I've just found my new favourite Finlay Donovan book! It featured all the chaos, crime, and questionable decision-making that I loved from the first book—plus even more shenanigans. I had the opportunity to listen to this book, and let me tell you, Angela Dawe absolutely crushed it. Her narration was superb—clear, engaging, and full of personality. The way she changed her voice for different characters was flawless. She could probably read my grocery list and make it sound thrilling. I highly recommend going with the audio if you're unsure about the format. Trust me!

As expected, we dive right back into the madness with Finlay, Vero, Nick, Javi, the kids, and—because the universe loves chaos—even Steven. But wait! This time, we also get Mrs. Haggerty, freshly sprung from jail and delivered to Finlay's doorstep like an Amazon Prime package (but with way more baggage). Naturally, things spiral out of control when Steven gets himself tangled up in the crime she was accused of, and the team is forced to (begrudgingly) clear his name. Enter Cam, our favourite teenage hacker, to make things even more entertaining.

This book had me laughing out loud, shaking my head, and saying, "Oh, Finlay, no," at least 27 times. Just when I thought I could breathe, BAM—Elle Cosimano hit me with a cliffhanger that left me considering time travel just to get to the next book faster.

A massive thank you to Elle Cosimano, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my thoughts. Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave releases March 4, 2025—and you do not want to miss it!

I have really enjoyed following the Finlay Donovan series. In "Digs Her Own Grave" I found myself enjoying the secondary characters more than Finlay and Vero which was a nice way to keep the series fresh. I loved the overall story line (don't want to give anything away).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in advance of publication.

Finlay Donovan strikes again! Another great book with such fun characters. I am always hoping there will be more of these books and when I saw that there was, I was excited. This series is just so great!

📖Finlay is back, but now it's her ex-husband being accused of murder. The body was found in her neighbors backyard, and the connections between Finlays ex and the body are sparking a lot of interest in the investigation. But Finlay knows it wasn't him, and Nick is willing to help her out as much as he can while trying not to break the rules.

📝Book 5 has been one of my favorite Finlay Donovan books yet! I loved the chemistry between Nick and Finlay, and how they grew even closer this book. As always, I loved Vero and her sassy pants she wears daily. It was fun watching the kiddos and their side plots as well this book.

Mrs. Haggarty was a fun addition as well, she has been in the previous books but really thrives in this one. We are set up for book 6!

The audio book was perfect as always. I switched back and forth between that and the e-book since I could NOT put it down! SO GOOD! Make sure to check out the next book in the series :)

As always Finlay Donovan is a fun ride!. This one wasn't as off the rails like previous ones but I still loved it. I can never get enough of these books and I can't wait for March 4th when I can physically add this to my Finlay collection.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an audio copy to listen to in exchange for an honest review.

I adore this series. It's way better than Stephanie Plum. It's so funny! I know this one isn't out yet but I'm already ready for the next one!

Finlay Donovan is back and of course she finds herself in the middle of more wild shenanigans. Nick are Vero and all of the other characters we love are back! The narrator was fantastic and truly brought this whole story to life! I thoroughly enjoyed this and after that ending I can’t wait for book 6 😍 Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this audiobook!

Story: A solid 3 🌟 for me. Which means I liked it, and i would read something else the author wrote.

Audio Production: 4 🌟

I was given the audio version of this book to review. I really didn't have an issue with it. The quality was the same as books 1-4. I love the narrator, especially slipping into Vero's voice for some reason. I would look at other books she has worked on and give them a listen.

I absolutely loved the first book in the series. The crazy shenanigans, desperation, motherhood, mystery, and more.

This one had some of the goofball shenanigans but I was hoping for a little more. Some of my favorite parts were our adventures in potty training. While I enjoyed at the characters I do feel like we were missing a real mystery in this one.

As it all came together I kinda just shrugged. It left me feeling just...eh. I wasn't fully invested in what was going on. Though our main girl Finlay was involved I felt that this just wasn't HER story so much as we focused on the other characters.

We did get left on a little cliffhanger so I am interested in seeing where this goes. Though I could easily see book 6 being the end of the series if it is more like this one.

Thank you Netgally, Macmillan, and Minotaur Books for allowing me to review the audiobook!

Finlay Donovan is at it again. She’s putting herself into situations that are sure to get her arrested, but will she be able to luck her way out of this one? These books are hilarious and the audiobook is so well narrated. I’ve enjoyed listening to this whole series and this one definitely didn’t disappoint. I love that it was left on a cliffhanger because surely that means there will be another Finlay Donovan book in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book prior to publication.

I love Finlay Donovan. I really liked this installment in the ongoing Finlay saga. If fact, I like this book better than some of the others and am looking forward to the next book!

Elle Cosimano delivers another wildly entertaining installment in the Finlay Donovan series, and Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave does not disappoint. With its blend of mystery, humor, and pure chaos, this book continues to solidify Finlay and her ride-or-die nanny/partner-in-crime, Vero, as one of the best duos in modern cozy mysteries.

Fans of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series will feel right at home with Finlay’s never-ending streak of misadventures. She’s still juggling single motherhood, a struggling writing career, and an accidental side gig as a quasi-hitwoman, all while trying (and failing) to keep things from spiraling completely out of control. The banter between Finlay and Vero is absolute gold, and their friendship remains the heart of the series.

Angela Dawe, as always, delivers a top-notch narration, capturing Finlay’s exasperation, Vero’s dry wit, and the fast-paced chaos of their lives with perfect comedic timing. Her performance adds an extra layer of fun to an already hilarious read.

