This may have been my favorite of the Finlay Donovan series. I feel like I really KNOW these characters and I just love how each series gets deeper into their relationships and also spotlights one or two others who have made a small presence in other books. Mrs. Haggerty is the best! You think you know her but that woman has layers! I sped through this book in 2 days - could not put it down. Also love the ending open to potentially a sixth????

When a body is dug up in Mrs. Haggerty’s backyard, Finlay and Vero begrudgingly welcome unexpected houseguest Mrs. Haggerty. But an extra houseguest isn’t the only thing Finaly and Vero need to figure out. In order to get Mrs. Haggerty back home they must solve the murder. And that includes proving Finlay’s ex-husband’s innocence as he has been arrested and is the main suspect.

With the usual hilarious antics and colorful characters along with a few heartfelt moments, this newest installment does not disappoint.

When another body surfaces, this time it's too close for comfort. Finlay's neighbor Mrs. Haggerty is quickly cleared of suspicion, but Steven's role is less clear--after all, he landscaped Mrs. Haggerty's yard around the time the victim was buried there.

When Mrs. Haggerty decides to take refuge at Finlay's home, Finlay begrudgingly allows the intrusion, thinking it's only a short-term stay. With everything else at odds and ends in her life, what's one uninvited, crabby guest?

In true Finlay&Vero style, this murder/mystery/adventure/romance packs it all in. Unlike FD Rolls the Dice, this one slowed down in pace, concentrating on Finlay clearing her ex-husband's name. Thankfully, he's under lock and key for most of the novel, which allows Finlay time to get her head above water far enough to take a quick breath and wrest a little order into the chaos (just a little).

Thank you to Minotaur and NetGalley for access to the ARC. I do not receive compensation for my review.

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave is the latest installment in Elle Cosimanos’ Finaly Donovan series about a writer who keeps getting tangled up in unsavory business. I am addicted to this series, and Digs Her Own Grave is one of my favorite novels in the series.

I adore Finlay and her nanny/bookkeeper sidekick, Vero. Their hilarious banter and friendship are pure magic. They play off each other’s personalities and strengths. Their respective love interests, Detective Nick and Javi are charming additions to the series. I love the building tension between Finlay and Nick.

Cam, the teenaged hacker, has a bit more than a cameo in Digs Her Own Grave. Ms. Cosimanos truly captured the heart and mind of a teenaged boy in her characterization of Cam. Mrs. Hagerty, the nosey old lady who lives across the street from Finlay, is featured in this latest installment. She stays true to her cantankerous image, making her easy to dislike, and yet, the character is impressive in her ability to get things done. She is not to be underestimated!

Digs Her Own Grave is so fun! Finlay and Vero are a dynamic duo with snappy banter. I’m very invested in these two strong, interesting characters (and their love interests). Each book in the series presents more twists for Finlay and Vero as they both work toward digging themselves out of the messy, tangled situations they accidentally find themselves in. The book ends with a cliffhanger of sorts that provides a captivating segue to the next installment.

Hey hey, the gang's all here. Nice to see the main characters back to solve a mystery, I was expecting more than it gave. However, I still enjoyed it. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This was nice read on a chilly day with a cup of spiked tea (not needed, but it was nice).

This installment in the Finley Donovan series is my favorite since the first book. Finlay and Vero are back with more shenanigans, but I think this book was toned down from the previous few as far as just how much trouble and impossible situations they wind up in. I liked being back in Finlay’s world with the same characters such as Vero, Javi, Cam, Nick the hot cop, Mrs. Haggerty the neighbor, along with a few new characters.

Finlay and Vero haven’t always gotten along with their elderly neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, who loves across the street. She is the neighborhood busybody and know-it-all, and monitors all the things happening on their street. When a body is found buried in her backyard, she becomes a suspect, but then is released. Since her home is a crime scene she has nowhere to go and winds up living at Finlay’s house with Vero and the kids. Finlay’s ex, Steven, is being held in jail for the crime of the murdered body, so Finlay must figure out who really did it and try to clear his name. Finlay and Vero have to figure out what Mrs. Haggerty is really up to before Mrs. Haggerty can do the same for them.

This book was a fun and light read. I enjoyed seeing the gang brought back together and involved in this latest story. I will be recommending this book to my book club and friends!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars. I really enjoyed this installment of the FInlay Donovan series and feel like I am now pulled back in. After the last couple of books I felt like the series was a bit too full of hijinks and was going off the rails in way that felt too unbelievable - but the focus on a different mystery in this one reeled me back. I loved the actual story arc and the insight into Mrs. Haggerty - who I hope we continue to see in the future. Looking forward to the next one!

