Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC!

This was my favorite Finlay Donovan since the first! Full of the same, adored characters, this story felt more balanced and less absurd than some of the last few. The subplot with Nick also finally felt like it was moving in a logical way.

Loved this installment and can’t wait for the next!

Finlay is ready for a weekend in her pajamas, eating pizza, and binge watching TV after the craziness of the last few months.
But when a body is found in Mrs. Haggerty’s yard and her ex-husband, Steven, is arrested as a suspect, Finlay’s plans change.
Finlay, Vero, and the gang are at it again as they try to find the real murderer and get Steven cleared as a suspect.
How hard can it be given the events of Finlay’s life the past six months? I mean, all she has to do is track down a murderer, clear her ex-husband’s name, deal with Delia’s two week school suspension, Zach’s refusal to keep his pants on while potty training, come to terms with her feelings toward Nick, and Mrs.Haggerty moving in while her house is being repaired. Oh, and don’t forget her publishing agent, Sylvia, who is determined to get Finlay’s books on the big screen!
If anyone can do it, it’s Finlay Donovan!

While the pacing of this one was a bit slower, I enjoyed getting to know the characters at a deeper level. The story kept me glued from beginning to end in a way that Elle Cosimano has mastered with her writing. I have listened to all of the books in this series and love how the talented voice actress, Angela Dawe, beautifully brings to the story and characters to life!

While this is the fifth book in a series, I feel you could jump into this one and understand what is going on. However, since this is such an incredible series, I would absolutely recommend binging all of them!

Thank you NetGalley, Elle Cosimano, and St.Martin’s Press for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook, ahead of its proposed release date, in exchange for a candid review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Finlay Donovan is my guilty pleasure. I don’t know what I’ll ever do if this suburban single mom doesn’t keep finding herself surrounded by dead bodies. I know we are supposed to hate the pesky Mrs. Kravitz doppelgänger but I just can’t. Hot Cop grew on me in this one too. Vero as usual keeps us laughing. Counting down the days until info on # 6 drops!

Angela Dawe was perfection on audio as usual.

I received an advanced reading copy of this book through NetGalley. I was able to get the e-read and the audio, audio being my preferred reading method for the Finlay Donovan series.

This is my favorite Finlay book in the series so far! I was positive this would be the final book in the series, but I am no longer convinced and that makes me excited.

Finlay is back and so are her counterparts- Vero, Nick, Mrs. Haggerty, and more. Like usual, so much nonsense is taking place and in the end, I side with Mrs. Haggerty (who would have thought the day would come?).

Dear Elle,

Don't make us wait too long to see what Finlay and Vero do next, okay?

Sincerely,

Elle Mick

Another amazing installment in the Finlay Donovan series! I can't believe we're already up to #5 and they just Keep Getting BETTER! If you haven't read book 1 - Finlay Donovan Is Killing It - You should! I can't recommend it enough! Hilarious and endearing. Although the mystery starts and ends in one book, the continued stories and threads would make starting with this one tough, so I recommend starting with Book1 and enjoying them all!

This one finds Finlay in the midst of things finally settling down and her trying to sort life and get her youngest potty trained and wearing pants consistently. When, much to her horror, a body is found in her neighbor's yard! Not only that, but a yard that her ex-husband did landscaping for - around that time - and suddenly they are all back on the detective's radars again!

Still funny, full of lively characters, humor that had me giggling and a mystery that kept me hooked to the page. I love Vero and Finlay, the love interests and the kids. I loved the twists in this one and the conclusion was so so good. And YES! This one leaves the reader wanting more! We're definitely getting another installment and I'm so so excited!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Once again Finlay and Vero get themselves into a few dicey spots.

I love the interaction with the kids as they are growing up and developing.

Looking forward to the next one.

