This was a tough book for me to read for personal reasons. I found myself sobbing more than once. So, I’ll start by warning that there are several triggers: death of a child, neglect and abandonment, involuntary eviction, and grief.

Like Sampson’s first book, The Last Chance Library, this story centers around a group of unlikely collaborators who come together to save a place that is special to all of them. In the process of working on a common cause, they not only get to know each other, but also learn more about themselves. In the former, the female protagonist is a shy, reclusive, 30-year-old librarian who emerges from her grief over losing her mother when she realizes that the mission to save the library is worth the risk. In the process, she finds community and love with a former classmate who comes to their aid.

In Nosy Neighbors, there are two female protagonists who are initially at odds. Seventy-four-year-old Dorothy has spent the past thirty years noting the comings and goings of her neighbors at Shelley House, but only speaking to them when she wants to complain and lecture them about what she’s observed. The comfort and familiarity of her home is rocked when 25-year-old, pink-haired and tatted Kat becomes the latest of her neighbor Joseph’s illegal tenants, her arrival quickly followed by the shocking news that they’re going to be evicted from their home by their negligent landlord and developer.

Over the next several weeks, as Dorothy, Joseph, Kat and Will, a local newspaper reporter who has caught Kat’s eye, work to save Shelley House, they find themselves opening up about their past traumas and the way their experiences have influenced their behavior and life choices. One glaringly clear theme is that we can’t begin to know what causes people to act the way they do, and that rudeness, diffidence, and even affability can be masks they wear to hide their pain. It’s also about forgiveness. Even when people’s words and actions have caused immeasurable pain, the act of forgiving them or even forgiving yourself is the only way to move forward.

Sampson writes with sensitivity and compassion. Her characters are complex, and represent the best and worst of us but, except for the villain, there is goodness in all of them. If you like women’s fiction with depth, small English village settings, rooting for the underdog, and authors like Jill Mansell, Jenny Colgan, and Debbie Johnson, you’re sure to enjoy Nosy Neighbors.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Berkley through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Nosy Neighbors is a community of neighbors in the crumbling Shelley House where a cozy mystery takes place. There are two narratives where the first is 25-year-old Kat Bennett and the other is 77-year-old Dorothy Darling. While the two characters are the main storytellers, the story includes the tales and personalities of the other tenants, which reminded me of the work by Fredrik Backman. The other tenants include widower Omar Siddiq and his daughter Ayesha, Joseph and his Jack Russell Terrier Reggie, Gloria Brown, and Tomas and his pit bull Princess. When Shelley House is at risk of being destroyed, the residents all come together to try and save the historic building.

The incorporation of the mystery element as things keeps happening to the tenants reminded me of Sampson’s other work, The Lost Ticket. The mystery element carries through the story, but the real spotlight is on the various characters. Each character has their own backstory and role in the story which all weaves together nicely. The emotions are more tragic compared to “Ticket,” so this is still a feel-good story, but not as much as I expected. The pacing of the story takes awhile for all the revelations to occur, so there were moments that I wished some occurred sooner. The concept of the story was interesting, and I continued to enjoy Sampson’s writing. By comparison, I think “Ticket” was a little better than this one, but I still enjoyed it. Overall, I look forward to reading more from Sampson in the future.

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Berkley, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

Charming! Intriguing! Heartwarming!

Freya Sampson’s Nosy Neighbors debuted this week and it was a breath of fresh air! If you are a fan of Fredrik Backman, you will LOVE this book. It had that perfect blend of being charming, wholesome, and unputdownable. You will leave this book absolutely loving the characters like they are your own quirky family!

What’s it about?

Set over one turbulent summer in an historic building called Shelley House—the book tells the story of the tenants of the six flats who call Shelley House home, and the real estate developer who’s trying to get it torn down.

Flat #2 is the home of 77-year-old Dorothy, the longest-tenured (and most cantankerous) resident of Shelley House. Dorothy spends her days keeping a meticulous record of the comings and goings at Shelley House in a special notebook. She may seem nosy, but Dorothy has a reason she has adopted this practice that hits very close to home.

