Finlay Donovan and her partner-in-crime/nanny, Vero, are no strangers to having conflict with Mrs. Haggerty, their elderly neighbor and community busybody. When a dead body is discovered in Mrs. Haggerty's backyard, she's initially considered a suspect, only to be cleared by the police later. When Mrs. Haggerty is dropped off to stay at Finlay's house while her's is being fixed after the murder, Finlay and Vero further investigate to try and solve this mystery to protect their own secrets from being brought to light. As the investigation expands to include Finlay's ex-husband, Steven, Finlay and Vero are forced to get closer to Mrs. Haggerty in order to uncover her secrets before the police do.

This is my first read in the Finlay Donovan series, and I’m really looking forward to reading the other installments. It such a genuinely enjoyable mystery, a cozy and clever whodunit that kept me hooked from start to finish. The characters were fun and likable, and the comedic elements involving Finlay’s children were consistently hilarious, making for heartwarming, and silly, moments.

I believe if you've never read the series prior, you may appreciate knowing more about the backstory, but even without prior knowledge, this book is a delightful introduction to the story. The mystery was engaging, with plenty of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. While the focus isn’t on any big political intrigue or high stakes espionage, it’s an extremely fun and lighthearted read. Highly recommend for readers who enjoy cozy mysteries with a dash of humor!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: LOVED the book and I'll be thinking about it for a long time.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: Definitely a good read and would recommend it for most people.
⭐️⭐️⭐️: It was a decent book, but something about it didn't meet expectations.
⭐️⭐️: Didn't really enjoy it.
⭐️: Did not like it at all and probably wouldn't recommend.

review will be available on March 4, 2025

Thank you so much to Elle Cosimano, Minotaur Books, and Netgalley for an ARC of this awesome book!

Another wild adventure for Finlay & Vero! This time they are trying to figure out who is responsible for the body found in Mrs Haggerty’s backyard. The usual crew is back - Javi, Nick, Cam & of course the kids (Delia & Zack) for the shenanigans that always surrounds them!

I’ve read the other 4 books in the Finlay Donovan series by Elle Cosimano. They are a fun read and the cliff-hanger endings leave me wanting to start the next book asap. Angela Dawe always does an excellent job with the narration for this series.

Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

If 2021 Kasey knew 2025 Kasey would be getting an ARC of her favorite series, she would never believe the journey that books would take her on and the worlds she would venture into and the characters she would meet.

If you have never picked up a FD book, please do yourself a favor. Each book leaves off on a cliff hanger and the following book picks up exactly where the cliff hanger leaves you. Each book I fear I will forget what happened in the previous book and be lost but the ability Elle has to remind the reader what happened while not making it feel repetitive is uncanny and greatly appreciated.

In this book we are following the crew navigating human remains being found in Mrs. Haggerty's yard. While she is quickly cleared by police as a suspect, her house is an active crime scene and so she is forced to take residence at Finlay's house with Vero and the kids. She is as demanding and broody as ever. I was never a fan of Mrs. Haggerty's character until this book, and I know why Elle did that. This is truly her redemption arc. The humor was funny as usual, the characters were messy and real, the drama... oh the drama, and even at the end pulls on your heart strings a little. This is becoming a little bit of a found family trope as well.

4 solid starts for our Finlay Donovan. I truly believe when reading these books that FD is a real author, and these are real characters. And for me, that is the recipe for a good book is having to take myself out of the story and second guess whether or not they are real.

Thank you NetGalley for sending me this ARC in exchange for me honest thoughts :)

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave is the latest installment in Elle Cosimanos’ Finaly Donovan series about a writer who keeps getting tangled up in unsavory business. I am addicted to this series, and Digs Her Own Grave is one of my favorite novels in the series.

I adore Finlay and her nanny/bookkeeper sidekick, Vero. Their hilarious banter and friendship are pure magic. They play off each other’s personalities and strengths. Their respective love interests, Detective Nick and Javi are charming additions to the series. I love the building tension between Finlay and Nick.

Cam, the teenaged hacker, has a bit more than a cameo in Digs Her Own Grave. Ms. Cosimanos truly captured the heart and mind of a teenaged boy in her characterization of Cam. Mrs. Hagerty, the nosey old lady who lives across the street from Finlay, is featured in this latest installment. She stays true to her cantankerous image, making her easy to dislike, and yet, the character is impressive in her ability to get things done. She is not to be underestimated!

