The Corpse in the Closet by Lucy Score is a delightfully quirky and darkly funny mystery that will keep you guessing while also offering plenty of laughs along the way. With her signature wit, charming characters, and clever plot twists, Score crafts a compelling story that combines murder, mayhem, and a whole lot of heart.

The story kicks off with a bang when amateur sleuth Cassidy, an out-of-place small-town librarian, stumbles upon a shocking discovery—a dead body stuffed in the closet of her new (and less-than-ideal) apartment. Naturally, Cassidy, ever the problem-solver, is not the type to let a little thing like murder get in the way of her day. She teams up with the brooding and reluctant local detective, Nate, who has his own reasons for not trusting Cassidy’s sleuthing skills. But together, they’re forced to confront not only the body in the closet but also the bizarre secrets lurking in their town.

What makes The Corpse in the Closet such an enjoyable read is the perfect balance between suspense and humor. Lucy Score has a knack for creating characters who feel real, even in the most outrageous situations. Cassidy’s awkward but endearing nature is a joy to follow, and her dynamic with the no-nonsense Nate is filled with tension, banter, and plenty of chemistry. The way they work together—despite their contrasting personalities—keeps the plot moving at a brisk pace, while also providing plenty of comedic moments.

The mystery itself is tightly constructed, with layers of secrets, clues, and red herrings that keep you turning the pages. Just when you think you’ve figured it all out, Score throws in a curveball that leaves you second-guessing everything. While the stakes are high, Score never lets the tone become too heavy—there’s always a light-heartedness in the air, whether through quirky side characters or Cassidy’s hilarious inner monologue.

The Corpse in the Closet is a perfect blend of cozy mystery and comedic romance, with a dash of small-town charm and a sprinkle of dark humor. Fans of witty, character-driven mysteries with a hint of romance will absolutely devour this book.

I love Lucy Score books. This Riley Thorne series is the perfect mix of humor, murder mystery, and eccentric lovable characters.

This is a book that I, unfortunately, instantly forgot as soon as I was finished reading it. That is not a reflection of it's quality. I did thoroughly enjoy every minute of my reading experience. It was fun, even though I was very annoyed by the main character's boyfriend. This is a book you can jump into without any context from the previous Riley Thorn novels. I was surprised at how much fun I had in this world with these characters.

ahhhh lucy! i have loved all of her books. i was quite happy to receive an arc from her!! i wasn’t disappointed at all. not my favourite but i liked it!

I'm loving the Riley Thorn series! Honestly, Lucy Score's writing is so fun and keeps me hooked in whatever book of hers I'm reading. I didn't love this one quite as much as the first in the series but I still enjoyed myself so much! There are so many quirky and unique characters that are just so entertaining and keep me laughing. I'm so excited to continue reading this series and see how Riley evolves.

If you're looking for a fluffy hilarious read with a bit of spice, this is your book! I had a great time and can't wait to continue with book 3.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive this item or an honest review.
Another great book by Lucy Score. It was funny and witty and if you looking for a change, I recommend checking this one out.

Love Lucy’s writing and all the Harrisburg vibes of the story. Witty, playful, and full of heart, I’d recommend this series to all my girlfriends!

Riley and Nick are 2 of my favorite characters. I love this series. Nothing is better than fun characters, a good mystery, a good humor in a book. Lucy checks all of those boxes with every book in this series. (I have actually read all 4 books now). I loved the animals as supporting roles in this one. I thought it was written perfectly and such an easy, quick, fun read.

Thank you so much for the arc! I absolutely love Lucy Score and her writing! After reading a different series of hers, I’ve immediately wanted to read all her other books. This series was so much fun and I loved it! More in depth review to come!

I'm enjoying this series so much!

Corpse in the Closet has all the humor, wit and sexy fun as the first one with a bit more murder! Riley gets recruited to assist the PD on a serial killer case while Nick is on a missing persons case. Nick is definitely not playing the part of cheerleader for Riley to run off into danger again but he is keeping his panicky anxious feelings to himself...and adding a bit of tracking bugs to Riley's phone and car. Riley's grandmother is also in town demanding Riley focus on honing her psychic abilities, the woman is god awful! The bodies start piling up while the glitter bombs explode, Riley and Nick face down another intense situation in this sequel.

