Audiobook + Ebook : Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave- Finlay Donovan #5

Author: Elle Cosimano-I read Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank 4* and Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice 3*

Publication date: 3/4/25 | Read: 3/2/25

Genre: Mystery/Thriller, Adult Fic, and Contemporary Romance

Tropes: amateur sleuths, divorce, co-parenting, small town

Narrator: Angela Dawe voices all the characters with standouts from Nick, Delia, and Mrs. Haggerty. The reading style brought the text to life, and the author and narrator worked together perfectly. The pacing and flow allowed me to get lost in the story. The narrator paused and announced new chapters and there was a table of contents which helped me follow along.

Run Time: 8:36

Setting: South Riding, VA

POV: 1st person, single-Finlay

TW: cheating-h was cheated on by ex, murder

Summary: Finlay is juggling motherhood, her writing career, and murder investigator with the nanny Vero, her ex-husband Steven accused of murder, and her new boyfriend Nick inspecting the case of Gilford Dupree. She struggles with trusting Nick after all of Steven's indiscretions but doesn't believe he's a killer.

Heroine: Finlay "Finn" Donovan -an amateur sleuth/romantic suspense writer

Heroine: Veronica "Vero" Ruiz-Finn's nanny and partner

Other Characters:

• Steven-Finn's ex-husband

• Detective Nicholas "Nick" Anthony-Finn's boyfriend, a detective

• Delia + Zach- Finn & Steven's children

• Javi-Vero's childhood/current boyfriend

• Mrs. Maggie Haggerty-neighbor who found a dead body in her yard; her grandson Brendan brings her to live w/ Finn

• Cameron "Cam"-18 yr old hacker, worked for the mob

• Gilford Dupree- a mortgage broker found dead in the yard after disappearing 5 years ago

• Penelope Dupree-Gilford's wife

My Thoughts: I liked that Finlay was vulnerable with Nick about their relationship and the baggage from her ex-husband. Mrs. Haggerty was hilarious especially how she took over Finlay's home. I loved the kids' interactions and their honesty.

Rating: 4/5
Spice level 3/5

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press |Minotaur Books, Macmillan Audio, and Elle Cosimano for this ARC & ALC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.

I absolutely love the Findlay Donovan book series, and I enjoyed this latest installment of Finlay Donovan Digs Her own Grave. Findlay is an author who is a divorced mom with kids who finds herself immersed in solving criminal mysteries. The supporting characters of this series will have you cracking up because the author has fun way of making series situations hilarious. In this book Findlay’s nosey neighbor Ms Haggerty has moved into her house because her nephew must make sure that the plumbing and electrical problems are resolved.
Ms.Haggerty is hilarious, in how she deals with Findlay’s children especially her toddler who doesn’t like to wear his clothes. Findlay’s cheating ex husband is arrested and put into jail for a crime he didn’t commit. Findlay and her partner Vero work to try and to solve the mystery of who killed the man whose body is buried in Ms Haggerty’s backyard in order to save her ex husband.
I also enjoyed the development and Finley’s relationship with Detective Nick. I love them together. I also found Ms Haggerty’s book club quite interesting especially the brownies. lol
I highly recommend this series that does a great job of combining mystery and comedy.
Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan audible for the opportunity to review this book. I highly recommend the newest book to this series.

✨FINLAY DONOVAN DIGS HER OWN GRAVE✨

3.5/5 ⭐️

Release Date: 3/4! THIS THURSDAY!

READ THIS SERIES IF YOU LOVE:
💙 Single POV
💙 Cozy Mystery
💙 Amateur Sleuthing
💙 Great Banter
💙 Unlikely Relationships
💙 Chaos but in the best way

REVIEW:
This series is complete chaos, absolutely witty, kind of romantic, and maybe a bit far fetched but it’s still very good. This book is no different, though I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that we get to see more of Finlay’s kids, other side characters but also less characters overall than in previous books. I weirdly LOVED Mrs Haggary! I loved that this book was a bit more realistic than the others, but just as dramatic and twisty. I really wasn’t expecting another cliffhanger hanger though….

A huge thank you to St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Finlay and Vero are two of my very favourite characters to catch up with, and I was happy to see that Vero takes more of the center stage in each book in the series. This latest one (#5!) brings up some drama from the past and there are also some interesting romantic developments, so you definitely want to read the other books in the series first, especially the novella, Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank, which is #3.5 in the series as it delves further into her history.

In Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave, a dead body is discovered in the backyard of Finlay and Vero's neighbour, Mrs. Haggerty, so she moves in with them while her house is an active crime scene. And of course Finlay's ex Stephen is right in the thick of the investigation.. I had to laugh at how good he is at getting into trouble!

I can't express how much I enjoy the dark humour in this series, how relatable Finlay is as a single mother, how sassy and fearless her nanny/accountant Vero is (my mom is an accountant so I agree wholeheartedly with this portrayal!) and just how quirky and fun this whole series is.

Angela Dawe has become the voice of this series, she has the perfect comedic timing and voices for all the characters in the audiobook.

