About Elle Cosimano

Photo credit: Holly Virginia Photography

Photo credit: Holly Virginia Photography

Biography

Elle Cosimano is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, an International Thriller Award winner, a Bram Stoker Award finalist, and an Edgar® Award nominee. Her acclaimed young adult novels include Nearly Gone, Holding Smoke, The Suffering Tree, and Seasons of the Storm. Elle’s debut novel for adults, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, kicked off a witty, fast-paced contemporary mystery series, which was a PEOPLE Magazine Pick and was named one of New York Public Library’s Best Books of 2021. In addition to writing novels for teens and adults, her essays have appeared in The Huffington Post and Time. Elle lives with her husband and two sons in Virginia.

FAQ About Elle

Essay in TIME.com about why and how I started writing

Essay in Huffington Post about my father’s career as a prison warden and how it shaped my writing

Essay in The Nerd Daily about the origins of Finlay Donovan

Essay in CrimeReads about crime authors who got their starts writing YA fiction

Essay in CrimeReads about sex in mystery novels

Essay on John Scalzi’s “The Big Idea” blog about the origins of Nearly Boswell’s name

New York Times Bestselling Author (Finlay Donovan Jumps The Gun)

USA TODAY Bestselling Author (Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead)

2022 Lefty Award Nominee for Best Humorous Mystery (Finlay Donovan Is Killing It)

2017 Bram Stoker Award® Nominee (Holding Smoke)

2017 International Thriller Award Nominee: Best Young Adult Novel (Holding Smoke)

2015 Edgar Award Finalist (Nearly Gone)

2015 International Thriller Award Winner: Best Young Adult Novel (Nearly Gone)

2015 Winner of the Mathical Book Award: grade 9-12 category (Nearly Gone)

2015 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award Finalist: Best Young Adult (Nearly Gone)

2017-2018 Georgia Peach Book Award Nominee (Holding Smoke)

2015-2016 Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award Nominee (Nearly Gone)

2015-2016 Georgia Peach Book Award Nominee (Nearly Gone)

2016-2017 Louisiana Teen Readers’ Choice Nominee (Nearly Gone)

2016-2017 Florida Teens Read List (Nearly Gone)

2016 – 2017 South Dakota Teen Choice Nominee (Nearly Gone)

2015 Kansas State Reading Circle, Starred Designation (Nearly Gone)

Starred Review, School Library Journal (Nearly Gone)

Bank Street College of Education’s Best of Children’s Books List – 2015 (Nearly Gone)

SWON (Southwest Ohio & Neighboring) Libraries 2014 Best Dark Mystery (Nearly Gone)

Professional Reviews

“[Cosimano’s] main character is so endearing it’s easy to surrender…”
New York Times Book Review (Finlay Donovan Is Killing It)

“A twisty delight.”
—PEOPLE Magazine (Finlay Donovan Is Killing It)

“Cosimano cuts dexterously between Finn’s adventures as a hit woman, her deeply iffy romance . . . , and the domestic crises that keep on piling up as if nothing had ever happened to disturb them. Suspenseful, funny, and even a tad mysterious. More, please.”
—Kirkus Reviews (Finlay Donovan Is Killing It)

“ . . . enjoy this romp from a skilled comic writer.”
―Publishers Weekly (Finlay Donovan Is Killing It)

“Cosimano makes her adult debut with this off-the-wall series starter, which is part comedy of errors, part genuine thriller. Deftly balancing genre conventions with sly, tongue-in-cheek comments on motherhood and femininity, Cosimano crafts a deliciously twisted tale that will earn her a slew of adult fans.”
—ALA Booklist (Finlay Donovan Is Killing It)

“An impressive debut… Cosimano weaves together math riddles, science-based clues, an edgy romance, and psychological terror to create an unpredictable page-turner.”
―Publishers Weekly (Nearly Gone)

“Eloquently written and packed full of suspense, debut author Cosimano strikes gold with this page-turning thriller… A tour de force that is unputdownable.”
―School Library Journal, starred review (Nearly Gone)

“This is an addictive and multilayered debut; Cosimano has established herself as a thriller writer to watch.”
―Horn Book Review (Nearly Gone)

“Cosimano delivers another shocking, dark, and brilliant tale that will make readers want to lock their doors.”
―VOYA Magazine (Nearly Found)

“It’s not often that a newcomer slides into a genre like a seasoned pro, but author Elle Cosimano has done just that…”
―Suspense Magazine (Nearly Gone)

“Forced to choose between doing what is right and what is easy, John “Smoke” Conlan’s final choice will have readers racing to reach the thrilling conclusion of Elle Cosimano’s new young adult novel, Holding Smoke.”
Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of the National Council of Teachers of English (Holding Smoke)

