I adored this book! Quirky characters.. heartwarming and emotional.. publishes April 2nd. I think fans of Frederick Bachman will enjoy reading Nosy Neighbors.. has an Anxious People meets A Man Called Ove vibe to it.

While there is a mystery to solve, it's not the main focus of the book.. there is more going on at the Shelley House than an eviction and dirty tricks. Dorothy Darling is the epitome of a noisy neighbor, but trust me, you'll be rooting for her by the end of the novel.

Although pitched as a cozy mystery, I found it to have more depth and character driven storyline than your average fluffy cozy mystery. It was cozy, and there was a mystery.. just an added benefit of the characters being believable and well developed.

I went back and forth between 4 or 5 stars and settled on 4. I'm pretty stingy with my 5 stars, and this could have easily been rated 5, but in my opinion, there are some pacing issues at the beginning. Along with a weird 6-month leap in part of the story, which felt like a small cheat in character growth.. Well written, cast of fun characters and a touching story on grief, forgiveness, and friendship. I highly recommend it.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read and review honestly an advanced digital copy. All opinions are my own.

If you like the TV series Only Murders in the Building, you’ll definitely want to read Nosy Neighbors!

I expected this to be a fun read, which it absolutely was, but I didn’t expect so much emotional depth and thought provoking content. This is a beautifully layered story.

I loved how we got to know the people living in this building, with their backstories gradually unfolding, shattering first impressions and assumptions.

I loved the array of age groups, and how they all had something to teach one another.

I loved the dialogue.

I loved the underlying message and the whole vibe.

And the ending was perfection!

4.5 stars
This is my second book by Freya Sampson and it was wonderful. It had kind of the same premise as the other book I have read by her (The Last Chance Library). There is a building that is being closed/torn down and the residents rally together to try to save it.
This was such a character driven book. There were 2 POVs, Dorothy who is 77 and has lived in Shelley House for 30 something years. She is a recluse and spends her days spying on her neighbors and meticulously taking notes about what her neighbors do and what goes on around Shelley House. The other POV is Kat. She has moved into the flat across from Dorothy to share with Joseph. He is an older man like Dorothy and has lived there just as long. Kat grew up in Chalcot where Shelley House is, but something drove her away when she was 10. Both of these characters were grumpy. I loved it. I also love the age gap friendship between someone who could be grandparent/grandchild age. I don't know what it is, but I just love it. The residents of Shelley House start out not talking to each other at all. The little found family they create by the end is just so cute. Every resident was totally different and I liked them all.
The plot was not super fast moving, but it was never boring. Like I said, it's very character driven, so we spend a lot of time just getting to know the characters. We learn about Shelley House and mostly the lives of Kat and Dorothy. Towards the beginning of the book, each residents gets a Section 21 letter I think? It's a no reason eviction notice or something. The residents try to come up with a way to stop the evictions. Then Joseph gets attacked and ends up in the hospital. Now the residents want to stop the evictions and find out who attacked Joseph. There are such heartbreaking parts when we find out the reasons that Dorothy and Kat are both so grumpy and push everyone away. It was done in a way that my heart ached so badly for both of them and made me glad they found each other.
While this book is listed first as a mystery, the mystery didn't take up a ton of the book. But I will definitely be recommending this book to a lot of people in the future!

A full range of emotions is felt by readers in this novel.
Sampson pulls a lot of deceptions about the main character until farther in when more of their personal stories are revealed.
I had to laugh initially at Dorothy. She was the resident buddy body with the mark sheet. I thought she was the geriatric Harriet the Spy. I did think she was a nosy crank, but then most people have dealt with nosy neighbors.
I felt empathy for Dorothy and Kat after what both had experienced.
I loved how the the community pulled together and tried to figure out what to do.
I was surprised at the end with some events I hadn’t anticipated.
It’s a really good book!

Based off the cover and title, I expected this to be like Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice to Murderers. It was similar in the loosest terms: a cozy mystery with an elderly lady that is all up in others business. While Dorothy was a good character, you didn't want your own like you did Vera.

Most characters in the story were likeable, if a bit odd. I liked the details about the house and it's antique vibes. The whodunnit mystery the two unlikely detectives set out to solve was interesting too. While I was not pulled in to this one, I know a lot of people will love it.

I always know I’m in for a treat with a Freya Sampson book! She’s an auto-read author for me.

The small British town setting was so fun, and I loved the dynamics between all the residents of Shelley House. Though there are only two POVs throughout the book, you get a lot of background on the other characters as well. The found family aspect was sweet, and even though some characters’ actions were frustrating at times, they’re all lovable (especially Reggie!🐶). I liked the bit of mystery in the plot, and even I didn’t quite know what was going to happen. I think this wrapped up really well, and rounded out all the storylines, both big and small. Even though I’d say this is a cozy read, it does dive into some more serious themes at times, which I think balanced nicely with the lighter parts.

