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The Barbecue at No. 9
FROM THE NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE LIST OF SUSPICIOUS THINGS . . .Set over 12 hours in 1985 the residents of Delmont Close are preparing a neighbourhood barbecue to watch the biggest music event in Live Aid. A day that will end having touched the lives of millions and changed the lives of all in Delmont Close.
Hosted by the Gordon family, Lydia whose idols are Princess Di and Delia Smith, is determined to put on a show that will impress all. As the neighbours flood in, all the secrets that have been kept locked tight come rushing out.
Rita, a new resident from Australia, harbours a shocking event in her past, Steve a young Falklands veteran battles his own demons, and Hanna, the Gordon's young teenage daughter prepares to flee to hide a shocking truth.
The Barbecue at No.9 explores the nature of family and friendship, who we were and how far we have come. Jennie Godfrey returns to her powerful theme of how we are more united in our humanity than divided by our differences. All written with Godfrey’s signature wit, warmth and bite and, if possible, The Barbecue at No.9 surpasses the power and emotional impact of The List of Suspicious Things.
Hosted by the Gordon family, Lydia whose idols are Princess Di and Delia Smith, is determined to put on a show that will impress all. As the neighbours flood in, all the secrets that have been kept locked tight come rushing out.
Rita, a new resident from Australia, harbours a shocking event in her past, Steve a young Falklands veteran battles his own demons, and Hanna, the Gordon's young teenage daughter prepares to flee to hide a shocking truth.
The Barbecue at No.9 explores the nature of family and friendship, who we were and how far we have come. Jennie Godfrey returns to her powerful theme of how we are more united in our humanity than divided by our differences. All written with Godfrey’s signature wit, warmth and bite and, if possible, The Barbecue at No.9 surpasses the power and emotional impact of The List of Suspicious Things.
371 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 12, 2026
108 people are currently reading
3074 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
November 11, 2025
Two days before Live Aid in July 1985, Hanna’s mum asks her to post barbecue invitations to their neighbours in the close. Her mother, houseproud Lydia, wants to impress the residents (and her sister-in-law) of Delmont Close and she’s not known as Lady Di for nothing. Will the day pan out as she hopes or will it not be the perfection that she aspires to?
I love Jenny Godfrey's smash hit debut The List of Suspicious Things and it’s always a challenge to match the expectations of the follow-up. I’m pleased to say, she does a good job with this as I love the idea/premise of this novel in particular being set around the unforgettable concert. Personally, I’ll never forget Freddie Mercury‘s epic performance (who will?) but the author evocatively reminds me of other great acts of the day, utilising them very effectively as a backdrop to the turbulent events at the barbecue. The mid 80s are depicted well too, not just in the music/fashion etc, but in political events, not least the appalling famine in Africa.
The many and varied characters of Delmont Close are effectively conveyed as are the various issues that they are grappling with. As the day progresses and more people gather at number nine there are plenty of undercurrents and good dynamics between the characters. It becomes increasingly clear that there are a lot of issues and problems, some of which are serious and it serves as a good reminder that things are hidden behind glossy front doors and we can not always be aware of the truth that lies behind.
However, I find the novel takes a little while to get going, but once it does, I’m hooked. This is well worth a read.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to the publishers for the much appreciated early copy and return for an honest review.
I love Jenny Godfrey's smash hit debut The List of Suspicious Things and it’s always a challenge to match the expectations of the follow-up. I’m pleased to say, she does a good job with this as I love the idea/premise of this novel in particular being set around the unforgettable concert. Personally, I’ll never forget Freddie Mercury‘s epic performance (who will?) but the author evocatively reminds me of other great acts of the day, utilising them very effectively as a backdrop to the turbulent events at the barbecue. The mid 80s are depicted well too, not just in the music/fashion etc, but in political events, not least the appalling famine in Africa.
The many and varied characters of Delmont Close are effectively conveyed as are the various issues that they are grappling with. As the day progresses and more people gather at number nine there are plenty of undercurrents and good dynamics between the characters. It becomes increasingly clear that there are a lot of issues and problems, some of which are serious and it serves as a good reminder that things are hidden behind glossy front doors and we can not always be aware of the truth that lies behind.
However, I find the novel takes a little while to get going, but once it does, I’m hooked. This is well worth a read.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to the publishers for the much appreciated early copy and return for an honest review.
November 18, 2025
I think for those of us who loved Jennie's debut novel, The List of Suspicious Things, we all have high hopes for The Barbecue at No. 9. As an 80s child, discovering it was set mainly on the day of Live Aid, excited me even more.
No. 9 houses the Gordons. Lydia, who is very much a keeping-up-with-the-Joneses type and refuses to be known as "that family", decides to host a barbecue for all of their neighbours. Everything must be perfect, particularly because her brother-in-law and his wife have confirmed their attendance. However, as the day unfolds, not all goes according to plan and as the neighbours arrive and the party gets into full swing, secrets start to be revealed.
Jennie Godfrey has a great insight into character and all of the little foibles that make us human. She invokes a number of emotions and even managed to make me see the hidden soft side of one of the more staunch characters. It fully highlights that there is often a bigger fear in the thought of doing something, rather than the actual doing of it, and that those who care about you will always come through for you, no matter what.
The Barbecue at No. 9 is a wonderful exploration of human interactions and relationships (siblings, friendships, parents and lovers) with some surprising moments. As the colder weather approaches, it's the perfect book to hunker down with and be drawn into the drama and community of Delmont Close.
No. 9 houses the Gordons. Lydia, who is very much a keeping-up-with-the-Joneses type and refuses to be known as "that family", decides to host a barbecue for all of their neighbours. Everything must be perfect, particularly because her brother-in-law and his wife have confirmed their attendance. However, as the day unfolds, not all goes according to plan and as the neighbours arrive and the party gets into full swing, secrets start to be revealed.
Jennie Godfrey has a great insight into character and all of the little foibles that make us human. She invokes a number of emotions and even managed to make me see the hidden soft side of one of the more staunch characters. It fully highlights that there is often a bigger fear in the thought of doing something, rather than the actual doing of it, and that those who care about you will always come through for you, no matter what.
The Barbecue at No. 9 is a wonderful exploration of human interactions and relationships (siblings, friendships, parents and lovers) with some surprising moments. As the colder weather approaches, it's the perfect book to hunker down with and be drawn into the drama and community of Delmont Close.
October 5, 2025
I had high hopes for this one after falling in love with Jennie’s debut, and thank goodness it lived up to every one of my expectations! Yet again, she’s created a cast of characters who will stay with me long after I put the book down, and it’s another novel filled with kindness and community like I adore.
Whilst it’s definitely a character driven novel, there’s still plenty of drama and surprises to keep the reader hooked, and I loved the Live Aid 80s backdrop to the big day as all these events unfolded - I could absolutely picture all the outfits and hairdo’s 🤣
Is it too soon to say I can’t wait for her next book?! Without a doubt, a new favourite writer who I’ll read anything by!
Whilst it’s definitely a character driven novel, there’s still plenty of drama and surprises to keep the reader hooked, and I loved the Live Aid 80s backdrop to the big day as all these events unfolded - I could absolutely picture all the outfits and hairdo’s 🤣
Is it too soon to say I can’t wait for her next book?! Without a doubt, a new favourite writer who I’ll read anything by!
Read
January 3, 2026Review to follow. This was a super read and definitely recommended.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
it was very just okay
November 19, 2025
Another great read from Jennie. Full review to follow
October 31, 2025
Thanks to Jennie and Hutchinson Heinemann for the gifted proof of this title in return for an honest review.
This has to be the most anticipated second novel of any author at the moment. In my opinion, Jennie's debut novel - The List of Suspicious Things - was beyond words, and so to live up to that could have been a daunting and difficult talk. But she has more than met the challenge.
