This is definitely my favorite of the series. As I noted in my review of Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice, the last few of the series have started very slowly. While they picked up in the second half, getting into them has definitely been hard. This book didn't suffer from the same issues. The pacing is great, the storyline is a lot tighter, the mystery at the core of the book is interesting, and it progresses the overall Finlay Donovan series along. Overall, I can't wait to get to the next book in the series, which (no spoiler) should test the core relationships from the series.

* Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review! *

I have loved every book in this series. Laugh out loud funnny.
Love the quirky characters. Kept my intrest throughout the whole story.

Thank you to publisher and authe for an ARC of this book

If you like far fetched, crazy, funny stories with great characters, you’ll love this series. This latest one is a great addition to the series. Finlay and Vero are up to their usual antics, but Mrs. Hegerty plays a bigger role. The mystery was very different from the Russian mob problems from the previous books. I really enjoyed it. Of course, the ending set us up for the next installment. Can’t wait!

I don't think I've loved a series this much since reading Harry Potter as a kid?!
Normally my interest declines as series go on, but Elle has managed to write hit after hit. Like the others, this book is hilarious right from the start and full of antics from Finlay's children.
I love how the characters have evolved over time. Mrs. Haggerty starts out as a p.i.t.a. house guest, but she quickly takes Finlay's kids under her wing and is actually very likeable by the end of the story. Even Cam has grown up some and is more likeable in this book 😂
Love, love, love this series and can't recommend it enough.

In this latest installment of the Finlay Donovan series, Fin is at it again. She and her sidekick/friend Vero begrudgingly help Mrs. Haggerty, her elderly, nosey-body neighbor who unfortunately has been caught with a dead body in her backyard. What have they gotten themselves into this time? This series reminds me so much of the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. I feel like Finlay and Steph could be besties!

The Finlay Donovan series is a comfort read that really does make me happy each new volume with it's escalating crimes and delightful set of characters. I know people often get tired of mystery series the longer they go on but Finlay and Vero continue to entertain me and this one sets up the next volume perfectly with what could be a new dynamic in their friendship. Get ready for secret book clubs, unanticipated house guests, toddlers who refuse pants, magic brownies and oh yeah trying to figure out a murder.

This volume takes place mostly back in Finlay's neighborhood with her ex and elderly neighbor being accused of the crime we saw from the last book. The investigating escapades get wilder and yes one has to maybe suspend their belief but this blend of humor, heart and parental overwhelm is just too amusing. I love how Finlay's found family continues to grow with some surprising secrets revealed and how it all adds to the story. The Finlay Donovan series has mostly come to represent a celebration of female friendship for me with Vero and her support along with her love and care for the children who continue to be some of the funniest parts of the story. Reading a book series with older characters who are both witty, resourceful and who have love lives is such a rarity.

The ending of this one definitely has me begging for the next one. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for early access to this book.

Finlay and Vero are back in full force helping their busy body neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, when a dead body is found buried in her back yard.

In this fifth book in the Finlay Donovan series, we pick up where we left off. This is definitely a book that you need to read the prior books is the series to understand all the characters and situations. However, I did feel that this one does a much better job at reminding you of the past than the last book, and for that I was thankful. This book felt more structured and organized than the last one, but still has the humor and crazy that is characteristic of the earlier books. I particularly enjoyed learning more about Mrs Haggerty! While it did end with a promise of more to come, I did appreciate closure to some of the story lines. Overall, a fun read that felt more grounded than the last one.

This book was a pleasant surprise.
Great book in a great series. Just keeps getting better.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, as it was a quick read and a good time.

They say women can have it all, but maybe Finlay Donovan has had just a little too much at this point. Like, of everything. All of the things. Like, let a woman breathe, for pete’s sake.

As with every Finlay Donovan review, we begin with a disclaimer: You must start at the beginning of the series to understand anything in any book thereafter, including this one. As such, this interview is likely to only make a whole lot of sense to Finlay Donovan fans.

BUT! If you aren’t already a Finlay Donovan fan, where the heck have you been? Under a rock? The Finlay Donovan series is the one book series I look forward to the most every year. I think I’d cry if Elle Cosimano skipped a year.

