3.5 stars, rounded up

When Kat Bennett moves into Shelley House as the (maybe illegal) room renter from elderly Joseph Chambers, she doesn't know what she's in for. Flat #2 holds Dorothy Darling, who has lived in Shelley House longer than most people can remember, she is the self-appointed house guardian and makes it her business to know everything going on inside and outside of the house. Four other flats hold tenants that form an interesting mix. When they discover that Shelley House is due to be razed to become a giant new building, the group decides to band together as much as they are able in an attempt to stop an unscrupulous developer from taking their homes.

I enjoyed this "found family" story. Although the "fighting the developer" parts were tedious for me (it's not a trope I enjoy reading about), I really liked the way the characters developed throughout the story. As we find out more about Kat's and Dorothy's backgrounds we learn why they act the way they do. It's a heartwarming (and at times heartbreaking) look at this motley group of strangers who become like family to each other.

This isn't really a mystery, it's more of a character study of how they learned to overcome difficult things in their pasts to come out stronger together. Plus, there's a wonderful dog Reggie who adds a great deal to the story in both funny and touching ways.

Thank you to @netgalley @PRHaudio and @berkleypub for the gifted copy of this book.

“Nothing brings neighbors together like someone else’s secrets… At Shelley House, the walls have ears, and they’re attached to a ragtag duo of busybodies ready to pry, snoop, and generally annoy their neighbors into solving a crime.”

This book is a sweet cozy mystery that leans into unlikely friendships more than mystery. Driven by a cast of characters that couldn't be more different, the story weaves secrets, mysterious attacks, and a common interest to save their home. As they work together they learn to see past appearances and stereotypes, shed layers and lean into one another.
A character driven slow burn, the found friendships in this book proves that although our lives may be different, deep down we're more alike than we realize.

This was such a cozy and charming story - not quite what I was expecting, but I loved it even more for that! Part cozy mystery, part found family, Nosy Neighbors follows Kat Bennett as she moves back to a town she never thought she’d return to. Kat sublets a room from Joseph and soon after she returns home to find him knocked unconscious on his living room floor. Was it an accident? Or is the shady owner of Shelley House responsible? Kat teams up with the curmudgeonly Dorothy Darling to get to the bottom of it.

I loved the characters in this book! Even the ones we’re meant to dislike are interesting and beneficial to the story. The story is told from both Dorothy and Kat’s POVs and I really think this added to the story. These two couldn’t seem more different from one another, but in following the stories from their POVs we see they have more in common than they may think. This cast of characters kept things entertaining the whole way through, and I was invested in the story. I really rooted for the tenants of Shelley House to save their home!

If you’re looking for a (mostly) lighthearted read that has some memorable characters and a sweet found family I think you’d love Nosy Neighbors. I can’t wait to read from this author again!

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for a review copy.

**Many thanks to Berkley and Freya Sampson for an ARC provided via NetGalley!**

"People are almost always better than their neighbors think they are."- George Eliot

The residents of the historic Shelley House certainly have their minds made up about one another...and let's just say sharing a roof is QUITE enough 'closeness' for most of them. There's Omar and Ayesha, father and daughter who have lost the third member of their family (Ayesha's mom) and are still finding their new normal without her. Joseph occupies one of the other flats, a semi-curmudgeon whose best trait (at least in others estimation) is the ownership of his Jack Russell terrier, Reggie. The noisy yet mysterious tenant Vincent in the 4th flat, Tomas Wojcik (and HIS dog, a pitbull named Princess), and Gloria Brown (and a revolving door full of suitors) all have come to coexist in Shelley House...but not always peacefully.

At the center of it all, however, is Shelley House's self-named guardian and 'warden' of sorts...septuagenarian Dorothy Darling. Armed with her trusty notebook, she keeps a VIGILANT log of ALL comings and goings in the complex and ANY subsequent violations of the House Rules. Heard something go bump in the night last Tuesday? Dorothy can tell you ALL about it....or at least, everything she's been able to piece together with her eagle eyes and diligent ears. So it's no surprise that when Joseph illegally sublets his space to the pink haired, sharp tongued 20=something named Kat, Dorothy is skeptical and frowns upon the new neighbor. According to all, she's unapproachable at best, and Dorothy's reputation at the nosy, cranky old lady of the house precedes her too. But when both women are forced to spend SOME time together, it becomes evident that appearances aren't ALWAYS what they seem...and there are very good reasons that both women keep their distance from the outside world...and hold certain secrets close to the vest.

