Lovely found family book-strong characters, fun plot.with just enough of a mystery to keep things moving. I really appreciated the fact that the struggles two of the characters face show the backward/forward trajectory that a lot of growth entails-people in real life don't just have an epiphany and never make the same mistake twice, and it doesn't mean they don't learn and eventually figure it out!

*Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review and to PRH Audio for the gifted ALC*

This book is so cozy and quirky and quintessentially British. I love a found family book, especially when it has to do with a community uniting over a common goal. Here it's because of a string of upcoming evictions, followed by a resident of Shelley House being attacked. Kat and Dorothy are such characters, especially when they team up to sleuth. I also really enjoyed learning about their backstories as the story progressed, as most residents have a past with relevance to the story. Ultimately it was a great listen with just enough drama to keep me interested, while still feeling heartwarming.

I thought this book had a very fun premise - two people who could not be more different teaming up to stop their eviction from their old apartment building that's set to be torn down - but I feel like at the end of the day I found both Kat and Dorothy utterly insufferable and found it really hard to root for them. It's a slower paced book, which isn't necessarily a bad thing on its own, but I found it to be a little boring, which was rough. The mystery itself had a lot of fun moments as they uncovered things, and I liked the side characters a lot, but it was too much of Kat and Dorothy being stubborn and annoying for me to fully enjoy this book.

I absolutely loved this book! The story line, the characters, all couldn’t have been more satisfying. Kat is an angry young woman, looking for a temporary home, as she often moved from place to place, finding a room share with a resident of Shelley House. Dorothy is an older woman, a nosy neighbor who keeps a diary of all goings on in the building she lived in for over thirty years. When all kinds of malicious acts keep occurring, the residents of Shelley House are facing eviction as well as harassment. The beauty of the story is the developing relationships and community spirit amongst a group of mismatched tenants. Highly recommended for a heartwarming, well written story. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This is a heartwarming account of the group of people living in the historic Shelley House when they are notified the building is slated for demolition. The focus is the interpersonal relationships among the residents, and the author dug deep into these relationships and made me care about them - especially Dorothy and Kat. The story is told from two points of views, Dorothy's who is in her seventies and has lived in Shelley House for ages, and Kat's who is new to Shelley House. Dorothy is a cantankerous, grumpy woman who seems to hate or dislike everyone. She is the self-appointed monitor of everything related to Shelley House, but is ignoring the fact that she needs to move. Kat has trust issues and is afraid to create relationships with anyone. I loved reading about the residents and their problems and interactions with each other. It kept me interested. The plot moved well and the book overall was well written. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys books with a feel good story

Oh gosh, nothing makes me happier than picking up a cozy mystery like this one. Full of British wit and a group of entertaining characters… Nosy Neighbour was the easy read I needed.

Quirky, cozy and fun.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and the author for my gifted physical copy and eARC to read and review!

Who doesn’t love a story about a neighborhood curmudgeon befriended by an outcast with trust issues, both running from secrets of the past, surrounded by a cast of quirky, unreliable characters that have to come together to solve a mystery, fight for their home and for each other?! It’s got “feel good” written all over it and that’s exactly what this is!

With themes of found family, forgiveness, reconciliation and second chances … this cozy mystery pulled at my heartstrings and made me giggle a bit too! I had the best time with this one!

This is a cute cozy mystery with a quirky set of characters who all live in the same apartment building, Shelley House. The oldest, and longest term resident, is Dorothy. She thinks it’s her job to make sure that the residents behave themselves and respect the rules of the building. She keeps a log of who entered the building and what time.

What was once an elegant building is now shoddy and rundown, but Dorothy’s standards are the same. Lately she’s upset because a girl named Kat is illegally subletting a room from her neighbor Joseph, who she considers her nemesis.

Everything changes when Joseph is attacked in his own apartment. Kat finds him in time but must take care of his dog, and she needs Dorothy’s help. They band together with the other residents to figure out who attacked Joseph. At the same time, the residents all find out that the building owner is evicting everyone and tearing down the building.

I enjoyed watching both Dorothy and Kat get back to living, and I enjoyed getting to know all the residents of Shelley House. 4 stars.

Thanks to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressede in this review are completely my own.

Dorothy Darling has a busy day ahead. Despite being retired and 77, she keeps a close eye on the happenings at Shelley House, as she has for years. She organizes the post and takes stock of the building as well as its tenants, and she marks it all down in her diary. When she finds things that are amiss and needing to be fixed, she alerts the landlord. She does this every day, much to the chagrin of the other tenants.

Kat Bennett needs a place to stay. She never stays in places too long, and she’s not sure why she came to Chalcot anyway. She found a room she could rent in Shelley House, and while the building has clearly seen better days, the rent is cheap and the room is clean and inviting. She’s renting the room from Joseph who has a small dog named Reggie and who likes to cook. There are worse things than working at a restaurant all day washing dishes to come home to a home-cooked meal. Kat doesn’t plan on staying long anyway, so it’s not that big a deal. And when all the tenants get eviction notices, Kat just thinks it’s her time to move on.

