Thank you to Macmillan Publishing & Elle for the ARC of Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave!

Elle Cosimano never disappoints!!! I loved this addition to the Finlay Donovan series. As per usual, Finlay and Vero are faced with a ridiculous amount of crime, bad luck, and parenting. Juggling potty training AND trying to clear someone’s name in a murder investigation? Talk about being a super mom. If you’re into murder mysteries and laughing out loud, make sure you pick this one up on release day!

Honestly, these books are so moreish. Reading the Finlay Donovan series is like popcorn - it's not the best snack in the world, but man does it always his the spot. Love the pace, the humour, the absurdity. This book is truly about women helping women in a variety of ways, and that's beautiful. Fun quick read

I am so enjoying this series. It warms my Stephanie Plum and Riley Thorne loving heart. "Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave" is the newest entry to the Finlay Donovan series and it is another excellent installment. Just when Finn and Vero think they have wrapped on their murder adjacent lives of crime, a body is found in the yard of Finn's neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty. Much to Finn's dismay, this somehow leads to Mrs. Haggerty moving into Finn's house - and into Finn's bedroom - and Finn's ex-husband being arrested on suspicion of murder. The hijinks in this one are a bit tame compared to some other books, but it somehow works here, This book is very much about trust, female friendships, and Finn's growing self-confidence. Finn and Nick make welcome progress, though it will be interesting to see how things ultimately play out. We are left on something of a cliffhanger, and I am already wishing I could read the next book NOW.

4 stars. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a complimentary copy of this book. These opinions are my own.

Another absolutely delightful Finlay Donovan book! This one was so good. These books have the best supporting cast of characters. Mrs. Haggerty is an absolute scream. Steven doesn’t desserve Finlay’s kindness. Another absolutely delightful Finlay Donovan book! This one was so good. These books have the best supporting cast of characters. Mrs. Haggerty is an absolute scream. Steven doesn’t deserve Finlay’s kindness.

Another great book by Elle Cosimano. Findlay’s adventures keep you laughing. Sad to see the series end and hoping for at least one more book. Thanks NetGalley for an ARC.

The latest Finlay Donovan book has arrived, starting immediately from the set up by the previous book (which I won’t reveal to prevent spoilers) and is off to the races. There’s more of Finlay’s agent Sylvia in this one, with some great scenes, and much more of neighbor Mrs Haggerty. I love this series and this one doesn’t disappoint. As with the previous book, the ending of this one sets up the next one and all I can say is omg I can’t wait!

I hope this series never ends! I enjoy Finlay and Vero so much and the craziness they get themselves involved in.

I'm a huge fan of this series, but I think this is my favorite book of them all! I love how relatable each of the characters in these books are. Finlay decides to prove her ex didn't commit murder, even after everything he's done to her. We get to see a whole new side of Mrs. Haggerty too. I just loved everything about this book- ALL the stars.

I think this this is the best book in the series, with more heartfelt suspense than previous entries, keeping the humor on track.

BOOK REPORT
I’m gonna cheat just a little here with my Book Reports on the Finlay Donovan series by Ellie Cosimano, which I received complimentary copies of from St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books/NetGalley.

Instead of providing a title and description for—as well as a reaction to—each book, I’m doing one review for all and putting a summary of the series here first: ”Edgar-Award nominee Elle Cosimano’s witty, fast-paced adult mystery series follows struggling suspense novelist and single mom turned-amateur-sleuth Finlay Donovan, whose fiction begins to tread dangerously close to the truth.”

The reason for this approach is because I took advantage of the opportunity to download all of the books in the series to date all at once, including the newest one scheduled for publication in March 2025 (Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave), which was the reason NetGalley made everything available—to promote the latest. And then I basically binged my way through it, partly while doing things like folding clothes and watching TV at the same time.

This was a fun little series, as I expected it to be. Nothing very challenging, some predictability, some romance, some silliness. I got a little aggravated that Our Finlay never seems to learn from her mistakes. And the agent character gets to be more and more like a caricature as the series progresses. My favorite installment was the novella about nanny/accountant Veronia Ruiz; it was written a lot tighter and was more believable. Looks like the next book to be written will flesh out her back story even more, so I’m looking forward to reading it.

