When Cordelia finds a body on the sidewalk in front of her apartment building she decides it's up to her to investigate. There's only one small problem, it's minor really; she's dead. She must team up with the new tenant, Ruby that has moved into Cordelia's apartment, because you know, dead. This was a cute cozy murd€r mystery with an unexpected ending. Ghost Cordelia is a great friend to have! I really enjoyed that perky Ruby grew on her and Cordelia came to feel responsible for her and took her under her wing. It was a fun twist to the found family trope. I had my suspicions leading up to the cliffhanger and look forward to the next book to learn more on that. 3.5 stars rounded up.

*3.5 stars rounded up.

How's this for a fun cozy mystery plot? 'I moved into a haunted apartment, but the ghost is real nice. She got me a job and now I'm helping her solve a mystery.'

When Ruby Young moves to Boston from Baltimore, she rents a furnished apartment AS IS. She soon realizes 'the furnishings' include the ghost of the woman who owned them, Cordelia Graves. When Jake, the neighbor across the hall, is found shot to death in front of their building, the Boston police seem to write it off as a mugging. But why was Jake out there in his pj bottoms and fuzzy socks in the middle of a snow storm? Cordelia convinces Ruby to help her find his killer.

Looking for a fun ghost story for the Halloween season? This cozy mystery is so delightfully quirky and humorous. I enjoyed meeting these two characters and will look forward to more from this zany duo. Maybe next time they can figure out the truth of how Cordelia died.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for offering me an arc via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Cordelia has an annoying new roommate, Ruby. Cordelia is dead and Ruby is very perky and alive.

This story was super cute, even though our unlikely duo is investigating the murder of their across-the-hall neighbor. During the investigation, Cordelia is finding out more about navigating her new life as a ghost and Ruby is learning how to be more independent.

You also start out knowing that Cordelia’s death has some unresolved issues. The book does end on a bit of a cliffhanger that I believe is setting up additional books that will address Cordelia’s demise. This was my first cozy mystery, but may not be my last.

Thank you to NetGallely, St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, and Olivia Blacke for the eARC.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC! I actually loved this book. My ONLY problem is the unresolved ending/cliffhanger. We know from the very beginning that Cords death was suspect, so to have that bit of knowledge be the ending was frustrating. I really liked the dynamic between the characters. I would read the next one!

I finished A Lease in Death by Olivia Black and I enjoyed the heck out of it!


It’s a paranormal cozy mystery!! I've never read one before but wow-oh-wow it was AMAZEBALLS!! A spooky whodunnit…. How clever!!

Imagine if you will, you find out you are living with a ghost, what would you do? Call a priest? Make it your new BFF?

Cordelia supposedly killed herself in the bathroom and is hanging around Ruby’s apartment. When Ruby’s neighbor also dies…. They realize something fishy is going on and that's where the real fun begins!

The characters are brilliant! That right there is enough to keep me going with a book. The story was easy to read and held my attention the whole time. It did get a little sluggish in the middle but that didn’t last long! The pace was great and the writing was clever, like really clever.

The book is quirky and really amusing! I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would as I prefer my cozy mysteries in audio format but I ate this up with a spoon and I got the memo that this is book 1 of a series?? I think it would translate well to TV too. This book checks all the boxes so squeeze it into your spooky season reading as it is out on the 29nd October 2024!!

Thank you to @minotaurbooks and @netgalley for my paperback and my kindle versions.

4.5 stars

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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Wowza this was a fun read! I definitely went into this one blind and was pleasantly surprised about what I was reading! I love a good paranormal tale and this didn’t disappoint. The characters were so delightful and I CANNOT wait for a sequel!

Grab a copy of this one when it publishes October 29, 2024!

This was a fun read for this time of year! If you like a cozy mystery with a quirky, supernatural take, I think you’ll enjoy this one 👻

This story follows Cordelia, a ghost in her forties who is haunting her old apartment, and Ruby, the new twenty-year-old tenant who moved in after Cordelia died. They form an unlikely partnership when they team up to solve the murder of their neighbor across the hall. The dynamics between the two were so funny to read: different generations, different living situations… literally 💀😂 It was a fun time!

I liked the ghostly elements and seeing how all the supernatural rules played out - they had to get really creative to communicate and solve the murder! On that note, I was a bit underwhelmed by the mystery overall, but it ended on a cliffhanger to set up the next book in this series well. I probably will pick it up when it comes out and keep reading to see what’s in store for Ruby and Cordelia next!

