When Finlay's elderly neighbor's (Mrs. Haggerty) house becomes a crime scene, she turns to Finlay for a place to stay for the weekend until things get cleared up. Amidst trips to book club and late night neighborhood watches, Vero and Finlay are beyond ready for this sleepover to come to an end.

FINLAY DONOVAN DIGS HER OWN GRAVE was such a fun addition to the Finlay series!

The hijinks were top-tier and the potty training debacle added some levity while feeling true to life.

We got more Cam, Nick, and Javi in this one and are left with quite the cliffhanger as we near the end of this series 👀

Overall, I found this to be a really fun continuation of Finlay and Vero's adventures together!

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review - out March 4!

i love this series and this one is definetely one of my favourites in the series. A fun and cozy mystery that i definitely recommend

thank you publisher and netgalley. all thoughts are my own

I think I enjoyed this book even more than the previous. It’s fast, but doesn’t seem as chaotic. There is more characters & it’s more diverse.. The action is more evenly spread between them. FinlayDonovanDigsHerOwnGrave #NetGalley

3.5*
The dynamic duo of Finlay and Vero are pulled into a murder mystery once again! I always enjoy this series, but this one wasn't quite as funny and action packed as the previous novels. Mrs. Haggerty stole the show for me on this one though. We finally got the story on the nosy neighbor across the street and her antics did not disappoint. I really grew to like her by the end. Speaking of the end, while a few loose ends were tied up, we still ended on another unexpected cliffhanger! I can't wait to see what misadventures are coming Finlay and Vero's way in book 6!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for my review!

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave was a great addition to the Finlay Donovan series! I think I enjoyed this one more than the last two instalments of the series as well! In book 5, Finlay and Vero are back at it when a body is found in their neighbour's backyard. I absolutely loved getting to spend more time with Finlay and Vero, as well as the other characters, including Cam, Nick and Javi! I enjoyed the story of this one and felt it was easier to follow than some of the past ones. I liked how the author shared some details from the previous books in this one which was a great refresher for me. This one ended on a bit of a cliffhanger for me and I'm wondering (and hoping) that we'll get another book in this series in the near future!

Overall, I enjoyed this one and rated it 4.5 stars! If you are looking for a fun and entertaining series that is part cozy mystery and part romance, that is filled with humour, check out the Finlay Donovan series! I definitely recommend reading them in order, but this one comes out March 4!

Thank you to NetGalley, St.Martin's Press and Minotaur Books for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of my favorite mystery series and this installment is one of my most anticipated reads of the year.

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave did not disappoint! As has been true throughout this series, if it can go wrong, it does…and hilarity ensues.

The consistency is f the characters across this series is fantastic. I absolutely love this series and I never want it to end.

Thank you the the publisher and netgalley for a complimentary copy of this book, both ebook and audio. I leave this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.

Who would think Mrs. Haggerty the obnoxious neighbor across the street would have a body in her backyard AND move into Finlay’s house. If you have read this series before, you know craziness has truly arrived in Finlay’s house. We always knew Mrs. Haggerty was a manager but who knew she would restructure Finlay’s kids, Delia and Zach’s lives. If you previously enjoyed the earlier books, you’ll love this one. #netgalley

Although this is a great series, and you should read all of the books that come before this one, there is really no need to. You won't find yourself getting lost since the author does a great job of brushing us up on some of the past adventures.

This book does end with a bit of a cliffhanger.

This book is a tad steamy but not really descriptive with the love scenes.

One of the things that prevented me from giving this a five-star review is that I find that Finaly is a total pushover. She allows people to take advantage of her without even a whimper on her part.

Otherwise, this is a great, cozy, fast read, and it is well worth digging up the earlier books. Many of them are free to borrow/or buy with KU.

*ARC supplied by the publisher Minotaur Books, the author, and NetGalley.

Elle Cosimano does it again. Finlay and Vero can't seem to keep herself out of trouble. I listened as I read. It's a fast, entertaining listen! Nick is still my favorite I can't get enough of him!! Thank you to Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for the gifted ARCs.

Fun, with memorable characters😀

This light-hearted book is definitely the best in the series so far IMO. And Finlay's elderly nosy neighbor/murder suspect Margaret stole the show. Finlay's two young kids started the comical scenarios in the first pages and, though their appearances are scattered, they lend such whimsy. And, yes, there's a murder mystery and romance too. All work so well together that reading F.D. Digs Her Own Grave was the light, frothy highlight of my week.

