💭: I love Vero, Finlay and Nick! The shenanigans continue in this book! It was entertaining as always, and held my attention! Mrs. Haggerty (Finlay’s nosy neighbor) is arrested in the one for the murder of a dead man found buried in her backyard. When she is released, she moves into Finlay’s house, much to her objections. The old woman is driving Finlay mad, and making Finlay’s investigation into the real murderer difficult.

This was hilarious, and is a page turner! I love how these books end with a cliffhanger to get you ready for the next one!❤️

I am so happy to be here and get to experience some more of my favorite cozy mystery author Elle! She has done it again in Finlay Donovan and I never thought I would get to see Mrs. Haggerty be in on excitement this time. I absolutely loved the antics between Haggerty and Cam and their new eggplant car. Poor Steven (boohoo, not really) and our sexy cop Nick back at it again with a special appearance from the provocative agent, Sylvia. I laughed so hard reading this and I needed it now with this yucky weather.

I really hope Finlay can begin to show Nick how much she can trust him and that they are totally endgame, even if Julian makes appearances here and there. Elle Cosimano can do no wrong in my book and she never disappoints with the laughs and mom speak. Another great hit and I cannot wait to see how the story ends, give me two more books please!!

This fifth installment of Finlay and Vero's antics pick up what seems like a few months later from the cliffhanger of book #4 but this time, nosy neighbor Mrs. Haggerty will be the focus for the amateur sleuths. If Finlay's life could get any more complicated and wild, this is it because after Mrs. Haggerty was taken into custody on suspicion of doing her husband in after his body was discovered literally pushing up daisies in her rose garden, she is now being dumped on Finlay's doorstep by her grandson as they await her house's utilities to be turned back on. What will only be a couple of days, according to grandson Brendan, doesn't turn out that way and her rude and expectant behavior is more than the Donovan family can deal with! And the happenings of those days will keep the reader in stitches as she turns the house on its ear as mommy Finlay tries to keep her 2 year old son in his clothes while potty training him, entertain her daughter who is stuck at home having been suspended from preschool, trying to help her ex Stephen who is considered a person of interest in the same murder Mrs. Haggerty has been cleared of, questioning a book club that Mrs. H belongs that seems very suspicious indeed while her new boyfriend Nick is just trying to fit into all this chaos somehow.
Cosimona as always does such a great job giving the reader a new episode in the nutty drama of Finlay's life while also providing refreshers from her previous books without it being too bogged down. The dialog is always entertaining and she brings back characters from previous installments with fresh nuggets of how they fit now in the new storyline. This story stuck closer to home as the suspense of what happened across the street is realized with a strong message that "you never know what goes on behind closed doors." Always funny, witty and twisty, this one will end with a cliffhanger that involves Vero and that is sure to keep the reader on the edge of their seats!!

I listened this one as an audiobook and I enjoyed it! This book was much better than the previous installment. I loved all of the shenanigans that happened in this book. I could predict what was happening but that did not take away from my enjoyment. I cannot wait for the next one!

I enjoyed this book a lot, it felt more realistic than a couple of the previous ones, more likeable "villains" so to speak. I was worried at first about her portrait of her elderly neighbor, felt too stereotypical but she later redeemed herself with the character. finlay and vero, again get caught in many misadventures as they try to clear her ex husband of a murder charge. The series overall is a fun read. It can be read as a stand alone as well.

The 5th in the Finlay series. To be honest, a bit slower in he beginning but the action kicks up way toward the end and of course leaves off on a cliff hanger which will have me coming back for number 6 next year. My most prevalent thought while reading these books is “does Finlay ever actually take care of her kids?”

Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur Publishing for allowing me to read this arc. I have read every other book in the series via audio this is my first time reading it in a different format. Although this is not the first in a series I see it as a standalone as the characters are reintroduced. Finlay Donovan is a light reading activity. with captivating characters with plenty of antics.

I love this series and book #5 might be my favorite! In this installment of the zany, cozy series, the action stays close to home -- just across the street to be precise! It's fun to see where the plot goes when a body is found in the yard of a character that has caused trouble for Finlay in the past. It's everything you've been hoping for: more shenanigans, more Nick, more Javi! After 5 books and a novella, these characters are starting to feel like family, or at least neighbors!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books and NetGalley for a review copy.

