This book is a fun and quirky genre bending mystery with elements of rom com. Riley is a fun character. Great chemistry and a bad boy PI. Fans of Stephanie Plum will enjoy this series

"The Dead Guy Next Door" by Lucy Score is a novel that certainly attempts to blend humor with mystery, aiming to captivate readers with its unique premise and quirky characters. However, despite these ambitions, my experience with the book leads me to award it a modest 2 stars out of 5. The core idea of the story, involving unexpected twists and a blend of supernatural elements with everyday life, promises an engaging journey. The lead character's interaction with the world beyond, paired with the small-town mystery, sets the stage for what could have been a compelling narrative.

Unfortunately, the potential of the plot is undermined by several factors. The pacing of the story feels uneven at times, struggling to maintain a balance between its comedic elements and the development of a coherent, gripping mystery. While the humor is apparent and occasionally hits the mark, it sometimes detracts from the depth and tension that the storyline attempts to build. Additionally, the characters, though initially intriguing, lack the development needed to fully invest the reader in their fates. Their interactions and growth throughout the book feel somewhat superficial, leaving one wanting a more substantial exploration of their personalities and relationships.

Moreover, the resolution of the novel's central mystery feels somewhat rushed and unsatisfying, leaving several questions unanswered and character arcs feeling incomplete. This may be a deliberate choice to leave room for future installments, but it nonetheless results in a feeling of incompleteness. In conclusion, while "The Dead Guy Next Door" by Lucy Score shows flashes of creativity and humor, it falls short of its potential due to issues with pacing, character development, and a fully satisfying conclusion. For readers seeking a light, humorous take on the paranormal mystery genre, this book might provide some entertainment, but those looking for depth and a tightly woven narrative may find it lacking.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book to read in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book was a great time with hilarious characters, an engaging mystery, and was a fun and quick read. Riley Thorn is a relatable and strong-willed main character who lives with a bunch of old folks in a decapitated mansion. She has psychic visions she ignores and prefers to sit at home trying to get over her horrid ex. When her neighbor is murdered shortly after her psychic vision showing her just what would happen, she ends up tied up as a prime suspect in the investigation and tangled up with a hot PI that shows up to dig around in the case. Riley ends up needing to accept her abilities and partners with the new hot guy while trying to uncover just what happened.

The book had really fun dialogue with unique and fun characters that captured my interest during the story. I felt the mystery unfolded at an appropriate pace and was engaging. Overall, I really enjoyed this book despite it not being my typical read.

This was a cute and fun read!

Riley Thorn, psychic and medium, has her hands full with being recently divorced, living in a big house with a bunch of senior citizens, when she has a vision of one of her roommates getting unalived.

Thus brings us Nick Santiago, a PI that is tangled up in the case. He's hot, has no plans to settle down, and he needs a fake girlfriend to help solve has case. Riley is just what he needs.

The side characters in this story really drive everything for me. The elderly people Riley lives with are hilarious, and Nick's PI team is also a riot. It just a good time.

I did wish for a bit more romance amidst the running around and solving crime, and a little more spice wouldn't have hurt, but overall it's a fun read and I may listen to the others in this series.

Thanks to NetGalley for the E-Book!

Lucy Score is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors, I just love the way she writes! I just read another book by her, Riley Thorn and the Dead Guy Next Door, and loved it!

Riley just wants a ‘normal’ life but her psychic ability and her family keep getting in the way. When she has a vision that comes true and the guy next door is murdered she finds herself trying to figure out how to use this psychic thing. Two new and very attractive men become part of her sphere, Nick the PI trying to solve the case, and Gabe her spiritual guide. Can they figure out what is going on before someone else gets hurt? Riley, Nick, and their friends and families are a delight and made me laugh and care about them. They are each unique and bring interest to the story. The situations Riley finds herself in are not the ‘normal’ life she wants but does she really want normal? If you want a romance with a bit of mystery and humor I recommend this series, I can’t wait to read more adventures of Riley!

Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books and NetGalley for this ARC!

Believe it or not this was my first ever Lucy Score book and I have fallen in love with the main character Riley Thorn! I found this book so fun and was laughing out loud most of the way through it. I am looking forward to seeing what mess Riley and Nick get into next and hopefully in the next book we continue to follow all of the quirky characters from the first book!

I am excited as I have received the next two books in this series as well from NetGalley and will be diving into those soon too! These are the perfect books to read when you want a laugh!