This was a pretty good one. I definitely enjoyed it more than the previous 2 books, but the first in the series is still my favorite.

The audiobook:
The audiobook narrator is not my favorite. A lot of her voices sound very similar/ aren’t distinct enough, and I’m not a fan of her little kid voice. But other than that, the audiobook was pretty good. (I found the voice to be less noticeable when I sped it up to 1.8x speed)

The story:
This is just a quick fun read! If you’ve enjoyed the other books in the series, this feels pretty similar (if not a little better), so I’d recommend continuing if you’re on the fence. I would say this one is more character focused than plot. I definitely felt more invested in the romance, other relationships, and characters in this story, which I appreciated. It does require some suspension of disbelief, but if you’re this far in the series I’m sure you already know that. There wasn’t a super cliffhanger ending, so I’m unsure if I will continue the series, but I think there’s potential (maybe even potential for a Mrs. H book in the future?!? lol)
Ultimately, I enjoyed my quick and easy reading experience.

This book, like its predecessors in the series, is just fun! It is full of hijinx and sassiness and trouble. What I love about this book--and the series in general--is it isn't gory or scary, but it's not quite a cozy mystery either. There is dark humor and adult content, and it is the perfect blend of funny and gritty. I also love that Finlay is a mom just trying to survive in life. And Vero is just the best ride or die.

I appreciate how Cosimano is able to create character growth while still maintaining the integrity of her characters and their personalities. Growth has come slowly for her characters, which works very well as a series. I enjoyed seeing some of that development play out in this book.
All in all, a fun addition to the series.

As always, Angela Dawe did a fantastic job bringing these characters to life in audio. Her range of voices is just sublime!

As a big Finlay fan, I can confidently say this was the best one since the original. The other ones made me say “ ugh, Finlay!!!” Like they used to say for Dennis the Menace- but this one was more about other’s getting in trouble than her and it was much more believable than the others.

As always- just as I think the story or series might be ending- it all ends with a few sentences that make you think- oh here we go again!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Returning to the world of Finlay Donovan feels like wrapping myself up in a cozy blanket, surrounded by the hilarious chaos and heartwarming camaraderie of two of the best fictional friends. In Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave, the fifth installment in Elle Cosimano's delightful cozy mystery series, I was once again swept away by the wit, charm, and unexpected twists that make this series my absolute favorite.

Finlay Donovan is back, and this time, she's in deeper than ever—both literally and figuratively. After publishing books that are loosely based on the strange, often dangerous, and sometimes downright absurd cases she's stumbled upon, Finlay is facing the consequences. The lines between fiction and reality blur as the very adventures she's fictionalized start to catch up with her. In fact, it feels like she may have been digging her own grave—metaphorically and literally. It's a testament to Cosimano's clever storytelling that this situation is as suspenseful as it is hilarious.

This series has the perfect blend of mystery, humor, and a dash of romance!!

Angela Dawe flawlessly brings to life each of the characters in her audiobook narration. I am especially fond of her voice for Vero.

Elle Cosimano has once again brought us a hilarious, quick paced, and down right ridiculous chapter in the Finlay Donovan series.

I absolutely adore this series - and this latest edition takes readers immediately back to where we were at the end of the last book. Finlay and Vero once again find themselves in the middle of a crime, and have to help solve this case to prove the innocence of someone who, honestly, might not fully deserved to be saved.

The plot is quick, the cast of characters can only be described as a group of menaces who you can't help but love, and with every chapter unfolding I could not stop giggling and rooting for our girls. The new character's were introduced to, along with returning faces, highlight Cosimano's ability to create a world and characters that you can't help but root for, despite what some would call questionable judgment. I can't help but recommend this series to almost everyone I know, and I absolutely enjoyed every second of this book - reading it within 24 hours. I cannot wait to see how the next book unfolds, and I'd love it ASAP!

The audiobook is completely well done - and I actually prefer doing the audio for this series. I listen at 2.0 speed and have no trouble understanding the narrator, picking up inflections, and keeping up with the story. I absolutely love the different voices used for the characters, especially Finlay's daughter, and find myself cackling out loud at parts of this book due to the narrator's delivery.

I think this is my favorite of the Finlay Dononvan books so far!!! I loved the twist with the Book Club and the way things were at between Finlay and Nick made me soo happy! I absolutely love these books because they are so fast paced, but feel like catching up with old friends. Finlay and Vero’s antics are always so funny and even though each book ends with a little cliffhanger, I love that Elle always gives us closure with the current case and just keeps us wanting more. So, so good! And the narration by Angela Dawe was perfection, as always!

I love all the books in this series. I love how the past characters are a part of this story too. The narrator was AMAZING! I can't wait to read more from this series.

This book is a great continuation of the series. I’m always amazed to see the situations that Finlay and Vero find themselves in. The situations are absolutely wild and hard to believe but Elle Cosimano does an amazing job at finding the humor in wild and unbelievable situation that somehow feel believable.

I absolutely love this series! I have read all of them and suggest the audiobook form!

This is the 5th book so I won’t mention the plot. Each book builds on the last.