Nothing groundbreaking to me, but it was a good addition to my spooky season TBR!

4 stars / This review will be posted on BookwormishMe.com & goodreads.com today.


What would you do if you suddenly realized you were living with a ghost? Would you call someone to exorcise the ghost, or befriend it? Ruby has always been fascinated by ghosts, so when she realizes the woman who killed herself in Ruby’s apartment is still hanging around, Ruby decides to make the ghost comfortable.

Cordelia supposedly committed suicide in the bathroom of this very apartment. A bottle of Jack Daniels and some pills, and she took a permanent sleep. Until she woke up to realize that she was truly dead. When Ruby moves in, Cordelia decides to stick around. When Ruby and Cordelia’s neighbor Jake also turns up dead, something is truly fishy.

Together Cordelia and Ruby are going to solve a crime.

With not much more than a magnetic poetry set to communicate with, they form quite the pair and seek out a murderer. Often with more comical results than not. This is a great mystery, but with such a sense of humor.

Apparently there will be more mysteries to solve for Cordy & Ruby, which makes me ever so happy. I think this is a truly fun novel. Easy to read. Can’t wait for book two.

Ok so I loved her Record Shop Mysteries series. And I LOVE this book too. I am super excited for there to be more books for Ruby and Cordelia. I think Black’s writing is phenomenal, she really draws me into her stories. I almost read this in one day, stupid parenting duties interfering with my reading. 😂.

*I received this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. I received this copy free in exchange for my honest review.*

My first read from Olivia Blacke but it won't be my last. This was a very interesting story with a unique plot. After Ruby moves into a new apartment, she is haunted by the ghost of the person who lived there beforehand who's name was Cordy. Ruby and Cordy end up working together to solve a murder. This was a fun book to read right before Halloween to help me get into the spirit. It had just the right blend of humor, mystery and paranormal activity. Thanks so much to the author and NetGalley for giving me an ACR! The cliff hanger was a bit of a surprise, but it will make me excited to read the sequel and get back to my old character friends to see how this all plays out.

Thank you Minotaur Books and SMP! I enjoyed this start to a new cozy series! Iknow that fans of cozy, supernatural themes mysteries have a new favorite in A New Lease on Death.

Though the pacing slows at times, the supernatural twist and the growing bond between the two unlikely partners make this a fun, cozy read for fans of light mysteries with a paranormal flair. Ghosts and cozies aren't my usual genre but the charming cover and the fun plot and character development made for a nice escape read in October! The mix of ghostly sleuthing and real-world detective work keeps the mystery engaging, while the witty banter between Ruby and Cordelia adds charm.

I love a good mystery, and having the dead help solve a mystery is a first for me. I’m used to the gritty, much darker mysteries, so I’m still getting used to the idea of cozy mysteries. But, this was cute and a quick read.

When Ruby rents a fully furnished apartment it comes with a few things she wasn’t expecting: the ghost of the former tenant, Cordelia Graves, and a dead body on the sidewalk in front of the building.

The book has some fun quirky moments and I like that Cordelia’s ghost wasn’t tied to one spot. However, the book dragged in places and the ending felt rushed. But the killer wasn’t who I expected it to be and I enjoyed it enough that I’d be interested in reading the second book when it comes out.

Cozy mysteries aren't really my favourite genre, but this was a fun, super quick read! I liked Cordelia as a main character and I didn't mind Ruby as the other POV. I liked how the author explored the dynamic of a ghost and a human and how they managed to communicate with each other despite some big limitations. I was intrigued by the murder mystery and enjoyed following Ruby and Cordelia's investigation.

This was a very fast read for me, however I wish there was a bit more action that happened. It felt a tiny bit monotonous at times, and I found the ending to be very rushed. While the twist was unexpected, I also felt disconnected from the characters involved that it felt pretty out of left field in a not great way. I also hate when authors leave a book on a cliffhanger, so that also was a bit disappointing.

Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

this was a fun, quick spooky season read. the story was fresh and kept me engaged. it caught my eye as it was a premise i'd not heard of before and I thought it was so well executed.
I will be looking forward to more from this author.

