As a bookstore owner and someone in a book club I loved the book from page one to the last page and felt like I was living in the story

I loved Freya Sampson's The Busybody Book Club. It was the perfect cozy mystery with memorable characters and events. Often these mysteries can have people that seem to be a bit over the top in terms of personality, but everyone in The Busybody Book Club feels like a real person you will encounter in your town. The beginning of the book drags a little bit, but once you get into the story it is a quick and entertaining read. There were more twists than I expected at the end, but I truly enjoyed the wild ride.

What happens when money from the community center goes missing and and the suspect winds up missing? Where's the money, and where is Michael? Nova and her rag-tag group of book club members set out to solve the case. I adored Nosy Neighbors and was thrilled to see Freya Sampson release a new book. This one did not disappoint and I loved every minute of it. Highly recommended.

The Busybody Book Club tells a type of story that is becoming more popular these days, and I for one am fine with that. A mix of people of different ages, and little mystery... it's a bit formulaic but still this one was a good one. I think there could have been a bit more depth with the characters. What is Ash's family like? Arthur's farm sounds like a place I'd like to hear more about. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

As a lover of all things Agatha Christie, senior citizen Phyllis bullies her way into just about every activity at the local community center. Known for being the village's gossip, Phyllis sees mysterious goings on everywhere she turns. But when an actual crime is committed she is determined to solve it, putting not only herself in danger, but also the new, young community center worker, Nova ,who is just a week away from her wedding to local man Craig. Feeling sorry for the lonely old woman, Nova humors Phyllis as well as the other members of her struggling book club in order to find a way to fit into this small Cornish village after her life in London imploded. Being bullied by her soon to be mother-in-law (who is high-jacking the wedding plans) Nova finds that not only is she struggling to fit in but is now being accused of more than one crime. Can she depend upon a group of senior citizens, an extremely shy teenage boy, a smelly old dog and Phyllis to clear her name in time for her wedding?

These characters are fully formed and beg to be seen and heard. It would be easy to imagine a BBC series featuring them as they go about solving crimes, discovering long-held secrets and generally creating mayhem in their small Cornish village. Highly recommended.

Freya Sampson has become a favorite author of mine. Her characters are unlikely to come together yet they do and the adventures they have are fun with a twist of mystery. Highly recommend any of Freya's books! This one revolves around a book club at a local community center bringing together five very different characters with secrets.

The Busybody Book Club is a fun, cozy mystery that's perfect for fans of Richard Osman. The problem is, it's SO similar to early Osman novels that I feel like I've read it before. On the plus side, most of the characters are likable and the plot is fast-paced. I'm sure many cozy mystery fans will love it but it just wasn't for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read the free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’m sorry but it’s a DNF for me. I can’t stand Phyllis and her know it all self and the way she looks down on LITERALLY everyone. Same goes for Nova’s future mother in law and how passive aggressive she is. Just no. I see it’s got great reviews so far so maybe I’ll come back someday for another shot.

A light, funny, and heartwarming story, a small village’s beleaguered community center, and the small book club of troubled souls that transforms into an effective investigative group solving a convoluted mystery consisting of a large amount of missing money and a dead body (or two). A cranky old bat that nevertheless is quite relatable (what does that say about me, I wonder?); a gentle, older man, caring for his badly ailing, adored wife; a shy teenager who has the confidence of a peanut; and the chair of the group — a lovely woman just days away from her wedding who suddenly seems to be making a lot of memory related mistakes. Plenty of good book references — both about loving them and the life lessons that can be gleaned from them. A pretty amusing diatribe about the superiority of Miss Marple as compared to Poirot. Overall an uplifting, if somewhat predictable, read for the season.

I was excited for this one - a book about book clubs! - and while it had some enjoyable moments, it was just okay for me overall.

The initial setup felt cozy, and I loved the main character. However, the character interactions remained pretty surface level, making it hard to fully connect with them. I really appreciated the clever references to Agatha Christie’s works and loved Phyllis’s Marple-like attitude—it added a delightful nod to classic mystery fans.

Towards the end, the plot threw in a lot of random twists that felt a bit disjointed and took the story in unexpected directions - and included some pretty heavy topics. While it had its charms, it was just okay for me. I would still recommend it, but going in, knowing it's not a cozy mystery is crucial.

Nova’s new job at the Community Center includes a sparsely attended book club, so when one member seemingly makes off with the funds for the new roof, the others pull together to solve the crime. And the crimes start piling up.

As a Nova and her crew - a busybody, a caregiver and a teenager- draw inspiration from Miss Marple, Bridgerton and Star Wars, the motley group bungles their way through in the most charming way.

This is another delightful story of mismatched sleazy there from Freya Sampson!

Like Nosy Neighbors, the Busybody Book Club follows a cast of quirky characters as they try to solve the mystery of the missing Community Center money. Nova, who has just moved from London and is about to get married works at the Community Center and runs a book club. When one of the members goes missing along with the money for the roof, the remaining members set out to solve the mystery themselves with some hilarious and entertaining consequences.

This was a laugh-out-loud and feel good book which I managed to read in 2 days flat.

