A New Lease on Death

A New Lease on Death by Olivia Blacke, 325 pages

Cordelia died a few months ago, but she hasn't left behind the tiny apartment she loved so much (she didn't leave it much when she was alive — why start now?). New tenant Ruby was grateful to get a fully furnished apartment, though she hasn't been able to keep the plants alive. When the guy across the hall turns up dead, ghostly Cordelia and Gen Z Ruby team up to solve his murder.

This was a surprisingly fun and funny mystery novel. The author clearly spelled out the rules of ghost/human interactions, which made the whole thing easier to believe and created some fun hurdles. I also appreciated that both Cordelia and Ruby brought their own skills and talents to the investigation. I loved it, and I'll happily read more in this series when it comes.

Disrupted

Disrupted: My misadventures in the start-up bubble / Dan Lyons 261 pgs.

Dan Lyons was unemployed and 50.  After working in journalism for years, covering technology companies, he found a job with a tech start-up HubSpot.  Well, really not a start-up, the company had been around for awhile but were possibly going public which could lead to a nice stock option.  He goes to work and finds himself surrounded by co-workers half his age (and less).  HubSpot offices sound like a lot of tech companies you have read about...beer on tap, games, etc. but also a cheerleader type atmosphere where everyone has to at least act like the company is the greatest thing ever. Lyons finds he isn't up to this part of the task.  He suffers from journalistic jaded crabbiness and is put off by the fake sincerity.

Is Lyons discriminated against because of his age?  Or is he discriminating against his co-workers because of theirs?  I'm not sure I know the answer to this but it seems like there is a little bit from both sides.  An interesting reminder about diversity in the workplace.  What does it mean to "fit in" and how important is it?