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A review by theespressoedition
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Alright so... I had high hopes for this book. Maybe a little too high?
A friend of mine recommended I read this after I mentioned loving Dial A for Aunties. I was told it had a similar vibe. To her credit, there are several similarities, so she certainly wasn't wrong on that front. Accidental murder, trying to cover it up, dating the cop who's on the case, etc.
HOWEVER, there are also some things that didn't particularly settle as well for me.
First and foremost was the pace. It was a really slow book. For a "cozy thriller" I was expecting a little more tension and action. Instead, it seemed as though there was a lot of circuitousness to the story. Occasionally, I had to look down at my phone to make sure I didn't accidentally rewind my audiobook because I was certain I had just read that scene. It felt really repetitive and I had a hard time finding myself "on the edge of my seat."
In addition to that, there was very little humor. It had the foundation for a funny story - I mean, a thriller romance author who commits accidental murder and somehow finds herself becoming a mercenary for hire? That's good stuff! But rather than going in a humorous direction, it was pretty dark. There were moments that made me really uncomfortable when it came to the graphic nature of what the men were doing before they were killed.
That being said, I still did enjoy the book. It was fun to read something set in my home state! I also enjoyed the secondary cast a lot - especially Julian (who I'm still a little suspicious of). I do plan to read the sequel and see if it helps me feel a little more settled with the story. That cliffhanger was quite a shock!
A friend of mine recommended I read this after I mentioned loving Dial A for Aunties. I was told it had a similar vibe. To her credit, there are several similarities, so she certainly wasn't wrong on that front. Accidental murder, trying to cover it up, dating the cop who's on the case, etc.
HOWEVER, there are also some things that didn't particularly settle as well for me.
First and foremost was the pace. It was a really slow book. For a "cozy thriller" I was expecting a little more tension and action. Instead, it seemed as though there was a lot of circuitousness to the story. Occasionally, I had to look down at my phone to make sure I didn't accidentally rewind my audiobook because I was certain I had just read that scene. It felt really repetitive and I had a hard time finding myself "on the edge of my seat."
In addition to that, there was very little humor. It had the foundation for a funny story - I mean, a thriller romance author who commits accidental murder and somehow finds herself becoming a mercenary for hire? That's good stuff! But rather than going in a humorous direction, it was pretty dark. There were moments that made me really uncomfortable when it came to the graphic nature of what the men were doing before they were killed.
That being said, I still did enjoy the book. It was fun to read something set in my home state! I also enjoyed the secondary cast a lot - especially Julian (who I'm still a little suspicious of). I do plan to read the sequel and see if it helps me feel a little more settled with the story. That cliffhanger was quite a shock!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Death
Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Gore