Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun (Finlay Donovan Series #3)

by Elle Cosimano

Overview

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!

From USA Today bestseller and Edgar Award nominee Elle Cosimano, comes Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun—the hilarious and heart-pounding next installment in the beloved Finlay Donovan series.

"Fresh, heartfelt and witty, Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun is a twisty page-turner, and its relatable heroine Finlay Donovan is irresistible!" —Janet Evanovich, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum series

Dating. Diapers. And dodging bullets. Who said single moms can't have fun?

Finlay Donovan has been in messes before—after all, she's an author and single mom who’s a pro at getting out bloodstains for rather unexpected reasons—but none quite like this. She and her nanny/partner-in-crime Vero accidentally destroyed a luxury car that they “borrowed” in the process of saving Finlay’s ex-husband. The Russian mob handled her debt, but that means Finlay now owes them.

Still running the show from behind bars, mob boss Feliks has a task for Finlay: find a contract killer before the cops do. Problem is, the killer might be an officer. Luckily, hot cop Nick has started up a citizen’s police academy, so Finlay has the perfect cover-up to sleuth out the real criminal as she does some “research” for her new novel. Nick is more than happy to get close to Finlay, but he’s also getting dangerously close to the truth.

As Finlay and Vero dodge potential spies and juggle the daily trials of parenting, they can only hope they find the crooked cop before Feliks catches up with them—not to mention revealing Vero’s mysterious past, Nick’s growing interest in Finlay, and the threat of her looming book deadline.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250846037
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/31/2023
Series:	Finlay Donovan Series , #3
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	325,272
Product dimensions:	8.30(w) x 5.60(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Elle Cosimano is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, an International Thriller Writers Award winner, and an Edgar Award nominee. Elle’s debut novel for adults, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, kicked off a witty, fast-paced contemporary mystery series, which was a People magazine pick and was named one of New York Public Library's Best Books of 2021. The third book in the series, Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun, was an instant New York Times bestseller. In addition to writing novels for teens and adults, her essays have appeared in HuffPost and Time. Cosimano lives with her husband and two sons in Virginia.

Editorial Reviews

11/14/2022

Cosimano’s zany third Finlay Donovan caper (after 2022’s Finlay Donovan Knocks ’Em Dead) finds Finlay—budding romantic suspense novelist, harried divorced mother of two young children, and reluctant criminal—trying valiantly to keep her new year’s resolutions: no more junk food, no more men, and no more bodies in her minivan. This won’t be easy, as she’s being pressured by Russian mob boss Feliks Zhirov to locate and possibly dispose of a mysterious contract killer known as EasyClean, who’s been cultivating hit jobs through one of Zhirov’s websites, “a popular women’s forum that had doubled as a front for the Russian mob.” Finlay believes that EasyClean may be a local Virginia police officer, so she jumps at the chance to participate in a citizens’ police academy course organized by the Fairfax County PD. It doesn’t hurt that the coordinator of the event is charming Det. Nicholas Anthony. While trying to ferret out a killer, she must contend with a pushy ex-husband and a literary agent who demands a sexier ending for her new novel. Finlay’s strong narrative voice carries the reader through the colossal silliness. This is good, fast fun. Agent: Stephanie Rostan, Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

One of CrimeReads’ “Most Anticipated Crime Fiction of 2023”

One of Bookbub’s “Winter’s Most Anticipated Mysteries and Thrillers”

One of SheReads’ “Most Anticipated Thrillers Coming in 2023”

One of Novel Suspects’ “Most Anticipated Crime Fiction Coming in Early 2023”

One of CrimeReads’ “Best Crime Novels of the Year (So Far): 2023”

One of BookRiot’s “New Year New Mystery & Thrillers to Read in January”

One of Audible’s “Editors Select: January 2023”

One of CrimeReads’ “Sophomore Slays: Seven Killer Mystery Series Where Book Two is Even Better”

One of Library Journal’s “Top Audiobooks for Crime Fiction Solvers”

"Fasten your seat belts . . . murder most madcap."—Kirkus Reviews

"Finlay's strong narrative voice carries the reader . . . This is good, fast fun."—Publishers Weekly

“The latest installment in Cosimano’s Finlay Donovan series will undoubtedly have listeners rolling with laughter. An excellent recommendation for anyone pining for the next Stephanie Plum novel.”—Library Journal

“A spiral staircase of imaginative twists and captivating characters, Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun never disappoints. And Cosimano continues to burnish her bona fides as she runs the gamut from murder to mirth.”—The Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star

“The girl power in this book is fierce and the comedy even fiercer. It’s a don’t-miss addition to the Finlay Donovan series!”—BookTrib

"Fresh, heartfelt and witty, Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun is a twisty, page-turner, and its relatable heroine Finlay Donovan is irresistible!" —Janet Evanovich

“This series is magical! Every book lover in the world should be reading Finlay Donovan.”—Christina Lauren, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Something Wilder

"Finlay Donovan remains the heroine of my heart. Murder and hot men while rocking a messy mom bun, yes please! Elle Cosimano writes fresh, funny mysteries that are an absolute blast to read."—Chandler Baker, New York Times bestselling author of Whisper Network

"It would be next to impossible to find another author who writes stories that are as thrilling as they are hilarious. By now, I love Finlay Donovan so much I would 100% hide a dead body for her." —Jesse Q. Sutanto, author of Dial A For Aunties