When the residents of Shelley House find out that Dastardly Developer Fergus Alexander is set to TEAR DOWN Shelley House, however, the residents are bound and determined to save the place they have for so long called home. They all find ways to band together...except for ONE resident, who holds firm in her wish to NEVER leave Shelley House...unless she leaves 'in a box': none other than Dorothy Darling, of course. Can her newly formed friendship with Kat and the deep bond these two have forged be enough to allow Kat to change Dorothy's mind...and encourage her to join the fight? Or are her scars from a tortured past TOO deep and TOO lasting to allow her to stand alongside her neighbors...and save the place she holds SO dear?

Freya Sampson is one of those authors I've been eager to try for quite a while now. I adore books that have a 'cozy' feel in general, especially with complex and interesting characters, and an emotionally charged plot, and Sampson's books seem to fit neatly in this subgenre, at least based on their descriptions alone. Although I was a bit nervous that this particular book would FEEL more like a cozy mystery (since it purportedly has a mystery at its center) I was absolutely still on board and eager to get to know the quirky personalities of Shelley House.

And I'll be honest, after a couple of chapters, the panic DID set in: there are a lot of characters here, and the opening bits establishing Dorothy and her semi-spying-but-mostly-notetaking-habits weren't really clicking. I had an early feeling Sampson was going to constantly be throwing bits and pieces and dribs and drabs about all of these characters at me...but that I wouldn't really get to KNOW them fully, let alone like them. A long character list (or longer than say, 3 or 4) can sometimes just feel like TOO MUCH...and I was a bit concerned I wasn't going to like Kat OR Dorothy enough to get emotionally invested in their relationship.

But by about 30% or so, ALL of that nervous energy turned into relief, and I was swept away by the emotional vulnerability and the depth and breadth of these characters...and MORE than fully invested in them, and in particular, the LOVELY and authentic relationship between Dorothy and Kat!

Even with all of the heartbreaking revelations from Dorothy and Kat along the way, there is still plenty of room for occasional levity AND for the interesting mystery to play out in the background...one that will keep you guessing, because it sure kept ME on my toes! Sampson effortlessly tied threads from both Dorothy and Kat's background and past into the present to not only inform their characters, but to draw subtle parallels between the two women as well. I liked that none of the neighbors were too OTT or goofy to draw focus away from the somewhat heavy and emotional tone of the book, but that this read still gave me the sort of warm fuzzies that you'd find standard in any cozy mystery. It was okay to have the villain, Fergus, being played as a bit larger than life because the relationship between Kat and Dorothy was SO authentic, grounding, and real.

And by the finale, I GUARANTEE you'll be rooting for the survival of Shelley House AND for the future of this unlikely pair that's one part Thelma and Louise AND one part Sherlock and Watson...with a bit of sass and brightly colored locks to boot!

(I mean, I'm ASSUMING Watson never dyed his hair...but the next TV or film adaptation can feel free to prove me wrong!)

4 stars

Nosy neighbors can sometimes be the worst and Dorothy was the stereotypical nosy neighbor! She spies, listens, and even invades the mail, she concerns herself with problems that don’t concern her, but it’s that help to save her neighbors. This book had some of the most outrageous moments that did not make the main character likable but made you connect with her. She was lonely and through that loneliness, she stayed the same person and would not grow. The book is one that have to read to understand.

Nosy Neighbors is a fun, heartwarming book about the impending demolition of an old apartment building in a small English town, Chalcot, and the people who live there.

Dorothy has lived in Shelley House for more than 30 years. She spends her days recording the activities of her neighbors, doing a visual inspection of the property, and punishing herself for a tragic accident that occurred many years ago. Joseph and his dog Reggie live across the hall. Upstairs are Ayesha and her father, Omar, Gloria (and her string of bad boyfriends), Tomasz and his ill-mannered dog Princess, and the antisocial tenant on the fourth floor.

Kat moves in to Shelley House, subletting a room from Joseph, just as the landlord gives them all notice that he is demolishing the building. Kat grew up visiting Chalcot, because her grandfather lived there, but after a family falling out, she hasn't been back until now. She isn't quite ready to move on yet, and she gets caught up in the neighbor drama after Joseph is attacked in their apartment. She stays to take care of Reggie, befriends Dorothy, and discovers truths about her family that change everything.

You don't get to choose your family, but you do get to choose your friends, and this book has so many wonderful relationships. Sure, Dorothy is prickly, but she's also loyal and caring, as Kat and the other neighbors discover. There are other characters who begin relationships (no spoilers), and you can't help but cheer for all of them.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book.

