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.

This was another great installment for this series! Just loved the audio book and always enjoy to see what trouble they end up in!

I didn't want it to end!!! This fifth book in the series is a return to form, and it brings together ALL the characters you've loved from the rest of the series. I loved going back to South RIding with Finlay, voiced by Angela Dawe. Angela has a great voice for every character - I don't know how she keeps them all straight, but she does so masterfully. Cosimano's books have fade-to-black spicy scenes, and there are three in this installment. The main love story intensifies and you'll love Detective Hottie more than ever.

Finlay's ex gets arrested when a body turns up in Mrs. Haggerty's backyard. What follows is a wild ride with lots of female friendship and humor along the way. This series gives what every mom is looking for - balance. Cosimano brings humor to co-parenting, being a working mom, and having secrets. With this series, you really can have it all.

Loved it so much!!!

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’ve loved this series since the first book, and now that we’re at book five, I jumped at the chance to read the audiobook version. I’ve read previous books in the series as audiobooks, and really enjoyed all of them. Obviously, I had really high hopes for this book, and I wasn’t let down at all.

Angela Dawe has narrated all of the audiobooks, and embodies the voice of Finlay for me. I love the voices that she’s given all of the characters, and how much fun she has with the books.

I couldn’t wait to see what kind of mischief Finlay and Vero find themselves in this time. And the troubles keep piling up. First, nosy Mrs. Haggerty winds up staying at Finlay’s house, causing all kinds of friction within the household—especially when Mrs. Haggerty takes over Finlay’s room. The entitlement and grouchy nature of Mrs. Haggerty didn’t endear her to me, although I did grow to like her a little more by the end of the book. Things get a little hectic at the house, especially when Mrs. Haggerty interferes with pretty much everything in Finlay’s life. As if that wasn’t enough to deal with, Delia was suspended from preschool, the murder of the body in Mrs. Haggerty’s backyard is pinned on Steven, Finlay’s ex-husband.

While reading this, I couldn’t help but think of how far the relationship between Finlay and Vero has come. These two women have grown from an employer and a live-in employee to a real ride-or-die friendship that comes with emotional support and someone they could rely on no matter what. It’s lucky that these two have each other, because I didn’t think there’s anyone else who would willingly put themselves in the situations that they do, and get out of them as well as they do.

I also really love the relationship between Nick and Finlay, which further deepens in this book. It took them a lot to reach the point that they’re at, but Nick has been pushing Finlay to open up to him a little more. And we all know what Finlay is hiding, and why she doesn’t want to share it with her detective boyfriend. But we see a lot more of the relationship wrinkles getting ironed out now that they’ve become more serious.

As always, the action is fast and furious and funny. Cosimano has a great sense of humor throughout these books, and this is no exception. This leans more into the cozy mystery genre than thrillers, and it’s such a fun read. There is plenty of character development, even if the story ends on such a huge cliffhanger! I know I’ll be eagerly awaiting the next book in the series, and devouring it. You’re likely to enjoy this book if: you’ve read earlier books in the series (and liked them), like a little more humor and lower stakes in your stories, are drawn to awesome female friendships, and enjoy seeing a mom who is a hot mess always manage to come through just about every situation more or less okay.

This was easily my favorite in the series! The characters were so entertaining and the story came together well. Loved the audio!

Title: Finlay Donovan Digs Her own Grave
Series: Finlay Donovan #5
Author: Elle Cosimano
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Angela Dawe
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Genre: Mystery /Thriller, Romance
Pub Date: March 4, 2025
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pages: 320

Finlay Donovan and her nanny/partner-in-crime Vero have not been best friends with neighbor Mrs. Haggerty; however, when a dead body shows up in Mrs. Haggerty backyard, our super sleuths know they have to help. Finlay didn’t realize that helping to find whodunit also included babysitting.
Mrs. Haggerty was in jail for a week and while she was gone her power was turned off plus her home is a crime scene so she decides she wants to stay at Finlay’s home. Yikes! (Hmmm, Perhaps Mrs. Haggerty can help potty-train Zach, Finlay's two year old son and then deal with Delia her five year old daughter who has been suspended from pre-school for beating up Cooper a classmate as he was pilling her hair and is an all-around mean boy!.)
Hmmm and then there is Book Club. I read a lot of thrillers so know there something suspicious going on!

