Score: 4.5 Bookmarks

Well, that was a whole lot of fun! Finlay Donovan is back, and up to her usual antics of trying to juggle motherhood, a writing career, ex-husband, two new love interests and the occasional dead body. Vero is back too, and don’t we all wish we had a ride-or-die bestie like her…someone who would not only babysit the kids, but quite literally bury a dead body for you?

A big thank you to Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for gifting me review copies of Finlay Donovon Knocks ‘Em Dead by Elle Cosimano. If you haven’t read the first book Finlay Donovan is Killing It I recommend you start there. You’ll want to get a feel for the characters and how this drama all started before diving into book two.

While you definitely have to suspend reality while you’re in Elle Cosimano’s world, she’ll take you on a ride you won’t soon forget. Dare I say Cosimano is the new Janet Evanovich and Finlay Donovan is our generation’s Stephanie Plum?

In this book Finlay is trying (not very successfully) to finish her next novel and keep their household finances in the black. She discovers that someone has put a hit out on her ex-husband, and while he may not be her favorite person she doesn’t want her children’s father to end up sleeping with the fishes. Her ex thinks it’s all in her head and refuses to take the threat seriously, even after a series of ‘accidents’ keep befalling him. So it’s up to Finlay to work out who wants him dead, before it’s too late.

I switched between the physical copy and audio, and really enjoyed Angela Dawe’s performance of the audiobook. It comes in at 9 hours and 20 minutes which seemed to fly by much faster than that because I was so sucked into the story. Angela Dawe also narrated the first book, so you might recognize her voice.

If you’re in need of some completely bananas escapist entertainment, you can’t go past this one. You can download the audiobook here, or get a physical copy via the button below.

Synopsis:

Finlay Donovan is—once again—struggling to finish her next novel and keep her head above water as a single mother of two. On the bright side, she has her live-in nanny and confidant Vero to rely on, and the only dead body she's dealt with lately is that of her daughter's pet goldfish.

On the not-so-bright side, someone out there wants her ex-husband, Steven, out of the picture. Permanently. Whatever else Steven may be, he's a good father, but saving him will send her down a rabbit hole of soccer moms disguised as hit-women, and a little bit more involvement with the Russian mob than she'd like.

Meanwhile, Vero's keeping secrets, and Detective Nick Anthony seems determined to get back into her life. He may be a hot cop, but Finlay's first priority is preventing her family from sleeping with the fishes... and if that means bending a few laws then so be it.

With her next book's deadline looming and an ex-husband to keep alive, Finlay is quickly coming to the end of her rope. She can only hope there isn't a noose at the end of it...