Thanks to Lucy Score, Sourcebooks Bloom Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if this book was pitched as Stephanie Plum meets Charley Davidson. Relatable, reluctant, overpowered heroine? Check. Obnoxiously egotistical hero who the heroine deserves better than but will obsess over? Check. Police-adjacent occupation? Check. Hilarious secondary cast? Check. The manic energy of several espresso shots? Check.

If you think the Stephanie Plum and/or Charley Davidson series are wonderful, you'll think Riley Thorn is too. But I've had issues with both series despite my love for them, and not surprisingly, I'm having similar problems with this one. Like the OP heroine (Plum's OP is Ranger, or sheer luck)---does Riley really need to see the future and read minds? It makes things too easy for her, and I also had a hard time discerning what was dream, what was prediction, what was mind-reading, etc. It all kinda swirled together into a murky psychic ex machina soup.

The hero---Nick was a dumbass. Give me the quiet confidence of a mature adult, not the swagger of a fool who thinks his shit don't stink. Nick had the personality of a cocksure teenage boy who hasn't figured out which head to think with. No, thanks.

The plot itself is pretty good. It could be argued that it was overly complicated, or that there was too much plot going on. And the chase at the end got to be ridiculous.

Overall, if you're a Plum or Davidson fan, Riley Thorn is worth checking out, but be warned, it's par for the course.

Rating: ★★★½ - ★★★★

Lucy Score’s, The Dead Guy Next Door, is a unique blend of thriller, mystery, comedy, and contemporary romance that offers a refreshing departure from the typical dark and intense thrillers I'm used to. While the book was an enjoyable read, it did have its ups and downs for me.

The plot centers around a surprising death that sets off a chain of comedic and romantic escapades. Lucy Score does an excellent job of creating engaging and humorous banter between characters, which is one of the book’s strongest points. The dialogue is witty and often had me laughing out loud, making the characters feel lively and relatable.

However, the pacing of the story was a bit slow for my taste. As someone who gravitates towards more traditional thrillers with fast-paced mystery solving, I found the narrative to be somewhat dragging at times. The mystery itself wasn't as central or as intense as I had hoped. Instead, the book leans heavily into its comedic and romantic elements, which might delight fans of lighthearted mysteries but may disappoint those seeking a more gripping and suspenseful read.

The romantic subplot, while charming, felt reminiscent of a Hallmark movie, which isn't typically my cup of tea. Despite this, Lucy Score manages to keep the romance engaging and sweet, which I believe would appeal greatly to fans of contemporary romance. The chemistry between the protagonists is undeniable and adds a warm touch to the story.

In summary, The Dead Guy Next Door is a delightful read for those who enjoy a lighthearted mystery interwoven with comedy and romance. While it wasn’t entirely my style due to its slower pace and the focus on romance, I still found it entertaining and would recommend it to readers looking for a fun, easy-going mystery. Lucy Score’s talent for crafting witty dialogue and charming characters shines through, making this book a solid choice for a relaxing read.

Thank you Sourcebooks Bloom Books, Netgalley, and Lucy Score for the ARC of this novel!

I LOVED this book and I am so excited for this series! Our main character definitely gives off ‘Stephanie Plum’ vibes, but has her own twist because she’s psychic. I really liked navigating her psychic journey too; we start the book with Riley Thorn refusing to use her gifts/acknowledge they even exist. By the end of the novel she’s using her gifts, learning to channel, and embracing this new life. This book is quirky to say the least and made me laugh multiple times. I can’t wait to get my hands on the rest of the series!! A definite 5 star read!

Oh my god, I loved this book! Packed full of loveable characters and laugh out loud humor. The absolute perfect read. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book in the series.

This was so much fun. Riley is a reluctant psychic and Nick is a private investigator. Their paths cross when Riley’s neighbor is murdered. Riley lives in a house with old people, has a wild family with psychic powers, and has an ex husband who is a jerk. Nick never considered himself a settle down type of man, but he might have to reevaluate since he can’t stay away from Riley. This is a laugh out loud good time.

Riley is divorced and living in a home with older roommates. a private detective comes to investigate a murder of one of her roommates. Riley is a great character. I enjoyed the story very much.

3.75 ⭐️ which I’ll round to 4
Riley is divorced, down on her luck, living with a nursing home’s worth of elderly people, across the hall from a man who gets murdered AND she’s very reluctantly psychic. This is a madcap romp that starts with a murder and ends with bar fights, vigilante 80 year olds, corruption, at least one car chase and romance. Filled with whacky side characters and a commitment phobic MMC, once the book gets going it zigs and zags its way to the end of this fast paced read. It’s funny, it’s paranormal, it’s romance, it’s a whodunnit, it’s mystery and mayhem with a giant dog and a spite cow thrown in the mix. There’s honestly a little dash of everything in this book and I really enjoyed it. I’ll admit that it took me a few chapters to really get into the story, but once the murder happens and Nick shows up, the book really starts to move. I’ll definitely be reading the next book in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book!

