I can’t believe this is book 5 of Finlay Donovan and there’s still so much that could happen. The cliffhanger in this one is actually diabolical 😩

I don’t want to give anything away (obvi!) but this one had so much going on and things really started to get going. I loved being able to spend more time with characters that were surface level, finding myself adoring them so much.

Genuinely can’t wait for more Finlay books, they’ve become such comfort reads for me! 💗

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano

Genre: mystery
Series: Finlay Donovan # 5
Spice Level: 1/5🌶, closed door
Setting: DMV area
POV: single, 1st person, past tense

My Thoughts:
I had previously said this series should have stopped at a trilogy because the plot was getting away from Finlay, but then this book reigned everything right back in!

Mrs. Haggerty has been a scene-stealer from the beginning and I’m so glad she was now central to this story! The shenanigans felt very silly, yet believable, so I was happy to go along for the ride.

And yay for more hot cop and hotter lawyer!

Memorable Quote: “You can’t ask me to only fall in love with the parts of you you’re willing to show me. I want you. Not part of you. All of your.”

Thank you to the publisher for my advance copy!

Have I said that I love Finlay Donovan before? Because I freakin' love Finlay Donovan! She always finds a way to get herself into some precarious situations that end up being absolutely hilarious!

In the 5th installment in the series, Mrs. Haggerty was arrested for murder when they found a body buried in her backyard. She has since been released, but the power is shut off to her house, leaving her with nowhere to stay. Her grandson Brendan drops her off on Finlay's doorstep and she moves herself into Finlay's bedroom for the weekend (cough, cough). If Mrs. H didn't murder the man in her backyard, who did?

Things progress and fingers start being pointed at Stephen. How is Stephen always the bad guy? I mean, he is, but still lol. But Finlay knows deep down that Stephen didn't kill this man. It's up to her and Vero to step in and prove that he isn't the murderer. With the help of Hot Cop Nick, Cam and his Purple Eggplant, Mrs. H and her book club, the chaos ensues.

I really enjoyed this book and am so glad that the author has kept this series going! This one was a lot more believable and less far fetched than the last few installments. I absolutely loved the scenes with Mrs. H homeschooling Delia and Zac. The potty training scenes were laugh-out-loud hilarious. The Purple Eggplant, too funny! And the way Cam is with his dog, precious! And don't even get me started on Mrs. H's book club! That sounds like the type of book club that I want to be a member of (no shade to my own book club). This motley crew is to die for. 4.5 stars for FD Digs Her Own Grave. I can't wait to see what Cosimano has in store for #6!

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

The steady and consistent Finlay Donovan series carries on. This one was a bit reeled back from previous books but the book still contained the hijinks that you would expect from Finlay and Vero. The story was refreshingly not as convoluted as the previous installment and overall I had a pretty good time. I was pleasantly surprised that Finlay and Nick's relationship actually made tangible progress in this book after it kind of sputtered around in the past few books. I started flaming out by the end but overall would recommend. I thought I was done with this series but this pulled me back in and reminded me that these books are ol' reliable- funny, a good time, and a nice escape from reality. Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC!

Another fun adventure with Finlay Donovan! These books are so much fun to read. I love how light-hearted this series is, while still being engaging. I enjoyed bringing back and learning more about previous characters, such as Cam and Ms. Haggerty. This series is best if read in order because there are so many characters and plot lines that are repeated throughout. I think my interest in the series had been waning and this book got me right back into it.. I am looking forward to the next one!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave is the 5th book in the Finlay Donovan series. I really enjoyed this book of the series, it moved along at a good pace and kept me turning the pages. I loved that Finlay finally opened up more to Nick about what has been going on in her life, that is huge for Finlay. This story line had twists and turns, that I finally figured out toward the end. I would recommend it to others.

I received and ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, I am leaving my review voluntarily.

It has been such a long time since I've binged a series!

Finlay Donovan is such a fun ride... and after finishing this one, I wish I could keep binging this series forever! It's so much fun, crazy escapades, mob drama, and a solid amount of hijinks. Finlay and Vero are such a great team and the whole concept of this series is ridiculously fun.

The way this book ended though.... CRIMINAL. Straight to jail Elle Cosimano! And no cops like Nick to save you!

I couldn't understand why we shifted to this plot line of Mrs Haggerty when there were 2 unresolved plot lines for Steven and Vero, but regardless this was an enjoyable read.
I cannot get enough of these characters and loved the deeper dive into Mrs Haggerty and Cam too.
This series is so fun and easy to read, but the cast of characters is what really sets it apart.

I've always suspected that Mrs. Haggerty wasn't your regular nosy old neighbor. The discovery of a dead body in the Haggerty's backyard sets off a new tangent of fortunate and unfortunate events for Finlay, Donovan, and the rest of the crew. If you've loved the other Finlay Dononvan books, this one is a must-read. If you haven't read any of the other books in the series yet, I recommend reading in order. I know that everyone is rooting for Finlay to find her forever after with Nick, and that's great, but for me, the biggest relationship in these stories will always be Finlay and Vero.

I received an advanced reading copy of this book through NetGalley. I was able to get the e-read and the audio, audio being my preferred reading method for the Finlay Donovan series.

This is my favorite Finlay book in the series so far! I was positive this would be the final book in the series, but I am no longer convinced and that makes me excited.