Flat #1 is the home of Joseph Chambers—the second longest-tenured resident. Though Joseph and Dorothy have been neighbors for a long time, they haven’t spoken in decades. When Joseph (illegally, as Dorothy points out) sublets his spare room to 25-year-old, pink-haired Kat, Dorothy takes an instant disliking to her. Kat doesn’t want any trouble, though. She is hiding a lot about her past and who she is, as well as her history in the town.

When the tenants learn that a developer is appealing to demolish Shelley House, they come together to discuss what to do. Joseph is bold enough to protest daily outside the landlord’s office with his dog Reggie, until Kat finds him knocked out on the floor after a fall. Was it an accident, or intentional? Dorothy and Kat form a begrudging duo as they look into Joseph’s fall and how to stop Shelley House from being demolished.

Who are the other tenants and characters?

Flat #1 is the home of Dorothy, as described previously. Dorothy has a lot of backstory that the reader learns as the story unfolds, some of it relating to Joseph Chambers, the resident in Flat #2. When Kat moves in, Joseph tells her that her sublet comes with home cooked dinner every night, which Kat shies away from initially. But when Joseph tells her he’ll leave it in the refrigerator for her because he has had a hard time adjusting to cooking for one, Kat comes around (and the reader gets a hint about the backstory to come).

Flat #3 has been the home to Omar and Fatima Saddiq and their daughter Ayesha for the last seven years. Until six months ago, that is, when Dorothy noted that Fatima and Omar left the building together. A few weeks later a hearse pulled up to the building alongside a dark limousine which Omar and Ayesha got into. After that the delicious cooking scents wafting from Flat #3 stopped.

Flat #4 has a relatively new tenant inside, whom Dorothy describes as “uncouth” and “antisocial”. There also happens to be a lingering scent of marijuana emanating from the man occupying flat #4 and loud music playing 24/7 since the new tenant moved in. He is constantly throwing loud parties and generally seems to irritate all the other tenants.

Flat #5 is the home of Tomasz Wojcik, an eastern European man who has a dog named Princess. Dorothy doesn’t think favorably of Tomasz, who she often refers to as a “thug” in her notes. Tomasz and Joseph have ongoing conflict because their dogs don’t get along. Tomasz also works in construction and has familiarity with the legalities around the demolition.

Flat #6 is occupied by Gloria Brown, who moved into Shelley House ten years prior and looks good in spandex but has terrible taste in men. Gloria has a string of no-good boyfriends and relationship woes, starting with the Jamaican man with the sparkling eyes and most recently a slack-jawed oaf in leather, who hasn’t been seen around the building since a big fight about one week ago.

Why should you read it?

Freya Sampson has that wonderful gift of being able to flesh out characters in very few words. I could easily picture the tenants of Shelley House from Dorothy’s brief notes and musings on their comings and goings. Nosy Neighbors is character-driven over plot-driven, which isn’t to say the plot isn’t also outstanding. What stuck with me most from the book, though, were the characters themselves and their relationships.

This is a story of a found-family full of strange and sometimes annoying people who all have a common goal of keeping their homes. The threat of demolition is a catalyst to bring the central tension to the main cast, but it isn’t the focus of the book. Joseph Chambers’s fall a few weeks into his protest seems suspicious at best. There are plenty of squabbles among the residents that make Dorothy suspicious, but Kat is the perfect balance to Dorothy’s meticulous fixation on the comings and goings at Shelley House. Kat considers whether someone else could have entered the building and been responsible for Joseph’s accident.

Readers won’t be able to help but feel charmed by Kat and Dorothy. This unlikely duo are well matched to tackle this case, between Kat’s scrappiness and Dorothy’s stern persistence. As the story unfolds we also learn more about all of the characters, including Kat and Dorothy. They both have things they never speak about, but when those come to light, will others judge them or accept them? This story is full of surprises and revelations that keep it lively and heartfelt from start to finish.

