Entertaining!!!

Thank you NetGallary for an early review copy of The Dead Guy Next Door!

Another must read by Lucy Score!

This book is laugh out load funny! Perfect characters! I was highly entertained throughout the entire book!

Riley and Nick’s story is hilarious with just the perfect amount of mystery, humor and romance! I could not put this book down!

I am rapidly making my way through Lucy Score’s entire book catalog and enjoying every single second of it!

Lucy Score is an amazing author! I’m really enjoying her writing!

No spoilers with my review. You will not be disappointed! Overall I give this book 5 golden stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️

This is the first book of the Riley Thorn series. I have to admit I jumped on the chance to review this book as I've read some of this author's books and have loved them and so I didn't think twice about picking this up. In hindsight, I probably should have read the summary first. The writing is great, don't get me wrong, it's just that this particular genre is not really my cup of tea, so I couldn't fully get into it. It's well-written with good character development and centers around a mystery and I did enjoy the banter and interactions between Nick and Riley. It has a lot of fun and humorous moments as well, and is a great book to pick up in between those more heavier, emotion-filled books. Though this book wasn't for me, I will definitely still read other books by this author because she generally has such a great writing style.
My thanks to NetGalley for providing a complimentary copy. This is my honest review.

I’m have always loved Lucy Score and this book was not different. I had fun with the characters and their stories and finished this one quick, although I didn’t want it to end. Thank you for the opportunity to read. Will for sure be suggesting to all my book reading buddies out there.

“Riley Thorn and the Dead Guy Next Door," the first installment in the self-titled series by Lucy Score, is not a stand-alone piece and should be read first.

The novel begins on July 4th and then shifts to the past, recounting events from eighteen days prior. Recently divorced thirty-four-year-old Riley “middle name unknown” Thorn wants nothing more than to put her use of psychic abilities behind her. Since the age of four, when her visions temporarily shattered her parents' marriage, she has dismissed her premonitions and clairvoyant skills as mere fantasies lacking credibility. However, when she dreams about her next-door neighbor's impending death, Riley can no longer ignore the voices in her head. Her attempt to alert the authorities about Dickie Frick's potential demise backfires when she finds herself implicated as a prime suspect in his murder.
Private investigator and ex-detective Nick Santiago accidentally bumps into Riley as they both stumble down the stairs. When Dickie is murdered, Nick joins forces with Riley, posing as her boyfriend and sometimes fiancé, to gain closer access to the crime scene for their investigation. Meanwhile, Riley seeks guidance from Gabe, her spiritual advisor. To assist her "boyfriend" Nick and Detective Weber with their caseloads, she summons spiritual guides—the pink and blue cotton candy clouds—to help crack the case.
The entire novel is filled with farcical caricatures. Gabe (no last name) arrives in the town of Harrisburg, presenting himself as neither human nor alien, just a presence. His unwavering devotion to Riley from the outset of their relationship is peculiar. Riley's thoughts sometimes seem immature for a woman of thirty-three. When an oversized dog named Burt jumps on her, her initial reaction is to humorously speculate that the dog might be a werewolf. Burt, whom Riley adopts and the townspeople describe as lion-like, has a penchant for human food and is frequently depicted as flatulent. Surprisingly, more emphasis is placed on the dog's digestive issues than on the details of the crime scenes or the investigative work of Riley, Weber, and Nick. Riley’s ex-husband, Griffin Gentry, is portrayed as a tan, Ken doll wannabe and is self-obsessed and dimwitted.

This novel felt disorganized and scattered. It lacked the promised suspense, and the romantic comedy elements advertised on the cover are misleading. While the novel includes moments of angst and one or two intimate scenes, most of the novel contains over-the-top mannerisms and comments from the characters, which gives the impression of reading about a circus funhouse and its eccentric inhabitants. Minor character names such as Elizabeth Quakenbush and Aunt Phinola are scattered throughout the novel, contributing to its immature writing style and detracting from its believability.

The main villain's transformation from controlled, calculated, and emotionless to sporadic, impulsive, and rageful seems more suited to a movie plot than realistic human behavior. Typically, such a villain would act methodically when faced with threats, especially as someone of high political status, using resources and funds to silence opposition rather than chasing Riley through town, brandishing a gun, and shooting at her. Given the scenario with numerous bystanders present, it's implausible that the villain would escape capture.
Rating 2.5/5

Thank you to Lucy Score, NetGalley and Sourcebooks-Bloom Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I just finished the book can't wait for the next one in the series! The Dead Guy Next Door featured a quirky and lovable cast of characters and a fun and engaging storyline! Thank you to NetGalley and That's What She Said Publishing for the ARC!

I mean it’s Lucy score? How could I not love this. Lucy has the perfect blend of hot and steamy and absolutely hilarious!

