BY SOPHIA
Guys. It’s been awhile since I’ve read a book that felt refreshing and different and wasn’t YA/fantasy so trust me when I say that I was SO happy to finally get my hands on a copy of Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano. This book is a murder mystery as the cover says BUT, it’s not your typical John Grisham type of novel, or even a mystery in the way that The Guest List (reviewed here) is. There is an underlying current of dark comedy to this story – think Sophie Kinsella type of heroine meets a murder mystery that she unwittingly gets tangled up in. I had SO MUCH FUN reading this book; I know it’s a little late for spring break but if you happen to have some extra time on your hands, I can’t recommend this book enough.
Here is a quick synopsis (pulled from Amazon):
“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.”
overall rating: 5/5
what i liked:
- Fresh and unique take on the classic murder mystery genre – this idea of a struggling suburban housewife being mistaken for a contract killer is a plot that (I think?) has NEVER been done before
- Comedy of errors type of plot; the story was fun to read because so much of it is just watching a whole comedy of errors unfold before your eyes
- Heroine is relatable and likable – you find yourself rooting for Finlay with no reservations because she is so clearly the underdog
- The ending was perfection. PERFECTION. And by ending I mean … like up to the VERY LAST PAGE, the VERY LAST SENTENCE is 😱
what i disliked:
- That the book had to end. I hope the author writes more books! The ending wasn’t necessarily open ended but it did leave the possibility for the character to return/more Finlay Donovan mysteries to be written .. and I hope Elle Cosimano writes more of them!!
in conclusion:
- Buy the book. Borrow the book. Whatever you do, get your hands on this book and read it. It’s worth the hype!