What have Finlay and Vero gotten themselves into next? Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun is the third book in a sometimes-hilarious contemporary mystery series led by a novelist mother of young kids who gets caught up in schemes way over her head.
The series needs to be read in order, so to avoid spoilers for you, please click to my review of the first book, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, if you haven’t read the first two books yet!
So here we start: the site is down, Steven is safe, but Finlay is on the hook now for discovering the identity of EasyClean, and Feliks is not the most patient of men. Behind bars or not, Feliks’ people are everywhere and she can’t afford to get this wrong, or waste time. Cam says the suspect is a dirty cop and Nick, with his injuries from the finale of the last book, is on desk duty and volunteered to teach at a week-long citizen’s police academy. His squad invites Finlay along so she can do ‘book research’, and Vero won’t let her say no. Ah, what the hell, Steven has the kids for the week anyway.
The usual shenanigans ensue immediately, and don’t let up.
The first time I read this third book it was my least favorite of the series, but reading through it a second time, I think it was an issue with my own comprehension. There is so much going on, and so much to mentally juggle, I think I just didn’t absorb everything going on the first time. My advice is not to rush through it, as tempting as that may be. I think maybe the greatest flaw of this series is that it’s too easily bingeable. At this point in the larger story there are so many lines of complexity running through it’s more difficult to keep everything straight.
Let’s talk about Nick! I’m a great fan of this clever hot cop. The entire premise of whatever relationship he and Finlay may or may not have is so tension-laden. He’s the cop on Feliks’ case, and there’s no way she can ever reveal to him everything that’s happened to her without severe consequences for one or both of them. I was so tickled that he and Finlay got to spend a lot of quality time together in this book in this sleep-away camp situation 🙂 I also live for the fact Finlay has never outright lied to him. Oh my tender little heart…I fear it is destined to be broken by this…situationship?…sooner or later!
Now Vero: Finlay’s Latina partner in crime who plays waaay too fast and loose for my comfort. I love that she and Finlay can rely on one another – their trust is really the glue sticking everything together in this series. As soon as that starts to fall apart, they’re F*%#ED! I really enjoyed getting to peek behind the crack of her hard-enameled shell to see a little bit of possible-vulnerability in the person of Javier. The two clearly have a history, and that guy seriously caught no breaks in this book.
Though this book is complex as all-heck, it really holds its own in the series overall. I mentioned that it used to be my least favorite in the series the first time through, but this time it changed my mind. So far, I don’t have a least favorite. If one thing is true, it’s that this series is deliciously bingeable.
Details
Title:: Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun (Finlay Donovan #3)
Author:: Elle Cosimano
Genre:: Contemporary Mystery
Publisher:: Minotaur Books
Length:: 304 pages
Audio Length:: 8h 47m
Audiobook Narrator:: Angela Dawe
Audiobook Publisher:: Macmillan Audio
Published:: January 31st, 2023
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars
Spice Rating:: 1
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If you liked this book, check out…
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It (Book One)
Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead (Book Two)
Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice (Book Four)
Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave (Book Five)
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