This was a sweet story. I liked the mystery and underlined the story that was truly about family both the kind you’re born into and the kind you find. Kat hasn’t ever felt like she had a home and despite her history with the town she moves temporarily into Shelley house. Terrified she’ll run into her past mistakes she gets a job and tries to stay out of the lives of her neighbors. Dorothy has lived in Shelley house for a lifetime and she has a strict routine of walking the property and documenting everyone who comes in or out of the building. She sees it as her duty to protect the residents of Shelley house, who consider her a nosy neighbor. When all of the residents get letters informing them of their upcoming eviction the man Kat’s renting a room from, Joseph, is determined to fight the evictions and save the building. When he ends up with a head injury and a brief stint at the hospital Kat finds herself becoming more and more entangled with the people at Shelley house and their fight to save their home. I will say there were no major twists or turns int his one. It’s almost like a cozy mystery even if it’s not quite transitional. But this is the kind of book that will leave your heart warmed. A nice, light, entertaining read.

Neighbors are a mixed blessing. On the positive side, they're close by - they are right there in an emergency. On the down side, they're close by - they know what you're doing, all the time. Shelley House is a down-at-heel former mansion that has been converted to six flats. The tenants are the usual mix: the nosy older woman who keeps tabs on all the comings and goings, the retiree who takes in lodgers to help make ends meet, the single woman with perpetually bad taste in men, the financially strapped widower and his teenaged daughter, a menacing man with an equally menacing pit bull, and a party boy who smokes weed, has frequent parties, plays his music way too loud, and leaves his trash in the hallway. (I had upstairs neighbors that I swore clomped around on wooden clogs on bare floors, 24/7.) This reminded me a lot of Fredrik Backman's A Man Called Ove. Good characters, awkward relationships, a somewhat predictable plot. My favorite character was Reggie the terrier. Heartwarming, feel-good, with themes of forgiveness, letting go of the past, finding love in unexpected places.

Rating - 4.5 stars rounded off to 5

A trademark Sampson novel!

Thanks NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC!

Synopsis –

Kat Bennet, 25, leads a nomadic life and is now a new resident of the once grand Shelley house. An introvert with a steely exterior, she is standoffish and avoids people. When Dorothy Darling, a cantankerous septuagenarian, meets her, she quickly senses that the girl is trouble. With the impending demolition of their building and one of their residents Joseph Chambers getting violently attacked by a miscreant, they have no choice but to work together.

Review -

Sampson blends several genres so smoothly and elegantly here. This could be a cozy mystery that's read curled up on the couch or a contemporary fiction with notes of romance and unlikely friendships.

We have the alternating narratives of Kat and Dorothy as we get introduced to the history behind Shelley house, built in the late 19th century, its lost grandeur and current crumbling state of disrepair. We also get to know all the residents of the flats and each one have their eccentricities, troubled pasts, guilt and their share of unspoken truths.

Although Dorothy comes across as a nosy neighbor, what with her daily apartment inspection, her eyes 👀and ears 👂 peeled out for the on-goings of everyone - the more I got to know her, the more I warmed to her and admired her conviction and wisdom.

Kat’s inability to trust anyone and the tough shell she’s built around her slowly disintegrate when she suddenly becomes a caretaker of Joseph’s lovely dog Reggie. Oh he was a great character in his own right!

The looming eviction and remodeling of Shelley house is just the right kindle, that results in the residents rising to the situation and expressing solidarity, while Dorothy and Kat unearth the mystery behind the attacker and the linked foul play/conspiracy.

I loved that the author gave deeper insights into Dorothy and Kat’s pasts, exposing the hidden truths of what really makes them tick the way they do.

Overall, this is an uplifting, heart-warming read, that is sure to bring tears of joy, as we witness the power of human resilience and the strength in unity.


Definitely recommend if this is your jam!

REVIEW

Thank you #partner @berkleypub for my #gifted paperback and eARC copies. 📖 🎧 #berkleyig #berkleypartner #penguinrandomhousepartner

Nosy Neighbors
Freya Sampson

📖 Two neighbors must set aside their differences to oust a dangerous criminal and save their homes.

💭 What do you get when you mix a seventy-seven-year old curmudgeonly busybody with a pink haired twenty-five year old with a chip on her shoulder? The most entertaining cozy mystery I've read to date!

