THE BODY IN THE BACKYARD is another fun and funny addition to the Riley Thorn series, with several laugh out loud moments and a fun mystery. These are quick and light-hearted reads, super easy to follow and engaging.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bloom Books for the opportunity to read and review THE BODY IN THE BACKYARD.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 Stars)
If you’re considering diving into this cozy mystery, here are five things to know before you crack it open:

1️⃣ Hilarious Humor: Riley Ellison’s quick wit and the snarky banter throughout will have you laughing out loud. Lucy Score knows how to keep things light, even in a murder mystery!

2️⃣ Nonstop Action: The fast-paced plot means you won’t want to put it down. The mix of humor and suspense keeps the pages flying.
3️⃣ Quirky Small-Town Vibes: From nosy neighbors to small-town gossip, the setting bursts with charm (and chaos). It’s like Gilmore Girls meets a murder mystery!

4️⃣ A Mystery That Keeps You Guessing (Mostly): While there are some predictable moments, it’s still fun to follow the breadcrumbs and uncover the truth.

5️⃣ A Sweet Dash of Romance: There’s a cute romantic subplot, though it could’ve used more development to shine.

💭 Why Not Five Stars?
While the humor and pace are fantastic, the mystery was slightly predictable, and some of the small-town characters felt a bit one-dimensional. I also wanted more from the romance—it felt rushed and could’ve added more depth with a slower build. But overall, this was such a fun, lighthearted read!

Riley Thorn has had a busy year. She met her boyfriend Nick, moved in together and escaped death a couple of times. Just normal things for a psychic. But now things have taken a turn when her ex-husband Griffin, ends up coming to her and Nick for help because his life is in danger. Can Riley rise above all of the craziness Griffin has put her through in order to help keep Nick’s business afloat?

Leave it to Lucy Score to write another laugh out loud story. I think this may have been my favorite Riley Thorn novel yet! Her writing is so fun and never ceases to make me smile.

As always the cast of characters in this book were so unique and fun. Riley and Nick are so great together and Lucy weaves their chemistry effortlessly. Not to mention the always wildly fun geriatric cast. I think this is the craziest Ms. Penny has ever been.

Overall, this book was a fun read and I am definitely ready to find out what Riley Thorn’s next adventure will be especially while trying to plan a wedding.

PS I’m rooting for Jasmine and Weber to finally break their sexual tension!!!

The Body in the Backyard is a captivating mix of mystery and charm that draws you in from the very start. The story is packed with clever twists, intriguing characters, and a suspenseful plot that keeps you guessing. With a blend of humor and tension, it hits the perfect cozy mystery vibe, making each page as enjoyable as it is gripping. If you’re a fan of mysteries with a touch of wit and warmth, The Body in the Backyard is a fantastic five-star read that won’t disappoint.

I didn’t realize this was a series so I kinda dropped myself into the universe with this one. I struggled a little bit to get going but it was so funny and so twisty and unexpected! It’s definitely a good book, not sure if it’s like TOTALLY my genre but I did like it.

I love Lucy Score’s character development across the board and this one was no different, I enjoyed the characters just probably not the comedic mystery aspect. But still good. Love Lucy!

This was so frickin good, I loved the mystery and the blossoming work partnership and trust between the MCs. The romance and found family were, as always, absolute perfection ❤️

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books and NetGalley for this ARC!

I could read about Riley all the time! I find this series so fun! Riley always gets involved in the most chaotic adventures and I am here for it!
If you like Janet Evanonvich's Stephanie Plum series or Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone series then you will absolutely devour this whole series by Lucy Score! So glad I discovered these books and really hoping a new one will be announced soon.

This book was just as funny and fast paced as the 3 before it. Perfect pallet cleanser in between heavier books!

5 stars!!

I love this series! Body in the Backyard is the fourth in the Riley Thorn series and has all the perfect bits that make this series so fun to read.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review this arc honestly.

This series is just, fun. It’s silly, entertaining, engaging, ridiculously, and just an overall great ride. The quips and humor are my favorites. I recommend this series to friends!