4.25/5

Thank you @minotaur_books #partner for the gifted copy of this book!

Finlay is back again and she has been successful at making me laugh out loud all over again! This time the shenanigans revolve around her nosy neighbor Mrs. Haggerty and the dead body found in her yard. Mrs. Haggerty is swiftly arrested but after the police poke around, they release her because she’s of course innocent. 👀 Her home is still a crime scene still so naturally she ends up in the only place she can possible go….Finlay’s house.

This book is maybe tied to be a favorite in this series next to the first book. From the opening scene with Vero in the principals office to the funny one liners the whole way through, this book just solidified why I keep coming back for more. I love how Elle is able to keep using these characters and inserting them into the most hilariously frightening scenarios. Vero, Finlay’s nanny, continues to be an absolute riot and a favorite character of mine. She is an epic side character with her snarky and sassy comments. I just can’t get enough of her! And Steven, poor Steven…keeps getting himself into hot water and doesn’t even know why! 😆 Ahhh, just such a funny, giggle worthy, rib tickling, entertaining read! I simply loved this one! Thank you Elle for sharing Finlay and Vero with us! We love them!

*4.5 stars. This is such a fun read! A whodunit with lots of action, danger, and hijinks, with some hot romance thrown in. Probably the best of the five in the series so far.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this new mystery via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

I felt so comforted reading this and being back in Finlay’s world. This time, a dead body is discovered in Mrs. Haggerty’s yard. She becomes a suspect, but then is quickly cleared. However, her house is still a crime scene, so she needs somewhere to live. Her grandson, Brandon, asks Finlay to take her in, especially since her house is just across the street. Finlay grudgingly allows Mrs. Haggerty to stay. Mrs. Haggerty is a terrible houseguest. She takes over Finlay’s bedroom, makes disparaging remarks about her parenting capabilities, and needs rides to her book club. In the meantime, Finlay’s ex-husband becomes the main suspect. Finlay doesn’t mind her ex sitting in jail for a few nights, but she needs to find out who the real killer is and clear her ex’s name. It’s fun to see the regular characters back - Vero, Nick, Javi, Cam, Joey, and Mrs. Haggerty. Although this book doesn’t have as much action as some of the other books in the series, I was still very entertained and had a hard time putting the book down.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was just OK definitely not as good as the first one in the series however, still enjoy the story the plot the characters Finlay is still a funny girl to me!

Another delightful book from Cosimano. A few less highjinks than we are used to with these two but they still get themselves in a few pickles. Loved seeing more Nick and Finn. And Vero and Javi!!

And that ending. 🫢

5 stars for this laugh-out-loud hilarious tale.. my favorite in the series! The premise unfolds after a body is discovered buried in (Finlays’ neighbor) Mrs. Haggerty’s backyard. Yep you heard that right, a body. This was wild and fun with a mix of mystery and sticky situations. Mrs. Haggerty is cleared of any wrongdoing but the police take Finlay’s ex-husband Steven in for questioning. Finlay (and Vero) are now pushed in to yet another murder mystery, this time to prove Steven’s innocence by uncovering the older neighbors secrets before the police dig up theirs.. all the while Finlay is dealing with her own life problems. And as if that isn’t enough, the elderly grumpy/nosy Mrs. Haggerty moves in with Finlay while her home is being investigated as a crime scene by the police.. and let me tell you she’s a riot! This fifth book in the series was a blast and I can’t wait to see if Cosimano is able to top it. Pub. 3/4/25

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I hope this series never ends! There is nothing better than a female duo that are constantly trying to keep their secrets hidden, solve mysteries and keep the kids fed. Finlay and Vero are definitely the Lucy and Ethel of the cozy mystery world. In the fifth book, Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave, Finlay and Vero, get involved in a murder mystery when a body is found in their elderly neighbor Mrs. Haggerty's backyard. Mrs. Haggerty is known for being the nosy neighbor and the president of the neighborhood watch and has always been a pain for Finlay and Vero. Now she has no choose then to seek refuge at Finlay's home after being cleared as a suspect.The interactions between these three women add so much humor as they deal with the mystery of the dead body. Elle Cosimano has brought us another engaging story, making it a must-read for both fans and newcomers. With it's charming characters and humor this book leaves us excited for Finlay and Vero's next adventure.

