What happened in Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

The basics

Title: Finlay Donovan is Killing It

Author: Elle Cosimano

Series: Finlay Donovan #1

- Finlay Donovan is Killing It (2021)
- Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead (2022)

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Goodreads Summary:

Finlay Donovan is killing it...except, she’s really not. 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. She soon 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.

Read a full summary of Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano below. If you can’t remember what happened in Finlay Donovan is Killing It and you need a refresher, then you’re in the right place.

What happened in Finlay Donovan is Killing It?

• Finlay Donovan is a struggling author. Her ex-husband was cheating on her with an estate agent called Theresa, and he is now battling for full custody of their two children. Finlay is meant to be writing a new book but is struggling with writers block as well as money.
• Finlay meets with her agent, who insists she needs to turn in a draft or she’ll lose her advance. Finlay is trying to explain that she’s struggling to figure out how to kill someone off (in her book), and a woman called Patricia overhears and slips her a note.
• Once she’s alone, Finlay reads the note and sees that Patricia wants to pay her 50k to kill her husband, Harris Mickler. Finlay is stressed out about it all but decides she will investigate what’s going on.
• Finlay dresses up and heads to a bar. Harris is there and is trying to roofie a woman. Finlay takes the woman’s place and gives Harris his own drugs. She also meets a cute bartender called Julian.
• Harris passes out in Finlay’s van. She heads back to her house and tries to figure out what to do. When she goes back to the van, Harris is dead.
• Finlay calls her ex-babysitter, Vero, in a panic. Vero promises to help out for 40% of the money. They bury Harris in the horrible ex-husband, Steven’s, farm.
• Finlay receives the money. She also turns in a draft and receives a huge new advance, meaning she’ll be able to pay for a lawyer and probably get custody of the kids.
• Georgina, Finlay’s cop sister, sends over a hot cop called Nick. He takes an interest in Finlay, and he’s also looking for a gang guy called Feliks. He wants Finlay to investigate because Theresa seems to be connected to him.
• Andrei works for Feliks and is Finlay’s next target. Andrei’s wife, Irena, pays Finlay and Vero to get rid of him. Finlay tries to refuse but Irena scares her so she goes along with it.
• Finlay and Vero try to figure out what’s going on with Theresa. They investigate her friend, Aimee, and they find some connection to Feliks.
• Andrei shows up and threatens Finlay and is killed. Feliks tries to get rid of Finlay but he’s not very good at being a mob boss.
• The cops find bodies buried on Stephen’s farm. Feliks is arrested.
• Irena gives Finlay a note from Patricia about a potential new case. It’s an offer of 100k to kill Stephen Donovan – Finlay’s ex-husband.

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