In short: This is the kind of series you will like, if you like this kind of series.

PS
I realized yesterday during a discussion with some friends at lunch that I’ve been ingesting an awfully not of non-serious fiction here lately. I decided that, you know what? That’s perfectly OK, given not only the state of the world in general right now, but also because at least seven people I know have died this year (two by intentionally self-inflicted gunshot wounds). I’ve been seeking both escape and comfort, and I very much appreciate all the authors who have brought me both.

A fun and fast-paced read with plenty of twists, but it didn’t quite stick the landing for me. The humor and premise are entertaining, but some of the plot points felt a little too far-fetched, even for a lighthearted mystery. I enjoyed the character dynamics, especially Finlay’s relationship with Vero, but overall, it didn’t leave a lasting impression. A good pick if you’re looking for something quick and playful, but not one I’ll revisit.A fun and fast-paced read with plenty of twists, but it didn’t quite stick the landing for me. The humor and premise are entertaining, but some of the plot points felt a little too far-fetched, even for a lighthearted mystery. I enjoyed the character dynamics, especially Finlay’s relationship with Vero, but overall, it didn’t leave a lasting impression. A good pick if you’re looking for something quick and playful, but not one I’ll revisit. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.25 ⭐️

Another jam packed, hilarious installment in the Finlay Donovan series! The plot picks up right where the last book ends and immediately jumps into the next set of issues for Finlay and Vero. Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave has its usual charm; quippy humor, the cast of characters we’ve come to know and love, and another romp of crazy circumstances. I’m glad we got to see more of Mrs. Haggerty in this book as it gives a lot of insight aside from her being a nosey neighbor. With how everything unfolded with her I’m sure her meddling is far from over. I’m so glad Finlay and Nick were able to reach a breaking point in their relationship/trust in one another, all while bringing back a little bit of the spark of the love triangle with Julian. Julian’s brief moment in the book was done in a way to remind the readers of what they had, but why Finlay and Nick are better together. The story concludes with all questions answered, and in true FD fashion, the last sentence leaves more to be desired with the next installment.

Thank you to the publisher, NetGalley, and Elle Cosimano for an advanced copy of this book!

The Finlay Donovan series has a very real hold on me. Finlay and Vero can't stay out of trouble, but they're so intelligent and quick thinking, they're able to stay one step ahead of (most) everyone else. I read the entire series back to back and this was the first time I figured out who did it before the big reveal. The only downside this time was how much more invested in the characters I was, including the killers.

When a body is found underneath Mrs. Haggerty's rose garden after a storm, Mrs. Haggerty is arrested and Finlay's ex husband is brought in for questioning. Mrs. Haggerty is ultimately released, but her house is a wreck so she moves in with Finlay for the weekend. Despite everyone else believing Steven is guilty, Finlay can't. believe he did it and is forced to solve another murder to keep her family out of prison. At the same time, Finlay's book deal is quickly turning into a tv deal, her daughter is suspended from pre school, her son is (unsuccessfully) potty training, and her nanny/accountant is dealing with her new/old relationship.

Despite everything happening in the book, the story flows and it's easy enough to suspend disbelief that a single mother of two can find the time to do literally everything. I can't recommend these books enough, I have actually been recommending them to everyone who will listen.

This is the 5th book in this entertaining series. Finlay and Vero don’t seem to be able to stay out of trouble and aren’t we glad for that? There are still plenty of dead bodies and shenanigans.

I have enjoyed all the books in the series. This felt a little less frantic than previous books. The characters are more settled into who they are. There is still the suspense of how are they going to get out of this situation? But, it’s a little more Lucy and Ethel and a little less Thelma and Louise .I for one hope the series continues because I think the author is just hitting her stride.
Disclosure: A review copy of this book was sent to me by the author. All of the above opinions are my own.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book. I am a huge fan of this series, however, this book didn’t entertain me as much as the previous ones. I thought it started off strong but about 50% of the way through, I was eager to finish just so I could be done. I don’t think it will stop me from reading the next book in the series. I think any reader that enjoys this series will still be glad they read it.

