From the very first book in the Finlay Donovan series, the elderly Mrs. Haggerty has been quite the character. A constant neighborhood busybody who appears to have nothing better to do than sit at her window and wait for petty misdemeanors, it came as a shock to many readers when a dead body (one that Finlay actually had nothing to do with) turned up in Mrs. Haggerty's backyard at the end of the fourth book. When the police release Mrs. Haggerty from their custody, after many intense hours of questioning, her home is in such a state that she is unable to return until several repairs are made. All this means that Finlay has a new and very unwelcome houseguest staying with her for an indeterminate amount of time. The longer Mrs. Haggerty, who swears she is innocent, sticks around, the more suspicious Finlay and Vero become of their elderly neighbor. Maybe she didn't actually commit the crime, but she certainly knows more than she is letting on...

This installment of the Finlay Donovan series brought all of the usual elements that readers of the series will come to expect. We have Finlay and Vero's amateur sleuthing, which often involves less than legal methods, narrow escapes from discovery by Finlay's "hot detective" boyfriend Nick Anthony, and constant bickering and banter between our two heroines Vero and Finlay.

I've been a fan of the Finlay Donovan series all along, but I fear it may be starting to get slightly stale for me. Overall, I will say I enjoyed this novel. It was a quick and entertaining read; one that doesn't require too much brainpower. However, I am getting a little bored with a few elements. First is Steven. Cosimano made this reader really and truly hate him in the first book, then start to almost feel bad for him by the 3rd and 4th books (he's just so pathetic) and now, by the 5th book, I'm just really ready for him to get shot or something. Some way that we can remove this element from the story. He's just a total drag and I need a whole lot less of him in future stories. Another element that wore me down in this installment is Mrs. Haggerty. She's incredibly rude and while she does eventually follow a character arc of becoming a lovable ally to Finlay and her family, the rudeness at the beginning of the book was almost too much for me. It was hard for this character to be redeemed in my eyes by the end.

In favor of this novel, I would like to point out that the plotline with Nick was also starting to get really stale. I mean, how long can this detective be in the dark to his girlfriend's criminal activity, if we are to believe he is anything other than a lazy bum eating donuts all day long? The resolution that comes about with their relationship is one that I was quite happy with and glad took place. I would definitely be happy to see where Cosimano takes the two of them in future books.

Overall, if you're a fan of the series, you shouldn't be too disappointed. There were just a few elements that, for this reader, didn't quite hit the mark.

Another fun installment in the series. The short chapters make this series the fastest and easiest read. There was much less chaos/plot in this one, which was nice because I felt like I could follow what was going on a lot more easily. That said, not that much happens comparatively, but it worked well enough for me. I was just happy to be back with Finlay, Vero, Nick & the whole gang. Already ready for more.

What I love most about the Finlay Donovan series is that every book is fun to read. I was in the midst of struggling to find a book I truly wanted to read front to back, when I picked up Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave, and just like that, I was back in the game. A fun, fast read, full of characters I've grown to love. Totally satisfying.

This is such a fun series! Having listened to the first four via audiobooks, hearing the brilliant narrator’s characterizations in my head made this an equally enjoyable read. Just when I can’t imagine how the author can keep the storyline going in fresh directions, she ends the novel with an exciting tease. This series is underrated, in my opinion. Stephanie Plum better watch out for Finlay Donovan!

I love this series so much! I was so happy to get an advanced copy. The Finlay Donovan series is amazing it’s like watching a show and binge watching the whole season. I always look forward to the next book in this series and cannot wait until the next one so I can see what happens with Vero, Finlay & Nick.

Another great addition to the Finlay Donovan series! I really loved getting to know Mrs. Haggerty in this book, and I’m enjoying Finlay and Vero’s shift from committing crimes to trying to solve them. I’m hoping that the cliffhanger at the end will give us a Vero-centered book next, but I’m up for whatever Elle Cosimano chooses to write. These books are just consistently delightful.