A New Lease on Death by Olivia Blacke is a quirky paranormal mystery set in a Boston apartment with more than just drafty windows and faulty heat. Ruby Young, a new tenant, quickly discovers her new place comes with an unexpected roommate—a ghost named Cordelia Graves, who died in the same apartment a few months ago. Cordelia is bored and frustrated by her post-death existence, but when their across-the-hall neighbor, Jake, is killed in an apparent mugging, Cordelia suspects foul play and ropes Ruby into helping solve the mystery. Despite their unlikely partnership—Ruby’s a scatterbrained twenty-something with a knack for killing houseplants, while Cordelia is a no-nonsense spirit—the two form a friendship as they dig deeper into Jake’s death and uncover darker secrets lurking in their building.

Olivia Blacke delivers a fun, fast-paced whodunit with plenty of humor, heart, and supernatural flair. The dynamic between Ruby and Cordelia is both hilarious and endearing, making this an enjoyable read for fans of cozy mysteries with a paranormal twist. The mix of ghostly sleuthing and real-world detective work keeps the story engaging, and as the mystery unfolds, readers are sure to be hooked until the very end.

I was actually pleasantly surprised by this book. It had the air of cozy mystery with a the perfect touch of ghostiness. Ruby is quite the character and she can definitely be described as a lot but honestly she seems like she would be so fun to hang out with. Cordelia being a ghost is also fun and I'm amused by the fact that she doesn't seem to have many restrictions as far as ghosts go. The two make an interesting team as they figure out how to communicate across the veil but it was fun. Curious to see how the next book plays out. Well done Olivia Blacke.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read A New Lease on Death by Olivia Blacke in exchange for my honest review.

A New Lease on Death blends supernatural mystery with quirky humor. Ruby, a 20-year-old who just moved to Boston on her own with no plan on how to survive a brutal Boston winter with no job or money, teams up with her ghostly roommate, Cordelia, to solve their neighbor's murder. The concept is fun, with Cordelia's sharp, witty commentary about the afterlife adding humor. Her struggles as a ghost and interactions with Ruby are the highlights of the story.

However, the book falters with its slow pacing and lackluster character dynamics. Ruby feels more like a stereotypical Gen Z caricature, and the generation-gap humor between her and Cordelia often falls flat. The murder mystery itself lacks tension, and the repetitive writing drags the story down.

Many will enjoy A New Lease on Death’s moments of charm, but pacing and character issues hold it back. It’s a light, quirky read for fans of cozy mysteries, but it didn’t fully hit the mark for me.

A New Lease on Death by Olivia Blacke

“If l’d known I would become a ghost, I would have painted my nails before I offed myself. Now I was doomed to spend the rest of eternity in dire need of a manicure and some hand lotion.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

First off, this book was sent to me by @minotaur_books books in exchange for an honest review.

I am calling all cozy mystery lovers because this is a gem. I know! Me liking a cozy mystery?! I am just as shocked as you are.

But this one has a paranormal twist that I ate up!

So what did I like about it?

1. The characters are loveable and goofy in the best way, with great development throughout.

2. The “who done it” mystery had me on my toes the entire time.

3. The paranormal/ghost element to the story had me enthralled!

4. It was an easy, gripping read and I enjoyed the dashes of humour throughout.

Now why only 4 starts?

1. The plot dragged a little in the middle.

2. The ghosts powers are a little too convenient at times. But there are some limits in place and I enjoyed how the author used that to further the development of the character and plot.

Overall this is a fantastic one for those that want to read a book for spooky season, but don’t want it to be spooky. And for those who love a cozy mystery.

A New Lease on Death will hit store shelves on October 29th.

I had a lot of fun reading this book! Opening with a very catchy scene and immersing you in the mystery of Cordelia, the ghost, and her roommate, Ruby, as they try to solve a murder.

The concept and ghost rules worked so very well. Forming an unlikely friendship- Ruby can’t actually see Cordelia, and anything Cordelia says, Ruby can’t hear. The inventive ways they try to communicate throughout the book created wonderfully charming and silly moments between them. I loved the camaraderie and connection they established across planes. It was funny and cozy but the whodunnit mystery really had me eating up the pages.

This book had almost everything I like about paranormal murder mysteries. It was reminiscent of another favorite series of mine, and I’m always down for ghost solving crime stories. The Boston setting was also a nice touch!

A New Lease on Death has fantastic series potential and I cannot wait to read more about this dynamic duo.

Thanks to Minotaur Books for the eARC to review.