Only Murders in the Building meets a Man Called Ove. Dang. This book hit me HARD. I was not expecting it to make me cry at the end, but I cried so much I couldn't see the words on the pages and had to take a reading break before I finished it. The characters are absolutely wonderful. They leap off the pages straight into your heart. I loved Dorothy, Kat, and Joseph so much. Oh and sweet Reggie - who is the bestest boy in the whole world?!! All the stars for this one.

NOSY NEIGHBORS by Author Freya Sampson is the poignant, highly emotional story of a community of misfits living in apartments in Shelley House. It's the story of quirky individuals caught up in the mystery surrounding the historic house and their quest to save it from destruction. It's the story of enemies becoming allies in a search for a criminal targeting a fellow tenant. It's the story of family, forgiveness and reconciliation.

On one hand, Author Freya Sampson has rendered a lighthearted mystery with quaint, classic characters - from cranky, ancient, pro-busybody Dorothy who tracks every person daily in her notebook to the newer, mysterious, recent sub-tenant Kat with a hidden history and secret she closely guards. On the other hand, the story has a darker, more menacing side with broken characters seeking redemption and lives lost to drugs and alcohol addiction and broken families. Sampson peels back the layers of each individual even as she weaves all their lives together in the spirit of community and a common cause. Someone attacks one of the residents of the Shelley House about the same time that the owner serves eviction notices with his intent to tear the building down. Can a group of oddballs embrace their differences to unite and solve the mystery of the attacker while also saving their home from demolition?

Through the alternating points of view of Dorothy and Kat, readers are drawn into this heartfelt, complex story that proves to be much deeper than first indicated. A steadily increasing pace and unpredictable cast keeps readers on their toes through twists and turns expertly manipulated by Sampson. It would be easy to dismiss this as another cozy mystery, but as the story unfolds the individual heartbreaking, life stories of each tenant are explored exposing themes of addiction, communication or the lack thereof, loneliness and forgiveness. The author does a great job of weaving all the individual stories together into a tantalizing, often humorous tale of community joining forces in a common cause. Highly recommended to fans of cozy mysteries with a lot of depth and heart.

I adored this book. Cute book cover caught my interest, interesting plot description. Dorothy was definitely entertaining with her notebook, honestly it's something I would probably be doing too. Dorothy and Kat's character were definitely interesting and my mouth dropped open when I learned their back stories. Overall, a very entertaining read. You find yourself rooting for them as the book progresses. Definitely recommend this heartwarming story - it's a feel good one. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

At 25, Kat hasn’t felt at home anywhere since the last time she saw her grandfather. Facing deep guilt, she moves into dilapidated Shelley House. There, she clashes with decades-long resident Dorothy, who harbors a secret that keeps her tethered to her home. When their building faces demolition, Kat and Dorothy form an unlikely alliance to save it—and confront the demons from their past.

I loved the quirky characters and heartfelt relationships in this book. It’s engrossing and emotional, with a page-turning mystery as well.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I'm not sure if this was an amateur detective story or heartwarming fiction with a suspense element, but I did really enjoy it.

I wasn't familiar with Freya Sampson's first book, but I LOVE a good Neighborhood Thriller so was excited to read this.

A group of neighbors in a once elegant, now crumbling old building of flats band together when someone starts attacking them.

The story is narrated by Dorothy, a very long-time resident of Shelley House and Kit, a pink-haired Gen Z who is hiding something. Also, Kit is an illegal subtenant, which annoys rule-follower Dorothy greatly.

Nosy Neighbors is for readers who love the leisurely pace and small-town feel of a cozy mystery. Yes, there is suspense and danger, but nothing too scary or graphic.

Yes, there is a (slight) mystery to be solved, mostly tackled by intrepid Kit and Will, a reporter for the local newspaper. But this book (and it seems all Sampson's books) are also focused on characters trying to right wrongs and how this advocacy makes friends out of strangers.

Rating: 4.5 stars

It all started when the girl with the pink hair showed up at Shelley House. In this case, "it all" encompasses both good and bad things, but also a lot of changes for all the residents of Shelley House.

Sampson really knows how to worm her way into my heart. Once again, she assembled a wonderful group of mismatched characters who came together to form a perfectly imperfect "family". The inhabitants had mostly kept to themselves until things begin going awry following their notice to vacate the premises. They bonded over their desire to save their home, and along the way, true friendships were born.

I struggle with calling this a mystery, though there were some small unknowns that needed to be uncovered. There were a lot of secrets being kept inside Shelley House, and Dorothy and Kat were both affected in major ways by the weight of their secrets.

Both their stories truly broke my heart. They carried their pain and guilt for so many years, and it kept them from really living their lives. As a sucker for unlikely friendships, I adored seeing a friendship born between a pensioner and a twenty-something. They pushed each other while providing support and the strength to move forward. These themes of friendship, love, and forgiveness were woven throughout this story and really tugged at my heartstrings.

But I don't want to leave out the other residents. This was quite a fantastic group of quirky characters, and they really endeared themselves to me. The journey from strangers to more was a wonderful one which brought me lots of joy.