But one day when Kat comes home from work, she finds Joseph on the floor of the flat. Reggie is barking like crazy, and when Kat gets closer to him, she sees a pool of blood around Joseph’s head. She calls for an ambulance, and they take Joseph to the hospital. But that leaves Reggie needing someone to take care of him. She’s already lined up another place to live and is getting ready to move out, but who will take care of the dog?

Kat asks Dorothy, but the older woman refuses. She doesn’t want anything to do with Reggie. But it turns out that she does want some information that Kat could get for her, so she decides to make a deal with the young woman with pink hair. If Kat talks to Joseph’s ex-wife for Dorothy, then Dorothy will help take care of Reggie while Kat is at work.

While Joseph is in a coma in the hospital, there is a break-in at his apartment, and then another at Dorothy’s that leaves her wounded. Kat and some of the other tenants try to figure out if someone is breaking in on purpose, and if it has anything to do with the evictions. The landlord is known for harassing tenants in other business deals, but would it possible to connect him with these break-ins, with the injuries that put two tenants in the hospital? And if they could connect the landlord with these events, would it be enough to save Shelley House from demolition?

As the tenants come together to care for Joseph, who they all liked, and Dorothy, who they all tolerated, some of them decide to fight for the future of Shelley House. But will it be enough, or will the homes they love come to ruin, and the greedy landlord who refused to care for the place simply become richer at their expense?

Nosy Neighbors is a light crime novel with lots of secrets, questions, and heart. From the description I was anticipating a frothy thriller with charming moments and some sweet humor. But that is not what this book is. It’s really a look at the secrets we hold on to and how they look different with time and compassion.

Dorothy and Kat are both stuck in mistakes of their pasts, holding themselves responsible for things that were not what they seemed, and it’s only by finally letting down their guard and letting others know the truth about them that they could find the forgiveness that they both have desperately needed. Author Freya Sampson has crafted this world of Shelley House and brought together these characters who need to find each other in order to find their way home. It’s lovely and moving and sweet, and we would be better off with friends like these in our lives.

Egalleys for Nosy Neighbors were provided by Berkley through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Thank you @berkleypub for my complimentary digital copy. My thoughts are my own.

This is a well-written and fun read!

DOROTHY DARLING is a crotchety old lady who lives in a Victorian apartment building. She spends her days observing her neighbors with a notebook in hand, recording every infraction!

KAT BENNETT is the pink-haired young woman who is the illegal tenant of Dorothy’s across the hall neighbor, Joseph. REGGIE is the adorable dog that Dorothy does not want anything to do with!

When the apartment building is listed for demolition, Dorothy and her neighbors know they must do something about it. As they reluctantly begin to work together, they soon realize that everyone has a story.

At first, I thought this was a cozy mystery. One of the neighbors gets injured and Dorothy is on the case. But it turned out to be much more than this! This is a humorous and heart-warming story with themes of forgiveness. The characters are well-developed and their stories will tug at your heart strings.

I enjoyed both the print and the audio versions. The narrator, Sarah Lambie, does a great job with the voices and carries the humor well!

Read this if you enjoy:
*
heart-warming stories

*humorous fiction

*crotchety, quirky, and well-developed characters

Two women join forces to save a historic residential building from being demolished. Freya Sampson's new novel, Nosy Neighbors, is narrated by Dorothy, an elderly curmudgeon, who spends her days recording the comings and goings of her fellow neighbors in a notebook, and Kat, her new twenty-something neighbor, with a chip on her shoulder.

I absolutely loved the author's previous novel, The Lost Ticket, which, similarly to Nosy Neighbors, revolves between the unlikely friendship of people from different generations. With Nosy Neighbors, we get another heartwarming story that has a deeper meaning at its core and a cozy mystery interwoven in its plot. There were many parts that tugged at my heartstrings, which I wasn't expecting. My one gripe is with the mystery. It was a sizeable part of the plot, but I thought its resolution felt too rushed.

A great intergenerational, feel-good novel about a grumpy old lady who spies on her neighbors and a young woman whose always on the move and the way the residents of one building come together to prevent a group eviction.

Full of heart, secrets, and a charming cast of diverse characters. This was an enjoyable read sure to warm your heart and remind you of the good in people. Great on audio and highly recommended for fans of books like Vera Wong's unsolicited advice for murderers and The brilliant life of Eudora Honeysett.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This was another big hit for me by British author Freya Sampson, whose The last chance library I adored!

CW: accidental death of a child, homelessness

Dorothy Darling has called Shelley House her home for decades and refuses to consider anywhere else home. Kat Bennett has never felt at home anywhere and has barely moved into Shelley Home, and as an illegal tenant at that. When the building faces demolishment and strange things start happening around the building, Kat and Dorothy, along with the rest of the residents to bring the criminal to justice and try and save their home.

Alternating between Dorothy and Kat, this story focuses on the themes of community and what makes a home. I unexpectedly found myself laughing at Dorothy, who ended up being my favorite character. Sampson has packed quite a bit into this story, and while the first half felt slow, by the end I was clamoring to keep getting to know the residents of Shelley House. Though somewhat predictable, this was a sweet story that is perfect for anyone needing a heartwarming read.