Where I think she excels the most is in her character creation. She has a gift for giving us relatable, recognisable, familiar characters across a wide range of ages, backgrounds and roles in the story. She's given us heroes and villains as it were, some trustworthy and others you're not quite sure of. Don't get me wrong, the plot is there, but for me, who prefers characters over plot, it is almost second to the characters; they are what hold this story together and what makes you invest in it. She's one of the best at characterisation, in my opinion.
It's another novel that is filled with love and friendship and the importance of a supportive community. It's about what you've done, what you haven't, wat you regret and what you wish for. She really makes it feel like a big family that the reader is immediately a part of.
I was eight years away from being born when Live Aid was on, but like everyone else I have since watched it many times and so I can almost get a feel for what it was like at the end. And Jennie has depicted it to the letter. It is perfect, like you're wrapped up within the fuss around the show, like you're the one sitting down ready to watch it. It's so nostalgic and echoes the 1980s perfectly, down to the hairstyles and the food and the décor.
Now, having not been around in the 80s, I can't say for sure it's accurate, but it reads as if it is. And I know Jennie was around in the 90s but still, the amount of research she would have had to do to get it so accurate, rom the brand of cigarettes to the once loved but forgotten about home gadgets.
It's very different but also similar to TLOST. It's similar in the sense that she has created this multi-layered, multi-character, community who are all not what they seem. But I found TLOST more of a thriller set in a contemporary space, whereas this is mostly told through conversation rather than action, you're not necessarily sure what the secrets are, it's all very hush hush. It's almost like you're a detective trying to look in the gaps that these characters create for you - it's very clever.
It's another one of those books that makes you question whether you should even try to write a book, because it will never been as good as this one.
You wonder how a book of this length can be told over just one day, surely it must get slow? But it doesn't. Somehow she's managed the pace of it perfectly.
I didn't want it to end at all. I felt the same way with TLOST. I flew through that and was then annoyed that I hadn't taken my time with it, but I've done exactly the same thing here. I couldn't help it. It's so fun and natural to read that you just disappear into this world and then all of a sudden you're finished and you want to start again.
I know she's only two books in, but I can say hand on heart that I will read everything she writes - even her grocery list if she'd let me. I sure hope she has a long writing career because I, and everyone else, needs her talent on their bookshelves.
Now all I need to know is, when is book three coming out?
This has to be the most anticipated second novel of any author at the moment. In my opinion, Jennie's debut novel - The List of Suspicious Things - was beyond words, and so to live up to that could have been a daunting and difficult talk. But she has more than met the challenge.
Where I think she excels the most is in her character creation. She has a gift for giving us relatable, recognisable, familiar characters across a wide range of ages, backgrounds and roles in the story. She's given us heroes and villains as it were, some trustworthy and others you're not quite sure of. Don't get me wrong, the plot is there, but for me, who prefers characters over plot, it is almost second to the characters; they are what hold this story together and what makes you invest in it. She's one of the best at characterisation, in my opinion.
It's another novel that is filled with love and friendship and the importance of a supportive community. It's about what you've done, what you haven't, wat you regret and what you wish for. She really makes it feel like a big family that the reader is immediately a part of.
I was eight years away from being born when Live Aid was on, but like everyone else I have since watched it many times and so I can almost get a feel for what it was like at the end. And Jennie has depicted it to the letter. It is perfect, like you're wrapped up within the fuss around the show, like you're the one sitting down ready to watch it. It's so nostalgic and echoes the 1980s perfectly, down to the hairstyles and the food and the décor.
Now, having not been around in the 80s, I can't say for sure it's accurate, but it reads as if it is. And I know Jennie was around in the 90s but still, the amount of research she would have had to do to get it so accurate, rom the brand of cigarettes to the once loved but forgotten about home gadgets.
It's very different but also similar to TLOST. It's similar in the sense that she has created this multi-layered, multi-character, community who are all not what they seem. But I found TLOST more of a thriller set in a contemporary space, whereas this is mostly told through conversation rather than action, you're not necessarily sure what the secrets are, it's all very hush hush. It's almost like you're a detective trying to look in the gaps that these characters create for you - it's very clever.
It's another one of those books that makes you question whether you should even try to write a book, because it will never been as good as this one.
You wonder how a book of this length can be told over just one day, surely it must get slow? But it doesn't. Somehow she's managed the pace of it perfectly.
I didn't want it to end at all. I felt the same way with TLOST. I flew through that and was then annoyed that I hadn't taken my time with it, but I've done exactly the same thing here. I couldn't help it. It's so fun and natural to read that you just disappear into this world and then all of a sudden you're finished and you want to start again.
I know she's only two books in, but I can say hand on heart that I will read everything she writes - even her grocery list if she'd let me. I sure hope she has a long writing career because I, and everyone else, needs her talent on their bookshelves.
Now all I need to know is, when is book three coming out?
February 9, 2026
Actual rating 4.5.
🐦⬛ I just can’t get enough🐦⬛
It’s no secret how excited I was when I received a proof of The Barbecue at No. 9 by @jennie.godfrey a few months ago. In fact, I suspect many of you would have actually heard my gasp and whoops of joy when I opened the parcel 😂 I was also quite nervous. Could this book live up to the brilliance of Jennie’s debut, The List of Suspicious Things? Had I hyped up this book so much in my mind that it couldn’t possibly match my expectations?
Fear not, my friends. I needn’t have worried. Jennie Godfrey has done it again.
There’s something deceptively simple about The Barbecue at No. 9 - a neighbourhood gathering, a hot summer day, a street full of familiar faces. Yet Jennie turns this ordinary setting into a story packed with tension, humour and surprising emotional depth.
Set against the backdrop of Live Aid in the summer of 1985, the novel introduces us to the residents of Delmont Close, each carrying their own worries, histories and private truths.
I loved how the shifting points of view gradually peeled back the layers of each household, in turn revealing aspects of their own story while also creating a three-dimensional view the others. This was one of the triumphs in TLOST, and I was happy to find that in TBAN9 Jennie manages it again.
Engaging, emotional and full of sharply observed moments, this is the kind of book that pulls you into its world and makes you care about the people living there. Beneath the wonderful nostalgia, humour and neighbourhood drama is a thoughtful look at the ways people show up for one another. Sometimes imperfectly, sometimes too late, but ultimately in ways that matter. It’s absorbing, emotionally layered, and a reminder that even the most ordinary streets are full of stories waiting to unfold.
Thank you very much to Jennie Godfrey and Hutchinson Heinemann for the opportunity to read this prior to publication, it was a privilege. I loved it so much I pre-ordered a special edition for my bookshelf. It’s a beaut!
🐦⬛ I just can’t get enough🐦⬛
It’s no secret how excited I was when I received a proof of The Barbecue at No. 9 by @jennie.godfrey a few months ago. In fact, I suspect many of you would have actually heard my gasp and whoops of joy when I opened the parcel 😂 I was also quite nervous. Could this book live up to the brilliance of Jennie’s debut, The List of Suspicious Things? Had I hyped up this book so much in my mind that it couldn’t possibly match my expectations?
Fear not, my friends. I needn’t have worried. Jennie Godfrey has done it again.
There’s something deceptively simple about The Barbecue at No. 9 - a neighbourhood gathering, a hot summer day, a street full of familiar faces. Yet Jennie turns this ordinary setting into a story packed with tension, humour and surprising emotional depth.
Set against the backdrop of Live Aid in the summer of 1985, the novel introduces us to the residents of Delmont Close, each carrying their own worries, histories and private truths.
I loved how the shifting points of view gradually peeled back the layers of each household, in turn revealing aspects of their own story while also creating a three-dimensional view the others. This was one of the triumphs in TLOST, and I was happy to find that in TBAN9 Jennie manages it again.
Engaging, emotional and full of sharply observed moments, this is the kind of book that pulls you into its world and makes you care about the people living there. Beneath the wonderful nostalgia, humour and neighbourhood drama is a thoughtful look at the ways people show up for one another. Sometimes imperfectly, sometimes too late, but ultimately in ways that matter. It’s absorbing, emotionally layered, and a reminder that even the most ordinary streets are full of stories waiting to unfold.
