I love the way the books always open with what feels like a cold open worthy of Brooklyn 99.

The author really knows how to keep you guessing until the very end of the book and how to give answers without ever revealing the entire mystery. You're really left with no choice other than to continue on with the series if you want to know the truth.

I was hoping we'd get a little more romance in this one given that the characters are in such close quarters for the majority of the book. But I can forgive that since there was so much action in this one.

One thing I did miss was the humour aspect. There were a couple of moments but it didn't quite capture the experience I had reading the first book.

All in all I'd probably give this a 3.5 but I'll round it up to 4 for ease. I do wonder how many books there are going to be in the series as we always wind up with more questions at the end of each one.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thank you to netgalley, headline and Elle Cosimano for the opportunity to read this book

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun is the third book in this witty murder mystery series and it's fast becoming one of my favourites.

In this installment, Finlay and Vero decide to hide from the Russian mob at a citizen's police academy boot camp, under the guise of research for Finlay's book, but with the additional bonus of learning helpful techniques (such as firearms training) for their increasingly crazy escapades. Does it sound far fetched? Yes. Is it 100% entertaining though? Also yes!

If you're a fan of Dial A For Aunties, this is definitely in the same vein, there are unreal events but it's smart and funny and once you suspend your disbelief, its very easy to get into, and could easily be finished in one sitting. The banter between Vero and Finn in particular really makes the series stand out.

I will mention, having been caught out in the past, that it's important to read these books in order as each refers to previous events and reading them out of order will mean you miss these references. 5The covers helpfully make it clear that it's a series but not which is which, maybe that will change as more are released.

I thoroughly enjoyed this and can't wait to see what Finlay and Vero get up to next!

I love Finlay Donovan, and book n°2, Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead, was one of my favourite books of 2022 so I was super excited for this new instalment in the series.

I loved reading about Finlay and her crazy antics again, but I have to admit it starts to feel a bit long. More things are piling on top with every book, with no clear resolution in sight (I need answers, not more questions!!) and I’m getting a little bit worried Elle Cosimano is going to take Donovan’s adventures a little bit too far.

I will keep on reading the series because I really love Finlay (and Vero and Nick) and I’m curious to see how it goes, but this was definitely my least favourite so far, and I’m hoping the next one will be the final instalment with lots of answers to tie it all nicely!

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun is the third instalment in Elle Cosimano's popular series of crime capers, and I would highly recommend reading the books in order as there is quite a bit of backstory and character development that you really need to get the most enjoyment from the book. To briefly summarise single mom and writer Findlay is mistaken for a hit woman and reluctantly, with the assistance of her nanny/accountant Vero she finds herself caught up in a series of increasingly comic capers with some very serious consequences. As this book opens she is desperate to leave this part of her life behind but before she can do so she has to clear the slate with the Russian mob by tracking down a rogue hitman who might just happen to be a cop, and not just any cop but the partner of her sort of suitor, Detective Nick Anthony. A stint at the citizen's police academy , ostensibly for research for her latest book, could be the perfect opportunity to figure it all out, but even if she does, can she really hand anyone over to the mob?
This is funny, easy read with a very relatable main character. It does require that the reader suspend their disbelief as some of the scenarios Findlay finds herself in are bordering on the ludicrous, but this is a book that not meant to be taken too seriously, it is meant to entertain and amuse and that it certainly does.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

She's back at it again! I absolutely love these books. They're so easy to read and they provide just enough mystery and suspense while filling the pages with humour that you can't help but laugh at.

Okay this was by far my favourite in the series! I read it in one sitting!

We’re following Finlay and Vero as they join a citizen’s police academy to gain intel on their latest “mission”. I won’t say anymore than that on the plot as this is a sequel but this provides all of the goodness of the previous two books and more.

I actually found this one funny, I laughed out loud multiple times (I don’t normally laugh at books really) and some of the situations Finlay and Vero got caught up in were hilarious. I loved all of the characters in this one apart from Steven who I think we can all agree is an absolute piece of work. Every time I think he’s redeemed himself or grown as a character he continues to prove me wrong.

I really liked the police academy element, it kept things fun and interesting and the plot was well paced. Everything I didn’t like about book two was done excellently in this one! The ending was well set up for book four which I need right now!

I would love to see this as a TV series, I’ve heard it’s been optioned! I recommend this series wholeheartedly to anyone who likes cosy mysteries that are also very thrilling. I’m honestly surprised I haven’t had a heart attack from the anxiety I felt reading these books, (in a good way of course) you feel invested because the stakes actually are high and the twists are *chefs kiss*. Super excited for the next one!

Check it out when it releases on 31st January 2023!

Finlay Donovan is irresistible!' JANET EVANOVICH

New year, new Finlay Donovan.

She's got a list of resolutions and she's ready to bite the bullet.

