Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It was my first 5-star read of 2022. I had some pretty high expectations for this one and I’m so pleased that it worked out. In fact, it made me love it even more to discover that not only did it meet those expectations but it succeeded them.

The book follows Finlay, a novelist who is overheard while discussing her next book with her agent and is mistaken for a contract killer. When someone tries to hire her, it creates a catalyst for a series of events as Finlay falls down a bit of a rabbit hole. The story is great and hilarious and the mystery is genuinely interesting. The pacing is great and because that mystery is never overcomplicated, it means the plot moves along at a wonderful pace and the entire book is entertaining from start to finish.

I’d actually seen Finlay Donovan Is Killing It here and there but it was a couple of comments comparing it to the show Good Girls that had me finally picking it up. It was a comparison that I couldn’t ignore. Good Girls is one of my all-time favourite shows and since its (unfortunate) cancellation, I’ve been missing it a lot and I would say that this book definitely filled the void. Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is not a copy of that show by any means but it does have a lot of the same vibes and there are a few similarities here and there between the characters. If you love that show, you’ll definitely enjoy this book (and if you haven’t seen that show, I recommend checking it out).

Speaking of characters, Finlay is a fantastic main character. She’s flawed and a little bit of a mess at times but that makes her more interesting to read about and also makes her more relatable. Her personality is slowly revealed and explored as the story progresses and we learn more about her. Her motivations are also made clear as things move forward making her actions (and reactions) a lot more believable. This book is fairly equal in its crime and comedy elements so believing Finaly’s behaviour and understanding it, helps to make the story even funnier and the crime even more interesting.

Along the way, she spends a lot of time with Vero — her babysitter and friend — who gets wrapped up in the events of the book. Her personality is completely different from Finlay’s but she’s equally as lovable and it’s hard not to invest interest in her and what might happen to her. While her motivations are explored a little less, we get to understand her as well. She has a wonderful dynamic with Finlay because of their differences. They have such wonderful chemistry and make such a delightful duo. While this story is primarily about Finlay, Vero is also incredibly important and the book is a lot more entertaining having the both of them in it.

There are also an array of other characters but I won’t get into them to avoid spoilers. Some of them are easy to like and others not so much. I enjoyed reading about all of them — even those characters who are a little less likeable — and while not all of them are given the same level of details as Finlay or Vero, there is enough information so that no character feels completely flat.

At the end of the day, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is funny, mysterious, and very entertaining. I never wanted to put it down and I wish I could read it for the first time again. On top of that, my experience with the audiobook and the narration made my experience even more enjoyable.

Rating: ★★★★★ /5