Ruby & Cordelia #2
In the first book in this series, A New Lease on Death, Ruby Young had moved to Boston to try and challenge herself and prove that she can make it on her own as a young adult. But things were off to a rocky start, with places to live unaffordable, and jobs all requiring more credentials and experience than she had. Oddly enough, everything suddenly falls into place for her when she found an apartment for rent relatively cheap and fully furnished. The only catch is that the previous tenant, Cordelia Graves, had been found dead and now haunts her former abode. Luckily, Ruby is open to the idea of living with a ghost, after some convincing on Cordelia’s part. They even solve one murder together. These two are complete opposites, but in a way that compliments each other. This allows them to tackle any problem from a variety of angles and come up with a variety of theories.
Ruby and Cordelia have managed to find ways to communicate and coexist together in their little apartment. Focusing on succeeding at ‘adulting’ takes up more of Ruby’s time than she had expected, including things like cooking. She’s managing alright thanks to her determination and Cordelia’s nudges, but it seems death just can’t stay out of Ruby’s life. Working as a receptionist, and in Cordelia’s old position, at Trendcelerate, Ruby is in charge of ordering lunch and things for the team. So when one of the delivery guys turns up dead at her job, Ruby can’t help but get involved. Cordelia would like them to be more hands off and avoid any danger, but Ruby just can’t stay out of things. While they do not work directly with the police, Ruby does have a media contact that gives her information in exchange for information.
Investigating with a ghostly cohort isn’t simple. Talking to an entity that can’t regularly speak back makes for some interesting public scenes, as does objects moving and vanishing at said ghost’s will. It also allows the two to find more clues and get into places they otherwise wouldn’t, or shouldn’t, be able to – not always a good thing, as it also puts Ruby at risk as the only physical being present. Despite her happy, positive, and somewhat naive nature, Ruby also has a strong sense of justice and continues to investigate despite the dangers, and despite Cordelia’s intentions. But best intentions might not be enough to keep her safe from the very real, very dark sides of Boston and Trendcelerate.
I recommend the Cordelia and Ruby mysteries for any supernatural cozy fan, as well as for any reader who enjoy a story with two protagonists who can complement each other as well, as they contrast and even clash with one another. Olivia Blacke’s Ruby and Cordelia mystery series introduced a new take on ghosts and how they might work in our world that I still find intriguing. Added to that the vastly different personalities of Cordelia and Ruby that also complement one another, this series is one I look forward to reading more of in the future. For those who read the first book in the series, Death at the Door is a wonderful continuation of the spooky duo’s adventures. Readers get a better feel for how the two interact on a day to day basis as well as how they have grown as friends. First time readers of the series will not be lost, however, as Olivia Black gives enough of a recap at the start to help them settle into the setting and characters. There are bits of information in the book that might shock a first time reader, such as some of the details of Cordelia’s death. In Death at the Door readers also get a bit more of a look into Cordelia’s life before death, and start to really question the circumstances surrounding it, if they didn’t already after the first book. I cannot wait to see what Oliva Blacke has in store for these two. – Carla Schantz