A nice series start…

A year or so ago, I had a review copy of Olivia Blacke’s A Fatal Groove, which is the first in her Record Shop mystery series. I liked that book, which is practically the epitome of a cozy. So when I was offered a review copy of A New Lease on Death, which is the first in Blacke’s Supernatural mystery series, I grabbed it. And I enjoyed A New Lease even a bit more than A Fatal Groove.

To start with, in spite of its cute cover, it’s not a cozy. And although I like cozies, a few can go a long way. Instead, A New Lease is a little grittier, dealing with some difficult situations – which would, however, be spoilers if I provided details here. You’ll recognize them when you see them. And the paranormal elements also make you think a bit. What would you do if you ended up as a ghost, unable to communicate with those who are still alive, and not knowing anything at all about how the ghost thing works? Which sounds like a few living people I know. Which may be the point.

Luckily though, for our resident ghost, Cordelia Graves, who apparently committed suicide in her apartment’s bathtub in a rather bleak part of town, the next inhabitant of the apartment is Ruby Young. Ruby’s an almost terminally cheerful 20-something, who has dealt with a nasty breakup with her cheating ex, “Jerky McJerkface”, by leaving the comfort of her large family in Baltimore to make her way on her own in Boston. In cold cold Boston! It’s wintertime, and Ruby doesn’t have much money – for food, or heat, or warm clothes.

Shortly after Ruby moves in, however, Cordelia-the-ghost somewhat ironically discovers a dead body. Her former neighbor from across the hall, Jake Macintyre, has been shot in the head, not far from the entrance to their apartment building. And although Cordelia tries to pass along some of her hard-learned lessons on how to be a ghost, Jake vanishes shortly after he dies. The overworked police assume it is just a mugging, but Cordelia doesn’t think so, and neither does Ruby. The two form an unlikely alliance to investigate, and as they do, they form an equally improbable friendship.

As I was reading the first few chapters, I struggled a bit with A New Lease on Death. Cordelia seemed stiff (pun intended 😊) and unlikeable, Ruby’s situation was dire, and I’ve never been a big fan of cold winters, even just in books. But as Cordelia and Ruby figured out how to communicate (at least some of the time), as their investigations started to dig up clues, and as they started to care about each other – well, I got hooked. And by the end of the book, I felt quite sad that it was ending.

I want to thank Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the review copy. I also note that there are a few unresolved bits-and-pieces towards the end that bolster my hopes for another book to come. And finally, BTW - even though the book is grittier than the cover, I still like the cover a lot!

Ruby Young, fleeing from a bad relationship, packs up everything and moves to Boston. She rents an apartment on the rougher side of town, where the rent is cheap, and she is able to get the apartment fully furnished thanks to the fact that the previous occupant committed suicide in it, and all of her belongings are still in there. There is something else that comes with the apartment - the ghost of Cordelia Graves,, the previous resident. She has been hanging out with Ruby (without her knowledge of course) for awhile when the neighbor across the hall gets murdered. He is shot in the forehead and left for dead on the sidewalk outside their apartment building. Cordelia wants to find out who murdered Jake, but obviously she can't do anything about it - at least not without the help of her roomie, Ruby. So Cordelia clues Ruby in to the fact that she has an invisible roommate, and through trial and error they team up up to do a little sleuthing of their own.

This book was so much fun. I loved both Cordelia and Ruby, and their antics were delightful. Cordelia fried any electronics she got close to, so there was definitely a learning curve trying to find a way for them to communicate. The mystery kept me guessing, and I loved how the book ended setting it up for the mystery in the next book in the series. I am already looking forward to that one! If you enjoy paranormal mysteries, or even just mysteries in general, then you should definitely check this out.

Ruby Young is new to Boston. Fresh off a difficult breakup she has a new fully furnished apartment that came with a few things she wasn't expecting. First was malfunctioning electronics, next was a dead body outside, and last but not least, a ghost. After her death Cordelia decided not to leave her apartment. She was not happy to have a new roommate. While exploring one evening she came upon the body and ghost of her former neighbor Jake. Cordelia becomes determined to find out what happened to Jake. Through trial and error she finds different ways to communicate with Ruby and enlists her in this mission.

