NetGalley ARC Educator 550974

A nice twist on every day mystery novels. A ghost, Cordelia, helps her human roommate solve a murder. Though some parts can be figured out right away, there are parts that leave you wanting more. There aren't any romances between the main characters in this book.

I can see this becoming a Hallmark Halloween movie series.

This was a disappointing read for me. The synopsis had promise, but the story was long-winded and had very little payoff in the end. Unfortunately, with the lack of intrigue and disappointing ending I wouldn’t rush to recommend this novel. I saw this is going to be a series (?) and it seems to be quite a stretch.
I did love the cover, it is what first drew me to this novel!
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this novel!
2.5/5

I am so sorry I'm late reading this book. It was hilarious and yet real at the same time. I fell in love with Cordelia and can not wait to read more of her adventures.
Thanks so much to the publisher, author and netgalley for the chance to read this fun cozy mystery.

4.5
I am all in for a cozy mystery at any time so this book was like coming home. Its comfortable and you're never afraid to return.
Cordelia and Ruby team up to help solve the death of Jake who dies by a gunshot. While this was still a mystery it was great to read the bond Cordelia and Ruby had.



The cliffhanger was such a tease so hopefully to read the second book in this series.

Went on a bit too long for me, particularly given the cliffhanger. I found myself skimming sections that didn't tell me anything new about the characters or advance the plot. OK premise, with the ghost helping the young woman, but felt labored at times, and some of the characters were simply cardboard stereotypes.

This was my first time reading a book by Olivia Blacke. I enjoyed this cute, cozy murder mystery, complete with ghosts helping to solve the crime.

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fun mystery with a paranormal twist. The dialog is really good and the characters are likable. I thought at first this would be a "cozy mystery", but the story and plot line were solid and really quite good. I enjoyed reading it and still think about the characters. I thought the ghost POV was very well done.

A new lease on death is a surprisingly fun paranormal mystery that introduces a new detective duo. Cordelia is a ghost who hasn’t left the apartment in which she does by suicide. Ruby is the new tenant in the apartment and Cordelia is trying to get used to having a roommate. One night, Cordelia discovers another ghost-her neighbor across the hall who was murdered in the snow outside the building. After his body is discovered, Cordelia makes contact with ruby and the two begin an unlikely relationship trying to track down Jake’s murderer. While ruby can’t see Cordelia, they communicate through magnets on the fridge as Cordelia guides ruby through the investigation and tries to keep her from
Joining the spirit world. All the while, Cordelia tries to come
To terms with her own death and the life she lived.

Fast-paced, engrossing, funny and poignant, this was a pleasant surprise. The abrupt ending leaves the door open for a sequel and potential series!

Thanks to the publisher for providing this arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I read an advanced reader's copy of Olivia Blacke's new book A New Lease on Death. This was a very fun book. The primary protagonist is a ghost - a woman who died (suicide) and is in a sort of purgatory in her old neighborhood in Boston, in the apartment she lived (and died in). Cordelia Graves encounters another neighbor who has been murdered outside the apartment building, and is determined to find the killer. The twist is Cordelia find a way to communicate with the new resident of her apartment, Ruby, and the two work together to solve the mystery. My description of it isn't as clear as Blacke's story, but the plot device works, and the book is a fun read. The story is interesting. The book comes to a satisfying end. Good read!

"A New Lease on Death" presents an intriguing premise, blending mystery with psychological depth. The protagonist’s journey is engaging, as they navigate complex relationships and unravel dark secrets. The writing is solid, and the author successfully builds tension throughout the narrative. However, the plot sometimes feels predictable, with a few twists that fail to fully surprise. The pacing can be uneven at times, particularly in the middle, where the story lags. While the characters are well-crafted, some feel underdeveloped. Despite these flaws, the novel offers a suspenseful read for fans of mystery, though it doesn't fully reach its potential.

4.5 Stars

This was my first time reading anything by Olivia Blacke and it certainly won't be my last. A cozy supernatural mystery with a dose of wry humor was just what I needed and Blacke certainly delivered.

A New Lease on Death focuses on the ghost of Cordelia Graves and her new roommate Ruby who has moved into Cordelia's former apartment where Cordelia was found deceased in the bathtub surrounded by a bunch of empty booze and pill bottles. Despite being complete opposites and with a 20 year age gap and the fact that Cordelia is dead, Ruby and Cordelia find themselves able to communicate and team up to solve the murder of their neighbor Jake. Both Ruby and Cordelia are extremely likeable and well-written characters and whose interactions with one another reminded me of a mother and her teenage daughter who leaves her exasperated (ask me how I know).

