Loved this story - this is the first book Iin The series where I felt fully invested in Finlay and Nick’s romance and love how that story line ended up. And the set up for the next book is great!

I absolutely adore this series and Elle Cosimano. Her writing style keeps things fresh and hilarious for our favorite dynamic duo, Finlay and Vero.

And dare I say that I really liked Mrs. Haggerty in this book?! She was 100% that quick witted, old woman I needed her to be. The home schooling the children was absolute gold and I can’t wait to see her in her future series endeavors.

I have always loved the cliffhangers at the end because it just keeps me roped in to the next.

I love this series. I am already looking forward to the next book. Fun mystery/ romance/ bestie story line. How can Finlay constantly find herself around another dead body, through no fault of her own? And her cop boyfriend never seems to know what’s going on. Nevertheless, the cast of characters are charming and hilarious. Thanks to NetGalley #NetGalley and Minotaur Books for sharing an advanced copy. I also listened to the audiobook. A very fun listen. Angela Dawe as the narrator is tremendous. Thanks to NetGalley #NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance listen #MacmillanAudio.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the free ARC ebook.
As someone who has read every book in the Finlay Donovan series, *Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave* is another hilarious, fast-paced, and satisfying adventure that absolutely delivered. Elle Cosimano continues to raise the stakes while staying true to the quirky charm and chaos that made me fall in love with these characters from book 1.
Finlay and Vero’s friendship is as entertaining and lovable as ever, and the tension—both romantic and criminal—kept me turning pages. The character growth was noticeable, the humor is on point, and the plot twists felt earned. If you’ve been following Finlay’s wild journey from the start, this book feels like a rewarding next chapter. It’s clever, unpredictable, and so much fun.
I highly recommend this entire series! I love them all so much!

Elle Cosimano has created one of my recent favorite series with her Finlay Donovan and Vero characters.
This book is another fun, lighthearted book of the more serious and mysterious events these two get themselves into.

Perfect summer read!

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano delivers a well-balanced mix of humor, suspense, and heartfelt moments. A solid continuation of the series that feels fresh, even as it digs into deeper emotional territory. I love Finlay and Vera and can't wait for the next book!

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

While I love Finlay Donovan books, I feel like the series has run its course. The first was fantastic and they've gotten progressively less interesting since. The cliffhangers at the end of every book would be great if they were released more closely together, but as an avid reader of lots of books, I find myself forgetting exactly what I'm supposed to be excited about resolving.

3.5 stars!

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave was an entertaining read, but I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as the previous books in the series. That said, the little twists throughout the story kept things interesting and made it worth sticking with. I absolutely love the characters—Finlay and Vero’s dynamic continues to be a highlight—and I’m still invested in their journey. I’ll definitely keep reading future installments and look forward to seeing where the story goes next!

The latest installment in the Finlay Donovan series does not disappoint! Elle Cosimano delivers another witty, fast-paced page-turner packed with laugh-out-loud moments and clever twists.

One of the highlights for me was getting more time with Mrs. Haggerty and Cam—both of whom absolutely shine in this book. Their dynamic added so much charm and hilarity to an already delightful story.

This book is perfect for fans of the series, as well as readers who enjoy light-hearted, slightly outrageous whodunits with a sharp, funny lead. That said, it works well as a standalone too—new readers can easily jump in and still enjoy the ride.

With an ending that hints at more to come, it looks like Finlay’s chaotic adventures are far from over. I’m consistently impressed by Cosimano’s ability to keep the series fresh, funny, and wildly entertaining.

I’ve always wanted Mrs. Haggerty to play a bigger role in one of Finlay’s adventures, so I was so excited to find out that’s exactly what we were going to get in Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave.

And I was not disappointed! Although it’s not my favorite book in the series, the crazy shenanigans Finlay, Vero and Mrs. Haggerty get up to this book made it so much fun to read.

When a dead body is found in her backyard, Mrs. Haggerty is first suspected of the murder. But when she’s let go by the police and her house is still an active crime scene, Mrs. Haggerty winds up living at Finlay’s house. You can just imagine that drama that comes with that!

If you’ve ever wanted to dig more into Mrs. Haggerty’s past, this is the book for you. We’ve learned in previous books that Mrs. Haggerty isn’t an old woman to be messed with, and boy does that rig true in Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave!

If you’re a fan of the Finlay Donovan series, I think you’ll really enjoy this latest installment. It’s a crazy, fun ride and I hope that ride continues with book #6!

*Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's/Minotaur Books for the digital arc. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this installment in the Finlay Donovan series. "Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave," might just be my favorite since book one and that’s saying a lot coming from someone who considers this series a top-tier comfort read.

Cosimano does such a great job walking that line between laugh-out-loud funny and edge-of-your-seat suspense. The humor hits just right, the pacing never drags, and the chaos is delightfully controlled in that only-Finlay kind of way. We get to meet some new characters this time around, including Mrs. Haggerty, the nosy neighbor who feels like the perfect addition to Finlay’s already quirky circle.

There’s plenty of action and tension, but also those familiar sitcom vibes that make this series feel like a warm (albeit slightly murderous) hug. Just when I thought I had the twists figured out, Cosimano threw in something new. That cliffhanger at the end? I'm not okay, and yes, I'm already counting down to the next book.

