Newly back from Atlantic City, hopefully in the free and clear from all entanglements with any criminals, Finlay Donovan is ready for the toughest thing she has to deal with being Delia getting suspended from preschool and Zach potty-training. Plus, there's the tentative relationship she's building with Detective Nicholas Anthony - which is already weighed down by the secrets between them.

Then, a body is discovered in the yard of nosy neighbor Mrs. Haggerty and somehow Finlay's ex is the prime suspect. Steven may be many unsavory things, but a murderer is not one of them. Of course Finlay is going to try to prove his innocence - much to Vero's chagrin - which is only made more difficult when Mrs. Haggerty comes to stay with Finlay for a while.

I thought the last book kind of tied things up nicely so I was a little worried about how the overarching storyline would be able to continue in this book. I liked the fact that we were back in the neighborhood seeing as the previous two books took Finlay, Vero, et al. to other locales. It almost felt like small reset on the series.

I also enjoyed learning more about Mrs. Haggerty. She's been the nosy across the street neighbor since the beginning of the series, but it was interesting to learn that there is more to her than meets the eye.

I thought that Elle Cosimano did a great job addressing all the elephants in the room in regards to Nick and Finlay's relationship. That was a big worry for me because I feel like they've almost been stuck on this path, and wasn't sure how you could reconcile everything that Finlay had gotten herself involved with to a new boyfriend who just so happens to be a police detective. But I think Elle Cosimano did great moving things forward with them.

For me, the story really did take some surprising twists where the mystery was concerned. It was refreshing that Finlay is slightly removed from things. Yes, she inserts herself into figuring things out, but it's more of an investigative position and less trying to prove her own innocence.

Of course Angela Dawe IS Finlay Donovan. She has done, and continues to do, such a wonderful job with the narration and bringing all the characters to life. Being five books into the series, there's a familiarity that every time I listen to one of these books, I know who is Finlay, Vero, Nick, etc. It's kind of, for lack of a better term, comforting. Like home.

Which is what this book did really well overall: a great reset / redirection for the series while also not forgetting where is came from and all the high-stakes involved.

Okay raise your hand if you’re a little more obsessed with every Finlay book that comes out!

Synopsis: Finlay feels like she might actually catch a break… but of course wishful thinking is never what actually happens, and this it’s a little too close to home… literally, because a dead body was found buried in a back yard across the street... We left off last book with Mrs. Haggerty being arrested for the body found, and as she is released, her nephew drops her off at Finlay’s door. Mrs. Haggerty makes herself at home incredibly quickly (moving right into Finlay’s bedroom.)
Finlay realizes that her ex is being considered as a suspect, because as we well know, he’s gotten his hands in a fair share of messiness. Time is against them as they try and figure out what happened…

My Thoughts: I. LOVE. THESE. BOOKS. A friend of mine on Instagram initially recommended the series, and after powering through them all in 2 months’ time, I fear I may have flown a little too close to the sun, because what’s a girl to do until the next release?! For this book in particular, I LOVED getting to see/hear more from Delia and Zach, Finlay’s children and diving into more about what makes Mrs. Haggerty tick. I love love loveee Elle Cosimano’s writing style, leaving you consistently wondering what next move will be made, and how the story will evolve. I have already recommended these to my book club and everyone in my family to read!

"I suppose that's up to you... but if you don't want to dig your own graves, you'll keep your mouths shut."

Thoughts:
The Finlay Donovan books are all filled with chaos and humor. This was the fifth book in the series and so far it's my favorite after the first book! These have become my go-to when I want a light, fun read.