Can't wait to read Freya Sampson's next book.

Book Club conversations offer veer off from the book topic (as an avid attendee I know), but they don't usually lead to an actual murder mystery! THE BUSYBODY BOOK CLUB is a fun cozy mystery with a unique plot that's perfect for book lovers and a must for book club members.
Although Nova is technically the main character, she's a bit boring and it's actually pot-stirrer Phyllis that I consider the protagonist.
The main mystery is missing money and a missing man, and towards the end it gets crazy with overlapping plot twists and reveals. The community center money mystery was my favorite twist.
Thank you so much Berkley and NetGalley for the digital review copy. I can't wait until this comes out so my book club can read it. I've already recommended it to them.

The Busybody Book Club is a delightful cozy mystery full of humor and heart. There's theft and murder and gassy English bulldogs and a healthy dose of found family, and it's all rather entertaining. No one's going to mistake it for an Agatha Christie novel – I guessed the culprit well before Nora and her gang did, something that never would have happened had Hercule Poirot been on the case – but it's still a solid and well-written mystery that manages to stay lighthearted and fun while addressing some serious topics.

And speaking of Agatha Christie, if you're a fan of her most famous detectives, you're likely in for a treat with this one. Amateur sleuth and busybody Phyllis is a huge Miss Marple fan and frequently takes her sleuthing inspiration from Marple's cases. Sure, I mean, perhaps her deductions aren't always quite as accurate as Miss Marple's, but she certainly gives it her best shot. And maybe she's a little critical of Hercule Poirot (blasphemy!) and his gigantic ego, but the frequent references to Dame Agatha's novels are a lot of fun.

This is also a book about books. There are so many books. There's the book club and their selections, couples meeting and bonding over books, the multiple references to Christie's novels, books whose plots assist the book club gang in solving their own mystery, a husband who devotedly reads romance novels to his ailing wife, and more. Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing also plays an important role in one of the subplots … along with a Star Wars film or two.

So, yeah. There's murder. There's mystery. There are books. There are dogs … or one dog, anyway. There's humor and heart and entertaining characters. If you enjoy cozy mysteries with all of the above, definitely consider giving this one a read.

My overall rating: 3.85 stars, rounded up.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is May 27, 2025.

this is a charming cozy mystery with small town secrets and and fun adventures full of sleuthing. the group must work together to solve the crime when money goes missing, one of the members goes missing, and a murder!!!

This cozy mystery is a delightful mix of small-town charm, quirky characters, and murder-solving antics that would make Agatha Christie proud. With secrets unraveling and danger creeping closer, this story is a heartwarming celebration of community, misfits, and the magic of books, even when they’re solving murders instead of reading them. A must-read for fans of humor, mystery, and a touch of chaos!

This book is an absolute delight, mixing small town charm with murder, mayhem, and plenty of bookish banter. Nova and her misfit book club make for an unforgettable team, each bringing their quirks, secrets, and wildly different theories to the table. The writing is sharp, witty, and full of heart, and the mystery keeps you guessing until the end. It’s the perfect blend of humor, intrigue, and a love for stories, a cozy, feel good read that’s impossible to put down.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing this book, with my honest review below.

Can a book about murder and mayhem be cute? Maybe not traditionally but The Busybody Book Club was cute and emotional and yes, had a solid mystery. Nova is engaged and nearing the day of her wedding while staying at her future in law’s house with her fiance (and I agree with Phyllis here - he’s a chump). She’s trying to keep her job at the community center (her forgetfulness is causing issues) while mourning her father, missing her mother in South America, and generally feeling lost. Enter her book club which is just getting started and complete with blue haired and Agatha Christie obsessed Phyllis (who has a pretty traumatic story), gentile elder gentleman Arthur (hiding the most heartbreaking secret), teenage and painfully shy Ash, and the aloof and mysterious Michael (mommy issues). When money goes missing from the center and crimes start to pile up you should be less than shocked to find Nova on the case, despite her fiancé’s protestations, along with the noisy book club gang.

This book delivered all the feelings! While it’s fairly simple and would most definitely fit under the description of cosy mystery, it had some good twists and I loved picking it up each night to see where the gang was in their investigation, and if I could figure out each of their own secrets.

The Busybody Book Club is a modern take on a classic small-town mystery. Local book club members get drawn into amateur sleuthing when money to repair the town's community center goes missing.

The characters are well drawn and likable, each getting their say as the POV shifts. The setting is cozy. And the motives plentiful. The mystery twists and turns with several reveals leading to a satisfying conclusion.

Perfect for fans of Miss Marple and The Thursday Murder Club series.

The Busybody Book Club by Freya Sampson is a charming and cozy mystery full of small town secrets and hilarious amateur sleuthing adventures. Nova Davies, the founder of a struggling book club in a Cornish seaside village, finds herself leading a group of endearing misfit readers. What starts as a book club disaster escalates into a full blown mystery when money goes missing, a murder shakes the town, and one of their own disappears. The group’s attempts to solve the crime are so funny and heartwarming! Each member brings their unique and often ridiculous perspective to the investigation. Their crazy antics and this lighthearted mystery makes for a highly entertaining read!