⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If you enjoy contemporary mystery with a healthy dose of humor, chaos, and heart, Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave is a must-read. Book 5 in Elle Cosimano’s hilarious and twisty series finds Finlay once again in over her head—this time thanks to a body discovered in her neighbor’s backyard. Naturally, her ex-husband Steven gets pegged for the crime, and Finlay can’t help but try to clear his name… which, of course, leads to a whole new level of misadventures.

The crew is all here—Finlay, Vero, Javi, and Nick—and they’re up to their usual escapades. I laughed out loud more times than I can count, and I absolutely loved how much more involved Finlay’s nosey neighbor Mrs. Haggerty becomes in this story. She’s been a minor character in previous books, so it was really fun to see her play a bigger role this time around.

Cosimano continues to shine when it comes to her characters. Finlay and Vero’s friendship is as chaotic and lovable as ever, and even Finlay’s kids, Zach and Delia, get more time to shine. And let’s not forget the slow-burn tension with hot cop Nick—things are finally heating up, even as Julian makes another appearance to stir the pot.

Between the hilarious dialogue, fast-paced mystery, and characters I can't help but root for (despite their very questionable decisions), this book is one of my favorites in the series. I can’t wait to see what’s next for Finlay and the gang in book 6!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange of my honest opinion.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If you enjoy contemporary mystery with a healthy dose of humor, chaos, and heart, Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave is a must-read. Book 5 in Elle Cosimano’s hilarious and twisty series finds Finlay once again in over her head—this time thanks to a body discovered in her neighbor’s backyard. Naturally, her ex-husband Steven gets pegged for the crime, and Finlay can’t help but try to clear his name… which, of course, leads to a whole new level of misadventures.

The crew is all here—Finlay, Vero, Javi, and Nick—and they’re up to their usual escapades. I laughed out loud more times than I can count, and I absolutely loved how much more involved Finlay’s nosey neighbor Mrs. Haggerty becomes in this story. She’s been a minor character in previous books, so it was really fun to see her play a bigger role this time around.

Cosimano continues to shine when it comes to her characters. Finlay and Vero’s friendship is as chaotic and lovable as ever, and even Finlay’s kids, Zach and Delia, get more time to shine. And let’s not forget the slow-burn tension with hot cop Nick—things are finally heating up, even as Julian makes another appearance to stir the pot.

Between the hilarious dialogue, fast-paced mystery, and characters I can't help but root for (despite their very questionable decisions), this book is one of my favorites in the series. I can’t wait to see what’s next for Finlay and the gang in book 6!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange of my honest opinion.

Finlay's life is such that one book starts immediately after the previous one because, well, dead bodies just won't leave her alone. Just when everything seems to be back to "normal," a body is found in her neighbor's back yard. Neighborhood Watch phenom Mrs. Haggerty across the street is the lucky winner, and is soon carted off for questioning and arrest. As the focus shifts to others, she is eventually released and decides she will stay with Finlay and Vera until her house is available, and is delivered by her nephew to Finlay's house with her suitcase and pretty much takes over the household. As things are wont to do in this series, one thing leads to another and Stephen is implicated, and things may be looked at that Finlay and Vera prefer not to be seen, so the race is on to find the real culprit. Hijinks ensue. Romance continues to kindle. Problems are solved (potty training anyone?). The murderer is found. Crisis averted. Will a new crisis arrive? Still good fun, and as usual, oddly plausible. Highly recommended.

This is the best installment of the Finlay Donovan series that I have read. Pieces are starting to fall into place as the importance of things from as far back as book one in the series is revealed.

I always like Finlay and Vero's friendship. They are a lot of fun together as they play amateur sleuth. Cam and Mrs. Haggerty also added some nice comedic moments. I ended up listening to it on audio and the narrator was fantastic. With how it ended, I cannot wait to see what comes next!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for an honest review.

Another awesome installment in this series. This was my favorite one in a few, actually, and liked that there was less Stephen and more Ms. Haggerty. This series is just so fun and the characters' antics are enjoyable book after book.

Just like all the other books in the series, this one was just as fun as the last. I love how things are being revealed, the themes associated with the murder, and the progress in Finlay and Nick's relationship. And after that epilouge, I can't wait to read the next one.