While some of the plot twists felt a bit over-the-top (even by Finlay standards), that’s part of the charm. If you’re here for a realistic crime thriller, you’re in the wrong place. But if you love a mystery full of snappy dialogue, laugh-out-loud moments, and characters who feel like they’re one bad decision away from total disaster, this is the book for you.

Looking forward to whatever trouble Finlay and Vero get into next!

I have been curious about this series

I now need to go back and read everything to get caught up.

This book is about a murder and why it happened and who was involved and why. Who would believe who was involved.

You will need to check this book out to find the answers to these question. I totally recommend this series

The Finlay Donovan Series is undoubtedly one of my all-time favorites, and the newest installment certainly lived up to my expectations!

In "Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave," Finlay and Vero take on the role of detectives as they work to exonerate Finlay's ex-husband while encountering various challenges along the way!

This book was an absolute delight! I found myself laughing out loud multiple times! The character development throughout the series is fantastic, and the storylines are engaging! While this book explores some deeper themes, I appreciated how Elle addressed darker issues while maintaining a light and enjoyable tone. I truly believe this one is my favorite in the series!

Finlay and Vero are at it again and I couldn't be happier! The madcap duo of Thelma and Louise meets Lucy and Ethel once again find themselves in the middle of one tricky situation after another. This fifth installment is the perfect mix of suspense and humor. The narrator, Angela Dawe masterfully brings the story to life with laughs and intrigue sprinkled throughout. The cliffhanger conclusion leaves me anxiously waiting for the next book in this addictive series. Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my audiobook.

This was a GREAT story to listen to! AWESOME narration! Great main characters. The plot was easy to find. The story was engaging and easy to follow. Will be purchasing this book. Shout out to Netgalley and publishing for allowing me to listen and review this story.

4 STARS!

I am in love with the Finlay Donovan series- I never want it to end!
In the fifth book in the series, Finlay and her ride or die Vero have another mystery to solve when a dead body is unearthed in her nosey neighbor's yard. Let the shenanigans begin!
I appreciate that the author gives some refreshers on what happened in the prior books, so it makes it easy to get into the story. I enjoy the humor in this story. I love the banter between all of the characters, especially Finlay and Vero. The plot moves quickly, so I never find myself bored. I really like that there is also a little love story mixed in.
This book, and series are amazing, and I love recommending it!
The audio for this is, as always perfection! I love Angela Dawe. She really delivers everytime!
Thank you to Macmillion Audio for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Finlay is back to her shenanigans with Vero in tow. This time, instead of Finlay hiding a body, she has to figure out what's going on with her nosey neighbor. I feel like this addition was fun, mysterious, and had a great resolution. I really liked how she handled her romance with Nick and also her ex-husband. I liked learning more about Mrs Haggarty. She is hilarious and way more interesting to learn about as the series progresses. The mystery was unique enough but did feel a bit vague. I wished they fleshed out the network of people in the book club a bit more. The narrator was perfect as always. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

My only issue was the steamy scenes were a bit oddly placed. I understand Finlay and Nick are in love, but it seems to me they are always having sex in almost every scene they are alone in. It would be nice for them to just be present with each other. Don't get me wrong, I want them together, but I don't need a sex scene every time they're alone.

I think this might be my favorite book out of the series. This book mostly centered around Mrs. Haggerty - after the police find a body in her backyard, and her getting released from prison - only to move into Finlay's house with Vero and the kids, we get pulled along on an exciting ride which includes potty training, Steven getting arrested for murder and finding out more about who Mrs Haggerty is. I'm also very excited for book #6 to come out and looking forward to reading more about Finlay and Vero's adventures. I listened to the audiobook, courtesy of Netgalley - thank you for my advanced copy.

Rating: 5/5 Stars
Pub Date: 3/4
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My God do I love this series! This is the 5th installment of one of the funniest but the most anxiety producing mystery/drama/thriller series I have ever read. I loved it just as much as the rest.
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First, let’s start off with how funny this book is. There were countless times throughout this story that I audibly laughed out loud at the banter between characters. Speaking of characters, Finlay and Vero are absolute queens. I love the two of them so much, I wish I could be friends with them in real life. The other characters are also incredible and make this series what it is.
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I had no idea how Elle Cosimano would continue this, I couldn’t figure out what possibly Finlay and Vero could possibly get into this time, but she basically was like “hold my beer” and came up with a fantastic storyline that honestly may be my new favorite. There were times throughout this where I wasn’t sure how Finlay could possible get herself out of the mess she was in. I absolutely LOVED where she went with this one. It was perfect. This is most definitely a must read!!
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I listened to this one on audio and Angela Dawe is the best Finlay ever. I cannot think of a better narrator for this series. If you want to check this one out - be sure to pick up the audio!!
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Huge thank you to NetGalley, Elle Cosimano, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for the eARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Saying that as soon as I get done with these audiobooks that I NEED the next one is an understatement. The combo of Elle Cosimano's writing and Angela Dawe's narration is truly a match made in heaven. These audio books are the best i have ever listened to do and they are always my most anticipated new releases of the year. In this 5th installment of the Finlay Donovan series, there is no shortage of hijinks, clever banter, action and murder.
I have gotten so used to these characters, I feel sad when I have finished the book. I hate having to wait a whole year to catch up with them again. I look forward to these books every year and I really hope that both Ell and Angela continue with the books and audiobook narration of this series for a long time.