This might be my favorite installment in the Finlay Donovan series. The side topics are wide ranging — potty training, the acceptance of boys’ misbehavior and penalizing girls for taking a stand, infidelity, domestic violence (off page), alcoholism, the difficulty of establishing trust after a bad relationship… That’s all without spoilers.

I love that we are set up for book 6!
Happy publication week!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC. I also preordered via Libby and a small bookstore (in Maryland) where the author is holding an event.

📚🔍 happy pub day to the queen of cozy mysteries Elle Cosimano 🔎📚

Thank you, Minotaur Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the #gifted copies of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Is this latest adventure in the Finlayverse my favorite in the series? It's truly a close contender to the police academy moment in the third book.

There's just something extra fun about these characters creating havoc in their own neighborhood in this one. Maybe it's the nostalgia of the chaos that happened in the very first book that instantly flooded back into my soul.

Finlay books are the best kind of cozy and thrill ride that helps touch my funny bone yet makes me emotional all in three hundred plus pages. I love that we have powerful women sprinkled throughout the entire series. Even better... these fictional people will always feel like home.

Seriously, though... I don't know how to review this without spoiling all the goodness. To keep it vague. I appreciate the theme of friendship and women sticking together.

These books always bring me so much joy, and I am so grateful for Elle's imagination bringing Finlay and Vero into the world. They mean so much to a lot of us, and I am so happy that the chaos continues to unfold.

🎧 I always love listening to these audiobooks. The woman who narrates is perfect and never disappoints. She embodies Finlay and these stories so well... the Dani stamp of approval & recommendation has a permanent spot on these ear worms

I started reading this series in 2021 and I have been faithfully reading all the other books in the series since they have been published! Firstly, I am obsessed with Finlay Donovan as a main character, which is why I love this series so much. But now onto the current book...I loved the mystery aspect and felt like I was on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen! I loved the plot and still loved all the characters I've been loving for years now. This book and series is perfect for anyone who loves a little romance and a little thriller. I hope I get to read more about Finlay's adventures soon!

Thank you NetGalley and Elle Cosimano for an ARC in exchange for a review.

Another great Finlay book! I just love this series. In this book, we got more of an inside glimpse of the nosy neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty. Finlay and Vero definitely have more crazy adventures in this one. And, of course, there was Nick 🥵 Elle Cosimano is a genius with this series. It’s very entertaining. And the audiobook narrator, Angela Dawe, was great as usual. She really brings these characters to life. I can’t wait for the next one!!! Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the early copy of this book! I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is a fun series! Finlay’s neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, has always been nosy and has kept track of all the neighborhood transgressions. Well, the tables have been turned after the discovery of a body buried in her garden. Mrs. Haggerty is eventually cleared as a suspect, but as the investigation continues the focus falls on Finlay’s ex husband. Finlay knows he’s guilty of cheating, but she believes he isn’t a killer. Finlay and Vero have no choice but to find the real murderer or Finlay’s children will only see their father on visiting days at the prison. The mystery was entertaining and had the chaos and shenanigans that readers have come to love as Finlay and Vero investigate. Each book in the series does tell a complete story, but why deprive yourself of experiencing the characters, humor, chaos and zany situations from the very beginning.

thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for the e-ARC of this book for my honest review <3


i have been looking forward to this book ever since i’ve gotten caught up in this series! you would think that since we’re now five books deep into this story it would become old, but it definitely is still just as entertaining as it was in the beginning. elle cosimano has made it so readers will have fallen in love with each character (even our nosy elderly neighbor that may be a convicted murderer lol). us readers are rooting for the love interest between the not-so single mom and the hot detective cop!!

i read this book so fast and it did feel like the story was going at a faster speed than the others. i would have liked to see more of vero in this book, and especially more of javi/vero but i imagine we’ll definitely receive that in the next book. the twist in the end was definitely fun and i am a fan in general of mrs haggerty so i liked how we were able to learn more about her. overall, this book was great. also, why is it always steven getting himself in these situations!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Elle Cosimano for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave coming out March 4, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I’ve really loved this series. I love the cozy mystery mixed with the shenanigans that Finlay goes through. I have to say this book wasn’t my favorite in the series though. There were a few instances where I thought Finley was acting a little too irrational. I was hoping for a little more progression in some areas. However, I’ll continue to read books by this author! I love her writing.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mysteries!

