this series is so fun! i feel like every book gets wilder and funnier! If Finlay and Nick aren't endgame, I will riot. Also Vero and Javi (wish we got to see more of them together) need to be endgame as well.

Elle's writing is so fun and creative. I could never think of half of the things she does. Like i spent most of my time, wondering how she can come up with these ideas and execute them so perfectly.

I love this series so much <3

This was my first Elle Cosimano book and let me tell you… it will NOT be the last! I loveeeddd this book. I’m going to look up her backlog now so I can read some more from her.

Finlay Donovan's relentless adventure continues in her fifth book, Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave. Not only is it my favorite title of the series, it might be my favorite installment of the series, period.

If you're new to the Finlay Donovan world, welcome! You're in for a wild and exciting ride, but you're going to want to start it at the beginning. To avoid any spoilers for you, start with my review of Finlay Donovan is Killing It and I'll see you back here in a few books! If you're wondering if this series is worth the investment of time - my answer is emphatically yes.

Just when we thought she might be out of the woods, the dead body in Mrs. Haggerty's backyard turns out to have a connection to Steven, and as we learned in book two, Finlay may have her qualms with the man, but she isn't about to let him go down...especially when she believes he's being framed. Steven's ill-renowned womanizing ways are catching up with him (again), and Finlay is the only one who seems to think the woman claiming an affair with him is lying. When two crime podcasters catch wind of the connection, Finlay and Vero have to step back into action with their own investigation to find out what really happened before Steven gets pinned with the murder.

I feel like Cosimano has gotten back to the roots of Finlay's story in this book. It's not quite the same 'caught in a web of consequences I could have never anticipated' magic as Killing It has, but it felt far more simplified and organic than the last few, which were becoming so tangled and convoluted it was hard to keep track of all the moving pieces. They were still good (my reviews are linked at the end of this post if you need a refresher), but they were almost break-neck in their pacing. This one still has a lot going on, but it felt much more manageable.

More than any other in this series so far, this book is about girl power: female friendship, companionship, and trust. One might say it's the main theme in the series, and the embodiment in this book was exactly what you might expect from a Finlay story while still being mysterious and surprising as hell. Sometimes we are all each other has, and we shan't be underestimated ;-)

It's almost stupid how easy it is to pull me in with a little bit of romance...after Finlay's confessions to Nick in the last book, I couldn't wait to see the state of their affair afterwards. It's no secret I'm a fan of that man, and I giggled in delight at the developments between these pages. Speaking of love, Vero and Javi are working some kinks out of their whirlwind relationship behind the scenes, and I can't wait to see where that leads. That woman deserves a little bit of romance - soak it in, girl!

And did I forget to mention the Hollywood exec thirsting for movie rights to Finlay's books? Some of his conditions are problematic, and sure to stir up more trouble down the road...

This series is pure, hilarious gold, and I'm so happy to see there are at least two more books lined up in this series. I'm happy to proclaim my love from the rooftops, because more readers mean more books, and that is always welcome news to me. If there's an author I trust to pull off a long series based on accidental crime and complicated hijinks, at this point, I think Cosimano has proven she's it.

I was curious to how the author would continue to give unique and gripping storylines to Finlay this deep into the series. I shouldn’t have been worried because this series continues to hit the spot for me with humor and mystery

Finlay fans, preorder this now! I honestly never want this series to end. Absolutely loved this newest round of mishaps and shenanigans that Finlay and Vero have found themselves in. I spent the whole book laughing out loud.

We start where the last book left off. Finlay thought she was done with the drama but a body has been found in Finlay’s nosy neighbor’s back yard. Who is the body? So many suspects, some dangerously close to Finlay. You get some cameos from book 1 characters and some mainstays from book 4 which is so fun.

Grumpy old neighbor who is actually hilarious 👵🏻
Ladies book club 📕
Your favorite hot cop BF Nick👮🏻‍♂️
Cyber wonder kid Cam 👦🏻

Thanks so much to St. Martins Press-Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Finlay and Vero are back!! In the 5th instalment of the Finlay Donovan series, Elle Cosimano takes us on another chaotic adventure with Finlay and Vero needing to solve yet another murder in Finlay’s small town to avoid Finlay’s ex-husband being implicated in the murder. Poor Finlay can never catch a break!
This one was not quite as exciting as book 4, but I did like this story and the writing was witty and engaging as we have come to expect from the author. I figured out the ending about 60% of the way through this time, would have liked a little bit more mystery to keep me guessing. Mrs. Haggerty was an annoying character in Finlay’s previous stories but she really grows on you in this book and it’s nice to get a bit of back story to expand the Finlay Donovan universe.

Book 5 in the Finlay Donovan series and as usual Finlay and Vero are back to their crazy antics! This time Finlay’s nosey neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, finds herself in the center of all the action after a body was found buried in her backyard and yet another mystery ensues. This story was messy, funny, wild, and far fetched…all the things you’d expect from this series! If it’s been awhile since you’ve read the other books, the author does recap parts of the other books throughout this one to refresh your memory. Finlay and Nick’s relationship also gets a bit more serious in this one and the book definitely ends in a way that implies that there will be a book 6!

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Check it out March 4, 2025!

I have read all of the books that came before this one and they were entertaining and engaging. Unfortunately, I feel like maybe as a reader I’m just a little sick of the characters, and the lack of growth maybe. I understand authors, picking a character and sticking with it, and obviously Finley’s life has changed, but I’m just not as taken with the characters as I was in the beginning. And as they embark on yet another caper I found myself kind of annoyed with the ridiculousness of all of it this time. I wasn’t laughing out loud as much as I have in the past and just maybe need more growth in the characters for me to continue to enjoy the series

Possibly my favorite in the Finlay Donovan series! I especially appreciated how the stories were woven together and how future possibilities were opened up (wink wink).

