Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for honest feedback

Craziness abounds in this latest installment and I just can’t figure out why Finlay Donovan is incapable of saying “Yeah, no, not happening, not doing that.” She always a falls into the trap and not that it isn’t a hilarious ride, but really, who does that? I guess that is why we all love this series. It is so unpredictably predictable. The story is well written with a challenging thought process that heightens the suspense with a tongue in cheek tone of humor. All good here and looking forward to the next installment. Vero - Hold on - We are all pulling for you.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press - Minotaur Books for a copy.

I absolutely love this series! They are just so cute and clever. I recommend this series to most. I didn’t love this as much as the others but it was still good to be back reading along with some of my favorite characters.

Finlay Donovan is one of the most charming series I have ever read and "Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave" keeps that charm in full force.

Life continues to be chaotic for Finlay and her hilarious sidekick, Veronica. So much so, that readers will not want to put this book down. It is a lot of fun and I finished this is one day.

Thank you to St. Martin's for selecting me for this ARC. If Elle Cosimano writes it, I will be reading it.

You know that feeling when life has been going rapid fire for awhile and things finally start to calm down a little for you to catch your breath? That’s what the newest book in the Finlay Donovan series feels like. Don’t get me wrong … all the crazy is still there - it’s just a little bit LESS and that’s not a bad thing!

This time around Finlay’s busybody neighbor Mrs. Haggerty is under suspicion regarding a dead body found buried in her rose garden. However, the investigation soon shifts to someone else close to Finlay … her ex-husband Steven! He may be a cheater, but Finlay knows he’s not a murderer. Can she prove his innocence before the police throw the book at him?

Fifth in the Finlay Donovan series of murder mystery/comedy of errors novels, Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave is fun and lighthearted, with strong characters, and particularly strong female characters. This time, Finlay takes in her nosy battle-ax of a neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, who proceeds to take charge of the house and Finlay's kids while Finlay and Vero attempt to sleuth their way through another mystery. I'd read only the first in the series before this, and it was easy to do so. The author does a good job of recapping earlier incidents and connecting the dots with characters introduced since the first book. I didn't think it was quite as strong as the first book, but this series still has a beating heart and new directions to pursue.
[Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an opportunity to read and share my opinion of this book.]

I love the Finlay series! This latest novel in the series was hilarious and read quickly. As always, I look forward to the next instalment!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Elle Cosimano does it again! Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave is hilarious, intense, and everything I love about this series. Although it’s not necessary to read the first 4 books before reading this one, it adds a lot of depth to the storyline. Bravo, Elle! Can’t wait to hear what happens in the next story.

Finlay Donovan continues to be a fun romp of a read. Funny and entertaining, a good continuation of the series.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was my most anticipated read for 2025 and it did not disappoint. This book starts off with a body being found in our favorite nosey neighbor Mrs. Haggerty's yard. Do to past interactions with the wife of the murdered man and having done work for Mrs. Haggerty around the time of the murder Steven quickly become implicated in the murder investigation. While Finlay knows he is a cheater she knows her ex-husband didn't have an affair with the murdered mans wife. She is dead set on proving him innocent for the sake of their children.

Overall this series is one of my all time favorites. Finlay and Vero are ride of die for each other. It's nice seeing such close female friendship. I also really loved the "book club" aspect of this series. Mrs. Haggerty is great in this book. She creates absolute chaos and no one fully suspects her because she is a sweet little old lady.

I really like that Finlay finally came clean to Nick about what had happened in the past. If things were going to continue between them the truth needed to be told.

Also the ending of this book... How the hell and I supposed to wait to find out what happens next.

Also if you like audiobooks this is one of my favorite series to listen to. The narrator is absolutely perfect and has me cracking up every time.

Overall, I love this series and can't recommend it enough.

HUGE thanks to Minotaur Books & NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love Finlay and Vero so much! They are just doing their thing when Mrs. Nosey Neighbor (Mrs. Haggerty) finds a dead body in her backyard. Finlay goes to it to try to solve this crime. I didn’t know which way it was going until about halfway through, maybe a little further, but I started to see who was who. That was fun.

I love this series! It is so cute and great to read in between the more serious books I read. I loved it all the way through and can’t wait for the next one in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur books for this ARC.

Once again, we have another fun installation of the Finlay D saga! This one tied up some interesting loose ends and introduced a pretty neat storyline that wove together the past books. Not gunna lie, I thought this could have been the last one, but there was a twist at the end that set up the next. Ah, well. I’m invested 🤷🏼‍♀️

This book is what we have come to expect out of the Finlay Donovan series. This personally was my least favorite. It still has all the witty banter and mystery that we love. I just could not get behind the storyline. The ending is looking to be setting up for book 6 so I look forward to getting my hands on that! Overall, a fine read. Just not my favorite.

Many thanks to my friends at @minotaur_books and @macmillan.audio for the free #gifted copies of this book. #partner

Utterly fun. Laugh out loud funny.

I’m not a dedicated series ready. But I make certain exceptions, and Finlay and Vero are always on that list. When I queue up a new book by Cosimano, I am guaranteed an escape from life and a wildly entertaining read.

This book picks up right where the last left off. Mrs. Haggerty, Finlay’s elderly neighbor, is being released from prison after a dead body was found underneath her rose bushes. She’s been a thorn in Finlay’s side for years, but when Mrs. Haggerty needs a place to stay, Finlay can’t quite refuse. And having Mrs. Haggerty close just might help Finlay and Vero clear Steven’s name as the potential murd3r3r.