Digs Her Own Grave is so fun! Finlay and Vero are a dynamic duo with snappy banter. I’m very invested in these two strong, interesting characters (and their love interests). Each book in the series presents more twists for Finlay and Vero as they both work toward digging themselves out of the messy, tangled situations they accidentally find themselves in. The book ends with a cliffhanger of sorts that provides a captivating segue to the next installment.

The audiobook is fabulously narrated by Angela Dawes.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the early listening copy!

I've followed Finlay Donovan's shenanigans since the first book when I got a digital ARC of the first book. After the third book, I stopped reading but picked it up again after checking out an audiobook from my library. And I'm hooked once again! Angela Dawe is an amazing narrator-- it's such a treat to listen to the audiobook. The varying voices she adapts really help the book come to life. I'm just hooked on her narration, I can't stop listening.

This book picks off right at the end of the last book, with a body being found in Mrs. Haggerty's yard. As always, the story is fast-paced with twists and turns, and a dash of hot romance. All of our favorite characters are back-- Finlay, Vero, Nick, Mrs. Haggerty, and my personal favorite Cam! Somehow Finlay gets tied up in a lot of shenanigans and you just wonder how she'll inevitably get past it. Old storylines were wrapped up but new ones opened up, one that surprised me especially. Overall, a great addition to the series and I can't wait for the next one!

I have loved all of the Finlay Donovan books so far! This one did not disappoint. From laugh out loud moments to unpredictable plot twists, this book has everything you hope for in a comedic murder mystery. I think moms everywhere can relate to Finlay. Vero is the world’s best friend and sidekick. The audio for these books is truly fabulous!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan
Audio for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review. 🎧

I didn’t really enjoy the third book of this series, however, decided to stick with it and I’m glad that I did. Book 4 was alot better for me. The second half is where it’s at. Mrs. Haggerty completely stole the show in this book and honestly would’ve loved to have seen alot more of her personality early on in the series. Also, the struggle is real with wanting Finlay to end up with the cop vs the lawyer.

I’ve been looking forward to reading this book since I finished the FINLAY DONOVAN ROLLS THE DICE. This book is just as wild and crazy as the this whole series has been. I love how Cosimano writes these characters. Each book, she stay true to this world she’s created. This series has been so fun. These books are definitely made to read one after the other, so you can get a sense of the whole crazy, page-turning picture.

In this book, Finlay and Vero are trying to figure out who framed Steven for the body found in Mrs. Haggerty’s back yard. And it takes the story down a road I wasn’t expecting. So many twists and turns! And I loved every second. There were characters that surprised me. One I won’t say because that would blow the whole thing and spoil too much. But where the story goes is unexpected and I enjoyed how Cosimano developed all five of these books and ties them all together so well.

Angela Dawe is the narrator for the Finlay books and I love how she plays these characters. She does such a great job with the variation of voices. From a potty training toddler, to the older Mrs. Haggerty. I always each character, but I think my favorite is Nick. It could also be that he is one of my favorite characters. Dawe brings Cosimano’s words to life each time.

I received a NetGalley copy of both the ebook and the ARC. Huge thank you to the publisher for the Read Now and approval!

I look forward to the new Finlay Donovan book every spring and none of them have disappointed. It’s always very entertaining to see what Finlay and Vero are up to, and the fifth book in this series had the fun addition of Mrs, Haggerty, the neighborhood watch.

Summary: Finlay Donovan and her partner-in-crime, Vero, have not always gotten along with Finlay’s elderly neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, the community busybody and neighborhood watch, but when a dead body is discovered in her backyard, Mrs. Haggerty needs their help. Her house remains an active crime scene even after she is cleared as a suspect and she has nowhere to go, except Finlay’s house, right across the street. Finlay and Vero have no interest in getting involved in another murder case—or sacrificing either of their bedrooms, but when the focus of the investigation widens to include Finlay’s ex-husband, Steven, Finlay and Vero are left with little choice but to get closer to Mrs. Haggerty and uncover her secrets before the police start digging up theirs.

Readers have to suspend a bit of reality with this entire series, and if youre able to, you’re in for a wild ride with this duo. Highly recommend! Thanks for sharing it with me!

Finlay Donovan is BACK! I thought I might be done with Finlay after book 3, but I'm so happy I continued because this was my favorite Finlay book since book 1. The shenanigans are delightfully absurd as they should be. I loved our cast of characters and the way all of their stories moved a little farther forward despite the story wrapping up at the end of the book. And I was even surprised by the ending, which I wasn't expecting in any way so that was fun too.