Nosy Neighbors is out now! Huge thank you to Berkley for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof.books or on Tiktok @speakingof.books

Less of a mystery and more about how the residents are attempting to stop their eviction. Interesting characters clash and then become friends.

Thank you to @prhaudio for my complimentary audiobook, and to Berkley and NetGalley for my complimentary eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I adored Nosy Neighbors.
All is not as it seems at Shelly House and I could not wait to find out all the secrets!
Everyone has a stake in saving their home, but Dorothy has the best reason of all.
This is a heart breaking story of grief and forgiveness, but with a hint of mystery of romance.

If you enjoyed The Lost Ticket (thank you so much for the shout out to Bus 88) then you will enjoy Nosy Neighbors too.

Sarah Lambie has a very pleasant listening voice and made for a very enjoyable listen while walking.

Nosy Neighbors by Freya Sampson is an intriguing & surprisingly heartwarming cozy mystery with unique depth & interesting storytelling. Nosy Neighbors showcases the importance of community as well as the journeys of grief, forgiveness & healing in the midst of tough times.

Nosy Neighbors is great for fans of…
🧡 Cozy Mystery
🧡 One Apartment Building Setting
🧡 Fascinating Characters
🧡 Found Family

This is a mystery with quite the ensemble cast but it’s powered at the helm by a somewhat grouchy older woman & a young woman trying to find her place in the world. Both women have pasts that keep being dragged into their presents & they form an unexpected bond. I also appreciate mysteries that take place in one setting like this one being in England, but specifically just one rundown apartment building.

If you are a fan of Vera’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q, Sutanto, you should enjoy this one as well because while entirely unique, they reminded me of each other!

If you’re looking for a lovely & endearing cozy mystery with a wonderful cast of characters, then I highly recommend checking out Nosy Neighbors!

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

Looking for a not-quite cozy mystery that features wonderfully stubborn women, slimy landlords, and a trail of misfortune? Then you should definitely check out Nosy Neighbors by Freya Sampson!
This was such a fun read, with some heavy-hitting and emotional moments. Our two main characters, Kat and Dorothy, are each struggling with their past and have the tendency to shut everyone else out. As they begin to work together, there’s lots of fun banter with moments of vulnerability and growth sprinkled in. I really liked that both women have journeys of personal growth, and that Dorothy wasn’t used as a “wise elder” with nothing left to learn.
The rest of the housemates add several layers of chaos and crazy into the mix. I really enjoyed the little tidbits we got of their personal lives, while still focusing on Kat and Dorothy. As the crew worked together to save their home and solve several mysteries, I found myself getting attached to the group. And as I got closer to the ending, I was 100% tearing up at the dynamics between the housemates!
I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a cozy thriller. It’s not crazy intense, but there are some heightened moments, including a break-in, several attacks, and multiple cases of long term harassment. Instead of a crazy ending that gives you whiplash, everything gets tied up nicely, and there’s a wonderful feeling of resolution by the epilogue.
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

I started out the month of April with a five star audiobook! I highly recommend grabbing a copy! The audiobook is top notch and Sarah Lambie gives a stellar performance, especially for Dorothy!

This is a cozy mystery full of heart and hilarity. Dorothy is a nosy, in-your-face, keeper of the rules and my favorite character by far. Everyone is likable but Dorothy has the funniest comebacks, especially when she’s trying to be serious.

Dorothy has made it her mission to ensure everyone who lives in Shelley House strictly complies with all posted and non-posted instructions. She’s a curmudgeon through and through. When Kat shows up to “illegally” sublet a room in a neighboring unit, Dorothy is completely thrown for a loop. The only thing these two can agree on is that Shelley House must be saved from demolition at all costs. Something nefarious is brewing, the cops don’t have any real evidence, and these two enemies-turned-sleuths are the only ones who can crack the case.

If you love unlikely friendships, witty comebacks, dogs who steal the show, and long-buried secrets, you should definitely add this one to your list!

This is an absolutely delightful, cozy mystery. I love the fact that it deals with someone who thinks there’s something going on in their neighborhood. So there are neighbor shenanigans, but there is also a mystery that is interesting and keeps you captivated from start to finish. The characters are interesting and likable for the most part. I really enjoyed the book.

Big thank you to @netgalley for the advanced copy of Nosy Neighbours by Freya Sampson which just published yesterday! This was the first book I’ve read by Sampson and it was such a quick and fun read!

The oddball cast of characters in this cozy mystery were so lovable and gave me Only Murders in the Building vibes! This story definitely opens up focusing on a mystery of what exactly is happening as tenants are receiving eviction notices in their apartment building, but quickly becomes more about the relationships formed as the situation unfolds.

The way the tenants end up pulling together gave me the warm fuzzies and I really found this book to be more beautiful than I anticipated! I also have such a soft spot for stories with unlikely friendships being forged between characters with large age differences which was a recurring theme as well.

Also, there’s a dog!!! Who doesn’t love a sweet story with a dog?!

Highly recommend checking this new release out!