Death at the Door: A Ruby and Cordelia Mystery by Olivia Blacke #Review @OliviaBlackeAuthor @OliviaBlacke @MinotaurBooks

I was scheduled to post this review last Tuesday, but was unable to due to a killer headache. I apologize for the delay.

Death at the Door: A Ruby and Cordelia Mystery
Paranormal Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Massachusetts
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Minotaur Books
Publication Date ‏ : ‎ October 21, 2025
Hardcover
Print Length ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250336708
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250336705
Kindle
Print length ‏ : ‎ 344 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250336712
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DPTPY4WJ
Audioobook
ASIN B0FRD8SH4B

The odd couple of crime-solving returns in Olivia Blacke’s Death at the Door, where a ghost and her living roommate find another mystery on their doorstep.

Ruby Young is slowly adjusting to her new life in Boston. A big part of that is her unexpected roommate—the ghost of the woman who lived there before. For Cordelia Graves, she may no longer be breathing, but it’s still her apartment and Ruby is the somewhat unwanted houseguest. They’re both happy they’ve managed to become friends, which is a miracle considering they struggle to communicate with each other. Cordelia even set Ruby up with her old job.

When Ruby discovers the body of a delivery guy at work, the new life she’s been building hangs in the balance. The last time Cordelia dragged Ruby into a murder investigation, it was almost two ghosts living in the apartment, not one. Determined to protect Ruby, Cordelia tries to shield her from the investigation, but Ruby has other ideas. It will take both of them working together to navigate the fine line between the dead and the living to bring a killer to light.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

It isn’t easy sharing an apartment with a previous tenant. It is harder yet when that tenant is a ghost. Ruby Young and Cordelia Graves are doing their best to make it work. What is even crazier is that Ruby is employed in the position Cordelia held until her death. She is the receptionist at TrendCelerate. Most of the group works from home, so the job is pretty easy, but today there is a big meeting and the entire staff is in the office. Of course, they will need food, so Ruby orders from the local deli, Beantown, delivered by Marty.

Later, Ruby finds a dead Marty in the bathroom with Cordelia trying to hold the door closed so that it isn’t Ruby who finds the body. Well, that horse is out of the pen. After the previous murder, Cordelia and Ruby found themselves wrapped up in she didn’t want them to be caught up in this one. But this time it was Ruby who felt the need to investigate. Everyone at that meeting was a suspect, and there could be others. She hopes Cordelia can communicate with Marty’s ghost, and they can quickly reveal the killer. If not, Cordelia knows all the people at TrendCelerate and will have the necessary insight to hone in on the true murderer.

Will Ruby and Cordelia be able to take down a killer? Or will their sleuthing land Ruby in a whole bunch of trouble?

This is such a fun concept. How does a human communicate with a ghost? Ruby can’t hear anything Cordelia says, and to see and hear takes vast amounts of alcohol, which leaves Ruby with a killer headache. They have ways, but it is hard when a new neighbor comes to visit or Cordelia’s brother tries to move in. I enjoyed learning more about Cordelia in this story. Her brother had no idea she had passed away because he was away dealing with his issues. He was able to share stories about their childhood, and more information about the time before her death was shared as well. After this book and the previous one, we know Cordelia’s death wasn’t from natural causes or an accident, but she is not ready to sleuth out what really happened. Ruby is still working through issues we learned about in the first book, A New Lease on Death.

The relationship between Ruby and Cordelia has evolved into a real friendship. Cordelia is trying to teach Ruby to cook and is meddling in her love life. The trip to the grocery store was hilarious.  Ruby is trying to replace Cordelia’s plants that she killed and helping her adjust to life as a ghost, which is hard for a very determined ghost. They are a unique team when it comes to their investigations. It is fun that Cordelia can go off by herself to meet with another ghost and follow some clues. I enjoy that the chapters alternate between Ruby and Cordelia so readers get both women’s points of view. It does cause some repetition, but that’s what happens with dual point of view.

Ms. Blacke has crafted a complex mystery with a bushel of suspects, twists, turns, misdirection, secrets, and lies. Ruby and Cordelia keep digging even when the police have decided Marty’s death was a clear drug overdose. At times, Cordelia becomes Ruby’s worst partner in crime. She talks Ruby into doing things and then forgets the clearly stated Ghost Rules, like being too close to electronics will cause them to blow up, or making sure no one can see her move things. I enjoyed the author’s detailed descriptions; they allowed me to imagine every scene, especially when a brave Ruby faced off with the killer and received a necessary assist from Cordelia. But there was another mystery to solve, and Cordelia didn’t disappoint.

Death at the Door was a compelling read featuring a quirky sleuthing duo trying to do what’s right. With plenty of humor and a surprising reveal, this story is perfect for those who enjoy a suspenseful mystery balanced with plenty of humor. I am very excited for the next book in this series, Cordelia and Ruby have “an awful lot explaining to do,” and Cordelia has to make a big decision.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

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About the Author

OLIVIA BLACKE (she/her) had her first encounter with a ghost when she was only five years old, but her first involvement with an active crime scene wasn’t until much later, when she accidentally stepped into a chalk outline on a Manhattan sidewalk. Armed with a Criminology and Criminal Justice degree, she finally found a way to channel her love of the supernatural and passion for writing into darkly humorous supernatural mysteries. She is also the author of the Record Shop Mysteries and the Brooklyn Murder Mysteries. She still wants to be a unicorn when she grows up.

Also Written by Olivia Blacke

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.” I am also an affiliate of Bookshop.org and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.” These funds are often used for gift cards and other giveaways.