Thank you to NetGalley and to Minotaur Books for the ARC of A New Lease on Death by Olivia Blacke.

Something about the Boston setting in a less than great neighborhood with a local Irish pub and Southie accents had my brain partially in the mindset of Dennis Lehane's Kenzie and Gennaro, but Blacke's work is way, way less grim and dark (it's a supernatural cozy) while still tackling murders and secrets in a space the police care less about.

In A New Lease on Death we have two points of view - one from recently deceased 43-year-old Cordelia and the other from the woman who now lives in her apartment, bubbly 20-year-old Ruby. When their neighbor is murdered in the opening scene, Cordelia learns to communicate with Ruby to both solve the case and to be a little less lonely herself. The two make a good pair, even though it takes them a while to find their stride.

I read this book over an afternoon, and I found the writing style to be engaging and Cordelia and Ruby to be layered characters. The mystery definitely kept me wondering until the very end - I wasn't sure this would be a series, and I was trying to connect a few different plotlines which I'm guessing will now be answered in later books, which is great, because that would have been a lot to answer for in one book. Meeting Harp and Cordelia growing in her ghost powers was an interesting character progression that will have a huge impact on later tales. I think the motivation of Cordelia and Ruby to solve the murder was the only part of the plot that had to be a bit forced to move into their partnership (because neither of them really needs to care at all about the neighbor they barely knew), but past that I think a lot of good red herrings and future secrets and mysteries are afoot for this unlikely duo.

Cute mystery! I wasn’t expecting it to end on a major cliff hanger, which was a little disappointing. I prefer cozy mysteries that wrap up nicely at the end of each installment. Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced readers copy of this book.

An enjoyable story about 2 unlikely roommates. They were very much like The Odd Couple, but one was dead.

Ruby was a delightfully naive young woman who was bold enough to move to Boston during the winter. It's a stretch to believe how she managed to get her apartment and survive with so little.

Cordelia is a friendly ghost who hasn't so friendly at the beginning with her new roommate. She adjusted well with her new ghost status.

They both decide to search for the murderer of their neighbor Jake. They learn about Jake, themselves and others in this mystery that really leaves you guessing until the last few pages.

I look forward to future books by this author and in what I hope will be a sequel to this book.

This is a lovely cozy mystery. With witty characters and ghost? What’s not to love? I couldn’t put this book down

I love a good cozy ghost mystery and I love love love the name Cordelia.

It has heavy undertone of suicide, which is expected I feel like.

A New Lease on Death is a highly entertaining book that took me on an journey. The story had me hooked from the very beginning, and I found myself becoming more and more engrossed as I eagerly sought the resolution. One of the standout aspects of this book is the unique charm of the characters. I must say that Olivia Blacke has a talent for creating a cozy atmosphere within the pages of this book. Prepare to be swept away into a world of suspense, and unexpected connections.

A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book started off so strong but I quickly became disengaged with the weak mystery plot. I really enjoyed Cordelia and Ruby's POVs, but wish the book itself was a little meatier. I'm almost mad that this book is going to be a series because the plot line I was really intrigued by -- the circumstances surrounding Cordelia's death -- are definitely going to be basis of book two and now I have to wait for it!

It started off a little slow, but it came around in the end. A fun setup and it certainly made me want to read the next one - a lot of groundwork was laid for what I assume is the next mystery to be solved. Solid 4 stars.

BOOK REPORT
Received a complimentary copy of A New Lease on Death by Olivia Blacke from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books/NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.

For some reason it did not register with me when I got an email inviting me to review the first book in “a clever, new supernatural mystery series” that it was, in fact, the first book in said series. With no other books yet available.

Because as much as I read, it seems as if I cannot read…..it wasn’t until I ran slap up against the cliffhanger ending that I realized what was what.

My preference, for the record, is to wait until there at least three books in a series available. But like I told my husband, I reckon sometimes I’ve gotta be one of the ones to go first.

Am glad I did. Oh, make no mistake, this isn’t any sort of high art, or even a really good mystery. Instead, it’s a great deal of cosy fun in Boston with two _very_ different roommates. Very much looking forward to reading more, especially if I can do so beside the pool or at the beach.

PS
Kinda reminded me of the British TV series Being Human, which I loved so very much: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1349938/

But I certainly do hope that when we shuffle off this mortal coil that we are not really expected to spend eternity in the same outfit in which we were attired at the moment of our demise.

DESCRIPTION
Death is only the beginning in Olivia Blacke's A New Lease on Death, a darkly funny supernatural mystery that introduces an unlikely crime-solving duo.

Ruby Young's new Boston apartment comes with all the usual perks. Windows facing the brick wall of the next-door building. Heat that barely works. A malfunctioning buzzer. Noisy neighbors. A dead body on the sidewalk outside. And of course, a ghost.

Since Cordelia Graves died in her apartment a few months ago, she's kept up her residency, despite being bored out of her (non-tangible) skull and frustrated by her new roommate. When her across-the-hall neighbor, Jake Macintyre, is shot and killed in an apparent mugging gone wrong outside their building, Cordelia is convinced there’s more to it and is determined to bring his killer to justice.

Unfortunately, Cordelia, being dead herself, can't solve the mystery alone. She has to enlist the help of the obnoxiously perky, living tenant of her apartment. Ruby is twenty, annoying, and has never met a houseplant she couldn't kill. But she also can do everything Cordelia can't, from interviewing suspects to researching Jake on the library computers that go up in a puff of smoke if Cordelia gets too close. As the roommates form an unlikely friendship and get closer to the truth about Jake's death, they also start to uncover other dangerous secrets.