Quick easy read that was enjoyed. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher fir letting me review the book

𐙚 Accidental Heroine
𐙚 Partner in Crime
𐙚 Twists & Turns

Received an ARC of Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano, only to discover it was part of a series. Naturally, I did what any sane, logical reader would do—I started from book one. ZERO REGRETS! Let me tell you, this series kills in all the best ways. From Finlay’s chaotic escapades to her literal grave-digging moments, I was hooked like a true crime podcast. The twists kept coming, the crew kept me cackling, and Finlay? Oh, Finlay. From the moment you stumbled into book one’s intro, I knew you were about to bring the drama and the delightful chaos. Elle Cosimano, you’ve made a fan out of me.

Rating: ✰✰✰✰✰

Thank you for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. ・❥・

When Finlay's ex-husband is arrested for planting a body in Mrs. Haggarty's backyard, Finlay and Vero are again forced to investigate. They always manage to get themselves into trouble and somehow escape. Mrs. Haggarty, Finlay's new houseguest, proves to be a good influence on her children, especially her son. And Nick, the hot cop, is also on Finlay's side.

As with other Finlay books, Vero and FInlay and are left to face another obstacle so it looks like there will be a FInlay #6. Yay!.

Finlay and wise-cracking Vero always make me laugh and I enjoy their adventures. I look forward to the next Finlay book.

I'd like to thank netgalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Expected publication March, 4 2025.

Finlay Donovan books never fail to make me laugh! being able to gasp and laugh at the same time is awesome. Thank you Elle Cosimano for another great story!

I never want this series to end. The crazy scenarios that Finlay and Vero find themselves in seriously have me cracking up and I can’t wait to find out how they get out of it.

The 5th book in this series had me staying up way too late and finishing it in less than a day.

Loved it and I hope there’s another book with more of Nick in it!

A big thank you to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy to read and review.

This was another fun installment in Finlay’s series. It was a quick and delightful read. I really enjoyed this book as it wasn’t crazily bombastic as a couple of the priors ones were, but kept Finlay and Vero’s lovely charm. I hope there will be a book 6!

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books/St. Martin’s Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I was so happy to be back in the world of Finlay Donovan. I love this series and recommend it to everyone looking for a cozy adjacent mystery.

This one had a little bit of a slower start for me but once it got going I was hooked. I enjoyed seeing more of Mrs. Haggerty as she temporarily moves in with Finlay and Vero. She was a fun character to explore and learn if she was actually involved a murder or not. Finlay and Vero, of course, get involved in an investigation and cause some chaos. We see some lovely growth in Finlay and Nick’s relationship as Finlay wrestles with what, if anything, to tell Nick about the happenings of the first four books.

As with the other books in the series, this one ends on a cliffhanger that leaves me excited for the next book and discovering more of the story!

I think this may be my favorite Finlay book.

Let’s be real, our girl Finlay has been a hot mess since book one but we love her anyways. But this time I wasn’t ripping my hair out every chapter screaming at her for her poor choices and rash behavior. Our girl’s grown up and honestly it was refreshing to not have her stumbling through messes she was partially responsible for because of her impulsivity.

Nick and Cam as always, are wonderful. Cam continues to be one of my favorite characters and who doesn’t want to find themselves a Detective Nick Anthony? I loved how their relationship progressed through this.


Learning more about Mrs. Haggerty was also a blast. She’s hilarious and kinda crude, but I really loved her. Also incredible kudos to Elle for all of the breadcrumbs she leaves in this book that tie up gorgeously at the end. It was so satisfying to piece this mystery together. It wasn’t one where you go oh man I feel dumb not getting it, rather when you see it, it’s a quiet moment of understanding that connects all of the books together. Incredibly well done.


Thank you to Net Galley & Minotaur for the ARC

Another fun read in the Finlay series!

As always, it ended on a cliffhanger, so there's gotta be another one coming soon!

I absolutely love this series. Every book has been fun and laugh out loud funny. This book was a perfect Saturday read while we were stuck inside.

Elle Cosimano has an undeniable talent to write these characters and situations where it feels like you’re right there with Finlay and Vero. I loved getting to know Mrs. Haggerty in this book, too!

It was just announced that Angela Dawe will be narrating the audio and I can’t wait to listen! Expected Pub Date 3/5/25.

Thank you Netgalley and Minotaur for the arc!

5 Fun Stars. The fifth installment of the Finlay Donovan series delivers just as much fun and chaos as its predecessors. This time, novelist-turned-sleuth Finlay and her spirited live-in assistant, Vero, dive headfirst into another wild case. When a dead body turns up in the yard of Finlay’s noisy neighbor, her sleazy ex-husband becomes the prime suspect. Despite his history of lies and betrayals, Finlay is convinced he didn’t commit the murder and takes it upon herself to uncover the truth.

Adding to the madness, the neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, temporarily moves in with Finlay and Vero after her home sustains damage during the crime scene investigation. Her grandson dropped her off, then mysteriously disappears, failing to pick her up as promised. Meanwhile, Finlay juggles other complications: her literary agent pressures her to sign a television deal, her toddler refuses to wear clothing, and her dashing police officer boyfriend is growing suspicious that she might be hiding something. Packed with humor, twists, and an ever-entertaining cast, this latest adventure is a must-read for fans of the series. And of course, it ends with a cliffhanger!!