Finlay Donovan Is Killing It

Finlay “Finn” Donovan, the protagonist of the book, is a romance suspense novelist who gets mistaken for a contract killer in a twisted turn of events. When she is offered $50,000 to kill Harris Mickler by his wife, Patricia, there is a single factor that motivates Finn to consider the offer, above all else: her children.

Finn is not a typical heroine. She is a flawed character from the start, prone to impulsiveness and even acting on vengeance, as evidenced by why she was banned from Panera Bread. When the reader first meets Finn, her house is a mess, her children are running amok, her bills are overdue, and she is running behind on a work deadline as well. Finn does not give off a first impression of industriousness, reliability, or even integrity, demonstrated by her willingness to snoop around Steven and Theresa’s house, using and stealing things.

What makes Finn relatable, thereby endearing and redeeming her, is her status as a single mother. Her circumstances are not entirely dire—she has a roof over her and her children’s heads; she has some help with the children courtesy of Georgia, and later Vero; she has a financially stable co-parent she can fall back on, despite the ignominy she feels because of it. However, the way Finn became a single mother, i.e., Steven’s infidelity, earns her the reader’s sympathy, and even justifies some of her actions toward Steven and Theresa. Finn’s motivations are those of a mother trying to provide for her children; her actions are excused by the related theme of Poetic Justice through Women’s Vengeance. Finn’s single motherhood is what helps round out her casting as an antiheroine.

The book also explores some of the challenges of single motherhood. More than the logistical and financial struggles of a single mother (though these, too, are present in some measure), the emotional and psychological aspects of the situation are explored in Finn’s arc. The pain of having a partner leave for another woman is heightened when there are children in the mix. Furthermore, Finn experiences the helplessness and anxiety of struggling to provide for her children even as she battles the fear that she will lose custody of them. This is contrasted by Steven’s lack of investment in his children’s everyday well-being and Theresa’s general lack of affection for the children themselves.

The opening scene of the book is a testament to the kind of challenge Finn faces, managing the parenting load mostly by herself, contrasted by her relief after Vero moves in and there is someone to help run the house and care for the children. Vero’s presence is an important one in Finn’s life and exemplifies Judy Brady’s satiric piece, “I Want a Wife.” Having a right-hand-woman to help clean up the messes one makes is essential to modern living and makes single motherhood manageable. Besides being a hands-on partner with the house and children, Vero also affords Finn the respect that Steven never did. Where Steven likely would have berated or disowned Finn if it were Steven who found Harris in the car the night he died, Vero drops everything to help her. She is a better “wife” to Finn than Steven ever could have been. His condescending and insensitive behavior toward Finn is more than made up for by Vero’s loyalty to Finn. Vero is key to helping end Finn’s dependence on Steven.

By the end of the story, Finn regains everything Steven takes from her—financial stability, a domestic partner, even avenues for romance and a sex life. Finn indicates that even if Steven comes back to her, she will not take him back; she and the children, along with Vero, will be fine. This conclusion points to two things, with respect to the theme of single motherhood: Firstly, that raising children is not a solo endeavor, it requires a community, and secondly, that women don’t need to be dependent on “bad” husbands to do so.