A New Lease on Death is a delightful, cozy mystery with a touch of the supernatural. This is not one of my usual go-to genres, however it was very entertaining. Ruby, age twenty, moves into a fourth floor walk up apartment in Boston. Struggling to make ends meet, she takes the apartment as is, fully furnished with dying houseplants and very noisy and nosy neighbors. The previous tenant, Cordelia, died in the apartment, and Ruby soon figures out that Cordelia’s ghost still stays there. When neighbor Jake Macintyre is found shot to death in the snow outside the building, Cordelia and Ruby disagree with the police conclusion that he was shot in a robbery. The duo investigate the murder as only a living person and ghost can. It’s charming and fascinating how the two discover each other and learn how to communicate. The book alternates chapters by Ruby and Cordelia, with the reader learning each one’s POV as they struggle with the many side characters to solve the mystery. Highly recommended. With thanks to Sara Beth Haring, Minotaur Books and Netgalley for this ARC. My opinions are my own. susanh_bookreviews

Kindle Copy for Review from NetGalley and Minotaur Books.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

This is a promising new series where a ghost teams up with a female to solve crimes. When a neighbor is shot and killed they will team up together to solve the case. It is a paranormal cozy that will have you guessing. Life does not stop even in death.

When Ruby signed a lease on a vacated apartment that came fully furnished, she didn’t expect it to contain its ghostly 40-something former resident,

Just as she’s still learning how to communicate with her new spooky roommate, Ruby discovers that another tenant of the building, from the unit right across the hall, died under mysterious circumstances.

Cordelia wants to investigate; Ruby wants to afford groceries again. In order to meet their ends (sorry) the two women will have to work through their insecurities and look out for one another as good roommates should.

This book might work for you if you like mysteries on the cozier side, with a sprinkle of literary fiction. It’s easy to read, but the plot moves slower than most thrillers or caper-style mysteries, with our two main characters developing at an even slower rate than the case.

Things that didn’t work for me:

• I didn’t feel connected to either protagonist, so I lost interest in the storytelling.

• There was some repetition in the writing that felt like it needed a bit of dusting up. I get it, Boston is cold, we are in Boston, brr. No electronics are safe, oh dear.

• It’s not my cup of tea with a knitted granny blanket, but it just might be yours!

A New Lease on Death was unexpectedly charming and at times laugh-out-loud funny. With such a novel (albeit dark) story concept, it opens from the POV of a ghost trying to find companionship in her neighbor who was recently killed on a cold winter night in Boston, and the I was immediately intrigued. Did I really just read the narrator was dead?

This story is a clever take on a murder mystery told from two perspectives: Cordelia, middle aged, recently dead ghost, and Ruby, young, broke gen Z woman trying to get a fresh start in a new city who inadvertently moves into Cordelia’s apartment after she passed away. The story opens with the tragic murder of the neighbor across the hall. Separated by generation and by the fact that one of them is very dead, the miscommunications abound when they determine to solve the mystery of his untimely demise. This was a murder mystery that I could not put it down.

I’d like to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.


I really enjoyed this book. It's told from dual POVs, one being Cordelia (who is dead) and the other is Ruby (who is still very much alive). We aren't just getting Cordelia's memories here, we are seeing her as a ghost who is present in Ruby's life. She is staying with Ruby in the apartment that was hers in life, and she's doing her best throughout to interact with Ruby through various means: an Etch A Sketch, refrigerator magnets, getting Ruby drunk, and finally just coming into direct contact with her, even though it's physically painful for them both. When one of Ruby's neighbor's is murdered out in front of their building, she and Cordelia work together to try to solve it.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6500541944

I really enjoyed this book! It had all the ingredients for a cozy murder mystery and the "buddy-cop" relationship between Cordelia and Ruby was perfect. As I said in my Goodreads review I did find the method of communication between the two to be a little annoying, however this is something that could easily be fully fleshed out and improved upon as the series continues (and I do hope the series continues!). I do think readers will have a fun time trying to guess who the killer is, but the reveal at the end will not have a "out of left field" ending which I really liked. It was a good blend of shock but still cemented in realism. This is the perfect book to spend your Halloween reading but giving the mentions of Christmas I could also see it easily fitting in there as well. I loved the open ending that allows for a easily set up sequel without having it left to open ended. I cannot wait to see what Cordelia and Ruby get up to next.

The premise of this book is decent. Cordelia is a ghost. The books begins with a comedic scene with a newt dead Jake. This scene explains how ghosts are possible. It’s a unique explanation that works very well for the plot. If Cordelia focuses really hard, she can interact with the world around her. A young woman named Ruby moves into Cordelia’s apartment - a cheap, fully furnished apartment. Ruby and Cordelia begin to investigate Jake’s death together.

The idea is a good one. I wanted to enjoy it. But the execution was lackluster. There were so many unnecessary storylines, but the main plot was anticlimactic. They could’ve added more oomph to the mystery, even add some extra small crime solving storylines in here.

