Thank you for the opportunity to review this early edition - I'm excited for Finlay that she's still surviving! I would like a little more scenic grounding to get the feeling of what's happening more, but I enjoyed the strong plot of this next chapter in her seemingly endless investigations.

Finlay Donovan #5
Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano

Finlay Donovan and Vero get away with a lot more than I allow most characters I follow. I'm not usually into slapstick laughs and adventure, I like things to be more sedate and a bit more realistic but I'm always ready for the next Finlay Donovan book, especially since all the books end on a cliffhanger. Book 4 ended with us knowing something was going on across the street at the house of nosy, elderly neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, the community busybody and president of the neighborhood watch. See, I'm not really into Mafia types, gang members, that kind of low life and I get sort of put off by the folks that Finlay and Vero have accidentally gotten enmeshed with during this series. But crazy old lady Haggerty, knowing she was going to be featured in book 5, I'm all in!

I was not let down. This is suburban moms and grandmas, brownies!, ongoing forever and failing potty training of Finlay's two year old son, suspended five year old Finlay's daughter, lots of at home time. I laughed at so much of the story, glad I wasn't in it but not wanting to miss anything. I hope future books in this series lean more to this type of fun, home grown fun, less hardened criminals (although we can't get away with NO criminals in a Finlay Donovan series because of...reasons). I read this with DeAnn and it was a fun buddy read, we both got good laughs out of this latest entry in the series.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

Finlay Donovan is at it again! Dumped right back into the chaos that is the life of Finlay Donovan, this book picks up right where book 4 left off coming back from the casino adventure. The whole cast of characters as well as some new ones were in this story and the pace of this book was fast and furious much like books 1 and 2.

These are just the right kind of adventure meets romance that will keep you up late to finish just one more chapter. I hope that this series continues!

I just love Finlay and all her stories! Another great addition to the series that was well written and fresh. Hope it continues! Thanks to netgalley and the publisher!

Thank you St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Summary: When her elderly neighbor is unexpectedly tied to a backyard murder, Finlay Donovan and her nanny-turned-partner-in-crime, Vero, are reluctantly dragged into solving yet another mystery amidst their chaotic lives.

My review: The fifth installment in the Finlay Donovan series delivers everything fans love: humor, intrigue, and the quirky antics of Finlay and her ever-entertaining gang. This latest novel masterfully ties up loose ends from previous books while leaving just enough mystery to spark excitement for the next chapter in the series.

Genres/Themes: Fiction / Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths / Humorous / Crime

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grae is scheduled for publication on March 5, 2025, by St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books.

Finlay is back at her high jinks again when her elderly neighbor Mrs. Haggerty is found to have a dead body buried in her back yard. When suspicious is turned to Finlay's ex-husband, Steven, Finlay and Vero set out to prove Steven innocent and find out Mrs. Haggerty's level of involvement with the suspicious body.

I love this cozy mystery series (this is book #5) and the last one wasn't my favorite. It might have been my timing, but I really enjoyed this one. Finlay and Vero always get themselves into sticky situations and you can count on them for a laugh. Nick is still a hot cop, and this one got a little meta with Finlay's editor wanting Finlay and Nick to consult on a series adaptation of her romance books. Was this a perfect, literary book? No. But I didn't need it to be. If Cosimano keeps writing Finlay books, I will keep reading them.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

This was another great addition to the Finlay Donovan series! Same humor, same mystery, same lovable characters. I’ll continue to look forward to more Finlay!

I kind of look forward to the end of this series. You see, I've met me, so I know I'm going to read them the second I can get my grubby little hands on them, but I also know I'll be annoyed with myself the whole time. I seem to have Finlay Donovan issues.

A visit back to Finlay’s world is guaranteed to be a fun read! I think I say this every time but this one was definitely my favorite! More murders to solve, more drama, and more Nick! I love these characters and the messes they find themselves in. My favorite part of this book was learning more about Finlay’s nosy neighbor Mrs. Haggerty. We had a couple of shocks at the end of the book and I cannot wait to read more! Thanks you NetGalley for the ARC!

Elle Cosimano does it again! I just love the misadventures of Finlay and Vero. I haven’t read a five book series and was nervous book 5 couldn’t live up to the others. This book surpassed my expectations and might be my second favorite of the series (book 1 being my favorite).