Thank you very much to Jennie Godfrey and Hutchinson Heinemann for the opportunity to read this prior to publication, it was a privilege. I loved it so much I pre-ordered a special edition for my bookshelf. It’s a beaut!
October 27, 2025
The whole ‘second album’ phrase need not be worried about here. Jennie proves she is a master at her craft, creating a brand new story packed with heart, secrets and a barbecue you’ll not want to miss!
I loved how nostalgic and atmospheric the novel is once again. Jennie has this expert craft of transporting a reader back to the time her stories are set; this time to 1985 with the new barbecue craze sweeping Britain, Brookside dominating Channel 4, C&A clothes shop for the working-class, and buying VHS tapes to record your favourite shows from the telly.
Jennie has a talent for crafting characters and the right amount of depth required for readers to know them well, understand them and fall in love with them. Steve was my standout hero in this book. His character serves as a subtle lesson to not be so judgemental of others. He’s vulnerable, reclusive and mocked. Given the chance and help needed, he can be just as caring, loving and supportive as everyone else. I enjoyed his story the most and he has a little extra something (storyline wise) that I entirely appreciated.
The rest of the neighbours are diverse and the perfect recipe for a juicy, mysterious story. Secrets unravel… lies are exposed… You’ll all know a Lydia Gordon - You’ll all have had a Steve in your school-year group - Hanna might even have been you - and the lady from the shop exists in many villages!
The writing was superb. I felt like a fly on the wall throughout the whole story; a credit to the storytelling. It almost read like a cosy soap-opera - It has Coronation Street’s warmth and tenderness where required, and the secrets worthy of an EastEnders revelation. Perfect for an absolute nosey-Parker like me, who enjoys learning about and watching other people!
But at its heart, it’s a cosy story of family, friendship, regrets and life. It’s warm when it’s needed, with just the right amount of twists and shocks to keep you gripped. Characters stay true to theirselves. They’re sometimes flawed which makes them very relatable and they all make a great placements in this wonderful novel. I enjoyed from start to finish. I was so immersed, I could not put it down.
Jennie’s two novels show she was born to write and her career change was the best decision. 5 stars - no notes.
I loved how nostalgic and atmospheric the novel is once again. Jennie has this expert craft of transporting a reader back to the time her stories are set; this time to 1985 with the new barbecue craze sweeping Britain, Brookside dominating Channel 4, C&A clothes shop for the working-class, and buying VHS tapes to record your favourite shows from the telly.
Jennie has a talent for crafting characters and the right amount of depth required for readers to know them well, understand them and fall in love with them. Steve was my standout hero in this book. His character serves as a subtle lesson to not be so judgemental of others. He’s vulnerable, reclusive and mocked. Given the chance and help needed, he can be just as caring, loving and supportive as everyone else. I enjoyed his story the most and he has a little extra something (storyline wise) that I entirely appreciated.
The rest of the neighbours are diverse and the perfect recipe for a juicy, mysterious story. Secrets unravel… lies are exposed… You’ll all know a Lydia Gordon - You’ll all have had a Steve in your school-year group - Hanna might even have been you - and the lady from the shop exists in many villages!
The writing was superb. I felt like a fly on the wall throughout the whole story; a credit to the storytelling. It almost read like a cosy soap-opera - It has Coronation Street’s warmth and tenderness where required, and the secrets worthy of an EastEnders revelation. Perfect for an absolute nosey-Parker like me, who enjoys learning about and watching other people!
But at its heart, it’s a cosy story of family, friendship, regrets and life. It’s warm when it’s needed, with just the right amount of twists and shocks to keep you gripped. Characters stay true to theirselves. They’re sometimes flawed which makes them very relatable and they all make a great placements in this wonderful novel. I enjoyed from start to finish. I was so immersed, I could not put it down.
Jennie’s two novels show she was born to write and her career change was the best decision. 5 stars - no notes.
November 12, 2025
Jennie Godfrey is a joy! Her writing is sublime and ‘The Barbecue at No. 9’ is sure to be yet another smash hit (pun intended). The book brought back SO MANY memories of growing up in a new-build housing estate and of the Live Aid era. It's a beautiful, compelling read with some very impactful scenarios unfolding within the narrative. I bawled reading the final page! Having ripped through it, I now feel somewhat bereft and I'm really going to miss the residents of Delmont Close. Another surefire bestseller. All hail Queen Jennie Godfrey!
Edit: I can't believe I forgot to mention the playlist!!! Book playlists are my favourite thing ever and this one is a belter. You can find it here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/16K...
Edit: I can't believe I forgot to mention the playlist!!! Book playlists are my favourite thing ever and this one is a belter. You can find it here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/16K...
December 8, 2025
The author acquits herself well with this fine sophmore offering, in which a 1985 Live Aid watch party reveals neighborhood secrets. Fab!
October 30, 2025
This book feels similar to Jennie Godfrey's first book in that it's very character based, set in the UK decades ago and is written in such a way that it's easy to read.
I liked the large character variety and the singular event setting. The barbecue was interesting and fun, I loved the suburban environment and the pressures of the 'perfect family'. I loved the judgement of the 'unusual' people who lived there like the divorced ladies - especially since this was set in the 80s. The multiple viewpoints were great, it kept it interesting and the backstories of some of the characters was fascinating.
I found the background of the band aid interesting especially since none of the people really seemed to care about the children in Africa (except for that one crying lady). I also found it funny when they made that snarky comment about Freddy Mercury's sexuality even though they'd all gathered around the television to watch Queen.
I really enjoyed this, it was nice and easy to read, I binged it in one go which I haven't done in a while. Huge thank you to NetGalley, Jennie Godfrey and Random House UK for this ARC.
I liked the large character variety and the singular event setting. The barbecue was interesting and fun, I loved the suburban environment and the pressures of the 'perfect family'. I loved the judgement of the 'unusual' people who lived there like the divorced ladies - especially since this was set in the 80s. The multiple viewpoints were great, it kept it interesting and the backstories of some of the characters was fascinating.
I found the background of the band aid interesting especially since none of the people really seemed to care about the children in Africa (except for that one crying lady). I also found it funny when they made that snarky comment about Freddy Mercury's sexuality even though they'd all gathered around the television to watch Queen.
I really enjoyed this, it was nice and easy to read, I binged it in one go which I haven't done in a while. Huge thank you to NetGalley, Jennie Godfrey and Random House UK for this ARC.
January 12, 2026
4.5!
The Gordons at No.9 are having a barbecue and we're all invited. Lovely! Or so you would think...because while the grill is heating up, it quickly becomes clear that the meat isn’t the only thing sizzling.
Everyone on Delmont Close has a past. Some residents are refreshingly unapologetic about who they are, while others are desperately keeping up appearances. As the day unfolds, secrets simmer, tensions rise, and it becomes clear that this barbecue may be the spark that sets everything ablaze.
Although the story is set slightly before my time, it’s rich with nostalgia. References to Top of the Pops, the Argos catalogue, and Grange Hill add warmth and authenticity, while also prompting an uneasy thought: what might our own neighbours be hiding?
Another brilliant whodunnit from Jennie Godfrey, the novel unfolds over the course of a single summer day - Live Aid, no less - making it compulsively readable. Watching the mystery unravel in real time is hugely
satisfying, and Godfrey once again proves herself a master at exposing the cracks beneath seemingly ordinary lives.
The Gordons at No.9 are having a barbecue and we're all invited. Lovely! Or so you would think...because while the grill is heating up, it quickly becomes clear that the meat isn’t the only thing sizzling.
Everyone on Delmont Close has a past. Some residents are refreshingly unapologetic about who they are, while others are desperately keeping up appearances. As the day unfolds, secrets simmer, tensions rise, and it becomes clear that this barbecue may be the spark that sets everything ablaze.