Steven, Finlay's ex, is at the center of the plot while remaining largely in the background, nabbed by the Loudoun County Police for suspected murder and burial of his elderly victim in the neighbor's rose garden. No matter what indignities Steven imposed on Finlay through his cheating, Finlay believes her kid's father is innocent and, to get him off the charges, starts investigating to determine who's really culpable. Quite a romp and, with the help of her decidedly shady contacts, she succeeds in winkling out the true chain of events. In the meantime, she's coping with Margaret as an uninvited houseguest, her five year old daughter home on suspension from school, and her man-crazy literary agent making a play for turning Finlay's murder mysteries into a hot project for Hollywood.

And her romance with Nick the cop turns quite touching and somewhat heated.

Decidedly worth the read time!

Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Review shared on 2/27/25 on Waterstones, Goodreads, Bookbub, and with Barnes & Noble and BAM. To be shared with kobo and Google Play upon publication.

This series gets better with each new book! Thank you @minotaur_books and @macmillan.audio for my early reading and listening copies of @ellecosimano ‘s new release, FINLAY DONOVAN DIGS HER OWN GRAVE, out March 4, 2025.

Finlay and Vero are the funniest BFF duo I’ve read in a long time. Each novel in this series can be read as a standalone, but it is TOTALLY worth it to start at the very beginning and enjoy the growth of this series.

Steven, Finlay’s ex is still around, Nick is still around, the agent, Sylvia is still around, and of course Mrs. Haggerty is around, and becomes one of the central characters in this new installment.

I really enjoyed Mrs. Haggerty’s antics in FDDHOG through Finlay’s perspect with brought so many laugh out loud moments as only these “I can’t believe this is happening to them but it is hilarious!” woven with just enough mystery that I wonder what is going to happen next. All of that to say this is the perfect cleansing, easy reading series.

I love these books they are my guilty pleasure. Such quick reads and laugh out loud. Can't wait until the next installment.

I want to thank the publisher for granting me both an ARC and an ALC in exchange for an honest review. This allowed me to experience one of my favorite ways to enjoy books—immersive reading!

I requested Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave not only because I adore Finlay, Vero, and the ever-entertaining supporting cast Elle Cosimano has created, but also because the title itself felt like a clever nod to an important plot point from an earlier book in the series—and I was right! (IYKYK). I was also excited to see nosy neighbor Mrs. Haggerty take center stage in this installment, and she did not disappoint.

Mrs. Haggerty is just as much the star of this book as Finlay and Vero. Following her on her neighborhood watch walks, peeking into her book club, and uncovering the extent of her knowledge about the ongoing mystery made for a thoroughly enjoyable read. Watching her interact with Finlay’s kids added an extra layer of depth to her character, but the most rewarding part of her story was seeing just how far she would go to be an ally—and that’s all I can say without spoilers!

Of course, no Finlay Donovan book would be complete without a few standout moments. The Eggplant had me laughing out loud, and Finlay’s vulnerability in the final chapters was particularly well done. And, as expected, Cosimano delivers yet another tantalizing cliffhanger. I already can't wait for book six!

Finlay and Vero are back. Adding the unexpected duo of Cam and Mrs. Haggerty made this book such a fun continuations of this series. I did not realized this series takes place over only a couple months time frame. I truly could never get tired of this world.

Thank you Minotaur book and NetGalley for the ARC.

This 5th entry in the Finlay Donovan series is another cute funny light mystery! It picks up right where the last book left off with the discovery of a dead body in the yard of the busybody old lady who lives across the street. When Finlay’s ex-husband is accused of the crime, Finlay and Vero take it upon themselves to investigate.

If you enjoy this series, I’m sure you’re going to enjoy this one too! And if you haven’t but you’re in the mood for a light silly read, go back and start with book one! Seriously, don’t even try to read this without reading the others - but I did appreciate that the mystery of this one was a little more standalone. As for me, as long as Elle Cosimano keeps writing books in this series, I’ll keep reading it!

4.5 Stars for Elle Cosimano's Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave. I initially hadn't realized that this book was the fifth book in a series. I promptly added the rest of this series to my TBR. Finlay and Vero's adventures kept me interested and guessing throughout the duration of the book. Mrs. Haggerty's character was fantastic and I enjoyed trying to figure out how she fit into the puzzle. Honestly, I do feel as though this book could be read as a standalone. Based on the ending, we will certainly get a sixth book and I can't wait!

Thank you for the ARC! Highly recommend!