I would read Finlay Donovan books until the end of time. I will never be ready for her series to be over and I want to still be reading about her adventures and misfortune when she becomes the new Maggie.
As always, Elle presented readers with another hilarious and well written book. She always provides just the right amount of detail without going unnecessarily deep and boring readers. The plot stays to the point without ridiculous side stories that take away from the overall storyline.
Finlay finally revealing her vulnerable side to Nick was the icing on the cake. Getting to see him love her despite her faults even after knowing some truths was what readers have been waiting for! I wish there had been a little more Javi, but considering the epilogue I can only assume he will pop up more in the next book of the series! 🤞

3 ⭐️

I always enjoy following Finlay and Vero as they somehow get tangled up in another mystery. This book felt less like a mystery book and more like a character-based story. We learned more about Mrs. Haggerty, the nosy neighbor, which was enjoyable. Seeing more of Cam was also a treat.

The mystery itself wasn’t difficult to figure out and it felt like there was less tension compared to the previous books. If you’ve loved the previous books, I think you’ll still like this one, especially if you’ve come to love the major and minor cast of characters.

This one ends with the promise of another adventure, so I will be curious to see what happens next.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF @39%. I gave this a shot. I loved the first two Finlay Donovan books. I liked the third book. I struggled with the fourth - it felt full of goofy coincidences and wildly out of touch with reality. I tried to suspend my disbelief, thinking that it would lead to something new. When I saw the premise of this book, I was actually genuinely excited. It seemed like Finlay Donovan was getting back to her goofy antics with Vero, complete with some smut and some humor and some very cozy violence and a healthy dose of girl power. The body in the neighbor's yard pulled me in, and I had such high hopes! Here we were, after an ill-timed girls' trip to hunt mobsters, getting back to good ol' suburban mystery!

Then... then... I kept going. And the more I go, the more I struggled to not roll my eyes. It was all so incredibly implausible. Finlay has the luck stats of a god, I swear. Vero is turning more and more into a caricature. If I have to be honest, I did think this was better than book four - I enjoyed the fact that it was a good mystery, true to the mystery genre roots. But that also made it feel a bit like the other four books just rehashed AGAIN. Brennan was a promising new character, but ultimately fell flat, Nick and Finlay were more of the same. I guess I thought the end of book four was also odd, but I just can't see myself wanting to read this enough to finish it. I had high hopes, but it's just not my jam anymore, I don't think.

All that said, I think this is 100% me being burnt out on Finlay Donovan. I honestly struggle with long series as a whole - a trilogy or maybe a quartet is about my threshold. I think if you still really loved this series at the end of the fourth book, you'll probably keep loving this through this book. I started to feel this burnout in book 3, and honestly, I don't know why I thought this would be the fix for me! I think I just really want to know what the heck is going on with Steven (I still dislike him so much though) so I kept at it, but I'm to a point where maybe I don't need to know how this all wraps up.

If you love the other 4, this feels like you'll love it! Same humor and shenanigans and cozy-ish mystery with spice and slow burns. It won't disappoint long term fans of the series.

Thank you net galley and publisher for this ARC. This book was just as fun and quirky as the other books in the series.

As per usual Elle Cosimano slayeddd with the newest Finlay Donovan.

I simply cannot get enough of this series! Finlay is a badass mother, author, and best friend to Vero. I am firmly Team Nick in the love triangle (I actually might be the team captain) and there are so many Finlay x Nick moments in this book that absolutely make my heart melt. I don't want to give too much away with spoilers but you should read this book! I have recommended this series to so many friends and family members and they've all loved it!

Disappointing and frustrating—couldn't make it past halfway. I was really excited for Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave after enjoying the earlier books in the series, but this one just didn’t do it for me. The humor, which was one of my favorite things in the first books, felt forced and repetitive here, and I found myself rolling my eyes more than laughing. The plot didn’t hold my attention either—what started as a promising mystery quickly became convoluted and slow.