I had a great time with this book. I loved the interesting ways the author came up with to have Ruby and Cordelia interact. There were so many funny moments balanced with some more serious themes. Both women had interesting and distinct personalities. I enjoyed the mystery aspect. I also liked that we got set up for the likely next book. I look forward to seeing where the story goes. Olivia Blacke has another cozy mystery series that I'm excited to dig into while waiting for the follow up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

The Cozy Mystery genre, in all its varied forms (books, tv shows, movies), is one of my absolute favorite things in the world, so I was beyond excited to receive a digital arc of Olivia Blacke's newest release, A New Lease on Death.

It's billed as a lighthearted, cozy murder mystery, with a paranormal spin. From the blurb, I was expecting ghost Cordelia and Ruby, the human who moved into her apartment, to have this great, hilarious adventure as they attempt to solve a murder together, filled with hijinks and silly antics.

Now, with all this going for it, I ended up DNFing it. It took me three tries to get as far as I did, and I only got to Chapter six. This book and I did not connect. I didn't find it funny. Or cheerful. Set in a bad neighborhood in Boston in the middle of winter, it was the last thing I wanted to picture while reading, curled up all cozy on a nice Fall night. Cordelia's voice read as flat and deadpan, while Ruby came across as a hyper, overexcited teenager.

I know there needs to be a setup in the beginning, but information doesn't generally get repeated endlessly. Seriously. I lost count of how many times Cordelia mentioned that Ruby had killed ALL of her plants, except one or what could she have done differently to stop Jake from disappearing. Etc.

I know I'm in the minority here and a lot of people are going to enjoy this one. I wish I could've felt the same.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Olivia Blacke, and Netgalley for an advance digital copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

2 Stars

Recommended for fans of:

Cozy Mysteries, Mysteries, General Fiction, Women's Fiction

Ruby got a great deal on an apartment in Boston. She soon finds out that is because the previous owner committed suicide and her ghost is still around. Good think Ruby thinks it is exciting to have a ghost around. This was a funny, irreverent book but so much fun to read.

This book is quirky and grabs the reader from page one. Ruby and Cordelia are characters that readers just love to take in and see a glimpse into their lives. They play of each other perfectly and even though most the time they can’t interact except through occasionally poetry magnets you can tell they are still connecting and reading each other in other means. The way this book ends has me thinking that there may be another book in the series, and I can’t wait. This is a dynamic duo that I need to read more of.
Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

This was a light cozy read with some humor. It took me a long time to get into it, even though it seemed like it would be interesting enough. I think this is just not my type of book, so it took me longer to adjust. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to finish it in time.

There were some inconsistencies with what could/could not be done and that tripped me up a little bit.

I think people who love cozy mysteries will love this. It just wasn’t the right book for me.

A New Lease on Death is a cozy, who dunnit mystery with paranormal sprinklings. I found the characters, Cordelia and Ruby, and their quirky friendship to be endearing. Olivia Blacke definitely has an interesting take on ghost life (the capabilities, debilitating thoughts, and ins and outs of such!) It weirdly reminded me of the show, Drop Dead Diva, which I loved, so in a way, this story was nostalgic. The cliffhanger pretty much means you have to read the next book in the series, but it also means that you don't get to end the book with that feel good completion and satisfaction of a complete story. It was a nice blend of mystery and feel good, although the ending was a bit rushed. Thank you to #NetGalley and #MinotaurBooks from #StMartin'sPress for this ARC

This one was interesting!! I loved the idea of having a friendly ghost to be around so you’re never alone. Ruby definitely needed the companionship and it helped Cordelia also feel less alone in the afterlife!

I liked the murder mystery mixed in as well. I didn’t really know where it was going which was a good sign!

Overall it was a fun (not the murder part) quick one for me! Perfect for spooky season. And I’m obsessed with the cover!!

