Nosy Neighbors and Finding Family

Nosy Neighbors Perfect for lovers of heartwarming thrillers and Hulu fans. There’s only murder in the building.Welcome to Shelley House: a historic old apartment building in the quaint English town of Chalcott, where Kate Bennett, 25, and Dorothy Darling, 77, live. Kate and Dorothy are notorious enemies – Dorothy thinks Kate is grumpy, unapproachable, and a pink-haired punk who likes to keep to herself; Kate rolls her eyes at Dorothy, a grumpy old person who can’t seem to mind her own business and spends her days sternly reminding everyone in the building to follow the rules. When Kate and Dorothy receive news that Shelley House will be demolished and replaced with new apartments, and all residents will be evicted, they are heartbroken – but they won’t miss each other, or even the people they know in the building.

But then their friendly neighbor, one who has been vehemently opposed to the demolition, is attacked in his apartment. Kate and Dorothy begin noticing strange things happening in the apartment building, even a break-in, and soon they realize trouble is brewing. The oddball duo must work together to find the man behind the crimes at Shelley House before anyone else gets hurt. In the process, they might even learn to like each other—and rally the community to save the home they cherish so much.

What follows is a transcript of a delightful conversation Freya and I had about how feminism and family are at the heart of her latest novel.

How do feminism and “nosy neighbors” intersect?

Nosy Neighbors The story of two neighbors, 77-year-old Dorothy Darling and 25-year-old Kate Bennett, who both feel guilty about their pasts and allow that guilt to drive them into self-isolation. Not much is given away in the story, but both women are tormented by what they feel is their failure to fulfill traditional roles in a patriarchal society: Dorothy’s failure to be a “good mother” and Kate’s failure to be a “good daughter.” The story follows the two women as they become unlikely allies in defending their home from greedy capitalist landowners who are tearing it down and rebuilding it. But it’s also about how the power of female friendship, community, and collective action helps Kate and Dorothy re-evaluate the way they view their past and move past the guilt that has plagued them for so long.

How can a sense of community help us accept the downsides in our lives and work towards a better future?

History teaches us that community is essential for survival. Our ancestors would never have made it out of the caves if they hadn’t learned to live and work together, sharing skills, information and resources to stay afloat. Two million years later, science and technology have enabled us to live even more isolated lives: with nothing more than an internet connection and Deliveroo, you can survive perfectly well without ever having to leave your house or talk to another human being! Yet I believe community is more important than ever, which is why I return to this theme again and again in my writing. In all my novels, it’s only when dispersed, isolated individuals begin to work together that they can achieve wider goals, whether that’s saving their local library from closure. Last Chance Library or against gentrification Nosy NeighborsLikewise, it is only when they open themselves up to human connection that my characters are able to overcome their personal demons and move on with their lives. So while we may no longer need a sense of community for our physical survival, I believe we do need it for our emotional survival and to create positive change in the world.

How does accepting and/or forgiving others and oneself bring liberation?

One of the things I want to explore Nosy Neighbors is about the way we allow our past to define us, and the sense of freedom that can be gained when we break free of those self-written narratives. Both of my protagonists, Dorothy and Kate, have allowed their lives to be shaped by the stories they tell themselves about their own pasts, specifically the misplaced guilt they both carry, which has led to their isolation from the world around them. The plot of the story forces them to break free of their self-imposed isolation and form an unlikely alliance to save their homes and discover who is violently attacking their neighbors. In the process, they must let down their guard and share some of their pasts with each other. Only when they open up and connect are the two women able to see their pasts in a new light, and with that acceptance comes the power to forgive themselves and rewrite their stories.

How important is it to find family in a community?

While I love exploring biological family dynamics in my writing, I’m more interested in the idea of ​​found family: the group of people we actively seek out and choose to identify with, rather than the group we’re a part of simply by birth. In all of my books, my main characters come from absent or toxic families, and their personal growth almost always comes from the connections they make with strangers who ultimately become their support system. While my stories focus on physical communities, like neighbors in an apartment building, I think this is an area where the internet can play a hugely positive role. Until recently, “finding your tribe” meant people you could physically connect with. But thanks to the internet, people can now find like-minded, supportive soul family in places like feminist book clubs, even if that family is scattered across the globe.

Thank you Freya for taking the time to talk to us about The Nosy Neighbor – as we head into the end of summer and early fall, let us all remember to take a moment to reflect on our connections with each other and with ourselves.

Florida born and raised. Jodi began her career as an officer in the Coast Guard but has recently transitioned into the civilian world. When she’s not obsessed with her pets, you can find her reading a book on the beach or staying up late embroidering while watching the latest true crime documentary.