One of the takeaways from this story is that the surface characteristics that we unintentionally (or sometimes intentionally) project to others is not who we are at our core. Each of these characters could almost be a stereotype at the beginning, but by the end of the story these are fully-fleshed, authentic, well-rounded people. Some of the stories about the characters are heartbreaking, but the book itself feels full of hope in each chapter. There is a magic to Sampson’s writing that brings a charm and coziness to even heavy themes.

Absolutely heartwarming!

While this one wasn't a favorite of Freya's. I still did enjoy the humor it this one and it ended up being a quick read. She has quickly become an auto read author of mine.

Nosy Neighbors is a feel good story about found family among unlikely characters living in Shelley House. There’s Kat, who is running from her past but is now renting a room from Joseph. Joseph is living alone and seems to crave company. He’s the typical spritely grandfather who loves to cook for his tenants and be involved in the community. Next door is Dorothy, the crankiest septuagenarian in the building. She’s the unofficial “guard”, noting all the infractions of the neighbors and writing them down in a notebook! There are also other quirky side characters making up the other tenants of Shelley House. I love reading about them and getting to know them, especially Dorothy’s back story. The relationships formed between the characters and how they eventually came together to save their home from being demolished is both a delight and emotional to read! There’s a bit of mystery thrown in as well so there’s something for everyone. Nosy Neighbors is already out! If you have the chance, do grab this book. It’ll surely brighten up your day!!!

This is my second Sampson book and it didn’t disappoint. I love her writing and her does such a great job at creating unique characters. I loved the plot and characters of this story. I will definitely be reading more of her books!

This was a fun cozy mystery. I loved the characters, some I wasn't so sure about at first but as the story progressed they grew on me and was so happy how things ended up playing out for them. Dorothy and Kat were my favorites I loved how Dorothy went from a nosy neighbor who didn't want to build any relationships with the others that lived in Shelly House to someone who gave advice, fought for what she wanted, and became like family to the residents.

I loved Kats backstory and even when she had plans of moving on still took the time to try and find a way to save Shelly House. Dorothy was a fun and once you find out more about her past it really puts who she now into a new perspective. I loved seeing everyone work together to save their home, and take care of Dorothy when she needed it. While this isn't really action packed, it was perfectly paced and the characters really draw you into the story and make you want to continue reading until you reach the very end.

Synopsis: An unlikely crew of neighbors band together to solve a crime and stop the demolition of their historic apartment building.

Thoughts: Calling all cozy mystery fans! This was such a fun, heartwarming story! Let me introduce you to the charming cast of characters because they are the heart and soul of this book. We have 25-year old Kat, newest tenant of Shelley house who is subletting from Joseph, a kind older man with an adorable dog named Reggie. Kat seems unfriendly and strange with her pink hair, but she has painful memories to overcome. The nosiest neighbor, Dorothy, is Shelley House’s longest tenant. She keeps to herself, but keeps a close eye on her neighbors - and her reasons for doing so are unexpected. Other neighbors include Gloria, who is constantly dating the wrong kind of men, Tomasz and his pit bull Princess, recently widowed Omar and his teenage daughter Ayesha who are struggling to adjust to life without their wife/mother, and a mysterious anti-social tenant who is always partying. The way these characters come together is so fun, and Sampson tells the story with humor and a little suspense. It’s the perfect combination for a cozy mystery.

Read this if you like:
👀 cozy mysteries
👀 found family vibes
👀 quirky characters

I have some mixed feelings about this one, folks. It starts off strong. I got sucked into the characters and story pretty quickly, but then I found the middle dragged. I’m all for a cozy mystery where the pace isn’t pulse-pounding, but in this case, I found it a bit repetitive in a way that didn’t move the story forward much. I will say the end was great and had me tearing up (in a good way), so it was worth hanging in there for that.

