Olivia Blacke has become a "must read" for me. She hooks you and leaves you wanting more (which probably works well, assuming this will be a series... It better be a series). So, while waiting for a new Record Shop book to drop, I thought it might be nice to check out "A New Lease in Death" and I wasn't disappointed.

Ghosts? Murder mystery? What could go wrong? I love the non-spookiness of it all. This was a solid mystery from start to finish. My only complaint is that I wanted pizza the entire time I was reading, but my dairy-intolerant GERD-inflicted body is spongy and weak. 🤣

This book was a cozy 3.5 stars for me (rounding up to 4). I am a sucker for cozy murder, and add a little twist of paranormal, I’m there. This was a fun, light read. I enjoyed watching Ruby and Cordelia’s friendship grow. Ruby’s quirkiness made me chuckle a few times.

I was a little annoyed with the ending but I can see this becoming a series, with that l cliff hanger.

If you are looking for a light read with some chuckles, this the perfect paranormal cozy murder.

This cozy murder mystery was a delightful read with a quirky cast of characters. Cordelia, a ghost in her own apartment, teams up with the new resident, Ruby, to unravel a murder mystery after a neighbor's puzzling death. The unique premise kept me engaged, and while I found it enjoyable, it didn't leave a lasting impression. I look forward to reading the next installment in this series, given the cliffhanger ending. I rate it 3.5 stars. Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my goodness Cordelia and Ruby are such a hoot. I enjoyed this cozy mystery about a young woman moving into an apartment that just happens to be haunted by the last tenant. They partner up to solve another death in the neigborhood and let the hijinks begin. I loved the little insights into what its like being a ghost. This book kept my interest and I flew through it. I haven't read anything else by this author but will definitely continue with this series- cant wait for the next one. My rating was 4 stars and will be recommending this one for sure.

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 The entire year we lived in Boston we never met a single one of our neighbors; perhaps if we had been dead, it would have been a different story. When two neighbors across the hall end up dead within a matter of months, Ruby is on a mission to find out what is going on and her apartment ghost, Cordelia Graves, is determined to keep her safe. Quirky and fresh, A New Lease on Death is an adorably fun and fast-paced read! Olivia Blacke creates wonderfully colorful characters that are realistically full of flaws brimming with life, even in death. This delightfully dark novel is busting at the seams with light and laughter on all of the unexpected ways.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Review is on Goodreads and will be posted on instagram closer to publication date and on Amazon when published!

This is a cute premise and was an interesting story, but it felt like it was about 35% longer than it needed to be - and it was only 336 pages! I really enjoyed the opening, and was engaged for most of the first half. But things started to feel very repetitive at that point and I started losing interest. The concept of communication between the woman and the ghost was a clever construct, and I found many of their attempts hilarious - but after a number of them, that cleverness felt played out and unnecessary. Ditto the back-and-forth on the women's sub-optimal personal lives, particularly the affair, which I must confess made me dislike Cordelia rather more than I anticipated.

All in all there's nothing wrong here - it's a fun idea with potential as a series, particularly now that the premise is established and future books could move on to more mystery solving and less coming-to-grips-with-the-ghost elements. I would pick up the next book, to see how things move forward, but probably in audio rather than print format. I seem to do better with Blacke's books in audio versions - at least, I found this true for the Record Shop Mysteries.

This is an endearing, cozy mystery that keeps you wanting to keep reading!

Ruby Young, a tenant in her new Boston apartment, finds herself contending with the typical inconveniences of city living—faulty heating, a malfunctioning buzzer, and noisy neighbors. However, her less-than-ordinary living situation takes a bizarre turn when a lifeless body appears on the sidewalk outside her building, followed by the unexpected company of a ghost.

The ghost in question is Cordelia Graves, a former tenant who passed away in the apartment several months prior. Unwilling to let death stop her from seeking justice, Cordelia becomes embroiled in the mystery surrounding the shooting death of Jake Macintyre, a neighbor across the hall. Convinced that Jake's demise is not simply the result of a botched mugging, Cordelia vows to uncover the truth behind his murder.

Despite her ghostly limitations, Cordelia forms an unlikely partnership with Ruby, her living and somewhat clumsy successor. At twenty years old, Ruby is exuberant but accident-prone, with an uncanny knack for turning any houseplant into a casualty of her care. However, her vitality and resourcefulness complement Cordelia's spectral presence, enabling the pair to tackle the investigation in ways neither could achieve alone. As they dig deeper into Jake's death, they not only unravel the truth behind the murder but also uncover dangerous secrets that may pose a threat to both the living and the dead.

I cannot wait for the second book in this series to come out. This was such a cozy read. Thank you so much to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

eARC Review
3.5 🌟
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Tropes:
• Supernatural
• Murder mystery
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_A New Lease on Death_ is book one in the Supernatural Mysteries series. This book gives off amateur detective vibes, and I enjoyed every moment of it. I did feel like some parts were a bit slow-paced and made the book feel longer than it really was.
_If judging a book by its cover was a person. It would be ME!_ I love this book cover. I would buy the book just for the cover alone.
Release: Oct. 29
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Thank you, NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press for the (eARC) eBook for my honest review..