I would recommend this book to
• Fans of The Maid by Nita Prose or the Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich
• Readers looking for a fun and cozy mystery

FINLAY DONOVAN DIGS HER OWN GRAVE by Elle Cosimano
Published: March 4, 2025 by St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books
Page Count: 320
Audio Version: Macmillan Audio
Narrator: Angela Dawe
Unabridged: 9 hours, 11 minutes



What a hoot! This is the fifth installment of the ongoing screwball comedy mystery series. Mix into the pot a heaping amount of misunderstanding and misadventure, along with a humungous amount of humor, a tinge of romance, with deepening friendships and murder. What results is another amazing propulsive read, with the exact right amount of suspense, intrigue and fun. Although this is the fifth Findlay adventure, it can certainly be enjoyed as a standalone, as Cosimano seamlessly weaves into the narrative the necessary backstory. However, the reader will be unable not to download the first four gems immediately.
Findlay is a struggling B-list writer of romantic mysteries, always facing impending deadlines for her next book. Her readers are always imploring her to add spicy tidbits with her “hot cop” Nick … a recurring character in her books and personal life. Her books are thinly disguised rehashes of her own misadventures with murder and the law. She is the single mother of adorable four year-old Delia and the perpetually sticky two-year-old toddler, Zach, who is forever flirting with escalating degrees of mischief. Donovan is divorced from her no-good, philandering husband, Steven, who carried on a lengthy affair with their curvy, blonde realtor.
But most importantly, she continues to be aided by her most unusual live-in college student, Vero …. who wears many hats: trusting nanny, confidante, partner-in-crime, and accountant. And from this a blossoming friendship and interdependence has evolved.Returning for this adventure are the kids, Vero, and Nick the “Hot Cop.”
Finlay and Vero have returned from a trip to Atlantic City, and are shocked to hear that a body has been uncovered after a flood in the backyard of their nosy, elderly neighbor Mrs, Haggerty.
She is arrested but quickly absolved due to lack of evidence. A knock on their door, results in the presence on their porch of Mrs. Haggerty and her nephew Brandon. She’s decided that she will need to stay in Donovan’s house for the weekend , since her electricity has been turned off and her house is in shambles. The nephew assures Donovan that he will arrange for contractors to immediately attend to the house repairs and return for her beginning of next week. Naturally this never happens … neither the contractors nor Brandon’s return. Suddenly the police are looking into her ex-husband as a possible suspect. Further trouble arises as her writing agent has set up a meeting with producer Randall Wolfe, who wants to turn her books into a TV series. She is fearful that her thinly disguised book adventures will uncover her previous true misadventures with crime and murder.
Elle Cosimano spins a twisted and hilarious tale that is well plotted suspenseful, and is marvelously outfitted with multiple colorful characters that are both flawed and yet believable. The burgeoning relationship and “sisterhood” between Finlay and Vero is nothing less than amazing. The dialogue banter flows in an entertaining fashion, frequently funny and at times, sarcastic, as our two main protagonists entangle themselves in the world of murder and mayhem. This certainly rivals the “Lucy and Ethel” adventures of television lore. The denouement of this delightful gem ends in an enticing cliffhanger, begging for further adventures in the trials and tribulations of Findlay Donovan.
I personally switched back and forth between the kindle and audio version. I found myself sticking with the audio after awhile. I was virtually spell bound with the marvelous narration of Angela Dawe. It was amazing how she captured the different voice of all of the characters, easily capturing the essence of both male and female protagonists. Her performance matched the timbre of this zany madcap adventure. This brought this novel to a new heights in the theatre of my mind.
Thanks to NetGalley, St.Martin’s Press - Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for providing an Uncorrected Proof and Advance Audio version in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC of Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave.

I always love Finlay Donovan and this book was no exception! This is one of the only series of books I read because I enjoy them so much.

I’ve listened to several of the Finlay Donovan books now, and I absolutely love Angela Dawe as the narrator. She enhances Finlay’s story in the best ways. I listened at 1.5x speed and found that was perfect for me to follow along and enjoy the story.

Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillan_audio for the free copy of this book, below is my own feedback in exchange for the opportunity for an early preview.

Just when I think Elle Cosimano has done all she can, Finlay and Vero get into more trouble and it couldn't be more enjoyable, at least this time it's not their fault. Nick, Steven, and Cam all make a reappearance in this witty and quick moving book and the cliff hanger at the end leaves me wanting more!

Another great read!

I absolutely love this series!

Finlay and Vero are trying to keep out of any mystery. They just want a nice quiet uneventful period of time. Until there's a body discovered in Mrs. Haggerty's back yard. Initially Mrs. Haggerty is taken in for questioning, but she is released. Mrs. Haggerty's house doesn't have power and it's the dead of winter. Soooo, Mrs. Haggerty's grandson drops her off.... at Finlay's house for "just the weekend".

