Book Review: Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line

Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line by Elle Cosimano will be released in the United States on Mar 17, 2026.

I read the first 12 chapters of Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line by Elle Cosimano and I am not OK! I need to read the rest of the novel POSTHASTE!  I said to myself, Oh, I will just read a few pages, and the next thing I know, it was 1:00am and past my bedtime.

I feel like this might be the best one in the series, but I will withhold judgment until I read the whole book in March.

First of all, Finlay and Vero are my current favorite crime-solving duo. Their love of Oreos, their witty banter, and hijinks always deliver. Each book is funny and relatable. Finlay is a single mom and romance author, and Vero is her nanny who has become part of the family (doing crime on accident will bond you on a deeper level). I’m very picky about the portrayal of single moms, because I am one, and I approve of Finlay.

When I read the premise, I was worried we would not get enough Vero/Finlay screentime with Vero being extradited to Maryland and Finlay in Virginia with her two adorable, rambunctious children and hot-cop boyfriend Nick. Yet, soon enough, a road trip was planned…

Like some of the other books in the series, Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line opens with a relatable moment in the life of a mom (never forget the Walmart bathroom scene); that awkward moment when you have to bring your kid to the doctor’s office with you because your childcare fell through. Or if your nanny was arrested… Nick insists he can watch the kids while Finlay visits Vero in Maryland, but Finlay is worried it will be “too real” and a breaking point in their relationship…yet she and Javi pile into her trusty minivan and head to Maryland to help Vero.

Wherefore art thou, Vero?

Vero has been wrongfully accused of stealing money from her old sorority, and she is stuck wearing an ankle monitor and living with her mom. Vero’s mom disapproves of her boyfriend, Javi, and Finlay and Javi are hearing crickets from Vero. So they decided to pay a visit to Vero’s mom’s house, and maybe, just maybe, investigate to find the truth about who REALLY stole the money…and then of course, the trouble begins…

Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line is funny and suspenseful, delivers on the Vero/Finlay duo we know and love, and I need to read the rest right away!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!