There's so much to love about Freya Sampson's newest release. For starters, I adore an age gap friendship SO MUCH! And watching the unlikely allyship of Dorothy and Kat was as humorous as it was heartwarming. Unlike some other cozies I've read - which, while wholly entertaining, sometimes feel a bit too low stakes for me to become fully invested - Nosy Neighbors is high stakes with oodles and oodles of depth. Both MCs have secrets and complicated pasts, and their character growth is as rewarding as the mystery itself. This one feels like a blend of contemporary fiction and cozy mystery, and I am so here for it! 🙌🏼

**Review posted to IG on 4/10**

Nosy Neighbors by Freya Sampson
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Kat has returned to Chalcot, despite knowing her grandfather never wants to see her again. Now she is renting a room from a tenant in Shelley House. Dorothy also lives in Shelley house and is very nosy. When a tenant is injured and a threat of eviction comes in, Kat and Dorothy will need to join forces to try to save Shelley House.
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What I liked:
-I loved the teamwork we get from Kat and Dorothy and the beginnings of a friendship. They both had some scars but have such good hearts.
-Gotta love Reggie the dog.
-All the tenants coming together a few times.
-The unraveling of the mystery at the end.
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This story was quite entertaining and then really hit me with the emotional parts of the story. I teared up a couple times. Very solid drama/mystery.

If you’re looking for a cozy mystery about an unlikely assortment of characters that must work together to solve a crime and save their building before time runs out, this is for you.

Shelley House has become a dilapidated shell of the regal building it once was. Among the questionable tenants that have come and gone, Dorothy Darling is the longest resident and self-appointed watcher of the building. Always armed with a cup of tea and her trustworthy diary, she notes every single movement in and out of the building from her window. When an unexpected eviction notice lands at everyone’s doorstep, the tenants must work together to save Shelley House from being torn down. But as their fight strengthens, a tenant is attacked within their apartment, spurring a deeper dive into their shady landlord, and a mission to uncover the truth.

I love a good cozy mystery, especially ones that give major “Only Murders in the Building” vibes (Joseph Chambers is TOTALLY Martin Short). This was a heartwarming and cute read that captures you until the very end! I enjoyed the trajectory that the characters go on – from strangers (live in the same building but we got different views) with assumptions about each other, to working together rooted under the same cause – and becoming a community in the end. I loved learning more about each of the tenants that make up Shelley House and there’s some twists and turns I didn’t see coming to keep me on my toes.

Shout out to Berkley Publishing for the gifted copies! I needed some fun and light-hearted reading and this book gave just that.

Thank you Berkley Publishing #berkleypartner #berkley for the gifted finished copy of this book. Also a big thank-you to Penguin Random House Audio #prhainfluencer for access to the audiobook version of this novel. I really enjoyed Sarah Lambie’s narration!

Nosy Neighbors was such an enjoyable read! There were so many interesting characters living in Shelley House and their interactions brought some interesting situations to the book! Dorothy reminded me of another Bookstagram beloved character with her sense of duty to Shelley House, strong convictions, and place in her community of people. Kat was such a fun character as well and I loved how her arrival eventually connected all the tenants to one another in a really special way. The author handled conversations about grief, trauma, and the act of forgiveness really well in this one.

The mystery aspects were great and I was pleased with the result. I also enjoyed the way that Freya unveiled aspects of the characters’ backstories throughout and I felt as though I was one of them by the end!

If you are a fan of Backman’s A Man Called Ove, with the sweet aspects of community and found family, and don’t mind a bit of mystery thrown in the mix, this is a book for you!

3.75 stars

Nosy Neighbors offers readers a bit of Only Murders in the Building vibes combined with a hint of the reluctant allies trope. Author Freya Sampson creates a story about a historic apartment building that is under threat of demolition and the lengths that some of its residents will go to ensure that doesn’t happen.

Some plot elements felt a bit predictable, and the ending was a little rushed, but overall, I thought the story was entertaining and surprisingly poignant. The relationship between Dorothy and Kat was compelling, almost familial in some ways. Found family is a strong theme throughout. And I enjoyed the fact that the ending does tie things up in a little bow. Because we all need that sometimes. Sampson is skilled enough to make said ending not feel trite but earned.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, and am looking forward to reading more from this author.

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable book about a group of neighbors trying to save the house (which was converted into several apartments) from being torn down and them being evicted. When several of the neighbors end up in the hospital, it's the newest tenant that steps in and together with a local journalist tries to get to the bottom of the issue.
All the characters in the book are very quirky and have secrets of their own, but most seem very likeable and the reader connects with everyone. There are many funny scenes and the chapters are the perfect length, with a few cliffhangers to keep you reading. A very enjoyable feel good book that I didn't want to end.

4/5 stars

Thank you Berkley Publishing for the advanced reading copy!

