Reviews – Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun & Maame

Posted January 31, 2023 by Carole in Reviews / 8 Comments

I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Reviews – Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun & MaameFinlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano
Series: Finlay Donovan #3
Published by Minotaur Books on January 31, 2023
Genres: Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Women Sleuths
Pages: 304
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
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four-stars

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.

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. After she and her nanny/partner-in-crime Vero accidentally destroyed a luxury car that they may have "borrowed" in the process of saving the life of Finlay's ex-husband, the Russian mob did her a favor and bought the car for her. But now Finlay owes them.

Though now behind bars and awaiting trial, mob boss Felicks is still runinng the show, and he has a task for Finlay: find and identify a contract killer before the cops do. Problem is, the killer might be an officer themselves.

Luckily, hot cop Nick has just been tasked with starting up a citizen's police academy, and combined pressure from him and Finlay's agent (that next book is always right around the corner) is enough to convince her and Vero to get involved. Through ride-alongs, firearm training courses and forensic classes, Finlay and Vero use their time in police academy to sleuth out the real contract killer to free themselves from the mob's clutches— all the while dodging spies, confronting Vero's past, and juggling the daily trials of parenting.

I was in the mood for something fun and this one definitely hit the mark! The situations that Finlay and Vero find themselves in will never cease to amaze me. Spending a week in a citizen’s police academy was a very interesting decision, especially for a pair of women with a questionable history. What made it even better was the fact that Nick was front and center for much of the book. I was thrilled to finally get some progress in Finlay’s and Nick’s relationship.

While at the citizen’s police academy, Finlay and Vero are trying to figure out who the contract killer is to stay out of hot water with the mob boss pulling the strings. I had so much fun as Finlay and Donovan worked through the various activities in the academy and sometimes stood out just a bit too much. The story had all of the action and excitement that I had hoped for, along with more than a few laughs.

I would highly recommend this series to others. You could read this as a stand-alone but the events of the first two books do impact the events in this one so I would recommend reading the series in order if at all possible. If you are looking for a serious book, this isn’t it, but if you are looking for an entertaining story that will make you laugh, you are going to want to grab a copy of this one. I cannot wait for the next installment in this entertainment series.

I received an advanced review copy of this book from Minotaur Books.

I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Reviews – Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun & MaameMaame by Jessica George
Narrator: Heather Agyepong
Published by Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press on January 31, 2023
Genres: Fiction / Women
Length: 10 hours 10 minutes
Pages: 320
Format: ARC, Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
Amazon | Audible | B&N | Kobo | Libro.fm
four-stars

An unforgettable debut about a young British Ghanaian woman as she navigates her twenties and finds her place in the world, for readers of Queenie and The Other Black Girl.

Maame (ma-meh) has many meanings in Twi but in my case, it means woman.

It’s fair to say that Maddie’s life in London is far from rewarding. With a mother who spends most of her time in Ghana (yet still somehow manages to be overbearing), Maddie is the primary caretaker for her father, who suffers from advanced stage Parkinson’s. At work, her boss is a nightmare and Maddie is tired of always being the only Black person in every meeting.

When her mum returns from her latest trip to Ghana, Maddie leaps at the chance to get out of the family home and finally start living. A self-acknowledged late bloomer, she’s ready to experience some important “firsts”: She finds a flat share, says yes to after-work drinks, pushes for more recognition in her career, and throws herself into the bewildering world of internet dating. But it's not long before tragedy strikes, forcing Maddie to face the true nature of her unconventional family, and the perils––and rewards––of putting her heart on the line.

Smart, funny, and deeply affecting, Maame deals with the themes of our time with humor and poignancy: from familial duty and racism, to female pleasure, the complexity of love, and the life-saving power of friendship. Most important, it explores what it feels like to be torn between two homes and cultures—and it celebrates finally being able to find where you belong.

I really enjoyed this one! This story follows a young adult named Maddie, who has always been the dependable one in the family, despite being the youngest, as she takes care of her ailing father and works at a job where she is treated poorly. Her character shows so much growth over the course of the story and I loved seeing her learn how to speak up and stand up for herself. I am so glad that I decided to read this fantastic novel.

Maddie goes through so much over the course of this story. I hated the way that her family treated her at the beginning of this story. They didn’t worry about how her father would be cared for or how the bills would get paid because they knew that Maddie would handle it. When Maddie finally does something for herself and moves out on her own, tragedy strikes. She has to deal with family issues, and dating problems while learning to experience life as an independent young woman.

I listened to the audiobook and Heather Agyepong did an amazing job with this story. She did such a great job in bringing Maddie to life which pulled me into the story completely. This is my first experience listening to this narrator’s work but I would not hesitate to listen to her work again. I found her voice to fit this story perfectly and believe that her performance added to my overall enjoyment of the story.

I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a very thought-provoking story that packed a big emotional punch. I am so glad that I was able to take this journey with Maddie and would love to read more of this author’s work in the future.

I received an advanced review copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio.

8 responses to “Reviews – Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun & Maame

  1. I’ve seen lots of reviews for the Finlay Donovan series but I have always gotten a Stephanie Plum vibe and to me that’s so ridiculous I can’t stand it for long. Or have I got Finlay all wrong?

  2. The Finlay Donovan books always look like so much fun. I need to hurry up and get the first one read already. ;D