And how many times do I need to be told “electronics don’t like me”…? We get it, ghosts make electronics blow up. I don’t need to be told every chapter.

Thanks to netgalley, Minotaur books, and Olivia Blacke for the arc!

So I've actually never read anything like this book before and I was surprised by how much I liked it. I wasn't expecting to hate it, I just didn't know how it would go. I kept turning the pages just so I can figure out what happened next so I blew through the book. Would definitely recommend

It's been quite some time since I've finished a book and thought, "I really hope there's a sequel and I hope it comes out soon."

Cordelia Graves doesn't live in the best neighborhood in Boston but she loves her apartment, her plants, and the quiet life she's made for herself. She's also grown fond of her roommate except for one small thing: Cordelia's roommate is alive and Cordy...is not. Ruby moved into Cordy's apartment mere months after her lifeless body was found in her bathroom, an apparent victim of suicide. And though Ruby never met Cordelia, she feels as if she knows her, living as she does amongst Cordy's furniture, plants (the one she hasn't yet killed), and her books. She knows Cordy is still there in the apartment. Things move when Ruby isn't looking-- the curtains part, the clothes she laid out for the next day are replaced by more corporate choices- but Ruby has never had reason to reach out to Cordelia's ghost until the day their neighbor Jake is is shot and killed outside their apartment building and Cordelia is convinced it's murder. Using any means possible to communicate, Ruby and Cordelia embark on an investigation of their own, trying to track down what really happened to Jake.

In the meantime, Ruby is not only occupying Cordelia's apartment but also working at Cordelia's old job and she's beginning to wonder whether or not Cordelia really committed suicide after all.

It was nearly impossible to put this book down. For anyone who loves the TV show "Ghosts", this is a must read. Despite the heavy overtones of Cordelia's suicide and perhaps troubled family life, this book is an enjoyable, light-hearted mystery with a satisfying ending paired with a cliffhanger that leaves you wanting the next installment immediately!

When Ruby rents a fully furnished apartment, she doesn’t expect it to come with the ghost of the previous tenant too. When her neighbor across the hall winds up dead, and the police dismiss it as a mugging gone wrong rather than a murder, she and her deceased roommate decide to investigate.


I got this book through Netgalley and requested it primarily because of the cover and I wanted a mystery. It’s a decent mystery that was fun to read. I liked the main characters of Cordelia (my favorite), and Ruby. Ruby I thought at times was annoying, but I can’t explain why exactly. I think it was because she was so outgoing? Example, who in their right mind is gonna go to the murder victim’s work and interrogate his coworkers? What company would even allow this woman to walk on in and conduct an investigation in their break room. This is probably where I should say that this begins what I disliked about the book. Why in the world would all of Jake’s (the dead guy) coworkers answer this woman? She isn’t the police, she has no power or authority. There’s a bit later on when one of Jake’s girlfriends turns up at Cordelia’s and Ruby’s apartment to answer questions. What?! Why? Why would she do that. I can suspend my disbelief for ghosts, but I can not envision a world where a woman who seems to be so full of herself would travel to the apartment of some unknown woman to answer questions to help further along Ruby’s investigation. It doesn’t make sense.


Also, this book has me wondering if everybody in Boston is obsessed with beer and drinking? Because I would have thought that no, of course not, but this book has every character (besides Ruby) asking for a beer. I’m surprised the author didn’t write in the bus driver as drinking on the job.


I also liked some of the explanation on the ghost mechanics, like why ghosts don’t want to actually come in contact with a living person. That’s a great idea, make it painful for the ghost too. However, I did not care for the whole “if I believe it to be true, it suddenly is”. Need to make a whole garbage bag disappear, just will it to be so! Yet Cordelia struggles with floating, but can walk through the walls, and sink through the ground. I get that ghosts have magical abilities in a folklore sense, making things appear and disappear. I just thought explaining it away with simply thinking it’s true makes it true was a bit lazy. Furthermore, I would rather have not had it explained. Along with maybe a whole garbage bag disappearing. There has to be rules to this, right? If you can cover it with your ghostly hands it disappears, if you can’t wrap your whole body around an object it’s going to be visible. It’s just the way it is. I have read, watched, and listened to ghost stories, I’m a paranormal expert, 😛 Just kidding. I have no idea. But that’s just what I found annoying.


Overall, I enjoyed reading it. I liked the story line. I loved Cordelia’s character and look forward to reading the next one in this series.

So wanted to love this one! I loved the idea of a ghost and a living person being roommates, and trying to solve a murder together, but I'm afraid I had a really hard time connecting with the characters and the mystery. The prose/story really wandered, and I really struggled to get to the end. Also, there were moments I smiled, but I wouldn't say there was really humor!

Sad this was a miss for me, but grateful to the publisher and Netgalley for the arc!

