Another great installment in the Finlay Donovan saga. This one does wrap up some plot lines which is MUCH appreciated as some of the unknowns were dragging on a bit. I always fully related to Finlay's messiness in her life and do enjoy her escapades!

This book was wonderful! After really disliking Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun and skipping Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed book #5 in this series. This book reminded me of why I was so entranced with the first book in the series - hilarious moments without feeling *too* over the top, great side characters, funny kid moments, and some heartfelt romance. I will definitely recommend this book to my audience and am glad to have Elle Cosimano back in my good graces! Thanks for an entertaining read.

This was the best of the six Finlay Donovan books I’ve read.
Finlay isn't embroiled in extreme craziness. The reader doesn’t have to take giant leaps of disbelief to enjoy the story. There's a murder mystery that involves her ex-husband Steven in a very logical way. Finlay gets involved because she believes Steven is innocent. All the regular characters are here but in smaller doses. Mrs. Haggerty, the nosy neighbor, plays a huge role, but she also helps Finlay in unexpected ways. There is humor and romance and SPOILER she even comes clean with Nick. I was very satisfied with the ending except that the epilogue leaves readers with a cliffhanger.

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave had a bit more mystery than the earlier books. I enjoyed the slower pace in the beginning and loved seeing Nick and Finlay team up for part of the investigation. The book still has a craziness with the kids, ridiculous situations and a cast of characters we have grown to love. In this book,, we learn more about Mrs Haggerty. I enjoyed the mystery around her, but I did feel the ending was very rushed and summarized. I am not a fan of the hurried ending, but I am looking forward to the next book in this series. I love how the books pick up where the last one ends and I recommend to read them in order.

Finlay Donovan does it again! I'm a huge fan of Finlay and her nanny, Vero and I really enjoyed “Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave”. They are always right in the middle of an unintentional case with severe consequences if caught. In this mystery, a body is found at her elderly next door neighbor’s house. The police have accused Finlay's ex-husband and the race is on to figure out who did it before he is charged with murder. I was instantly hooked into the mystery featuring Mrs. Haggerty because of how she was featured in the other books, and what phenomenal supporting character she is. I have to say I loved how she took Finlay’s children under her wing. I am a huge fan of these books just because the humor adds so much to the story. Between Vero and Finlay, the shenanigans don't stop. This is the book for you if you want a light mystery with some hilarious scenarios thrown in. There were so many callbacks to the previous stories and some delicious closure at the end. I love how all the characters have grown since the start of the series, and I can’t wait to see where they all go from here. I cannot wait to find out what happens next after the epilogue. Thanks to Netgalley, Elle Cosimano, St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books for an e-arc in exchange for my thoughts. I can’t wait for Elle’s next book

Another book about the adventures of Finlay and Vero. I had fun reading this one. You never know what you’re going to get with these two. I find it light and entertaining. I enjoyed the side characters this time too.

Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for my advanced e copy in exchange for my honest review.

Publish date: March 4, 2025

Another hilarious and incredibly entertaining story! I’ve listened to all the other books in the series and couldn’t wait to dive into this one as well. It did not disappoint! Cameos from all my favorite characters, a little bit of mystery, tons of hilarious/embarrassing/relatable moments, and a mom who is just tryna get by. Loved it and would 100% recommend!

4.25 stars

I think this was my favorite in the series so far. The plot/mystery was a lot of fun and I liked the old lady book club. There was enough drama and tension to keep the book moving without feeling too crazy.
You also get a lot of Nick and Finlay relationship progression which I loved. I’ve always loved them together and they were so good in this book. I really enjoyed that we got to see them opening up and trusting each other and that Nick was more involved in the crime solving shenanigans a result.
This book was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed it!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the Arc!!

That ending!!!! How dare this book end on the cliffhanger I’ve been wanting since the beginning?

The mystery in this was really well done & I’m shocked to say this book made me like Mrs. Haggerty, the nosy neighbor.

I am very happy that the plot did not have anything to do with the mob stories of the past books.

So yeah, I’m waiting on the edge of my seat for the next book.

Enjoyed this continuation of the series! It was nice to see all the main characters back and seeing all of the antics they get up to. Thank you Netgalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

When a dead body is found buried in nosy neighbor Mrs. Haggerty's backyard, Finlay and Vero once again find themselves roped into helping solve the mystery. At first, Mrs. Haggerty is the key suspect, but she is soon released. With her house an active crime scene and nowhere to go, she moves in with Finlay and Vero (who are not at all happy about that). The more Finlay and Vero learn about Mrs. Haggerty's whereabouts, the more they think that the whole situation doesn't pass the smell test. There are even more crazy situations that Finlay and Vero get themselves into and out of and lots more laughs. Thanks to #netgalley and #minotaurbooks for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly? I don’t think I’ll ever tire of the Finlay Donovan universe and the way Elle writes these books. And we get to see more of Mrs. Haggerty?! This was just an absolute treat. Along with our girls, Javi, and Nick, this extra layer of hilarity with poor Mrs. Haggerty staying with the girls made this even more fun than ever! The suspects for murder? With Mrs. Haggerty cleared, we’ve certainly got a cast. Steven. Mrs. Haggerty’s book club. The delivery guy? (Not really him but that sounded fun to say.) If you’re a fan of the previous four books in the series, you’ll be just as happy with this one, I promise!

