*A New Lease on Death* by Olivia Blacke is a delightful blend of mystery, humor, and heart that keeps readers engaged from start to finish. Set in a charming small town, the story follows our quirky yet relatable protagonist as she stumbles upon a shocking crime that shakes the tight-knit community to its core. Blacke's writing is vibrant and witty, effortlessly drawing readers into a world filled with endearing characters, clever dialogue, and unexpected twists. The pacing is perfect, balancing moments of suspense with lighter, humorous scenes that make the story both thrilling and fun.

What truly stands out in *A New Lease on Death* is Olivia Blacke’s talent for creating a sense of place and community that feels authentically real. The small-town setting is richly detailed, and the relationships between the characters are layered and genuine, adding depth to the central mystery. Blacke’s protagonist is not only a determined sleuth but also a character whose personal growth and courage resonate deeply with readers. This book is a fantastic pick for fans of cozy mysteries who appreciate a blend of suspense, laughter, and heartwarming moments. It’s a thoroughly entertaining read that will leave you eagerly awaiting the next installment in the series.

Cute cozy mystery about Ruby and her ghost "roommate" Cordelia. Cordelia died in her apartment a few month prior and Ruby took over the cheap lease with all of Cordelia's belongings not knowing that her ghost would also be staying. When another tenant in the building is killed Ruby and Cordelia begin to investigate when it seems their deaths may haven been connected. All in all decent story and would more especially since it is set up for a sequel but feel like there was some repetitive stuff that could have been left out. I want to thank NetGalley St. Martin's Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

ARC Review:
3.5 ⭐️ for A New Lease on Death by Olivia Blacke

A New Lease on Death is a comedic, cozy mystery book, that follows Ruby and the ghost of the previous tenant. Ruby and the ghost of Cordelia must somehow work together to solve their neighbors murder.

This was a quick, silly murder mystery that I found quite entertaining. The characters were a bit bumbling and unlikeable in some ways, but I did find that this made them interesting to read about. The humor and current references seemed a bit forced at times. The mystery brought all the fun of amateur sleuths, with an interesting paranormal aspect. I loved the various ways Ruby and Cordelia communicated, and I’m looking forward to reading about their next murder to solve.

A New Lease on Death by Olivia Blacke is out October 29, 2024

Thank you #netgalley and Minotaur books for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me access this book!

I’m honestly not sure if I read the synopsis of this book because I did not remember the story being like this. The basic plot was interesting, but it seemed like we kept going in circles with no real progress and the ultimate reveal was so underwhelming. It seemed like they stumbled into an answer after half-assing an investigation. Also, I don’t know if the author is actually from Boston or just googled Boston stereotypes (which I will admit are often accurate) because some of the characterizations of characters from Boston were more like caricatures than anything else and made me think of the SNL skit about deflate-gate (real accents, but dramatized). Honestly don’t think their research was enough since everyone knows that “donut holes” are munchkins when you buy them at dunkin. Also, not every Bostonian is an asshole unlike most of the characters in the book—are we mean and swear at you? Yes. Are we going to ignore a woman being groped on the bus? No!

A final thought: given the history of death and hauntings in New England, most people are going to believe in ghosts at least a little, so I find it hard to believe no one even considered ghosts as an answer for all the weird happenings.

This novel is a cozy little whodunnit. The main heroine can see ghosts. It is a very cute story that is for sure worth the read. It's different than anything I have read before and I enjoyed it!

Cordelia is a ghost who died by suicide. Or did she? Codelia and Ruby team up to solve a murder of their next door neighbor.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur books for this arc

I'm going to start with the fact that I will 100% be looking for the next book by Olivia Blacke, and that I truly hope it's a sequel to A New Lease on Death! This story had me from the start, as I love anything supernatural, and I think the relationship between Ruby and the ghost of the woman who used to live in her apartment was so authentic and fun, I definitely wanted more of it! This is a pretty perfect cozy mystery and I have every intention of picking up more of Olivia Blacke's books, as this was such a great read!