This was an interesting and funny take on murder and ghosts. It def falls in the cozy mystery category. I found the "dynamic" being that Cordelia can only communicate with essentially parlor tricks a bit cumbersome. Bit the means to which the "roommates" Cordelia and Ruby, attempt to communicate hilarious. They sort of gave me a Homes and Watson feel but make it with women. Oh and make one of them dead. The two mismatched pair are pushed together to solve another neighbors untimely death and maybe get to the bottom of what happened to Cordelia too...maybe. Overall it was a fun cozy read I will probably pick up the second to see what happens next.

I really enjoyed this cozy mystery! We are following two women, Ruby and Cordelia. Cordelia recently passed and Ruby moved into the apartment. These two start to build a friendship through a variety of unique communication routes as they try to solve the murder of their next door neighbor.

I really enjoyed the building of the relationship throughout the book between Ruby and Cordelia. Ruby is so bubbly and enduring that you can’t help but love her. Cordelia is quiet and mysterious but a very kind woman. I am very curious about Cordelia, and I really want to know more about her in the next book. The side characters in the apartment were interesting to learn about too, and I’m curious to see what we learn about them in the future.

The mystery within the book was good and kept me entertained. The reveal and explanation was satisfying to me. There was a good balance of intensity, humor, and coziness within. If you are season specific reader person, this would be great in the winter. Overall, I really want to continue this series.

Thank you Netgalley and Minotaur Books for an eARC in exchange for a review.

Thanks to Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for the E-ARC! I really enjoyed this! Very cool concept. Also loved the overall vibes of this book. Definitely will read more from the author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

NOOO WHAT KIND OF ENDING IS THAT ???? We're left on a cliffhanger of what might have really happened to Cordelia Graves. I want to know!

Ok spoilers below:

I never figured out who had killed Jake. I had a feeling it was delivery related because of what he was wearing when he died, but I didn't expect it to be because of Shannon. I didn't think Shannon was the cheater too. The watch and the search around it was a red herring.

I enjoyed the dynamic between Cordelia and Ruby. I think if there is another book, that it'll look into the mysterious "suicide" of Cordelia. I think Adam and his money covered up the suicide. He was probably the man being seen leaving her apartment. But I want to know for sure ugh!

Some parts felt like ramblings of the girls' thoughts, which I didn't enjoy. I just wanted to know who had done it.

If there is another book, I will be reading it to know what Ruby finds out about Cordelia.

A fully furnished apartment with a live-in ghost maid? Sign me up!

When Ruby moves into her new apartment she doesn't expect it to come with a supernatural roommate, or for her nextdoor neighbor to be murdered under mysterious circumstances. With the help of the ghost of her apartment's former tenant, Ruby sets out to to solve the murder, but that may not be the only mystery lurking beneath the surface.

I really enjoyed the relationship between Ruby and Cordelia. I loved all of the creative ways that they communicated and how, despite their differences, they became good friends. I also thought the cover was adorable.

I wasn't particularly compelled by the central mystery of the story. I was far more interested in what happened to Cordelia than Jake, and I wish this book had resolved those loose ends. That being said, I can only assume that there will be a sequel, and I intend to read it when it comes out.

I think this will make a very fun fall read upon publishing and I would recommend it to anyone who likes mysteries and spooky (but not scary) vibes. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

A very fun paranormal murder mystery! I loved the characters and had a great time reading this one. A perfect cozy read for autumn.

I think I accidentally clicked on this book, I got about 1/3 of the way and just couldn’t get into the writing:

Thank you to netgalley for the ARC of this book!

This is the story of a recently deceased 40-something woman and her attempt, along with the young woman who moved into her apartment, to solve the mystery of the murder of her neighbor. I liked it, but didn't love it, and I was kind of thinking I would love it. I love ghost stories, and I felt like the book was setting up the mystery of her death (it clearly was), but I think in order to set up for the second book. So, while I really didn't care about the murder of her neighbor, I AM curious about her death, and I liked both the main characters, so I have been swept up into this. Looking forward to the sequel!

Delightful cozy mystery that showcases Olivia Blacke's talent for crafting engaging and heartwarming stories. With its well-developed characters, intriguing plot, and charming setting, the novel is a standout in the cozy mystery genre. It offers a perfect escape for readers looking for a mix of humor, mystery, and small-town charm.

A New Lease on Death is a cozy mystery that takes place in Boston. Cordelia is a ghost who died alone in her apartment. There are no other ghosts in her vicinity, and she hangs out in her old apartment, learning about the apartment's new resident, Ruby. After her neighbor, Jake, is found shot and murdered, Cordelia begins to communicate with Ruby and, together, they are determined to investigate the murder. Although it's a short book, it was hard for me to get into at first. There were some unanswered questions for me, and some things that didn't make sense. This seems to be the first in a series, so I'm interested in seeing what direction the series will take. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for the ARC.

This story opened very strong and with a great premise. I liked the idea of a ghost and her "roommate" investigating a death together while having to find unconventional ways to communicate. The more I read though, the more the characters started to feel very stereotypical to their generation. As someone who is in Gen Z it felt like the author just googled stereotypes about us and gave as many as she could to Ruby, which felt icky IMHO. There is also mention of an affair between a main character and someone. I felt this was unneeded. It added to my dislike of this character because the affair was downplayed and brushed off as no big deal. I also think the dialogue became repetitive overtime which took away from the story for me. Overall, it was a fun paranormal mystery it just wasn't my perfect cup of tea.

If you're a fan of cozy supernatural mysteries with quirky characters this book is for you. There were many story lines that I felt were a little unnecessary but the main mystery was engaging. We're left on a cliff hanger so hopefully this will be the start of a series.