What a great, fun read. I loved this book. The concept was quirky, as were the characters. It moved well, without being bogged down by too much foreshadowing or detail. It was the perfect fall, sit on the back porch with a blanket read. Can't wait for the next in the series. Because it just HAS to be a series!

Cordelia & Ruby!!! I'm looking forward to more from these two!

If you have some extra disbelief lying around, come and suspend it with this likely read. . .there are a number of things that will stretch a reader's tolerance for some over.the.top situations, but if you've done it before (as we all have. . .humpty-dumpty anyone?) you understand that in for a penny, in for a pound, right?!~? Right.

<i><b>A New Lease on Death</i></b> has all the boxes checked for cozy mysteries, but has the bonus of ghosts and afterlifers wafting in and out. Rather than depending on scary tensions to move the story along, Olivia Blacke has humor take over - but humor requires a tricky ingredient, communication. . . .and how does a human and a haunt get over that hurdle? Well, these two ladies manage it handily (so to speak).

There's a promise of more to come from these two. I'm perched and ready.

*A sincere thank you to Olivia Blacke, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*

The premise of this book and the book in its entirety was a cute- I would say, cozy- mystery! The ghost of the past tenant pairs up with the current tenant to solve a mystery of the death of the man across the hall. It did get a little repetitive and stale for a minute or two there, but eventually picked back up when it was time to come to a conclusion.

Overall, this book made for a light and quirky spooky season read!

This was a fun, cozy murder mystery. I'm kind of sad it didn't all wrap up in one story, but I can't say I'm not interested to see how the rest unfolds. It was cute to see an older millennial working with a younger generation, but they complimented each other well without clashing.

if cozy mysteries are your thing, then this is for you. i definitely recommend the physical copy over the audio, as i was a bit confused at times about who was where and when. i can't say that i was entirely sucked in and invested in the story, but i think i could have been had i read the physical book.

Cozy murder mystery being solved by a ghost and the new tenant in her apartment. These two ladies make a laugh out loud team that will keep you giggling through the twists and turns. The ending perfectly sets up the reader for the next installment of this duo.

# A New Lease on Death
# 11/13/2024 ~ 11/14/2024
# 5.0 / 5.0

Unique idea, really enjoyed it more than I thought I would have. I think at sometimes it stalled, which was surprising especially for the length.

ARC Review- 3⭐
Publication Date- October 29, 2024

A cute, cozy, whodunnit mystery with a touch of paranormal. I enjoyed this book as well as the characters. Cordelia is a ghost whom un-alived herself in her apartment, while Ruby is the new tenant, 20 years younger whom moves in after her demise. Cordelia and Ruby forge an unlikely friendship and team up to solve fellow neighbor Jake's murder.

The narration in this book is very heavy as Cordelia is a ghost who can't speak to others and Ruby is mainly a loaner with no friends or family in town. This gets a little monotonous after a while, but the story is solid.

I would enjoy a sequel to this book or maybe continued into a series.

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin's Press/Minotaur Books, and the author for a digital copy of the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This one is fun! I laughed out loud several times and thoroughly enjoyed it. The ending was a cliffhanger and that makes me wish I had not read it early - I need that sequel! If you're looking for a fun story and enjoyable characters, give this one a go!

This book was incredibly entertaining and hilarious, it kept me hooked from start to finish, and I couldn't wait to uncover the twist! I really enjoyed getting to know Ruby and Cordelia, and there's still so much more to find out about their story. The multiple POVs were a great touch, and I loved the supernatural elements, especially exploring what it's like to be a ghost and all the issues that come with it. Highly recommend this book, and I can’t wait to read more from Olivia Blacke!

A New Lease on Death by Olivia Blacke, a fun read, quirky yet imaginative. I enjoyed this book and think it will do well.

What’s not to love about a somewhat curmudgeonly ghost (Cordelia), stuck in middle age, a ratty tee and sweats, and Boston, connecting with a twenty-something (Ruby) starting life over in a new place after a bad relationship as they share the same apartment? Cordelia and Ruby are center-stage in this book, providing me with two main characters to enjoy, while the murder victim and his cohort provided the basis on which these women learn to work together and appreciate one another. I especially enjoyed how the author explored different ways they could try to communicate - what worked and what didn’t provided joy and humor as we watched Cordelia progress in her afterlife skills. Another strength was the slow reveal of both women’s backgrounds and how they impacted their views and actions. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next as Cordelia becomes more adept at moving between worlds and Ruby becomes more settled and established in her new town.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books,and the author for early access to this charming mystery.

