BOOK REVIEW: FINLAY DONOVAN DIGS HER OWN GRAVE🪦

I love the Finlay Donovan series because each book is such a fun, entertaining cozy mystery that allows you to suspend your belief in reality for a bit to enjoy these crazy situations that Finlay gets herself into!

This book returns back to Northern VA (which I loved, being a native to this area myself!) and Finlay and Vero have a situation on their hands when a body is found in their busybody next door neighbors backyard. Mrs. Haggerdy really steals the show in this book and I was so here for it!

I think besides the first book, this one may be a fav for me since it felt a bit more realistic than some of the others, which while fun to read were pretty over the top🤣 I alternated between reading and listening to this one and the audio was so great!

If you’re a fan of the series, you won’t want to miss this one!! And based off the cliffhanger ending, I’m hoping there will be more Finlay books to come!🤞🏼


DO NOT READ THIS BOOK…until you treat yourself to the first four installments. Finlay and Vero get sucked into yet another murder investigation, and this time the cranky neighbor Mrs. Haggerty is in the thick of things. There's a (not) book group, a brash NYC literary agent, and (of course) the hot cop who wonders what Findlay is hiding. (So, SO much!)

4.5 stars

This is my favorite Finlay Donovan book so far! I love these books so much because I know I will have a good laugh and be entertained, and this book delivered! I enjoyed how elements from the other books came together, it was so satisfying. We need more Mrs. Haggerty from here on out, it was so fun to have her be more involved in this book. Can't wait to see what happens next!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

very good! I love this story because there's a lot more open communication and less of that. I can't tell you trope. The characters have grown so much in this series and I love how this lines up for another one

Elle Cosimano is an absolute sorcerer! How can the FIFTH book in this series be just as fun, engaging, and downright hilarious as the first one? I’m telling you - I have lived ever last one of these books and there has not been a single lull in the series. That never happens!
🤯
I loved it from beginning to end and I will absolutely be in the front row, with my popcorn, anxiously awaiting book six in the Finlay Donovan series.
🍿
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a free audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review.
🫶🏻

This book continues where the last book ended with a body found in the neighbors yard.

Finlay has just finish up with her latest book and is looking forward to a break after the past few months. However, after her elderly and very nosy neighbor was arrested for murder and released, Finlay finds herself letting Mrs. Haggerty stay for the week while her house gets put back together.

When the case turns to Finlay’s ex husbands as the prime suspect, Vero and Finlay work to solve the case.

The plot picked up toward the end of the book and became more engaging. Overall it was enjoyable, but needed more pizazz in the middle. I really thought the daughter staying home would have more lines and wittiness, but she didn’t and the whole beginning scene felt like a filler.

Thank you @netgalley and @Macmillian Audio for the advanced audiobook

Full disclosure this is my first Finley Donovan book which definitely had an impact but in a positive way.
Things the 5th full length book in this series and I wanted to see if it can be read as a stand alone. In my opinion it absolutely can.
Author Elle Cosmiano did a great job laying out the current story with giving enough information to have the reader glean information from past books. Now, I don’t k so if this information may have been too much and this repetitive so you’ll have to take a peak at other reviews. But, it seemed fluid and reasonable to me.
Now, after reading some other reviews I think I probably enjoyed it even more than possibly a fan of the series as these formulaic cozy mysteries can be a let down come book five. It’s just the nature of serials.

If I had to sum up the book in one thought it would be that it is a “Moderna Day Murder She Wrote.” So the author isn’t creating anything new with the author turned amateur sleuth with the kooky cast of denizens in a small down. But she does it in an entertaining way that allows the reading to enjoy the unrealistic situations our FMC gets into.


I am thankful to have gotten the audio ALC for free from MacMillian Audio through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

The narrator, Angela Dawe did a good job with the material and all the different voices needed. I will say that at times her “non accent” slips into a midwestern Great Lakes dialect at the end of phrases often. Having a spouse from Michigan I would bet money that she is from that area, However, speeding up the listen rate a bit all but makes this disappear.