I loved Kat and Dorothy, although that may be an unpopular opinion, as they were hard to love initially. The story is told from both of their perspectives in alternating chapters. They’re both incredibly interesting characters. These ladies couldn’t be more different, but they both struggle with terrible guilt and shame over something in their pasts. Both of them are stuck and can’t move forward.
I loved how this unlikely duo ended up teaming up. It wasn’t the sort of scenario where they put their differences aside for the betterment of all involved. In keeping with their characters, it’s really quite reluctant. Kat keeps only one foot in while preparing to run. Dorothy manipulates Kat in the most delightful ways. It made for an interesting story.

If you are looking for a slower-paced mystery with not a lot of gore, well-developed characters, and an uplifting ending, give this one a try.

Quirky characters, an historic building named for a poet, a greedy landlord, shenanigans, mystery, alliances, backstories, relationships, good plot-what more could a reader want? I highly recommend this engaging novel.

I was so excited when I saw that Freya Sampson had a new book out - Nosy Neighbors! (Don't you love that cover!)

I love my mystery and thriller reads, but the books that stick with me a bit longer are those that tug at my heart strings. And Freya Sampson's books are at the top of the list.

What will you find inside? A crochety, seventy seven year old woman named Dorothy Darling. She's lived in apartment two in Shelley House for over thirty years. She keeps herself busy by watching out her front window and inside the building, noting things down in her logbook - the repairs needed, when someone comes or goes from the building and much more. The latest tenant is tattooed, pink haired Kat. And the two of them clash immediately.

But, the lives of all the tenants of Shelley House are all going to change when... Yes, I'm stopping there, leaving you to find out what happens next.

Sampson keeps us guessing (and turning pages) as to what the secrets are that Kat and Dorothy have each been hiding for many years.

The characters are all wonderfully drawn and it was easy to create detailed mental images of them all. All good tales have a dog, and in this case it's Reggie - who steals the show more than once.

Uh huh, all the right elements are in place for a 'tug at your heartstrings' read. Love lost, love found, loneliness, friendship, purpose, meaning and connections. What we all need - people, not things.

Nosy Neighbors is another great read from Freya Samson and I will be eagerly awaiting her next book.

In this story we have Dorothy who has been apart of the Shelley House apartment/community for quite sometime. She knows all the comings and going of the building. Oh and she keeps a running diary of all the happening too. Yes, she’s THAT neighbor. Our plot is centered around Dorothy, new comer Kat, and Joseph another longtime resident. When Joseph is attacked one day Dorothy and Kat band together to figure out who attacked him. They must also come together to save the historic Shelley house from being snatched away from the community of residents. Along the way, Kat and Dorothy and the residents form friendships. Some soon become rocky once secrets of Shelley house are trusted and everything becomes chaotic and not just about the attack of Joseph.

I really enjoyed this one. There is mystery, a bit of romance, secrets, and drama. There is also an emotional side to this to story that includes forgiveness of others and self. The author did a great job of telling this story with all the different plot pieces. I listened to the audiobook and I loved Sarah Lambie as the narrator. She did the character of Dorothy so well and made her shine and brought her to life as the 𝑁𝑜𝑠𝑦 𝑁𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑏𝑜𝑟! Pairing the physical and audio made the entire book come to life!

Also, for those that love animals in stories, Joseph’s dog Reggie stole part of the show for me as well.

Nosy Neighbors is a delightful, cozy crime mystery that captivated me from start to finish. The novel follows a duo of mismatched sleuths who ingeniously bring together the wary residents of a London apartment building, creating a heartwarming tale of a found family. Filled with warmth and charm, this story left me eager for more.

****Unpopular opinion*****

I wanted to like this book more than I did but this was a struggle. Dorothy and Kat were mostly unlikeable characters and their interactions felt forced. Dorothy was the more annoying character with her incessant complaining, especially in her diary....

Honestly I skim read most of this. Disappointing.