"𝐘𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐚 𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝."

Cordelia Graves died in her apartment a few months ago. Ruby Young snapped up the lease as the unit came fully furnished, courtesy of Cordelia's things. Ruby likes the apartment just fine, but when her across-the-hall neighbor, Jake Macintyre, is shot and killed outside their building, Ruby begins to have some doubts about its safety. Cordelia is convinced there’s more to Jake's death and is determined to bring his killer to justice. The problem? She's still new to the ghost thing, and communicating with the girl who let her plants die is proving to be difficult.

This was a light supernatural mystery that I enjoyed for the most part. Some of the ways that Cordelia communicated didn't make a lot of sense, and Ruby was dangerously close at times to becoming a caricature. The ending was SO abrupt, and holy cliffhanger...what was that? I'll stick around for the second one with the hopes that the cliffhanger is resolved and that Ruby finds her footing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the early copy. At the time this review was written, this book was scheduled to publish October 29, 2024.

3.5/5
This is a good read for fall. It follows recently deceased Cordelia as she adjusts to sharing her apartment with a new tenant, Ruby. Cordelia who died in her forties has a more grumpy disposition and Ruby who is barely twenty with a quirky personality cannot be more different, from the way they dress to the way they talk. I think that is what made for a more fun dynamic. As strange things have been happening since she moved in once Ruby confirms there is a ghost in her apartment she is more exited than scared. And the two embark on a search for their neighbor's killer.

Even though is a comedic murder mystery it also deals with a lot of heavy subjects: suicide, depression, alcoholism, infidelity, death and domestic violence to name some. I liked that we get chapters from the POV of both characters as it shows how they react to each other and how they think. And it starts with Cordelia being annoyed at Ruby to them forming a friendship and her being very protective of Ruby, acting almost like a mother figure. Cordelia is a flawed main character and she acknowledges it as she comes to term with how her death occurred. I liked the pace of the story but some of the inner monologues and rants were a bit long at times. I din't know it was gonna be a series in the beginning but as it ends on a bit of cliffhanger I am intrigue to see what happens in the next one.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin Press for the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.

Thank you Netgalley!
I really liked this book. It is a solid first book in a series and the twist at the end makes me excited to continue the series. I loved both of the main characters. I do think it was a little slow in the middle but it's the first book so we needed the storytelling. This is a fun, kinda spooky mystery perfect for spooky season.

If you're looking for a cozy, lighthearted mystery with a paranormal twist and a touch of humor, 'A New Lease on Death' by Olivia Blacke is the perfect pick!

In 'A New Lease on Death,' we follow the unlikely partnership of Ruby Young, a living tenant with a less-than-green thumb, and Cordelia Graves, her ghostly roommate who has taken up residence in their shared apartment after her unfortunate demise. When their neighbor, Jake—a notorious party boy—ends up murdered in what looks like a robbery gone wrong, Ruby and Cordelia take it upon themselves to solve the case. The catch? Cordelia can’t be seen or heard by Ruby, which leads to all kinds of hilarious hijinks and miscommunication!

I loved the dynamic between Ruby and Cordelia. It was such a sweet, found-family storyline, with Cordelia guiding Ruby and helping her get her life together. Ruby’s eccentricity brought so much life to the narrative. I’m all for quirky, imperfect characters—petition for more of them, always!

The supernatural elements were a fantastic touch. I appreciated how the book explored the nuances of being a ghost, including all the unique tricks and limitations that come with it. The multiple POVs kept things fresh and engaging, and while this is more of a cozy mystery than a high-stakes thriller, it was such a fun and relaxing read. The writing style was straightforward and easy to follow, making this a perfect pick for a lazy evening on the couch with a cup of coffee.

However, brace yourself for a cliffhanger ending! I’m super excited for the next book to answer all the lingering questions!!!

Such a fun and cozy read! I really enjoyed myself and loved trying to figure out who the killer was. (I was wrong about 3x. HA!)

