I was so excited to jump back into Finlay Donovan’s world, and this new installment did not disappoint. This time, a dead body turns up in Finlay’s nosy neighbor’s backyard—Mrs. Haggerty, the one person Finlay and her partner-in-crime, Vero, really don’t want staying at their house. But when Mrs. Haggerty’s place becomes a crime scene, she ends up crashing with them anyway.

Naturally, chaos ensues. Just when Finlay and Vero think they can bow out of another murder investigation, Finlay’s ex-husband Steven lands in the police’s crosshairs, leaving them with no choice but to get involved. Their reluctant detective work leads to laugh-out-loud mishaps, plenty of sarcasm, and some very tense moments.

What I love most is how real and relatable Finlay feels—she’s juggling life, family drama, and a total lack of free time, all while stumbling into one predicament after another. The story moves at a brisk pace, and I found myself smiling at the witty banter as much as I was biting my nails over the mystery. If you’ve read the previous Finlay Donovan books, you’ll have a blast. If you’re new, you’ll still have no trouble jumping right in.

Overall, it’s a hilarious and heartwarming thriller that manages to keep things suspenseful without ever taking itself too seriously. Grab this book if you want a good mystery that’ll make you laugh while keeping you on the edge of your seat.

A body is found on the grounds of their neighbor Mrs. Haggerty and when Steve become a suspect, Finn and Vero are on the case in their own formidable way causing havoc along the way. In between Delia’s school situation and Zach’s toilet training, a few welcome and familiar faces play a pivotal role in this hilarious caper when the strangeness of Mrs. Haggerty perks the women and how she figures into the whole situation. I love the antics that the women find themselves in as they try to find the clues to prove Steve innocence and bring the guilty party to justice. The more things came to fruition, the more we got to know Mrs. Haggerty and her part in all of this. I like how the relationship between Nick and Finn is moving along. This is one of the best books in this delightfully entertaining series and I can’t wait to see what Finn and Vero get into next.

4 stars for the latest installment of the Finlay & Vero show - "Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave" which is Book 5. I enjoyed watching the shenanigans of our dynamic duo again, with all their snark & crazy, and I really enjoyed how this one pulled in the nasty, busybody neighbor, Mrs. Haggarty, who's got a dead body in her backyard!! Always so FUN & sort of silly and escapist, I enjoyed it a lot. Many thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for my advance reader's copy - quite fun to read & review :)

Book Review: “Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun” by Elle Cosimano

Elle Cosimano delivers another hilarious and page-turning installment in the Finlay Donovan series with Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun. This book takes the story in a slightly different direction than its predecessors, but the beloved, quirky cast of characters—especially the lovable Finlay—keeps readers laughing from start to finish. Along with a dash of swoon-worthy romance and the unforgettable antics of a spunky older lady and her feisty book club pals, Cosimano has crafted a delightful and unpredictable story that’s hard to put down. Fans of the series will enjoy the familiar charm, while newcomers will be swept up in the humor and heart of this irresistible read.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC of this book.

Book review 📖

📜Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave
✍️Elle Cosimano
📠St. Martin’s Press
📚Mystery/Thriller Fiction
🗓️Pub date: March 4, 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

✨Thank you @NetGalley and @stmartinspress for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

✨Mrs. Haggerty, Finlay Donovan’s elderly neighbor and busybody, is wrongfully accused of murder as a dead body is discovered buried in her yard. Even though Finlay and her nanny, Vero, don’t exactly get along with Mrs. Haggerty, she needs their help and ends up on Finlay’s doorstep.

✨Finlay and Vero don’t want any part of the investigation, but once Mrs. Haggerty is cleared and Finlay’s ex-husband becomes entangled as a suspect in the investigation, Finlay and Vero have no choice but to get close to the old woman.

✨Finlay and Vero have enough murders and dead bodies under their belts than to get wrapped up in a new case, but they race to solve the case before any of their own dark secrets become uncovered.

✨ I typically prefer crime thrillers with a serious side, however, as a cozy mystery genre and whodunit plot, I loved the light and funny atmosphere of this book. Finlay Donovan will never cease to crack me up. I liked this book and will always recommend this series!

#netgalley #finlaydonovandigsherowngrave#ellecosimano #stmartinspress #advancedreadercopy #arc #bookreview #bookstagrammer #winterreleases #cozymystery

Another great addition to the Finlay Donovan series! This book, and the series as a whole, are great cozy reads for anyone who enjoys a lighter read or needs a palette cleanser.

I have loved all the Finlay Donovan books and this newest addition did not disappoint. I love that this book adds more depth to a character that was previously only a side character. It seems that each book in the series adds more depth to a character that you wouldn’t expect to take center stage.

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave is steadily-paced, keeps you guessing, and is very well written. I am always recommending this series and this newest book will not be an exception.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc.
I have loved the entire the Finlay Donovan series. This one was also great. The characters never disappoint. A fast-paced laugh out loud book. Highly recommend.

I’ve read all the Finlay Donovan books and this one did not disappoint! Many laugh out loud moments. I love these characters. The plot kept me engaged and excited to see what comes next. The story unfolded with steady pacing and managed to surprise me. I highly recommend this series for a light hearted, funny and cozy read.

A great addition to this series - Finlay acquires an unlikely roommate and the book ends on another cliff hanger. I will keep reading these as long as Cosimano keeps writing them.

