Reviews with content warning for Sexual violence - Finlay Donovan Is Killing It

This was a super enjoyable, fast paced read. I'm sure many people would and will enjoy it. I struggled a little bit to get through it, solely because I have always struggled with the mystery/thriller genre, and that is what this book is. I knew a general idea of the plot of the story so I thought I might enjoy this more than a typical mystery, but I think the genre as a whole still made it less enjoyable for me. I do think the characters were super likeable and fun to read and I found the story itself to be super engaging and interesting.

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abicaro17's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Finlay and Vero are awesome! The recently divorced mom of two kids who writes mystery novels becoming a mystery novel was a fantastic choice. Not only was it not cliche but every choice was something I could realistically see an average citizen doing, especially one with Finn's connections to both the police and murder. The romance was more of a sideplot which I actually appreciated in this book! I am super excited for the next one and can't wait to see where the story goes!

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sambolin's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Finley Donovan is Killing It is the perfect light mystery read. The main character is a mess with an even messier life- but understandable. She has reactions like we all contemplate having- a way of fulfilling our own fantasies and reminding us for the most part why we don’t. From revenge on her ex-husbands mistress turned fiancée to being so desperate she haphazardly accepts a hit job. All the characters felt real, and I had a deep love for Vero who jumped in to be the only kind of partner Finley needed. The epilogue is one of the few that I’ve read that added to the story and sets up the next book. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series and just what kind of mess Finley finds herself in next.

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knunderb's review against another edition

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adventurous funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Such a fun book! I am looking forward to reading the next one. This one ended on a great cliffhanger!

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alexlily's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

It's ridiculous and fun

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mothie_girlie's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

The cop is a love interest..... <and a pointless one>. Solid novel though.

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ceilidhwilliams's review against another edition

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funny mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition

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dark funny lighthearted mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I picked this up because the third book in this series is the first book this year for the Literally Dead Book Club.
"Finlay Donovan Is Killing It" is a cute, cozy mystery about a woman trying to gain back some control in her life. Finlay is a struggling mother with two very young kids. She is an author who is struggling to produce her next great story. And she is struggling to move forward after learning that her husband had an affair and left her for their real estate agent. When a meeting with her agent does not go well, she is flabbergasted to discover that the woman next to them thinks Finlay is a hitman. But the offer to kill this woman's horrible husband is too good to not investigate a little...
First and foremost: Finlay's EX husband is such a prick. He cannot possibly believe he is anything resembling a good father and the fact that he found someone to cheat on Finlay with is absolutely ludicrous. I wanted to reach through this book and strangle him.
I really enjoyed seeing Finlay struggle so much in the beginning, and really work on finding herself and her self-worth by the end. She may be in a difficult chapter of her life, but she is an incredible woman who will do anything for her kids. She is also a talented author who can and will support herself and her kids with her books.
This mystery and murder is messy and screams amateur. You know that what Finlay is doing is wrong, but you cannot help but fall in love with her and root for her to be successful. I do think she would be struggling with the guilt of being responsible for someone else's death a little more than she actually does.
I am obsessed with Finlay, and I cannot wait to continue this series and see what antics she gets into next.

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