Nora runs a book club at the community center in a small Cornish town, a book club consisting of only 5 members, including herself. There's Arthur, an octagenarian who reads to his homebound blind wife; Ash, a teenager who's too scared to talk most of the time; Phyllis, an older lady who's read every Agatha Christie book ever written and considers herself a new Miss Marple and never goes anywhere without her dog Craddock who has flatulence issues for some comic relief. Lastly, there's Michael, but as the book opens, he's only attending for the second time and no one knows much about him.

They are discussing <i>Where the Crawdads Sing</i> when suddenly Michael receives a text and jumps up and runs out without a word of explanation. Later they discover that there was robbery the same night and the community center's future is in jeopardy if they can't find the culprit and recover the money for the new roof. Michael is the obvious suspect, but when Phyllis goes to chase him down, she sees the paramedics removing a dead body from his house and they find out that Michael has disappeared. The members of the book club, including a very reluctant Nora, decide they have to solve the murder and find Michael to recover the money.

What follows is a somewhat madcap adventure with a lot of clues (I figured out "who dunnit" in the first third of the book) and some really frustrating dysfunctional personal stuff for Nora. I found myself more frustrated with the characters than in love with their quirkiness, which is new for me in a Sampson book! I absoluetly adored <i>The Last Chance Library</i> and loved <i>The Lost Ticket</i> and <i>Nosy Neighbors</i>. The characters in this one just weren't as likeable and the side characters (non book club members) were more annoying. I also got frustrated with Nora, the female mc, because she really needed to grow a backbone.

It was still an enjoyable read! 3.5 stars (rounded up) and I recommend it to fans of cozy mysteries everywhere.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Berkley, for a free electronic copy in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you so much to Berkley for the gifted book!

Title: The Busybody Book Club
Author: Freya Sampson
Pub Date: May 27, 2025

I am a HUGE fan of Freya Sampson! I know her books will always be lighthearted and fun! Even if they deal with heavy topics occasionally, the overall feel is usually still uplifting and happy! Freya Sampson writes the most heartwarming characters that always have the most unlikely of friendships!

I always love books about books, especially about bookclubs, and when you throw in a mysterious element, I'm 100% sold!

When a large sum of money goes missing during bookclub at a local community center, the whole community center is at risk of closing, leaving the bookclub with no place to meet! The unlikely group of friends takes it upon themselves to solve the mystery of the missing money which leads them to more mysteries, possibly some murder, and overall a ginormous mess!

I love how everything came together at the end and there were definitely a couple "AWWW" moments!

If you're looking for a fun and cozy mystery, you should definitely check this one out!

A struggling Book Club in a community center facing budgetary crisis. Each member has their own favorite genres and outlooks, but when the roofing money is stolen from the office, they join forces to find the real thief and regain the money.

Why I started this book: Requested the ARC because this looked like a fun, bookish story...

Why I finished it: This book is great for a cozy mystery of misfits perfect for the beach or the pool. It's easy to go down, with quirky but slightly irritating characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I have read previous books by Freya Sampson and find them so cozy. This book was exactly that.

The story of a group that has formed a book club and find themselves in the middle of a mystery.
The mismatched group includes Nova- an engaged community worker running the book club, Phyllis- a crotchety lady, who has an affinity to Agatha Christie novels, Art- a sweet pensioner who talks fondly of his wife, Art- a shy teen and the newest member, Michael- who is a bit of a mystery. When money for repairs to the community center goes missing, and Nova is being looked at for this crime, the group falls into solving the mystery and opening another can of worms, and more mysteries along the way.

Sampson seems to excel at capturing the found family trope, while presenting colorful, diverse characters.

This was a lovely story. And I am always excited when the author releases a new book. Definitely pick up this charming story.

4 stars.

