In Riley Thorn and the Corpse in the Closet (Riley Thorn #2) by Lucy Score, Riley Thorn has tried for the 
past, oh, thirty or so years to forget that she comes from a family of psychics. And that she has powers of her own. Unfortunately, the rest of the world won’t let her forget. Particularly her scary grandmother, who is now attempting to put Riley through some kind of psychic boot camp so she can hone her skills. At the same time, her boyfriend Nick Santiago, private investigator and former cop, is up to his eyeballs in weird cases. And he’s enlisted Riley’s help. Then there’s Kellen Weber, homicide detective and Nick’s sort of BFF, who wants her to consult on a case. With all the mayhem around her–and that includes Riley’s well-meaning but a-danger-to-themselves neighbors–it looks like she’s going to have to use her family’s curse–er, gift to get to the bottom of things.
‘Nick Santiago had no idea, but she was in love with him. She’d get around to telling him. When she was sure the information wouldn’t send him into anaphylactic shock.’
Nick admits he went from zero to a hundred in about two seconds flat when it comes to his thoughts on relationships. And it’s all because of Riley Thorn. Beautiful, sweet, sarcastic, and the kindest person he’s ever met, Nick is under her spell completely. Well, not a spell as she’s not a witch. She’s actually (truly) psychic. Which comes in handy with Nick’s cases. But it also puts Riley smack dab in harm’s way. Something he’s not okay with. Just like he’s not too keen on Kellen getting her involved in a couple of homicide investigations. If she could just sit on the sidelines, that would be one thing. But somehow trouble seems to find Riley. So it’s up to Nick to make sure she stays safe. No matter what it takes.
‘The tone of her voice had his blood racing south well above the legal speed limit. The woman made sarcasm sexy.’
Riley Thorn and the Corpse in the Closet found our heroine in a big old hot mess with murders to investigate, her scary grandmother on a quest to whip Riley’s psychic skills into shape, and a sexy boyfriend going into alpha protective mode. Oh…and her kooky neighbors were still, well, kooky–and nosy as ever.
“Can you handle this?” Kellen asked.
“Yeah.” Probably. She’d asked people questions before. How hard could it be with a murder investigation at stake?
I’ve become a huge fan of Lucy Score’s writing since discovering her work in the past couple of years. (Thanks Sara!) And this newish rom-com series with Riley Thorn, reluctant psychic, solving mysteries with her seriously awesome boyfriend, Nick Santiago, PI, hits all the bells and whistles. This installment was every bit as engaging as book one (Riley Thorn and the Dead Guy Next Door) with the whole quirky cast back for more. It was a mile-a-minute storyline that had me laughing out loud too many times to count and cringing with the shenanigans Riley & Co got into.
I love that even though, yes, the story was hilarious and hugely entertaining, there were still elements of romance, family drama, and a lovely sense of community to tie it all together perfectly. Those were the pieces that kept things a bit more down to earth and kept it from feeling too much like a zany sitcom. (Although there’s nothing wrong with that!) Good girl Riley was still kind of struggling with figuring out who she was as a psychic, how to use and rein in those skills, and what she wanted out of her relationship with Nick. Plus, how to keep her elderly neighbors from bringing trouble to their doorstep so often…
Nick, a formerly confirmed bachelor, was coming to terms with actually wanting to settle down with one woman: Riley. And how that would work out for both of them. I adore Nick and Riley. They’re one of those couples that just seem right for each other. Somehow even with them being equally bull-headed, being overprotective, and yet again facing down danger and winning–albeit with a few (more) battle scars–Riley and Nick had a swoony, oh so steamy connection that I just can’t get enough of.
With a plot that kept me guessing and a villain that wasn’t even on my radar, Riley Thorn and the Corpse in the Closet was just one more reason why Lucy Score is an auto-buy for me. Highly recommended.
QOTD: Romantic comedies seem to be quite popular this year. Are you a fan of the genre? If so, do you have any faves you’d like to share?
Book Info:
Publication: July 8, 2021 | That’s What She Said Publishing, Inc. | Riley Thorn #2
Summer is heating up for reluctant psychic Riley Thorn and her handsome private investigator boyfriend, Nick Santiago. First, her disapproving grandmother arrives determined to make Riley take her powers seriously or face the wrath of “the Guild.”
Then there’s the homicide detective who needs her help figuring out who murdered the well-dressed corpse in the walk-in closet.
Nick’s got his own hands full with a tricky missing person case and his parents who want to know why he didn’t tell them about his live-in girlfriend. Then there’s the fact that he’s still the tiniest bit stressed about Riley almost getting murdered earlier that summer. The last thing he wants is her getting involved in another investigation.
Things go from bad to worse when the body count starts stacking up, the meet-the-parents dinner goes horribly wrong, and their elderly roommate is up to no good…dressed like a mime.
To top it off, Riley is forced to return to Channel 50 on official police business to question her spray-tanned news anchor ex-husband and his new weather girl fiancée.
The trouble comes to a head when Riley receives a warning from the killer: Back off or she’s next. Someone has to solve these murders before she becomes the next corpse.
