Book #5

Finlay and vera are at it again!

Busy-body neighbor, Mrs. Haggarty, has been arrested after the police find a body buried in her back yard. The police can't find enough evidence to hold her, so Mrs. Haggarty tricks Finlay and vera into letting her stay at their house until she is allowed back into her house.

Finlay and Vera are sucked into another mystery. This time they aren't the only ones in danger, somehow Finlay's ex, Stephen, has been accused of the murder!

It's a good thing Finlay is an author, she couldn't make this stuff up! I have recommended the series to friends that love cozy mysteries! I can't wait to see what the ladies get into next! Definite five star review!

I was given the opportunity to read this book by NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I seriously love this series and hope it goes on for a while longer but it will have to end. For once, Finlay isn’t in the thick of things this time but she’s actually solving a mystery. Vero is still Vero but the addition of Mrs. Haggerty as a main character was brilliant.

I love all the outrageous situations Finlay and Vero manage to get themselves into every book. Though I didn't love this book as much at the last four, I am already excited for the next book in this series. It is such and easy go to read. I will always read this book the moment I get it.
Thank you St. Martin's Press for providing this book for review via NetGalley. All Opinions are my own.

I've been a huge fan of Finlay Donovan from the very first book. While a lot of series - especially mysteries - lose my interest over time, FD isn't one of them.
I love the humor and the quirky awkwardness of Finlay and Vero. I just can't get enough of them.
I was excited that this one brought Finlay's nosey old neighbor more fully into the story.
Lots of fun, lots of mayhem, exactly what I expected.

Finlay and Vero and Nick and... Mrs. Haggerty?!?!

Finlay and Vero are at it again and this time, Mrs. Haggerty has been arrested because a dead body has been discovered buried on her property. She is cleared by the police, but when her house becomes a crime scene, Mrs. Haggerty moves in with Finlay and Vero for the interim, severely cramping their style.

What I loved:
-Being back in Finlay's world. I love the banter, the humor, the romance.
- No spoilers, but I feel like there was finally some forward motion.
- Mrs. Haggerty's gang.

What I didn't like:
-Nothing - I will read everything Elle Cosimano writes about these characters.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Such a fun series, and this installment keeps the momentum going. When is the new book coming out?! If you love mysteries with clever heroines and engaging plot lines, Finlay’s adventures are for you. Thank you so much Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books for the advanced e-Arc in exchange for my honest review.

After the original, I think Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave is my favorite in the series! It is laugh out loud funny, easy to read, easy to follow (the mystery isn't quiteeee so complicated as it sometimes gets), and the kid content is top notch. As a boy mom I loooved the potty training bits with Zach. Not sure how non-parents or girl moms may feel about that, but I thought it was hilarious. :)

Finlay and Vero get into crazy situation after crazy situation as usual, but what I really loved about this book was their partnership (or suspicion of - your call!) with Mrs. Haggerty. What a character!! I loved getting to know her in this book and thought the contrast of her role to Finlay/Vero's MO was perfect.

This was just a fun read and I hope you give it a chance!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Finlay and Vero are back! When their busybody neighbor needs a place to stay she invites herself to stay at Finlay’s house after her house is raided when the dead body is found . If that’s not bad enough her ex husband is accused of murder, her daughter is suspended from school, and her son refuses to wear pants. In her usual style Cosimano does a wonderful job of writing an entertaining story that was a continuation of her previous books. Having left on a cliffhanger I can’t wait to read her next one.
Thank you to Netgalley and to the publishers for allowing me to read this advanced copy in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

The latest from Elle Cosimano was just as good as her previous books! Finlay and Nick are so fun to read about and of course, we encounter mystery and absurdities as per usual!

4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Finlay Donovan is back, and somehow, she’s managed to get herself into even more chaos—which honestly feels like an achievement at this point. In Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave, Finlay and Vero are once again knee-deep in crime (literally and figuratively), trying to outrun bad guys, the law, and their own questionable decision-making skills.

This book is fast, funny, and totally unhinged in the best way. Finlay and Vero’s ride-or-die friendship remains the heart of the series, and their banter had me grinning the whole way through. The mystery is twisty, ridiculous, and full of “Wait, WHAT?!” moments. Is it completely realistic? Nope. Do I care? Also nope.