Forever a Finlay fan. 5 stars from me. If you’ve been following Finlay’s journey, this one absolutely delivers. If you’re new to the series, start at the beginning. You won’t regret it.

Finlay and Vero are up to no good again! I love this series so so much. It truly has a special place in my heart. This book was no different. In fact I think I enjoyed this one much more than I expected! I loved the book club element + Mrs. Haggerty. And thank GOD Finlay was finally honest with Nick. This was such a fun read and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Vero!

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur books for an advance copy. This is the fifth book in the Finlay Donovan series. I feel like the last couple of books have dragged just a little, but this one lives up to the first two books in the series. It’s got to be hard to continue writing about murders and other illegal events happening all around the main characters, Finlay and her partner-in-crime Vero, but Elle Cosimano continues to find ways to keep the storyline interesting and funny. This book focused on a body found in the next door neighbors yard, Mrs. Haggerty, and Finlay and Vero’s attempts to solve the mystery without indicting Finlay’s ex-husband Steven, or themselves. I don’t know if it was just my mood, but this book was exactly what I needed, a light, funny, fun book.

4.5 ⭐️

This book reignited my love for this series! I haven’t loved the last couple books in this series, so this one being so fun was such a pleasant surprise!

I loved the growth in Finlay and Nick’s relationship and I hope we see even more of this in the next book! Mrs. Haggerty was easily one of the best parts of this book. She’s grumpy but also still loving. I found her parts hilarious and I hope we get to hear more from her in the future.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!

Thank you to Netgalley and the published for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Finlay Donovan is one of my favourite series. I always read with a huge smile on my face and can't put them down. This was no exception and I cannot wait for more!

In Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave, Finlay heads to Atlantic City for an undercover mission with more chaos, disguises, and danger than she bargained for—all while trying to protect her family and stay out of prison.
While still full of Finlay’s trademark wit and wild misadventures, this installment didn’t grip me as much as the previous ones. I missed the tension and charm brought by the hot cop—his absence left the story feeling a little less fun and a lot less flirty.

Hello Again!

I love the Finlay Donovan books. Everything about them always makes me happy. The characters are great, the plotlines are always fun and have a good level of depth, and I can always count on these books to keep me from a slump. So when I saw that there was going to be another Finlay Donovan coming out in 2025, I immediately pre-ordered the audiobook (I do not own this series yet, but I will someday)! Once it came out, I saved it for when I was not feeling my best and dove in.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Mrs. Haggerty has been arrested for a body found in her background. While Finlay and Vero are not Mrs. Haggerty’s biggest fans, they are relieved that it is not their backyard and not their murder. When Mrs. Haggerty is finally released from jail, she comes directly to Finlay’s house and has her grandson drop her off there. She says that since they are neighbors, this is the only place she feels comfortable. Her home is still a crime scene and needs to be cleaned up as well since the power has been off the whole time she was in jail. Now, Finlay is stuck with her grumpy neighborhood watch leader living with her while her and Vero are still up to their sluething ways. Oh, and they are trying to potty train Finlay’s son and deal with her daughter getting suspended from Kindergarten. With all the things going on in Finlay’s life and her relationship with a cop, Finlay and Vero will have to make some hard decisions.

I love these books so much. They are a comfort read while still giving some of the murder mystery vibes I love. This is the perfect combination of cozy and mystery. I loved seeing Finlay and Vero’s parenting problems, as well as Finlay’s relationship issues. I know it’s so unrealistic, but I want her boyfriend to be accepting, should Finlay ever tell him the full truth. However, she did call on him for some help in this book. I am so excited already for the next book and I do plan to get physical copies of this whole series soon! If you have not a Finlay Donovan book, you should definitely check them out!

Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars

Finlay is back, and so is the crazy cast if characters with her. I love them all and the hijinks they get themselves into. I really enjoyed this one, especially since Mrs. Haggerty is back. She is able to steal the scene any time she comes into the story. This book made me laugh out loud and wonder who actually killed the man found in Mrs. Haggerty's backyard. I also loved Delia and Zach in this book. They added a dose of reality, especially as a parent. My only wish is that there would have been more Vero. But, this was a great addition to the series, and of course, I can't wait for the next one to come out!

I don't re-read the previous books prior to reading the newest one, but there was a good amount of exposition of previous plots in FD Digs Her Own Grave so I could remember. I loved how the plot here very nicely complements the things that happened in the first book- the women's forum, etc come up again.

Finlay and friends are back in this fifth installment about Finlay Donovan, her life, and all the crazy situations she finds herself in! I loved this one - it felt very much like the OG book, which is still my favorite in the series!

It's obviously difficult to review a fifth book in a series without spoiling them all (they MUST be read in order!), but what I can say is, Elle Cosimano is still bringing the fun, the chaos, and the love you've come to experience in all of the other books. Nosy neighbor Mrs. Haggerty plays a starring role in this one, and she had me laughing in every scene she was in. Plus, of course, all of the fan favorite characters (cough, Nick, cough, Hot Cop, cough) are back!

If you are looking for something silly and fun to get lost in this summer, the Finlay Donovan series is a no-brainer! It's got a little mystery, a little romance, and a little murder...