SYNOPSIS -- At 77 years old, Dorothy Darling has spent the majority of her life in Shelley House, making her the longest tenant. She's gotten very comfortable taking care of the property, best done by *ahem* spying on other residents. Kat Bennett is new on to Shelley House: at 25 years old, she's used to couch surfing and short-term stays. Both of these women are generally viewed as unapproachable, though in different ways. When Shelley House suddenly facing demolition by a well-known and generally unliked developer, Kat and Dorothy, along with some of the other residents, team up and work to save their building, against all-odds. With guilty secrets, unexpected ulterior motives and the nosiest of neighbors, this group is sure to stir up some trouble.

What a fun and unexpectedly delightful book! I was expecting this to be "just okay," and I loved it! Tons of drama (my fav) and a joy to read. There was a great mystery interwoven into this story and let me tell you -- I GASPED when all was revealed. Jaw dropped, fully gasped out loud. The characters were dynamic, chaotic and full of life, all so loveable. Though Dorothy, at times, was INFURIATING, she was so easy to love and I had so much empathy for her. The ending was really unexpected in a great way. I was so attached to the characters that I was feeling anxious about how things would turn out, and I was not disappointed. This book had it all -- secrets, drama, gossip, mystery, love -- and I even shed a little tear!

Thank you to @berkleypub for my gifted ARC of Nosy Neighbors by @freyasampsonauthor
This published on April 2 so it’s out now!

Dorothy has lived in Shelley House for decades and comes across as a controlling and grumpy neighbor but her motives are deeper. When free spirited Kat moves in, things in Shelley House get really exciting for Dorothy and she must decide if she wants to keep herself closed off or open herself up to new experiences and people.

I loved “The Last Chance Library” by the author and this story also takes place in Chalcot. I was pleasantly surprised by the depth and power of this story and the subtle messages that we all need each other, despite our differences.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Dorothy Darling is the notorious neighborhood spy at Shelley House. She even keeps a daily diary of her neighbors. Kat Bennett is 25 years old and is illegally renting a room from tenant, Joseph Chambers. Kat has really never felt at home anywhere. She gets off on the wrong foot with Dorothy, but the two quickly become allies when the developer plans to evict all the tenants and demolish Shelley House.
This was such a great cozy mystery! I enjoyed meeting all of the quirky neighbors and Dorothy had me cracking up with her antics. It was heartwarming to see how the neighbors came together and put their differences aside. I was so immersed in this book and couldn't wait to find out the secrets Dorothy and Kat were keeping.
If you enjoy cozy mysteries, this book is definitely for you!

4 stars

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

I really enjoyed this contemporary cozy mystery that focuses on 25 year old Kat who had a terrible childhood, never stays in one place long, and doesn't let anyone into her life, and 77 year old Dorothy, who has lived in Shelley House over 30 years and has appointed herself caretaker and watchman of the building and her neighbors. Neither woman is liked much, but underneath the crankiness and contempt, is a world of hurt, grief, and pain.

Kat is subletting a room in Shelley House and has no plans to stay in town long, but when her flatmate Joseph is injured and winds up in the hospital, there is no one to watch his dog. It's a mystery whether he tripped and injured his head, or was attacked. Kat and Dorothy think the latter, and coupled with a notice of eviction for the entire building, they are betting their slumlord is the culprit. The unlikely duo band together to fight the landlord and get justice for the tenants.

Although it's understandable how Kat came to be so closed off, it was still hard to connect with her until she started caring for Joseph's dog and reluctantly teams up with Dorothy to discover how Joseph was injured. This forces her to work with Dorothy, communicate with strangers and the other neighbors, and more importantly, reporter Will, who helps dig into the mystery. Slowly she starts to trust others, which allows us to see more of her. Her character arc was a bit up and down throughout the book, but that's how life is, isn't it? Life is messy and rarely goes smoothly.

Dorothy was my favorite character. She reminded me of every prickly busybody "Karen" that self-appoints herself the person in charge. I loved her character growth as she is forced to work with pink-haired, tatooed Kat, and accept responsibility to watch Joseph's dog. I cracked up every time Dorothy gave the dog a treat, patted his head, or let him kiss her face. She thought she was being so slick and secretive, but dogs have a way of worming their way into your heart, and Dorothy was no exception. As the story progresses, we come to understand why she monitors the building so closely and keeps her daily journal of everyone's activity, and it was hard to read the extent of her guilt and grief. Luckily, even Dorothy learns that it's never too late to live your best life.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group. All opinions are my own.

Nosy Neighbors is the charming story of an apartment building in London that is being torn down for a shiny new project and the residents are up in arms. Another winner for me. I loved this delightful book. The characters were all quirky and lovable. I loved their shenanigans, I loved the dry wit, I loved the camaraderie among them despite all of their differences. It was just a heartwarming, huggable book that had me giggling and smiling.