Busybodies: A Collection is a delightful anthology featuring six captivating, quirky tales that will keep readers hooked from start to finish. Featuring stories from Elle Cosimano, Jesse Q. Sutanto, Emma Rosenblum, Nita Prose, Kellye Garrett, and Alicia Thompson, this collection revolves around amateur sleuths—everyday people who, whether through curiosity, chance, or a bit of nosiness, find themselves tangled in mysteries far beyond their control.

The stories blend hair-raising suspense with hilarious moments, as these "busybody" characters get in way over their heads, investigating everything from mysterious neighbors to long-buried secrets. Each story is uniquely entertaining, showcasing a different perspective on the amateur detective trope, from meddling relatives to gossipy friends, all of whom unwittingly find themselves in the middle of a puzzle they can't resist solving.

With a mix of humor, suspense, and wit, Busybodies is a perfect collection for fans of cozy mysteries and lighthearted crime-solving. It's an enjoyable and quick read for anyone who loves a good mystery, served with a side of laughs.

From the publisher:
Every nosy neighbor, gossipy friend, and meddling relative is just one good mystery away from becoming a detective. From behind locked doors or out in broad daylight, driven by chance or curiosity, amateur sleuths get in over their heads in these six hair-raising, hilarious stories.

The Busybodies Collection became available October 15, 2024 from Amazon Original Stories.

There are 6 stories in the collection by various authors: Staged by Elle Cosimano, The Reunion Dinner by Jesse Q. Sutanto, Crime of Fashion by Emma Rosenblum, The Nosy Neighbor by Nita Prose, One Lucky Subscriber by Kellye Garrett, and A Classic Case by Alicia Thompson. Each mystery features a character that could be seen in some light as a busybody.

All of the stories in the collection were good. I did have my favorites though. In particular I enjoyed the stories by Elle Cosimano, Jesse Q. Sutanto, and Nita Prose. To be fair, Elle Cosimano and Jesse Q. Sutanto were already among my favorite authors. But, this was the first time I'd read stories by the other authors.

What I liked about all of the stories was that they were good mysteries with twists and some humor. Regarding the humor, there was more in some than others. When considering the twists, two stories stood out the most for me. They were the stories by Jesse Q. Sutanto and the one by Nita Prose.

I gave this collection 5 out of 5 stars. I liked all of the stories in the collection, which is unusual. Usually it's hit or miss. I would recommend this collection to people who enjoy well-written short mysteries with twists and humor.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not influence my review.

This collection was a lot of fun! I love all of the authors and this collections gives you a nice taste of their writing style in bit size short stories!! Highly recommend!

These are the short notes I made about the stories, thank you NetGalley for the copy!

Story 1: enjoyed the characters and small town everyone overlapping whodunnit vibes

Story 2: I guessed half the twist but still enjoyed it! Chaotic and cozy like all her stories.

Story 3 - didn't overly like the fashion story line and the mis-use of OCD bothered me, it didn't add to the story and was unnecessary

Story 4 - loved the quick paced twists told as retired community low stakes drama style

Story 5 - I'm not fully sure I got the end of this one? But it was well written and a good story

Story 6 - quick and cute! The twist was funny and I enjoyed the unexpected community part of the story

I ended up not reading all of these because I just couldn't really get into all of them. I usually really enjoy short story collections, but this one wasn't for me. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for review.

I recently had the pleasure of reading The Busybodies Collection, a delightful compilation of short stories, courtesy of NetGalley and Amazon Originals. I’m incredibly grateful to have received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Each short story in this collection was unique, offering a fresh and immersive reading experience every time I turned the page. What truly stood out was the depth in each tale; despite being short stories, they felt as rich and layered as full-length novels. While I admit some of the characters weren’t initially my favorites (after all, who really likes a busybody?), I found myself warming up to them by the end. Each twist brought a new perspective, and by the conclusion of every story, I discovered something to appreciate about each character’s quirks and journeys.

This collection includes contributions from authors I already love and admire, as well as some new voices that I’m excited to explore further. If you’re stuck in a reading slump, The Busybodies Collection is the perfect antidote. Whether you pick up one story or binge the entire collection, you’re bound to find yourself thoroughly entertained.

This collection was so much fun, I got to read author’s I loved and be introduced to new voices (to me) that I will be adding to my TBR! The settings were fun and creative, they were the perfect blend. Highly recommend!

Fun mystery short stories. Would have preferred to have an audio copy.

Thanks NetGalley for an early copy. All opinions are my own.

This was a really fun little series of books! I thoroughly enjoyed every single part it was fun and original.

The "Busybodies" collection is a thrilling and diverse series that captivated me from start to finish. Each book in the series brought something unique, yet they all shared a common thread of suspense, clever plotting, and unexpected twists.

The first book hooked me right away with its engaging characters, each one sharp and resourceful in solving a murder on their own. The second book, though not quite as compelling for me, still offered an interesting plot, even if the involvement of so many people in one situation felt a bit far-fetched at times. The third book was a real page-turner, with fast pacing and an intriguing villain. However, I did wish certain characters hadn’t been so easily misled.

The fourth book stood out for its wild, unpredictable nature. I didn't quite get the ending I envisioned, but I suspect it was meant to unfold that way, especially with the complexities of neighborhood relationships. The fifth book was my favorite of the series, with influencers at the center and a hide-and-seek game that turned almost into a horror experience. It was gripping and kept me hooked until the very end.

Finally, the sixth book brought a romantic thriller twist to the series, blending suspense with a touch of nostalgia through clever nods to film icons Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant. This book offered a refreshing change of pace, with romance and mystery intertwined seamlessly.