I usually don’t enjoy current lingo in books but the way the author sprinkled it in, it didn’t make me want to throw my phone across the room. The sense of humor was right up my alley as well.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read and review this book!

This book was funny and witty! I was happily surprised how much I enjoyed this read. The ending felt a little rushed even though it ends on a cliffhanger. I’m excited to read the rest of the series, see where it goes. Love being introduced to authors who I haven’t heard about. Thank you Olivia Blacke, NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this fun digital copy.

This is a cozy ghost mystery. We have murder solving duo only one of them happens to be the ghost that didn't leave the others apartment. And man oh man the cliffhanger, I sure hope the next book comes soon.

This is a cute and fun cozy murder mystery with a ghost at the center. I appreciated the snark and humor as well as the generational difference between the two main characters.

The writing is simple and literal so it’s a quick read. One issue I have is there are multiple things unnecessarily repeated, in almost the same wording, written fairly close to each other. Maybe that’s on purpose for some reason but I’m not a fan.

It isn’t my usual type read but I did enjoy it more than not. It’s the first in a series and I will at least read the next one.

This book’s upcoming expected release date is Oct. 29, 2024. Thank you very much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books for the early e-book.

The first book in new series featuring a murdered ghost and the girl who moves into the ghost's apartment. Set in Boston, the duo embarks on their first case - the murder of their neighbor. Very slow pacing and not many twists and turns. Hopefully, the series will get a bit more exciting as it progresses.

I really enjoyed this new series. This author is new to me as well, and I will definitely be reading more of her books.

This story was funny at times and at others very sad, to me. The thought that someone could die and no one would miss or mourn them is tragic, unfortunately true, but tragic.

I enjoyed the characters, especially Ruby. I look forward to going back to Boston to see what trouble Ruby gets into next.

A cute little mystery. It got a little repetitive towards the end. I am a little disappointed that clues were dropped throughout about the ghost's death only to be left on a cliffhanger.

3.5

The book was good, not great.

The story we find ourselves in is one between a ghost (Cordelia) and her “roommate” (Ruby). While the story takes us through the two MC’s solving a murder that happened after Cordelia’s untimely death we are also presented with questions regarding her death as well. We never actually find out if what happened to Cordelia, and I think with all of the investigating we would have gotten something. Anything!

All in all, the book was good. I just didn’t enjoy leaving the ending completely open.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc copy of this book!

I loved the story "A New Lease on Death", by Olivia Blacke. It's an absolutely fun and charming read. A perfect cozy weekend book! It would make a cute movie too.

The main storyline of A New Lease on Death was exciting and well-written. It is split into two POVs (Cordelia and Ruby) and then further divided into two separate storylines (Jake’s murder and Cordelia’s suicide).

The storyline of Jake’s murder was interesting. First off, I liked how Cordelia was first on the scene and waited for Jake to wake up (for lack of a better word). When that goes sideways, Cordelia returns to her apartment and Ruby. I liked how Cordelia revealed herself to Ruby (she was worried about her last living plant) and how they started investigating Jake’s death together. Ruby had me chuckling throughout the book as she struggled to communicate with a ghost and not look insane.

The storyline that involved Cordelia and her death was sad. The author deliberately kept the facts of her suicide few and far between. There was an acknowledgment that her drinking was a little much and that it could have been a factor in her death. Then, the author puts a neat spin on that angle and sends the storyline in a different direction.

Both mystery angles were well written. I was shocked at who killed Jake and the reason why. Everything said about the guy up until the reveal contradicted it. I also want to give Ruby kudos for bravery because I know I would have freaked out. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, I was surprised by the twist the author put on Cordelia’s death.

The end of A New Lease on Death was mixed for me. I loved that the author could wrap up the storyline with Jake. However, she left Cordelia’s storyline open, and I was slightly frustrated at how it was left. That frustration made me want to read the second book, so it worked.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and Kristyn J. Miller for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Given Our History. All opinions stated in this review are mine.