I received a free DRC of this book through Netgalley. I have read at least 3 of her other novels including Nosy Neighbors which I adored. This book is about a group of people who meet up for book club at a community center because they are all feeling very alone. I really liked the characters and the mystery that they worked together to solve. I was glad that it wasn't the typical happily ever after ending too.

3.75 stars

I have enjoyed every book have read by this author and each one is different. But they each have wonderful quirky characters who get thrown together in novel ways.

There is a community center in a small town in England which is constantly under threat of closure due to financial concerns, even though it gets used all the time by different segments of the town. Nova, formerly a youth social worker, is employed there and runs a sparsely attended book club.

One night the book club has one member run tearing out of the building, while meanwhile (they discover later) the roof fund gets stolen from the manager's office. Nova is in jeopardy of being fired and meanwhile trying to get ready for her wedding in 48 hours. There are a million problems - primarily that Nova's prospective mother in law has hijacked her wedding and Nova isn't too excited about it.

She and the remaining book club members, including an old farmer, and an elderly Agatha Christie fan, try to solve the theft. Along the way there is a dead body, a disappearance, and various other adventures. It's a fun journey. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The five members of the St. Tredock Book Club are totally different from each other often disagreeing and being testy in general. Yet when one of their members disappears and a dead body is found at his house they band together to get to the bottom of things. Nova Davies has only recently moved to the area from London and is struggling to adjust. To complicate things a large sum of money disappears from the community center and Nova is suspected. Agatha Christie super fan Phyllis, secret romance reader Arthur and shy teenager Ash all bring their insights and skills to the group in an effort to locate surly Michael and prove his innocence. Yet each has secrets of their own to protect. This was the feel good light hearted almost caper novel that I was needing. Filled with humor and human interest with quirky references to books and fictional sleuths scatetred throughout the chapters it was entertaining. All of the characters are clearly drawn with their unique characters lovingly sketched with a deft hand. This engaging narrative presents a moral message that despite humanity's many differences of thought and opinion we can put those on the shelf for a good cause. This was definitely a cozy and the story flows smoothly although the mystery is not always on center stage. Yet despite the light aspects of much of the narrative it has a hidden depth. An entertaining read.

I will definitely be re-reading this with my book club when it is officially published. It's very meta to read it with a book club. This was a fun ride!

A Ukrainian novelist turns her talents to documenting ordinary citizens' lives during Russia's 2022 invasion of her country.
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Victoria Amelina was an award-winning novelist and children's author living in Kyiv. Like so many others, her life changed on February 24, 2022, when Russian bombs began falling on her country. Deciding that the role of novelist was irrelevant in wartime, she began a nonfiction account of her experiences during the conflict. The narrative began as a wartime diary chronicling her own transformation from offering shelter to refugees to investigating war crimes (see Beyond the Book for a history of the conflict). She felt, though, that the stories she truly wanted to tell were of the many remarkable women she met who were actively countering Russian aggression. Her story and theirs are woven together into Amelina's only nonfiction work, Looking at Women Looking at War.

The fact that the book made it to print at all is remarkable; it was only 60 percent complete when the author died during the summer of 2023 of injuries incurred in a Russian missile attack. Her husband and several friends decided the account was too important to lose and worked tirelessly assembling the fragments into something that could be published.

The result is unlike any narrative I've experienced—and I use the word "experienced" deliberately here. The book isn't an uninterrupted linear tale with a definable narrative arc. Instead, as Amelina travels more frequently to recently liberated zones within Ukraine, the text becomes ever more disjointed. Some pages contain nothing but disconnected, incomplete sentences ("impunity … helplessness of the … security council, France … tribunal-open for talk; ICC doesn't support that … radbez"). Some chapters contain a title but no other content. Repetition is common and individuals and events are introduced without context. The effect is astonishing; Amelina's work comes across as raw and immediate—a work in progress that will never be finished. It felt not so much like reading a book as uncovering an ancient manuscript one must decipher. Although the author doesn't pack a lot of emotion into the text, it nevertheless prompts a visceral reaction.