“Compelling . . . Cosimano, a warden’s daughter, brings authenticity to the depiction of prison life . . . Smoke is a complicated, sympathetic character, and his redemption feels earned.”
―ALA Booklist (Holding Smoke)

“Part ghost story, part redemption story, part mystery, and very engaging.”
―School Library Connection (Holding Smoke)

“A fantastic yet real portrait of a survivor seeking answers . . . Intertwined spectral and real worlds deliver double the thrills.”
―Kirkus Reviews (Holding Smoke)

“Deliciously unpredictable. . . this is a compelling exploration of how roots twisted in cruelty affect a family tree for generations to come.”
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (The Suffering Tree)

“Riveting… A dark mixture of mystery, history, romance, and fantasy.”
—Kirkus Reviews (The Suffering Tree)

“Cosimano whips up an enticing witch’s brew . . . An eerie, often pulse-pounding tale.”
—ALA Booklist (The Suffering Tree)

“Cosimano’s story is rich in historical detail and eerie atmosphere.”
—Publishers Weekly (The Suffering Tree)

“Will keep readers riveted. . . Recommended for YA suspense collections.”
—School Library Journal (The Suffering Tree)

The Suffering Tree is a haunting thriller . . . an intriguing narrative fueled by strong character development, vividly descriptive writing, and good pacing.”
—VOYA Magazine (The Suffering Tree)

The Suffering Tree does not disappoint . . . deftly twining historical narrative with Tori’s journey of self-discovery, creating a stark atmosphere ripe with distrust and unease.”
—NPR Book Reviews (The Suffering Tree)

“This is an enjoyably edgy novel with a great premise, filled with adventure, loss, love and suspense.”
—School Library Journal (Seasons of the Storm)

“Blending mythology with the modern world, Cosimano uses the rhythm of nature to create a whirlwind of romance and friendship that illustrates both the power of choice and the strength in differences.”
—Publishers Weekly (Seasons of the Storm)

Awards and Recognitions

New York Times Bestselling Author (Finlay Donovan Jumps The Gun)

USA Today Bestselling Author (Finlay Donovan Is Killing It)

USA Today Bestselling Author (Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead)

LibraryReads Hall of Fame (Finlay Donovan Jumps The Gun)

2015 Edgar® Award Nominee (Nearly Gone)

2015 International Thriller Award Winner: Best Young Adult Novel (Nearly Gone)

2015 Winner of the Mathical Book Award: grade 9-12 category (Nearly Gone)

2015 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award Finalist: Best Young Adult (Nearly Gone)

Bank Street College of Education’s Best of Children’s Books List – 2015 (Nearly Gone)

Starred Review, Booklist (Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice)

Starred Review, Library Journal (Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun, audio)

Starred Review, School Library Journal (Nearly Gone)

ALAN/NCTE March 2016 Monthly Pick (Holding Smoke)

2017 Bram Stoker Award® Nominee (Holding Smoke)

2017 International Thriller Award Nominee: Best Young Adult Novel (Holding Smoke)

2022 Lefty Award Nominee for Best Humorous Mystery (Finlay Donovan Is Killing It)

“The series’ highly anticipated fourth installment—titled Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice—is set to arrive in March of 2024, sending Finlay, Vero, and several other familiar faces on an adventure to Atlantic City, and promising readers another exciting and deeply relatable mystery.”
—Paste Magazine

“The Finlay Donovan series is simply spectacular and always delightful! I adore everything about it—the humor, the screwball plotlines, the mysteries, and above all the cast: the friendship between Vero and Finlay is one for the ages, and Finlay’s love life entertains me to no end. Elle Cosimano’s books are the perfect blend of mystery and romcom, and I’m ready to follow Finlay wherever she goes!”
Ali Hazelwood, New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis

“Finlay Donovan and crew are back in the most outrageously funny, sexy, fast paced story yet in Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice. Get ready to repeatedly laugh out loud while holding your breath in anticipation . . . The story that unfolds is a hysterical runaway train of impossible situations careening off the tracks as the twists and turns keep coming page after page. Plan on reading straight through as there’s no more chance of you pausing reading than there is a prayer of stopping the train wreck happening on page . . . Highly entertaining, hilarious and heartwarming, Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice pushes all the right buttons for fans of the series.”
—Mystery & Suspense Magazine

State Book Awards and Reading Lists

2015-2016 Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award Nominee (Nearly Gone)

2015-2016 Georgia Peach Book Award Nominee (Nearly Gone)

2015 Kansas State Reading Circle, Starred Designation (Nearly Gone)

2016-2107 Florida Teens Read Nominee (Nearly Gone)

2016-2017 Louisiana Teen Readers’ Choice Nominee (Nearly Gone)

2016-2017 South Dakota Teen Choice (Nearly Gone)

2017-2018 Georgia Peach Book Award Nominee (Holding Smoke)