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave is the latest instalment of the Finlay Donovan series, this book picks up right after the end of book 4. However, I think this book could be read as a standalone as the author does a great job reminding the readers what happened in the previous books, so if one has not read them or if one has read them so long ago they do not remember they get these fun quick reminders of what led to the events happening in this book.

Finlay and Vero are back, which they still are my favourite duo, I love the way their friendship and banter is written. However, this relationship becomes a trio when we get Mrs Haggerty living with them, which was a great dynamic and she was already such an interesting character and it was great to see her becoming a bigger badass. Also, we get more depth into Finlay and Nick's relationship, which I loved as I think Nick is amazing.

Overall, this book was a fun quick read just like the other books of the series and I love that the author does such a great job creating great strong personalities and making them seem real.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Finlay Donovan is a full time mom who finds herself short on resources after her attorney husband leaves her for someone else. In the first episode, she finds herself with a corpse that she may or may not have killed; fearing the worst, she disposes of it, and the next thing she knows, her name is on some sort of dark web list of killers for hire. By the time she realizes she’s innocent, it’s too late to put the toothpaste back in the tube.

Other things have happened since then, of course, as we find ourselves now on the fifth installment. Present and accounted for is her nanny and close friend, Vero Ruiz, a woman with the kind of street smarts that can come in handy when the chips are down. In this episode there are several recurring characters, and the reader is strongly advised to go back and read the first Finlay before diving in. It’s not as if you can’t just start with this one, but you’ll be missing half of the jokes and jibes if you do.

My great thanks go to St. Martin’s Press Early Readers program and NetGalley for the review copy. This book will be available March 4, 2025.

Finlay’s nosy neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, assumes a central role this time around when a body is exhumed from her backyard. Her home is declared a crime scene, and before Finlay even has time to react, the woman has installed herself in Finn’s guest room. A beat or two later, Stephen, Finlay’s ex, husband of her two children, is arrested for murdering the corpse that’s been found!

One of my favorite parts of this series is watching the dynamics between Finlay and her ex. On the one hand, the guy is philanderer, and he’s kind of a weasel. Yet, though Vero urges Fin to let justice take its course and stay out of it, Finlay has to defend him. Stephen is the father of her children, and they don’t need to grow up being told their daddy is a murderer. Also? The child support will dry up quick as a whistle if Stephen no longer makes money. And part of what I love about this, is that, in broad strokes, it outlines a dilemma that any number of women with children face. Life is full of nuance, and although this is not literary fiction, not intended to be known for its depth, it does honor the shades of gray faced by so many women. It makes the whole story more relatable.

Mrs. Haggerty also proves to be far more interesting than we previously believed, and that’s all I’m going to say about that. However, I do admire Cosimano’s capacity to juggle a million tiny, moving parts without creating inconsistencies. Once or twice I have seen what looks like an inconsistency, but then it turns out to have been written that way for a reason, usually to expose someone or something.

As the series progresses, I see more critics howling that the series isn’t what it was. Of course they’re right, in a way; when the series grows, the author has to make changes to prevent becoming a one trick pony. But I admire the way Cosimano handles the growth.

One small moan: yes, yes, yes. We can see that Finlay is hot for Nick, her cop boyfriend (the only trite element so far.) And yes, yes, yes, we can see that Vero is madly in love with her sweetheart, a fellow who she’s adored since her teens. We get it. Finlay and Vero are not a couple. We don’t need it hammered in any further, or at least, I don’t. For that matter, I wouldn’t be all that disturbed if they were. But the increased emphasis on their two romances bears just the tiniest whiff if hysteria. It’s not necessary. Finn’s love for Vero and vice versa, is not a lesbian love, but about the family we choose. So, let it rest already. Relax! The lesbian role is fulfilled by Finlay’s cop sister, Georgia, who stays firmly in the background where, apparently, some in the industry believe lesbian characters belong.

Sheesh!

That wee rant aside, I enjoyed this book very much. I heartily recommend it to you, and I cannot wait to read the next in the series.

Elle Cosimano has done it again! This is my favorite book in the series! I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out how all the pieces fit together!

Finlay and Vero are back at it again on an adventure this time to prove that Steven isn’t a murderer! A body is found in Mrs. Haggerty’s back yard and Steven is the number one suspect. Nothing is as it seems on this strange sequence of events! All the usual suspects are along for the ride, including “hot cop” Nick!

Run don’t walk to pick this one up it’s fantastic!

Thank you to Elle Cosimano, Minotaur publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This is such a fun series and I really enjoyed this book! I love the characters and the shenanigans they get up to. It was an easy listen and the narrator was fantastic!