Overall, the "Busybodies" collection was a thrilling, fast-paced ride with each book offering a different flavor of suspense and intrigue. Whether you’re into crime-solving, dark twists, or romantic thrillers, this series has something for everyone.

Book 243 of 300 ~ 2024

🌟🌟🌟💫

Cute collection with an almost equal amount of mehs and ooooos.

The narrator helps.

So the breakdown:

Book 229 of 300 ~ 2024 - book 1 Staged

🌟🌟🌟💫

I needed a cute little cosy mystery, and that's what I got.

Decent pace and ok ending.. felt a bit abrupt. Oh, wells.

Book 231 of 300 ~ 2024 - book 2 The Reunion Dinner

🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

When the village bicycle turns up at your family reunion dinner, you can be sure to expect gossip, fury, and a murder?

Trust Ms Sutanto to give it a twist. One star just because she wrote it.

Book 237 of 300 ~ 2024 book 3 Crime of Fashion

🌟🌟🌟

Meh. After book 2, this felt disappointing and just rather messy. I dragged my feet with this one and just hoped that the next one will be better.

So jewellery went missing and it becomes the assistants fault... even worse, her possible crime.

The little twist at the end made it get the extra half star.

Book 238 of 300 ~ 2024 - book 4 The Nosy Neighbour

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Nita Prose is brilliant, and this gave me some goosebumps. Be weary of who you watch and who might be watching you.

Book 239 of 300 ~ 2024 - book 5 One Lucky Subscriber

🌟🌟💫

Interesting premise. Good try. Hold my attention? No. I can barely recall it, which is rare.

Book 242 of 300 ~ 2024 - book 6 A Classic Case

🌟🌟🌟💫

The twist was so exciting, and I was squealing.. and then it went flat and meh. Should have rolled with it. Ahhh, instead of turning it into a love story. I made it more exciting by making it a what if similar to Nita Prose's book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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This collection of short stories was a little underwhelming to me. I had really high hopes because I have absolutely loved books in the past by Elle Cosimano and Jesse Q. Sutanto, but I think each story was too short to be well-developed and some of the "twists" turned out to be really silly and unbelievable. All in all, I still love reading short stories, especially when I'm stuck in a reading rut, but these were a bit of a miss for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This collection of cozy mystery novellas was *such* a delight! If you love quick, easy-to-dive-into mysteries with just the right amount of intrigue and charm, this one’s for you. Each story was like a warm hug with a side of whodunit fun!

I’m already a huge fan of Elle Cosimano and Jesse Q. Sutanto, so picking this up was a no-brainer. And guess what? It did *not* disappoint! Their stories had all the clever twists, humor, and lovable characters you’d expect. If you’re looking for a cozy mystery escape, grab a blanket, a beverage of choice, and this book. It’s the perfect binge-read for a lazy afternoon. 3.8 stars

3.5 ⭐️ This was such a fun little string of novellas. I enjoyed listening to them while I was working around the house, it made my tasks a little more interesting! I love a good cozy mystery and would recommend this collection if you want some quick and easy mystery short stories, they were fun! The last one was my favorite, but the narrators were all very good.
Thank you Netgalley for sending me this collection in exchange for a review

This was an enjoyable audiobook compilation of six different stories, each by a different author. All stories have the same theme of nosey neighbors. Cozy mysterious stories that kept me engaged.

I received a copy of this audiobook from NetGalley for my honest opinion.

This was not for me personally. I started it and I just could not get into it. Some of the stories are probably great, but with the quantity of books on my TBR I did not have time to commit to getting back into this.

This collection gives you a taste of wonderful, creative storytelling combined with amateur sleuthing. The Reunion Dinner by Jesse Q. Sutanto is a standout with its twisty plot and shocking conclusion. A Classic Case by Alicia Thompson was the last story and very memorable. The main character Audrey is extremely likable with a hint of Nancy Drew making her relatable to all amateur sleuths. My favorite story without a doubt was The Nosy Neighbor by Nita Prose. The main character Marge reminded me of Mrs. Kravitz from Bewitched who was much too curious for her own good. This story is original with a final twist I never saw coming. Thank you, NetGalley for my copy.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I did not care for this book right away, dnf.

These were fun, quirky short stories that felt a little over the top and unbelievable (the point, I'm sure), but were entertaining as I read them.

Staged, by Elle Cosimano: I am a huge Finlay fan, and this felt this had a similar writing style. An outlandish premise but entertaining.

The Reunion Dinner, by Jesse Q. Sutanto: I wasn't sure where this one was going but was intrigued and thought it had an interesting ending.

Crime of Fashion, by Emma Rosenblum: I thought this premise made a great short story. Rosenblum was able to make me know exactly what kind of characters everyone was in a short period of time. The ending was good too.

The Nosy Neighbor: This felt true to Prose's writing style in the Maid, albeit a little darker. I thought she did a great job of making me feel like I knew the characters and creating intrigue into what was going on in a short time.

One Lucky Subscriber, by Kellye Garrett: This premise was more unfamiliar to me so it took me a beat to understand what was going on. Due to the short nature of the book and trying to keep track of the characters by numbers and names, it felt like this was a promising premise but executed a little confusingly.

A Classic Case by Alicia Thompson: This one was more romance focused, with a side of mystery. I haven't read other works by Thompson yet, but this has solidified that I want to soon!

Thank you Amazon Original Stories for the copy through NetGalley.

These fun short mysteries are written by some of my favorite authors and they did not disappoint. I enjoyed each one and I loved listening to the audiobook compilation. Entertaining and quirky they're an interesting way to spend a little time escaping into the classic whodunnit.