This series just gets better and better. We're back with Finlay and Vero as a body is found just across the street. Their very nosy, elderly neighbor is suspect number one until she gets quickly released and Finlay's ex is picked up. The neighbor somehow moves in with Finlay, Finlay is working to clear her ex of any wrongdoing, and a neighborhood book club becomes the gossip group of the town. It's all more than Finlay can handle but handle it she does. The humor and wit of this book made me laugh out loud. Angela Dawe is back as the narrator which makes it all the better. Her performance of this crew is perfection. I love every second of it. I fall more in love with these characters with every release. While it is a ton of fun to catch inside jokes and little snippets from earlier books, you can definitely read each one as a standalone. I inhale these books as each comes out and immediately want the next. They are the perfect amount of lighthearted fun that the world needs right now. I highly recommend this series to anyone who is looking for a little escape and a lot of laughter.

4.5 stars

This series continues to be one of my favorites to listen to. The mix of humor, mystery, and romance keep the series interesting. This installment focuses on Finlay’s nosy elderly neighbor Mrs. Haggerty and the discovery of a a body in her garden.

I find this narrator to be perfect in this role with her different voices and delivery. There is always at least one laugh out loud moment. I am looking forward to the next one which seems to be starring nanny Vero.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave is the fifth book in the Finley Donovan series with all the cast characters we have come to know. Finlay and Vero are back along with Finlay’s love interest Nick, ex-husband Steve and their two children Delia and Zach; Javi, Vero’s husband or is he just her fiancé and of course the annoying and very nosy neighbor Mrs. Haggerty!

When a dead body is discovered in a grave in the back garden at Mrs. Haggerty’s house, she becomes the first suspect. With no place to go and even knowing that she is not a welcomed neighbor in the Donovan household, once cleared and release Mrs. Haggerty decided the best place to be .. right across the street with Finlay.

So, who was the guilty person that was responsible for the dead body showing up in Mrs. Haggerty’s new garden. Finlay’s ex-husband Steve becomes the newest suspect since he had just finish creating that new garden. Finaly’s just know it is not her ex.

Between getting Mrs. Haggerty out of her house and clearing ex-husband Steven as a suspect is a real motive for Finlay and Vero to solve this mystery.

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave was a fun quick story filled with humor and undercover sneaking around as the ladies unravel who was the real killer and why Mrs. Haggerty’s back yard was used. In the end will Finlay finally come clean to Nick about her past and will they finally commit to a real relationship? Will Steve be exonerated? Will Mrs. Haggerty leave the Donovan household. So many questions to be answered and once more we are left with another cliffhanger.

This was my first of this series I did by audiobook, Angela Dawe has narrated the entire series. I thought she was fantastic.

Thank you, Elle Cosimano, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I'm not kidding when I say I was GIDDY reading the prologue in this book. I love this series so incredibly much and Cosimano always finds a way to make Finlay and Vero's hijinks entertaining and unputdownable.

After a body is dug up in the queen of the neighborhood watch, Mrs. Haggerty's yard, and Finlay's ex-husband Steven becomes the chief suspect, Finlay and Vero embark on another amateur detective adventure to clear his name. I have to say I am very glad that this story didn't focus on Finlay and Vero being almost criminals, but rather their sleuthing skills.

Mrs. Haggerty is definitely the star of this show, and I found this book just as good as the previous four in the series. AND it ends on a cliffhanger, so I'm praying we get more Finlay and Vero in the future.

As always, Angela Dawe does a great job narrating these books.

FIVE STARS. Easy. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

I just love Finlay and this book was probably my favorite so far. In this book Finlay comes home from Atlantic City to find that her "favorite" neighbor Mrs. Haggerty has been convicted of a crime and she is being release from jail. Of course, the woman's house is now a mess and she has no where to go, but Finlay's house. Not only does Mrs. Haggerty make herself at home in Finlay's house, she suspiciously takes walks through the neighborhood leaving a note in someone's mail box.
While this book has many of the charms of the other books, it does not have all of the hair pulling, teeth biting cringe moments that the other books had. I also love that it pulls together a theme that we have been seeing in many of the other novels.
I listened to this book, as I have with all the others, and I think that Angela Dawe does a great job with the narration. To me she is Finlay and I think she carputers her and the other characters so well.

the hilarity continues! Loved how they brought past characters together and a new mystery began at the very start! Looking forward to the next one, as it appears there will be more!