Thank you @minotaur_books @stmartinspress @netgalley for the #gifted digital copy!

💭 I love this series because it’s so fun! I love Finlay and Vero’s shenanigans and the more I read, the funnier they get. I laughed out loud more than once. I thought the premise of this one was fun. I loved seeing some returning characters. I loved getting more of Mrs. Haggerty in this one 😂. This is my favorite cozy mystery series so I highly recommend it if you’re looking for a “fun” murder series. You do need to read these books in order though, because they build on the previous story. I can’t wait for the next book!

📚 Read this if you like…
“Fun” murder
Whodunit
Silly antics
Amateur detectives
Strong female characters

✍️ How I rated other books by this author:
Finlay Donovan is Killing it- 3⭐️
Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘em Dead- 4⭐️
Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun- 4⭐️
Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice- 4⭐️

Finlay Donovan and her nanny/partner-in-crime Vero aren't best friends with their elderly neighbor Mrs. Haggerty. The nosy neighbor is also the community busybody and president of the neighborhood watch. So, when a dead body is discovered in her backyard, Mrs. Haggerty asks for help and begins exhibiting strange behavior. Finlay and Vero also realize that their past might come back to haunt them. Can they resolve all the loose ends before they jeopardize their love lives or land in jail?
Once again, this novel is filled with laugh-out-loud moments. I love the clever writing and hilarious quips.
The sexual content isn't my favorite. I read the books in this series because I like Finlay and Vero and wanted to discover if their challenges were resolved.
I appreciate the resolution to various mysteries introduced in the series' previous four books. Despite all the illegal things Finlay and Vero have done, they are smart, competent and funny friends.

I find it interesting how my connection to characters in novels tends to match the age of the character. As much as I have loved the madcap adventures of Finlay and Vero, as a full-fledged "boomer," I have been drawn to Mrs. Haggerty. Is she just a busybody? The reader will find out in Book 5 of this top-notch series. In a recent interview with Virginia Living, Cosimano shares that her writing process is one of "discovery." Unlike the two common divisions, "pantsers" and "plotters," Cosimano says, "I like to know where my story is beginning, and roughly where my story is going to end—plus, at least four or five major plot points in the middle. I like to have a sense of some of those big moments in the book, and then I let myself discover them through the writing process."

This writing style makes a lot of sense, as the plots tend to reflect controlled chaos. Joining a recent trend of genre-blending mysteries, Cosimano is at turns suspenseful, romantic, and hilarious. The plot briefly concerns a body being uncovered in Mrs. Haggerty's backyard. While she is not a suspect, Steven, who is notorious for poor decisions, is once again the suspect for the crime. Now Finlay and Vero are back in the swing of things, with an added hitch: Mrs. Haggerty is now their houseguest. Without giving away complete spoilers, I will admit that tears of laughter were combined with tears of compassion. This will be a great choice for book clubs. Cosimano has shared that she is under contract for at least two more books in this series. Write fast!

Great lighthearted read.

This series was recommended by someone who thought I would like it and I did!

Highly recommend.

Elle Cosimano does it again! While this isn’t my favorite of her Finley Donovan series, I definitely get a good laugh and can’t wait to find out what happens to Finley, Nick, Vero and the rest of the crew next!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book!

Thank you NetGalley and Minatour Books for the advanced reading copy of Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano.

I don’t know how to properly review this without giving away too much from the series. Finlay and Vero set off to help their nosy neighbour Mrs. Haggerty discover the culprit who buried a body in her backyard. Finlay has a race against the police to find the truth.

This was another great Finlay Donovan book. If you liked all of the other books, you'll definitely enjoy this! I loved getting to know Mrs. Haggerty more. I gave three stars instead of four because I figured it all out way before the end, but it was still a fun and quick read. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you to Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for the copies to review.

Another five-star read from Elle Cosimano! The Finlay Donovan series is so much fun to read. I love Angela Dawe’s narration and am always entertained by the shenanigans Finlay and Vera find themselves in. This time was no exception. I know I am always in for a treat with these two, and the larger role of elderly neighbor Mrs. Haggerty in this book really made this one five stars for me. She was fantastic and hilarious. I hope this series continues on for a long time, as I am not ready to be done with it anytime soon.