That's not to say all of the book is fragmentary; its early sections are more complete and relay the author's reactions to events as they occur. She was with her 10-year-old son on vacation in Egypt on February 24, for example, unable to fly home to Ukraine. She writes of the experience:

"How does it feel to be stuck in an empty airport in a foreign country, knowing that the ruthless enemy is attacking the cities you love? I feel a mixture of fury, grief, and … relief. Yes, I also feel relieved. It seems shameful yet inescapable to feel this way, and I justify myself by thinking I'm not the only writer who has met the beginning of an apocalyptic war with something other than despair or anger."

The stories of the women she meets feel more distant. I can't help but wonder if their lives would have been more fleshed out had Amelina more time to do so. Still, she vividly portrays the actions these individuals take as their country falls apart. One woman stockpiles supplies in her basement and makes sure her children and grandchildren are safe before heading to the front lines to tend to the wounded. A children's writer reads urgent announcements at the railway station because she can translate the announcements into other languages on the fly. A human rights lawyer decides to join the army because she can shoot so well. Amelina describes these women and many others who take small actions that impact the well-being of others in an untenable situation.

Looking at Women Looking at War is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand what it's like to have a war raging in your country, or for those interested in the Russia-Ukraine War in particular. But readers need to approach the book with the understanding that it's an unusual and at times challenging read, due largely to its format. Those approaching it with expectations of a moving book about wartime or one that lays out the conflict's history may be disappointed. Readers who persist, though, will almost certainly find Amelina's work unforgettable.

I was given a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley.

The book club is reading Where the Crawdads Sing and considering the author and her husband were not only wanted for questioning in a murder investigation but also made racist remarks about Africa and the people, I think it’s tasteless to include this author and her book. There are so many other books the book club could be reading. We need to stop promoting these problematic authors.

I won't be reading this. I've tried multiple times and haven't gotten into it. Thank you though for the opportunity. If I read it in the future I will come back and change this review.

3.5 stars rounded to 4.
This was a delightful cozy English mystery. If you like the The Thursday Murder Club series or Vera Wong's Unsolicited Guide to Murders, you would likely enjoy this book.
I am looking forward to the next installment in the series.

I enjoyed author Freya Sampson's previous two books, so of course I requested her latest, "The Busybody Book Club" and I am so glad I did. As with all her novels's this one has a lot of quirky charm and the found family trope, but with BOOKS!! I really loved all the literary references from the various members of the book club (esp. Phyliis w Christie!) and I like how they pulled together to do their own investigation. The MC Nova, who run's the book club, seems like most of the author's other leads - young, flighty, and kind of a hot mess. Loved the doggo! Overall, it was just what I expected & I enjoyed it and will continue to follow the author's releases. My thanks to Net Galley & the publisher for my advance reader's copy - a pleasure to review it!

This is kind of the ultimate cozy mystery for book lovers. Set in picturesque Cornwall and featuring a book club made up of readers who have very strong opinions and are very different from one another. When a dead body turns up in the home of one of the members, Michael, and Michael himself is missing, the group decides to try to find him and clear his name. As you can imagine, each member of the group has a different reading taste (Agatha Christie, fantasy, etc.) and a different perspective on how to find clues and piece them together. Great fun!

They can't even agree on what to read, so how are they going to solve a murder?

St. Tredock Book Club disagree on everything, from the books they read to the biscuits they eat. For book club organizer Nova Davies, who's new to the Cornish seaside village, the digestive vs shortbread debate is just the start of her problems...

The Characters, the setting and the entire book was really amazing.

This book is a delightful romp! A book club like no other, the self-named Busybodies not only discuss books, but solve mysteries, fight for what’s right and lend a hand in the romance department too. The cast of characters is unusual, but highly endearing. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, but most of all you’ll be happy to have read this novel.

theft, murder, amateur-sleuth, cozy-mystery, friendship, friends, small-town, book-club, false-conclusions, false-information, falsely accused, Cornish-coast, situational-humor*****

I needed a book to divert me from the news hawks and give me a few good laughs. This is it!
The suspect in the theft of the money for the repair of the community center roof is missing the next day while his mother was found dead at the bottom of the stairs in his home the next day. And then things really went off the rails. The characters are so much fun and the plot twists are amazing.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected ebook file from Berkley Publishing Group/Berkley via NetGalley. Pub Date May 27, 2025
#TheBusybodyBookClub by @freyasampsonauthor @berkleypub #cozymystery #murdermystery #NetGalley @goodreads @bookbub @librarythingofficial @barnesandnoble **** Review #booksamillion #bookshop_org #bookshop_org_uk #kobo #Waterstones #Cornwall

Rounded up from 3.5

From the publisher: They can’t even agree on what to read, so how are they going to solve a murder?