I've read all of Finlay on audiobook and I highly recommend reading this series on audio if it's accessible to you. The narration adds so much to the humor.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

If you've followed me for awhile, then you know that with Finlay Donovan #4, I had strong feelings that this series needs to wrap up. I still stand by that statement, but I did enjoy this book quite a bit more than the last one. Finlay always offers up an entertaining mystery with lovable characters. I think I enjoyed this one more because it wasn't as far fetched and ludicrous as the last one. Is the series over.....nope.....it ends on a note that leads to more books in the series. I think this series has great characters and lots of humor, but I really want it to go out on a high note. The longer the series goes on, the less likely that it is to happen.

I find this series to be mostly slapstick humor. There are usually a lot of potty jokes, dead bodies being moved, and generally just very over-the-top humorous, but unrealistic stuff. It's a series you pick up when you are in the mood for something that is just entertaining without being serious.

Although fun, the previous books all had something that I wasn't a huge fan of. There was a little bit of a love triangle in a couple of the earlier books and I didn't love the path the series was taking with a lot of mafia connections. Although I enjoyed the books, I had originally decided not to read the most recent two installments. However, I ended up doing a buddy read with some GR friends and I'm really glad I did. I think this was my favorite of the series.

I felt this one was a little less slapstick than the previous books and I was happy that some of the older storylines were wrapped up. There was some character development and growth that was interesting and made the story feel fresh again. It had a slightly different feel than the previous books, but it was still a lot of fun. I'm curious to see if that will continue to be the case in future installments.

This book and the previous one opened up some possible storylines that could be interesting to pursue and of course ended with a teaser. I am once again looking forward to the next book in the series.

Also, I have listened to the audio of all the Finlay Donovan books and I love the narration by Angela Dawe. She absolutely nails it. The different voices, inflection, and timing are perfect. If you are an audio listener, this is a great series to listen to. I look forward to listening to the next book as well.

My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. More shenanigans in this installment when Finlay’s ex-husband is arrested for a murder he insists he didn’t commit. This is my favorite one yet with more FaceTime for the “hawt cawp”, Nick.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave

Dear Reader,

WAIT!

While this book can absolutely stand alone, I highly recommend reading the Finlay Donovan Books in order:

1. FINLAY DONOVAN IS KILLING IT
2. FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS ‘EM DEAD
3. FINLAY DONOVAN JUMPS THE GUN
3.5. VERONICA RUIZ BREAKS THE BANK
4. FINLAY DONOVAN ROLLS THE DICE
5. FINLAY DONOVAN DIGS HER OWN GRAVE

NARRATOR:

Angela Dawe has done it again! How one person has the ability to accomplish so many different voices all with the perfect amount of emphasis is beyond me!

Great work!

AUTHOR:

A genre bender, Finlay Donovan, consistently brings us mystery, suspense, romance, comedy, and family drama!

You will fawn over Julian, fall for Nick - “The Hot Cop”, laugh at Vero ripping on Steven, love the littles - Delia and Zach, dig Mrs. H, be lookin’ out for Cam, and have a special place in your heart for Finlay’s Parents and Sister.

Trouble has a way of finding Finlay and Finlay had a way of digging herself out of the most bizarre predicaments. From the first page of the first book, you will be hooked, I guarantee it!

Enjoy!

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by @ellecosimano is a funny, unexpecting mom and nanny duo, murder light mystery. With an upcoming publication date of March 4th, 2025, be sure to pre-order your copy now! For Raleigh friends, she will be at Quail Ridge Books!

I want to thank @netgalley, @macmillan.audio for the opportunity to listen to this ARC.

Rating: 5⭐️
Pub Date: March 5, 2025
How I Read It: 🎧 📱

Synopsis
Finlay Donovan and her nanny/“accountant”/partner-in-crime, Vero, are at it again! Finlay’s elderly nosy neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, has found herself in a little trouble. A dead body has just been found in her backyard, so she’s whisked off to jail, but then things take a turn, and Finlay’s husband Steven is arrested for the murder of the dead guy. In all the craziness, Mrs. Haggerty is released from jail and winds up on Finlay’s front porch with her nephew and drops the bomb on Finlay that she will need to stay at her house temporarily because she has no power or water. She takes over Finlay’s bedroom, because it has the best view of the neighborhood and she’s the neighborhood watch, and Finlay is stuck with her because oddly enough, Mrs. Haggerty’s nephew has gone MIA. Finlay can’t let Mrs. Haggerty’s visit bother her though because she needs to clear Steven’s name, and fast. So Finlay and Vero set out to figure out who killed the dead guy in the backyard, and of course, find themselves in trouble!