Cannot recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley, Freya Sampson and Berkley Publishing Group for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 4/2/2024

4.5⭐

Built in 1891, Shelley House in the village of Chalcot is one of the few historic buildings in the neighborhood that is still standing. The building houses several tenants, some of whom like seventy-seven-year-old Dorothy Darling have called Shelley House their home for over three decades. Besides Dorothy, the other tenants, occupying a total of six flats are – Dorothy’s long-time neighbor Joseph (with whom she has not spoken to in decades) and his Jack Russell Terrier Reggie; recently widowed Omar and his teenage daughter Ayesha; Gloria whose tumultuous love life has led to more than one spectacle in front of her neighbors; Tomasz whose ill-mannered pit bull Princess terrorizes Reggie and Dorothy’s anti-social upstairs neighbor whose constant ruckus and loud music are a constant cause of annoyance. Dorothy is a loner who spends much time keeping an eye on the goings on in the building, diligently noting down her observations, forwarding complaints to the landlord, and calling out her neighbors when she sees them breaking community rules. Needless to say, she isn’t too popular among the residents who consider her a “nosy” old lady who just can't seem to mind her own business. When Joseph illegally sublets one room in his apartment to a young woman with dyed pink hair, Dorothy takes an instant dislike to Kat, a feeling that is reciprocated. Twenty-five-year-old Kat is also wary of her new neighbors and prefers to be left alone. She has her own reasons for being back in Chalcot – painful memories and secrets that have followed her into her adulthood. However, unforeseen events result in Kat being drawn into the ongoing drama in Shelley House after the tenants are served eviction notices. The narrative follows these characters as they are forced to set their differences aside and band together to save Shelley House from the clutches of a greedy real estate developer who could resort to any means to get what he wants.

Nosy Neighbors by Freya Sampson is a beautifully written novel that revolves around themes of home and community, found family and forgiveness with an element of mystery woven into the narrative. The narrative is presented from the perspectives of Dorothy and Kat. Both characters have a distinct role to play in this story and I appreciated how the author weaves the backstories of the main characters and several sub-plots revolving around the supporting characters into the primary narrative. The author shines in depicting the interpersonal relationships between the characters and there is never a dull moment in the story. The story emphasizes the need for communication, kindness and empathy for those who might be struggling and how it is often easy to judge people without understanding the reasons why people might behave in a certain way. Both Kat’s and Dorothy’s backstories are heartbreaking, but I am glad that the author chose to end the story on a hopeful and positive note. The novel explores several sensitive topics such as grief, addiction, loneliness and aging, childhood trauma, abusive relationships and neglect, among others, and does so with much compassion and emotional depth. Consistent pacing, realistic and relatable themes, endearing characters and a satisfying ending make for an engaging read. Despite some heavy themes, this is a heartwarming story that will strike a chord in your heart.

This is my third time reading Freya Sampson. I thoroughly enjoyed The Last Chance Library and The Lost Ticket and I can say the same for her latest offering. Read this one with your heart and you won’t be disappointed.

Many thanks to Berkley Publishing Group for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Dorothy Darling (Ms. not Mrs, thank you very much) may be 77 years old, but she keeps herself busy watching over the crumbling Victorian mansion where she has lived in Flat 2 on the ground floor for over 30 years. From her seat behind her net curtain with a clear view of the street, she dutifully notes each infraction in her notebook, such as improper parking or recycling included with the trash, and shares these notes with her neighbors and the owner of the building. Suspicious car parked outside? She’s jotted down the number. Inhabitants of Flat 6 fighting again? She’ll go up and knock on the door. She takes the time to prowl the building every day, just to make sure everything’s in order, putting up aggressive notices about unsafe storage and unclaimed mail. And she’s, well, less than impressed by her newest neighbor, a young woman with pink hair and tattoos who is subletting a room from an elderly man named Joseph in Flat 1.

The feeling is mutual. 25-year-old Kat Bennett isn’t sure what she’s doing back in Chacolet. Her happiest childhood memories are of times spent on her grandfather’s farm on the outskirts of the village, but a childhood spent being dragged from one dangerous living situation to another by her addict mother has left her determined to not trust anyone, and her relationship with her grandfather was destroyed when she was 10. She and Dorothy quickly clash, but she finds herself undermined by her gentle flatmate Joseph and his charming terrier Reggie. Joseph even cooks for her. So when each member of the building gets an eviction notice, she reluctantly joins her neighbors in protesting the destruction of the historic site.

