A surprising mystery solving duo between the current and previous tenant of an apartment with the twist being the former tenant is a ghost! This was a fun story though I found myself not really connecting much to the characters. The pacing was a bit off for me as well with the middle dragging. But I'm curious on how the next book will turn out and plan to keep going.

While I really tried, I just didn’t find myself engaged in this story. I think it just wasn’t for me, but I think many will enjoy.

Olivia Blacke's debut novel is a fun, suspenseful and heartwarming journey. Set in an apartment building, the story follows the adventures of a recently deceased Cordelia, and Ruby, the person who now lives in Cordelia's apartment. Together they work to solve the mystery of Cordelia's death and the death of their neighbor, Jake. Blending humor with suspense, the novel takes you on a journey of twists and turns. Highly recommend for those that enjoy cozy mysteries.

If you haven't read A New Lease on Death, now is the time.
This book is one part supernatural, one part mystery, and one part unexpected friendship (plus a larger mystery that seems like it may drive the series). I loved it! @minotaur_books has really nailed down this niche of funny, compelling characters and stories with riveting mysteries. Olivia Blacke is a great writer, her style is light and intriguing and she handles hard topics with care and pulls off an excellent mystery! This book released on my birthday this year and was the best gift! The audio is especially fun and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This book is an engaging and well-crafted mystery that keeps you hooked from beginning to end. The characters are well-developed, and the twists are cleverly executed. The pacing is steady, with just enough suspense to keep you turning the pages. While it’s not entirely groundbreaking, it’s a solid, enjoyable read for fans of classic detective stories. A highly satisfying addition to the genre!

This was my first book I have ever read by Olivia Blacke and I really enjoyed it. It was suspenseful and kept me on the edge of my seat. I liked the way the plot was formed, and the characters were engaging while I read this book. I look forward to what Olivia does next. Go get this one!

I have DNFd this book at 30%. I feel like we’ve gone through the typical story structure at this point and don’t feel interested enough to continue.

This is my first book by Olivia Blacke and it won’t be my last. This is a classic murder mystery and somehow it was equal parts cozy, suspenseful and had its fair share of dark humor. While I’m not normally into supernatural elements, this added an interesting level to the story. Great book to start out the new year!

Olivia Blacke has written a darkly humorous supernatural mystery, A New Lease on Death, featuring Ruby Young and Cordelia Graves. Ruby Young has just moved into a fully furnished Boston apartment that comes with noisy neighbors and the ghost of its former owner, Cordelia Graves. When neighbor Jake Macintyre is shot outside their building, Cordelia is determined to bring his killer to justice. Naturally, she needs to find a way to gain the help of Ruby. She can move things, but can’t be heard or seen.

The story has some funny and cute moments, but it also has some real-life struggles such as being away from home and needing a job in addition to the duo trying to solve the murder. The author did a great job on characterization and atmosphere. However, the pacing was somewhat uneven and there is some repetition. Woven into the story are threads of unlikely friendships, murder, relationships, living away from home, and much more.

Overall, this is a fun, charming, and entertaining cozy paranormal mystery and the series has a lot of promise. I’m looking forward to the next book.

Not only did Ruby’s new apartment come fnished with all of the old tenant’s furniture, it also came with her ghost. When the neighbor across the hall is murdered in front of the building, Ruby and the ghostly Cordelia team up to solve his murder. Together, they get themselves into some hilarious situations, but has Cordelia now put Ruby’s life in danger. A funny, quirky ghost story that has me hoping for future books. Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

This one had a fresh take on a murder mystery! I read this one in October and all the talk of spirits and ghosts made it a perfect read for the season.

This was such an entertaining take on a cozy
murder mystery. I loved the dual POV between the two main characters, although I didn't think it was quite called for to act like Cordelia, the 40 year old was ancient. One of them being a ghostwas a truly unique premise! The mystery came together very well in the end, but there's definitely some loose ends that necessitate a follow-up.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Many thanks to the publisher for the copy - all opinions are my own.