When Ruby gets a fully furnished first apartment for cheap, she knew something fishy. Little did she know, she would be sharing her apartment with a ghost!
Homebody Cordelia never realized she would be sharing her apartment with a 20 year out going, bubbly, good hearted girl.
Together they set out on a murder mystery to figure out who murdered their neighbor across the hall. All the while not realizing they should be figuring out a different murder all together!

I really liked the relationship between Ruby and Cordelia and found the book to be fun and light-hearted- no gore- and I wasn't able to figure out who the murderer was- which I like!

However, I had a hard time staying focused. I feel like the book drug on with details, side stories (or maybe I should say thoughts) that it didn't really need. I had a hard time finishing because I would get a little bored and then came back because I did need to see what was going to happen.
I'm not fond of books that leave you on a cliff hanger, but I am glad to see that this is #1 in a series so that I can find out the cliffhanger!
Overall, I am glad that I finished the book and enjoyed it for the most part. I would definitely recommend this book to a friend that wants a good lighthearted murder mystery.
Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review!

#ANewLeaseOnDeath #NetGalley

A cozy ghostly mystery. Being a dual POV I double enjoyed it…and honestly this was just a lot of fun/refreshing. It was a great palette cleanser from some of the more gruesome thrillers that I have been reading. Looking forward to a sequel as I would definitely be interested in reading more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this mystery.

A humorous mystery with a ghost. Ruby has become the housemate of Cordelia who is no longer alive. Each chapter is either Ruby or Cordelia’s point of view. I enjoyed this book and look forward to a sequel.

A New Lease on Death was a quick, fun paranormal mystery. The character duo reminded me a bit of the characters in the Finley Donovan series. I loved how Cordelia and Ruby had an almost sisterly relationship as time went on. I was compelled to see if they were able to unravel who murdered their neighbor, Jake, seeing as how one of them is a ghost. Cordelia and Ruby had to get creative and figure out ways to communicate. I'll definitely be looking out for the next book since it was major cliffhanger!

I was invited to read & review A New Lease on Death based on books I had previously requested & reviewed. Olivia Blacke is a new author for me & I thoroughly enjoyed this book. This book has an interesting storyline, well written characters, & is a great cozy mystery. The dual POV in this book certainly adds to it, as well as the unexpected humor. Such a good book!

Thank you NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! It was the perfect cozy comedy mystery book. The characters were enjoyable and getting to know each and their backgrounds were a lot of fun. I can’t wait for their next adventure! Ruby is such a fun and quirky character while Cordelia has a lot more baggage and unknown. I really had a lot of fun reading this one!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Olivia Blacke for this ARC.

Cordelia is a ghost, she supposedly died of suicide. But she doesn't remember when or how she died. Someone has moved into her apartment and is killing her plants.

Ruby Young is twenty years old and moved to Boston to get away from her ex-boyfriend. She found a cheap furnished apartment. She can keep the stuff in the apartment or sell the stuff. The neighbor Jake across the hall is found dead outside. Ruby and Cordelia the unlikely duo decide to try and solve Jake's murder.

The premise is fantastic but the middle of the book just didn't hook me. It took me forever to want to finish this book. I think it's going to be a series. So maybe I'll read book 2.

So the beginning was way too quick, we were just thrown right away to the characters not even a short warm up before being put in that situation. It felt like a sitcom, which was okayish but it was defiantly a choice. The main character Cordelia needs her own show and she can live rent free in my mind. She was super likable and was a great ghost. Ruby added with Cordelia makes for a perfect duo. I did enjoyed the POV from both these characters. I liked how campy it was regarding ghosts, and giving Cordelia extra perspective on the ghost world. This novel was defiantly giving only murders in the building vibes

A New Lease on Death is a delightful, cozy mystery with a touch of the supernatural. This is not one of my usual go-to genres, however it was very entertaining. Ruby, age twenty, moves into a fourth floor walk up apartment in Boston. Struggling to make ends meet, she takes the apartment as is, fully furnished with dying houseplants and very noisy and nosy neighbors. The previous tenant, Cordelia, died in the apartment, and Ruby soon figures out that Cordelia’s ghost still stays there. When neighbor Jake Macintyre is found shot to death in the snow outside the building, Cordelia and Ruby disagree with the police conclusion that he was shot in a robbery. The duo investigate the murder as only a living person and ghost can. It’s charming and fascinating how the two discover each other and learn how to communicate. The book alternates chapters by Ruby and Cordelia, with the reader learning each one’s POV as they struggle with the many side characters to solve the mystery. Highly recommended. With thanks to Sara Beth Haring, Minotaur Books and Netgalley for this ARC. My opinions are my own. susanh_bookreviews

Kindle Copy for Review from NetGalley and Minotaur Books.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

This is a promising new series where a ghost teams up with a female to solve crimes. When a neighbor is shot and killed they will team up together to solve the case. It is a paranormal cozy that will have you guessing. Life does not stop even in death.

When Ruby signed a lease on a vacated apartment that came fully furnished, she didn’t expect it to contain its ghostly 40-something former resident,

Just as she’s still learning how to communicate with her new spooky roommate, Ruby discovers that another tenant of the building, from the unit right across the hall, died under mysterious circumstances.

Cordelia wants to investigate; Ruby wants to afford groceries again. In order to meet their ends (sorry) the two women will have to work through their insecurities and look out for one another as good roommates should.

This book might work for you if you like mysteries on the cozier side, with a sprinkle of literary fiction. It’s easy to read, but the plot moves slower than most thrillers or caper-style mysteries, with our two main characters developing at an even slower rate than the case.

Things that didn’t work for me:

• I didn’t feel connected to either protagonist, so I lost interest in the storytelling.

• There was some repetition in the writing that felt like it needed a bit of dusting up. I get it, Boston is cold, we are in Boston, brr. No electronics are safe, oh dear.

• It’s not my cup of tea with a knitted granny blanket, but it just might be yours!