By Freya Sampson – Berkley, 2024
The now-shabby Shelley House—a six-flat, historic dwelling outside of London—has seen better days but has survived for 133 years. Pink-haired, 25-year-old Kat Bennett is the newest tenant to call it home—while illegally subletting from Joseph Chambers in Flat 1. Cantankerous Dorothy Darling lives in Flat 2. At 77, she is the self-appointed watchdog who writes down everything that happens at Shelley House, notes all the needed repairs and inserts herself into everyone’s business. She and Kat are sworn enemies. As a matter of fact, for someone so involved in everyone’s lives, Dorothy doesn’t seem to like anyone very much. The other tenants are widower Omar and his daughter, Ayesha; a nameless tenant who blasts music and hosts late-night parties; Tomas and his pit bull, Princess; and Gloria, who continues to date unsuitable men. When the building’s owner announces his plans to evict everyone so he can build a new apartment complex on the site, can this group put their differences aside to save Shelley House?