Our girls are back and this time they're evading prying eyes from within their home as Mrs. Haggerty (the nosey, busy-body neighbor) moves in after being released from jail where she was accused of murder when the body of man is discovered buried in her own backyard. But just as Mrs. H is no longer the target of the investigation, all eyes turn to Finlay's ex-husband Stephen and the authorities inch closer than ever to Fin's secrets. Can they keep it together, solve the crime, and turn the eyes away from them? All while trying to potty train a rebellious Zach who refuses to wear pants?

This fifth installment of everyone's favorite author-turns-hitman (but not really), feels like going home - literally. We're back in Finlay's house after the hijinx of Atlantic City, and the gang's got a lot going on. I would say that's my one criticism of this book was that things felt a little messy. Well, messier than the usual for Finlay and Vero. It felt like there was so much going on at all times. And ultimately something was lacking. The magic of the others. Don't get me wrong, this was still highly enjoyable, hilarious, bingeable, and just a good damn time. But it would definitely be the weaker of the five so far.

Nonetheless, Cosimano's writing is compulsory, and I love being in this world so much. I am a Finlay-phile through and through and cannot get enough. I'm on pins and needles to see what happens next after that cliff hanger!!

Love this series. Such a great one. Thanks to the publisher and author for the advanced copy. All opinions stated are my own.

I loved this book! I loved that the setting was mainly in South Riding. I preferred this over the past few installments.

I loved the female friendship aspect!

I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Review submitted to GoodReads as well.

Of all the things Finlay has gotten herself into in the past, this one actually seemed like it could have really happened. Greatly enjoyed the book and looking forward to how Vero is going to get out of her debacle.

Delia is growing up to be pure delight and now I want more Mrs Haggerty!

4.75 stars
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TW: Murder, Domestic abuse
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And the shenanigans continue! In this fifth installment, we pick up right where we left off...a dead body is found on Mrs. Haggerty's property and Finlay finds herself trapped in the middle when her ex-husband Steven is accused of the crime. If you haven't read any of the books, you need to read them before diving into this one, the author does give some information about past books (and characters), but to get a better picture and dynamic of these characters it's better to read them in order.

I love how chaotic Finlay and Vero are - they are such strong characters who aren't afraid to show their flaws! No matter what situation they find themselves in, they always find a way out. These books give me such anxiety, that I always wonder when Finlay's luck will run out and the world will come crashing down around her. The plot had a much simpler mystery aspect - focusing around on proving Steven is innocent all while the ex-accused Mrs. Haggerty moves in with Finlay. It was fun and loved how Nick was a bit more involved this time around.

This book ends with a cliffhanger and a "what-if" situation which could bring on a few more problems to Finlay. Although I really hope for another book in this series, it would be fun to swap the series to Vero's POV since the cliffhanger affects her in a major way!
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I want to thank St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, Elle Cosimano, and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This book publishes on March 4th 2025 - preorder your copy today!

This is for sure one of my favorite book series and always an automatic read for me. I cannot get enough of Finlay and Vero’s crazy antics. I could not wait to read this one and knew right away I’d love it as much as the others! This honestly was one of my favorites of the series so far. I enjoyed seeing more Mrs Haggerty and her plot, especially the end, was very entertaining. If youve enjoyed the Finlay Donovan series, this one will definitely not disappoint and if you haven’t read them definitely add to your TBR immediately! Thanks to Net Galley, the author, and Minotaur books for the ARC!

Finlay Donovan…what a fun cast of characters this series of books has!!! From the first to the latest, these books always give me a good laugh while also providing a whodunit vibe. If you love Janet Evanovich, check these out!

Elle Cosimano can do no wrong! Finlay and Vero and their gang are at it again with more crazy twists and turns. This book will keep you laughing throughout as the shenanigans unwind. You won't disappointed in Finlay Donovan #5!