Having read previous books by this author, I knew that I was in for an entertaining story. Laura, the main character, has separated from her husband David, and is renting a small room in a luxurious mansion. She owns a cleaning company and is kept busy managing staff, work schedules, and looking after her daughter. However, Stella (a neighbour) believes that Laura has been flirting with her partner Al, and has spread malicious gossip, resulting in others taking an unfriendly attitude towards her and her daughter Betsy. Laura is determined to prove Stella wrong and sets about finding out what Al has really been up to. This opens up a whole can of worms! The strength of the book is within its main characters, friendships and humour running through the passages. Starting at a steady pace, the story gradually unfolds and becomes more complex, with several twists and turns, along with misunderstandings. With charismatic, engaging characters, an entertaining storyline, lots of humour, all combining to make an enjoyable and entertaining read. Recommended, I can’t wait for Jane Fallon’s next book. #QueenBee #NetGalley

Oh My God, this book is an absolute riot! I picked it because I wanted something light hearted, funny and uplifting after finishing a really gritty psycho thriller and I wasn't disappointed. Laura's marriage has collapsed, and she rents a tiny, tiny studio flat above her new landlady's garage on The Close. Surrounded by multi-million pound mansions and their inhabitants, Laura thinks she's landed on some sort of parallel universe. The women are all Stepford Wives types, with the exception of landlady, Gail who seems pretty normal. The 'Queen Bee' is Stella. Married to Al, Stella has it all. She's the one everyone wants to be near and be like. When Al falsely accuses Laura of something, she becomes completely ostracised by Laura, and quickly everyone else follows suit. With the help of her friend, Angie, Laura sets out to clear her name and what she discovers along the way is set to rock Stella's world forever. A hilarious yet still very touching and heart warming look at class divide, and how at the end of it all, we're just people. A very, very good read.

I thought this book was a really fabulous read. It was a real page turner and the story was gripping . It was full of so many emotions from funny to sad and everything in between. Laura was a lovely character moving with her daughter to a very upmarket area when her marriage broke down. I didn't think very much of Stella at first but by the end of the book I felt sorry for her and everything she had to go through. It was full of twists and turns and really captured my imagination. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book it was brilliant.

Another great read from Jane Fallon! Laura is recently separated and, in looking for a place to stay, ends up renting the "servants quarters" in a mansion...in a very 'well to do' road called The Close. She finds out the hard way how the dynamics in The Close work and that Stella is "Queen Bee". When Laura is falsely accused of something, she sets out to put the record straight...with very unexpected results! I don't want to give anything away, but what I did really like about this book was that it wasn't about Laura moving on and finding love, it is about how she gains confidence and makes new friends post the separation, never letting go of who she is. Her love for her daughter, Betsy, is at the core of everything she is doing and you find yourself willing on this hardworking, strong woman to win through the adversity and heartbreak that she is facing. I also thoroughly enjoyed the humour and sarcasm that arises from the residents of The Close, plenty of botox and marble floors in the houses to keep you entertained! Overall a great read, I devoured it in a day!

Queen Bee of the close where houses cost up to £9 million is Stella, living the perfect life, rich, idle with no conception of the real world. Enter our main character Laura who has had to rent an attached garage apartment on the close from a solicitor and her husband. Her marriage ending after her husband deciding he didn’t want to be married anymore. Having a 7 year old daughter Laura is desperate to find a suitable house to move into so her daughter can live with her, until then she is staying with her father. Although she runs her own cleaning business she is amazed at the wealth and shallowness of all the the other woman in the close, particularly when Stella takes offence at something that Laura was supposed to have done so everyone turns their back on her. When Laura discovers a secret that will ruin Stella’s life rather than ignore it after the way she’s been treated she goes out of her way to help. There is humour and pathos in this story, with good depth to the characters who are well rounded and interesting, even if you want to slap a few! Although it took me a little while to get into the story it had a good plot line and satisfying finale. An enjoyable read My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.