I read Nosy Neighbors last year, and was thrilled to get an early copy of Sampson’s new book. A true cozy mystery, there’s equal parts of sweet, silly, and suspenseful as an unlikely group works together to solve an outlandishly ridiculous mystery.
I really loved this book, and each of the main characters, who are all struggling with their own personal issues. Nova, technically the main character, has just moved to the small town her fiancé grew up in and is currently living with her future in-laws. Her job at the community center is a point of contention with her fiancé and his parents, and the ongoing drama that ensues creates a tenacious rift.
I really enjoyed this book, which was fast-paced, quippy, and ridiculous. There was a deeper emotional undertone that really kept me invested, and I can’t wait to read Sampson’s next book!
Thanks to Berkley for the free book and Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

2.5⭐️ ARC for review - the Busybody book club had a lot of potential for me but it fell flat. This was my first book read by this author. This book is slow paced and I really had to push myself to want to finish it.

Nova works at the town community center and runs the book club. Each book club member is unique and different from each other. When money is stolen from the community centers fund for a new roof, the book club bans together to figure out who did it.

Some of the characters were charming and made me laugh. Phyllis reminded me of a cute little grandma. Overall the story is predictable and drawn out.

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this early copy in exchange for an honest review!

What an absolute fun read! I enjoyed this book from start to finish. Think Only Murderers in the Building but make it a book club. A group of mismatched characters with their own secrets come together to make up this quirky book club. There's murder, secrets, romance, intrigue, and even a flatulent dog, what more could you want! Thank you Net Galley and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC.

This was a cute cozy mystery. I will say it was more character oriented than plot, but the plot didn’t suffer, and I loved the characters and how they grew into a family. Each character was unique and special- I fell for all of them and am actually really sad that it doesn’t look like there will be more. As a lover of cozy mysteries mainly for the characters, this was just fine for me; though some may be put out that certain things were just…. glossed over. The whole romance aspect was not believable, but I suppose it wasn’t meant to be. Phyllis and Arthur were both very believable characters, I enjoyed watching each of them work through things in different ways.

This was the first of Sampson’s books I have read, but it won’t be the last. I have high hopes for more charming, character oriented stories. The flow of the story was good, easy to follow. There was mystery and intrigue, though some of the plot points were pushed aside with the barest of explanation- I would have liked to see more there. Still, it was a good story, great characters, and an overall good time. I am going to give it three and a half stars.

As far as adult content goes, I wouldn’t say there was too much- some language, gas lighting, reference to past trauma, and violence. It’s pretty tame. While written for adults, I would say that this would be good for new and maybe young adults too- they may like Ash.

I was lucky enough to receive an eARC of this book from Netgalley and Berkley Publishing in exchange for an honest review. My thanks!

This book came out of nowhere and took me by surprise in the best way! I would consider it a cozy mystery, which I don’t usually read, but I absolutely loved it. There was the sweetest found family. There were so many reveals and none of them were over the top or cliche. Instead, they all made me gasp (in a good way) and made my heart SO happy! I could not believe how much I enjoyed this book - I gave it 5 stars!!

A quirky book club in Cornwall must solve a murder and a theft when one of their members disappears, leaving behind a dead body and a missing stack of cash. Their contrasting personalities and theories clash as they investigate, each with their own secrets to hide.

This cozy mystery is twisty and fun, but also emotional and heartwarming. Nova is likable and relatable. I’d love to see this become a series.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

The Busybody Book Club is a story of found family, lost encounters, and muuuurder.

This is a cute book that is a tad predictable at times and gets a little silly, but ultimately is a fun read. The only thing I will say - if you have read a Freya Sampson before, this will be extremely similar. I found this story to have quite a few exact thematic elements as The Last Chance Library. But at the end of the day, we all need candy reads and that’s exactly what this is.

Thank you so much for the free book @Berkleypub #Berkley #BerkleyPartner.

The Busybody Book Club was a fun, light mystery packed with plenty of heartwarming moments.

It reminded me of The Maid by Nita Prose and served as a great palate cleanser between darker reads.

This was definitely a bit of a slower burn, but the characters really helped carry the story.

