This was an interesting take on a murder mystery. I loved the dual POV, and the search for self/answers. Wildly funny and engaging!

I am generally a reader of horror, scifi, and thrillers, but this cozy mystery jumped out to me as something to request because the premise sounded really interesting.

The story opens with a ghost, a murder, and a new tenant living in a recently-vacated apartment. Our new tenant is quirky and disorganized and terrible and keeping houseplants alive, which annoys its former occupant to no end. When their neighbor is murdered though, they find a way to communicate and try to solve things on their own.

I really tried to get into this story, but it was incredibly slow moving. I think that if you are a fan of cozy mysteries you might really like this one, but for me it felt like a book where very little happened. I even skipped ahead in the story towards the end and I found that I missed basically zero of the plot. This unfortunately wasn't for me, but other people might like it if it's their normal reading vibe.

A murder and a ghost is usually all I need to pick up a book and this title was no exception. I was intrigued in the beginning by the "mechanics" of Cordelia's ghost who apparently committed suicide in her bathtub and is now learning the perks and limitations of ghostly living. When Ruby, the next tenant, moves into the apartment they are able to establish a sort of communication. Together they investigate the recent murder of neighbor Jake and a series of interviews with neighbors, old girlfriends and workmates ensues.

While there were some fun ghostly scenes I found the rest of the book rather slow. Not a problem as most of my reading is done in bed but I would have liked a bit more action and forward movement in the storyline. The wrap up and reveal were well done, however, I was unpleasantly surprised by the cliffhanger ending which seemed abrupt and left unanswered the question (no spoiler here) I was pondering throughout the book.

This book is so much fun! I was really drawn to the premise of this book. The former tenant of an apartment dies and her ghost befriends the new tenant and together they solve a murder. All of the characters were likeable and quirky. The writing style was easy to read and enjoyable. I really enjoyed tagging along on the adventures of Ruby and Cordelia.
I was surprised that some things were left unresolved at the end of the book but I'm hoping that means this series will continue!
This was my first book by this author and I'm eager to read more! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Dual POV goodness with a paranormal mystery twist. Really couldn't have asked for more. But then Olivia Blacke had to throw in the comedic gold.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

I'll admit it, I requested a copy of this book completely based on the cover. It looked fun. And it absolutely lives up to expectations! It's a classic whodunnit but with a ghost twist, a good mystery with some laughs and just a little sadness along the way. The story is told in 2 point of views, always a favorite of mine. First there's Cordelia, 40-something, recently deceased ghost still hanging out in her old apartment. And then there's Ruby, 20-something, who has just moved into Cordelia's old apartment and doesn't know she has a "roommate." When the man across the hall is murdered, Cordelia decides to solve the case when the police don't investigate. She has to make herself known to Ruby to enlist her help. The two make quite the odd couple and somehow find ways to work together without conventional ways of communication.

The way these two figure out how Cordelia can talk to Ruby was fun, the age gap between them making for some good frustration and laughs. They are both likable and witty. I didn't find one point of view better than the other, but enjoyed them both. Cordelia helps Ruby like a big sister and their friendship is pretty touching. The cast of characters is a bit much and that's my only complaint. There's quite a few people to keep track of, most of the Boston Southies with genetic Southie names. But that's a very small issue for an overall good book. It was a quick read, perfect for July because it takes place during a snowy Boston winter. The ending is fantastic and I was a little angry when I flipped the page to see "acknowledgments" and not another chapter! That last line is a doozy!

I definitely recommend this for anyone that likes mysteries, classic whodunnits, and just general light comedies.

In a New Lease on Death, the first book in a series by Olivia Blacke, Ruby Young finds herself working a murder case with an unlikely partner—a ghost named Cordelia Graves.

A cozy murder mystery with a twist of the supernatural sounded good.

I liked the cover which featured a ghost hand passing a key into person’s hand on a dark green background.

The story is told from the first person point of view alternating between Cordelia and Ruby.

I loved that a ghost was working on solving a murder with a human. I also enjoyed Cordelia showing us what it is like to be a ghost.

The book has a lot of potential. The plot could be moved forward faster. The characters could be given more depth. The repetitious aspects of the story could be made to be less so. With some revision, I think this could be a very good book.

Olivia Blacke has created a new cozy mystery series and I'm a fan. A New Lease on Death starts with an interesting premise - the ghost of a woman who recently passed away finds the dead body of her neighbor, Jake, living across the hall. Cordelia is also living in the apartment she used to occupy - even though Ruby is the new tenant and initially has no idea Cordelia's ghost exist. As they work together to solve the mystery of who killed Jake, they utilize different communication methods and look out for each other in the way that only friends do. It's interesting to think about the practical details of what a ghost can and can't do , and the mystery takes a few twists and turns...but that cliffhanger! That is the question that was top of mind throughout the book and I can't wait to get some answers in book 2. I have my own ideas but I'm looking forward to reading the reveal.