1. No junk food.

2. No men.

3. No bodies in her minivan.

3.5/5
🚨 You guys! Finlay AND Vero are back!! 🚨⁣
Book 3, FINLAY DONOVAN JUMPS THE GUN, is coming at the end of the month and be ready for a whole lot more mess, chaos and murder of course! The pair always manage to get into the most extreme and hilarious situations and in this latest instalment it’s no different as they go on the hunt for the mysterious killer ‘EasyClean’. It’s just so unbelievable! ⁣
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I have SO much fun reading Finlay and Vero’s antics, they are highly addictive and the perfect escapism - I can’t wait for the next book! 👀⁣
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If you are after the perfect popcorn binge easy thriller - look no further! 🍿⁣
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💭 What’s some of your favourite over the top books? FINLAY and DIAL A FOR AUNTIES are mine 🤩

I read the Finlay Donovan series as pure escapism. So I wouldn't get into the good and bad about the book. I loved how the characters were full of spark and life. I enjoyed the resolutions of Finlay, and the family problems that creep into her life, and the unpredictable crime mess (which is honestly the nice part of all the Finlay Donovan books). Unbelievable in parts; but as I said, I read these as an escapist pleasure and they deliver on that front. Would I read Finlay Donovan 3? Probably not. Book 1 left a deeper impact on me.

Finlay's back - and she's still killing it. Another thumper from Elle Cosimano. You'll love this if you've loved Finlay's previous outings. Finlay and Vero find themselves in more peril (and hilarious situations) as they continue their quest to find out who EasyClean is.

Lots of fun. And the ending is wide open for another Finlay Donovan adventure.

Only criticism is I felt there were sooooo many characters at one point that I couldn't remember who everyone was, but that's probably more my issue that the author's.

If you're reading the third book in this series, you already know you have to go into it suspending a lot of belief. Because there is no way on earth Finlay Donovan would not be dead or at least in prison already.

The author does a good job at reminder the reader the key details in the previous books which I appreciated. I had no idea who EasyClean was and enjoyed the mystery throughout the book as the two friends sought to uncover them. While I love Finlay and Vero's relationship and I do appreciate the writing in these books, it feels like the whole thing is being dragged out for a bit too long for my liking and I couldn't help but roll my eyes at times. I would have been satisfied if things had been tied up at the end of book three but it certainly looks like there will be another in the series which I feel may be a mistake.

I can’t tell you how excited I was when I got approved for the eARC of »Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun« because the Finlay Donovan series is one of my favorites reads of 2022 and it just get better with every book.

And the reason the series just gets better and better for me are definitely Finlay and Vero - I just love them so much! They are amazing, hilarious, a bit chaotic but overall just always there for each other and I love reading about their friendship. They’re the perfect partners in crime.

The mystery was also really fun (as usual) and I loved the setting. I don’t want to say too much and spoil anything and honestly, if you’re reading this review you probably already read the first two books and I don’t need to convince you to pick this up so I’m not saying anything about the plot, just that I had the best time reading this book. And that ending? Oh my god I need the next book asap (but realistically in 2024 or something).

I would like to thank Netgalley and Headline for an advance copy of Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun, the third novel to feature the eponymous Finlay and her nanny/accountant Vero Ruiz, set in Fairfax County, Virginia.

Before Finlay can start the new year with her goals she has one last job to do for local Russian mobster, Feliks Zhirov - find and eliminate the hitman known as Easy Clean, even if he is a police officer as she suspects. A stint at the citizens police academy, run be the very hot Detective Nicholas Anthony, will allow her the chance to investigate.

I have not read this series before and I feel that I lost something by jumping in at number three. I would definitely advise reading the series in order as there are so many references to prior events and character entanglements that obviously pre-date this novel. Still, I enjoyed it as fun read.

I am familiar with Stephanie Plum and this in the same vein with a klutzy amateur serendipitously landing on the correct answer after several misfires, but it has its own style. The novel is a series of misadventures for Finlay and Vero, most of them funny and some of them dangerous. In fact they never seem to stop from confrontations with gun wielding mobsters to blackmail and coverups of past misdeeds. I imagine that the author had a fun time concocting all these scenarios and fitting them into a genuine mystery, the identity of Easy Clean. I was also caught out by some of the twists, probably too busy laughing.

Finlay is a romantic suspense author and she’s have trouble with her second novel that involves her protagonist, an assassin, not consummating her relationship with a hot cop. Her publisher has rejected the novel because of it. I love the idea that her novel reflects her life, like a book within a book. It’s clever and offers no end of snark between her and Vero about it.

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun is a fun read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was book 2 when I initially saw it on new releases, so I immediately requested it. That’s when I belatedly realised it was book 3… Somehow I had completely missed book 2.

Not my usual read, but after my fair share of high fantasies these past few weeks, I needed something lighthearted and funny to relax with.

Finlay Donovan is fun, ambitious and, most importantly, realistic.
She’s a tired and stressed mum, a struggling author who just wants a miracle epiphany to solve all her problems, and a woman who has a nanny (accountant) best friend - the perfect sidekick through thick and thin. One who has proven she is willing to bury secrets… and bodies.