Arthur Robinson was an absolute gem! He was the sweetest retired farmer who loved his wife beyond measure. He even took up picking out romance novels from library and reading them aloud to her after her sight failed 🥹😭.[3.5 stars rounded down to 3].

Read if you like:

✨ Light mysteries
✨ Miss Marple
✨ The Maid - Nita Prose
✨ Found family

⚠️Warning: I may be inclined to GUSH about this novel!

From its 👀 eye-catching👀 cover to the classic Christie nods this is a novel that cozy fans will be proud to add to their shelves.

A well-written mystery with the best cozy elements. A cast of characters that felt like a group hug including the🐶 bulldog. The found family here is delightful each character had their moment to shine, but if this book has a scene stealer it would probably be Phyllis. In fact, fans of Agatha Christie's heroine Miss Marple may see in Phyllis a kindred spirit (or maybe not 🤣). Phyllis never lets the fact that real life rarely imitates fiction keep her down. She marches forward asking herself, "What would Miss Marple do?" Just don't tell her you're a Poirot fan. Nova is a community center employee engaged to be married soon. Arthur is an elderly gentleman caring for his sickly wife. Arthur was one of my favorites. It was easy to envision him with his tractor🚜 as his faithful steed.🐎 There was something timeless about the kind of class Arthur exuded. Ash was a teen who loved Sci-Fi 🧪novels. Seeing his interactions with Arthur was heartwarming. Micheal is a new member, and no one really knows much about him.

During one of the book club meetings the money that was raised to repair the community center roof goes missing. Management is pointing fingers at Nova accusing her of being irresponsible. Poor Nova is so unsure she's incapable of giving herself the benefit of the doubt. Did she lock the door? After reviewing video footage, the police want to speak to Micheal who made an early exit. Phyllis encourages some sleuthing and when they attempt to speak to him at his house, they see a dead body being wheeled out instead.

The barrier crossing friendships give wonderful bookish discussions and fresh perspectives. With these busy bodies around to step out of their comfort zones whether it's solving crime or debating Star Wars, I'm so in!

Heartfelt gratitude to Berkley Publishing Group for sending me an Advance Reading Copy via NetGalley!! As always, all opinions are my own.

After the death of her beloved father, Nova Davies moves from London to a small village on the seaside in Cornwall. She's come to her fiance's hometown where they are living with his parents, and his mother has taken over plans for the wedding setting Nova's wishes aside.

Nova works for the local community center which is in financial difficulty. She also runs a book club through the center. Her readers are a small, eclectic mix. Phyllis is an elderly Agatha Christie fan who sees mysteries everywhere and who has been warned off by the local constabulary for her excessive "help." Athur is an elderly farmer who reads a lot of romances aloud to his housebound, blind wife of sixty years. Ash is a quiet teenager who is a science fiction fan. Michael is a new member of the group and somewhat mysterious.

When Michael gets a text and rushes out of the meeting one Wednesday night. Next, the theft of 10,000 pounds is discovered. It had been kept in the petty cash drawer intended as a payment to the roofers who were set to begin fixing the leaky roof the next day. Nova is being blamed for allowing the theft because she didn't lock the office door.

The book club decides to track down Michael because they are certain he was the only one who could have taken the money. When they get to his house, the find the police and an ambulance and see a body being removed from the premises. But it is Michael's mother who has died, and no one can find Michael.

Our amateur sleuths are undaunted though Nova tries to reign them in since she should be working on her wedding plans for her rapidly nearing wedding date. However, she's having some second thoughts about getting married and she's being plagued with other mistakes at work.

This was an engaging story filled with quirky but lovable characters. I liked the mystery. But what I liked most of all was getting to know the members of the Busybody Book Club.

The Busybody Book Club by Freya Sampson is a delightful and charming read, filled with humor, endearing characters, and sharp, insightful dialogue that explores the ups and downs of everyday life.

