This book was so much fun. Murders, psychics, shenanigans and so much more. Riley Thorn is a heroine readers will root for! In her quest for a “normal” life, Riley is surrounded by quirky. From her geriatric roommates to her eccentric family Riley’s life is full of the unexpected. When she teams up with mysterious PI Nick Santiago, the misadventures ensue. The story has all the elements I expect from Lucy Score, including snarky banter, endearing characters and lots of chemistry!
I can’t wait to read book two!

Well, it seems The Dead Guy Next Door, by Lucy Score, is the first of a series. I loved Riley Thorn and all the other fun characters and after finishing this action packed novel, I am ready to read the ones that follow. I am a Lucy Score fan and this one did not disappoint!
Thanks, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with the ARC ebook I
read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

I love the Riley Thorn series! Riley is so relatable and hilarious and coupled with hot private investigator Nick and the outrageous cast of secondary characters what more could you want! Once you read this first one you won’t want to stop!

"The Dead Guy Next Door" by Lucy Score is a captivating blend of mystery, romance, and humor that delivers a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience from start to finish. Score expertly crafts a narrative that effortlessly combines elements of suspense and romance, keeping readers on the edge of their seats while also tugging at their heartstrings. One of the novel's standout features is its cast of vibrant and memorable characters, each with their own quirks and complexities. Riley herself is a compelling protagonist, with her sharp wit, unapologetic attitude, and vulnerability making her instantly relatable to readers. Score's writing is sharp, witty, and infused with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments that will leave readers grinning from ear to ear. At its heart, "The Dead Guy Next Door" is a story about love, redemption, and the power of second chances. As Riley navigates the twists and turns of the mystery surrounding the dead body next door, she also discovers truths about herself and learns to open her heart to the possibility of new beginnings. "The Dead Guy Next Door" is a must-read for fans of cozy mysteries and romantic comedies alike. With its engaging characters, clever plot twists, and steamy romance, it is a book that is sure to leave readers eagerly awaiting the next installment in the series.

Reluctant psychic Riley Thorn had hoped to be the “normal” one in her family. She resisted the voices in her head, but when the barista’s dead grandmother insisted that she pass on a message, she does so. When she dreams that her neighbor, Dickie Frick, will be murdered she tries to warn him and the police, but passing on the message didn’t help. He is dead and she is a possible suspect. When private investigator Nick Santiago shows up at her apartment, she tries to ignore her attraction to him. Nick has no intention of getting involved in Riley’s life, but he was hired to serve papers to Dickie and now to investigate his murder. He needs Riley’s help as he tries to ignore the feelings he has for her. He knows that Dickie was involved in some illegal business, but who was his silent partner? A “laugh out loud” story and cast of elderly characters who make up Riley’s extended family. And then Gabe arrives…sent by her grandmother, to train her to accept her “gifts”. Will they solve Dickie’s murder or suffer the same fate? I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

When I read the synopsis of this book I was really excited to give it a read, but once I started it was such a struggle to make it through.

First off, this book was entirely too long for no reason. I don’t feel like I should have to get 300 pages in before the story even really gets started.

I didn’t really feel a connection to any of the characters, which is probably one of the reasons I struggled so hard to make it through.

There were bits of the story that pulled me in and would connect me back to the story, but it just wasn’t enough for me to love it.

4.5/5

Riley is an unwilling psychic - she is doing everything she can to not embrace her gifts. Until she sees her grumpy, elderly housemate get murdered. She tries to warn him and the police, but her vision still comes true. Now she’s in a world of chaos between her other elderly housemates, her innocent but adoring spirit teacher, and the PI who becomes her fake fiancé.

I thought it was a cute concept before I started it, but the first few pages didn’t 100% capture my attention. After a few chapters though, I was hooked. Maybe I wasn’t focused enough at first because I could not stop reading this book once I got into it. I really love that we got Nick’s POV (PI/fake fiancé) because dual POVs are my favorite. It’s in third person but it’s pretty obvious which is which.

If you like Lucy Score books, give this one a chance. It’s less spicy than the Knockemout series, but it’s so funny. Adding the next in the series to my TBR.

DNF 54% gave up

I really gave this a go, but just couldn’t get through this book. I found it to be boring and the storyline was ridiculous. I was hoping it would get better, but it never improved.

Riley Thorn just might be one of my new favorite characters ever! This whole story had me cackling from the banter, crazy old people and just all around entertainment in some form. If you enjoy a good rom com, absolutely please go read this. You won’t regret it. Did I mention a fake relationship? The chemistry had me rooting for them from the start. I’ll definitely be digging into the rest of this series.

Super cute! Hooked me from the first chapter. Love Riley and all the other fun characters. Easy fast read. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

Loved this rom com from Lucy Score. It was laugh out loud funny!! Riley is hilarious and her family is so unique.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC!!

Overall I am a fan of Lucy Score, her Knockemout trilogy being a favorite of mine. However this book was so confusing and the humor was so cringeworthy that I was unable to finish it. I will continue to support Score's works and am very grateful to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this ARC.

This re-release was originally published in 2020.

I discovered this gem of a book on NetGalley a couple weeks ago in the Read Now section. It was tagged as perfect for fans of the Stephanie Plum Series by Janet Evanovich, a series that got me back in to reading years ago. So I said, “yes!” to this book and have no regrets.

This was a fun read as we met Riley, who is not really living her best life after being dumped by her ex, working at a job that she hates and is not fully embracing her psychic gifts. And her next door neighbor is murdered. Enter Nick Santiago, the PI hired to look into the murder, and sparks start flying.