I didn't need inspiration. I needed a new career.
One that didn't involve police officers, corpses, or the Russian mob.

We'd been involved in the murder and disposal of four men, but we were going to prison be cause of Vero's thong.

Sadly, I had to keep pushing myself to read some parts of this book. Some areas felt slightly forced and cringy. Too predictable and forced to extend the story.
However, if you’ve followed Finlay this far, this book is still another fun development. One which didn’t wrap the series up which surprised me!

After saving her ex-husband Steven from being killed by a hired assassin, Finlay finds herself owing Russian mob boss Felix a favour. He might be safely behind bars, but he has plenty of friends on the outside and now he wants Finlay to find and kill the assassin called EasyClean who was going to kill her husband. She also needs to find a way to help her nanny/sidekick Vero pay off a Los Vegas loan shark before he finds her as well as write her next book and keep her kids Zach and Delia happy and safe.

Receiving an invitation to spend a week at the annual citizen’s police academy, Finlay and Vero decide it will a safe place to hide from the mob, work on Finlay’s book and carry on their investigation into EasyClean while Vero works on a scheme to raise some money to pay off her loan. And there’s the side benefit that hot cop Nick is running the camp and will be one of the instructors. Of course, it was never going to be that easy and Finlay is soon up to her neck in trouble from all angles. It all makes for a fun read, with plenty of humour, a little romance, a mystery to solve and a dramatic ending. It’s essential to read this series from the beginning to keep up with the continuing plot and I will be looking out for the next episode where Finlay and Vero tackle more unfinished business.

I’m not a big series reader but I can’t help myself and keep coming back for more Finlay Donovan! Much like the last two books Finlay and Vero get themselves into a very tangled web and hilarity ensues! I was literally laughing in the first few pages, Elle Cosimano really has some great openers and I will definitely be continuing the series and can’t wait for book 4. This book has more focus on some of the side characters but I still really enjoyed it and as always, the over the top scenarios of this series!

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was another fantastic instalment from Finlay Donovan. I love the adventures she takes and this book did not disappoint. I loved the setting being in Police Academy, it really built the mystery up and it was so different to the previous books. It was great to have the same characters in the story and be introduced to so many police officers, particularly Charlie as you heard things about him in the previous books. I was so shocked by the twist towards the end and loved that the book has been left open for another instalment. I’m a huge fan of Elle Cosimano’s writing.

Thank you for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the third book in the Finlay Donovan series which follows Finlay as she continues to get entangled in dramatic crime and shady dealings with a Russian mob. This book is quite similar to the first two in the series which is not a bad thing, I’ve really enjoyed all three! They characters and likeable and the plot albeit somewhat unrealistic is clever and executed well to keep the reader interigued and guessing. There is lots of humour in this book and although I was under the impression this would likely be the last in the series the ending of this one suggests that more adventure is in the cards for these characters. Overall this is a fun read which is perfect for a few hours to escape reality!

Finlay Donovan Jumps The Gun by Elle Cosimano
I give this book 4.5 stars

Finlay owes the Russian mob one last favour - tracking down a rogue hitman with her nanny Vero, before the cops do. The small complication? This killer might be a cop himself.
Enter distractingly hot Detective Nicholas Anthony, whose new citizens' police academy provides the perfect cover-up for Finlay to sleuth out the target - and some fresh ideas for her crime novel.
She'll give it her best shot

This is the 3rd book in the series and lve loved them all. To get the most out of reading them I suggest you read in order for the characters development and backstory but the author does a good job at recapping.
Finlay (single mom) and Vero (the nanny) are totally hilarious together the are such a gutsy duo.I really enjoyed the training academy setting in this one. A fast paced,entertaining and binge-able series with the expected cliffhanger ending the author does so well leaving you desperate for the next instalment.
Read this if you’re looking for ….
antics,action,mystery,a dash of romance,humour,the mob,twists and strong female characters.
Over the top and fun the perfect read to escape reality and enjoy,highly recommended.
With thanks to Netgalley,Elle Cosimano and Headline for my chance to read this book

There’s no doubting that Finlay should be looking for an alternative now, as the situation she’s got herself in isn’t looking like it’s going to end well.
Having got herself into some situations that are more than a little problematic, it’s clear why she is reluctant to commit to Nick (the hot cop). With Feliks determined that Finlay will help him to work out the identity of Easy Clean, she’s lurching from one potential disaster to another.
Much of the action in this book is centred around a fictional police academy and Finlay’s attempts to unearth the identity of the man trying to kill her ex-husband. It’s over the top and how nobody is working out what is going on with these two defies belief. While I read this with something of an air of incredulity, it was good fun. It all felt like a set-up for what I imagine will be a tense confrontation, and I can’t help but wonder whether she’ll confess all to Nick.