Cordelia is a ghost who has recently revealed her existence to the girl who took over her apartment, Ruby. While Cordelia has to communicate in unique ways since she can’t be seen, both Cordelia & Ruby are concerned about the recent murder of their neighbor, Jake. The two women team up to solve the crime.

I was interested in this book because it is set in Boston. However, this book could really be set anywhere, there was nothing particularly Bostonian about it. I thought it was a cozy and cute read. It was easy and non-stressful. Thought the book could be a little more engaging, but the writing was good. The novel ends on an open note for a second book

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for a copy of this ARC.

Ruby managed to find a new apartment in Boston, fully furnished AND it comes with the previous tenant! But don’t worry, she’s not around much… well atleast you can’t see her. Cordelia is a ghost 👻

Now, Jake the across the hall neighbor, has been found shot outside the apartment building! Cordelia tries to help him and learn what happened but he moves on, leaving her to figure things out.

But how will Cordelia solve the mystery, she’s unalive?!? Maybe Cordelia’s new roommate is good for something after all!

Get ready to find out if Cordelia and Ruby are able to find out what happened to Jake!

This unlikely pair are fun and you never know what Ruby is going to get herself in to. It’s like Cordelia got a sister she never wanted but the more time they didn’t together the more she grows to love her!

This a a lighter side, paranormal ish read with a murder mystery to solve! I’m definitely interested in this being Supernatural Mysteries book #1- I’m excited to see what the rest of the series is like! What really happened to Cordelia and I’d love to meet some more helpful ghosts!

The cast of characters kept me entertained and you find yourself reading because you want to know more, now!


Thank you to the author, Olivia Blacke and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read to this book. I received an epub for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A New Lease on Death offers a cozy, cute mystery story with a quirky group of characters. The main character, Cordelia is a ghost, who believes she died due to an overdose. Cordelia is stuck hanging (haunting) around her old apartment when Ruby, a new tenant moves in. Ruby suddenly realizes that she isn’t alone in her new apartment. Ruby ends up working and figuring out how to communicate with Cordelia to solve the murder of their neighbor, Jake.

I loved that this book had alternating POVs between Cordelia and Ruby. It was a fun fall read but it just wasn’t super memorable for me. I will likely check out the second book in the series though!

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the e-ARC.

This book was a fun cozy mystery mixed with paranormal--perfect for October! One of the two main characters is a ghost, and the other is the woman who moved into the ghost's apartment after her death. They team up to solve the murder of another tenant in their apartment building. There's a lot of dark humor that was right up my alley.

It ends on a huge cliffhanger (not my favorite) but it certainly succeeded in making me interested in reading Book 2.

[3.5 stars]

Cordelia Graves and Ruby Young aren't your typical Boston roommates. That's because Cordelia is a ghost. Cordelia died in her bathroom months ago but continues "living" in her apartment (because where else would she go?!). When Jake Macintyre, the neighbor across the hallway, dies unexpectedly, Cordelia is the first to welcome him to the land of the unloving. However, Jake is a little too overzealous, and...well, he isn't a ghost anymore. Now that Jake is really gone, Cordelia doesn't think his death was an accident. Ruby is the only hope of solving this mystery - primarily because she is the only one living who can talk to people. As the pair starts to uncover secrets - their own, their neighbors, and related individuals - they form an unlikely friendship. Will this unlikely duo uncover the truth? Will there be justice for Jake? More importantly, will there be rest for Cordelia?

This was a super cute and fun read! As someone who lives in New England, it's nice to have a cozy mystery set in a city close to mine. My one grief with the book was the cliffhanger it ended on. Naturally, this sets us up for a sequel, but I really wanted to know what was going to happen! Some parts do feel a bit rushed and some of the characters are surface-level, but overall, it's a nice cozy mystery for fall (or any time of the year). I will definitely be checking out more of Olivia Blacke's work!

