Firstly I would like to say thank you to NetGalley and to Bloom Books publishing for this ARC!

I rated this book 3.5 stars,

Lucy Score's "The Corpse in the Closet," a sequel to the Riley Thorn series, maintains the charm of its predecessor while delivering a captivating blend of mystery, humor, and romance. While some readers may find the balance between romance and mystery slightly skewed towards the latter, the plot's twists and turns add depth to the narrative, elevating it beyond a typical romance novel. Score skillfully navigates the complexities of relationships, particularly between Riley and Nick, whose chemistry is palpable amidst the chaos of murder investigations and colorful secondary characters. The book's humor, though occasionally relying on toilet humor, adds a lighthearted touch to the suspenseful storyline. Nick emerges as a swoon-worthy male lead, offering steadfast support to Riley in the face of adversity. While the book's ending falls slightly short of the explosive finale of its predecessor, it sets the stage for an eagerly anticipated third installment. Despite its standalone mystery, familiarity with the series enhances the reader's experience, making it advisable to start with the first book. Overall, "The Corpse in the Closet" is a must-read for fans of cozy mysteries and romantic suspense, offering a delightful fusion of genres with a sweet underlying romance.

Not my typical Lucy Score read but it was good. Coming from reading the first book in this series, I wish the mystery stuff was a bit less than the romance. I loved the romance/mystery balance of book 1 and was hoping it would carry over to this. I get that the couple is older and have been together for awhile but it can still be a thing that happens more than it did.
With all of that being said, I really did enjoy the plot and the twists of the mystery aspects. Adds a bit more something to a typical romance novel. Way to go Lucy Score. Can’t wait to read the rest of this lovely series.

I DEVOURED the first three books of the Riley Thorn series and I CANNOT wait for more. The humor, the storyline, the chemistry between the characters is so addictive to me. I am already anticipating re-reading them all over again. If it's a Lucy Score book it's an automatic read for me. I really enjoy her writing style and her character development in her books. I am excited to read the fourth book when it comes out!

"The Corpse in the Closet" by Lucy Score offers readers a delightful blend of cozy mystery, romantic comedy, and romantic suspense, with a sprinkle of paranormal romance for good measure. As a reader who values a gripping mystery, I was thrilled to find myself completely immersed in the story, unable to predict the identity of the culprit. Score's ability to keep readers guessing adds an extra layer of excitement to the narrative.

Beyond its mystery elements, the book shines with its humor, albeit of a more unconventional variety, including fart and poop jokes that may not be to everyone's taste but certainly resonated with mine. The character of Nick, initially met with skepticism, emerges as a male lead worth swooning over, his unwavering support for Riley amidst her chaotic life serving as a heartwarming anchor.

Following the adventures of Riley Thorn, readers are treated to a murder investigation involving a stylish corpse and a meddling grandmother intent on Riley embracing her psychic gifts or facing the consequences from The Guild. Amidst the chaos, the chemistry between Riley and Nick blossoms, providing a touching counterbalance to the eccentricities of the supporting cast.

Overall, "The Corpse in the Closet" is a delightful read that seamlessly blends humor, mystery, and romance. Lucy Score's adept storytelling has earned her a spot on my list of authors to explore further, and I eagerly anticipate joining Riley Thorn on her future adventures. Thank you to Sourcebooks Bloom for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

4.5 stars rounded down. I was so happy to spend time with Riley, Nick, and the crazy cast of characters in Harrisburg, Pa again. How I missed their shenanigans. And there are a lot of shenanigans. Sooo many shenanigans. In the best of ways. This series reminds me a lot of the Finlay Donovan or Dial A for Aunties series. So fans of those books should def check out Riley Thorn too.

If you haven't read this series yet, I'd describe it as cozy mystery meets rom com meets romantic suspense, with a touch of pnr thrown in for good measure. And if you've ever read my reviews, you'll know that one of the most important things for any mystery or romantic suspense for me is the mystery itself. I HATE being able to guess who the bad guy is. And luckily, with The Corpse in the Closet, I had no idea! I also had no idea what was going to happen next. In addition to a great mystery, this book was also funny. So funny. But it is the kind of funny that includes fart and poop jokes, which may not be everyone’s jam, but is definitely my jam. And Nick! I had my doubts about Nick, but he's really grown to be a male lead that I can swoon over. He's supportive to Riley, which is admittedly a big ask given the amount of crazy in her life. But I respect him for that.

