Finlay and Veronica are back, and as expected, trouble isn’t far behind. This time, the stakes feel higher, but the signature mix of chaos, humor, and accidental crime-solving remains intact. While the story delivers plenty of entertainment, it doesn’t quite recapture the magic of the earlier books. Some plot points felt a bit stretched, and a few moments leaned too hard on convenience rather than clever twists.

That said, the dynamic duo still shines. Veronica’s sharp comebacks and unwavering loyalty continue to be a highlight, often outshining the actual mystery. The love interests? Still not entirely sold, though a few moments made me almost care.

While not the strongest in the series, it’s still a fun escape filled with ridiculous situations and laugh-out-loud banter.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read if you like:
🔪 cast of quirky characters
🔪 female power duo main characters
🔪 cheating POS husband revenge 😈😈
🔪 found family
🔪 cliff-hanger ending 🤪🤪

I love this series!!! And I have been so lucky to get most of this series as ARCs, so thank you so much to Ella Cosimano and St Martin’s Press for that gift 🩷🩷
I have not read every single book in this series, but with the exception of you should read the first one first to get all the backstory… these are pretty much all standalone books that you can read in any order.
I also KNOW I love this series and characters… nothing really needed to say there 🤪🤪 If you like bada** women sticking together and getting revenge on their loser men… then this is the mystery series for you!! This is absolutely my favourite “cozy mystery” series that is out there right now. I really love the pairing of the two main characters! They love each other, they stick together and they get ish** done! And OF COURSE there’s a romance with a police officer working the case 🤪🤪
I really enjoy the writing style of Cosimano! A lot of cozy mysteries read very uptight and proper, but this one is funny and sarcastic, and just totally different than the cookie-cutter formula.
The only negative I could possibly say here is that there are sooooooomany characters. Like almost too many characters. It’s so hard to keep track of who’s who and then in the end they’re like “oh this person is the killer!” and I’m like…. “I have no idea who that even is so I guess I didn’t see it coming” 🤪 but that is one of the requirements for a cozy mystery 🤣
I love the cliche “main character falls in love with the detective on the case” that so many cozies have, and this one is no different ❤️ I have loved Nick since we first met him and I love him and Finlay together 🩷🩷 (she definitely needs it after seeing her ex-husband 🤪🤪🤪)
These books are a lot more action-packed and exciting than “cozy mysteries” so I’m not sure you could really even call them that, but they are so good!
This book ends on a real cliff-hanger that perfectly sets up the next book, and I can’t wait to read it! 🤪
Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press 💕 and Ella Cosimano for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review 💕

2025 has been kind of a mess so far, but one of the good things about it is that it brought Finlay Donovan, Veronica Ruiz, and all of their wacky compatriots into my reading life. I've loved bingeing this series, and getting to hang out with this bunch of colorful characters, and this latest installment is no exception. I've already begun recommending the series to my mystery-loving patrons and friends, and with each subsequent book, the recommendation remained strong. With the cliffhanger at the end of "Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave," I can't wait to see what Elle Cosimano has in store for the next jaunt to the Finlayverse.

I just adore these books! I laugh out loud and could read in one sitting... can we get a tv series please?! :)

Really enjoyed this one! It was a lot of fun. Loved learning more about Mrs Haggerty…I always knew there was more to her! Also, Finlay and Vero are friendship goals. I love their dynamic. Will definitely continue to read this series. Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC!

I love this series, but as it's gone on, it's felt more and more unbelievable and outrageous. Thankfully, the story that started back in book one sort of wrapped up in the last book and allowed Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave to have an almost "fresh start".

This book felt a lot more like the original...still ridiculous, but in a fun way. Instead of rolling my eyes at every turn, I found myself chuckling again.

I loved getting to know Mrs. Haggerty better. She was a hoot and a half. I really enjoyed seeing her bond with the kids and Cam.

Overall, I was glad that the ridiculousness was dialed way back in this one.

Finlay Donovan does it again.
This time, we've added a few extra characters. The main one is the neighbor across the street, Mrs. Haggerty. She needs a place to crash after being incarcerated and set free. Her grandson says he'll be back to get her soon. That's a bit vague, but Finlay has zero choice but to agree. She's definitely a handful.

Then you have Finlay. She has so many crazy things happen to her or her family. It's like she's in a story of her own. She seems to manage the stress well. Definitely getting better at figuring out mysteries that seem to surround her, especially with Vero as the sidekick.

This is such a fun series. Quirky characters that always make me laugh. An interesting plot that is different than the last few books but still have the past a part of the whole tie-in.

Although left in a cliffhanger for sure, this book does complete the main plots. This series will definitely continue. That makes me happy.

I want to thank Netgalley for an advanced copy.

'Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave' finds Finlay and her side kick, Vero, back in action, investigating a body found buried in her neighbor's backyard. Finlay is working to clear her ex-husband, who was accused of the murder, while balancing potty training (relatable) and her romantic relationship.

I think Cosimano's set up for this book is very clever, one can only accidentally kill so many people, so having Finlay tackle a cold case offers a fresh set of challenges and chaos for Finlay and Vero to get up to.

Thank you Elle Cosimano and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review of 'Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave.'

Finlay Donovan is truly one of those characters you can’t help but root for!

I’ve read every book in the series and while each one has had something enjoyable, this latest installment really ties everything together in a way that’s incredibly satisfying.

Not only do we get a much deeper understanding of the side characters, but the book also provides answers to so many lingering questions that have been building up throughout the series. It’s like the puzzle pieces finally click into place.

This one definitely stands out as one of my favorites!

I love these books so much! It’s the perfect mix of mystery, humor, and romance blended into one super charged murder mystery.

Finlay and Vero always find themselves in the most over the top, sticky situations. The side characters are excellent, you can’t help but love them all. Anyone else picture Steven as Roy from The Office?!

If you haven’t read any of the Finally Donovan books yet I recommend that you start with book 1 and read them in order. Each book ends on a cliff hanger so this book picks up where the 4th book ended.

I highly recommend this series, you will not be disappointed. I personally prefer the audiobook as Angela Dawe does an amazing job narrating!

Never having read one of Elle Cosimano's Finlay Donovan books, I was interested to see if they are easy to follow, stand-alone stories. No, they are not. But I still had a lot of fun trying to figure out who's who while being pulled into a multi-layered little "who-done-it and why".

Finlay Donavan (and all her friends) has a lot of back stories, and I got pretty lost trying to figure out what was going on because a lot of what happened in this, kept relating back to what had happened in previous books. It was filled with fun characters who know and have history with each other based on what happened in prior books. Also, part of what happens in this tale is related to what happened in an earlier story, so that left me in the dark at first, but at least this was explained later.

That being said, the story/plot was interesting, the action fast paced, the dialogue witty, the romance just this side of racy, and I didn't figure out what was going until a bit over halfway in, so a good mystery to boot.

Would definitely recommend this book but would also recommend reading them in order so you won't be as lost as I was as far as background on all the intertwined characters.

Another installment in the Finlay Donovan series that was fun, light heartedly, and just a goofy time. It was a quick read, but probably not my favorite in the series. I am intrigued to see where this series is going to go now.

I swear this series will never get old to me. I love all of the characters so much and I laugh so hard while reading. And then you add in old Mrs. Haggerty to the antics and it was amazing. This is one series I can confidently say I'll never get bored of, which is saying a lot as I don't typically like series. Each book is so unique and different and that really adds to the enjoyment in reading them. That cliffhanger made me gasp though and now I'm impatiently waiting for the next book.

Another fun, adorable installment of the Finley Donovan series from Elle Cosimano! We’ve finally moved on from the Russian mob but now a body has turned up in the backyard of her nosy neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty. So of course, Finley and Vero get involved and the Lucy/Ethal, Thelma/Louise hijinks ensue. If you’re look for a fun mystery, don’t miss out on Finley Donovan!

I will continue to eat up this series even though it feels like it’s being dragged out unnecessarily. Finlay and Vero are my favorite duo. I have listened to the rest on audio so this was my first time reading a Finlay book physically, I was scared it would lose the magic but I was just as enthralled.

Is this series a little unnecessarily drawn out? Maybe. Will I continue to eat up every single book that is published? Absolutely.

This book was fun and I sped through it once the plot really got going. I’ll definitely be recommending these books to other readers! They are so fun

This is such a fun series! I loved this latest installment (in fact, this might be my favorite one so far) and I’m already looking forward to the next. I’ve listened to the entire series on audio and can’t recommend it enough.

Overall the Finlay Donovan books are quirky and pretty well written but I'm at the point with the series that I'm questioning if this book and any future additional are really necessary to the series. It's become a series where I'd have to be really in the mood to pick up the next book and it's not something I would immediately seek out and read. This isn't to say this specific book is bad or not enjoyable, but I think the series has run it's course. Otherwise I enjoyed this installment, I liked that we are following someone who up until this point has been a background character, so getting the additional time with her was great.

I love this series! It's so funny and just unhinged. It makes me laugh out loud all the time while reading. If you're in a reading slump, please try this series! It's just so good. I love the characters and the mayhem that seems to follow them.

I may age myself but Finlay Donovan is the answer to every girl in the aughts who read Aly Carter. I was extremely grateful to recieve the full series and couldn't finish them all fast enough.