Elle Cosimano Books in Order (Updated February 24, 2026)

Elle Cosimano writes in two main spaces: an ongoing adult mystery series (Finlay Donovan), and young adult novels that split between a short mystery series and standalones/duologies.

The key is not “chronology” so much as continuity, Finlay’s books build on each other, while most of the YA works are either standalone or contained to their own mini-sets.

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Your starting lane (pick one and you’re set)

Adult mystery with an ongoing cast (read in order): start with Finlay Donovan Is Killing It (2021).
YA mystery series (read in order): start with Nearly Gone (2014).
YA “seasons” duology (read in order): start with Seasons of the Storm (2020).
Adult standalone (no commitment): Staged (2024).

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Finlay Donovan Mysteries (main continuity, best read in order)

1. Finlay Donovan Is Killing It (2021): A broke novelist’s overheard conversation is mistaken for a murder-for-hire pitch, launching Finlay into a crime spiral that defines the series’ mix of domestic chaos, danger, and fast improvisation.
2. Finlay Donovan Knocks ’Em Dead (2022): A new threat lands close to home, forcing Finlay and Vero into riskier choices while the series starts treating their partnership as the real engine.
3. Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun (2023): A case with bigger-moving parts tightens the pressure on Finlay’s double life, and the “comic mess” starts leaving lasting dents.
4. Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank (2023) – short story (optional but recommended here): A focused look that deepens Vero’s side of the ledger, best read once you already know her dynamic with Finlay.
5. Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice (2024): A fresh scheme turns into a multi-front scramble, pushing the series toward broader stakes while keeping the humor rooted in very real consequences.
6. Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave (2025): Past problems and present traps converge, rewarding readers who’ve tracked the accumulating fallout from earlier books.
7. Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line (2026): Finlay steps deeper into Vero’s world as old secrets stop being optional, turning loyalty and backstory into the case’s sharpest weapons.

Order rule: Read these in publication order. This series “remembers” everything, relationships, cover stories, and who knows what.

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Adult standalone

Staged (2024): A self-contained thriller built around performance and perception, designed to hit cleanly without any series prerequisites.

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Nearly Boswell Mysteries (YA, same continuity)

1. Nearly Gone (2014): A threatening message aimed directly at Nearly turns her ordinary routines into a hunt for who’s watching, setting the tone for a teen-led mystery where danger keeps getting closer.
2. Nearly Found (2015): The next case expands the web around Nearly, shifting from “one stalker” energy toward a wider puzzle with higher personal cost.

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YA standalones and duology

Holding Smoke (2016): A tense, high-stakes YA thriller where a locked-in environment and a past accusation turn every alliance into a liability.
The Suffering Tree (2017): A small-town story where long-buried secrets and social pressure create a creeping, evidence-driven kind of horror.

Seasons of the Storm (2020): A mythic, rule-bound setup where the characters’ roles come with consequences, and survival depends on understanding the system.
Seasons of Chaos (2021): The payoff volume that turns the earlier rules into final choices, built to be read directly after book one.

Order rule: The duology must be read in order. The YA standalones can be read anytime.

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A practical “do-this” plan

• If you’re here for the popular series energy: Finlay #1 → #7, placing Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank between #3 and #4.
• If you want a shorter commitment first: Nearly Gone → Nearly Found, then decide whether to jump to Finlay or try a YA standalone.
• If you want fantasy-leaning YA with a clean two-book arc: Seasons of the Storm → Seasons of Chaos.

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What’s newest and what’s next

• Newest adult series entry: Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line (2026) is listed for March 2026 (most listings show March 17, 2026, though some catalogs have shown March 10, 2026).
• Newest already out (as of today): Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave (2025).
• Also announced (separate project): Home for the Homicides (2026) is a forthcoming holiday-themed collaborative mystery novel with Hannah Morrissey, and it sits outside the Finlay continuity.

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Two quick clarity checks

Do any of these series connect to each other? No, Finlay, Nearly Boswell, and the Seasons books are separate continuities.
Can I start Finlay in the middle? You can, but you’ll inherit spoilers about Finlay’s secret life and Vero’s backstory. Book 1 is the clean entry.