Noone really wants to be responsible for Mrs. Haggerty. She's the neighborhood busy body who discovered Finlay's ex was cheating on her with a real estate agent. But Finlay also can't leave the old lady in a freezing house.

Finlay and Vero believe they must solve this case, to clear not only Mrs. Haggerty, but also Finlay's ex-husband who has been arrested for the murder. In typical duo fashion, this leads to several "investigations" of their own.

This series is fun, over the top with the best witty banter. I love Finlay and Vero's friendship. This one did end on a cliffhanger, so I will be eagerly awaiting the release of book 6!

Angela Dawes did a fantastic job, as with this whole series, of giving life to Finlay and Vero. I love that she has a whole voice collection for each character. Keeps the story flowing and holds my interest.

I absolutely love this series! Cannot give enough praise to do it justice. Absolutely read this one or listen to this on audiobook! Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for this advanced audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave… Elle Cosimano - Latest book in the series. Book 5

Finlay and Vero don’t expect their nosy neighbor Mrs Haggerty to be arrested murder after a dead body is found in her backyard. They are even more surprised when she is cleared of murder but her house is still a crime scene and she wants to stay at Finlay’s house. THE HORROR!!

The fact this body has nothing to do with them… for once.. Is a breath of fresh air… That is until the police seem to think Steven, Finlay’s ex husband, put the body there…

Finlay is a better person than me. I don’t know if I would have gone to these lengths to prove Steven was innocent, I’m nice but I am not that nice. There is so much to unpack in this installment. I love Mrs. Haggerty. She is no-nonsense, got ya buy the balls, older lady with no F’s given. I don’t like to spoil things in books for readers but note…. The brownies… Might have been my favorite part of the book so pay attention when reading.

I really love the development of Finlay as a character. Some things in her life have improved and other things are still a total mess but I love it. I love her. Part of me hopes this series never ends. The book is loaded with humor and epic banter. I have to say the audiobooks really brought the characters to life so much more for me.

Truly this series ticks every single box..

Mistaken identity
Single mom
Romance
Witty banter
Unlikely duo

I also love that it's a mystery thriller with dark humor and a slashing of romantic comedy… It is everything. It is Finlay Donovan and it is a must read..

5 stars

What can I say? It’s always a fun time with Finlay, and this book was no exception. The fast-paced humor and wit made it an enjoyable read from start to finish. The cliffhanger at the end has me eagerly anticipating the next book—I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Thank you, NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to read, listen, and review this advanced copy.

Finley Donovan still sorting through dead bodies in the closet... At least these ones are not literal. Trying to clear the name of her ex husband, Finley teams up with Vero and her neighbor nemesis to figure out how the dead body buried in her back yard came to be there and prove it wasn't Steven while also not implicating herself.
In the meantime, her agent is trying to pin down a contract to put her books on screen-- without knowing that it'd also put Finley behind bars.
Add in the chaos of a potty training kid, a suspended kid, and a large purple car and it's all the amusement, humor and chaos you expect from Finley Donovan.

Another solid installment in the series. I enjoyed this one even more than the last. The consistent narration helps keeps the characters lively.

I've loved this series, even when it goes off the rails a little bit. These are cozy mysteries with a slight edge compared to others I've read. I think this book specifically is more on the cozy side than the others and a bit more grounded than a couple of the previous ones. I was happy to encounter a new mystery instead of a continuation of the other plot that had run its course. The first four books each had individual mysteries that get resolved in each book, but there was a larger mystery and thread throughout all of those. It got a little tiring.

All of that to say - this book follows a new mystery based in Finlay's neighborhood. It was set up at the end of book 4 when a body is found in Mrs. Haggarty's yard. Finlay and Vero spend this installment trying to figure out who murdered this dude and buried them in the yard, since her ex-husband is the one implicated in the crime. Finlay believes, as much as Steven sucks, that he isn't responsible for it.

