The Finlay Donovan books are one of my favourite series I have read. It’s so funny while also having mystery and romance. I have fallen in love with the characters. This book exceeded all my expectations.

I thought I was tired of Finlay but man she hooked me in again. Very entertaining and funny. She hits the mystery and humor mixed together perfectly. Perfect cliff hanger to make me come back again.

"Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave" is another good addition to the series. Life becomes much more complicated for Finlay (and Vero) when the nosy neighbor across the street, Ms. Haggerty, is arrested for murder after a body is found buried in her garden. The police can find no connection between the victim and Ms. Haggerty, but their attention soon focuses on Finlay's ex-husband, Steven, after an anonymous tip is received that Steven had an affair with the victim's wife. Considering his history of affairs, this is a believable explanation; it also does not help that Steven is the one who put in Ms. Haggerty's garden five years ago, around the time the body was buried; the victim's wife had been a customer; and a series of bodies had previously been found on the property of his landscaping/sod business.

Finlay is determined to prove Steven is innocent, which becomes more difficult when Ms. Haggerty temporarily moves in with her, as her own home is not habitable. A weekend stay turns into much longer when Ms. Haggerty's grandson disappears. In addition to the unwanted houseguest and the issues with Steven, Finlay is also dealing with her son resisting potty training and wearing clothes, her agent pushing her to agree to a movie or TV deal (even though the last thing Finlay wants is to draw attention to her books and the strong parallels to real life events), and tension with Nick, who is finding it harder to ignore his suspicions about Finlay's involvement in past events. The situations create numerous opportunities for humor and surprises, including the modifications that Cam and Javi make to Ms. Haggerty's car.

The book ends with Vero's past catching up to her, suggesting the next book in the series will involve solving the mystery of the missing sorority funds.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! This is Elle Cosimano’s best book of the series! The prologue had me cackling. Throughout the entire book, I was biting my nails. It was hilarious and chaotic. Don’t wait on this book!

First, thank you to Elle Cosimano, NetGalley, and Minotaur books for this arc! It was such a joy to. E back in the Finlay Donovan universe. This book was not just about the adventures of Finlay and Vero this time. We got to really get to know some of the other characters in Finlay’s life. I really enjoyed the progression of Finlay and Nick’s relationship. And as always, I need the next book immediately due to the cliffhanger!

Elle has done it once again with Finlay and the gang and their determination to solve a crime that they somehow get wrapped up in. This one takes us back to where it all started. and this time we get to know the neighbor across the street and oh boy she is a peach but somehow fell in love with her character. Another laugh out loud adventure. I look forward to what happens next!

It's impossible not to love Finlay! Each book just draws you more into her world, and makes you want to be a part of it! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! I genuinely enjoyed it, just like the rest in the series.

With each book, Finlay becomes a character that is impossible to not love. Her antics and her compassion for others, as well as her insatiable curiosity is what draws me to this series over and over. The wit made me laugh out loud!

No rest for this incredibly fun cast of characters.

This book was mostly a simple mystery (less tie in with all the craziness from some of the others) which I enjoyed. I love Mrs. Haggerty and liked the new characters we met.

While this book did resolve itself completely, we obviously had to end, once again, with a cliffhanger to hook us into the next book.

Elle Cosimano, thank you for such an enjoyable series.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

First, I have to admit something that brings my reading comprehension into question - when I got the email from NetGalley that this book was available for 24 hours, I thought that meant that I had 24 hours to read it (before it self-destructed? I don't know.) so I abandoned what I was reading and got started and I DID finish in less than 24 hours. I was hooked from the jump.

These books are such a hit of joy. Finlay's chaotic home life with 2 children interspersed with murder is a fun diversion from my actual chaotic home life with 2 children but no murder. I was thrilled to see Mrs Haggerty play such an important role in this book instead of lurking across the street. Finlay's friendship with Vero makes my heart happy and I thought that his book furthered Finlay and Nick's relationship in a satisfying way. I enjoyed the storyline more than book 4 and cannot wait to see where the author takes us in book 6. My only gripe is that now that I have read this months before it's release date I'll have to wait even longer for the next one and that is a huge bummer.

Also, if there's a real-life Sylvia out there waiting to turn these books into a Netflix show, I'm on board to watch that as soon as possible.

I was wondering when Finlay was going to start digging her own grave and apparently the day had arrived. Finlay dear, I got that he was the father of your children but if both of you were to be gone, who were going to look after them? Mrs. H? I mean, I'm sure she would but do you really wanna destroy yourself just to save Steven?