4 stars ⭐️ I love this series. There is never a dull moment which makes reading it so fun!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a super quick read but a bit of a miss for me. It was not a bad book but something was missing. I have loved certain books in this series and not liked others and this one falls in that category. It started strong but the humor in this one just didn't hit for me and felt a bit forced. I liked the side characters in this one that added new perspectives! This left off on a cliffhanger that surely indicates another book but I am not sure if I am invested enough in this series to keep going. I think I have just moved past this series sadly!

I really wanted to like this book. For me, this series has been a hit or miss throughout. I started off loving it and then it sort of stagnated but the last book was better so I had very high hopes for this one. Unfortunately, a lot of the humor in this book I just did not enjoy so I didn't get that element that takes you out of the mystery.

There were couple of additional characters in this one that it was interesting to see their perspective, But I did notice that this one ends on a cliffhanger and I just don't think I have it in me to read another one in this series.

In theory, everything about this sounds amazing, but at some point Things just become bonkers and unrealistic and I think the series has hit that point for me.

Yet another fantastic installment in the Finlay Donovan series! I can't get enough of these books and these characters. The expansion of Mrs. Haggerty's character in this one was a welcomed addition. Some of her scenes made me laugh out loud.

I will always recommend this series - fun, quick reads with entertaining characters that are a great blend of mystery, romance, and humor.

I really enjoyed this! I love the humor and personality of the characters and it was a very entertaining sequel to one of my favorite series. I will never not enjoy the hilarious situations Finaly finds herself in!

A funny finale to the Finlay Donovan series! I loved every one of these books and had a blast reading them. The characters were great and kept me sucked into to the twisty plot lines. A definite read for anyone!

The latest installment in the Finlay Donovan series is another hilarious and action-packed adventure. This time, Finlay and Vero are drawn into chaos when Mrs. Haggerty, the nosy neighbor, becomes a suspect after a body is found in her garden. When anonymous tips lead the police to investigate Finlay’s ex-husband, Steven, the duo must work quickly to clear his name.

A surprising twist comes when Mrs. Haggerty temporarily moves in with Finlay, bringing even more humor and tension as secrets unravel. I appreciated how this book expanded Mrs. Haggerty’s character, making her far more likable and complex than in earlier installments. The fresh dynamic between the characters, paired with the series’ signature humor and mystery, made this an enjoyable read.

Thoughtful recaps from prior books made it easy to jump back in, and even the smaller cameos felt purposeful and entertaining. Overall, this was another strong addition to the series, and I’m hopeful for more to come. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

Finlay Donovan is back! Perfect for fans of Stephanie plum and cozies, this book has mystery, romance, and laugh out loud humor. Fin’s neighbor Mrs haggerty is arrested after a body is found in her yard, but the heat quickly switches to Stephen, her ex husband. To keep her ex out of jail Fin has to find the killer, and hope the cops don’t take a closer look at her past! My only qualm with this book was that the overall plot felt a bit dumbed down and overexplained for the audience. Otherwise this was another great installment in the series. I appreciated that there is character and relationship growth, something similar books often don’t have as much of.

This fifth installment of the Finlay Donovan series switches up on us in just the right away. We open this story right on the heels of what felt like a really good conclusion- loose ends are tied up and all of the chaos of book 1-4 appears to be settled. Except, it's not- it never is. Just across the street are the stirrings of another crime that Finlay and Vero simply can't escape. While this isn't as edge-of-your-seat as FD Rolls the Dice, it's still a great book that keeps its pace, and keeps you guessing everyones next move until the very end. This was a one-sitting binge read a great way to spend an evening.

What I love most about this book (and the series as a whole) are the changes we keep following in each characters personal life. The action-packed chapters are bookended by chapters of growth and development for our main cast of characters. The kids are growing, the relationships are evolving, and the family dynamics are changing in healthy ways.

I'll be honest, I don't know what I'll do the day these books don't end with a cliff hanger. I could follow Finlay and Vero's mishaps to the ends of the earth. The ending of this one finally addresses a long-standing conflict which, hopefully, means we'll be getting closure that we've needed for a long time. Cannot wait for FD6.

I found this book totally entertaining! Who would take in the nosy neighbor? And the neighbor's book club..what a hoot. The detective gives the book a sexy touch. But all the dead bodies does add a mystery. The kids are fun too. Why keep on clothes, right? I don't know how she has time to write. She spends so much time in her minivan.
Loved the book!