I was curious what Finlay would tackle after dealing with the Russians, and this did not disappoint. This was a fun mystery, with all the usual craziness that makes Finlay a great character. I think this book was stronger than the last one, and I look forward to reading more Finlay & Vero in the future.

Thank you to @macmillanaudio @stmartinspress & @minotaurbooks for the ARC & ALC of the latest adventures of Finlay Donovan!

Finlay, Vero, Steven, Nick & Javi are back for more witty adventures, but this time Finlay’s nosy neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, is the center of the shenanigans! The relationship between Finlay, Vero and Mrs. Haggerty has been a unique one since the first book, so seeing Mrs. Haggerty’s story get to play out, while simultaneously throwing wrenches into Finlay & Vero’s life, made for a fun read.

From potty training escapades to bodies buried in backyards, to framing ex-husband’s for murder and neighborhood watch, Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave brings its standard wit, banter & adventure to life!

I really enjoyed how this book hopped right into the action from the beginning, which hooked me from the start & aided in how fast I read it too! Even though there is a good number of characters in these books, Elle Cosimano makes it easy to follow, while also building tension, suspense & humor - which is much appreciated! It also makes for a gem of a listen via audiobook too! Narrated by Angela Dawe, who gives a stellar performance, complete with different character voices and details, I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook version of this gem as well - and honestly, it made reading this book seem like it all happened in a blink of an eye!

Thank you Elle Cosimano for bringing us the world of Finlay Donovan - this series is a joy to read & is one I look forward to with each new release!

I was a bit worried when I picked up this advanced copy of Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave. I wasn’t the biggest fan of book four, Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice, and was worried that the series had jumped the shark. I’m happy to report that I devoured book five in just over 24 hours. Is it as magical as the first book? No. Is it a vast improvement from book four? Yes it is!

I think what helped here is that while the issues that Finlay and Vero created in book one are present in this book, they aren’t the primary focus. Instead, the reader gets to dig into a new mystery revolving around Finlay’s grumpy elderly neighbor Mrs. Haggerty. When a body is found buried in Haggerty’s backyard, she’s taken to jail but is ultimately released. But because there is no electricity in her home, her son drops her off at Finlay’s already very full house, begs her to take care of his mother, and quickly vanishes. Obviously, Finlay and Vero get involved—partly in an attempt to get Haggerty out of the house, but partly because they’d like to figure out exactly how much Haggerty knows about some of their less than legal activities.

Did I figure things out much faster than Finlay and Vero? Yes. Did I really care? Not really. I had a good time reading this and enjoyed catching up with these chaotic characters.

This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave will be published on March 4.

This was a fun continuation of the series and if you haven’t picked them up, you definitely should! I will never get tired of these characters or Elle Cosimano’s writing! Mrs. Haggerty was arrested for murder after a dead body was found at her house but is released when the police are unable to link her to the victim and find new evidence. She ends up having to stay with Finlay and Vero since her house has no power/water and Finlay is determined to find out who the killer is in this installment of the series to prove her ex husband is innocent. The duo find themselves in some crazy predicaments while taking on this task. I also was such a fan of getting so much Mrs. Haggerty in this as she’s always been more of a background character; her attitude is my favorite and I found myself laughing so much through this one.

I love the progression Finlay and Nick’s relationship took in this one and can’t wait to see more of them! 🥰 Another cliffhanger ending has me chomping at the bit for the next book!!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!!

This is another Finlay adventure that had me laughing from the very first scene thanks to Finlay's daughter. I appreciate that, rather than letting the series go stale with the same major characters, Cosimano highlights 81 year old Mrs. Haggerty in this one. An irritating but minor character in previous novels, Mrs. Haggarty becomes an interesting center point. Who knew she could rope in Finlay's kids and provide excellent home schooling and potty training skills? She has other skills too but you'll have to read the novel to find out what they are.

We readers are provided with another humorous adventure when Finlay, through no fault of her own, gets tangled up in yet another murder mystery. Her romance with Nick heats up and Finlay finally confronts the elephant in the room, her honesty with him. I do appreciate Cosimano not including any graphic sex scenes.

This is another wild and entertaining ride with Finlay and Vero. And the end leaves us with the distinct impression the adventures are not over yet.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

BOOK REVIEW: FINLAY DONOVAN DIGS HER OWN GRAVE🪦

I love the Finlay Donovan series because each book is such a fun, entertaining cozy mystery that allows you to suspend your belief in reality for a bit to enjoy these crazy situations that Finlay gets herself into!

This book returns back to Northern VA (which I loved, being a native to this area myself!) and Finlay and Vero have a situation on their hands when a body is found in their busybody next door neighbors backyard. Mrs. Haggerdy really steals the show in this book and I was so here for it!

I think besides the first book, this one may be a fav for me since it felt a bit more realistic than some of the others, which while fun to read were pretty over the top🤣 I alternated between reading and listening to this one and the audio was so great!