I will say that I love how this book brought the series back to its roots, as I touched on before. There's a new storyline to follow that kind of reads like a standalone story. The humor and heart of these books get met every time and keep me reading. I know that a lot of people are sick of the antics or thought the books veered too far in one direction, but I just love Cosimano's writing and characters so much. I can't imagine quitting this series even if every book ends up weird or predictable.

Unfortunately this one didn't get a higher rating because it was so incredibly predictable. The moment a certain plot element with Mrs. Haggerty was introduced, it became clear to me what was going on. I was expecting a few more twists with other characters that were introduced - no spoilers - but they ended up being red herrings that went nowhere?

This series could go on to be a hundred books and I'd probably still read it. The ending set up an interesting premise for the next book that wasn't super shocking (like the end of book 4 was) but definitely intriguing. I'm assuming there will be another mystery included since the ending wasn't really setting THAT up, but something else lol.

I had an audiobook review copy of this so I also wanted to note that I refuse to read this series in any other format. I think the audio narrator, Angela Dawe, does an incredible job - she has a lot of voices in her arsenal for the characters. I love audiobooks but sometimes I'm not in the mood to pick the book back up and choose a podcast instead. Over the couple of days I was listening to this one, I never wanted to listen to a podcast instead of the book! And that's saying something.

This is another fun entry in the Finlay series. I enjoyed the curmudgeon neighbor. I always really like Vero, and I think there's a good balance of personalities with the ex husband and the cop. The dialogue from the children isn't quite believable but it's minimal.

(spoiler) I'm a bit over the Strangers on a Train, Kill for Me Kill for You theme/twist.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I will share.

Elle Cosimano does it again. This series is the most amazing mid-cozy you could ever read. Vero and Finlay are just the most humorous crime duo you could ever read or even think of. The Finlay Donovan series is a must read for everyone: cozy mystery to thriller readers alike.

4.75 stars rounded up.

I adore the Finlay Donovan series, and this didn't disappoint. My favourite will always be book #1, but this comes in a VERY close second. The story felt fresh and the new characters were the perfect addition. What I loved best though was getting more of my favourite side characters. Mrs. Haggerty is an absolute legend. And the dynamic between her and Cam was so much fun to read.

Angela Dawe is one of the best audiobook narrators out there, so I'll always listen to this series on audio. I'm already excited for the next installment!

I have eaten up every single installment in this series and I am happy to report that she has delivered yet ANOTHER perfect follow up. This has quickly cemented itself as one of my all time favorite series. Funny, witty, action, thrills, romance, girl’s girls… what more could you ever want!

Another fun adventure with Finley and Vera. I love this series so much and I enjoy the chaos. Charming characters and laugh out loud dialogue! Always a good time.

As always, madcap, silly, full of heart and with a clever mystery underneath. While I did mostly figure out what was happening early on, the bits I didn't get and the reasoning behind it all made it a stellar reveal.

I love the Finlay Donovan series so I was excited to get the audio book. The amazing Angela Dawe is back as the narrator of the series! She totally nails it with her talent for giving each character their own unique, lively voice. The story is intriguing and oh so funny!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC Audiobook!

Elle Cosimano has just released Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave. This is the fifth entry in this wonderfully fun series.

Finlay is the lead character and you can’t help but like her. She’s an author, a mom and somehow - a reluctant investigator. Finlay and her nanny/sidekick Vero aren’t interested in investigating another case. But, it’s right across the street they live on. Add in two small kids, a young computer whiz, an ex-husband and a hunky policeman to the mix. And let’s not forget the grumpy old woman across the street.

Well, while there are bodies popping up in every book, it’s funny with ridiculous situations that will have you laughing out loud. I hope that Cosimana has more plans for Finlay! The plot was a good one and there's some truth in it.

If you have enjoyed Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series, you will love this series. Evanovich herself has provided a blurb on the front cover!

I chose to read this book. Angela Dawe was the reader again - which is a really good thing. The continuity is appreciated. She has created believable voices for each and every character. And I have vivid mental pictures of each player based on those voices. She captures the actions, the emotions, the danger and more, with her inflections, tones, speed etc. She speaks clearly and is easy to understand. An excellent presentation of a wonderful book!

10 Hours, 18 Minutes