Freya Sampson specializes in multi-generational found family novels. She is also a fan of spaces where lonely people can meet friends. The Busybody Book Club features a small book club that meets at a community center that, like many community centers, is always short of funds. The book club is coordinated by Nova, who is new to small town life and the job at the community center. She favors quirky thrift shop attire. Other members include Arthur, a man in his 80s; Phyllis, a woman in her 70s; Michael, a man in his 60s; and Ash, a teenager. There’s also a stupid and ugly but charming dog.

Not surprising in a book about a book club, there are many references to other books. One member is obsessed with Agatha Christie and sees herself as a modern Jane Marple. The teenager and his crush talk about Star Wars a lot. The Bridgerton books come up often. The author really throws a lot of darts at the dartboard hoping to appeal to a wide audience.

It took me a little longer to get into this novel than the two previous books I’ve read by Sampson. Nova is adrift, living with her fiancé and his parents but with no real friends of her own. She is not engaged by the planning of her wedding. Then she starts making mistakes – room reservations at the center get canceled, doors are left unlocked, money is stolen. Are they mistakes, or is someone gaslighting Nova?

There is some very questionable behavior by members of the book club, but the book finally found its rhythm for me. There are a number of secrets that are easy to guess from the beginning. There’s also quite a bit of info dumping (especially about Phyllis and Michael). While not quite as good as the other two books I’ve read by Sampson, I still enjoyed The Busybody Book Club. All the characters grow and overall it has a feel good vibe.

I read an advance reader copy of The Busybody Book Club from NetGalley. It will be available at the Galesburg Public Library, and her three other books (Nosy Neighbors, The Lost Ticket, and The Last Chance Library are available now.

Freya Sampson’s The Busybody Book Club is a charming and twisty cozy mystery that blends small-town warmth with an irresistible whodunit. Nova Davies’ struggling book club in a quaint Cornish village takes an unexpected turn when a theft, a disappearance, and a murder pull its eccentric members into a real-life mystery. With a delightful cast—from an Agatha Christie devotee to a sci-fi-loving teen—Sampson crafts a fun, fast-paced story filled with humor, heart, and plenty of bookish banter. Perfect for fans of lighthearted mysteries and stories about unlikely friendships, this novel is an absolute page-turner with just the right mix of intrigue and warmth.

If you love cozy mysteries with quirky characters and a bookish twist, you’re in for a treat with The Busybody Book Club. I had so much fun following Nova Davies as she tries to turn her struggling book club into a success—only to have things take a wild turn when money goes missing, a member disappears, and a dead body turns up. Suddenly, this mismatched group of readers has a real-life mystery to solve, whether they can agree on how to do it or not!

Freya Sampson does a fantastic job balancing humor, heart, and small-town charm. I especially enjoyed the different book club members, each bringing their own perspective (and wild theories) to the case. It’s the perfect read for fans of cozy mysteries and stories about the power of community.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The busy body book club was a welcome surprise to my weekend reading, as the cover initially made me think it was going to be a cozy, gentle read, and it turned into being more of a mystery. I really enjoyed the fact that the chapters were from the perspectives of different narrators – jumping from Nova, to Phyllis, Arthur, and more. I definitely did not like the relationship between Nova and her fiancé Craig and was very happy that the book ended the way it did. This is not my first Freya Sampson and it definitely won’t be my last!

The Busybody Book Club is a delightful cozy mystery full of humor and heart. If you enjoy cozy mysteries with all of the above, definitely consider giving this one a read.

The Busybody Book Club is a delightful cozy mystery full of humor and heart. I love.a found family book.

I really enjoyed this book, I loved that way that it was all pulled together so neatly at the end and it was truly an entertaining read! I thought the characters were put together very well, and each had their own quirks and personalities! While I was not on the edge of my seat with this one I did end up enjoying it even though it was a rather slow start for me.