The premise is fun, with two women—one alive and one a ghost—teaming up to solve a murder.

Overall, though, I wasn’t wowed.

I liked both characters, and I enjoyed the dialogue, for the most part. I thought the constant references to their age gap (ages 20 and 40) were way overdone, but otherwise I enjoyed the banter.

But by midway, I was pretty bored.

The story is drawn out, with not a whole lot happening. The investigation doesn’t really become the focus until the final quarter. Pacing is sluggish, and content tends to be repetitive.

As with many cozy mysteries of this sort, the cops are missing and, apparently, inept. The case should have been quick for them to solve, if they’d bothered. Of course, this is often the nature of cozies.

I know I’m grumbling. While this wasn’t a favorite for me, I’m sure cozy fans who like a little ghostly presence will enjoy it.

*Thanks to Minotaur books for the free eARC, provided via NetGalley.*

* A New Lease on Death* is an entertaining and quirky cozy murder mystery that delivers a unique twist on the genre. The story follows Ruby, a quirky and unemployed young woman, who moves into an apartment still haunted by its former tenant, Cordelia—a recently deceased ghost who may or may not have died by her own hand. When their neighbor, Jake, is mysteriously shot in front of their building, Ruby and Cordelia form an unlikely detective duo to solve the crime. I loved the playful dynamic between them, the mix of supernatural elements, and the exploration of Cordelia’s ghostly tricks, which added a fun spin to the traditional amateur sleuth story. The story's humor, quirky characters, and multiple POVs kept me engaged, making it a cozy, light-hearted mystery perfect for a relaxing evening. However, I felt the plot could have benefited from a bit more development, and while the cliffhanger sets up the series, it wasn’t particularly memorable for me. Still, I’m intrigued enough to check out the sequel. 3.5 stars!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.*

I love plants, murder mysteries, and spooky season vibes. This book had all of those. Cordelia and Jake made such a great (ghostly) team, their story was so interesting. I’d definitely recommend this book. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

**3.5/5 Stars**
*A New Lease on Death* by Olivia Blacke is a cozy mystery with a charming small-town vibe and a touch of humor. The protagonist is relatable and quirky, and the mystery keeps you guessing with plenty of red herrings. However, the pacing can drag in places, and some secondary characters feel underdeveloped. Despite this, the engaging writing and satisfying twists make it a solid choice for fans of lighthearted whodunits.

Rating: 3 stars!

I feel like the premise behind the book is awesome, but the execution felt slow. If you want a fun ghosty read, I definately recommend checking it out.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a fun, refreshing, funny and cozy read and I'm eager to read more.
Cordelia is in her 40s, has an annoying roommate who's let all her plants die and is sitting outside waiting on her neighbor Jake to wake up as a ghost.

Oh yeah, did I mention that Cordelia is a ghost?? Yep, a ghost who still hangs out in her old apartment and dealing with Ruby. Who doesn't quiet know she's got a ghost friend hanging out. That is until a green sweater proves her theory of Cordelia haunting the place.

Together they try to figure out how to work together to solve Jake's murder. They aren't your typical crime solving duo, but they sure do make it work in their own way. I really liked watching Ruby and Cordelia work together. It has it's perks having a ghost a friend, even more so with Cordelia being kind to Ruby and watching Ruby grow on her, even if she did destroy nearly all her plants.

Overall this was the kind of cozy mystery that can be read by the fire, snowed in or whatever reason. A quick read that it sure to keep you asking all the questions and wanting more of this lovely duo.

After dying in her plant-filled apartment, Cordelia Graves keeps hanging around. She’s annoyed with Ruby, the young girl who moved in to Cordelia’s fully furnished place. Ruby is scatterbrained and forgets to water Cordelia’s plants, but when Jake, a neighbor, is stabbed to death in front of the building, Cordelia and Ruby team up in order to solve the mystery.

This was a cute story, different from the murder mysteries I usually read. I thought some of the scenarios Ruby found herself in were a bit unbelievable though I liked both Ruby and Cordelia. I am curious to see what’s next for Ruby since the book ended on a cliffhanger.

I really enjoyed this book. It was such a unique story about a relationship between a ghost and her current tenant sleuthing together to solve a murder of the neighbor across the hall. I felt it was funny, endearing, cozy and quirky. Perfect for spooky season or really any time you’re looking for something special and fun to read.