Although the story is set slightly before my time, it’s rich with nostalgia. References to Top of the Pops, the Argos catalogue, and Grange Hill add warmth and authenticity, while also prompting an uneasy thought: what might our own neighbours be hiding?
Another brilliant whodunnit from Jennie Godfrey, the novel unfolds over the course of a single summer day - Live Aid, no less - making it compulsively readable. Watching the mystery unravel in real time is hugely
satisfying, and Godfrey once again proves herself a master at exposing the cracks beneath seemingly ordinary lives.
November 21, 2025
It's a boiling hot day in the summer of 1985, Live Aid is due to broadcast across the globe and the Gordons are hosting a barbecue to bring the neighbourhood together and watch the concert. As the temperature rises, tempers fray and the disparate families of the road are unable to stop the cracks from showing. In the meantime, a mysterious and shadowy stranger has been seen, staring into gardens and ratcheting up the tension in an already fraught neighbourhood. This is evocative, sharp writing that cleverly immerses you in a time and place and beautifully exposes the idea of the perfect family.
February 14, 2026
I was really looking forward to this book as TLOST was great. I struggled with the first 250 pages and found myself skimming through them. I felt no affinity for the characters who really didn’t grab my attention or interest. I enjoyed the last 100 pages when the storyline picked up pace but, sadly for me, it felt a bit too late. The 1980’s nostalgia was the highlight, the best “character”. I was deflated that I didn’t like it more.
November 14, 2025
In the summer of 1985, the entire country is poised for the biggest music event in history – Live Aid. The residents of Delmont Close are preparing for a neighbourhood barbecue to celebrate this historic moment, but someone uninvited is watching them closely, getting ready to make their move. But who are they watching, and why? The Gordons – Hanna, her high-strung mother Lydia and sweet father Peter – have opened the doors to their home. When their neighbours flood in, so do all the secrets that have been kept in the close. There is Rita, a new resident from Australia, Steve a young man who is battling his own demons & Aunty Beverley who has come to pass judgment on her relatives.
Wow. Just wow. I finished this book and was just completely awestruck with the warm and fuzzy feeling it left me with, realising just how much I loved every single moment of it.
Filled with 80’s nostalgia - bringing back happy memories of recording the Top 40 on a tape every Sunday, playing Frogger and bowls of Twiglets at parties that no one ever liked but now I have a very strange craving for! - this book takes us through the day of the Live Aid concert back in 1985, introducing us to some fabulous characters that you instantly warm to.
Straight from the off Hanna is such a strong character, despite her young age, trying to battle with a secret that could blow her family apart, especially with the formidable Lydia as her mother. Steve is also such an endearing character, the evidence that he has witnessed awful things leaving him with undiagnosed PTSD, and confusion about the direction his life is taking him, is tenderly and informatively described, taking into account the very differing attitudes expressed in the 80’s.
And then Rita, her world is very different since arriving on Delmont Close, her secret beautifully explored in sentimental flashbacks, bringing to the foreground a very important issue, all told in Jennie’s unique captivating writing style, meaning it’s very easy to embrace the character’s thoughts & emotions throughout.
After loving ‘The List Of Suspicious Things’ I have been counting down to the next release by Jennie and it’s safe to say I definitely wasn’t disappointed - as if there was any doubt! Her ability to welcome you into a world with the most amazing characters is second to none and I am so glad that all the incredible stories in her mind have made it to paper to share with us all.
Jennie, in the words of Queen, run down that road screaming “Don’t Stop Me Now” because you’ve smashed it out the park once again! As you may have gathered, I can’t recommend this one enough, order your copy today, you won’t regret it!
Wow. Just wow. I finished this book and was just completely awestruck with the warm and fuzzy feeling it left me with, realising just how much I loved every single moment of it.
Filled with 80’s nostalgia - bringing back happy memories of recording the Top 40 on a tape every Sunday, playing Frogger and bowls of Twiglets at parties that no one ever liked but now I have a very strange craving for! - this book takes us through the day of the Live Aid concert back in 1985, introducing us to some fabulous characters that you instantly warm to.
Straight from the off Hanna is such a strong character, despite her young age, trying to battle with a secret that could blow her family apart, especially with the formidable Lydia as her mother. Steve is also such an endearing character, the evidence that he has witnessed awful things leaving him with undiagnosed PTSD, and confusion about the direction his life is taking him, is tenderly and informatively described, taking into account the very differing attitudes expressed in the 80’s.
And then Rita, her world is very different since arriving on Delmont Close, her secret beautifully explored in sentimental flashbacks, bringing to the foreground a very important issue, all told in Jennie’s unique captivating writing style, meaning it’s very easy to embrace the character’s thoughts & emotions throughout.
After loving ‘The List Of Suspicious Things’ I have been counting down to the next release by Jennie and it’s safe to say I definitely wasn’t disappointed - as if there was any doubt! Her ability to welcome you into a world with the most amazing characters is second to none and I am so glad that all the incredible stories in her mind have made it to paper to share with us all.
Jennie, in the words of Queen, run down that road screaming “Don’t Stop Me Now” because you’ve smashed it out the park once again! As you may have gathered, I can’t recommend this one enough, order your copy today, you won’t regret it!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This novel is set around a barbecue on Live Aid day and has plenty of nostalgia for anyone looking for a hit of the 80s. The lives of the characters are intertwined through the community - neighbours, classmates, teachers - but everyone has their secrets. This had a similar feel to Jennie Godfrey's last novel and will appeal to readers of book group fiction.
November 9, 2025
Well ive just finished #TheBarbecueAtNo9 by @jennie.godfrey published by @hutchheinemann in February 2026.
As a HUGE fan and lover of Jennies debut The List Of Suspicious Things ive been eagerly awaiting her next novel. And it really didn't disappoint. Set during the summer of 1984 when the famed Live Aid concert aired on a hot July afternoon. We meet the residents of Delmont Close as the story is very much chrachter driven,each chapter giving us an i sight into the life of a resident..theres Hanna at 16, already dealing with lots, Rita, the shy recluse and my personal favourite Steve the Falklands War damaged watcher of the close.
Jenny has such a talent for writing raw,down to earth, realistic chrachters and this novel shines with the joy of her witty and sharply observed cast. And with each chapter the reader is drawn in to a banal UK street that is filled with secrets bubbling under the surface should you look and listen deep enough to see them! We are drawn into the lives of the inhabitants whilst reliving the hourly music and artists that graced the stage for the greatest concert ever.
There's sadness,happiness,grief, joy in buckets full in The Barbecue At Number 9,making a wonderful heartfelt page turner.
I loved it a solid 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read. 💚💚
As a HUGE fan and lover of Jennies debut The List Of Suspicious Things ive been eagerly awaiting her next novel. And it really didn't disappoint. Set during the summer of 1984 when the famed Live Aid concert aired on a hot July afternoon. We meet the residents of Delmont Close as the story is very much chrachter driven,each chapter giving us an i sight into the life of a resident..theres Hanna at 16, already dealing with lots, Rita, the shy recluse and my personal favourite Steve the Falklands War damaged watcher of the close.
Jenny has such a talent for writing raw,down to earth, realistic chrachters and this novel shines with the joy of her witty and sharply observed cast. And with each chapter the reader is drawn in to a banal UK street that is filled with secrets bubbling under the surface should you look and listen deep enough to see them! We are drawn into the lives of the inhabitants whilst reliving the hourly music and artists that graced the stage for the greatest concert ever.
There's sadness,happiness,grief, joy in buckets full in The Barbecue At Number 9,making a wonderful heartfelt page turner.
I loved it a solid 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read. 💚💚
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Five stars. I adored this.
Jennie Godfrey has done it again. The Barbecue at No. 9 is her second novel and somehow even better than her already brilliant debut. She has a rare gift for writing nostalgic 80s fiction that feels lived-in rather than staged. This isn’t just vibes and Walkmans and Day-Glo cycling shorts (though yes, those are very much here); this is about people. Messy, fragile, complicated people, trying desperately to be seen while pretending they’re absolutely fine.