“The Finlay Donovan series is simply spectacular and always delightful! I adore everything about it—the humor, the screwball plotlines, the mysteries, and above all the cast: the friendship between Vero and Finlay is one for the ages, and Finlay’s love life entertains me to no end. Elle Cosimano’s books are the perfect blend of mystery and romcom, and I’m ready to follow Finlay wherever she goes!”—Ali Hazelwood, New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis

“Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun is an edge-of-your-seat, fun, fast-paced, laugh-out-loud, sexy and smart novel.” —Sophie Sullivan, author of Ten Rules For Faking It

“Cosimano’s newest Finlay book is laugh out loud funny . . . a story of second chances, family and loyalty. Fact: If you’re going to bury a body, you definitely want Finlay Donovan by your side.”—Julie Clark, New York Times bestselling author of The Lies You Tell

“I’ve never laughed so much reading books about murder. Elle Cosimano’s accidental hitwoman Finlay Donovan is a darkly hilarious, quick witted, and surprisingly relatable woman. You’ll be amazed at how much fun you have reading this brilliant, funny mystery series from one of the best writers working today.”—Jennifer Hillier, award-winning and USA Today bestselling author of Things We Do in the Dark and Little Secrets

"Sassy, ludicrous, sexy . . . Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun is another great addition to this marvelous series. If you're a fan of crazy off-the-wall antics and hysterical comedy, sexy tension laden chemistry, and an outstanding who's-the-bad-guy mystery, [this] is for you! Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys highly entertaining mysteries."—Mystery and Suspense magazine

“This is the fast-paced caper mom-com series you need in your life.”—CrimeReads

From the Publisher

12/01/2022

Single mom and romance-suspense novelist Finlay Donovan is back, accompanied by her nanny and assistant, Vero, in another adventure that picks up where Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead left off. Finlay discovers that Vero owes a hefty amount of money to a loan shark in New Jersey, who sends a hit man to take care of the situation. At the same time, Finlay is directed by Russian mobster Feliks Zhirov to discover the identity of EasyClean, a poster on a message board run by Feliks. Feliks tells Finlay he'll take care of the hit man from New Jersey if she can provide the identity of EasyClean. Suspecting that EasyClean may be a cop, Finlay and Vero attend a civilian police training camp to dig up clues while a romance strikes up again between Finlay and Nick Anthony, the cop running the camp. VERDICT The plot moves fast, with lots of action and moments where readers will wonder how a situation will end. This book is the third in a series and relies a lot on the events of previous books. Readers who love fast-paced, action-packed mysteries should pick this up.—Lisa Wieczorek

Library Journal

2022-11-16
Fasten your seat belts. Suspense novelist Finlay Donovan, who wants all the world to know she’s not a killer for hire, is headed for a third round of murder most madcap.

Finn is already under a certain amount of pressure. Feliks Zhirov, the Russian mobster arrested because of what she told the police, demands that she identify EasyClean, the online contract killer he’s been mistaken for, before Zhirov’s trial begins in two weeks. And he isn’t kidding, Finn realizes when she sees evidence that one of Zhirov’s people is stalking her nanny, Veronica Ruiz, and her two kids. Vero has problems of her own, since she’s borrowed $200,000 from Marco, a loan shark with teeth, to pay off her other creditors, and the only way she has to raise that kind of money is to liquidate a slightly bullet-ridden Aston Martin she and Finn acquired less than legally in Finlay Donovan Knocks ’Em Dead (2022). How could things possibly get worse? For starters, Finn and Vero could respond to the pressure Marco’s enforcer Ike Grindley puts on them by, um, dumping a pile of cars on top of him, eliminating the threat from him personally but accelerating it from every other direction. The rumor that EasyClean is a member of the Fairfax County Police Department leads Finn and Vero to accept an invitation to the citizens’ police academy, where they hope to get a closer look at the most likely suspects in the case while exposing themselves to the gaze of the academy’s coordinator, Finn’s maybe-sweetie Det. Nicholas Anthony. Chaos ensues, and the cliffhanger ending eliminates any point to peeking at the last few pages for enlightenment.

More purely manic than the heroine’s first two adventures, which at least held out the hope of resolution.

Kirkus Reviews

Angela Dawe returns to perform the continuing saga of Finlay Donovan, a single mom who is a romantic suspense writer turned contract killer. Dawe is adept at providing distinct voices for Finlay; her somewhat shady sidekick, Vero; and the cast of quirky characters, good and evil, who come and go. Dawe magically transitions from voicing Finlay's little girl to delivering the rough male voices of police officers, including Finlay's love interest. The plot continues from the second audiobook, with Finlay being coerced by a Russian mob boss into tracking down a contract killer who may be a cop. While the antics verge on the ridiculous, for those willing to go along, it's a hilarious nonstop roller-coaster ride. E.Q. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine

FEBRUARY 2023 - AudioFile

Angela Dawe returns to perform the continuing saga of Finlay Donovan, a single mom who is a romantic suspense writer turned contract killer. Dawe is adept at providing distinct voices for Finlay; her somewhat shady sidekick, Vero; and the cast of quirky characters, good and evil, who come and go. Dawe magically transitions from voicing Finlay's little girl to delivering the rough male voices of police officers, including Finlay's love interest. The plot continues from the second audiobook, with Finlay being coerced by a Russian mob boss into tracking down a contract killer who may be a cop. While the antics verge on the ridiculous, for those willing to go along, it's a hilarious nonstop roller-coaster ride. E.Q. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine

FEBRUARY 2023 - AudioFile