The Dead Guy Next Door

Riley Thorn wants an ordinary life and cannot get one. She is divorced and broke, and she shares a home with a group of elderly roommates. She also sees things she has trained herself to ignore, though her mother, who reads tarot cards for a living, insists they are clairvoyant visions.

Her luck sours further when private investigator Nick Santiago turns up at the door asking after one of her neighbors. The neighbor is soon found shot dead. Nick prefers to work alone, but Riley, who may be psychic, lands at the top of the suspect list, so he offers to work out who did it.

The pair have several problems at once. They need to identify the killer, and they must keep a detective who follows every rule and holds a grudge away from their inquiries. A stranger has also appeared, saying he was sent to help Riley sharpen her psychic abilities. Meanwhile the murderer may come to see her as a loose end to be cut off.

The book is a romantic mystery with a comic edge, told in a light, quick-moving tone. Nick is a strong attraction for Riley, and the mix of whodunit, family eccentricity and a possible supernatural gift keeps the mood playful even with a killer nearby.