Cordelia Graves died in her apartment- a few months later her neighbour ends up dead as well. Coincidence? Cordelia doesn't think so, with the help of her bubbly (living) 'roommate' Ruby, they look for answers in classic 'whodunnit' style mystery.
I enjoyed the premise of the novel- a supernatural murder mystery, but I feel like the humour aspect of it was lost on me. Marketed as a dark humour novel I feel like it is veered much more in the dark category as it covers a lot of more serious topics. Infidelity, domestic violence etc..
However, I really enjoyed the dynamic of Ruby and Cordelia - Cordelia being a curmudgeonly 40 year old and Ruby being a colourful Zillenial made for an interesting pair. Watching them find ways to communicate definitely made the age gap feel visceral.
Overall I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the story, the characters were entertaining- the novel felt a little oddly paced (I am not always a huge fan of the last 5% resolution). I think if you like cozy mysteries and are looking for something less romance focused and more mystery forward this is definitely for you!

To start, the cover art is everything to me. It’s primarily what drew me in, second being the title. The writing was witty as well as packed an emotional punch to it. I really felt connected to these characters lives by the end. As someone who works in the deathcare industry, there were numerous sections where I sat back and thought, “wow. what a perfect way to describe that”. It’s a great paranormal, cozy mystery that can also double as an easy going escape route for those grieving a loss in the real world. I’ll be featuring a review of this on my bookclubs insta for a “mortuary Monday” post I do.

A New Lease on Death is a humorous mystery with a spooky twist. Cordelia and Ruby have become housemates in very unusual circumstances. Cordelia is no longer alive, and Ruby has only recently moved into her apartment. When their neighbor Jake is murdered, Cordelia and Ruby work together to solve the case. This unusual team must devise novel means to communicate, such as refrigerator magnets, spilled drinks, and an etch-a-sketch. Each chapter is written from either Cordelia's or Ruby's point of view and is labeled at the top to make it easier to follow. Overall, I really enjoyed this book; I didn't expect the surprise at all. However, certain loose ends have not been tied, and the finale is abrupt.

Thank you NetGalley!

A New Lease on Death is a lighthearted mystery with some supernatural elements.

Cordelia and Ruby have become roommates under some interesting circumstances. Cordelia is dead and Ruby just moved into her apartment. When their neighbor Jake, gets murdered, Cordelia and Ruby team up to try to solve the case. This unlikely duo must find interesting ways to communicate, such as, refrigerator magnets, spilling drinks and an etch a sketch.

Each chapter is told from either Cordelia or Ruby’s point of view and is marked at the top, making it easy to understand. Overall I really enjoyed this book, I didn’t see the twist coming at all. However, there are some loose ends not tied up and the ending is pretty abrupt. Hopefully that means we will get a sequel.

A New Lease on Death comes out just in time for Halloween reading! If you’re looking for a fun twist on a murder mystery and like supernatural elements this one is for you!

Thanks to NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The cover of this book is what peaked my interest and I ended up really enjoying this book. The book follows a grumpy, recently deceased ghost and her new, annoyingly perky living roommate as they form an unlikely alliance and put aside their considerable differences to solve a series of seemingly unrelated murders in their Boston neighborhood. I thought the idea of this book was fun and I enjoyed reading the relationship between the dead and alive. It was a quick read that kept me engaged. I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, St. Martin's Press.

I loved the cover! I loved the start of this book as well! I was super engaged but about halfway through, I started to lose interest. It’s still a good story but I think I wished there was a little more character development?

A cozy mystery with a ghost. I love a good cozy mystery and with a ghost, all I can think of is casper the friendly ghost lol. I loved that it was dual POV and honestly this was just a lot of fun/refreshing. It was a nice palette cleanser from some of the more serious thrillers that I have been reading. I am hoping there will be a sequel as I would definitely be interested in reading more from this author.

I wanted to love this book so badly. The cover & the premise had me eagerly jumping on an advanced reader's copy -- but I was quickly bored by the mystery component which left me disappointed overall.

Cordelia Graves is an unassuming forty year old single woman lived a quiet life to herself in a small apartment in a not so great part of Boston. When she dies in her bathtub it takes a week for anyone to find her -- and thanks to forces she hasn't quite managed to understand yet she's still hanging around as a ghost.

Ruby is a twenty year old woman has just moved to Boston to start over after a cheating ex at home. She is stoked to find a fully furnished apartment in her price range and doesn't ask too many questions about it.

She isn't freaked out to have a paranormal roommate, but when their neighbor down the hall is found shot in the head on the street outside, the two try to investigate his death together.

This book started off so strong but I quickly became disengaged with the weak mystery plot. I really enjoyed Cordelia and Ruby's POVs, but wish the book itself was a little meatier. I'm almost mad that this book is going to be a series because the plot line I was really intrigued by -- the circumstances surrounding Cordelia's death -- are definitely going to be basis of book two and now I have to wait for it!

Entertaining and fun read!
This book has all the right characters to make this cozy mystery a must read. A lonely ghost trying to solve a murder with the new living tenant of her former apartment. A sketchy neighbourhood that could only lead to trouble, and a secret guarded by the main character.
I hope there is a second instalment soon. Can’t wait to follow on this story and will definitely check out the previous books by this author :)