4.25 stars

I may have liked this one the most in the series other than the first book. While it's slower in pace, it's the most entertaining, I enjoyed seeing more of the connection of all the characters and more background of some we had previously only touched on. After the last book I was starting to think the series was winding down but the end of this one proves otherwise. I can't wait to see more of Vero's story coming up!

Thank you to St. Martins Press, Minotaur Books and Netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave is the 5th-installation of the well-loved Finlay Donovan Mystery series. I have listened to all of these books on audio, and this was no exception. Not only does Angela Dawe do an incredible job bringing these stories to life with her engaging narration, but her voice is Finlay to me at this point.

In this story, Finlay and Vero are back home after their wild adventures in Atlantic City, which were chronicled in the 4th-book. They're looking forward to life returning to normal, or as normal as it can ever be for Finlay and Vero. Unsurprisingly, it doesn't take long before they are smack-dab in the middle of another mystery, after a body is discovered buried in the backyard of their busybody neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty.

Finlay and Vero have had a bit of a contentious relationship with the elderly-Mrs. Haggerty over the years. She's always watching, making her the perfect head of the neighborhood watch, but not that fun of a neighbor. As the police start investigating, Mrs. Haggerty immediately falls under suspicion. After she is cleared though, she still can't return to her house as it's an active crime scene. That's when she shows up on Finlay's doorstop. Begrudgingly allowing the older neighbor to stay at her house, Finlay needs this case wrapped up soon rather than later. Worried the police are heading in the wrong direction, Finlay and Vero decide to look into the case on their own.

Yet again, I had so much fun reading this book. I love, love, love Finlay and Vero. Their friendship is perfect and I love investigating mysteries with them. The mystery of the body in the backyard was quite intriguing. I had a great time trying to solve it. I wasn't sure who to suspect, and I believe I started to figure it out just when Cosimano wanted me to, so that's a plus.

Mrs. Haggerty plays a huge role in this one, and I liked getting to know her more. She's grumpy and opinionated, and frankly, hilarious to have around. I loved her interactions with not just Finlay and Vero, but also with Finlay's kids; so good. We also got quite a bit more of Finlay's agent, Sylvia, in this one, which was a hoot. She's wild in such a fun way, pushing Finlay out of her comfort zone every chance she gets.

Overall, I was so happy with this story. The conclusion also gave me hope that we'll definitely be getting another book, which I am so on board for. As far as I'm concerned, this series needs to continue for as long as humanly-possible. A go-to Mystery series for me.

Thank you to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I adore these mysteries with my whole heart. 10-out-of-10 recommend for all Mystery Readers!

Finley's young daughter has just gotten in trouble for beating up the little boy who pulls her hair on the playground. She is suspended from school, her. neighbor, who covertly watches her house for gossip, can't stay in her own freezing house, so she has decided to stay at Finlay's. She is a pesky old lady. And Finlay is already a massive ball of chaos. She copes by making funny observations.
She tries to be discreet. But when push comes to shove, she is willing to take care of the problem and the instigator. She is a real firecracker who pushes the boundaries of the law and gets things done. A mystery is unfolding across the street from Finn's house. Hence her unwanted guest, now embedded in her house.
Looks like the police could use a little help, so Finn investigates. As it moves towards involving her own circle, she and her nanny turn up their own investigation.
Will they solve the case and expose the killer who dumped the body across the street from her house? Will she expose the killer or will this be her last hurrah!
The crime itself involves a shockingly complex web of deceit that proves creative. Laughter and disbelief abound in a sea of shocking revelations.
Here's hoping many more adventures will be coming.
Thank you to the publisher and author for providing me with a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
A fun and funny madcap adventure.

Thank you Macmillan Audjo and St. Martin’s Press for my gifted copies. All opinions are my own.

I’ve been reading the Finlay Donovan series since the first book and they’re always such a wild ride! I saw a friend say that Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave was a favorite since book one and I’d have to agree! I really liked where Finlay was in her relationship with Nick. Making Mrs. Haggerty a suspect added a lot of entertainment value! It was funny to see her as a guest in Finlay’s home after years of them trying to make sure her busy body ways didn’t get them in trouble. I enjoyed how this mystery wrapped up, especially the women protecting each other. I can’t wait to read the next book!

As always, Angela Dawe’s narration was flawless!