We're back with the 5th book in the series, and I have to admit, I wasn’t a big fan. I loved books 1, 2, and 4, so I had high expectations.
I listened to the audiobook, and the narration was good—it actually helped me get through the book. The issue was that it dragged. By now, I’m starting to feel bored since it seems like Finlay keeps finding herself in the same situations. It also lacked the humor and "comfort read" vibe that the other books had. While I'm not a huge fan of the romance, I understand why it was included. And of course, it ended on a cliffhanger, so I’ll be back, hoping I enjoy the next one more!

I adore the finlay Donovan series so much and I love that each book wraps up but also allows you to get Invested in what the next part of the story will be. I adore that you get both a satisfying conclusion AND a teaser at where the next book is going plus I just love love love the narrator she does a wonderful job

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave marks the fifth installment in the Finlay Donovan series, and it’s packed with all the mayhem, hijinks, and unforgettable chaos readers have come to love from this ragtag crew.
Finlay and Vero, her witty nanny and partner-in-crime, have always had a rocky relationship with their nosy, busybody neighbor, Mrs. Haggarty. After the events of the previous book, Mrs. Haggarty returns home, only to find her house in disarray with no water or heat. Guilt-tripped into letting her stay with them temporarily, Finlay and Vero soon find themselves caught in a whirlwind of trouble.

Mrs. Haggarty’s odd behavior begins to raise suspicions—sneaking out at night to “patrol the neighborhood,” slipping mysterious letters into people’s mailboxes, and attending the same book club multiple times a week. Intrigued and a little wary, Finlay and Vero, with the help of Nick (Finlay’s cop boyfriend) and Cameron (a teenage hacker), start digging into Mrs. Haggarty’s activities.

As expected from a Finlay Donovan adventure, this book delivers a wild ride full of unexpected twists and turns. While readers might think they know where things are headed, Cosimano never fails to throw in a few more surprises than anyone could have imagined.
As always, this series is a delightful mix of dark humor, snappy banter, and plenty of shenanigans, making for a reading experience that’s impossible to put down.

This book made me so sad. Because I was just introduced to the world of Finlay Donovan less than two months ago, and I’ve been listening to these books almost nonstop. If you didn’t see my previous post, I’ve been obsessed and addicted to this series. And after finishing this one, I’m sad that I’m all caught up, and that I now have to patiently wait for the next in the series. (It looks the books are released on a yearly schedule, though, so I shouldn’t have to wait *too* long.) It does end on a cliffhanger like her previous books, but I was almost thankful for that, knowing there’d be another book! (I checked after and it looks like there will be a book 6 & 7 at the very least!)

If you’ve read and liked all her other books, this one won’t disappoint! My reviews are always spoiler-free, so all I’ll say is, I was very happy with the romance side of the story in this one. I also loved getting to know Mrs. Haggerty more, even when she frustrated me, lol. And while I still hate Steven, no matter his redemption arc, I can sympathize with not wanting him to die or go to jail purely for the kids’ sakes. 

If you haven’t read this series yet, I highly recommend it!

𝘼 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙚 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣:
Angela Dawe once again does a fantastic job narrating. I may look into other books narrated by her just to fill that Finlay-shaped hole in my heart 😆

I felt Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave goes back to the roots and charm of the first book in the series. While it's mostly contained to be on their street, with a cast of characters we already know and tolerate, there are plenty of adventures left to be had. I adore Angela Dawe as a narrator and love how she brings the cast to life.

I knew what to expect from this book and I got it, a quick paced, sometimes slapstick, sometimes funny story where Finlay gets herself into sticky situations. I liked this better than the last installment of the series as the shenanigans were less over the top. I enjoyed the narration. 3 stars overall, but rating is 4 because it followed an expected formula.

Elle Cosimano does it again with what I think might just be my favorite book in the Finlay Donovan series!

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. I love the narration from Angela Dawe who helps bring Finlay's world to life.

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave was laugh out loud funny. I mean all of Elle Cosimano's books in this series are hilarious, but there is even more comedy in this one. On top of that, I loved the characters so much (all of them!) and loved getting to know some of the secondary characters even better. Again, this book was left on a cliffhanger which only means another book is coming and I cannot wait to see where this cozy mystery series goes.

Highly recommended!

Oh, Finley. How I love to read about your mishaps and comedies of errors. They truly are a delight, and this book was especially delightful!

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