Overall, this was a warm and touching tale and I adored rooting for the denizens of Shelley House while they fought to save their home and each other.

A pink-haired girl, and her unlikely elderly neighbor become the super sleuths to solve the attack on everyones favorite tenant. Sampson once again has penned an emotionally, poignant tale of a building, a community and the tenants who reside in its walls. Shelley House is more than just apartments, its a home. There's history, from its garden, rooftop and family space, these mismatched people must come together to overcome the past to save themselves.

Nosy Neighbors is heartwarming, much like The Lost Ticket. Sampson has masterfully interwoven the tenants into each other lives, culminating in an epic conclusion. Humanity lives within these pages.

Thank you, Berkley

"Nosy Neighbors" was heartwarming readabout the power of our neighbors and community in our lives. The residents of Shelley House, a long-standing apartment building in disrepair are given notice by the building's owner that they are to be evicted so the building can be torn down to make way for new luxury apartments. When one of the building's older residents, Joseph, who has been publicly protesting the building's demolition, is hospitalized after being possibly attacked in his apartment. 2 of the buildings other residents, an unlikely pair, begin to investigate who could have attacked Joseph. Dorothy is an elderly woman, and the building's most long-standing resident, is known for constantly being in all of her neighbors' business in what she believes is her attempts to keep the building safe, while closely guarding her dark secret.. Kat is Joseph's young tenant who is renting a room from him as she deals from the traumas of her own past. together, Dorothy and Kat team up, along with a local newspaper reporter to investigate the building's owner, and his past history of shady business dealings. as they try to save Shelley House from demolition, and bring Joseph's attacker to light.

The story is told from alternate points-of-view between Dorothy and Kat, and as they try to navigate each other, while attempting to work together, we get to see the relationship grow and blossom, as they come together to save both Joseph and Shelley House. In addition, we also get the opportunity to see the other residents of Shelley House, each with their own set of problems, come together as a community, and family, in the end. This wonderful story also deals with the topic of how our past traumas can haunt us and influence us in the present. "Nosy Neighbors" is the first of Freya Sampson's books that I have read, but I am now looking forward to reading her previous works.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Berkley's Besties program for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. "Nosy Neighbors" is scheduled to be released on 4/2/24.

This is not my first book by this author and definitely not my last! I love her writing style with her unique settings and quirky characters. All the residents of Shelly House were as different as can be with their own stories, secrets, and sorrows. This group is faced with eviction notices as their home, an old Victorian that has seen better days, is slated for demolition. This mismatched group bands together to solve a crime and help each other through their individual problems. It’s a fun escapism from a lot of heavy books that I have been reading. Love this author and all her crazy characters! #NosyNeighbors #FreyaSampson #NetGalley

Shelley House has seen better days but when the crumbling Victorian gets marked for demolition, the neighbors band together to save their building. Kat has pink hair and tattoos and there's something about her that makes septuagenerian Dorothy, the building's longest resident, extremely wary. But when Kat finds one of the residents injured after being attacked, this unlikely duo band together to save their building from demolition. The other residents of Shelley House are great characters and I especially enjoyed Reggie the dog. This is a solid cozy mystery with an ending that will make you smile.

Many thanks to Berkley & Netgalley for the ARC.

What an amazing novel! I love Freya Sampson's writing. It is so innocent and immersive. Her books are always lighthearted and based on friendship, love and compassion. I really enjoyed The Lost Ticket last year so was excited to see and I was thrilled when Berkley approved my netgalley request for the e-arc and I couldn’t wait to get started.

This one was such a cozy mystery! Tied in with lots of humor and friendship. Dorthy and Kat are quite the duo! They team up to solve a mystery in their London apartment. Characters were 3 dimensions, great side characters, steady pacing, well rounded book.

What a delightful, heartbreaking read with lovable, dramatic characters that will make you laugh and make you cry. Reminder that we can't pick our neighbors!!!! Unlikely friendship stories have my heart. This felt like a warm hug!!!!!

2.5 stars
I was hoping to like this more than I did. It moved pretty slow and I found Dorothy Darling annoying, she got on my nerves. I found myself skimming through her dialogue and “diary” or log that she kept of every little thing she saw going on in the building. Kat was more enjoyable for me, but the relationship between these two woman seemed unlikely.

Reggie, the dog was my favorite character. Sorry but 2.5 is all I can honestly give this effort. My sincere thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read the e-ARC and give my personal opinion.

I loved the characters, especially Dorothy and her crankiness and set ways. At times it was a little slow for me but fits in nicely with the cosy mysteries and amateaur investigative stories.

This book was delightful! Take a building filled with very unique tenants and mix in an eviction and see what happens. Hidden secrets, guilt, and a sense of righteousness bind the residents of Shelly House together. Families are destroyed by drugs, death, and manipulation. Nosy Neighbors brings an unexpected group together in a united front. Kat with her pink hair and tattoos joining forces with Ms. Dorothy Darling, the tea drinking elderly resident becomes a wonderful relationship. This is my first novel by the author. It won’t be my last. I received a copy from Netgalley.