A New Lease on Death is a witty take on the classic buddy escapade trope. Half of the duo, Cordelia, is deceased but for some reason is still able to explore the world around her. Now Cordelia is able to communicate, albeit somewhat dysfunctionally, with the apartment's new tenant, Ruby. Together the ladies are determined to figure out what happened when a fellow apartment dweller is found dead under suspicious conditions.

This novel reminds me of the 2005 Reese Witherspoon movie, Just Like Heaven, though Blacke's plot is a bit darker and more of a mystery than a romance. Without giving anything away, I found the ending to be neatly explained even though it felt a bit rushed after multiple chapters of no forward plot progress. Clearly Blacke is setting these characters up for a second novel together, and I would be interested to see what exactly happens next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read this novel.

DNF at 17%
I really tried, but was just not invested in this story. Cordelia and Ruby's match up was odd, the pacing was slow and I was finding myself force reading it way too early on. I've seen others enjoyed this one so clearly it's just not for me.

Fun concept for a cozy mystery! The multiple POVs, one being a ghost, really gave a neat spin. I had some difficulty getting into the novel, but once I did I enjoyed it. It was a fun book, and I hope to see what happens next in the series.

A New Lease on Death is a fun supernatural cozy mystery about a ghost and her new “roommate,” who investigate the murder of their neighbor. The ghost, Cordelia, is a woman in her 40s who has died by suicide several months prior. She has been wandering around her apartment and Boston since her death. Ruby is a twenty-year-old looking for a fresh start who moves into Cordelia’s “furnished” apartment.

At the beginning of the novel, their neighbor, Jake is murdered in cold blood outside of their building. Cordelia and Ruby were acquaintances with him, but are interested in learning what happened because the police still don’t know who did it. Ruby is aware of Cordelia’s death before she moved in, but has never sensed her. Cordelia is frustrated by Ruby’s presence, but starts warming up to her. They learn how to communicate vaguely. There are a number of funny miscommunication scenes. I like how Cordelia and Ruby were layered characters trying to make the best of their situations and handle past traumas.

I was looking for a lighthearted read and this fit the bill. Being from Massachusetts, I always enjoy reading about stories set locally. I was surprised by the ending and who Jake’s murderer was. Overalls, it was an enjoyable read.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

I really enjoyed this funny murder mystery! It was cozy and had some funny moments and some relatable moments with the mc. There were times where I felt it became a little repetitive but overall it was fun and loved the paranormal aspect.

Also, what actually was that cliff hanger! Hoping for a second book!

Thanks NetGalley for the arc!!

I liked the idea for this, and I thought it was cute, but it did read slow and lose my attention a good bit. I do think it would be good for those that like cozy mysteries and don’t mind a paranormal spin. The ending left on a cliffhanger, which makes me thing maybe it will be a series, but I’m not sure so I kind of felt like it was a bit of a disappointment because I probably wouldn’t come back for more. It is cute and humorous, I think I just wanted something darker so don’t let that deter you. Thanks to Minotaur Books and St. Martin’s Press for my eARC. A New Lease on Death is available now.

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.*