The supporting characters were also great. Gabe is her spiritual guide sent by her grandmother to help Riley learn more about her gifts, and Riley’s neighbors, a feisty group of senior citizens. I was laughing out loud multiple times through out the story. And I am l excited to continue reading this series, which is currently on Kindle Unlimited. Read this if you enjoy:

❤️ Romance with mystery & suspense
❤️ Fake Dating
❤️ Only one bed
❤️ He falls first
❤️ Dual POV

Riley Thorn & the Dead Guy Next Door was re-released on March 12, 2024. Thanks to Bloom Books and NetGalley for the digital arc. All thoughts are my own.

I was expecting a romance novel, but that was definitely not the prime focus In this story. If you’re looking for a witty, make you laugh out loud read this is it. I often find myself scouring the pages of Lucy’s books just to get to the end. This one was different for me, I had to almost make my self pick it back up and restart reading. I just couldn’t get into it like many of her other novels.

Honestly struggled trying to finish this book. Unnecessary long in my opinion. I like Lucy score but this book just didn’t vibe with me. Loved the idea behind it but decided this series isn’t for me.

Riley Thorn and the Dead Guy Next Door is hilarious with the most outlandish group of people. Riley Thorn is a young divorced woman trying to live an everyday boring life; she works at a job she hates and lives in a rundown mansion with a group of elderly folks.

Nick Santiago is a private investigator and ex-cop. He is handsome but is aware of how his dimples make women do crazy things.

Lucy Score's writing reminds me of Janet Evanovich with her number series Stephanie Plum. The story took off after introducing all the players; the shenanigans and mayhem had me laughing out loud. I can't wait to read The Corpse in the Closet.

This book has been on my radar since it was first published in 2020. The bonus of waiting so long to read it is that I got to binge read the first three in the series and a fourth is being published in July 2024.

This book made me laugh out loud multiple times. Riley Thorne has just gone through a bad divorce and is trying to get back on her feet. This means she's working a soul-sucking job and renting a room in a houseful of wacky octogenarians. She's also part of a family line of psychics. While she wishes she wasn't, she can't help but hear people's thoughts and get the occasional message from the deceased.

When she has a vision of a death, she has a run-in with Nick Santiago, a private investigator. Nick is a dimpled charmer who falls far for Riley even though he is quite happy with his bachelor life.

Their adventures and mishaps together combined with a host of wonderful side characters made me dive right into the nekton as soon as I finished this one.

Read this if you like Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. It also reminded me of Darynda Jones' Charley Davidson series. Fun characters, great dialogue, lots of humor and connection, and a mystery or two to solve.

4.5 stars rounded up.

Thanks to the publisher for sharing a copy with me. All opinions are my own.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Riley Thorn and the Dead Guy Next Door is the first book in the Riley Thorn series by Lucy Score. This was far from my first Lucy Score book, but this does feel like a huge departure from her other works. My first takeaway is that everyone should be warned that this is not a romance book. IDK if she spices/romances things up in the series but for just this one- go in expecting more of a one for the money Stephanie Plume + psychic abilities kind of jam.

Riley Thorn is a recently divorced begrudging psychic trying to get her life together. She has spent the bulk of her life repressing what we later find out are some very powerful psychic abilities. After her divorce Riley finds herself in a boarding situation that consists of her and a bunch of geriatrics. and if I'm honest it seems like a fun time. These side characters were my favorite. I love a spunky retiree in a story. Riley is working a dead-end job and pretty much just living for the day to day until she randomly has a vision of her neighbor's murder. After trying to warn him and the police before it happens Riley fully entrenches herself in the police investigation where she meets PI Nick. Nick is a confirmed bachelor who was dishonorably removed from the police force due to his 'rule breaking' tendencies who finds himself enthralled by Riley from their first meeting.

Riley and Nick are joined by a troop of a cooky family (Riley's) a team of bad boy/girl PI employees (Nicks) and the aforementioned geriatric neighbors. These guys all really made the book for me. Between an 80-year-old sneaking out for vigilante justice and a spite cow you get the bulk of the humor from these guys.

While most of the side characters are hilarious I did find a sticking point with Gabe. I am so confused about how he was written. He isn't an alien and yet the man has never had ice cream and speaks as if English is not his first language. which I guess maybe it isn't but the author makes no reference to that. Just how tall and huge he is. Don't ever forget how huge and tall Gabe is. This book could have been edited down about 20 pages if they took out how often we were reminded that Gabe is-you guessed it- tall and huge.

This book is so close to being good to me. The humor, characters, found family and adventure all make this a very readable book. But the romance is a center point of the story, and it isn't that good. Nick could not actually make up his mind on what he wanted with Riley. He would offer a friends with bennys situation to her then be like 'I think it would ruin what we have'. which at that point was him mildly stalking her. I get the attractive points of Nick but the ragey always ready and excited to yell at Riley part was no fun. I think emotionally intelligent book boyfriends are the best and he is an emotional idiot. EIQ not even registering on the charts.

I fully plan on continuing the series. I know that Lucy's writing skills have had a couple of books to work out the kinks and the over all plot of the books makes it worth it.

In the new series by Lucy Score, divorced psychic Riley is living a pathetic life when drama intervenes. This series is a little slow to start, and the first chapter in the present and then a step backward in time does not help. The first chapter is cringy, the second slightly less so, and it takes several chapters to get on its feet. Fans of Score, or Evanovich and the like, will enjoy the book as it gets rolling. There is, of course, romance and drama aplenty, a quirky heroine, and a cast of bizarre secondary characters. As the series progresses, Score will find her footing with this character and no doubt the series will be a successful one.

The Dead Guy Next Door was an unexpected surprise. It’s pretty light and funny, just what I needed right now.