Of course, everything gets worse when another body shows up and Steven, Finlay‘s ex-husband is a suspect.

I enjoyed this- in fact I think it is the BEST in this fun series.

I am sure Mystery Book Clubs are going to have a fun time discussing this one!!!

My only negative is the foul language. It is such a fun story and the foul language really isn’t necessary.
But as a faithful Finn reader, I have already put #6 on my TBR list.

This is #5 for me. I read the others and since I am big audiobook fan I was delighted to get the audiobook.
Narrator Angela Dawe is GREAT at performing the characters- she made this fun story even more entertaining.

Want to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this great early audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for March 4, 2025,

Just love this series. Perfect mix of dark comedy! You must start with the first in the series tho cause they all just flow and pick up so smoothly! Loved it! Thank you NetGalley for this arc

I love this series, I love these characters and I can't wait for more adventures to come! Huge thanks to Macmillan Audio for the early audiobook listen and Minotaur Books for the ARC!

I love the experience of reading the book and listening along for the FULL Finlay and Vero experience. And this one? Ends on a cliffhanger (YAY for more books!).

After each book in the series, I always say this one might be my favorite so... This might be my favorite in the series (which I never thought possible after books 3 & 4). Mrs. Haggerty takes center stage—no longer just the nosy neighbor, she’s now in Finlay’s house. Trustworthy? Debatable. Hilarious? Absolutely.

The story is fantastic— a little less chaos (barely), more crime-solving antics, and plenty of tension (hello, hot cop Detective Anthony!). I devoured it and was so sad when it ended.

Angela Dawe nails the narration as always—her voices are perfection. If she ever stops narrating this series, I will riot (LOL). Grab the audiobook if you can—it's completely engrossing! Elle Cosimano always does such a great job of making Finlay such a relatable and real character and I think that's why I love her so much!

Pubs March 4th! Finlay and Vero are BAAAACK!

My besties at Macmillan Audio come through again with an approval to read the audiobook early!

(Okay, okay, enough exclamation points lady, sheesh, hehe)

Technically each story can be read as a standalone, there is enough back story included that you're not lost, but I'd recommend reading the whole series for the FULL Finlay and Vero experience. This one ends on a cliffhanger so it seems like we will be getting more of them in the future! (YAY!)

This was SO good and probably my favorite of the series so far (didn't think another could take the place of books 3 & 4)! Mrs. Haggerty takes a more central role in this story, she's no longer JUST the meddling, nosy neighbor across the street....she's now the meddling, nosy neighbor staying in Finlay's bedroom! We can't tell if she's to be trusted or not... I mean, the lady WAS questioned regarding the DE@D BODY found buried in her backyard! The scenes with Mrs. Haggerty are simultaneously infuriating and HILARIOUS.

This was such a good storyline. Finlay and Vero manage to cause less trouble in this one but they're not done with their amateur crime-solving antics. I won't lie -- Detective Anthony was a big part of why I loved this one so much. As always, there is lots of tension, especially as Finlay and Vero sort of, kind of, maybe bend the law a few times. Those thrilling moments will keep readers turning pages in a rush to find out what will happen! I couldn't get through this fast enough but then felt sad it was over :-)

As with the previous books I ADORE this narrator for these stories! Her different voices for each of the characters are PERFECTION and I'll riot if there are ever future books she does not narrate (LOL!) One hundred percent recommend grabbing the audiobook if you can -- they are entertaining and engrossing stories read by Angela Dawe!

I think that this is one of the best books in the series!

I really enjoy the Finlay Donovan series, but the last few books have been 4/4.5 stars for mw (still good but not top of my list good). This book seems to have gone back to more of the story's original roots - Finlay juggling her career & mom life, with the help of Vero, while also ending up having to clean up Steven's 'messes'. I felt like we were back in the comfort of Finlay's life instead of Finlay being off in other scenarios. This brought us back to the feeling of the first book and I think that is what really made me love this one so much.

This book has a lot of familiar characters that we have seen throughout the series. There are a few side characters that are starting to have a bigger role in Finlay's life and antics and it is really fun to still see some threads from book one being connected.

I knew that a new Finlay Donovan book would certainly be a top read for the month but I just didn't expect it to have me feeling so nostalgic and comforted. I did not want to put this down and fortunately I was gifted the audiobook copy as well so I could keep listening on the go.