I freaking loved this book, which is one of the most unique takes on a paranormal ghost story that I've encountered in awhile. There was something just so incredibly fun about jumping right into a plot where one of your main characters is dead and trying to get used to the almost-afterlife, and the other main character can sense this ghost but has no good way to communicate with it.

Throw in a little mystery and a little drama, toss in the buddy-comedy aspect and this is truly one of the most satisfying and fun books I read in 2024. I am so so thrilled this is going to be a series, because I cannot wait to see what comes next.

What a fun supernatural mystery! It definitely got dark in parts though, and I wouldn’t describe this as cozy. Cordelia passed away from suicide in her apartment, and Ruby is the next tenant, though little does she know that Cordelia’s ghost is still hanging around. A murder happens outside the apartment building soon after Cordelia’s death and Ruby’s move-in. The two are teamed up in highly unconventional and amusing ways as they work to solve the mysteries of the recent strange and deadly occurrences. Ruby was very endearing, free-spirited, and tenacious, and Cordelia was very interesting, reserved, and complicated. I like that they had to really work to communicate and that nothing was rushed. The book ends on a good cliffhanger, and I’m genuinely interested in reading the next one when it’s released.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Unfortunately I had to DNF this one. The plot was on the slower side, and I just could not get into it.

I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy of A New Lease on Death by Olivia Blacke. I apologize for the delay in reading this title, but I am so grateful I finally did—it was truly worth the wait.

This book was an absolute delight to read. Olivia Blacke has crafted an engaging and immersive story that pulled me in every evening, leaving me eager to discover what would happen next. The characters were wonderfully developed, and the writing style brought the narrative to life in a way that was both compelling and atmospheric.

What I appreciated most was the balance of mystery with comedic flair which kept me hooked from start to finish. It’s rare to find a book that delivers such clever dialogue while also keeping me guessing about what to expect next, but A New Lease on Death did so seamlessly.

If you’re a fan of cozy paranormal mysteries, I highly recommend adding this book to your reading list. It was a thoroughly enjoyable read, and I’m excited to explore more works by Olivia Blacke in the future.

Once again, thank you to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this fantastic story.

A darkly funny mystery with Cordelia (a ghost) and Ruby, who is living in Cordelia's old apartment. This was fun, with an unlikely crime solving duo
to try and figure out who killed the downstairs neighbor.

Enjoyable and a quick read, read this is you like a little supernatural with your Nancy Drew!

This was a cozy mystery with a twist, where a dead girl’s ghost helps the gal who moved into her apartment solve the murder of the guy from across the hall. Did you follow that? Cordelia is a ghost and she is learning the ropes of what that entails.

I love a good paranormal read so this was right up my alley. Getting to know the characters is spread out through the book and I am still questioning why some of them were they way they were.

I did enjoy this one and suggest it if you like paranormal activity.

New Lease on Death

I understand penny pinching but reusing the same coffee grounds?! No money for sugar?

1. They’ve said this girl is poor 100x … no data for her phone to FaceTime?? There is WIFI!
2. Red herring of the pizza fliers - I swear if these don’t matter I’m gonna be confused (update: I think they ended up mattering? The pizza chain is owned by the family of the girlfriend?)
3. They have been searching for this watch for 70% do we care
I didn’t post this on instagram but I probably will not continue the series. I think cozy mysteries are not for me — I was more shaking my head at this while reading instead of being engrossed by it. Sorry!!

I am not a huge fan of the cozy genre I don’t think. I will never rave about one but I do think they are a relaxing time, and it never takes much to read one. This story follows a ghost ( Cordelia) who is haunting the apartment they dies in and the woman (Ruby) who rents the apartment after the death of Cordelia. The two team up to solve the murder of another resident in the building. I like the parts where they are trying to figure out how to communicate with each other, but it never quite works out the way they planned. I will say there is one part that was very uncomfortable. I can’t remember why but Ruby clearly states that she does not want to drink to the point of drunkenness. Cordelia ignores that possesses Ruby and forces her to drink. All in all a fine book.