5 Stars!

"The Dead Guy Next Door", the first book in the Riley Thorn series by Lucy Score, readers can expect to find quips, banter, psychic messages, and hilarity throughout. The story is filled with shady characters, intruding roommates, and non-stop action that keeps you laughing from start to finish. This first installment sets the tempo for those to come.

While Nick Santiago frets and worries about Riley, she gets herself into one bad exploit after another, often finding herself being shot at, collecting bruises from…but not limited to…tumbling down stairs and making bad, but well-meaning decisions. Through it all, readers are treated to an enjoyable and entertaining experience, with Nick's charming dimples serving as an added bonus.

This ARC book was complimentary…provided by the Publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

A fun adventure filled romantic thriller in the vein of Janet Evanovich. Riley and Nick meet while trying to tame the disfunction in their lives and in the process fall into a murder mystery. This one is fun - if not ludicrous at times. Thanks to NetGalley for the fun escape!

This was my first Lucy Score book and i can see why her books are so appealing to her fans. It was well written and humorous if a bit pedestrian. The story felt like a mish mash of everyone's favorite mystery AND romance bits which was jarring for someone who just expected a mystery. The second POV of the romantic interest did not add anything to the story and seemed to diminish the female sleuth.

Like always Lucy books are so good, enjoyable , easy to read , such a great read. Thanks to the publisher for giving me a chance to wnjoy this book.

This took me three weeks to get through. I had to keep putting it down and coming back to it. It's just not my favorite Lucy Score book. Take out the one spicy scene, and this would read YA. I might have enjoyed it more if it was a little shorter and more to the point, but it just drug on more than necessary. Unfortunately, I don't see myself reading more from the series.

Thank you Bloom Books for this ARC!

The Dead Guy Next Door is a fun and amusing mystery novel with a dash of romance.

I was invested in this story from start to finish. Lucy Score always does such a great job writing well rounded main characters with silly, whimsical, Starshollow-esque side characters. It always makes for a fun and hilarious read.

this one took me so long to finish. i found it dragging a lot when it didnt need to be as long as it was.

i really wanted to like the book since ive never read a lucy score book before but i was feeling a little drained by it about halfway through

what i did like was the banter between riley and her elderly roommates, as well as the tension between her and nick

i also have a soft spot for the giant teddy bear, gabe.

i dont know if i will continue the series but it was fun to experience reading something a little different

The Dead Guy Next Door is a fun, quirky story with some action. Reminds me a lot of Janet Evanovich’s style of writing for her Stephanie Plum series.

Riley s divorced and living alone. She has Psychic powers that she can help people and solves crimes but sometimes I don't get why she can't see what is going to happen to her or Nick. Nick is a PI who has a chemistry with Riley
Riley lives in a mansion with some pretty weird characters but fun. Her family is accentric with abilities as well.
It was a fun reads.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the book to review.

Such a cute lil romance story. I highly recommend this one for a good summer read! I think there's a little something in there for everybody.

Very sweet storyline but I had trouble connecting with the main character. I wish the reader spent more time getting to know her before the chaos ensued.

📖 Short synopsis:
Riley, divorced and financially strained, finds herself living with elderly roommates and grappling with hallucinations her mother interprets as clairvoyant visions that Riley attempts to disregard. When her elderly neighbor is discovered deceased, suspicion falls on Riley as a possible suspect. In the midst of this, Nick, a private investigator enlisted to solve the murder, enters the picture. As Riley and Nick collaborate to solve the case, their mutual attraction begins to intensify, adding a layer of complexity to their investigation.

💭 Thoughts
This was the first book that I have read by Lucy Score and I loved it. The banter between Nick and Riley was a highlight, adding a delightful energy into the narrative. Nick's rapid transition to a protective stance over Riley was absolutely adorable. Riley's elderly neighbors provided comedic moments that were thoroughly enjoyable. The unpredictable storyline kept me hooked, with each twist and turn adding to the intrigue. I found myself laughing aloud numerous times, making this book a consistently engaging and entertaining read from beginning to end. I look forward to reading more books by Lucy Score!

-fake dating/engagement, opposites attract, fun characters
-Nick is a playboy PI who is hired to solve the murder in Riley’s building, mix in some fake dating, Riley’s psychic abilities and a lot of chaos 🔮💭🕵️📑
-this was an overall enjoyable read with nice added mystery element
-thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

3.6 ⭐️

I really enjoyed the mix of mystery and romance, which is different from what I had come to expect from other Lucy Score novels. A lot of funny characters and I plan on reading the second one in the series.