I really enjoyed this mystery by Freya Sampson. I am a fan of a group of quirky characters coming together. I enjoy elderly characters and multigenerational friendships. I had fun with the storyline of these characters trying to solve a mystery in ridiculous ways. I thought the connections to so many other works of literature was so creative. I especially appreciate how she balances humor and almost ridiculous circumstances with so much heart and deeper storylines. I wouldn't say the characters are fully fleshed out, but as we learn more about each of them and the secrets they have to hide it's enough to care what happens to them. I also would have enjoyed just a bit more about the setting. We get to know the community center and the one scene at a cottage on the coast was better described, but that's it as far as setting goes. Overall I really enjoyed this book. I laughed, teared up, and was even angry a few times and when an author can make me feel things it's my favorite!

Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for an early review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Nova Davies left London after a traumatic incident and moved to Cornwall with her fiancé Craig. She loves working at the St. Tredock Community Center, where she started a book club. After their most recent meeting, £10,000 raised for the much-needed repair of the center's roof was stolen from Nova's office, which had been accidentally left unlocked. This incident puts Nora's job in jeopardy, as well as the fate of the Community Center. Meanwhile, Nora is also trying to prepare for her wedding, as her domineering future mother-in-law makes things very challenging. Led by Agatha Christie fan Phyllis, the book club members become amateur sleuths to find the thief. Their primary suspect is Michael, who had attended several of the book club meetings and has disappeared under mysterious circumstances, including the recent death and possible murder of his mother. Michael's wife, Cynthia, is also not above their suspicion. Phyllis knows the group can do better than the police. She puts on her Miss Marple hat, and they get to work.

Author Freya Sampson writes delightful novels about people coming together and offering support to one another when they need it the most. The Busybody Book Club is another example of the author's special ability to create "found family." This fast-paced, quick read will put a big smile on your face.

4.25 stars.

Freya Sampson returns with another cozy, found family mystery, this time centering on a community center book club. When one of the club’s members goes missing and their community center leader is accused of several petty crimes, the book club bands together to solve the mysteries plaguing their small town, Agatha Christie style. With multiple points of view, a wide range of ages and personalities, and a couple late stage surprise reveals, Sampson’s latest novel is perfect for fans of Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club, Nita Prose’s The Maid, and Elle Cosimano’s Finlay Donovan series.

In The Busybody Book Club, five wildly different members of a dysfunctional village book club are thrown together to solve a real-life mystery when one of their own vanishes—and a dead body is found at his house. Nova Davies, new to town and trying to save the struggling community center, inadvertently finds herself at the center of the chaos. With accusations flying, money missing, and secrets surfacing, the group must channel their inner Agatha Christies to uncover the truth behind Michael’s disappearance. Can they crack the case before the community—and their friendships—fall apart?

This cozy mystery was a charming, big-hearted read, but I’ll admit—I spent the first half convinced I’d already read it. I hadn’t (it’s not even released yet!), but it shares very similar vibes and setting with How to Age Disgracefully, which had me doubting my memory until the pieces clicked. While I enjoyed the concept and the quirky cast, I did find The Busybody Book Club a bit more far-fetched and less engaging overall than both How to Age Disgracefully and Freya Sampson’s own The Lost Ticket / Nosy Neighbors. It’s still a sweet story about misfits coming together for a cause, but the mystery and humor didn’t land quite as strongly for me this time around.

The Busy Body Bookclub is out May 27, 2025. Huge thank you to Berkley for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting myInstagram @speakingof.books.
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A cute low stakes mystery with heartwarming characters. This was a fun read where I was left guessing the “whodunnit” part until the end. Phyllis the town busybody and lover of Miss Marple was my favourite character. All the characters had decent back stories and satisfactory character development. The main character Nova was my least favourite character. She had a good backstory but she annoyed me at parts. I did like her character progression at the end though. You can tell the author is a big fan of Agatha Christie which I appreciated the Christie love and references as well as the other pop culture references like Star Wars. I would recommend this book to those who enjoyed The Maid or other cozy mysteries.