Fanning the flames immediately from the bombshell revelation at the conclusion of book one, Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead is another whirlwind of accidental shenanigans and intertwining mysteries that is hard to not get swept up in.
If you haven’t read book one yet, start there. You’ll want to read this series in order, and the most basic plot elements of this book might be considered spoiler-y. You’ve been warned! ๐

The online women’s forum post about Steven has a reply, and it wasn’t from Finlay. Someone is out to get him, and though Finlay isn’t his biggest fan after everything they’ve been through, he is the father of her children, and she can’t just sit idly by while someone is out trying to off him. She and Vero are on the case, researching who is behind the post, and who this other assassin is who responded that they’ve accepted the job. Things are complicated as usual as she explores her unsustainable relationship with the law student, and meanwhile Nick the detective reliably turns up to rachet up the stakes every time.
This series is so much fun, and this one continues the raucous, complicated, and somehow never dull party. Any one of the antics Finlay gets herself tied up in would give me an actual heart attack, but somehow she manages everything by the skin of her teeth. (Maybe her eventual tell-all autobiography should be called Somehow I Manage instead of Michael Scott, lol).
Some of my favorite characters of the series start blooming in this book. The kid-hacker, Cam, in all his nerdy-flavored rizz, and especially Nick. That man is wonderful and Finlay doesn’t deserve him, but I’ll keep reading every damn word because I’m convinced the two of them are going to happen for realskies one day.
The little capsule universe Cosimano creates with this series is so endearing. This is my second read through (in preparation for the new release in 2025) and the characters feel so familiar in the best way. It’s like watching a bingeable contemporary crime series on Netflix (Santa Clarita Diet), Hulu (Only Murders in the Building), or Peacock (Based on a True Story) – easy to read, and constantly entertaining. It has all the ingredients for mass appeal, and from the looks of things, it’s absolutely succeeding that way.
Angela Dawe, the narrator of this series on audiobook is phenomenal at capturing the tone of Finlay’s story. I absolutely recommend!
Details
Title:: Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead (Finlay Donovan #2)
Author:: Elle Cosimano
Genre:: Contemporary Murder Mystery
Publisher:: Minotaur Books
Length:: 357 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 20m
Audiobook Narrator:: Angela Dawe
Audiobook Publisher:: Macmillan Audio
Published:: February 1st, 2022
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars
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If you liked this book, check out…
Finlay Donovan is Killing It | Elle Cosimano (Book One in Series)
How to Solve Your Own Murder | Kristen Perrin
The Wife Upstairs | Rachel Hawkins