A hilarious and fast-paced mystery with Finlay Donovan and Vero once again caught in the middle of chaos! When their nosy neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, becomes entangled in a murder case, the duo is reluctantly pulled into another wild investigation. Full of witty banter, unexpected twists, and laugh-out-loud moments, this installment is a must-read for fans of the series!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and author Elle Cosimano for the opportunity to review the advance copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

This series has rightfully earned a spot as one of my favorites! Each book gets better, and continues to bring elements of humor, mystery and a relatable family shenanigans aspect! ..Digs Her Own Grave did not disappoint on any of those fronts. I loved the addition of Mrs. Haggerty, and the mystery brought along with her in this story. Thank you @ellecosimano for another wonderful read!

Happy pub day to Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by @ellecosimano—the only series I read religiously! I’m so grateful to @minataur_books for a e-arc and to @macmillan.audio for an ALC of this one. If you’re a Finaly fan, you’re absolutely going to want to grab a copy. And if you’re not a fan yet, I’d still recommend grabbing a copy, but not until you’ve read the other books first.

It’s so hard to talk about this series without spoilers, but I’ll try to be as vague as possible. This installment of writer turned amateur detective Finlay and her best friend/nanny Vero involves a body found buried in their crochety neighbor’s Mrs. Haggerty’s back yard. When a person close them is suspected of being the killer, Finlay and Vero must figure out how to solve the case without drawing too much (or any) attention on their past crimes.

This book is just as funny as the rest of the series. We have Mrs. Haggerty—whose house is still a crime scene—moving in with Finlay and Vero. She criticizes everything they do, but is also surprisingly helpful with Finlay’s kids. We have all the usual antics that make this series so fun. Wigs, other disguises, breaking and entering, a book club, Finlay’s over-the-top agent Sylvia, run-ins with police from different departments. And we get a huge step forward in Finlay’s romance with hot cop Nick which I absolutely loved.

While this book really wouldn’t work well as a stand-alone, I also really appreciated that the central mystery in the story was pretty self-contained. I didn’t have to remember details from the other books to follow anything and the mystery wraps up at the end of the book perfectly. Which is not to say there isn’t the kind of cliffhanger I’ve come to expect from this series, because there absolutely is. And as soon as I finished the last page, I was already dying for book number six.

Angela Dawe is back narrating which is perfect because her voice has become synonymous with Finlay’s quick wit and worrying. This series is such a blast to listen to. I highly recommend the audiobook, but I don’t think you’ll be disappointed however you read the newest installment.

Elle has done it again! In the next installment of Finlay Donovan series, we follow Finlay and Vero as they navigate living with Mrs. Haggerty, once again proving Steven is not a murderer, and potty training.

I love the adventures that we always end up going on with Finlay and Vero. I would definitely say this book did not have the same adventure, mystery and high stakes drama that we’ve seen in the previous books. But I don’t think that took away from what we got. Watching the relationship between Finlay and Nick change was definitely a high point of this installment. And the cliffhanger!! Ahhh

I also listened to the audio. Angela Dawe did an amazing job as always! She brings Finlay and Vero to life in ways that my brain reading the book just couldn’t.

This series is perfect for fans of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum Mysteries, which is where my lore started!

FINLAY DONOVAN DIGS HER OWN GRAVE

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My love for this series knows no bounds and I thoroughly enjoyed this latest installment. It was a fresh mystery with a lot of moral grey area we’ve come to see from our characters. Finlay and Vero are up to their old antics all throughout the story but I really liked the character growth I saw. There’s also a meddling octogenarian who turns Finlay’s life upside down (and right side up in some ways). I feel like this book revived the series and I look forward to more shenanigans from Finlay and her crew.

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