This book almost got 5 stars from me. On the whole, I liked it better than book 1… but book 1’s ending was exceptional and insane and unbelievable in an amazing way. So the ending of this, though still great, didn’t reach the heights of book 1’s ending. And that is the reason for the 4.5 stars, instead of 5. Although the mystery in book 2 is unique, which kind of makes it a standalone, I do think readers should read book 1 first. There are a TON of secondary characters and it will be easier to follow along if you're at least familiar with everyone involved (even if you're like me and don't really remember them). All in all, I totally recommend this series, especially if you don’t mind a bit of ridiculous mixed in with your mystery. Plus, at its core, there’s also a really sweet romance.

Lucy score does it again!! Loved this one just as much as the first book! I can’t wait to read the 3rd! Her stories always keep you hooked!

4stars!
Hilarious! Funny and Sexy!
This is book 2 about Nick and Riley. Like the first book, please expect a good amount of Nick's dry humor and the "uninterested" tone paired with Riley's uber enthusiastic and witty sarcasm. WIth these two put together, you get yourself the perfect mix of fun, sexy and romantic banter and I could not love it more!
Lucy Score has been growing on me, and the more I read her work, the more I understood her touch and enjoyed her work. I like that one do not have to read book 1 because even if this is a series, it can go as a stand alone quite perfectly. So if you want to excape reality for a while and have fun while doing it, pick up this book and die happy!
Special thank you to SOurceBooks, Bloom Books for the ARC via Netgalley in exchange of my honest review. I enjoyed it very much!

Unfortunately this book was a big flop for me. I did not read book 1 which made it a little confusing but the book did a good job of getting me up to speed on the events of the first book. This book was trying really hard to be funny to the point that it was just not believable what some of the people were saying and doing. I felt there was not a lot of focus on the mystery part of the story and too many side scenes that weren’t very productive. I was not a fan of Nicks character, he was a jealous dude who didn’t seem very nice to anyone but Riley. Overall just didn’t like much about this book sadly. Thank you to Bloom Books for the copy of the book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Corpse in the Closet follows our beloved Riley Thorn as she, once again, is involved in a murder investigation involving a very well-dressed corpse in a very nice walk-in closet. On top of that, her disapproving grandmother shows up to make Riley home her psychic gifts or deal with The Guild.

With bodies pulling up and weird roommates to deal with, a dinner meeting the parents gone horribly, and having to interview her obnoxious, overly spray tanned ex-husband and his new fiancee, Riley is in for a very stressful summer. When she receives a threat from the killer, things only heat up. Either she backs off, or she's next on their list.

Lucy Score is one of my all-time favorite authors, so it's no surprise that this book is a five-star read! In fact, it's one of my favorite reads this year so far! The relationship between Riley and Nick was just absolutely adorable. There were so many funny moments, the romance was top tier, and the murder mystery with a psychic consultant element was super fun! I highly recommend this series if these are your kind of vibes!!

Also, thank you to @netgalley @read_bloom and @scorelucy for this ARC copy! 🫶🏻

I always love all the books and novels by Lucy Score! My favorite series from Lucy Score is the Knockemout (3 book series), so I knew I had to read this one. I adored all the characters in this read, however, I highly recommend reading Riley Thorn and the Dead Guy Next Door first. Love a great murder mystery and the story line. Highly recommend if you enjoy reading a romantic/ murder mystery story. Also, love the cover of the book!

"The Corpse in the Closet" by Lucy Score is an exciting sequel to the Riley Thorn series. It continues from where the first book, "Riley Thorn and The Dead Guy Next Door," left off. The book is a perfect blend of mystery, humor, and romance that keeps the readers engaged from the beginning till the end.
The chemistry between Riley and Nick is evident, and it's heartwarming to see their relationship getting stronger amidst the chaos of murder investigations and quirky characters. The author has done a fantastic job of bringing back all the hilarious secondary characters from the first book and introducing Nick's family and Riley's grandmother. Their interactions add depth and humor to the story, making it a delightful read.
Although the cliffhanger at the end of the book is not entirely surprising, it sets up a perfect plot for the third book, leaving the readers eagerly anticipating the next part of the series. Overall, "The Corpse in the Closet" is a must-read for fans of cozy mysteries and witty storytelling. Its blend of humor, romance, and suspense makes it a standout in the genre.
Happy Reding, enjoy!

