A New Lease on Death

Supernatural Mysteries, Book 1

By: Olivia Blacke

Narrated by: Stefanie Kay, Petrea Burchard

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.

©2024 Olivia Blacke (P)2024 Dreamscape Media

Good, clean fun story.

I liked the story and the characters. Narrator was good. I hope there will be a next one.

Great listen

Story and narrators great! Looking forward to next book. Had me guessing who did it until the end.

Nice mystery

I liked the Ruby-Cordelia friendship. Not a challenging listen, but nice and easy sort of like a Miss Marple story.

Simple and fun

A light listen and enjoyable; in the mood for something that wasn’t too heavy and this fit the bill. 4/5 stars on the story because I feel like it’s lacking a little depth. A lot of “telling” instead of “showing” which shows a bit of unimaginative writing. Still I enjoyed it and want to read the next one.

Fun and seemingly plausible entertainment

The characters are realistically in their actions. The story is disparaging of police. Not gripping however makes the listener wanting more.

The premise. It’s a great concept and the potential for more books in the series is strong.

The writing is good, but the characters are weak and cliche. I hope the author digs in and gives us complex and interesting people to drive the next narrative instead of a “Murder She Wrote” plot.

Ghoul Power

Man what a fun and fantastic book. The plot is interesting and the concept is interesting.
The way that the pair interact with each other and the world around them is absolutely unique and WE NEED BOOK 2 ASAP.
SERIOUSLY.
While the main mystery was resolved rather hurriedly, it’s fun seeing in hindsight the trail of skittles that lead to the final resolution. And while this book was mostly self-contained, it obviously has a lot of meat for a sequel and I need it now.

Loved this book!

Can't wait for the next one. This was a complete escape and just what I needed. We'll done, Olivia!

Enjoyable listen

I really enjoyed this audible. It grabbed me from the beginning which is important to me, it was light listening but kept me engaged throughout. I enjoy this genre and this did not disappoint. The only thing disappointing about it was that as soon as it was over, I went to see if I could get the next book in the series and it’s not out yet. I am really looking forward to it.

Quirky, Supernatural Mystery Keeps You Guessing

A New Lease on Death follows Ruby, a lively young woman beginning anew in Boston, and Cordelia, a ghost adjusting to her afterlife. When Ruby moves into her new apartment, she doesn't expect to find it already occupied by Cordelia's spirit. Despite the unusual circumstances, the two form an unlikely partnership to solve the mystery surrounding Cordelia's death.

The audiobook features narrators Stefanie Kay and Petrea Burchard. Kay captures Ruby's youthful energy and optimism, while Burchard portrays Cordelia's more reserved and introspective nature. Their performances complement each other well, enhancing the dynamic between the two characters.

If you enjoy authors like Juliet Blackwell or Victoria Laurie, who mix mystery with the supernatural, you'll likely like Olivia Blacke's writing.

A New Lease on Death is an engaging mystery that blends supernatural elements with an unexpected friendship. It's perfect for those who enjoy a lighthearted yet engaging story.