That said, it didn’t quite hit the highs of the earlier books for me. Some of the plot felt a little too over-the-top, and there were moments where I wished things slowed down just a bit. But honestly, I’m still having way too much fun with these characters to complain much.

If you love messy, lovable heroines, crime capers with a side of romance, and books that don’t take themselves too seriously, this series continues to deliver. And that ending? Yeah… I need the next book ASAP.

Loved this book! It might actually be impossible not to giggle at the antics Finlay and Vero get up to. Every time I think, "wow, this is insane and they will never get out of this jam," Cosimano creates a believable solution. Mrs. Haggerty might be my new favorite character! I love that the Finlay Donovan series doesn't take itself too seriously. It's definitely a comfort series for me.

Finlay and Vero are at it again! Potty training a toddler, trying to wrangle a rough and tumble kindergartener who's been suspended from school, dealing with her ex when he's arrested, all while trying to navigate her relationship with hot cop Nick, Finlay's hands are full to say the least. As she tries to figure out her life with the new stages of life she is in, she and Vero continue to get in trouble when their elderly nosebag neighbor moves in!

I love this cozy mystery series, and I've loved the ride I've been on with Finlay and Vero.

I was happy to finally get my eyes on Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano. Finlay is one of my favorite characters and I really enjoyed her latest escapade solving crime while writing a novel and trying to keep pants on her toddler!
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It is bad that I enjoy how messed up Finlay’s life can become? Finlay and her nanny, Vero, can’t seem to avoid trouble. Sometimes it even moves in with them in the form of the nosy neighbor from across the street.
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When a body is discovered buried in that neighbor’s rose garden, she is arrested but finally released and dropped off at Finlay’s until she can get back into her own house. In order to get old Mrs. Haggerty out of their house and keep the investigation from uncovering some of their own skeletons, Finlay and Donovan are determined to figure out who the actual murderer is.
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This latest novel in the Finlay Donovan series hit the shelves this week and I already cannot wait for the next one! You can enjoy this book without having read the previous books, but I highly recommend you read and enjoy them all!!

What do you get when you combine Finlay, Vero, AND Mrs. Haggerty??? The fifth main book in the Finlay Donovan series, Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano, but of course!

This one was the most straightforward of the five (six, with the novella) plots, but that made it the funnest to follow along with! (I felt so proud of myself to have kind of figured it all out.) And heck yes to the entertaining and twisty addition of Mrs. Haggerty! So many dots in this mystery connected back to previous books, and my hat goes off to Cosimano for creating such a web of clever layers!

Speaking of, I think this book would work well for a standalone (although, just like, don't read it that way, since you'll miss out on all the hi-jinx that are Finlay and Vero)! Everything is explained so well (though not overdone) within this book to provide the map to not get lost, and remind you of past books in the most perfect way!

Now... the best part of this series! Audiobook narrator Angela Dawe! I have mentioned before that Dawe simply MAKES this series (minus the novella, since she didn't narrate it, but we won't talk about that). There's a reason Dawe is one of my favourite narrators - the different voices she uses really add an extra layer to this story, specifically for Vero! Basically, just listen to these audiobooks!

As this one ends on another cliffhanger, I'll just be over here waiting for the next book in the series to release - no big deal!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary copies to read and review.

I LOVE this series so much! Elle Cosimano just brings these characters to life so well. I laugh so hard reading these books. The antics, the hijinx, everything. I can't wait to see what's next for my favorite murder crew.

I'm going to be honest, Elle Cosimano is an automatic pre-order for me. I'm excited for each book in the Finlay Donovan series. I was a huge Janet Evanovich fan, however Evanovich's books started to become a bit too formulaic for me and I've been searching for similar series to read. Cosimano's Finlay Donovan series has scratched that itch for me. While I read many different kinds and genres of books, the cozy mystery style books are ones I love to return to (cozy mystery my definition, there are some spicy scenes in this book).

I'm a fan of the Finlay Donovan series, as it does describe what the life of a working mom, a single working mom at that, can be like. She keeps stumbling across an interesting string of situations that lead her to many questionable situations. The potty training in this book reminded me of my own experiences with potty training. The book was a reminder that you can have the most terrible stressful things going on in your life, and your children will still be there... needing their parents to fulfill their day to day emotional and physical needs and that will be the driving force for the parents' actions.