If you’re a fan of the series, you won’t want to miss this one!! And based off the cliffhanger ending, I’m hoping there will be more Finlay books to come!🤞🏼


I absolutely love this series and I enjoyed getting to read an ARC of the newest addition to it. Finlay and Vero are the ultimate team of amateur detectives, and while their adventures are certainly not realistic, they sure are fun to read about. This one ends on another major cliffhanger, which I'm not mad about because it means we will get at least one more book in this super entertaining series. I can't wait to see where Finlay and Vero end up next!

4 🌟

Mrs. Haggerty is 😘

After the last few Finlay Donovan books, I was hesitant to pick this one up. This book reminded me why I feel in love with Finlay. I found the middle books to be complex with the amount of characters to keep track of and how they all connected. That is not the case with this book and I speed through it.

Thanks, Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

In this 5th installment of the “Finlay Donovan” series, Finlay is back with her partner-in-crime, Vero, following the discovery of a buried body in the backyard of her elderly neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty. While Mrs. Haggerty was originally a suspect, she’s now been cleared by police, with nowhere to stay except Finlay’s home. While Finlay and Vero has no interest in any more murder mysteries, they are inevitably pulled into the investigation.

I cannot get enough of the Finlay Donovan series—I absolutely love these books! After their travels to Atlantic City in the last book, I was glad to see this one set back at their home in Virginia, and I loved all the neighborhood secrets and drama! The witty banter between Vero and Finlay is always laugh-out-loud fun, and throwing the grumpy Mrs. Haggerty into the mix was a fun addition. I also really enjoyed the return of Cam, who had appeared in the previous two books. Better yet, the book ended on a cliffhanger thus leaving things open for a 6th book!

Thank you to Minotaur Books, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for my gifted e-ARC!

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave” is my first mystery read, and it’s an absolute delight. The novel elegantly blends quirky crime-solving with deeply felt character moments. Finlay and her steadfast sidekick, Vero, embark on another unforeseen adventure that challenges their ingenuity and resilience, all while maintaining a light and riotously funny tone.

What truly elevates the book is its seamless mix of brisk investigative action and clever, witty banter, all underscored by the endearing relationships among its delightfully flawed characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books!

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this one!!
Elle Cosimano delivers another witty, fast-paced mystery in Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave! With the Russian mob, a missing person, and plenty of chaos, Finlay’s life is messier (and funnier) than ever. A must-read for mystery lovers!
And lucky me as I get to meet the author in a few weeks when she is in St. Louis!!

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave has (thankfully) a very similar vibe to the first novel in this series. Charming, wacky, a little dark comedy. This book has renewed my interest in the series.

Wow, I didn’t see THAT coming!

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave is the fifth book in the series. Having read the first four books, I can honestly say this one had twists and turns I hadn’t expected! Definitely my favorite Finlay Donovan book so far and the cliffhanger at the end has me anxious for the next one!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Elle Cosimano is an absolute sorcerer! How can the FIFTH book in this series be just as fun, engaging, and downright hilarious as the first one? I’m telling you - I have lived ever last one of these books and there has not been a single lull in the series. That never happens!
🤯
I loved it from beginning to end and I will absolutely be in the front row, with my popcorn, anxiously awaiting book six in the Finlay Donovan series.
🍿
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a free digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
🫶🏻

Oh my God I can’t believe that Elle Cosimano has done it again. This book is so good. It’s probably the best since the first Finlay Donovan book. I love the story. I love how we get to learn more about the nosy neighbor Mrs. Haggerty. I love how Nick the detective plays a bigger role in this book. There is a lot of sneaky stuff going on and in the end I loved all of that too. This book gives new meaning to what a great book club could be. Don’t miss this one. It’s a really great 4.5 stars. Thank you to Minotaur for the advanced reader copy. I've been lucky enough to read all the Finlay Donovan books, and they are pure pleasure!.

Finlay has been floundering, in my opinion, in the last couple of books. This was Finlay back in her original glory! The whit, mystery, and adventure were back. I loved the way this story went and how I grew to know the characters better. I loved the resolution and look forward to the next.

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave is book 5 in the series. I've read a couple books in the series and somehow didn't' realize that there were already five. I've got to go back and catch up on the ones that I've missed. I enjoyed this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced digital copy.

I received an ARC of this ebook from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for my honest review. Every Finlay Donovan book has been hilarious and this was no exception. I love the relationship between Finlay and Vero, partners in accidental crime. The mystery storyline was great and I really liked the character development that Mrs. Haggerty got in this one. It ends on a real cliffhanger that makes you anxious for book 6!

This is book number five in the Finlay series by Elle Cosimano. Once again Finlay and her sidekick Vero find themselves entangled in another adventure when a body is found buried in Finlay’s nosey and cranky neighbor Mrs. Haggerty’s rose garden. When Mrs. Haggerty is charged with murder but subsequently released from jail for lack of evidence, Finlay’s ex-husband Steven becomes the prime suspect. In spite of the fact that there are always dead bodies involved, these books will give you a few laughs because of the outrageous situations Finlay and Vero get into when they are together. This ARC was provided by St Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the classic Finlay Donovan I know and love. Just like in any other installment of this series, I had so much fun falling back into Finlay's world with all her lovable shenanigans. I also really liked the added depth that was given to side characters that we've seen from the start. By this point, I know that when I pick up one of these books, I'll have no problem turning page after page until the end.