I didn’t enjoy this installment quite as much as I did 2024’s outing, Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice, but it was great to see some of the characters (Cam!) from that book come back for this one and to see some of the loose overarching story threads that had been flapping around since as far back as the first book finally get either tied off or resolved. It was also nice to see Finlay’s relationship with Nick get out of neutral and into drive and learn more about the people who live in and around the Donovan household.

There were some genuinely hilarious moments in this book (an eighteen-foot eggplant), genuinely relatable ones (the toilet training of Zach saga continues), the usual ones where we appreciate Vero and want her to be our bestie, and some when we really question Finlay’s sanity (I’d argue that’s pro forma, as well).

The only thing that I felt dissatisfied with in this book was how predictable it was compared to the other books. Usually, Cosimano keeps us guessing well into the third act. It adds so much suspense to the plot that I never feel as if the tension has slacked off. This time, I felt like the tension snapped early on because there was this sense of, “I totally know what’s going on and Finlay’s smart enough that she should see it too”. 4⭐️

I was provided a copy of this title by the author and publisher through the SMP Early Readers Program via NetGalley. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: Amateur Sleuth/Book Series/Comedy/Mystery/Women’s Fiction

Is it me or does this series keep getting funnier? I love that we get to learn more about Mrs Haggerty. This one also comes full circle bringing in characters and events from previous books. Just when you think it's over, this one leaves you on a cliffhanger...and super excited that you're getting more laughs from Finalay and Vero. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Finlay is one of my favourite cozy mystery series! I was so excited to get this NG and be able to read it. Finlay and Vero always find themselves in trouble and this one didn’t disappoint. And to have Mrs.Haggarty join in on the story was even better! Grumpy, nosy neighbour living in their house, what could happen? SO MUCH!

Book 5 in the Finley Donovan series! It's better if you read these awesome books in order so you get to know these wonderful characters. A fun read that grabs you and doesn't let go. Ends in cliff hanger so be prepared. Loving this series! Thanks#Netgalley and #StMartinsPress and #Minotaurbooks for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

Another fun and enjoyable installment of the Findlay Donovan series. I do think you need the previous books to get a good background on the characters and the overarching storyline, buy Cosimano makes this very digestible. It’s easy to pick up where we left off and continue the story without too much rehashing while also not feeling completely caught off guard. This series is one of the best in the cozy mystery type of book - there is humor, mystery, intrigue, and relatability while also being a bit silly. Recommend! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

Thank you to Minotaur Books for the ARC and MacMillan Audio (#MacAudio) for the ALC!

Finlay and Vero are back from their police academy adventures. Before they can settle in at home, the nosy neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, finds herself in need of a place to stay - so she makes herself at home in Finlay’s house. This complicates things quite a bit. Before she knows it, Finlay is running Mrs. Haggerty on her errands while her ex-husband Stephen falls under suspicion of murder.

This book is #5 in the series and for me, this one reminded me so much of why I fell in love with these characters in the first place. Finlay and Vero are the perfect team, and Finlay has grown so much from the jilted wife in the “wrong place at the wrong time” at the start of this series. Seeing her confidence blossom was so empowering, as were the adventures of Mrs. Haggerty - which I totally wasn't expecting.

Filled with the usual delicious banter and laugh-out-loud moments, this series is such a joy! And after the killer cliffhanger, I cannot wait to see what adventures are next for Finlay and Vero!

”Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave” is out now! This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)

Another fun installment of the Finlay Donovan series. I really liked getting to know Mrs. Haggerty more in this book, and the cliffhanger has me excited for the next book!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Mystery/Comedy

✨The Highlights✨
. Ride or Die Friendships 👯‍♀️
. Amateur Sleuthing 🔎
. One Hot Cop 🚔
. Single Mother 👧👶
. Writer FMC 💻
. Psych TV Show Vibes
. Lovable Side Characters
. Closed Door 🚪
. Single POV

✨This is the fifth book in the series and I will keep this review spoiler-free but it is essential to read these in order.✨

✨The Feels✨
My favorite crime-fighting (or crime-committing, depending on the day) duo is back, and this installment is just as cozy and fun as ever! I loved being thrown back into the whirlwind of Finlay’s life as she scrambles to put out fires in the most chaotic and creative ways—whether it’s her son’s sudden naked streak or her nosy neighbor’s unexpected murder accusation, there’s never a dull moment.