I knew Mrs. Haggerty was going to add a dynamic element to this book. But let me tell you, it was so much more than I expected. She was crotchety and endearing. She was full of surprises and sneakier than I’d imagined. I loved the way she offset and accentuated the storyline, and I can only hope she continues to be a bigger part of the next books.

While I tune in to this series for the over-the-top antics, hysterical adventures, and all-around fun, I greatly enjoyed the bigger role that romance was allowed in this new installment. Hot cop Nick!!! 🔥

Once again, this was the pure serotonin boost that I needed. I have read and loved every book in this series. But this one... THIS ONE is my FAVORITE. (I have said that before though.... Bring on book six!)

🎧I cannot read this series without hearing Angela Dawes as THE voice of Finlay Donovan. It’s her distinct portrayal that brings to life the snark and outrageousness while also immersing me into the twists of the mystery. Dawes depiction fully embodies the humor and adventure within the storyline.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars

[ thank you to the publisher for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own! ]

I truly loved this Finlay book! When looking back at this one against the first 4, it’s one of my top favs I think. I liked that we didn’t have the mafia craziness in this book. I loved how it stayed closer to home and in their neighborhood/town. Finlay & Vero are such a good pair and just make me laugh. And Vero’s comebacks about Steven, classic. I’m still here for Hot Cop Nick! 👏🏼 I will riot if they don’t stay together for the rest of the series!!

This is the 5th book in the series so you will need to read the first four before this one. Start with Finlay Donovan is Killing it and go on from there.

Elle Cosimano brings Finlay Donovan is back and there is another body in her backyard, well her neighbours:

Finlay and Vero are happy to be home and looking for things to settle down and Finlay knows that she needs to get some writing done. What neither of them expected is for a body to be found in their neighbour across the street back yard and none could believe that Mrs. Haggarty was arrested for the murder. When the police clear her, her house remains an active crime scene, she has no where to go other an into Finlay's house and Stephen now becomes the prime suspect. As much as Finlay hates Stephen at time, she can't let him be charges with murder and Finaly and Vero know a few things about murder.

I would have been fine with this series ending with book 4 as all the main plot points had been wrapped up. But I will say that it was fun to dive back into this series and this one took the more cozy roots and we seem to be done with gangsters and have moved back home with the same antics that Finlay and Vero seem to get up to in every book. I will say that they book feels familiar with some of the things that Finlay and Vero do in this book, mainly throwing all caution to the wind, but it also felt a bit predictable in the sense of oh they need to find this piece of evidence or information, what is the most crazy and outlandish way to get it.

I feel like Mrs. Haggarty was not only a great addition to the side characters but really stole the show in this book. I loved learning about Mrs. Haggarty's life and how gangster she has been in what she has chosen to do with her life. I feel like we all need a Mrs. Haggarty on our street keeping track of everything and setting things right.

This book was fun, I don’t think as good as the first two in the series, but I enjoyed it while i was reading it as I need to read something more cozy in awhile. This does end on a cliffhanger of the one plot point in the series that has not been wrapped up so I'll most likely read the next book in the series.

Enjoy!!!

Okay, so I just finished Finlay Donovan's Digs Her Own Grave, and wow. Just wow. From the very first page, I was utterly hooked. Elle Cosimano has crafted such a brilliant and hilarious story. Finlay is a character I instantly connected with – her struggles are relatable, even amidst the chaos of her accidental career. The plot twists kept me guessing, and the dark humor sprinkled throughout had me laughing out loud. I devoured this book. The pacing was perfect, the supporting characters were fantastic, and the whole thing was a joy to read. I couldn't put it down and was genuinely sad when it was over. This one is going straight to my favorite shelf.

finlay donovan digs her own grave by elle cosimano 👀 the fifth book in the finlay donovan series- she may have skeletons in her closet… but at least there's not a body in her backyard.

✨ my yearly buddy read with dadreadsalot is never a letdown when we have finlay and vero keeping us company! ✨

ME: I swear this series just keeps getting better & better 🚓 I loved this installment from start to finish- especially it’s obscure cast of characters. mrs. haggerty gets a special shoutout this time around! I really liked how finlay’s relationship progressed; now if only she can set some boundaries with people in her life! if this series ever ends, I’ll be digging my own grave 🕵🏻‍♀️ 5 stars!

DADREADSALOT: mrs. haggerty, mrs. haggerty! his favorite character finally got her time in the (police) spotlight. he liked how not only we learned more about her life but how she formed a new & improved relationship with finlay and her family. dadreadsalot said he’d join the neighborhood book club but he’d just want to be the scribe who recounts the ongoings of the ladies, not one who is involved. he can’t wait until book six 🔎 5 stars!

🎧 thank you st. martin’s press for the e-arc!

This book was funny and I enjoyed it much more than book 4 in the series. I felt like I could just enjoy Finlay and Vero and their antics and not have to keep track of complicated storylines involving mob bosses. Also Mrs. Haggerty in this book? five star.s

Finlay and Vero are back at it in book five of this series. Every installment is full of humor, mishaps, and suspense. This one continues to the fun and adds some extra romance for our favorite duo. Keep them coming, Ellie Cosimano!