A New Lease on Death
A Mystery
by Olivia Blacke
This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
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Pub Date Oct 29 2024 | Archive Date Nov 01 2024
St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books
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Description
Death is only the beginning in Olivia Blacke's A New Lease on Death, a darkly funny supernatural mystery that introduces an unlikely crime-solving duo.
Ruby Young's new Boston apartment comes with all the usual perks. Windows facing the brick wall of the next-door building. Heat that barely works. A malfunctioning buzzer. Noisy neighbors. A dead body on the sidewalk outside. And of course, a ghost.
Since Cordelia Graves died in her apartment a few months ago, she's kept up her residency, despite being bored out of her (non-tangible) skull and frustrated by her new roommate. When her across-the-hall neighbor, Jake Macintyre, is shot and killed in an apparent mugging gone wrong outside their building, Cordelia is convinced there’s more to it and is determined to bring his killer to justice.
Unfortunately, Cordelia, being dead herself, can't solve the mystery alone. She has to enlist the help of the obnoxiously perky, living tenant of her apartment. Ruby is twenty, annoying, and has never met a houseplant she couldn't kill. But she also can do everything Cordelia can't, from interviewing suspects to researching Jake on the library computers that go up in a puff of smoke if Cordelia gets too close. As the roommates form an unlikely friendship and get closer to the truth about Jake's death, they also start to uncover other dangerous secrets.
Advance Praise
Advance Praise for A New Lease on Death:
“Bursting with cleverness and fun, A New Lease on Death is a detective novel with a twist. . . I can't wait to tell everyone about this book!" –Eliza Jane Brazier
Witty, fun, and propulsive, A New Lease on Death was an absolute delight. Blacke’s keen eye for detail really shines through!” –Amanda Jayatissa
"Absolutely addictive. . . I didn't want it to end." –Lyn Liao Butler
“Smart. Quirky. Suspenseful. Everything you could want in a whodunnit.” –Darcie Wilde
"My new favorite sleuthing odd couple. . . This delightfully dark mystery is well-crafted with humor and heart." –Celeste Connally
Olivia Blacke's Mysteries Are:
"Colorful [and] winning." -The New York Times Book Review
"Charming." - Elle Cosimano
"Fantastic." - Mia P. Manansala
Available Editions
EDITION | Other Format |
ISBN | 9781250336675 |
PRICE | $28.00 (USD) |
PAGES | 336 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
To start, the cover art is everything to me. It’s primarily what drew me in, second being the title. The writing was witty as well as packed an emotional punch to it. I really felt connected to these characters lives by the end. As someone who works in the deathcare industry, there were numerous sections where I sat back and thought, “wow. what a perfect way to describe that”. It’s a great paranormal, cozy mystery that can also double as an easy going escape route for those grieving a loss in the real world. I’ll be featuring a review of this on my bookclubs insta for a “mortuary Monday” post I do.
A New Lease on Death is a humorous mystery with a spooky twist. Cordelia and Ruby have become housemates in very unusual circumstances. Cordelia is no longer alive, and Ruby has only recently moved into her apartment. When their neighbor Jake is murdered, Cordelia and Ruby work together to solve the case. This unusual team must devise novel means to communicate, such as refrigerator magnets, spilled drinks, and an etch-a-sketch. Each chapter is written from either Cordelia's or Ruby's point of view and is labeled at the top to make it easier to follow. Overall, I really enjoyed this book; I didn't expect the surprise at all. However, certain loose ends have not been tied, and the finale is abrupt.
Thank you NetGalley!
A New Lease on Death is a lighthearted mystery with some supernatural elements.
Cordelia and Ruby have become roommates under some interesting circumstances. Cordelia is dead and Ruby just moved into her apartment. When their neighbor Jake, gets murdered, Cordelia and Ruby team up to try to solve the case. This unlikely duo must find interesting ways to communicate, such as, refrigerator magnets, spilling drinks and an etch a sketch.
Each chapter is told from either Cordelia or Ruby’s point of view and is marked at the top, making it easy to understand. Overall I really enjoyed this book, I didn’t see the twist coming at all. However, there are some loose ends not tied up and the ending is pretty abrupt. Hopefully that means we will get a sequel.
A New Lease on Death comes out just in time for Halloween reading! If you’re looking for a fun twist on a murder mystery and like supernatural elements this one is for you!
Thanks to NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The cover of this book is what peaked my interest and I ended up really enjoying this book. The book follows a grumpy, recently deceased ghost and her new, annoyingly perky living roommate as they form an unlikely alliance and put aside their considerable differences to solve a series of seemingly unrelated murders in their Boston neighborhood. I thought the idea of this book was fun and I enjoyed reading the relationship between the dead and alive. It was a quick read that kept me engaged. I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, St. Martin's Press.
Entertaining and fun read!
This book has all the right characters to make this cozy mystery a must read. A lonely ghost trying to solve a murder with the new living tenant of her former apartment. A sketchy neighbourhood that could only lead to trouble, and a secret guarded by the main character.
I hope there is a second instalment soon. Can’t wait to follow on this story and will definitely check out the previous books by this author :)
A cozy mystery with a ghost. I love a good cozy mystery and with a ghost, all I can think of is casper the friendly ghost lol. I loved that it was dual POV and honestly this was just a lot of fun/refreshing. It was a nice palette cleanser from some of the more serious thrillers that I have been reading. I am hoping there will be a sequel as I would definitely be interested in reading more from this author.
I’m starting to get a taste for comedic murder mysteries with witty female characters that are either amateur detectives or good hearted serial killers.
“A new lease on death” falls into the amateur detective category and follows room mates Ruby and Cordelia, only Cordelia is a recently departed from this world ghost, who has taken to lingering in her old tiny apartment and watching the new tenant Ruby unintentionally murder her vast plant collection.
When their neighbour is killed in an apparent robbery gone wrong, there seems to be more to the story and the funny duo team up to solve the case.
I enjoyed the multiple POV, the supernatural elements that delve into what it’s like to be a ghost and all the tricks and abilities that come along with it.
This is more of a fun cosy mystery read than a thriller but I enjoyed it nonetheless. A perfect read for an easy relaxing evening, cozying up on the sofa whilst getting your detective glasses on.
Thank you to Olivia Blacke, St martins Press and NetGalley for the EARC.
Publish date: 29th October
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