This book really brought me back to the series’ roots, reminding me so much of the first installment. Fans are in for a treat with plenty of hilarious banter and, of course, Vero’s delightfully inappropriate quips—I especially live for her digs at Steven, Finlay’s cheating ex-husband. As always, the side characters shine, leaping off the page with Elle’s signature charm. She has a way of creating characters that feel like they could be your own neighbors.

If you love this series, you won’t be disappointed!

✨The Spoiler-Free Details✨
In Finlay Donovan’s latest adventure, she and her nanny-turned-partner-in-crime, Vero, find themselves reluctantly pulled into yet another murder mystery—this time involving their nosy neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty. When a dead body turns up in Mrs. Haggerty’s backyard, she becomes the prime suspect, only to be quickly cleared by the police. But with her house still an active crime scene, she has nowhere to go except Finlay’s already chaotic home.

Determined to stay out of trouble, Finlay and Vero try to avoid the case altogether—until their unexpected houseguest begins causing trouble in their affairs.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Finlay Donovan Book #5

The Finlay Donovan series is a funny mystery series that I keep coming back to because it is so good!

Spoiler Free Synopsis from Goodreads: Finlay Donovan and her nanny/partner-in-crime, Vero, have not always gotten along with Finlay’s elderly neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, the community busybody and president of the neighborhood watch. But when a dead body is discovered in her backyard, Mrs. Haggerty needs their help.

This book had me cracking up within the first few chapters. The pure insanity and friendship between Finlay and Vero is amazing and hilarious. The audiobook narrator, Angela Dawe, does such an amazing job with all the voices. I highly recommend checking out the audiobook.

As far as the plot and story is concerned, this book has lower stakes than previous books, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a good addition to the series. I did have times while reading that I thought that this book felt like it was the last in the series or could be, but Elle Cosimano has stated she is contracted for books #6 and #7 and I am so excited!

Cosimano also does a really good job with her cliffhangers and this one had a cliffhanger for something I think we all knew was coming up. Now we have to wait a whole year to find out what happens next. Once this series is complete, I would love to reread all the books and really get a full sense of the story without the breaks between releases.

Overall, this one had me for the whole ride and I am giving it 5 stars. A complete breakdown of my rating for each in the series will be below.

Finlay Donovan is Killing It: 5 stars
Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead: 5 stars
Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun: 5 stars
Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice: 4 stars
Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave: 5 stars
Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank: 4 stars

The Finlay Donovan series continues with a new mystery involving a body found at her neighbor's house and Finlay's ex is accused of the murder. This book ties up some story lines from previous books. Let's hope all of the loose ends can be tied up in the next book and the series can be complete.

Finlay Donovan is another superb installment in this fabulous series. I absolutely loved it and I appreciate the author and envy her creativity. There are so many unbelievable twists and turns making it so entertaining. The humor is off the charts it's LOL funny.

I loved this quote, I am always saying something similar at work, so I was excited to see it here. "People rise to the expectations you have of them."

In the first four books of Finlay Donovan, there is an overarching plot/mystery that wraps up in book four before the hook of this particular book is delivered in the very last chapter. That hook being that there's a dead body found in Mrs. Haggerty's flower beds. Finlay, unsurprisingly, gets dragged into this situation and is trying to figure out what happened, while also dealing with Nick and how complicated it is to be committing crimes left and right while dating a detective. Especially when said detective is pretty ethical.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. For a while it was stressing me out significantly less than the first four books in the series because Finlay was keeping her crimes to misdemeanors, but, as always, she eventually levels up into felony land so I was stressed out for her. But the thing is, even when I'm stressed, with these books Cosimano perfectly manages to keep the humor and lightness present so that I'm always having a good time. I just kept texting one of my friends who has read the series like, "Finlay's doing it again." In all honesty, this book was probably one of my favorite installments in the series because of the forward progress in the romance department. I'm a big fan of Finlay and Nick and so I am hoping nothing really comes between them in the future. We'll see how that goes though, yeah? Because there will absolutely be a sixth book and I cannot wait for it either!