When Joseph is attacked and his apartment ransacked, things begin to heat up. Kat and Dorothy form a most unlikely pair, each of them ready to hurl insults at a moment’s notice and regret in private. Dorothy’s list of potential suspects is quickly about a mile long, and Kat keeps wanting to flee Shelley House as she has every other dwelling. Can they save the now-decrepit mansion, or will it fall to development like everything else?

Stories about quirky people who hurt because they are hurt are hard to get right. They can so easily become sentimental and two-dimensional. But Nosy Neighbors hits the perfect note every time. Yes, gradually Dorothy and Kat become less prickly around each other, but the ending isn’t as nice and neat as you might be expecting. Instead the characters are realistic and have some depth to them. I loved this book and absolutely devoured it. Highly recommended!

Twenty-five year old Kat and 77 year old Dorothy are the unlikeliest of friends, especially since they are guarded and each haunted by secrets from their past. However, the two team up to save their home when the historic Shelley House is threatened to be demolished. As they work to save their home, strange things begin happening and the duo is determined to find justice for their neighbor who was targeted.

While this book has a bit of mystery and romance it is really at its heart a story about community and found family. This book was far more emotional than I initially expected, especially when some of the neighbors' secrets were revealed. Freya Sampson writes characters with so much depth to them and while the characters all seemed to be so different it was heartwarming to see how they ultimately came together.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the advance copy.

“My mum always says a home isn’t about bricks and mortar but the people in it.”

Seventy-seven year old Dorothy Darling is such a curmudgeon and I just LOVED her! One of my favorite characters I’ve read recently.

4.5 star rounded up! This one started off a little slow but then, as the story starts to unfold, it grips you emotionally and doesn’t let go. This cast of characters have so much heart, soul, and goodness it makes me feel warm and fuzzy. Do they have their demons? Yup. But it’s those demons and the forgiveness and understanding that helps to battle them that makes this book so endearing and compulsively readable.

Weaved throughout this story is a murder mystery, but that truly takes a back seat to these neighbors trying to save their home, the historic Shelley House. The house itself is a character, and a main one at that. I am so pleasantly surprised at how much I ended up loving this book! The audio is great as I could listen to a British accent on a loop. Beautiful accent. Beautiful and emotional narration. I simply loved it!

Thank you @PRHAudio for the complimentary #audiobook and Netgalley, Berkley Publishing, and the author for the ARC.

Nosy Neighbors by Freya Sampson

Thank you so much PRH Audio, Berkley Publishing, and NetGalley for the free audiobook & ebook.

Blurb:
Two neighbors at war band together to stop a dangerous criminal in their midst on this enthralling new novel.

✨ My thoughts:
I can’t remember the last cozy mystery I gave five stars to but this one definitely deserves all of the stars! I started reading this as an ebook but with the busy weekend I knew I needed to request the audiobook… and thank goodness I was approved for it. This is a book you will not want to put down! I loved being able to switch between ebook and audiobook and guess what?! I will be buying a physical copy to keep keep on my shelves forever too! Sarah Lambie narrated the audiobook and she was amazing! I will be recommending every version of this book to friends and family. This book had way more depth than your standard cozy and I’m here for it! Honestly, this book was perfect and it was exactly what I needed. Nosy Neighbors is out tomorrow 4/2/24 and you’ll want to get your hands on it.

Happy reading! 📖

Nosy Neighbors by Freya Sampson is a fun, sweet cozy mystery. When Kat first visits Shelley House, Dorothy does not approve of her as a potential neighbor and nearly chases her away. However, Kat ends up subleasing one of the apartments and she's thrust into an apartment building where all of the neighbors dislike each other. Dorothy has lived in Shelley House almost her entire life. When she learns that there are plans to tear down the building, she agrees to work with her neighbors to save her home.
This had so many incredible, well-written characters and a gentle cozy mystery that kept me engaged. I loved Dorothy and Kat's growth throughout the novel and the way the neighbors banded together.