Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave

What a hoot! This is the fifth installment of the ongoing screwball comedy mystery series. Mix into the pot a heaping amount of misunderstanding and misadventure, along with a humongous amount of humor, a tinge of romance, deepening friendships, and murder. What results is another amazingly propulsive read, with just the right amount of suspense, intrigue, and fun.

Although this is the fifth Finlay Donovan adventure, it can certainly be enjoyed as a standalone, as Cosimano seamlessly weaves the necessary backstory into the narrative. However, the reader will undoubtedly feel compelled to download the first four gems immediately.

Finlay is a struggling B-list writer of romantic mysteries, always facing impending deadlines for her next book. Her readers are constantly imploring her to add spicy tidbits with her “hot cop” Nick—a recurring character in both her books and personal life. Her novels are thinly disguised rehashes of her own misadventures with murder and the law. She is a single mother to adorable four-year-old Delia and perpetually sticky two-year-old Zach, who is forever flirting with escalating degrees of mischief. Finlay is divorced from her no-good, philandering husband, Steven, who carried on a lengthy affair with their curvy, blonde realtor.

But most importantly, she continues to be aided by her most unusual live-in college student, Vero, who wears many hats: trusted nanny, confidante, partner-in-crime, and accountant. From this, a blossoming friendship and interdependence have evolved. Returning for this adventure are the kids, Vero, and Nick, the “Hot Cop.”

Finlay and Vero have just returned from a trip to Atlantic City and are shocked to hear that a body has been uncovered after a flood in the backyard of their nosy, elderly neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty.

She is arrested but quickly absolved due to lack of evidence. A knock on Finlay’s door soon reveals Mrs. Haggerty and her nephew, Brandon, standing on her porch. Mrs. Haggerty has decided she will need to stay at Finlay’s house for the weekend since her electricity has been turned off and her home is in shambles. Brandon assures Finlay that he will arrange for contractors to immediately attend to the house repairs and will return for her at the beginning of next week. Naturally, this never happens—neither the contractors nor Brandon return. Suddenly, the police are looking into Finlay’s ex-husband as a possible suspect. Further trouble arises when her literary agent sets up a meeting with producer Randall Wolfe, who wants to turn her books into a TV series. She fears that her thinly disguised book adventures will expose her past real-life misadventures with crime and murder.

Elle Cosimano spins a twisted and hilarious tale that is well-plotted, suspenseful, and marvelously outfitted with multiple colorful characters who are both flawed and believable. The burgeoning relationship and “sisterhood” between Finlay and Vero is nothing short of amazing. The dialogue flows in an entertaining fashion, frequently funny and at times sarcastic, as our two main protagonists entangle themselves in the world of murder and mayhem. This certainly rivals the “Lucy and Ethel” adventures of television lore. The denouement of this delightful gem ends in an enticing cliffhanger, begging for further adventures in the trials and tribulations of Finlay Donovan.

I personally switched back and forth between the Kindle and audiobook versions. Eventually, I found myself sticking with the audiobook, as I was virtually spellbound by the marvelous narration of Angela Dawe. It was incredible how she captured the distinct voices of all the characters, effortlessly conveying the essence of both male and female protagonists. Her performance perfectly matched the timbre of this zany, madcap adventure, elevating the novel to new heights in the theater of my mind.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press – Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for providing an Uncorrected Proof and Advance Audio version in exchange for an honest review.