I love this series so much! Even though it does give me so much anxiety! This was probably my least favorite but I still really enjoyed it. It just felt like it didn’t quite have the same spark as the others. I do love all of these crazy characters. Mrs. Haggerty was getting on my dang nerves though! That old bitty would’ve been back at her house real quick lol. I thought the build up to the confession was a little lackluster but I’m looking forward to the next installment and will absolutely continue on with this very loveable series.

Finlay and Vero are back in book 5 of the Finlay Donovan series - along with all our other favorites such as Nick, Mrs. Haggerty and Cam!

Finlay and Vero's elderly, nosy neighbor has been dropped at their doorstep straight out of jail. Why you ask? Because a dead body was discovered in her back yard. While, she's been cleared in the investigation, her house is still an active crime scene - and she has nowhere else to go but right across the street at the Donovan residence. And now for the girls to solve another murder/mystery...

I absolutely love that these books start right where the previous book leaves off! The banter and situations these characters find themselves in... it's just so funny! Mrs. Haggerty had me laughing constantly - especially with Finlay's children.

While this book started off super slow (in my opinion), I will say I wasn't expecting it to go where it did! The narrator on these audiobooks is great! I truly enjoy reading/listening this series and am looking forward to the next one!... Thanks for the cliffhanger, Elle!

Thank you to Elle Cosimano, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ALC/ARC in exchange for my honest review.

****Publishing March 4, 2025****

As usual, Finlay Donavan is in the midst of chaos with her kids and having to deal with her ex-husband. When a body is discovered in her neighbor, Mrs Hegarty’s backyard, that’s when it gets complicated. You have not only the police, but two college student podcasters, plus Finlay and Vero all trying to figure out who is responsible! Who will solve It first?

The Finlay Donovan series is always a fun, fast-paced, and entertaining read. It can be read as a series, or you can easily read them as stand alone. A great book to read on vacation!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Finlay Donovan is back, and she’s as delightfully chaotic as ever! A divorced, single mom of two and a published author by day, she moonlights as an accidental sleuth alongside her sharp-witted sidekick and nanny, Vero. This latest installment in the series is just as entertaining as ever, bringing back familiar faces who are all trying to maintain the illusion of normalcy—while secretly dodging crime and solving mysteries after dark.

This time, Finlay and Vero are determined to crack a case while dealing with a nosy neighbor under their roof and working to clear Finlay’s ex-husband of crimes he didn’t commit. It’s another wild ride, packed with humor, suspense, and the perfect dose of chaos. I fell in love with this series from the very start, and while I highly recommend beginning at book one, there’s plenty of backstory here to catch new readers up. The cliffhanger ending has me counting down the days until the next book—I can’t wait to see how Vero’s story unfolds!

Thank you, NetGalley, for this free advanced copy—I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you everyone for this early gifted copy of Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano.

I am a HUGE fan of the Finlay Donovan series, and have been since I read the first book a few years ago. I think it’s fun and just different enough that it keep you entertained well.

The last few books in the series hadn’t been my favorite, but this one definitely brought back the old Finlay. It was witty and funny, and kept me guessing the plot the entire time. I felt like it would be a great tv show—something about this plot felt like a good comedy drama tv show where you can see how the characters are missing each other, but they don’t.

This books picks up right where the others left off, brought in new characters, reminded you of some old and left you wanting more!

I love this series so much. It's definitely one of my favorites. This one was a fun romp where we get to see a bit more of Mrs. Haggerty, which was great. We're familiar with the cast of characters by now (and their antics), but it was enjoyable to see them up to their typical shenanigans. I also recommend this book on audio.

4.5 stars!!

First things first, I was given a copy of this book as an ARC, in exchange for an honest review. A big thank-you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and Elle Cosimano for allowing me to be an early reader.

This book is the 5th book in the “Finlay Donovan” series, and it is told in the perspective of Finlay, herself.

This book is a combination of humour and mystery in the best way possible. Without spoiling what happened in the previous books, this book surrounds a murder that has occurred. The body of the deceased has ended up in Finlay’s neighbour’s backyard. Now, Finlay and Vero, her babysitter and best friend, are trying to uncover the mystery. Oh and the cherry on top? Finlay’s neighbour, Mrs. Haggerty is living with Finlay in the meantime!

There were so many moments in this book that made me crack up! And I loved how it also kept me on my toes.

If you’re looking for a mystery book, especially if you’ve read other books in the “Finlay Donovan” series, then I highly recommend checking this out. Releasing in March of this year! x

I enjoyed this more than number 4 in the series! It tied together things very nicely and loved that we got to see more of Mrs. Haggerty. In the vein of the rest of the series, this book had comedy along with crime and I’ll definitely stay tuned for a sixth in the series!