The premise is deceptively simple. A barbecue on a close. Neighbours gathered. Live Aid humming in the background. But beneath the paper plates and polite small talk, this book is absolutely seething with secrets. Godfrey peels back layer after layer of miscommunication, shame, fear, and performance. Everyone is hiding something. Everyone is pretending to be someone they’re not.
And the characters. Oh, the characters. They are all so painfully, beautifully human. Teenagers contorting themselves to fit into families that don’t quite know how to love them. Adults performing domestic perfection while quietly unravelling. People trapped in lives they thought they wanted. Hanna in particular broke my heart. Her sense of not belonging is so quietly devastating:
There is so much tenderness in how Godfrey writes interiority. The private ache behind public normality. The exhausting labour of being who you’re expected to be:
The book is threaded with themes of secrets, lies told for “good” reasons, and the damage that quiet dishonesty does over time. There’s a line in here that feels like the moral centre of the novel:
And the twists. I did not see some of them coming. Proper, jaw-dropping moments that reframe what you thought you knew about certain characters. Godfrey plays fair, but she plays boldly. This is the kind of book that makes you sit back and go, “Oh. Oh no. Oh wow.”
Despite the heaviness of some of the themes (domestic violence, fear, shame, generational damage), this never feels bleak. There is warmth here. Community. People showing up imperfectly for one another. The sense that life goes on, even after the worst moments:
This is a novel about miscommunication, about pretending, about the roles we learn to play in families and neighbourhoods and marriages. But it’s also about the quiet, radical power of truth. About the hunger for freedom:
I finished this with that hollow, aching feeling you get when you’ve lived inside a world you don’t want to leave. The residents of Delmont Close felt real to me. I will miss them.
Huge thanks to the publisher for the ARC: Random House UK, Cornerstone | Hutchinson Heinemann. This was a total joy.
5 out of 5.
Nostalgic, devastating, tender, and shockingly sharp. Jennie Godfrey is two-for-two, and I will read whatever she writes next.
Jennie Godfrey has done it again. The Barbecue at No. 9 is her second novel and somehow even better than her already brilliant debut. She has a rare gift for writing nostalgic 80s fiction that feels lived-in rather than staged. This isn’t just vibes and Walkmans and Day-Glo cycling shorts (though yes, those are very much here); this is about people. Messy, fragile, complicated people, trying desperately to be seen while pretending they’re absolutely fine.
The premise is deceptively simple. A barbecue on a close. Neighbours gathered. Live Aid humming in the background. But beneath the paper plates and polite small talk, this book is absolutely seething with secrets. Godfrey peels back layer after layer of miscommunication, shame, fear, and performance. Everyone is hiding something. Everyone is pretending to be someone they’re not.
And the characters. Oh, the characters. They are all so painfully, beautifully human. Teenagers contorting themselves to fit into families that don’t quite know how to love them. Adults performing domestic perfection while quietly unravelling. People trapped in lives they thought they wanted. Hanna in particular broke my heart. Her sense of not belonging is so quietly devastating:
“Since Hanna only wore black these days, the wallpaper served as even more of a reminder that she no longer belonged in this house. Or in this family.”
There is so much tenderness in how Godfrey writes interiority. The private ache behind public normality. The exhausting labour of being who you’re expected to be:
“Hanna often felt as though being around her family meant having to contort herself into an awkward shape; that she was less herself around the people who were supposed to know and love her than she was around strangers.”
The book is threaded with themes of secrets, lies told for “good” reasons, and the damage that quiet dishonesty does over time. There’s a line in here that feels like the moral centre of the novel:
“When we hide the truth, it’s usually for the best possible motives, but then the lie ends up hurting others or ourselves more than telling the truth in the first place would have.”
And the twists. I did not see some of them coming. Proper, jaw-dropping moments that reframe what you thought you knew about certain characters. Godfrey plays fair, but she plays boldly. This is the kind of book that makes you sit back and go, “Oh. Oh no. Oh wow.”
Despite the heaviness of some of the themes (domestic violence, fear, shame, generational damage), this never feels bleak. There is warmth here. Community. People showing up imperfectly for one another. The sense that life goes on, even after the worst moments:
“I know this feels like the end of the world,” she said, “but I promise you it isn’t. You will get through this.”
This is a novel about miscommunication, about pretending, about the roles we learn to play in families and neighbourhoods and marriages. But it’s also about the quiet, radical power of truth. About the hunger for freedom:
“She was overcome with yearning for something she had only ever briefly glimpsed. Freedom.”
I finished this with that hollow, aching feeling you get when you’ve lived inside a world you don’t want to leave. The residents of Delmont Close felt real to me. I will miss them.
Huge thanks to the publisher for the ARC: Random House UK, Cornerstone | Hutchinson Heinemann. This was a total joy.
5 out of 5.
Nostalgic, devastating, tender, and shockingly sharp. Jennie Godfrey is two-for-two, and I will read whatever she writes next.
Review of advance copy
Summer 1985:
The neighbours of Delmont Close have been invited over to No.9 (The Gordon Family) to have a barbecue and watch Live Aid. However, even though the hosts said not to worry about bringing anything to the do, the neighbours will be taking something with them... their secrets. First there is Rita, who has recently moved to the area from Australia - but what is she hiding? Then there is Steve, who prefers his own room - what happened to make him that way? Plus, don’t get me started on Lydia, Peter and Hanna from No.9 themselves...
The Pros:
1) There are many secrets in the story, including a person stalking the close which adds a lot of suspense
2) The plot is very character driven and you have the POVs from a few characters
3) I like the author’s writing style. I was a huge fan of TLOST her previous novel - and there are similarities but also differences to the story
4) I liked the ending
5) One character’s story in particular stood out to me
The Cons:
1) I felt the story was a bit too much of a slow burn for me
2) Mentions of SA in case you might be affected by it
The Quotes:
1) She had no idea what her role was any more. It had always been so clearly defined for her before. With her parents, she had been the difficult child, the rebel, the black sheep of the family. With Des, she had been the dutiful wife. She couldn’t quite work out who she was without someone else’s eyes on her.
2) Writing and listening to music was the way she made sense of the world. She played Haircut 100 when she was happy, Joy Division when she was sad, and Queen when she wanted to feel safe. Music had become more than just her refuge: it was her whole vocabulary, she realised.
3) ‘It’s funny, isn’t it. When we hide the truth, it’s usually for the best possible motives, but then the lie ends up hurting others or ourselves more than telling the truth in the first place would have. It doesn’t seem fair.’
The Summary:
It’s very rare that I will pre-order a book, but I loved The List of Suspicious Things so much I couldn’t help myself lol - so I was giddy when the book turned up at my door.
The story starts off relatively slow, obviously getting to the know the characters as you go along - but as time goes on the secrets are unravelled. There is suspense from a lurker in their close and the question of who or what do they want? I am such a fan of the author’s writing style and I think the ending of the book was one of the best parts. I do think perhaps the story was a bit too much of a slow burn for me overall but I definitely liked the book for sure.
Summed up in a sentence?:
Secrets get revealed at a BBQ during Live Aid in 1985
I rated the book 4 stars.
The neighbours of Delmont Close have been invited over to No.9 (The Gordon Family) to have a barbecue and watch Live Aid. However, even though the hosts said not to worry about bringing anything to the do, the neighbours will be taking something with them... their secrets. First there is Rita, who has recently moved to the area from Australia - but what is she hiding? Then there is Steve, who prefers his own room - what happened to make him that way? Plus, don’t get me started on Lydia, Peter and Hanna from No.9 themselves...