I can’t help it, I just enjoy these books. I have read them from 1-5 this month and now I find myself upset that #6 is not immediately available. Finlay is again trying to bail her ex husband out of trouble by solving the mystery of who actually committed the crime he is accused of while dealing with her elderly, nosy neighbor moving in. Many adventures ensue with Finlay and Vero not only solving the crime but also uncovering the real reason for Mrs. Haggarty’s book club. This may have been my favorite one yet.

Another hilarious romp in the Finlay Donavan series!

Mrs. Haggerty, Finlay's aged neighbor across the street, is not everyone's favorite. She's nosy, always watching the goings on, and is leader of the neighborhood watch. Or at least she was until a body was found buried in her backyard and she briefly became a suspect. Needing a place to stay while her yard gets put back together, she moves herself into Finlay's home without invitation. It's not all bad. She's quite the school marm with Finlay's kids and dishes out wisdom like there's no tomorrow. But if Finlay and Vero are ever going to get their home back in order, they need to get to the bottom of who put that body in Mrs. Haggerty's backyard. And by the way, what's up with Mrs. Haggerty's secretive book club?

Author Elle Cosimano is brilliant in her writing of this series. The characters are hilarious in their dialogue and cutting remarks. The women are strong and clever while many of the men are rather morally challenged. Finlay Donavan and her nanny, Vero, make for a dubious duo in this series and their antics keep the reader chuckling. The spark between Finlay and detective Nick Anthony burns brighter with each new page. It's a wild ride for sure and nowhere near believable, yet oh so fun!

I am grateful to Minotaur Books for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: March 4, 2025
Number of Pages: 320
ISBN: 978-1250337344

I loved this book as much as I love this series. I had read the first three books a year or more ago, but there were enough little snippets throughout the fourth and fifth book that it was a nice refresher, instead of beating a dead horse. This read more as a giant book, broken into five parts than five separate books and it worked out well for this series, especially since it takes place over such a short period of time. This book follows Finlay and Vero go about their business as they navigate having nosy neighbor Mrs. Haggerty move in with when a dead body is discovered buried in her backyard. The typical miscommunication, hijinks and hilarity ensue as usual, and I loved every minute of the story. I want to wish a big thank you to Elle Cosimano, St. Martin's Press & Minotaur Books for an advanced copy.

When a body is found in her neighbors yard and her ex-husband is accused of the crime, Finaly (with the help of Vero, Cam, and Arnold Schwarzenegger) is on the hunt to prove his innocence.

Just like her other books, Elle Cosimano keeps the suspense going and you never know where the twists and turns are going to take you. Just when you think you know... you didn't.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review. I think Elle Cosimano has done it again! Laugh out loud hilarity and edge of your seat anxiety over what is going to happen next! I love it!

This was one of the wildest reads yet in the Finlay Donovan series! When a body is recovered in the nosy neighbors yard, Finlay and Vero find themselves in some sketchy situations trying to find out who really put the body there, while trying to prove her ex husbands innocence all over again.

I’m in love with these characters and their story lines, and I can’t wait for the next installment. We left off on a huge cliffhanger so I know it’s going to be good!

I will never not read a Finlay Donovan novel. They are laugh out loud funny at times and she's extremely relatable as a character. What mother hasn't had a toddler go through a "no pants" phase? Anyway, the real star of the show is (always) Vero and in this particular novel, Mrs. H from across the street. We get a little more of Mrs. H's backstory and you end up hating her a little less at the end.

If you're going to pick up any Finlay Donovan book, you absolutely need to experience via audiobook. The narrator brings all of the characters to life in such a way that when a different narrator reads (as is the case for Vero's novella), they don't even feel like the same characters. Also, technically the books can be read in any order, but you might get a small spoiler here and there.

I read this entire book in 9 hours. I was so worried to read this next one because the last one was not as good as the others. Let me tell you, #5 is hilarious, witty, laugh out loud funny, heart racing, amazingness. Finlay, Nick and Vero are all back and better than ever.

I hope this series never ends. Elle, are you writing #6?

Finlay Donovan appears in this fifth book in the series as a frazzled single mother of two. Donovan has a bad habit of encouraging dead bodies that are involved with dangerous people. This time, a body has been discovered in her neighbor's backyard and of course she is drawn into the mystery. Elle Cosimano has developed Donovan into a character that has agency and is no longer simply reacting to her circumstances. In this volume, the supporting characters are developed more fully. I look forward to the next one!