I really adored how quickly Nick has fallen for Riley, moving himself in with no hesitation, knowing he doesn't want to be without her for even a second. I know this is like bare minimum stuff here but after he was portrayed as such a commitment phobe it was really cute to see him go all gaga. I felt so bad for Riley...she's really caught between worlds right now. If she really exposes herself as a psychic her dream of normalcy will be out the window...and if she does want to be a psychic her drill sergeant of a grandmother demands she hone it. Decisions decisions.

All of our beloved secondary characters have returned as well and it was lovely to see Gabe and Wander's relationship get a little bit more attention but don't get your hopes too high we are very much still in slow burn territory. We also get to see Griffin suffer a lot more at the end was vindicating and we are left with quite the reveal by Riley's Grandmother in regards to Webber's sister Beth who has been missing the last 6 years.

The audio of this series is also really good. Natalie Duke does a wonderful narration and does a great job with all of the secondary character voices. I just adore her Gabe voice, it makes me think of him like a huge serene angel like being (is he an angel?! Definitely not human I think lol).

Overall a great sequel to this fun series, I am definitely going to continue it! Thank you so much to Bloom Books for gifting me this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

In this sequel kooky psychic Riley Thorne and her near perfect grumpy boyfriend Nick Santiago are full shenanigans again. Another mystery to solve with an extensive cast of colorful characters, Lucy Score produces another fun book with a nice mix of romance and mystery in a series that slides a little but further into slapstick territory but is still a delight to read.

This one took me a while to finish. I started reading it and enjoyed the writing (like I always do with Lucy Score books!) but I kept feeling like I was severely missing something. And I was. I was missing the first book in the series 🤦🏼‍♀️. I was missing the entire backstory of the relationship. That being said definitely read that one first, then come back to this. It was cute, the banter was fun, Lucy Score writes with wit and her books are never a miss.

This was a light hearted continuation of the Riley Thorn series. I really enjoyed how Score was able to balance continuing the plot with these characters in contrast over new plot points and a new mystery to solve.

This was an excellent book!! I enjoyed the character development as well as how the plot was developed throughout the story. The author was able to to do a good job with all aspects of the story. I would recommend to others.

This is a Negative Review

Thank you to Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books | Bloom Books for an ARC

I usually LOVE a Lucy Score Book but.... this one was defeating for me I couldn't get past the first 20% no matter how many times I tried.. Unfortunately, this one just wasn't connecting with me. . Sometimes, things don't work out—right Book wrong time perhaps. Therefore I will not be posting this review to any other platforms.

Lucy score always knows how to captivate a reader with her witty, humorous characters. I enjoyed this read and I’ve jumped into the next book right away!

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Corpse in the Closet is the second book within the Riley Thorn series. Just like the first one, I really enjoyed seeing Riley, Nick, and the gang figure out multiple mysteries. On top of that, we get Riley's scary grandmother, who is so freaking hard to please. I didn't like her for most of this book, but I am happy that she is leaving. Unless she magically shows back up in the next book.

As for the mystery, it took me forever to figure out who was behind the glitter bombs. I'll admit that I was definitely surprised with the reveal because I just didn't see that person doing it. I mean, now I totally did, but during? No.

Other than that, I'm enjoying the romance side of Nick and Riley. Sure, the communication could use a little more work, but they are still going strong. I do hope that his mother somehow comes around to liking Riley. I'm also not surprised that Nick put an offer on that dump they call a house. I could totally see the vision behind his drunken explanation, but I have a feeling people are still going to show up unnanounced and cockblock him.

In the end, I'm glad that I got the first two books from NetGalley and can't wait to jump into the next book in the new year.

This was a short, fun read! Will absolutely read more from this author. Mystery & romance will always be a good time!

The Corpse in the Closet is a delightful addition to Lucy Score’s repertoire, perfect for fans of romantic comedies with a suspenseful edge. It’s a fun, fast-paced read that will leave you eager for more adventures (and misadventures) with these unforgettable characters.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