A price had been written in bold, red ink. The message had been signed.
“EasyClean’s blackmailing Feliks,” I whispered. “He wants two million dollars to keep quiet.”
I turned to the last page and found a message for me.
Someone is making a mess, Ms. Donovan.
I want EasyClean found and this business tidied up.
Don’t disappoint me. —Z
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This novel was written during the COVID-19 pandemic. My deadlines and word count goals were bookended by lockdowns, a tumultuous election, and an endless stream of horrifying news headlines. There were many days （and most nights） when I stared at an empty screen for hours, wondering if I could dredge up an ounce of humor from a well that felt discouragingly dry. Writing comedy is hard; writing comedy when the world is on fire takes “hard” to a whole new level. Sometimes I wasn’t sure I could. I have many people to thank for helping me bring this book to the finish line.
To my first agent, Sarah Davies, thank you for your steadfast belief in Finlay and me. And to Steph Rostan, for picking up the reins with such enthusiasm. I am so grateful to have found you.
To my editor, Catherine Richards, for your support and kindness, professionalism, and care. And for making this entire experience so much fun!
To Kelley Ragland, for welcoming Finlay and me into your publishing family. I count myself so lucky to be part of it.
To my team at Minotaur: Sarah Melnyk, Allison Ziegler, Nettie Finn, David Rotstein, John Morrone, Janna Dokos, Laura Dragonette, and Gabriel Guma. Thank you for making Finlay Donovan more than just a book, but a MOOD! This character has taken on a life of her own, and I credit all of you for it.
To Hannah Whittaker at Rights People and my publishers far and wide, thank you for sharing Finlay and Vero with the world.
To the extraordinary I. Marlene King and Lauren Wagner, thank you for your excitement for these characters and their story. I’m the luckiest author alive to have the opportunity to work with you. I can’t wait to bring Finlay to the screen. And to Flora Hackett and Sanjana Seelam at WME, for bringing us together and making this dream possible.
To the generous and talented authors who took the time to read Finlay Donovan Is Killing It and shared their endorsements with the world: Megan Miranda, Wendy Walker, Kellye Garrett, and Lisa Gardner—I’m so grateful to you.
Thank you to Jessica Sartorius for fielding my law school questions. And my husband, Tony, for putting up with all my IT-related “what ifs.” Any mistakes I’ve made regarding the world of hacking and criminal law are entirely my own, many of them intentional, in the name of creating more entertaining fiction.
This book would not be a book without my real-life partners in crime, Ashley Elston and Megan Miranda. I will always carry two extra shovels in my heart. You remain the very best part of this crazy adventure.
For my early readers, who endured messy first drafts of this book with honesty and kindness, who brainstormed plot points, made me laugh, and reminded me why I love this job. Christina Farley, Romily Bernard, and Ashley Elston, I couldn’t have pulled this one off without you.
For my family—Tony, Connor, and Nick—thank you for your patience, love, and understanding. For putting up with my grumpy mornings when I’ve been up all night chasing deadlines and struggling to find the right words. And thank you for always believing in me, even when I sometimes forget to believe in myself.
And finally, for Bookstagram. Thank you for embracing Finlay so passionately. Your photos, buddy reads, and reviews have brought me immeasurable joy during a very dark year. I hope this book is worthy of you.