Review By Gabrielle

Nosy Neighbors is a cozy and uplifting read.

Favourite Quote:

But for Dorthy Darling, flat two, there was never any question of when the trouble began. She could pinpoint the exact moment when everything changed: the single flap of a butterfly’s wing that would eventually lead to the tornado that engulfed them all.

It was the day the girl with the pink hair arrived at Shelley House.

Goodreads Synopsis: 

Twenty-five-year-old Kat Bennett has never felt at home anywhere, and especially not in crumbling Shelley House. According to her neighbors, she’s prickly and unapproachable, but beneath her tough exterior, Kat is plagued by guilt from her past.

Seventy-seven-year-old Dorothy Darling is Shelley House’s longest resident, and if you believe the other tenants, she’s as cantankerous and vindictive as they come. Except there’s a good reason Dorothy spends her days spying on her neighbors—a closely guarded secret that no else knows and the reason Dorothy barely leaves her beloved home.

When their building faces demolition, sworn enemies Kat and Dorothy become unlikely allies in their quest to save their historic home. But when someone starts to play dirty and viciously targets one of the residents, Dorothy and Kat suspect foul play in their community. After the police close the investigation, it’s up to this improbable pair to bring a criminal to justice.

I have some mixed feelings about this one, folks. It starts off strong. I got sucked into the characters and story pretty quickly, but then I found the middle dragged. I’m all for a cozy mystery where the pace isn’t pulse-pounding, but in this case, I found it a bit repetitive in a way that didn’t move the story forward much. I will say the end was great and had me tearing up (in a good way), so it was worth hanging in there for that.

I loved Kat and Dorothy, although that may be an unpopular opinion, as they were hard to love initially. The story is told from both of their perspectives in alternating chapters. They’re both incredibly interesting characters. These ladies couldn’t be more different, but they both struggle with terrible guilt and shame over something in their pasts. Both of them are stuck and can’t move forward.

I loved how this unlikely duo ended up teaming up. It wasn’t the sort of scenario where they put their differences aside for the betterment of all involved. In keeping with their characters, it’s really quite reluctant. Kat keeps only one foot in while preparing to run. Dorothy manipulates Kat in the most delightful ways. It made for an interesting story.

If you are looking for a slower-paced mystery with not a lot of gore, well-developed characters, and an uplifting ending, give this one a try.

Thank you, Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.