Another fun fomp in the chairs of Finley Donovan's life. A body has been discovered, and it turns out the most likely suspect is Finlay's ex husband..can she prove his innocence, while also keeping her sanity¿

As a Jenny-come-lately to the Finlay Donovan series, I quickly witnessed its appeal in book number five. There’s found family. There’s a mystery. There’s romance. There’s self-deprecating humor. There’s a heartwarming glow to it all.

Initially, Donovan didn’t win me over. She lets Ms Haggerty move into her house and take over her bedroom. Her kids are misbehaved. Her life feels chaotic and she lacks boundaries. But there’s something addictive about her friendship with Vero and her bonus mom relationship with Cam.

And while some of the narrative events feel a little too convenient, that is also their appeal. While so much goes wrong for Donovan, enough goes right for her to feel powerful where we need her to be.

Author, Elle Cosimand, takes it easy on the new reader by providing ample context and recap from the prior Finlay Donovan books. The reader can start with book five as easily as book one, but other reviewers advocate for a chronological reading of the series.

I honestly was not sure how this series could keep going and still be worth reading, but I absolutely LOVED this one. From beginning to end I was hooked and laughed so much!

Another 5-star hit from Elle Cosimano! Special thanks to NetGalley, the author, and St. Martin's Press for granting me early access to Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave. This is the fifth book in the Finlay Donovan series. While it could technically be enjoyed as a standalone, you’d really be missing out on the previous books in the series. Love. love, love this book and already looking forward to the 6th book... assuming there is one!

🥰 I loved Mrs Haggerty! Her character and the book club were a fun addition to this series. The chaos, banter, and exhaustion follow Finlay and Vero as they try to solve another mystery. And in typical fashion, by solving one, they happen into another. Nick is hot on her trail, and Finlay has to decide if she's going to keep him at arms length or confess everything. Steven and Finlay's relationship is so frustrating, but it's a realistic balance that a lot of people go through to keep the children as the main focus when sharing custody. She is much more mature than I would be. I am on team Penny and Maggie regarding him.

What I didn't love:

The kids were too central for my enjoyment. I read to escape the chaos, so I don't enjoy finding so much of it between the pages. This is personal preference as I know they are part of the whole "working mom, always exhausted, trying to balance it all" plot.

Sylvia was way too extra. She doesn't really add much.

This is the first I have read of what is clearly an adorable series. Finlay Donovan is an author who gets herself in pickles. Elle Cosimano brings charm into every day life with a twist of mystery that keeps you chuckling and reading on. This book is for the moms, the wives and the friends. a girls girl group without bashing men. I cannot wait to go back and read some of Finlay’s other accidental mysteries.

4.5 stars rounded up. I think this is my new favorite Finlay book. It had all the elements I loved about book 1 and then some.

I listened to the audiobook and followed along in the ebook. The audio was outstanding. Angela Dawe did an excellent job with the narration. Her tone and cadence were clear and natural, and the pitch/vocal alterations for the various characters were incredibly well done. I was so impressed with her work. I’d highly recommend a listen.

Like the other books in this series, this one picked up where the previous book left off. We’re back all of our favorite characters in Finlay, Vero, Nick, Javi, the kids…and even Steven. Added to the fray this time around was Mrs. Haggerty, fresh out of jail and dropped off on Finlay’s doorstep by her grandson. It turned into a wild ride with Steven implicated in the crime she was accused of and the crew then had to (reluctantly) race against time to clear his name. Teen hacker extraordinaire Cam was also back and added so much to the story. Without saying too much, this one kept me on my toes, had me laughing, shaking my head, thinking “Only Finlay” more than once, and ends with a cliffhanger that left me ready for the next book right now.

Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur for the eARC and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! This book might just be my favorite out of the whole series. I finished it in one day because I could not put it down. Stephen gets arrested and Finlay is the only one convinced he is innocent? Sign me up. Not only did this mean that we didn't have to deal with Stephen's attitude for most of the book, it also lead to some character growth for Stephen.

This book definitely has the same amount of humor and shenanigans as the previous books. Poor Finlay just cannot catch a break. The mystery aspect was great! While I wasn't super surprised about the end reveal, I loved the journey we took to get there. I also liked that this book was written in a way that if you had not read the previous books you wouldn't feel totally lost as to what was happening.

I am thrilled that Nick and Finlay finally hashed everything out. That was one of the main things that bugged me about the previous book. As usual, the romantic spice level was low, pretty much a closed-door romance.

Overall, a very enjoyable read!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press - Minotaur Books for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received this e-book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for the copy!

I have really enjoyed the continuation of Finlay Donovan's life through this fictional series. It has been fun to get a look inside more of the other characters lives and even seeing how the relationships with unlikely characters continue to develop and mold in ways you wouldn't think would happen.