The Pros:
1) There are many secrets in the story, including a person stalking the close which adds a lot of suspense
2) The plot is very character driven and you have the POVs from a few characters
3) I like the author’s writing style. I was a huge fan of TLOST her previous novel - and there are similarities but also differences to the story
4) I liked the ending
5) One character’s story in particular stood out to me
The Cons:
1) I felt the story was a bit too much of a slow burn for me
2) Mentions of SA in case you might be affected by it
The Quotes:
1) She had no idea what her role was any more. It had always been so clearly defined for her before. With her parents, she had been the difficult child, the rebel, the black sheep of the family. With Des, she had been the dutiful wife. She couldn’t quite work out who she was without someone else’s eyes on her.
2) Writing and listening to music was the way she made sense of the world. She played Haircut 100 when she was happy, Joy Division when she was sad, and Queen when she wanted to feel safe. Music had become more than just her refuge: it was her whole vocabulary, she realised.
3) ‘It’s funny, isn’t it. When we hide the truth, it’s usually for the best possible motives, but then the lie ends up hurting others or ourselves more than telling the truth in the first place would have. It doesn’t seem fair.’
The Summary:
It’s very rare that I will pre-order a book, but I loved The List of Suspicious Things so much I couldn’t help myself lol - so I was giddy when the book turned up at my door.
The story starts off relatively slow, obviously getting to the know the characters as you go along - but as time goes on the secrets are unravelled. There is suspense from a lurker in their close and the question of who or what do they want? I am such a fan of the author’s writing style and I think the ending of the book was one of the best parts. I do think perhaps the story was a bit too much of a slow burn for me overall but I definitely liked the book for sure.
Summed up in a sentence?:
Secrets get revealed at a BBQ during Live Aid in 1985
I rated the book 4 stars.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I was lucky enough to read a very early copy of Jennie Godfrey's debut novel; The List of Suspicious Things and reviewed it on Random Things in December 2023. I predicted then that the book would be a massive success and I'm delighted to have been proved correct, winning awards and becoming a best seller, it has been huge.
The 'difficult second novel' is a well known thing, and I sometimes think that it can be as worrisome for readers as well as authors! We've loved the first book and expectations are high for book two.
There is no need to worry! The Barbecue at No. 9 is absolutely wonderful, and dare I say it? It is, in my view, even better than its predecessor.
This time the story is set in the 1980s, it is the day of the Live Aid concert. A blistering hot summer day in 1985, and the whole world seemed to be waiting for the big event. A fund raising concert taking place in both London and in the USA. I was almost nineteen-years-old at the time and I remember that day so well. The anticipation of watching your favourite bands, being allowed to have music on the TV, all day long, it was like a hugely extended version of Top of the Pops. What a day!
The residents of Delmont Close are all invited to a barbecue at Number 9; the home of the Gordons. House proud Lydia, her quiet husband Peter, and their two children Hanna and David - along with the dog Prince.
This is the story of one day in the lives of an eclectic group of people who are only connected because they happen to live on the same street. Each and every one of them is a wonderful, carefully created character with their own voice. The author tells her story through alternating chapters, narrated by each characters. This is a fabulous way of story-telling, allowing the reader to know far more about the residents than they know about each other.
As with her first novel, the author deals with some delicate and emotionally challenging subjects, but the subtle hints of humour and the overwhelming feeling of warmth make these so easy to digest. They are dealt with empathically and with a sensitivity that we've come to expect from Jennie Godfrey.
Packed full of secrets, with some suspense and hints of danger along with way, this is a novel that totally took my heart. It is a really beautiful story of family, community, friendship and love. Highly recommended.
The 'difficult second novel' is a well known thing, and I sometimes think that it can be as worrisome for readers as well as authors! We've loved the first book and expectations are high for book two.
There is no need to worry! The Barbecue at No. 9 is absolutely wonderful, and dare I say it? It is, in my view, even better than its predecessor.
This time the story is set in the 1980s, it is the day of the Live Aid concert. A blistering hot summer day in 1985, and the whole world seemed to be waiting for the big event. A fund raising concert taking place in both London and in the USA. I was almost nineteen-years-old at the time and I remember that day so well. The anticipation of watching your favourite bands, being allowed to have music on the TV, all day long, it was like a hugely extended version of Top of the Pops. What a day!
The residents of Delmont Close are all invited to a barbecue at Number 9; the home of the Gordons. House proud Lydia, her quiet husband Peter, and their two children Hanna and David - along with the dog Prince.
This is the story of one day in the lives of an eclectic group of people who are only connected because they happen to live on the same street. Each and every one of them is a wonderful, carefully created character with their own voice. The author tells her story through alternating chapters, narrated by each characters. This is a fabulous way of story-telling, allowing the reader to know far more about the residents than they know about each other.
As with her first novel, the author deals with some delicate and emotionally challenging subjects, but the subtle hints of humour and the overwhelming feeling of warmth make these so easy to digest. They are dealt with empathically and with a sensitivity that we've come to expect from Jennie Godfrey.
Packed full of secrets, with some suspense and hints of danger along with way, this is a novel that totally took my heart. It is a really beautiful story of family, community, friendship and love. Highly recommended.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book was just so hard to put down. I kept thinking ‘just one more chapter’ and then that turned into two and three more. Jeannie Godfrey has created a brilliant snapshot into the world of a surburban estate in July 1985. I remember Live Aid so clearly and it was such a huge event that it works brilliantly as a catalyst for this story.
Lydia Gordon is determined to host a barbecue that will impress all of her neighbours and cement her position as the queen bee of Delmont Close. We see the events of the day mainly through the eyes of her 16 year old daughter Hanna but also from several of the other residents of the close. The POV chapters swap quite quickly and we soon get immersed into the lives of the residents of the close. There are a lot of people to keep track of and it’s a bit hard to keep track of exactly who everyone is at the start but that didn’t stop me from wanting to find out more about them.
The story is firmly rooted in 1985 with lots of cultural references as well as the book following the Live Aid show as each act took to the stage. However, there’s a slightly threatening atmosphere hanging over the day as several people have spotted a mysterious stranger hanging around.
In some ways, it doesn’t seem as though there is much going on but I was gripped by the story. Several of the characters have secrets and gradually, these are revealed. However, it’s not so much about the secrets themselves but about how each of the characters deal with them. If the story has a theme, then I think it’s about the importance of truth and how secrets often hurt the people that you are trying to protect.
I absolutely loved each of the main POV characters and the way that they grew during the course of the story. I felt that Jeannie Godfrey really got inside them and created believable people who I desperately wanted a happy ending for. Some of the other characters only appear briefly whereas others are much more integral to the events but all of them were vividly written and memorable.
This was a brilliant read and I have a feeling that Hanna, Rita and Steve and the other residents of Delmont Close will stay in my head for quite a while yet.
Huge thanks as always to Net Galley and the publishers, Random House UK for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Lydia Gordon is determined to host a barbecue that will impress all of her neighbours and cement her position as the queen bee of Delmont Close. We see the events of the day mainly through the eyes of her 16 year old daughter Hanna but also from several of the other residents of the close. The POV chapters swap quite quickly and we soon get immersed into the lives of the residents of the close. There are a lot of people to keep track of and it’s a bit hard to keep track of exactly who everyone is at the start but that didn’t stop me from wanting to find out more about them.
The story is firmly rooted in 1985 with lots of cultural references as well as the book following the Live Aid show as each act took to the stage. However, there’s a slightly threatening atmosphere hanging over the day as several people have spotted a mysterious stranger hanging around.
In some ways, it doesn’t seem as though there is much going on but I was gripped by the story. Several of the characters have secrets and gradually, these are revealed. However, it’s not so much about the secrets themselves but about how each of the characters deal with them. If the story has a theme, then I think it’s about the importance of truth and how secrets often hurt the people that you are trying to protect.
I absolutely loved each of the main POV characters and the way that they grew during the course of the story. I felt that Jeannie Godfrey really got inside them and created believable people who I desperately wanted a happy ending for. Some of the other characters only appear briefly whereas others are much more integral to the events but all of them were vividly written and memorable.
