Title: FINLAY DONOVAN CROSSES THE LINE
Author: ELLE COSIMANO
ISBN: 9781250337397
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Pages: 368
Source: Private Copy
Life hasn’t been easy for Finlay Donovan lately, but it just got a whole lot harder. Her nanny and partner-in-crime, Vero, has been extradited from Virginia to Maryland, where she’s facing criminal charges for a theft she swears she didn’t commit. A prisoner to an ankle bracelet as she awaits her trial, Vero is forced to live with her overbearing mother and nosy aunt. Threatening messages keep arriving on her mother’s door, demanding Vero “turn over the money . . . or else.” And if she doesn’t figure out who really stole her former sorority’s treasury funds, her next home might be a prison cell.
But proving her innocence might be an impossible feat. Vero was the treasurer of her sorority when the money went missing—one of the only people who had access to the cash. And her alibi is a date who ghosted her. With her court date quickly approaching, and her mysterious stalker on her tail, Vero needs to clear her name fast.
Finlay decides a trip to Maryland is in order. After all, Vero stood by her through her darkest moments, and Finlay will be damned if she lets her best friend and children’s nanny be convicted for something she didn’t do. She sets off on a mission to sus out the real thief and bring Vero home.
Official Summary
24 September 2026
Alicia and I have buddy-read all the books in this series, so with her staying at home for a few days, it was the perfect opportunity to sit down and read this one together. Unfortunately she was not able to review this one, so it’s just my thoughts this time.
Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line is the sixth instalment in the series, and while I still enjoy spending time with these characters, this one felt quite different from the previous books.
One of the things I have loved about this series is the humour. The earlier books had me laughing out loud at some of the ridiculous situations Finlay and Vero found themselves in, but sadly, that was missing for me this time around. I can only remember one moment where I actually had a smile on my face, and there were no laugh-out-loud moments at all. That was probably my biggest disappointment with this book.
Finlay is now in a relationship with Nick, but surprisingly, he played a very small role in this story. The children were also left at home this time around, which meant we didn’t get the usual chaos that comes with Finlay trying to juggle motherhood with everything else going on in her life. Sylvia was largely absent too, and Stephen didn’t make an appearance at all. I really missed some of these familiar characters.
This instalment introduces us to Vero’s family and an entirely new group of people. While I actually enjoyed getting to know Vero’s mother and aunt, and they certainly brought some of their own funny moments to the story, I found myself missing the established characters. There was no mention of Finlay’s mother or sister, and I would have liked to see more of the characters we have become so attached to over the course of the series.
On the positive side, it was good to see Vero’s situation in Maryland finally being dealt with and to have her name cleared. After everything she has been through, it was satisfying to see that particular storyline wrapped up.
And believe it or not, there were no dead bodies in this book. Not one! Considering this is Finlay Donovan, that felt almost strange!
Javi is included in the story, although I felt his character was portrayed more as the slightly clueless or dumb male this time around, which wasn’t quite what I expected from him. I did, however, enjoy Vero’s mom and aunt and the way they fitted into the story.
The old college friends, on the other hand, didn’t really appeal to me. Cam and Arnold also made an appearance, but there wasn’t a huge amount happening with them, which left me wondering whether their involvement will become more important in the next book.
And then there is that ending! Stacey goes missing, and I have a feeling this is going to lead us straight into the next instalment. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Stephen makes a return too, because I can’t help feeling there is still a story waiting to be told there.
While this series remains a popular choice for me, Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line was definitely not my favourite instalment. I still enjoyed being back with Finlay and Vero, and there were some entertaining moments, but I missed the humour, the familiar supporting characters and, surprisingly, the usual chaos.
Perhaps after six books, I’m simply too invested in the original gang! I’m certainly not ready to give up on the series yet, though, and I will absolutely be picking up the next book to see where all these loose ends take us.
Also By Elle Cosimano
FINLAY DONOVAN DIGS HER OWN GRAVE
Finlay Donovan may have skeletons in her closet . . . but at least there’s not a body in her backyard.
Finlay Donovan and her nanny/partner-in-crime, Vero, have not always gotten along with Finlay’s elderly neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, the community busybody and president of the neighborhood watch. But when a dead body is discovered in her backyard, Mrs. Haggerty needs their help. At first, a suspect, Mrs. Haggerty, is cleared by the police, but her house remains an active crime scene. She has nowhere to go… except Finlay’s house, right across the street.
Finlay and Vero have no interest in getting involved in another murder case—or sacrificing either of their bedrooms. After all, they’ve dealt with enough murders over the last four months to last a lifetime, and they both would much rather share their beds with someone else.
When the focus of the investigation widens to include Finlay’s ex-husband, Steven, though, Finlay and Vero are left with little choice but to get closer to Mrs. Haggerty and uncover her secrets . . . before the police start digging up theirs. But who will solve the mystery first?
About the Author
Author bio from the author’s site
Elle Cosimano is a USA Today bestselling author, an International Thriller Award winner, a Bram Stoker Award finalist, and an Edgar® Award nominee. Her acclaimed young adult novels include Nearly Gone, Holding Smoke, The Suffering Tree, and Seasons of the Storm. Elle’s debut novel for adults, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, kicked off a witty, fast-paced contemporary mystery series, which was a PEOPLE Magazine Pick and was named one of New York Public Library’s Best Books of 2021. In addition to writing novels for teens and adults, her essays have appeared in The Huffington Post and Time. Cosimano lives with her husband and two sons in Virginia.
Regular visitors will know that I have been a loyal follower of the Finlay Donovan series since Alicia introduced me to the first book. It has been awesome that we have managed to make time to buddy read all of them and I look forward to us sharing the next book as well. I hope you enjoy this one. Until next time… Happy Reading!