I love a good cozy murder mystery! This one will have you laughing and sleuthing. So happy this is to be a new series!
Cordelia is a ghost. She killed herself (or did she?) in her own bathroom by overdosing on alcohol and pills. Her landlord didn't even clean out her stuff before renting her apartment to someone new. Ruby is an unemployed, eclectic young woman who soon realizes she is not alone. Cordelia has never left the apartment. So when Jake, a next door neighbor, inexplicably dies by a gunshot wound on the street in front of their building, Cordelia and Ruby team up to solve a murder.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this e-arc.*

A new Lease on Death was a fun, quirky and interesting take on a ghostly/paranormal mystery. I requested this from the publisher mostly because I love reading stories that take place is Boston that is not more than 40 minutes from me.
Ruby Young is a cute but young and often annoying in her own sort of ways throughout the story that kept the story moving in this dual POV where the other POV is her "roommate" Cordelia Graves who tragical died in the apartment that Ruby moved into. I found the way Olivia Blacke took on how the paranormal interact with the world around us, interesting and often came at a price of the story that created some lulled because the two MCs weren't able to work together cohesively.


Overall I would recommend this story to anyone who is looking for a nice, semi-cozy mystery that does end on a cliffhanger.

The premise of this paranormal cozy mystery drew me in. Ghostly Cordelia haunts the apartment she died in, and once they find a way to communicate partially, she and the new tenant, Ruby, team up to solve the suspicious death of a neighbor. What follows is a humorous whodunnit and promising start to a new series.

As this book introduces Cordelia and Ruby and their surroundings, there is a fair amount of world-building, and it is well done. I could visualize the apartment Cordelia and Ruby "share" and the surrounding neighborhood. Both FMCs are flawed, with compelling backstories and real-life problems. Ruby is not afraid of Cordelia, in fact, she relishes having a ghost for a roommate, and their friendship becomes endearing. Neither of them had any experience as a sleuth, and there is trial and error on several fronts, especially as the two have a communication barrier. This leads to some interesting attempts to find ways to talk, but Cordelia's ghostly energy and electronics do not mix. This barrier sets up some scenarios that add to the danger, mild suspense, and comedy.
The mystery is interesting and well-plotted, and I did not guess who the culprit was. Told in dual POV, there is a bit of repetition, which might be resolved in future books if the women can find a more reliable means of communication. I enjoyed how quirky this was, and since it ended on a cliffhanger, I can't wait how that plays out in future installments. The setup is there for an intriguing overarching mystery that carries across the series. This light read is a good choice for those looking for a spooky season read with ghostly vibes that trend more fun than scary.

Thank you to MInotaur Books and Netgalley for the gifted review copy!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was thrilled by the plot, but maybe a little too excited... which unfortunately didn’t end well. The book is slow, like really slow. A lot of times, repeating the same information irritated me. I also felt more time spend on insignificant details. And the climax was the worst— it was not predictable but could have been better (in my opinion). I liked the writing, it was fun to read, just that I had high expectations.

Cordelia Graves, a ghost herself, was kind when her next-door neighbour ended up dead and became a ghost; she tried her best to guide him through the afterlife but failed. The thing is, if you don't believe in the existence of ghosts, you can't be one. Jake was a nice guy, and she knew it was not a mugging gone wrong, but what could she do? Well, you need a human to investigate a murder— in comes Ruby, the young new resident of Cordelia's apartment. Either she has to woo her out or befriend her to find Jake's murderer.

Im so excited for a new new mystery series by Blacke.
A New Lease on Death is book one in the Supernatural Mysteries series by Olivia Blacke.
This was a super fun supernatural mystery.
A fun mystery that had me guessing along! A fantastic cozy read! I enjoyed the storyline and the mystery.

Thank You NetGalley and Minotaur Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

3.75 ⭐️ I had a great time reading this book and I really enjoyed the humor. However, It just felt very rushed at the end and not finished. (I know it ends on a cliffhanger) I felt there was something missing. It just seemed very easy & predictable and surface level. I didn’t feel super hooked to any of the characters and was hoping to get some more aspect on Cordelia as a ghost. I wanted more of her ghostly things. She seemed to discover something and move on. I wanted to know more about it. Overall, a cute read but really missing a lot for me.