Riley Thorn and the Dead Guy Next Door

Riley Thorn and the Dead Guy Next Door falls under several genre categorizations. It’s both a cozy mystery and a romantic comedy novel. In addition, it incorporates elements of paranormal fiction. Cozy mysteries are a subgenre of the mystery and crime fiction genre, “where sex, violence, and cursing are kept to a minimum, and often happen off stage” (“What Is a Cozy Mystery? The Best Diverse Cozy Mystery Books.” Bookish Brews, 29 Apr. 2021). Traditional cozy mysteries have a “light, comedic, and comforting” tone, while playfully incorporating “lots of fun with plot twists” (What Is a Cozy Mystery?). These lighthearted, fast-paced novels provide all the excitement of traditional mystery novels without all the gore, darkness, and intensity.

Much like contemporary romance novels, cozy mysteries provide “a healthy dose of escapism” and lean heavily into tropes that provide a more predictable narrative scaffolding than traditional mysteries do, while offering familiar narrative touchstones to navigate the novel. Some examples of these tropes are the amateur sleuth protagonist, “a detective animal, a friendly ghost, cuddly pets, love triangles, […] cops who threaten the sleuth for being too nosy,” quirky sidekicks, and a charming, often small-town setting (Kole, Mary. “Cozy Mystery Tropes: A Guide for Writers.” Good Story Company). Cozy mysteries can also contain elements of magical realism or paranormal fiction.

Romantic comedy (or rom-com) is a subgenre of the contemporary romance genre. Like cozy mysteries, titles under the rom-com classification rely heavily on tropes, such as enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, and forced proximity tropes, all of which Score incorporates into Riley Thorn and the Dead Guy Next Door. As in the cozy mystery genre, these tropes render the narrative familiar and comforting. In addition, rom-com novels contain thematic elements that extend beyond their central romances. Rom-coms often explore notions of “self-discovery, friendship, and learning to laugh at yourself along the way” (“The Evolution of Romantic Comedy in Literature: From Classic to Contemporary.” The Romantic Comedy Book Club).

In Riley Thorn and the Dead Guy Next Door, Score combines these genres and subgenres. The novel primarily focuses on Riley Thorn and Nick Santiago’s enemies-to-lovers romance, tracing their initial distaste for each other through their intensifying attraction. Along the way, Riley and Nick go undercover in their investigation via a fake dating arrangement. This scenario forces them into constant proximity and challenges them to work together and eventually acknowledge their love for one another.

The other narrative throughline is the novel’s central mystery: the death of Riley’s next-door neighbor Dickie Frick. After Dickie is killed under mysterious circumstances, Riley finds herself working with Nick (a private investigator) to solve the case. Meanwhile, she begins to use her magical, psychic, and clairvoyant powers to determine what happened. These narrative devices render the narrative world raucous, witty, and fun. Riley and Nick never take themselves too seriously. While they’re dealing with real-life problems (like family conflicts, broken friendships, and recent divorces), the romantic counterparts always have a good time together. As a feel-good mystery romance, Score’s novel leans into wit, excitement, and big laughs.

Riley Thorn and the Dead Guy Next Door is in conversation with other novels in the rom-com and cozy mystery genres, like Nita Prose’s The Maid’s Secret and Emily Henry’s Funny Story.