The Dead Guy Next Door from Lucy Score is another cute, quirky and funny story that had me hooked right from the start! The author has a way of developing her characters that make them relatable and the way her characters banter make me laugh. I love that this is the first in the series and can't wait to dive into more of these charatcers!

I love Lucy Score and have heard nothing but great things about this series. but it's just not for me. I was low key expecting a Stephanie Plum vibes book and it totally is. But that's what doesn't work. Too much going on for my brain.

First time reading this author & I will definitely be reading more. The Dead Guy Next Door is full of quirky and unique characters. Riley is divorced and lives in an old mansion with a handful of elderly roommates. She experiences clairvoyant visions that she doesn't want. One visions involves her neighbor, which brings in private investigator, Nick Santiago. Riley and her roommates are a blast and Nick is everything you would imagine as a hot, private investigator.

This was a fun read that had me chuckling throughout the book.

I received this advance review copy from NetGalley & the publisher for my honest review.

After reading the second and third books in this Riley Thorn series, I came to the conclusion that anything with Riley Thorn will always be a good time! Riley Thorn and The Dead Guy Next Door did not disappoint! It is the first book, where we are introduced to Riley. Riley is divorced and living in a quirky house with quirky elderly folk. They are absolutely hilarious! Riley also has psychic powers and she is not quite sure how to handle it.
One day, hot private investigator Nick Santiago knocks on Riley's door to inform her her neighbor was found dead. After having a vision connected to the murder, Riley decides to team up with Nick to solve this mystery.

This book is so fun! The characters are silly and entertaining, especially when they are all together. I laughed nonstop while reading this one! Nick and Riley have the cutest relationship, and it was sweet watching how them develop.

Thank you NetGalley, Sourcebooks Bloom Books, and Lucy Score for this entertaining read!

Riley is quirky and fun all around, she is a great character. Very enjoyable thriller style story with suspense and laughs. The opening scene in the car with the backseat drivers is hilarious. This is a first I have read a Lucy Score story and I'm happy I picked it. Can't wait to read the next one in the series.

Loved getting to know psychic Riley and how she accepts her special abilities as she solves a murder. This has romance, thrills, funny housemates, and her unique family. So looking forward to reading more in this series, such a fun read.

Riley Thorn is a reluctant psychic who has a vision of her next door neighbor's murder. When PI Nick Santiago shows up to investigate the neighbor, Riley gets a lot more than she bargained for by answering Nick's knock at the door. Riley's boring life becomes action packed immediately. As she gets deeper involved in what's going on with her neighbor, she can't help finding herself in increasingly dangerous situations.

This was such a fun twist on Lucy Score's romance novels. I loved the fun mystery element. I felt like it dragged a little especially in the first half. I think a lot of that was world building and introducing a lot of characters that needed explanations. I'm even more excited for the next one now that we know this quirky cast of characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Bloom Books for the ARC of The Dead Guy Next Door.

If you are looking for a romance/thriller/comedy/sci-fi, this book should be right up your alley. I definitely enjoyed the thriller/psychic aspect as well as the rom-com bits. I loved the quirky-ness of most of the characters. It truly lead to some zany and laugh out loud moments. Many of the characters will make you fall in love with them and have you rooting for them and their outlandish antics.

This copy was kindly given to me by the publisher and Netgalley for review. All opinions are my own.

I thoroughly enjoy this book! It was a fantastically funny cast of characters. the banter and dialogue literally had me laughing out loud at times. I went into this unsure of the spice level given Lucy Score's other titles that I have read and while it has spice towards the end, it was definitely tame compared to her other books- which really worked for this story line. Totally recommend if you are ready to dip your toes into Score's backlog titles :)

Thank you #Netgalley

This was a great kick of to a new series from Lucy Score! We are introduced to Riley, a woman who recently went through a rough divorce, comes from a family with psychic powers and finds herself renting a room in a mansion full of nosy elderly neighbors. When a neighbor winds up dead, she realizes that her premonitions may actually be real. We follow Riley as she learns to strengthen her psychic abilities through the help of a spiritual trainer all while getting mixed up with a local PI who is also interested in the death of her neighbor.

This was a fun read. Lots of over the top characters in over the top situations. With a bit of murder and some romance. It reminded me a bit of the early Stephanie Plum books, in all the best ways. Looking forward to reading more in this series.

3.5 stars

Riley is back at it again, solving crimes and cracking lines! This was another hilarious book within this series!

I did not realize this was a part of a series! I do not usually read series but I did enjoy this. The characters were quirky and unique. The humor was great. I would consider this a great "in between" for heavier books.

Thank you for the arc copy in return for an honest review.