If you haven't read this series yet and are a fan of softer (not gory or dark) mysteries, then I recommend checking this series out! This book & series is full of relatable #momlife moments, neighborhood watch drama, and friends that stick by your side through thick and thin. It has always been a top series for me because it is so fun and full of laugh out loud moments. It feels so wholesome at times despite being about a few murders. Elle Cosimano never fails to put a smile on my face with these characters and I cannot wait to hopefully devour more of these books in the future!

I love this book! I love this series! I love this author! The perfect pace and a fun story make this book perfect for a delightful escape from reality. The characters are quirky and sarcastic and make you love them. I will always recommend this series.

Elle Cosimano really stepped up her game with this one. I have read all of the Finlay Donovan books and this one might be my favorite. The first book had me hooked! The middle three books felt a little like coasting. However, I am so glad I stuck with them. This book had it all; the laughs, the heart felt moments, the "suspense", the mystery, the hot cop! Thank you so much for offering this ARC so that I could read, enjoy, and share with others to definitely grab this book when it comes out.

I went into this book mildly uneasy, as I wasn’t a huge fan of the novella.

I needn’t have worried.

I love revisiting familiar characters, and I particularly love a curmudgeon, so, after Vero and Fin, Mrs. Haggarty was my favourite.

The best part of this series is, and will always be, the female friendships.

Romance is good, but WOMANCE is ESSENTIAL.

I’m also thrilled about the return of the original narrator. GOAT.

Also: Should I be concerned about how UNconcerned I am about all the vigilantism?

This was a witty and hilarious addition to the series! The narrator brings each character to life with distinct voices, making the experience even more enjoyable. While this book may not be as action-packed or memorable as the last FD installment, it’s still solid, well-written, and kept me hooked. Most importantly, it left me excited for what’s next!

I can’t get enough of the Finlay Donovan series. Each book has such a fun and interesting premise. The characters are so relatable and each book allows us to have an even greater insight into them. In this book, I was excited to have Finlay’s kids more involved in the storyline. I also really liked having Nick, Finlay’s cop-boyfriend, being more involved and working on deepening their relationship. While I missed Georgia, Finlay’s sister, I understood the break from her storyline in order to focus on and bolster the other characters. Each book in the series has such fun humor in it that balances perfectly with the intrigue. I love how every book ends with such a happy summary and thennnnnn….you get a little glimpse into what the next book will be about.

Overall, I’ve loved every book in this series and rated each over four stars. I also highly recommend the audiobook; the narrator does a fantastic job!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ahhh I love this series so much! Book five picks up right where book four ended. The narrator is fantastic and she really brought the story and characters to life. This was such an entertaining book to listen to and I was happy to be back with Finlay and the crew.

5⭐, 0.75🌶️

I. FREAKING. LOVE. FINLEY DONOVAN! These books have the perfect balance of mystery, hijinx, and humor that are just perfect for binging (which I did in one day during work). Finley and Vero's friendship is always so hilarious, and the added humor with Fin's kids, ex husband, both of the women's partners, and so many other characters just make this such an enjoyable series.

As a Northern Virginia resident that also works in the LEO field, its soooo appreciated how factually accurate this series is to professions and the location. Its such a great series I love to recommend it to anyone who wants a Mystery series to binge!

This book has so much going on but really for once its not inadvertently a consequence of Finley or Vero's actions, but a lot of their past is about to come back up to possibly screw with them. AND THAT CLIFF HANGER?! OMG OMG OMG the next book cant get here fast enough - which is painful to have to say for a book im already reading in advance of its release lol.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an ALC of this book in exchange for my honest and unpaid review!

Excited to return to Finlay’s world!
Mrs. Haggerty thrown in jail, book club meetings, kiddos misbehaving, just another hectic day in Finlay and Vero’s life. I laughed so much in this one and loved seeing how they kept getting themselves into and out of wild situations. Mrs. Haggerty and Cam both had great roles in this one and the bonding they had completely warmed my heart. Mrs. Haggerty is hilarious, and who would have thought she had some secrets of her own? Angela Dawe delivers great narration, using a wide array of tones and inflections that bring the characters to life. I can’t see anyone else portraying these characters.
I can’t wait to see what happens next, especially with that ending that left us wondering what’s coming!

This was a wonderful continuation of the Finley Donovan series. I really enjoyed the character development in this one. I also liked that the ending left room for another novel/spinoff in the future.