This is a cozy mystery, thriller series with comedy and an amazing cast of characters. While this one wasn’t as action packed as book 4, I still enjoyed it. It did feel like a filler book (so giving it 4 stars) but I love these characters so much I didn’t mind the less action. I highly recommend this series. Such a fun quick read. The audiobook narration is amazing as always with this series.

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano
Finlay Donovan series #5. Mystery, amateur sleuth with humor and toddlers.
Mrs Haggerty is the neighborhood busybody and president of the neighborhood watch. Needless to say, not in their best interest when disposing of dead bodies. However, Mrs Haggerty needs a bit of assistance now and Finlay and Vero step up to help. Or Mrs Haggerty barges her way in and demands it. Whatever works to smooth the way. It’s another murder case and refusing to help is just not in their nature. Because Mrs Haggerty may just know too much.

🎧 I listened to an audiobook version of this story, performed by Angela Dawe who does the full series (except the novella). The voices of the characters are distinct and recognizable. The actions are heard, Vero is clearly a Jersey girl, and the children, while not quite realistic, are still laugh out loud amusing. The narrator gives these stories a unique edge consistently through the series. It helps put the reader immediately into the story and place from book to book. I did speed up the playback to 1.5 to match reading speed but could have slowed down, simple to enjoy a revisit to this world.

Reads a bit like a conclusion though I have no knowledge if it is or it isn’t.
Amusing and fun to revisit. These are like a sweet treat. You know it’s going to be a bit quirky with a body or two, neighbors, toddler antics and at least one pop up from the ex and the cop. And you look forward to all of it. That Finlay Donovan’s world.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Macmillan Audio.

I am always so excited to see that a new book in this series has been created- the audio books are my absolute favourite series of all time to listen to -- the narrator is just so good. I love all the characters and wish I personally new them -- so much fun and I often find myself laughing out loud at their antics. I cannot say this is my favourite of the series, but it is still a very amusing ride! I am so happy that a follow-up will be coming after this one, and I can't wait to see what happens next. I cannot recommend these enough - Finlay is my hero!

I absolutely loved this audio book. The narrator is Angela Dawe...she definitely makes the book so good. I would say the audio book makes the story come to life.

Finlay and Vero are BACK!

This was my favorite books in this series. It was so good. Like all the books in this series it starts off right where book 4 left off.


"Finlay Donovan may have skeletons in her closet . . . but at least there's not a body in her backyard." Finlay and Vero are on the case to figure out who put the body in Mrs Haggerty's backyard.

This book ends with another cliff hanger and so excited that will be another adventure.

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave is a fast paced action packed mystery with all of the elements at work to keep the reader riveted and unable to turn off the audio. I loved getting to know Mrs. Haggerty, the neighbor across the street, while Finlay and Vero’s characters just keep getting better with every chapter. Ms. Cosimano’s creation of Cam, the sidekick, and the larger than life agent, Sylvia, add humor and just the right amount of levity.

Angela Dawe, the narrator, is super talented and really presented Ms. Cosimano’s intricate and clever story exquisitely.

Thank you so much to Ms. Cosimano, NetGalley and MacMillan Publishing for the opportunity to listen to this phenomenal book. I can’t wait for the next one in the series!

Elle Cosimano does it again! These novels keep getting better and the audiobooks and the narrator make my morning commute so much fun! Just when I think Finlay can not get herself in anymore trouble, she does! With the addition of a nosy neighbor (we all have one), Finlay and Vero continue their usual hijinks that had me literally laughing out loud on my commute. Just when I think I this series can't get any crazier, it always does and in a good way!

I think this 5th Finlay Donovan novel is one of the best!

Zach and Delia continue to be fun and precocious, and Vero continues to roast ex-husband Steven in the best possible way. Hot Cop Nick and Finlay up the relationship ante, and some threads from previous books are neatly tied up in this one. But the absolute star of the show was Finlay’s elderly neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty. She brought a breath of fresh air to the series when she is forced to move into Finlay's while her house becomes an active crime scene.

The audiobook continues to be top notch with the same narrator at the helm.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

What I love most about this author’s writing style is her ability to grab your attention from the very first paragraph. She has a knack for making you think one thing is happening when, in reality, something entirely different is going on. It’s a clever mind trick that keeps the story feeling fresh and unpredictable, setting the stage for plenty of twists and turns.

I was especially thrilled to see Mrs. Haggerty return in this fifth installment of the series. Her geriatric hijinks never fail to entertain—she’s the nosy neighborhood busybody and a delightful presence in every scene she’s in.

This plot was a wild ride from start to finish. A dead man turns up in Finlay’s backyard, kicking off an amateur investigation led by Finlay and her ever-resourceful sidekick, Vero—all while law enforcement is conducting their own inquiry. As if that weren’t enough, Finlay also has to juggle her kids’ antics, her ex-husband’s arrest, a know-it-all PTA mom, a women’s book club, and a fair share of romance. The signature chaos that defines this series is in full force, making for another fun and fast-paced read.

I also appreciate that the audiobook continues to feature the same narrator, who once again delivers an excellent performance, bringing the characters and their antics to life.