With a fast paced plot and a few not so subtle twists and turns that have a resolution for the mystery at hand, but leave open an even bigger mystery to solve in the next installment, A New Lease on Death kept me turning pages while putting a smile on my face at the same time. The lack of a romance subplot was also a nice reprieve from most books on the market these days.

Although I love the word play in the title, I do think the book deserves a better cover as this one comes across as a bit amateur for such an excellent read.

Extremely enjoyable and I can't wait to continue reading this new series, as well as checking out the author's backlist. Recommended for fans of supernatural mysteries with a bit of humor and zero spice or those who enjoy books with unlikely duos.

Thank you to NetGalley, Olivia Blacke, and Minotaur Books for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

I think Cordelia is a bad person. I was bored by her POV
She treating Ruby wrong and this is not for me

This was a fun and refreshing cozy mystery. I especially enjoyed the ghosty feel to this one. For those who like spookyish reads for the Halloween season but don't want gory and would love to sleep at night, this is perfect.

Cordelia and Ruby mesh well together and made the mystery solving fun. Perfect one for Cozy fans who also like a little supernatural in their reads.

I sincerely appreciate the author and NetGalley for the review copy.

This was a chill mystery and I enjoyed the concept of having a cool ghost roommate who wants to help you. It was giving Casper the friendly ghost if Casper was a grown woman, lol. The dual POV was fitting for the story showing the ghostly version of this book and how it's perceived by the human eye. I thought this book was alright but could've been better wrapping the ending statement plot into this book rather than writing another one. I don't know how big that plot will be but this wasn't so crazy to require a another one in my opinion. She ties it nicely but the "cliffhanger" was so obvious from the start. It was a solid book with the sleuthing and the reveal but it was kinda meh for me. Not bad, just predictable. I think this is considered cozy mystery, which isn't really my main genre so this is new for me but I am getting into different "cozy" genres of books and I'm intrigued to read more.

Thanks for the arc netgalley! :)

A New Lease on Death is a fabulous cozy mystery that will keep you in suspense until the end. Cordelia, a ghost, is still living in her Boston apartment and Ruby, a 20 year old on her own for the first time moves in the fully-furnished apartment. These two unlikely roommates team up to solve their neighbors murder. The plot is unique, the banter is witty, and overall, it's a fun book.

Also, this cover is fantastic.

Definitely one to check out!

Thank you Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is an excellent mystery featuring the ghost of a woman who died in her apartment and the apartment’s new tenant, a much younger woman who is now trying to solve the mystery of a second dead tenant: the recently murdered neighbor across the hall. It’s quite funny, and I would recommend it if you like murder mysteries a la the TV shows Psych or Only Murders in the Building. The ending actually did surprise me! I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook! CW for suicide!

This is an excellent mystery featuring the ghost of a woman who died in her apartment and the apartment’s new tenant, a much younger woman who is now trying to solve the mystery of a second dead tenant: the recently murdered neighbor across the hall. It’s funny, and I would recommend it if you like murder mysteries like the TV shows Psych or Only Murders in the Building.

This was a cute enough story for spooky season. I thought the premise was interesting and unique, with a human and a ghost teaming up to solve their neighbor's murder. I struggled a bit while reading because the pacing felt off at times. There were sections of the book that felt super slow and disjointed. I wasn't totally in love with the ending. Overall, it was a pleasant enough read. I wouldn't buy the book for myself though.

This was a cute read and the first part of a series, but it was also a little difficult to get through because it is predictable and so it got a little boring in some parts. The story centers around a ghost who wants to solve her murder and so she pesters the current tenant of her apartment into helping her.

Cordelia died a few months ago, but she hasn't left behind the tiny apartment she loved so much (she didn't leave it much when she was alive — why start now?). New tenant Ruby was grateful to get a fully furnished apartment, though she hasn't been able to keep the plants alive. When the guy across the hall turns up dead, ghostly Cordelia and Gen Z Ruby team up to solve his murder.

This was a surprisingly fun and funny mystery novel. The author clearly spelled out the rules of ghost/human interactions, which made the whole thing easier to believe and created some fun hurdles. I also appreciated that both Cordelia and Ruby brought their own skills and talents to the investigation. I loved it, and I'll happily read more in this series when it comes.