This might have been my most favorite of the Finley Donovan series. It had humor, mystery, conspiracy, and more. Being several books into a series, the characters have been well developed and you feel as if you know them. This book too really was more of the cozy mystery where several of the other in the series had a mix of cozy and gruesome. A feat only Elle Cosimano seems to be able to pull off. I believe there is one last Finlay book to come, can’t wait!
Thank you to the author, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I was worried that jumping right into the middle of a series like this might be a bit jarring, but I did it anyway, and I'm glad I did. I loved reading about Finlay Donovan, and thought this book did a great job of feeling complete even without having read all the others that came before it. I'll definitely be going back to catch up on the series, and I'd totally recommend this as a cozy read to anyone looking for something simple and funny. I gave it a four-star rating because I'd recommend it to a friend, but would not read it again.

Finlay and Vero find themselves (along with her husband and snooping neighbor, Mrs Haggerty) in a spot of trouble once again. The dead body in Mrs. Haggerty’s yard has been discovered, at first she was arrested and her house was searched. Soon after a new suspect was arrested, Finlay’s ex-husband, and Mrs. Haggerty was released. Now Finlay has found herself entwined in the investigation trying to free her ex-husband. With Mrs. Haggerty’s house being an active crime scene, she has nowhere to go so she and her grandson decide she is to live with Finlay and won’t take no for an answer. As Finlay and Vero deal with Mrs. Haggerty’s antics they can’t help but figure out that she has some skeletons of her own in her closet.

The epilogue makes it clear that there is going to be plenty of trouble in store for Vero and no doubt Finlay will be finding herself entangled with trying to get Vero out of trouble in the next book.

Once again, another enjoyable and fast-paced book in this series. It is still chaotic and you need to suspend belief, but is a fun popcorn read.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC of Finlay Donovan Digs her Own Grave.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Elle Cosimano has done it again—Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave is pure chaotic perfection. This installment takes all the wit, mayhem, and jaw-dropping twists we love about Finlay and turns the dial up to utterly bonkers in the best way possible.
From the very first chapter, I was laughing out loud one moment and gasping the next. The banter between Finlay and Vero is sharper than ever, the stakes are deliciously high, and the situations they bumble into are so absurd yet somehow completely plausible in the madcap world Cosimano has built. There’s danger, there’s heart, and yes—there’s plenty of questionable decision-making that will make you mutter, “Oh no, Finlay… what now?”
The pacing is lightning-fast, the twists are clever, and the humor is effortlessly woven into the suspense. By the final page, I had that perfect “I want to see what happens next immediately” itch. Cosimano’s knack for balancing comedy and crime is unmatched—this series continues to be my go-to for pure escapist joy.
If you love your thrillers with a shot of screwball comedy, a dash of romance, and characters you’d follow into the most ridiculous predicaments, Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave will make you grin, gasp, and count the days until the next installment.

We are off and running through the next fiasco of Finlay and Vero trying to find out who is really responsible for the dead body in Mrs. Haggerty’s yard. I love Finlay and Vero, this is such an enjoyable series and the dialogue and voice is so humorous. I always recommend this book to teens and adults. Thanks to NetGalley for the ebook to preview.

Finlay’s life is (once again) in chaos. After narrowly escaping death in the previous books, she’s trying to focus on her raising her two kids. But when a shady figure from her past resurfaces, and ends up dead, Finlay and her nanny/partner-in-crime Vero find themselves digging another metaphorical (and literal) grave. With the Russian mob, a persistent cop, and Finlay’s messy love life complicating things, she must use her wits (and questionable decision-making skills) to stay alive.

Here's the breakdown on Finlay though... In case you wanna know the dirt;

Some Repetitive Elements: If you’ve read the first few books, the formula (Finlay stumbles into crime, panics, improvises) is familiar, though still fun.

Slightly Over-the-Top: The series thrives on absurdity, but some people might find the escalating chaos a bit much.

I mean, I don't really remember finishing the last book if I'm being all together honest here... LOL Hell... I don't really remember this one... I think this is the one with the old lady. This is a series like Evanovich, they're like pringles man, you eat them because they're pringles and you know what you're getting. It's nothing of real substance here. I read this book like--- I don't know 8 months ago, I don't remember a thing about it. I put a sticky note next to my computer that said 4 stars which means I enjoyed it... I couldn't tell you what happened or anything. So... do with that what you may.