I really liked the evolution of Finlay and Steven's relationship as they both come to terms with their divorce and what that means outside of the contention they both experienced. I'm also a fan of her relationship with Nick and how it grew throughout the book. I won't give a way spoilers, but I love how Finlay dealt with everything at the end of the book. And Maggie... what to say about Maggie. This book hit me square in the feels about what women deal with every day in their relationships, and how older generations try to help other women not go through what they have gone through. Again, not giving away spoilers, but there are more ways than just physical and verbal abuse for relationships to be unsatisfactory and leave people with diminished senses of self. I think that's what struck me most and stayed with me about this book, was not even the antics Vera and Finlay got up to, but the themes of what women across generations have expereinced in relationships and how it's held them back from finding out who they really are. As you can guess, I recommend not just this book but the series.

Please be advised I received an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm hooked on this series. The 5th book, Finlay Digs Her Own Grave, perfectly continues Finlay Donovan's story. Finlay and Veronica always find trouble despite their good intentions. This time, Finlay has her neighbor living with her after a dead body is found in her backyard. Finlay’s ex-husband, with his shady history, is accused of being involved with why the dead body is there and Finlay is sure that he is not guilty.

The relationship between Finlay and Nick is developing. Nick, a cop, and Finlay, who often ends up in challenging situations, have an intriguing dynamic. They may not seem like a perfect match, but they complement each other well. I look forward to more of their story in the next book.

Okay Finlay is back! These are such easy reads and they're such wild rides but so fun! This one might be one of my favorites of the five, and I'll definitely be picking up the next one!

🎧: I absolutely love the life that Angela Dawe brings to this series. I always start a new book by reading on my Kindle and while good I find myself gravitating to the audiobook which I like even more. I’ve listened along to Dawe during the Finlay journey and cannot wait for more.

As for the storyline itself, I really enjoyed it. The previous books carry wild - mafia moments while this one stuck with characters those closer to home while folding in all the chaos of characters we’re already familiar with. I’ve enjoyed seeing Finlay’s found family grow and only look forward to what’s yet to come. Love that Cosimano is maintaining fabulous momentum and creates seamless builds for what we’ll see in the future.

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle! 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🪦🩸😆

– Another Hilarious, Action-Packed Ride

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for allowing Finlay fans to get ARCs of this book and free ebook copies of all the other books in the series. Such a great way to promote the book! In exchange, here is my honest review.

Elle Cosimano delivers again with Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave, the fifth installment in this laugh-out-loud, twisty, and utterly chaotic series. While nothing will quite top the iconic police academy or Atlantic City, this book is another wildly entertaining ride that had me cackling, gasping, and frantically turning pages.

From the very first chapter, where Finlay’s kids are as always up to mischief, the book sets the tone for the perfect blend of domestic disaster and criminal mayhem. This time, a new source of chaos enters the picture: Mrs. Haggerty, Finlay’s nosy, over-the-top neighbor who gets arrested when a dead body turns up in her yard. Somehow, she ends up crashing at Finlay’s house, bringing a whole new level of absurdity. A modern-day Gladys Kravitz, Haggerty is a menace in the best way. Her attempts to homeschool Delia and take over Zach’s potty training had me in stitches.

Meanwhile, Haggerty’s book club, disguised as a small-town gossip hub but hiding secrets of its own, adds another layer of intrigue. Seeing Finlay and Vero navigate this while interrogating people, dodging danger, and somehow still handling everyday life is what makes this series so ridiculously fun. The little details, like Haggerty naming her purple car Eggplant, had me grinning, and seeing familiar faces from book one was such a treat. Cam hanging out at the Donovan house like an honorary teenage brother was another great touch, and Javi’s brief but memorable appearances had me on high alert.

One of my favorite parts of this book was Nick. Finlay and Nick are spicing things up in their relationship, and I love how much they are working together now. Their dynamic continues to evolve in a way that adds depth while keeping that signature tension alive.

And then that ending. That cliffhanger. I need answers immediately!!

Cosimano continues to masterfully balance humor, mystery, and just the right amount of chaos. While this one didn’t quite top my personal favorites, hello Atlantic City, it is still an absolute blast and a must-read for fans of the series. If you love Finlay Donovan, buckle up because this book digs deep into all the messy, unpredictable, and absolutely hilarious antics we know and love.

Can’t wait for book six!