Seriously: when is Hollywood gonna start adapting these books? Either a series of movies or a TV show, I ain't picky. Riley and Co. are back with another series of outrageous psychic-based shenanigans, and I was hootin' and hollerin' for the whole ride. Simply adore how Score fills her casts with hunky heartthrobs, spunky heroines, and unhinged bluehaireds, lol. More romances/mysteries should have meddling octogenarians hungry for adventure (and with zero amounts of self-preservation). And I really love how Score has made this kitchen sink of a series work: it's a romance! It's a mystery! It's a zany paranormal comedy! It's all that and more! Feels like five huge things happen on every page, the pace is so breakneck, and I enjoyed every second of it. This has become a series I can recommend to just about everyone, since there's something for just about everyone in it!

Thank you for this ARC. Unfortunately, I lost interest in the series in book 2 so I will not be reading this one at this time. I really appreciate you gifting me this ARC. I'm sorry for any inconvenience.

This has been a fun series to read and every book has been great. This book caused a lot of laughs and was fun. I cannot wait for the next book!

This installment brought me back to the essence of the series. After Nick’s detachment in the previous book, I was glad to see him attempting to make up for it in genuine ways.

It wouldn’t be a Riley Thorn novel without elderly citizens with no boundaries roaming the house. My only gripe with the book is that we got too much Griffin Gentry but not sure how we could avoid him given the plot.

Lucy never fails to make me laugh with these and I’ve enjoyed seeing how Riley becomes empowered about who she is over the course of the series. Looking forward to whatever comes next for her and Nick!

I really enjoyed this installment of the Riley Thorn series. This story made me laugh out loud many times. There was a slight mention of the Nick and Nora Thin Man series and I realized the some of the same things that made me love that film series also speaks to me in this series. It’s the rapid-fire clever dialogue and turn of phrase, the comical yet complex characters, the cozy mystery, and of course the love story. Keep them coming!

I received this book in advance from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are completely my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this novel. I highly enjoyed it and will be recommending it to others.

I can always count on Score to deliver an entertaining read.
I didn’t know what to expect with each page so it was chock full of surprises.
I loved the banter and the energy between Riley and Nick the most and sped read to get to their scenes.

The fact that this one centers around Griffin Gentry, Riley’s assholey ex that is so self absorbed literally drives me bananas. Riley is a better person than me, like on the real.

We hear all about Griffin in the first three books, and we don’t like the guy. He’s self centered, everything is about him, literally cheats on women. The list goes on and on. In this book though, he’s a “victim” aka a target because how awful he is and he hires Nick’s PI company for protection. And because in book 3, Nick basically quit life to find Beth/Sesame, they could really use the money, so Riley makes them do it.

And so we’re sucked into the world of Griffin, his new fiancee, Bella - the 2 shallowest people who work at the TV station.

Not gonna lie, obviously there are a ton of laughter moments, but I’d feel a lot better if we were shanking Griffin. But that’s just me.

Oh my goodness, I absolutely LOVE Lucy Score, and this book had me in a complete and total chokehold from start to finish! Absolutely loved!

The Body in the Backyard by Lucy Score is the fourth book in Riley Thorn Mystery series and unfortunately it will probably be my last one.

I have to admit I dnf'd this book. It was so silly and ridiculous to the point of idiocy.
My favorite book in this series is the first one and it was great, funny, engaging, lot of quirky characters with a good mystery plot and I thoroughly enjoyed it and couldn't wait for the next one.
Second was ok but the third book I really struggled to finish, it was so over the top and full of repetitious words and just plain foolish.
The things that used to be funny are so overused and constantly shoved down the readers throat that they become too much.
There are many situations which are so thoughtless that they become simply stupid.
While I understand that this series is as much about humor and entertainment and are not typical mysteries I also think that they should keep some modicum of reality.
I really love not just the main character but all of the colourful side characters and genuinely enjoy their antics. I hope that the author would make some changes and model the next book to the beginning of the series, cause I would still like to keep reading it.