Who would have thought there was a body hidden in Mrs. H's backyard and they would arrest her for murder? She was the eyes and ears of the street. How could she be the killer? But it also made sense as no one knew the street and everyone's habits better than her. Eventually police let her go, but then they picked up Steven because of his inability to keep his pants on. After that point, both Steven and Mrs. H became Finlay's problem. She had to house Mrs. H and save Steven from rotting a jail cell. As police was narrowing in on Steven, they were closing in on Finlay too and for the first time Finlay had to say the words to Nick she knew she never should.

Now I'm thinking twice about the grandmas on my street. Do they follow my every move because they are feeling protective? Do they have an alternative agenda? Should I be concerned about their front yards or what they might have under them?

This laugh-out-loud series has quickly become one of my favorites! Each book just keeps getting better and better. In book five, the misadventures of Finlay and Vero continue with an increased role of nosy neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty. Her character was a mixed bag of annoyance and respect and a great addition to the series. I found myself warming to her by the end of the book and hope her story doesn't end here. I would love to see more of her in the future. This is probably the most believable story of Finlay's tales, but it didn't take away from the fun. I laughed myself silly quite a few times. Zach wins the prize for top humor in my opinion. I could picture him in my head, running around naked and screaming. Too funny!! The book ended on a major cliffhanger. I'm sure most fans have been prepared for this and will be stressed just waiting to find out what happens next. Loved the book! Love this series! I highly recommend all of them! Make sure to read Vero's short story as well if you haven't already.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for gifting me a widget via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

We are back in the fifth book of Finlay Donavan when a simple call to a plumber turns into a discovery of a dead body in her backyard, Mrs. Haggerty needs her help.

This one didn't knock my socks off - it wasn't bad, but it is pretty much the same formula as the other books and didn't. have any distinguishing factor to it. I will continue reading this series (if there are more), but this one wasn't my favorite. There wasn't a ton of movement in the storyline and dragged on at some parts.

Thank you Minotaur Books and Netgalley for the review copy of this book!

I liked this book better than #4. It is more believable, although they were still moving bodies and burying bodies. Mrs. Haggerty was delightful as she took charge of the house, the kids and Findlay.

ELLE HAS DONE IT AGAIN! This has quickly become one of my most favorite series. They're fun, amusing, with engaged characters that feel tangible and real. Thank you so much for letting me read this!

4.75/5.0

I have read all the Finlay Donovan novels in the series and this one was the best! (I have loved all the others, don't get me wrong.) There were some laugh out loud moments. There were also a few pages that made me sad for some of the characters. I will always root for Vero and Finn, but I think Maggie needs her own series as well. While most ends were tied up nicely, I think there is room for another novel or two with the wonderful Finn and the great smelling Nick. Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for allowing me to be an early reader in exchange for my review.

Finlay Donovan has done it again, somehow stumbled into another mess of murder and mystery. This time she's positive Steven had nothing to do with the body found at their neighbors, despite evidence to the contrary. Nick is trying his best to keep he out of trouble, and is hoping to help her, even despite Finalys reservations. Her nosy neighbor, Ms Haggerty, lands at her house and manages to become a part of the family, by homeschooling Delia and potty training Zach. However, as she soon discovers Ms. Haggerty is more than a busy body next door, she has her own secrets and plenty of them.

As always Vero and Finaly stumble through and manage to come out realively unscathed. Just when you think they both might be getting their happily ever after, Vero's past comes back to haunt her.

Finlay and Vero return for another tale of misadventures and possible murder(s). This book Finlay finds herself hosting her busybody neighbour, Mrs. Haggerty after an unfortunate plumbing incident results in a dead body being dug up from her garden.

Soon the investigation starts to get a little too close for comfort for Finlay and Vero, and they decide it is up to them to discover the truth before their own secrets are uncovered.

This is such a fun and easy to read series. I like that we have so many flawed, but likeable characters throughout each book. The network of women in all of these books gives me a chuckle. The number of underground organizations that Finn and Vero have come across is comical, but works. This series never takes itself too seriously.

Just when I was wondering if this would be the conclusion of the series, the epilogue gave a pretty definitive answer to that.

Unsurprisingly, I highly recommend this book.

Absolutely loved this book! Each one better than the last. I don't want to give away any spoilers but I definitely stayed up way too late reading this one. This is an excellent addition to the series.

Such a fun series with humor mixed with crime. Only Janet Evanovich is as good. I like how author leaves the door open for the next book. Thanks to #NetGalley and #FinlayDonovanDigsHerOwnGrave for advanced digital copy.