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave is the fifth book in the series by Elle Cosimano. I must say I enjoyed it a lot more than the previous book, which included altercations with a Russia mob. In this book Finlay and her nanny, Vero, are involved with a crime that entangles their neighbor, Mrs Haggerty and the plot seemed to be more down to earth and, dare I say, realistic.

I enjoyed the characters a lot, the humor was well-done, and the book was entertaining. However, the introduction of new characters in the last couple chapters was jarring and the plot lost some of its momentum. The ending was disjointed and there were lots of explanations that weren’t presented very well. Finlay’s relationship with Nick is also a problem and seems to be increasingly dysfunctional and aggravating.

But, I still like this book much more than the previous one, except the author had to toss in a cliffhanger. I’m definitely not a fan of this kind of ending. It feels like a sneaky way to rope in a reader for the next book. I’m just not sure it will work with me. NetGalley provided an advance reader copy.

Thanks St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

Synopsis -

Finlay and her nanny Vero have yet another problem on their hands. This time it’s in the form of their elderly curmudgeon of a neighbour, Mrs Haggerty. After the police discovered a body in her backyard, she needs a place to stay once she is deemed not a potential suspect. Having had enough on their plates the past few months, the last thing Finlay needs is getting tangled up in another murder case.

Review -

Just like all the previous books, Finlay and Vero find themselves in impossible situations and we all know by now how they have a knack of attracting trouble.

Cosimano excels at building up a serious murder mystery at the heart of the plot while equally balancing it with laugh out loud humour and cheeky grin inducing scenes. There is a parallel romantic thread with Finlay’s boyfriend, policeman Nick, which spices up and adds charm to the narrative.

Mrs Haggerty brings her own sass and kickass personality into the storyline and this combined with Finlay and Vero’s shenanigans - we have an amusing and enjoyable cozy mystery on our hands.

I loved how the book addressed an important subject matter at its core and although the measures the characters undertook were extreme, it was a wakeup call that will definitely help raise awareness concerning the issue.

Overall a fun-filled ride that will help you forget all your problems for a while, while you worry about Finlay’s!

This was another engaging and humourous Finlay Donovan story that had me laughing all the way through. I love the rapport between Finlay and Vero so much. That really is the heart of these stories. What trouble will they get into (and get out of) today?

Thank you to the publisher for the advance copy.

She does it again folks! The Finlay Donovan series is the best. I fell in love with Mrs. Haggerty this book! The banter was amazing as usual! Top read of 2025 so far!

I enjoyed this book much better than the previous one! I love following Finlay and Vero's crazy adventures. I don't think that Elle Cosimano misses with this series at all. I look forward to every book and power through them.

I usually prefer the audiobooks, but I physically read the last two due to getting the ARCs from Netgalley and I'm still enjoying it just as much. Might give the whole series a re-listen!

Thanks again Netgalley, St Martins Press and Minotaur books!

I have enjoyed the previous books in the Finlay Donovan series, so I was very excited about the opportunity to read about Finlay’s latest adventure.

This is a series where the books need to be read in order to fully appreciate the larger story arc. The plot of this book begins not too long after the events of the previous book. Finlay is hoping for a respite from the murders, but no such luck. Not only does she have to play host to the elderly neighborhood busybody, but she also has to prove that her ex-husband didn’t commit the aforementioned murder.

Fans of the series will appreciate the return of beloved characters and light mystery. There’s enough danger to create tension but it’s never enough to provoke anxiety worrying whether the characters are going to survive. For the most part, only baddies fail to survive the turmoil that Finlay Donovan can’t seem to avoid attracting, but there’s always a tiny bit of concern that the plot is going to veer away from cozy and right into gritty territory.

I would absolutely recommend Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave. I listened to all the previous books in the series, so I wondered whether reading the book would lose some of the frenzied magic of the audiobook. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that reading the book without all the fun voices was just as enjoyable. I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series– like the previous books, something happened at the end to set up the plot of the next book. I can’t wait!





I received a digital ARC of this book from St. Martin’s/NetGalley

What a fantastic addition to the Finlay Donovan series! I love that we returned to Finlay’s neighborhood and the nosy old biddy across the street gets her story told. The author continues to write Finlay involved in twisty and surprising mysteries, with her sidekick Vera. They are my favorite duo and I can’t wait for their next adventure.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC to read and review. All opinions are my own.