In this installment of the series, we are taken a little deeper into the life of the nosy neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty. Margaret Haggerty starts having some plumbing issues, resulting in her backyard having to be dug up. As a result, a body is found and after Mrs. Haggerty is finally released from the police, a new suspect is brought to the front. Vero and Finlay must do what they can to solve this case so they aren't suspected in this one that they really didn't have any part of! They find out so much about their neighbor along the way. This one was another fun ride for Finlay and Vero and was a great addition to the series! If you've enjoyed this series so far, I think you'd still be pleased with this one!

Finlay Donovan Digs her own Grave is the delightful 5th book in Elle Cosimano's series. Whether reading the print edition or listening to Angela Dawe's excellent narration, this fun, quirky book will catch and hold your interest. Finlay, her sidekick Vero, and the whole cast of family, friends and neighbors all manage to get into and out of all kinds of trouble, both serious and funny. At the conclusion the main mystery is solved, relationships are deepened and all is satisfying indeed—and then the doorbell rings. Can’t wait for the next adventure!
Thanks to Macmillan and NetGalley for the chance to read this early.

I loved this one! One of my favorites in the series. I loved how all the characters interacted and how fun the adventure was. These books are so outlandish and totally unrealistic, but that's what makes them so fun! Finlay and Vero's antics are a hoot and I'm still always baffled how they seem to ditch the kids so effortlessly to attend to their crime solving. I also loved how it sets up the next one in the epilogue. Such a fun book!

Finlay solves another mystery that she finds herself in the middle of.

I think this is my favorite book of the series so far! It's really a toss up between Book 1 and this book. I really like the leap that Finlay and Nick's relationship took. I also loved the dynamic of the elderly neighbor crashing at Finlay's house.

I can't wait for the next book to come out!

I believe this is my favorite series so far! I loved it so much!
We begin when police discover a body in the backyard of Finlay's neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, and they suspect her of murder. However, they released her, and she is no longer a suspect. Because her home has no electricity or heat, she is staying at Finlay's house until they fix the heating.
They arrested Finlay's ex-husband for the murder because the wife of the man found buried in her backyard accused him of having an affair with her during his marriage to Finlay. Believing Steven, she starts her investigation of the murder and the curious mishaps of what Mrs. Haggerty is doing and where she is going.
This one was an absolute hoot! I loved the complete story and there were several times I was rolling with laughter because of the antics in the story! I received a copy of the audiobook to listen to and review, and it was amazing! I love it when a series uses the same narrator for different audiobooks because this narrator fits the story and brings it to life! Giving me lots of laughs this time! Thank You Macmillan Audio, Netgalley, and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read/listen and review this one, and thank you for the laughs!

LOVED the addition of Mrs Haggerty to the cast in more depth and the twists that storyline provided. I both love and hate that Finley’s story isn’t done yet. I want some resolution!! This book at least gave us some romantic resolution for now. Can’t wait for the next installment.

In the latest installment of the Finlay Donovan series, Finlay and her nanny Vero have stumbled across another murder. It just so happens that the body is discovered in Finlay's neighbor's, Mrs. Haggerty's backyard. Not known for being friendly, Mrs. Haggerty ends up staying with Finlay while they try to solve the murder, and all kinds of chaos and hijinks ensue. I love this series! Finlay and Vero will have you laughing out loud, and sitting on the edge of your sear wondering how they are going to get out of the newest sticky situation they have found themselves in. Highly recommend!

Once again, Elle Cosimano has knocked it out of the park! Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave is an absolute blast—fast-paced, witty, and full of the charm that makes this series so addictive. This installment not only delivers the humor and suspense we love but also opens up exciting new avenues for so many characters. I flew through it and already can’t wait to see what’s next for Finlay and the gang. If you’re a fan of the series, you won’t be disappointed!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Things really start coming together in this latest Finlay Donovan episode. While we meet new characters, we also get to know others better. The hijinks and shenanigans continue with all characters involved and the laugh out loud moments are even more hysterical because I’ve come to adore Finlay and her crew so much. On top of it all is a mystery that is multi-layered, once more giving us twist upon twist. And that’s not a spoiler because if you’ve read the series, you already know to expect the most perfect unraveling of the mystery.

And now to wait for the next one…

This was one of my favorite installments of this series. I enjoy the bane between Finaly, Mrs. Haggerty, and Vero. This novel had a lot of action and mystery, and I can't wait to find out what happens next.

Elle Cosimano has done it again -- this new Finlay Donovan mystery will make her many fans very happy, as it is just as engaging and suspenseful as her past books in this successful series. I look forward to recommending this title.

As per usual, I ate this up! This series is just so silly and fun; I’m already excited for the next one!