‘Finlay Donovan Is Killing It’ by Elle Cosimano. TNS

Gulf Today Report

Finlay Donovan is the stressed-out and hapless, but also appealing heroine of “Finlay Donovan Is Killing It,” the first adult novel from YA author Elle Cosimano.

Part screwball comedy, part morality tale, the amusing “Finlay Donovan Is Killing It” is also a tale about parenting, bad divorces, reinventing oneself, rising above misery and, well, becoming a hit woman.

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It’s a solid, thoughtful and funny yet poignant mystery that never once becomes a one-note story, as per The Tribune News Service’s review.

Finlay is at a low point. She’s months behind even starting her latest romantic suspense novel; her darling children, ages 2 and 4 are out of control; she is broke and her despicable ex-husband wants her to pay him rent and is threatening to take custody of the children.

Late to a meeting with her agent, Finlay first must disguise herself because the suburban Virginia restaurant has banned her for life — a little matter of dumping a bowl of soup over the head of her ex-husband’s girlfriend.

In discussing plot twists in the novel she can’t seem to write, Finlay is mistaken for a real killer planning her next hit.

Eavesdropping at the next table, Patricia Mickler offers Finlay $50,000 to dispatch her husband, Harris, “a very, very bad man.”

Finlay is appalled at the idea, though she wonders just how bad Harris is.

As Finlay looks into Harris’ life, she finds an unlikely ally in her nanny, Vero, who has school loans to pay.

The book balances the morality of being a hit woman with the morality of ridding the world of an evil man. Cosimano infuses her novel with large swathes of humour while adding realistic terror.