This series, set in Harrisburg, PA, resonates with its local references and relatable workplace scenarios. Reminiscent of Janet Evanovich's style, it blends wacky mysteries with endearing characters and quirky situations. What sets it apart is Riley's psychic powers and her journey to embrace them, adding an intriguing paranormal element. The chemistry between Riley and Nick shines as they navigate both personal growth and solving mysteries. Despite its predictability and familiar tropes, the series offers a delightful blend of humor, suspense, and romance, making it a compelling read for fans of light-hearted mysteries. Thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for the ARC.

Rating = ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨✨ (4.5)

✨ The Riley Thorn books are set in Harrisburg PA, the state capital of Pennsylvania, which isn’t too far from where I grew up. Not the most exciting locale for a book, but it added to the kitsch for me! I loved all the local references I knew and appreciate that Lucy Score is a fellow Pennsylvanian who can poke a little fun at the area.

✨ At the beginning of book one, I also got a kick out of the fact that Riley worked at a soul sucking marketing agency, which has been a part of my career background - another thing about the book that caught and resonated with me from the beginning. I enjoyed this book 2 because it really showed Riley leaning into her powers and PI spirit.

✨ These books remind me so so much of the Janet Evanovich books I read growing up right down to damaged cars, a won’t commit (at least at first) law enforcement boyfriend, hilarious elderly characters, and wacky mysteries to solve - or, attempt to solve with hijinks along the way.

✨ What I love even more about Riley Thorn (Stephanie Plum’s equivalent) is that she has telepathic and psychic powers and a very clairvoyant family. Her grandmother makes an appearance in this book which really added to the family backstory.

✨ I like how Riley’s powers were represented - she can both see and sense things telepathically from alive people and also has dead people pass along messages to her in her dreams and in other ways.

✨ This was an extremely quick read for me and I found myself hooked, even reading while waiting in airport security lines.

✨I’ve definitely added Lucy Score to my list of authors to read more of and will absolutely continue along with Riley Thorn’s adventures.

I found the first Riley Thorn book to be good but very long. So I was glad to see the books in the series have gotten progressively shorter. I really like the series because while I enjoy a cozy mystery, they can get a bit too cozy and I lose interest. But the Riley Thorn books take some of that quirkiness you see in the cozy mysteries and elevates it. This second book in the series, introduced more of the Thorn family and went deeper into the mystical world of psychics. There was another great mystery, and personally did not anticipate who the criminal would be. Will definitely continue the series and look forward to reading the next one. (Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC)

This book is the second in the series and was so much fun! It picks up right where the first book left off, Riley Thorn and The Dead Guy Next Door, with Riley and Nick teaming up to solve another murder. All the hilarious secondary characters are back along with the introduction of Nick’s family and Riley’s grandmother. I loved watching Nick and Riley’s chemistry continue to blossom as they also grow individually. The cliffhanger at the end, while not surprising, set up for the third book perfectly!

Tropes: Dual POV, Paranormal Rom-Com mystery, Reverse grumpy/sunshine.

Harder to get into than the first, but really enjoyed the book itself. Loving Lucy Score right now. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this copy!

This book took a little longer to get into than the first book. It just felt more overtaken by the side characters than the main ones. Still enjoyed! Thank you netgalley for providing me with an e-arc!

The Corpse in the Closet is the second book in the Riley Thorn series by Lucy Score. This series is witty, suspenseful and laugh out loud funny - and did I mention the romance thrown in for good measure? Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If it can happen to anyone, it will happen to Riley, reluctant psychic extraordinaire. This time, Riley and her boyfriend Nick Santiago are in over their heads when Riley's grandmother shows up to make Riley start to embrace her powers before "the Guild" steps in. Meanwhile, she is trying to solve the crime of the Glitter Bomber and help Nick find his missing person. When she has to return to her old job at Channel 50 to interview the employees, including her spray-tanned ex-hubby, you just know trouble is on the way.

I would definitely recommend this series to anyone looking for some light, fun reading that will keep you engaged and looking for more.

I love this series. It is a good combination of romance, fantasy, and mystery. The characters are likable and I find myself rooting for them. The side characters are quirky and add to the story. Can't wait for the next in the series!

I love Lucy Score and I liked this even more than the first one. Can't wait to get to number three. This is a little funny, a little spicy and a little suspenseful. Would recommend, especially to fans of the Stephanie Plum and Finlay Donovan series.