This was a brilliant read and I have a feeling that Hanna, Rita and Steve and the other residents of Delmont Close will stay in my head for quite a while yet.
Huge thanks as always to Net Galley and the publishers, Random House UK for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
February 7, 2026
I've anticipated this ever since falling in love Jennie's first memorable debut, 'The List Of Suspicious Things,' and this did not disappoint.
Jennie has a fine skill for creating a cast of characters that stick with you long after the book has finished.
This book takes us back to 1985 and introduces us to the residents of Delmont Close. They are preparing to watch the biggest music event in history, Live Aid. You have a mismatch of personalities all huddled on a new estate, but they rally together for the barbecue hosted at No. 9, The Gordons' residence. Live Aid was a day to remember for millions and certainly changed the lives of those who live at Delmont Close.
This is the type of story where I felt absorbed by each character and invested in their vibrant narration. It explores the nature of family, friendship, and humanity. I feel they were effectively dynamic with authenticity and contrasting traits. Their interactions were wholesome, yet conflicted, and this built on the novels tension. I soon became hooked on the melodrama as it slowly unfolds. It's filled with secrets that you're eagerly waiting to be released. Enticing me to keep turning the pages.
This book is packed with a retro atmosphere and filled with nostalgia. It's highly unique and imaginative in its creation, with evocative descriptions of fashion and celebrities of that time.
In addition, the author cleverly weaves the story within the hours in which the original Live Aid concert was performed and also reminds the reader of the acts that were playing during this time, with a continued reference to some unforgettable pop classics that are still adored to this day.
Although it's a story filled with warmth and affability, with a presence like a big hug, it's also a story filled with emotion and comes with some big surprises.
With a very subtle reminder to never judge a book by its cover, it's the perfect slow-burn, drama-fueled story to cozy up to, but may just stimulate the longing to surpass winter and look forward to summer BBQs.
Jennie will continue to be an auto-buy author for me, and I feel honored to have my hands on this special sprayed-edge proof. Special editions are currently available to pre-order too, so make sure you also check out these stunners.
THANK YOU @jennie.godfrey and @hutchheinemann for this one.
Jennie has a fine skill for creating a cast of characters that stick with you long after the book has finished.
This book takes us back to 1985 and introduces us to the residents of Delmont Close. They are preparing to watch the biggest music event in history, Live Aid. You have a mismatch of personalities all huddled on a new estate, but they rally together for the barbecue hosted at No. 9, The Gordons' residence. Live Aid was a day to remember for millions and certainly changed the lives of those who live at Delmont Close.
This is the type of story where I felt absorbed by each character and invested in their vibrant narration. It explores the nature of family, friendship, and humanity. I feel they were effectively dynamic with authenticity and contrasting traits. Their interactions were wholesome, yet conflicted, and this built on the novels tension. I soon became hooked on the melodrama as it slowly unfolds. It's filled with secrets that you're eagerly waiting to be released. Enticing me to keep turning the pages.
This book is packed with a retro atmosphere and filled with nostalgia. It's highly unique and imaginative in its creation, with evocative descriptions of fashion and celebrities of that time.
In addition, the author cleverly weaves the story within the hours in which the original Live Aid concert was performed and also reminds the reader of the acts that were playing during this time, with a continued reference to some unforgettable pop classics that are still adored to this day.
Although it's a story filled with warmth and affability, with a presence like a big hug, it's also a story filled with emotion and comes with some big surprises.
With a very subtle reminder to never judge a book by its cover, it's the perfect slow-burn, drama-fueled story to cozy up to, but may just stimulate the longing to surpass winter and look forward to summer BBQs.
Jennie will continue to be an auto-buy author for me, and I feel honored to have my hands on this special sprayed-edge proof. Special editions are currently available to pre-order too, so make sure you also check out these stunners.
THANK YOU @jennie.godfrey and @hutchheinemann for this one.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Jennie Godfrey’s The Barbecue at No 9 is a compelling and entertaining exploration of hypocrisy and redemption in the English suburbs of the 1980s.
It’s 1985, the glorious hot Saturday of Live Aid. Lydia Gordon, the glamorous matriarch of Number 9 Delmont Close (one of the more desirable Chalmers five-bedroom houses in the cul-de-sac), has decided to hold a barbecue “in aid of the children” and invite all her neighbours.
Lydia fusses and micromanages the preparations, butting heads with her husband Peter and infuriating her children, Hanna and David. Desperate to present the right kind of family, she calibrates everything: not too much food, not too little. David’s brother Keith and his wife Beverley are coming, and Lydia is acutely aware of Beverley’s snobbery while remaining blind to her own. She is equally oblivious to the growing anguish within her own household, with both Peter and Hanna in crisis and ill-prepared for the enforced jollity of the day.
As the guests arrive in the oppressive heat, each carrying private worries and disappointments, their small domestic struggles are thrown into sharp relief against the vast suffering in Ethiopia and the uneasy hypocrisy of conspicuous consumption masquerading as charity. Tensions rise, facades crack, and the afternoon edges towards collapse.
This was my first Jennie Godfrey novel, and I couldn’t put it down. I devoured it in three long, savoured gulps. She writes in a deceptively accessible, chatty style, revealing character and conflict with persuasive naturalism. Her use of contemporary brands, technology, and events is confident and unforced, creating a vivid sense of time and place without ever feeling laboured. Like a chess champion, she places her well-defined pieces quietly and with care, lining them up for the final decisive moves.
Histories of loss, trauma, fear, love, and abuse overlap and entwine, in dialogue with each other as they surface complex, difficult truths and force a series of deeply uncomfortable decisions. Family and friendship ultimately emerge victorious, and the redemptive power of connection—whether with near-strangers next door or suffering people half a world away—leads to conclusions that feel both earned and deeply satisfying
It’s 1985, the glorious hot Saturday of Live Aid. Lydia Gordon, the glamorous matriarch of Number 9 Delmont Close (one of the more desirable Chalmers five-bedroom houses in the cul-de-sac), has decided to hold a barbecue “in aid of the children” and invite all her neighbours.
Lydia fusses and micromanages the preparations, butting heads with her husband Peter and infuriating her children, Hanna and David. Desperate to present the right kind of family, she calibrates everything: not too much food, not too little. David’s brother Keith and his wife Beverley are coming, and Lydia is acutely aware of Beverley’s snobbery while remaining blind to her own. She is equally oblivious to the growing anguish within her own household, with both Peter and Hanna in crisis and ill-prepared for the enforced jollity of the day.
As the guests arrive in the oppressive heat, each carrying private worries and disappointments, their small domestic struggles are thrown into sharp relief against the vast suffering in Ethiopia and the uneasy hypocrisy of conspicuous consumption masquerading as charity. Tensions rise, facades crack, and the afternoon edges towards collapse.
This was my first Jennie Godfrey novel, and I couldn’t put it down. I devoured it in three long, savoured gulps. She writes in a deceptively accessible, chatty style, revealing character and conflict with persuasive naturalism. Her use of contemporary brands, technology, and events is confident and unforced, creating a vivid sense of time and place without ever feeling laboured. Like a chess champion, she places her well-defined pieces quietly and with care, lining them up for the final decisive moves.
Histories of loss, trauma, fear, love, and abuse overlap and entwine, in dialogue with each other as they surface complex, difficult truths and force a series of deeply uncomfortable decisions. Family and friendship ultimately emerge victorious, and the redemptive power of connection—whether with near-strangers next door or suffering people half a world away—leads to conclusions that feel both earned and deeply satisfying
January 19, 2026
Once more one of the characters whose inner thoughts and feelings we are privileged to is a teenager, 16 year old Hanna. Similar to the way in her debut novel, The List of Suspicious Things, Jenni Godfrey uses the teenage voice Hanna comes over well and there is believable authenticity about her. The other points of view are those of her father and some of her adult neighbours on the newly developed Wimpey estate.