I absolutely adore this series and hope Elle Cosimano never stops writing about the Finlay and Vero adventures.
With that said, I liked this book but I didn’t love it. I also didn’t hate it. I am having a difficult time putting my finger on why though… it was a little flat compared to her last books in this series. Maybe because the mystery itself wasn’t difficult to figure out and it felt like there weren’t as many tense moments or dramatic action scenes compared to previous books. I was a little annoyed at Finlay’s passiveness during the entire story especially with Mrs Haggerty and also with Brendan’s absence. I’m not sure if his storyline was written because he played more of a role in everything and we find out more later? Otherwise his excuse is just weird and lame.
Also, Sylvia annoys me.
In previous books I laughed out loud multiple times and in this one it only happened maybe once. I usually love Elle’s quick and witty humor that she adds to the storyline and characters behavior and would’ve loved to see more of it!
I also wish the spicy scenes were exactly that; SPICY. Elle Cosimano does a great job setting the scene and mood but then that’s it. I know she has it in her to give us the entirety of the spicy scenes we all want and need. I’m otherwise proud of the overall relationship growth and character development.
I enjoyed the “book club” and what they stood for and how they all rallied together to support each other. I appreciated that the storylines are all intertwined with the previous books in the series. But again, something was just missing to make it even more exciting.
I’m still looking forward to the next in the series and hope it’s even more funny, dramatic, smart, and tense!
Thank you, thank you, thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for access to this ARC and the opportunity to read it early in exchange for an honest review!!

When I received the approval for I was over the moon. Finlay Donovan series has become one of my all time favorite series. This book completes some loose ends from previous books, but don’t let that fool you there are still plenty more threads existing and new ones being created.

Like all the other books in the series this one was a fast read because there is so much going on and you can’t put the book down. This book also pulled on my heart strings more than previous books in the series. I think it might be because I have spent so much time with the characters but it was so good and I loved it. Vero is my favorite but honestly Ms. H holds a special place in my heart.

The only thing I don’t like is that now we have to wait for the next one.

Elle Cosimano’s latest provides readers another excellent adventure with Finlay, Vero, Nick, Javi and Cam. The latest wild ride kicks off when Finn’s nosy neighbor Margaret Haggerty is taken into custody after a body is found buried in her backyard. Finn becomes the reluctant host for Mrs. Haggerty following her release from jail since the Haggerty home is temporarily uninhabitable.

More complications ensue when Finn’s cheating ex-husband Steven becomes the object of police interest due an affair he supposedly had with the deceased’s wife. In addition to trying to figure out who the real killer is, Finn is dealing with the suspension of her pre-school daughter Delia, potty training her son Zach, and pressure from her agent Sylvia to sign a TV/movie development deal based on her published books. Unfortunately for Finn, shining a spotlight on the plots of those books might lead to some questions from the authorities about earlier escapades involving dead bodies.

As usual, this is a fast-paced, entertaining story. It ties together some threads from earlier books in the series, while leaving the door open for another adventure. A terrific addition to a wonderfully diverting series filled with humor and anchored by an amusing, relatable cast of characters!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for the ARC.

Finlay Donovan is the complete mess we all need to read. This series must be read sequentially and none of the books is a standalone (including Vero's novella). You need to immerse yourself in Finlay's history to appreciate her digging her own grave. This is a solid 4 stars. There was romance, revenge, mystery, humor, AND BROWNIES! I would prefer it if Finlay made a better choice or two every now and then, nothing crazy, but something a little more realistic. Sylvia was absolutely ridiculous, as usual, and I love it. I wish we had less of the children because they're truly annoying. Nick and Vero more than compensate the readers for the horrid toilet training experience, however, so I remain a very enthusiastic Finlay fan.

Another great addition to Finlay's story!

Just leaves me wanting more when this one is not even out yet.