The book comes out on March 4th 2025!

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

This book kills. It’s a fast-paced, laugh-out-loud mystery that digs deep into trouble, burying our favorite crime-solving duo, Finlay and Vero, in yet another hot mess they never plotted to be part of.

This time, the case literally hits home when Finlay’s nosy, elderly neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, finds herself caught up in a real-life murder investigation—thanks to a grave discovery in her backyard. One would think a retired Neighborhood Watch Leader might enjoy a little crime-solving, but instead, she’s evicted from her own home and crashes at Finlay’s, bringing a suitcase full of opinions, complaints, and unsolicited advice. Now, Finlay and Vero must juggle a surprise houseguest, an actual dead body, and their usual assortment of questionable life choices. As if that weren’t enough, book clubs get a lot more interesting in this latest Fin Don installment, and let’s just say—you’ll never look at the eggplant emoji without thinking of old women and tricked-out cars again.

Cosimano’s writing is to die for. The dialogue is razor-sharp, the humor is delightfully dark, and the suspense will have you turning pages faster than Fin or Vero can make a bad decision (which, as we know, is alarmingly fast). The addition of Mrs. Haggerty only adds to the chaos, proving that even senior citizens can have a killer sense of humor. Her unlikely friendship and chemistry with Cam is both heartwarming and hilarious.

New readers may want to start at the beginning of the series, but honestly, this book is such a delight that even if you jump in now, you’ll still have tons of fun. It’s equal parts murder mystery and comedy, with just the right amount of romantic tension. And for those already invested in the series, the ending sets up a perfect segue into the next book—leaving just enough intrigue to keep readers dying for more. If you’re looking for a book that will have you gasping one moment and laughing the next, Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave is buried treasure.

A huge thanks to Macmillan Audio for the early listen through NetGalley!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the Advanced Listener Copy of 'Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave'!
Just like the 4.5 Finlay books that came before, I loved listening to this newest adventure.
All of my favorite characters are back and the new ones are just as memorable. I love listening to the chaos that these mysteries serve up. Elle Cosimano expertly portrays the minutiae of being a mother of small children and the silliness and loyalty that comes with adult friendships, alongside the criminal shenanigans that are constantly surrounding Finlay and Vero.
Angela Dawe does a beautiful job of bringing the whole gang to life, just as she has throughout the series. Her narration is an added bonus that only amps up the story.
It's exciting to know that there will be at least 2 more in the series, even though now I don't want to wait another year to learn what happens next.

I love Finlay Donovan. These books are not deep or scary, but they are so entertaining. The narrator of the audio books is so wonderful. She brings every character to life and each has a distinctive voice.

Finlay's elderly neighbor is arrested for murder when a body is discovered in her backyard. Her grandson gets her out of jail and promptly drops her on Finlay's doorstep for "a couple of days." He leaves and Finlay can't find him after that, leaving her to take care of Mrs. Haggerty. Finlay's desire to keep an eye on Mrs. Haggerty drags her into the mystery of who killed the man in the backyard. Pretty son, her exhusband is arrested for the murder and Finlay is determined to prove his innocence.

This is another banger from Elle Cosimano. I love these books. They are so entertaining that I'm sad when they're done. This is totally entertainment and if you like mysteries and humor, you'll like these books.

Elle Cosimano once again hits it out of the park. I did not expect to enjoy the Finlay Donovan series as much as I have. I will listen/read as many Finlay Donovan books as Cosimano will write.

Finlay and Vero continue to get themselves in predicaments that are far-fetched but so entertaining and fun. I think I enjoy Finlay's story more each book. I have chuckled so many times.

The audiobook of this series if fantastic!

How soon can Elle Cosimano give us another installment of Finlay, Vero and the other characters? <3

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I've never been able to stay engaged in a book series—until Finlay Donovan. This series is the exception. I’m completely hooked on the wild shenanigans, and I find myself laughing out loud multiple times in every book. If you're looking for an irresistibly fun and entertaining read, I highly recommend this series! Obsessed.