I love Lucy Score's books and to find out she's written a mystery series and with the Title Dead Guy next door sign me up.

This was a book with a lot of fun ideas, but it was waaaaay too long. I feel like she tried to fit in all of the groundwork for a new series (elderly roommates, psychic, hot cop) and it just ended up dragging the whole book along. Not my favorite from Lucy Score.

This was a fun one! Lucy Score knows just how to write a fun beach read. There were parts I felt that dragged or were a little repetitive but overall I still enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Lucy Scores with writing (see what i did there haha)!! An entertaining read!! I already have a bunch of Lucy's books on my shelf now I'm excited to see what else she comes up with!

Mystery | Adult
Cover image of The Dead Guy Next Door (Riley Thorn #1), by Lucy Score (2024, 2020)
This is the first in a series, newly released by Bloom Books, along with the second series entry. I decided to read both before reviewing them. In the opener, Riley Thorn is living in a bedsitting room in a house full of elderly residents, flat broke and in a job she hates. She’s also psychic, a talent she can’t control and wishes she didn’t have. Then someone knocks at her door, and she opens it to find a gorgeous guy asking about her neighbour, and lying about why. When Riley gets a vision that her neighbour will be killed, she tries to report it to the police, raising their suspicion about her when he does in fact get murdered. This is a hilarious caper of a murder mystery, with eccentric old folks, gorgeous men and hot sex, complicated characters and a boatload of plot threads and twists. It’s way too long though – nearly 500 pages in print. And PI Nick is a jealous and possessive dick with a strong sexist streak (“lady paramedic” – really? TWICE?), which dampens my enthusiasm for the series. I loved all the other characters – Riley’s parents are a hoot, gorgeous Gabe the psychic trainer with his sweet tooth is a delight, and Riley’s best friend Jasmine is a solid. And her neighbours! Gotta love this group of well-meaning misfits and if it weren’t for Nick I’d be all over the series. My thanks to Bloom Books for the digital reading copy provided through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
More discussion and reviews of this novel: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/138690758

Honestly Lucy Score can do no wrong. This has everything!! even if you don't love her typical romcoms. I was laughing and my eyes were glued to my kindle for this one. Love her!!!

Lucy Score's "The Dead Guy Next Door" is a delightful blend of mystery, romance, and humor that keeps readers hooked from start to finish. Set in the charming town of Knockemout, this novel introduces us to Sloan! Suspenseful, sexy, and fun!

What a delightful cast of characters Lucy Score has assembled here. I am looking forward to more in the Riley Strong universe. From hot detectives to harnessing psychic powers to families that are lovably difficult and neighbors who can't help but be charmingly exasperating? Yes, please.

Lucy Score is always enjoyable and I love this series. This is a great one if you love romance with a little bit of quirk and mystery!

This book definitely surprised me. I did not expect to love it as much as I did. I was laughing and smiling the entire time! Riley is a physic who desperately tries to be normal when her physic visions show her that her neighbor is going to be murdered. Nick is a private investigator hired to look into who the murderer is. When Riley & Nick start working together - they discover their one murder victim is about to be a much bigger problem. This book was hilarious. The banter, the insults, the 4 elderly people that Riley lives with… I was cracking up. The chapters were good length, pretty fast paced and action packed. I enjoyed this book so much!

You ever read a book and instantly fall in love with the plot and main character? The Dead Guy Next Door was that book for me. I LOVE the paranormal aspect, the sassy snark, and the relationship building. It's an adorable novel and I can't wait to read the other three!

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this arc honestly.
I'll start out this was a very cute book. Hooks you from the start and keeps you interested and invested in the characters. The book also sets up nicely for the series in my opinion, which I can't wait to read. This isn't my normal type of story but I liked it a lot. The humor was great, the connection didn't feel forced or out of place, and the shenanigans were to notch. Off I go to read the next one in the series!

I was a little iffy on picking this one up. I've previously read some Lucy Score books and they weren't my favorite. The Dead Guy Next Door changed that for me. A psychic and detective team up to solve a murder? Heck yea.

Lucy writes really great characters. Nick, the MMC, a commitment-phobic man, falls for Riley. But the way he falls for her is realistic. While their love story wasn't the main plot of the book, it was so enjoyable. Riley is chaos and it's so fun to see Nick love that about her... who would've thought? Nick pushed Riley to be confident and really helped her grow.

This book is quite long but totally different than anything Lucy has done in the past. It's LOL funny and not very steamy, which was enjoyable because we got to focus on the psychic mystery aspect and character development.

4 solid stars.

Dickie Frick like why?!?! Come up with a better name pleaseeee I beg of you! This story was very interesting and different. I enjoyed it mostly but also feel like it could have been way shorter and still got all the same points across.