Finlay is back and so are her counterparts- Vero, Nick, Mrs. Haggerty, and more. Like usual, so much nonsense is taking place and in the end, I side with Mrs. Haggerty (who would have thought the day would come?).

Dear Elle,

Don't make us wait too long to see what Finlay and Vero do next, okay?

Sincerely,

Elle Mick

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave 🧟‍♀️
By Elle Cosimano


Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to @chapters.in.chaos for her assistance in writing this review.

Finlay Donovan thought she was finally free of her accidental life of crime, but secrets always have a way of becoming unearthed. Sometimes secrets even manage to unbury themselves during a backyard flood. This time the crime isn’t even Finlay’s, but if she and Vero don’t get to the bottom of it, her family and her own exposure will both be at risk.

Full of the wit, humor, and accidental disasters we’ve come to expect from Finlay and friends, “Finlay Digs Her Own Grave” also gives us more insight into some beloved (and not so beloved) characters; nosy Mrs. Haggerty, won’t take no for an answer Sylvia, and our favorite “Hot Cop”.

The Finlay Donovan series gets better with every book and this might be my favorite one yet!


🏷️
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ok miss haggerty, I wasn’t familiar with your game!! Man, I thoroughly enjoy this series. It is so fun, the audiobooks are amazing, I am completely invested and along for the ride. I hate that the end on such cliffhangers, because waiting a year is excruciating!!!!!

The fifth installment in the Finlay Donovan series was not one to miss! I definitely prefer the installments of the series where the gang is at home in Virginia rather than on their escapades elsewhere. This gave all of the cozy mystery vibes the first book had.
Due to the nature of the plot, this book didn’t have the zaney adventures as much as prior installments, but it was cozy and lovely. I will always come back to this series.
4 stars

I loved it so much! Finlay is back baby and better than ever. The laughs kept on coming. I can't wait for the next book to come out!

4 ⭐️

I can't lie after refreshing on the last book. I wasn't sure where the series could possibly be going, but this was one wild ride.

Once again, finlay and vero were an all-around top comedic pairing. I really hope this gets made into a tv show because I need to see this on screen. I knew Mrs H was going to be an amazing addition to the story because all her previous appearances were brilliant, and she did not disappoint. I loved her little friendship with Cam and Finlays kids.

I'm happy with the direction the romance took in this one, too. Nick and Finlay then Vero and Javi, they feel a lot more settled now, and it will be interesting to see how they tackle future books.

When we hit 70% and hadn't gotten any answers, I was slightly concerned about the story running over into another book, but once the answers came, i was so entertained. I figured it out before our girls did, but my God the way the ending went was like bringing back the humour of book 2 for me.

I like the idea of each book from now being a one case per book rather than carrying it over like the previous ones. The epilogue has me very excited for the next one, I've been waiting for that plot to come up.

Overall, I had a really fun time with this. Lots of laughs but still very intriguing. I received an advance review copy of this book, and this review represents my honest opinion. Thank you to netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

I have read all of the Finally Donovan books and was excited to get this ARC. I really enjoy the banter between all the characters. The author does a great job breaking up the suspenseful scenes with humor. I feel like this book was a bit different in terms of the "villain" and was less stressful as a reader. It was still entertaining and kept me guessing.

This series just gets better and better. We're back with Finlay and Vero as a body is found just across the street. Their very nosy, elderly neighbor is suspect number one until she gets quickly released and Finlay's ex is picked up. The neighbor somehow moves in with Finlay, Finlay is working to clear her ex of any wrongdoing, and a neighborhood book club becomes the gossip group of the town. It's all more than Finlay can handle but handle it she does. The humor and wit of this book made me laugh out loud. I fall more in love with these characters with every release. While it is a ton of fun to catch inside jokes and little snippets from earlier books, you can definitely read each one as a standalone. I inhale these books as each comes out and immediately want the next. They are the perfect amount of lighthearted fun that the world needs right now. I highly recommend this series to anyone who is looking for a little escape and a lot of laughter.

I am such a fan of Elle and her Finlay Donovan books! This one was just as suspenseful, hilarious, and fun as the others. I always look forward to the next and love how each book feels complete but also hints at what's to come next. Can't wait for the next installment!

Thank you to the publisher for a free Netgalley!

I have read every book in this series, and while I have enjoyed them all this one it tied for my top one with book 1.

The plot for this one was fun and the use of Mrs. Haggerty in this story is phenomenal. She is quite the character and adds a lot to the characters we already know and love.

Why 4.25 and not 5? Some of the antics are a tad repetitive. But I understand there are only so many antics two characters can get themselves in to!

I'm not kidding when I say I was GIDDY reading the prologue in this book. I love this series so incredibly much and Cosimano always finds a way to make Finlay and Vero's hijinks entertaining and unputdownable.

After a body is dug up in the queen of the neighborhood watch, Mrs. Haggerty's yard, and Finlay's ex-husband Steven becomes the chief suspect, Finlay and Vero embark on another amateur detective adventure to clear his name. I have to say I am very glad that this story didn't focus on Finlay and Vero being almost criminals, but rather their sleuthing skills.

Mrs. Haggerty is definitely the star of this show, and I found this book just as good as the previous four in the series. AND it ends on a cliffhanger, so I'm praying we get more Finlay and Vero in the future.

As always, Angela Dawe does a great job narrating these books.

FIVE STARS. Easy. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.