I was happy to receive an advanced reader copy (ARC) of this book through NetGalley. I have read the whole series, so it was nice to see familiar characters again. I know it is sometimes necessary in a series to remind readers about what has taken place in prior books, but it felt like this iteration relied too heavily on that model, especially at the beginning. I want to like the characters I read, but sometimes it feels like Finlay will never figure out how to be a functioning adult. I wish there was more time spent on plot development and character development instead of falling back on “hijinks” as the meat of the story, and I felt that we got more of that at the end of the book than at the beginning. I look forward to learning more about Vero in coming installments, and I hope the author helps Finlay mature as the series continues.

3.5
While I am loving this series it has become quite redundant. I may have liked them a lot more had I spread them out among a pile of other books.

This was still light and fun, but reading one after the other has lost its charm a bit.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for sending me an ARC of Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave in exchange for an honest review.

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave picks up a week after Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice. Soon-to-be-breakout author Finlay and her best friend and literal partner-in-crime Vero are trying to settle back into their routine after their last adventure. But their nosy neighbor Mrs. Haggerty needs to temporarily move into their home after a missing man’s body was found buried in her garden. And then Finlay’s ex-husband Steven is taken into custody on suspicion that he killed and buried the man. Finlay is determined to prove Steven’s innocence, her hot cop boyfriend Nick is determined to make sure the police’s attention doesn’t turn onto Finlay, and Mrs. Haggerty seems to have a secret agenda all her own ….

The Finlay Donovan series is telling one long story, and Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave is a continuation of the first four books. And the novel ends on a cliffhanger that guarantees that the next book will tell the next part of the story—apparently focusing on Vero. As with the earlier entries in the series, it is not gritty, realistic crime fiction, though there is a surprisingly emotional core to this story, both in the main plot and between Finlay and Nick. This book has a smaller cast than the last couple of entries, which makes sense as it’s telling a tighter story. One of the better books in the series. Recommended.

My favorite duo is back at it again. I can never get enough of the witty and sassy banter between Finlay and Vero. Of course we get to the other characters like the sexy cop Nick, the loathsome ex-husband Steven and the quirky book agent Sylvie.

Book 5 starts where book 4 left off with the mystery in Mrs. Haggertys back yard. Who's body has been buried and why? Leave it up to Finlay and Vero to get sucked into the mystery of who, what, when, where and why. Throw in Mrs. Haggerty to the mix and you're in for a hilarious ride!

I loved this book and cannot wait for book 6 to come out. In true Elle Cosimano fashion she leaves readers in a cliffhanger! This is absolutely a 5 star read.

What a wonderful series. Thank you so much for sharing this with me. I have enjoyed reading it so much. Thanks NetGalley for letting me read them

Elle Cosimano does it again! Finlay and Vero get into yet another sticky situation that they should not be in and somehow need to find there way out without getting arrested.
This series is phenomenal and I will always pick it up when I can.

This was a ton of fun. Finlay, along with her right-hand girl and kids' nanny, Vero, tackle raising smart kids, aggressive literary agents, and murder mysteries all at the same time.

This is the first I have read of this series, and although I was definitely missing a lot of backstory, whatever is relevant is provided, and it works perfectly well as a standalone.

The characters are vivid and richly drawn, each with their own personality. The writing is strong and there were several times I chuckled out loud. Most of those were about the child antics, and most mothers will relate.

The murder mystery itself was well-done, with red herrings and good clues. Nothing was left out that said "gotcha!" at the end.

There was more spice and bad language than I like, but not over the top.

Overall, this was funny and enjoyable. 3.5 rounded up.

Thank you to NetGalley, Elle Cosimano, and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to review an advanced copy.

Obsessed! Elle Cosimano has delivered yet again. I wondered what direction the books would go after book four wrapped up, but I never would have guessed it would be Mrs. Haggerty moving in with Finlay.

Finlay and crew face new challenges and all of the series favorites are still around.

I loved getting more of Mrs. Haggerty. The dynamic between Finlay, Vero, and Mrs. Haggerty was entertaining to say the least! I also love the development we get to see in Finlay and Nick’s relationship. It’s always been a very minor part of the series, taking a back seat to all of the criminal activities, but in this installment it takes a more prominent role. I love, love, love Nick!

Don’t even get me started on the cliffhanger for this one! I need book six, yesterday! I never want this series to end.

Thank you to NetGalley, Elle Cosimano, and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for the e-ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

Finlay Donovan’s life is chaos as usual. I missed books three and four but there’s enough info to keep reading. The series is frenetic and quick, good fast read.

Book five in the series.
When a body is discovered in Finlay's elderly neighbor Mrs. Haggerty's backyard, Mrs. Haggerty is arrested and
cleared. As the police investigation continues, Finlay's ex-husband Steven becomes a suspect. Finlay is
determined to clear Steven for the sake of their children. The appearance of book agent Sylvie to discuss selling
the book rights for a television series is one more thing that needs to be dealt with. Finlay and Vero will learn
more about Mrs. Haggerty and how much she knew about what happened in Finlay's garage.
Fun cast of characters.
#FinlayDonovanDigsHerOwnGrave #StMartinsPress #Minotaur #NetGalley

This may be my favorite Finlay book after book one. The scenarios Finlay finds herself wrapped up in were more believable this round. I love the way her and Nick have evolved and the level of trust they’re building. These books are always so much fun and continually have me laughing out loud.
As always I look forward to seeing where Finlay takes us on her next adventure.