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.

I very much enjoyed Freya Sampson’s Nosy Neighbors. Anyone who liked that one will want to read this author’s new release. For those who have not read books by Sampson, here is a lovely place to start.

Sampson writes stories that feature quirky individuals who find themselves in interesting situations. The novels are about connections between people, and the plots that surround them. That is certainly the case here.

Nova has moved to a small Cornish village with her partner. They are living with his family which is not easy. Pamela, a bossy future in law, is over organizing Nova’s life. Will Craig and Nova survive as a couple?

At the same time, Nova’s work life is equally challenging. To mention just a few of the obstacles, there is a book club member who may be a thief, Nova’s employer is attacked, and dealing with the idiosyncratic people who come to the center. These include a woman with a smelly dog who sees herself as Miss Marple, an elderly man whose blind wife loves romances in fiction, and a young boy with a crush, among others.

Readers will enjoy finding out how the many people and plots are resolved in a perfect escapist read. Give it a try!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for this title. All opinions are my own.

Nova works at the local community center. She just started this job and it's very important to her as she loves what she does and believes it's very important for the community. One of the many activities she leads at the center is a book club with a mixed group of people and she's not certain it's going to take off as she hoped.

There's Phyllis that only wants to read mysteries. Arthur only wants to read romance novels so he can share them with his sick wife at home. Ash is a quiet teen and Michael who no one has a clue why he's even there.

During a meeting discussing Where the Crawdad's Sing, Michael gets a phone call and races out of the building. The next day there is money missing intended for a new roof for the center. All fingers are pointing at Nova. Shortly after more mysterious things are occurring and unless the book club members can figure out who is behind it all Nova is going to lose her job and possibly face charges. These mysteries all occur while Nova is trying to prepare for her wedding to Craig. It's hard to focus on the wedding when Nova's so worried about everything else. Craig just wants her to stop getting so involved in the mysteries and focus on the wedding.

I really loved this book. It was full of great mystery that kept me guessing right up until the end. I definitely didn't suspect how this would end at all. I really loved all the characters. I could actually imagine a second or third book with these characters. I recently read The Maid by Nita Prose and I would suggest The Busybody Book Club to anyone that enjoyed that series.

This book has it all a cozy mystery, a murder, a theft, romance, a book about books, amateur sleuths and plenty of Star Wars and Miss Marple references. Nova has moved to Cornwall and started a new job at community center. She is in charge of book club and at a meeting money gets stolen which was suppose to fix the roof. Blame is put on Nova as she was last one in the building and now could loose her job. Michael leaves book club early only to disappear after his mother is murdered.

Nova is going to be married soon and her fiancé is less than thrilled that she might loose her job and seems to care more about her book club and the community center than wedding details.

Phyllis has a theory of what happened and has everyone from book club chasing down clues. She believes she knows where Michael went and can find the money and solve a crime. Phyllis -the busybody was my favorite character as she just marches to the beat of her own drum and doesn’t care. She changes through the book and it heartwarming to watch it unfold.

All the book club members are so vastly different and it is endearing how they bond and help each other. Arthur an Octogenarian , Ash a teenager, Phyllis an Agatha Christie fan and Miss Marple wannabe and her English bull dog Craddock make up the book club.

Fun, silly, enjoyable. Sweat pants read for the brain which we could all use more of lately. Super fun and heartfelt.