The Must-Read Mysteries and Thrillers of 2021" ―Frolic
One of "The 18 Best Beach Reads of Summer 2021" ―PureWow
One of "Our Picks for the Best Mysteries and Thrillers of 2021"―Bookbub
A "Favorite Suspenseful Beach Read"―SheReads
One of "15 Best Murder Mystery Books that are Total Page Turners"―Redbook
"A twisty delight."―PEOPLE
"[Cosimano's] main character is so endearing it's easy to surrender..."―New York Times Book Review
"If you love thrillers, but wish the genre would lighten up a little then you absolutely must read Finlay Donovan Is Killing It."―PopSugar
"Fast-paced, fresh, full of humor, and original."―Jill Orr in St. Louis Magazine
"Part comedy of errors, part genuine thriller… Deftly balancing genre conventions with sly, tongue-in-cheek comments on motherhood and femininity, Cosimano crafts a deliciously twisted tale."―Booklist
"Suspenseful, funny...
Readers Top Reviews
CHERYL BDawn M Di
Finlay Donovan is a single mother with the typical problems: Divorced. Custody battles. Out of control kids. A book that she should have finished writing but with no idea how to start. She has a meeting with her agent in Panera. They are overheard by a desperate woman. And while discussing deadlines and plots she appears to be the answer to her prayers. A hitman. And a successful one at that. The harder she tries to change this woman’s mind the deeper she gets. When Finn finds out what this man has been doing she has to get involved. Can she find a way to turn this man in to the authorities? Will she accept this proposal? This is a laugh out loud mystery with lots of danger and endearing characters. I can hardly wait to read the next book.
Donald WoodleeCHE
Watch out. Don’t start unless you have nothing else important to do. Then buckle up, it’s a bumpy ride but worth it. Amazing character development plot twists you can’t see coming. There’s no way you won’t feel invested in this one!
Donald Woodlee
Is it possible for thriller and crime novels to be fun because this one definitely was! I stay away from the crime/thriller genre because I’m not interested in blood, death, gore, etc., but this novel sounded entertaining, and it was. It was not scary, was empowering to women and was SO well thought out-I didn’t see any of it coming and I couldn’t put it down. It’s obvious that Cosimano knows how to write mysteries! I need to start the second book on this series asap!
Lillian Decker
Murder mystery kept me engaged and had a comical undertone. This read was a nice change of pace from the romance novels I've been reading.
Maree LaRueLillia
A friend highly recommended this book, but since her tastes run to thrillers, I put off reading it. I won't doubt her again! Told in Finlay's sardonic and slightly twisted first-person POV, this is a story of a woman at her wit's end in so many ways. Yet she retains a sense of humor and forges new bonds of friendship and finds new inner strength. And some cardio along the way helps, too! I truly devoured this book, sneaking pages here and there, and staying up late to finish it. Finlay's voice is so relatable, and her struggles at once commonplace and wild. Cheating man, growing bills, unruly kids...being mistaken for a contract killer? I liked that there was never a montage scene of Finlay and Vero. Instead, their actions would pile and roll into another moving the story along. The dialogue was great, and relationships were built gradually. There are some references to murder and sex but nothing graphic on the page. I've already downloaded the next book!