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the arc.

This was a fun murder mystery that featured a 40 year old ghost helping a 20 year old, which made the first half of this book super intriguing and funny at times. However, except for the last 30 pages, the second half of the book was just alright. It felt equally rushed yet slow paced, if that makes any sense haha.

This was such a charming read! I will admit that when I first requested this book I mistook Olivia Blacke as Olivie Blake so I was a bit skeptical but I’m glad I took the chance on this one.

When twenty year old Ruby Young moves into her first new apartment, she’s met with a ghostly roommate, Cordelia, and the apartment’s previous older tenant who enlists her help to discover who killed her neighbor Jake. This was the cozy mystery I needed after my heavy binge in campy thrillers.

I really loved the relationship between Ruby and Cordelia and the way they had to work together both with the murder mystery and the help in their personal lives. It was also fun to get two POVs and one being a ghost. This gave me Only Murders in the Building vibes minus the podcast. Fun, cozy, and surprisingly it ends with a cliffhanger so that should be interesting.

Definitely a cozy mystery with a fairly unique premise. I enjoyed the pacing - it wasn't a fast paced, high stakes thriller, but wasn't so slow I was yawning. A solid 4 star read for me. Entertaining and I will definitely pick up the next book in the series because I have questions and am now invested in Cordelia and Ruby.

"A New Lease on Death" is a very fun and entertaining read. I didn't realize (but probably should have) that this was part of a series. Once I was 98% of the way through, and only one of the central two questions have been answered, I was wondering how on earth we were going to wrap up the story with only eight pages left. Turns out, we weren't! Which is both disappointing and exciting because now I get to spend more time with Cordelia and Ruby, but I personally do not love cliffhangers.

I enjoyed both of these characters and was pleasantly surprised by the answer as to who killed Jake. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for access to a digital ARC. My honest review is my own opinion.

I loved this book and can’t wait for (I assume) the next one! The bits of humor mixed with mystery was perfect - it’s like a mys com (like romcom but mystery, not romance??). I have been suggesting people read this before I even got to the end and I am still glad I did.

This was an entertaining cozy mystery. Some parts lagged a bit but I’m definitely interested in picking up the second book when it comes out.

This is not the type of book I normally would be drawn to, but it was definitely a very cozy read! Usually I read high stakes books, but this was a lot more relaxed. I loved the setting, being a New Englander myself, I could relate a lot to the Boston accent mentions, the sports teams, the weather, etc. It made the book feel relatable to me. This was a great book to read on the back burner.

This was great fun. I loved the friendship and communication issues inherent with working with a ghost. Looking forward to the next book.

4.00 stars
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TW: Suicide, Death, Murder, Gun Violence, Alcohol Use, Drug Use
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Cordelia is dead, Ruby is alive - and they're roommates (kind of). Ruby now rents out Cordelia's apartment after her suicide, but what Ruby doesn't realize is that she isn't alone in the apartment. When their neighbour Jake is shot outside of the complex, Ruby and Cordelia team up to figure out what happened to Jake. This book was funny, although it deals with a lot of death there's a fair amount of banter between Ruby and Cordelia. I liked that the two of them found unique ways to communicate (through fridge magnets), and it was interesting to see Cordelia help Ruby out by helping her find a job (her old position).

The death aspect wasn't a large wow factor - Jake is penned as not the greatest character from the start, and it doesn't come as a surprise to many when he turns up dead. At the beginning of the book, we get a quirky interaction between Jake and Cordelia right after he dies, part of me had hoped that his character would have stayed around a bit longer to help the investigation. He's immediately written out when he claims that he doesn't believe in ghosts and his spirit suddenly disappears.

The ending of this got me, it sets us up perfectly for a sequel. Ruby believes that Cordelia didn't kill herself and that her murder is being penned as a suicide. I wish this plot point would have come up a bit more often in the first book, we focus so much on Jake's death that Cordelia's is an afterthought. I can't wait to see this cast of characters in the sequel to see what shenanigans Ruby and Cordelia will find themselves into now.
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I would like to thank NetGalley, St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, and Olivia Blacke for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This book publishes on October 29th, 2024 - preorder your copy today!

I LOVED this book! It was fun and different, and I was disappointed when I finished it because the second book isn't available yet. I loved that it was set in Boston, but I also loved the relationship and eventual friendship between Ruby and Cordelia. Can't wait for the sequel!

This was such a cute, cozy mystery. At times, it was slow, but I got through it and gaaah that cliffhanger, though. T_T I'm excited for book two to come out. I need to know what happens next with everyone and the intense news we just received at the end.

This was a cozy and funny mystery that kept me intrigued from start to finish. I loved the plot and the characters. I was entertained by this quirky whodunnit the entire time and couldn’t stop laughing.