Finlay Donovan just can’t catch a break! While many threads in this series were wrapped up in book four, new developments and some lingering issues plague Finlay and Vero here. Their relationships with their boyfriends, nosy neighbor, and Finlay’s ex-husband bring lots of angst and many laughs (at least, for the reader). Plus, listening to Angela Dawe’s excellent narration is worth it just to hear agent Sylvia discuss the “hot cop” Finlay is dating! Seriously, this series just keeps going with outrageous antics, quirky characters, and LOL moments. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this audiobook.

Thank you for the ALC.

This was one of the better ones in the series. I like that it stayed “at home” instead of Finley and Vero travelling all around introducing us to characters we don’t know. I liked that Mrs. Haggerty played such a big role in this one. I was waffling on this series with the previous book in the series, but this one redeemed it.

*thank you to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for audiobook for review*

3.5 rounded up

This fast paced series returns with a new mystery that Finlay finds herself wrapped up in. I really enjoyed the mystery this time and I'm glad that we have moved away from the mob storyline. The romance does feel like it's moving at a snail's pace unfortunately. Like there was multiple scenes of them taking each other's clothes off, but that's just sex. I see their sexual chemistry, but there never seems time for romance. I personally wish she wasn't dating a cop because in order for the relationship to work, the cop will have to ignore the law for her. With this being fiction I try to not let that damper my enjoyment.

I have been enjoying this series, but I would love a more romance and a jump in time so her kids aren't so young anymore.

I LOVE THIS SERIES! I usually wait for the audio but I got the ebook before I could get the audio so I binged that first and let me tell you the entire time I was reading it I was reading it with the narrator's voice in my head. I love the narrator of this series! After finishing it, a couple weeks later, I then got the audio and, of course, had to listen to that. This made me so happy. Imagine me doing all the things with a smile on my face and laughing out loud (attention Walmart shoppers, that was me). This one starts with a call to the school because Delia is being expelled for fighting (really she was defending herself), then Mrs. Haggerty moves in after being released from jail since her house still has police tape after the body was discovered in her backyard. Don't forget Cam and his dog show up for dinner and play video games. Oh, the chaos but the joy. What else, oh! Potty training, the Mrs. Haggerty way. Don't forget book club because what happens in book club may not stay in book club, especially when brownies are involved.

I implore you to start this series at the beginning and enjoy your way through. It will be one of the best decisions you make!

I love this series! It just so fun and after four books, you think the storylines would start to plateau. But nope! Not this series. Each story gets wilder yet somehow just sort of believable?

I think this was the first twist I actually caught onto early in the book, but it didn’t take away from the experience.

Can’t wait for the next one!

Big thanks to Macmillan Audio for the advance copy!

I love Finlay Donovan and I loved this installment of her ongoing story. Elle Cosimano has done such a great job creating these characters and developing them throughout the series. The writing is fun and witty, and the plot keeps a nice pace from start to ending. I have enjoyed each of the books in Audiobook format as well, and really appreciate the narrator. This was such a fun listen, with new characters and more plot twists included! Highly recommend if you are looking for a series that has a bit of everything - romance, found family, mystery, and some murder along the way!
3.5 stars rounded up

Thank You to Macmillan Audio for the early listen provided through NetGalley Shelf. These are my honest thoughts.

I love this series so much. Every book is such a comfort read. I always love to see what kind of hilarious situations Finlay and Vero get in to! So many laugh out loud moments and some heartwarming ones too. The side characters bring so much to the story! If I had to describe this book in three words they would be witty, charming and fun! It’s the perfect mix of humor and mystery. That cliffhanger….. Can’t wait for the next book!

As always wonderfully done. Finlay once again finds herself involved in someone troubling business. She thought after her neighbor had been arrested she wouldn’t have to worry about her for a while, she couldn’t have been more wrong. In true Finlay fashion she and Vero work to solve their problems without getting themselves into trouble. However, the men in their lives are making things more difficult. A wild ride as usual with a cliffhanger st the end. I can’t wait for the next installment with Finlay, Vero, Nick “the hot cop” and the rest of the crew.