My Thoughts
This was probably my favorite Finlay Donovan book yet! It was hilarious, and I finally got my Finlay and Nick relationship I was looking for - they felt more connected than ever. The banter in these books is always great, and the characters are so great too, each with their own very distinctive personalities. Mrs. Haggerty just makes you crack up with her brutal honesty, and she develops a friendship with Cam of all people, which is hysterical, and the shenanigans don’t stop there! There’s book club meetings with pot brownies, and the book ends with the cliffhanger of all cliffhangers, and I’m patiently (ok, not really patiently) waiting for the next book!

One more thing to note. The narrator for this series is AMAZING, so if you enjoy audiobooks, definitely listen to this one in audio. You will not be disappointed. It’s worth it for Vero alone! I love Angela Dawe’s Vero voice!

Ratings
Characters: 5 ⭐️
Pace: 5 ⭐️
Enjoyability: 5 ⭐️
Narrator: 5 ⭐️

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

Finlay Donovan never disappoints! Back with all of our favorite characters, Finlay and Vero are here solving crimes, writing books, selling tv shows, potty training, and making us laugh.

When a dead body is found across the street buried in Mrs. Haggerty’s yard, Finlay is on the case. Mrs. Haggarty is the prime suspect, initially. When she is found innocent and released from prison she has nowhere to go, her heat has been shut off and her house is inhabitable. So naturally, she stays with her favorite neighbors, Finlay, Vero and the kids.

But now with her off the hook who becomes the prime suspect? None other then Steven, Finlay’s ex. Problem is she’s certain he is innocent. A fun, fast read full of humor, Hijinx, and a bit of mystery.

Thank you to Macmillian Audio for my copy of FINLAY DONOVAN DIGS HER OWN GRAVE. This one publishes on March 4.

I really enjoyed this next installment of Finlay Donovan. These books are like candy to me and I just can't get enough of them. I highly recommend this series for anyone needing an escape. I love the settings, characters and how this series keeps growing. If you haven't already joined in on this wild ride, what are you waiting for?

Thank you to @macmillanaudio @stmartinspress & @minotaurbooks for the ARC & ALC of the latest adventures of Finlay Donovan!

Finlay, Vero, Steven, Nick & Javi are back for more witty adventures, but this time Finlay’s nosy neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, is the center of the shenanigans! The relationship between Finlay, Vero and Mrs. Haggerty has been a unique one since the first book, so seeing Mrs. Haggerty’s story get to play out, while simultaneously throwing wrenches into Finlay & Vero’s life, made for a fun read.

From potty training escapades to bodies buried in backyards, to framing ex-husband’s for murder and neighborhood watch, Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave brings its standard wit, banter & adventure to life!

I really enjoyed how this book hopped right into the action from the beginning, which hooked me from the start & aided in how fast I read it too! Even though there is a good number of characters in these books, Elle Cosimano makes it easy to follow, while also building tension, suspense & humor - which is much appreciated! It also makes for a gem of a listen via audiobook too! Narrated by Angela Dawe, who gives a stellar performance, complete with different character voices and details, I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook version of this gem as well - and honestly, it made reading this book seem like it all happened in a blink of an eye!

Thank you Elle Cosimano for bringing us the world of Finlay Donovan - this series is a joy to read & is one I look forward to with each new release!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave
By: Elle Cosimano
Narrator: Angela Dawe
Publisher: Macmillan
Published: March 4th 2025
Finlay and Vero are back with the 5th book in the series. This time Finlay’s neighbor Mrs. Haggerty is the main focus of the story. When a dead body is unearthed in her backyard she’s arrested and spends several days in jail. When she’s cleared as a suspect she needs a place to stay after the police went through her home with a search warrant. She ends up moving in with with Finley and Vero.
But the story really heats up when Stephen, Finlay‘s ex husband is arrested for the murder. Finlay suddenly needs to figure out what actually happened in order to protect her own secret and get Stephan out of jail.
This series has really become a favorite of mine. Not only are they action packed, but they are so funny and well written.
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