I’ve been looking forward to reading this book since I finished the FINLAY DONOVAN ROLLS THE DICE. This book is just as wild and crazy as the this whole series has been. I love how Cosimano writes these characters. Each book, she stay true to this world she’s created. This series has been so fun. These books are definitely made to read one after the other, so you can get a sense of the whole crazy, page-turning picture.

In this book, Finlay and Vero are trying to figure out who framed Steven for the body found in Mrs. Haggerty’s back yard. And it takes the story down a road I wasn’t expecting. So many twists and turns! And I loved every second. There were characters that surprised me. One I won’t say because that would blow the whole thing and spoil too much. But where the story goes is unexpected and I enjoyed how Cosimano developed all five of these books and ties them all together so well.

I received a NetGalley copy of both the ebook and the ALC. Huge thank you to the publisher for the Read Now and approval!

I look forward to the new Finlay Donovan book every spring and none of them have disappointed. It’s always very entertaining to see what Finlay and Vero are up to, and the fifth book in this series had the fun addition of Mrs, Haggerty, the neighborhood watch.

Summary: Finlay Donovan and her partner-in-crime, Vero, have not always gotten along with Finlay’s elderly neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, the community busybody and neighborhood watch, but when a dead body is discovered in her backyard, Mrs. Haggerty needs their help. Her house remains an active crime scene even after she is cleared as a suspect and she has nowhere to go, except Finlay’s house, right across the street. Finlay and Vero have no interest in getting involved in another murder case—or sacrificing either of their bedrooms, but when the focus of the investigation widens to include Finlay’s ex-husband, Steven, Finlay and Vero are left with little choice but to get closer to Mrs. Haggerty and uncover her secrets before the police start digging up theirs.

Readers have to suspend a bit of reality with this entire series, and if youre able to, you’re in for a wild ride with this duo. Highly recommend! Thanks for sharing it with me!

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano proves once again that Finlay is the hot mess express I will happily ride into absolute chaos. If you thought ghostwriting a hitman’s memoir, dodging the Russian mob, and accidentally getting tangled in murder-for-hire schemes was enough for one suburban mom/crime novelist—think again.

This time, Finlay’s very questionable life choices take her even deeper into the underworld, and honestly, it’s a miracle she hasn’t just faked her own death and moved to a tropical island. But instead of making smart, rational decisions, she and her ride-or-die bestie Vero double down on the madness with more disguises, more crime-adjacent shenanigans, and more absolutely unhinged antics that had me cackling.

TL;DR: If you love the energy of a mom who forgot her kids’ PTA meeting because she was too busy solving a murder, but make it high stakes and hilarious—this is your book.

Another cute and fast-paced story from Finlay Donovan, a suburban mom, who seems to have an ever-increasing clan of support. Nevertheless she gets herself and her husband out of a scrape, and come cleans to her hot cop boyfriend, while turning down a tv option of her latest book. Plenty to do, plenty of callbacks from prior books in the series, and her children are growing up...

Elle Cosimano has done it again, perfectly combined humor, unbelievable shenanigans, and a lovable bunch of characters. In this installment with Finlay, she is trying to potty train Zach, Delia stands up for herself, Steven has another run in with the law, and Mrs Hagerty is always in the know. This book gives readers some big story line wrap ups and also leaves off on just as big of a cliff hanger as ever.
Worth the read if you have been invested in Finlay from the start.
I was provided an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

I find this series to be mostly slapstick humor. There are usually a lot of potty jokes, dead bodies being moved, and generally just very over-the-top humorous, but unrealistic stuff. It's a series you pick up when you are in the mood for something that is just entertaining without being serious.

Although fun, the previous books all had something that I wasn't a huge fan of. There was a little bit of a love triangle in a couple of the earlier books and I didn't love the path the series was taking with a lot of mafia connections. Although I enjoyed the books, I had originally decided not to read the most recent two installments. However, I ended up doing a buddy read with some GR friends and I'm really glad I did. I think this was my favorite of the series.

I felt this one was a little less slapstick than the previous books and I was happy that some of the older storylines were wrapped up. There was some character development and growth that was interesting and made the story feel fresh again. It had a slightly different feel than the previous books, but it was still a lot of fun. I'm curious to see if that will continue to be the case in future installments.

This book and the previous one opened up some possible storylines that could be interesting to pursue and of course ended with a teaser. I am once again looking forward to the next book in the series.