Hanna’s mother coined ‘Lady Diana’ by one of the other neighbours has decided to host a barbecue and invite all their neighbours and anyone else she seeks to impress. She is determined not to be that family. The occasion is the original Live Aid concert 1985. Not only does the concert provide the timing of the novel it provides the novel’s linear structure around the hours before the event and the artists who performed on the day.
But there are hidden secrets at number 9 where Hanna and her Mum and Dad and brother, David, live. Though they are not the only ones hiding aspects of themselves. These are revealed as the story proceeds.
Those living through the 1970s and 1980s will be only too aware of Wimpey developments cropping up across the UK. Just as Thatcher’s Britain and the world attention to the harsh realities of Africa are indelible prints on British history, the Live Aid event marks the colliding of the various strands of the characters’ stories. Amidst their preparations to attend and their presence at the barbecue their memories are captured. We learn how characters are thinking about their self-perceived mistakes from the recent or distant past and how these have marked them and what this leads to when socialising generally but more particularly at The Barbecue at No. 9.
I would recommend this novel to anyone who liked The List of Suspicious Things and who like the contemporary format of alternating points of view. I would give it four stars mainly because the first novel was a fresh and new way and this has adopted a similar format. Though the Live Aid structuring was interesting and will resonate with those who remembered the event and what they were doing when it was on.
Hanna’s mother coined ‘Lady Diana’ by one of the other neighbours has decided to host a barbecue and invite all their neighbours and anyone else she seeks to impress. She is determined not to be that family. The occasion is the original Live Aid concert 1985. Not only does the concert provide the timing of the novel it provides the novel’s linear structure around the hours before the event and the artists who performed on the day.
But there are hidden secrets at number 9 where Hanna and her Mum and Dad and brother, David, live. Though they are not the only ones hiding aspects of themselves. These are revealed as the story proceeds.
Those living through the 1970s and 1980s will be only too aware of Wimpey developments cropping up across the UK. Just as Thatcher’s Britain and the world attention to the harsh realities of Africa are indelible prints on British history, the Live Aid event marks the colliding of the various strands of the characters’ stories. Amidst their preparations to attend and their presence at the barbecue their memories are captured. We learn how characters are thinking about their self-perceived mistakes from the recent or distant past and how these have marked them and what this leads to when socialising generally but more particularly at The Barbecue at No. 9.
I would recommend this novel to anyone who liked The List of Suspicious Things and who like the contemporary format of alternating points of view. I would give it four stars mainly because the first novel was a fresh and new way and this has adopted a similar format. Though the Live Aid structuring was interesting and will resonate with those who remembered the event and what they were doing when it was on.
December 23, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Barbecue at No 9. By Jennie Godfrey
I squealed in delight when I received an ARC of this book from Penguin Random House because I adored Godfrey’s first book The List of Suspicious Things. I had a really good feeling I was going to love this too. And of course….. I was right.
It’s July 1985, Live Aid day and the residents of Delmont Close are celebrating with a barbecue at Lydia and Peter Gordon’s house. Lydia, whose role models are Princess Di and Delia Smith, wants to impress everyone with her posh house, garden and perfect family.
All the neighbours have been invited and among them are Steve, a Falklands veteran suffering from PTSD, who spends his time keeping watch from his bedroom for any suspicious activity.
Rita, who has recently moved from Australia, wants to meet new people but is afraid her neighbours will know she is harbouring a terrible secret from her past.
And she’s not the only one. Hannah Gordon, Lydia and Peter’s daughter, is planning to run away after the barbecue rather than reveal her secret to her parents.
So many secrets are being hidden and if they are discovered everyone’s pretence of a perfect life will be threatened.
What a fantastic book this was. A family saga dripping in the secrets and lies of ordinary, everyday people. The characters were remarkable and full of depth, each with their own captivating story to tell.
The plot thickened around the backdrop of Live Aid and I was gripped from start to finish. I loved the 80’s nostalgia, not only from the music but also in the fashion, the food and political events happening at that time
I enjoyed this book so much and even though this week has been mental I jumped into it every spare minute I got, becoming completely lost in it for two days. It is due to be published in February 2026 but I am already thinking of the fantastically talented Jennie Godrey’s next book.
November 26, 2025
Jennie Godfrey’s “List Of Suspicious Things” was one of my “books of the year” when it was published so I was beyond excited to get hold of her new one- “The Barbecue At Number 9”.
It covers a similar time period but focuses on one day - July12th 1985- the day of the Live Aid concert.
It examines a number of characters all living in a small close, invited to a Live Aid barbecue at number 9. Arranged by Lydia and her husband Peter with teenager Hanna and her brother David. However Hanna and Peter have secrets that they don’t want anyone to know about. The story is told from Hanna’s point of view as well as that of Steve, a Falklands veteran suffering from post traumatic stress and Rita who has her own secrets which are gradually revealed during the course of the novel.
The characters were all well drawn and their lives reflected the times they lived in, the prejudices which were inherent in a society which existed 40 years ago. It made me think how much life has moved on in the twenty first century although some things do not change and people still have the same concerns they had then- fear of being different and worry about hurting loved ones to name but two.
I remember the day of Live Aid very well and I felt that the author succeeded in capturing the day and the love of the music which brought people together. The hot Summer of 1985 created the perfect setting for the book and even more apt was the fact it was the 40th anniversary of this event in 2025 and it has been in the news a lot - there has even been a musical written about it.
I definitely recommend this book as an atmospheric and well written novel which succeeds in capturing a particular moment in time.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.
It covers a similar time period but focuses on one day - July12th 1985- the day of the Live Aid concert.
It examines a number of characters all living in a small close, invited to a Live Aid barbecue at number 9. Arranged by Lydia and her husband Peter with teenager Hanna and her brother David. However Hanna and Peter have secrets that they don’t want anyone to know about. The story is told from Hanna’s point of view as well as that of Steve, a Falklands veteran suffering from post traumatic stress and Rita who has her own secrets which are gradually revealed during the course of the novel.
The characters were all well drawn and their lives reflected the times they lived in, the prejudices which were inherent in a society which existed 40 years ago. It made me think how much life has moved on in the twenty first century although some things do not change and people still have the same concerns they had then- fear of being different and worry about hurting loved ones to name but two.
I remember the day of Live Aid very well and I felt that the author succeeded in capturing the day and the love of the music which brought people together. The hot Summer of 1985 created the perfect setting for the book and even more apt was the fact it was the 40th anniversary of this event in 2025 and it has been in the news a lot - there has even been a musical written about it.
I definitely recommend this book as an atmospheric and well written novel which succeeds in capturing a particular moment in time.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
There are so many reasons to admire and love this book.
The Barbecue at No.9 is largely set on the Saturday of Live Aid in July 1985. I remember that Saturday well, as that morning I had returned from holiday and caught a Metropolitan Line train which trundled past Wembley Stadium. I had a holiday job in the guided tours department at Wembley and had I not been on holiday I would have worked the event. And so I was curious to read a book that featured that day, to revisit it through the lens of someone else’s perception.
The characters are brought together by an invitation to a barbecue in support of Live Aid. The hostess, Lydia, is the consummate one-up neighbour, whose motivation is to show off. Each guest carries the weight of a painful secret and attends to attempt to escape from their inner demons for an afternoon.
The chapters follow different characters and their inner thoughts as they struggle to maintain a veneer of normality in a social setting. OK, but if you think that all sounds worthy but not terribly interesting…you would be wrong! This is an ultimately uplifting story about the hidden goodness in people and the dangers of making assumptions. It’s about giving yourself permission to be who you really are, and to be gentle, kind, and understanding with one another. But again, that could be yawn…boring… in the hands of a lesser author. But that is so far from the reality of this read which is equally entertaining, nostalgic, insightful, and hopeful.
I guess what I’m saying is to trust your instincts. If this book intrigues you, then chances are it will exceed expectations. Oh, and if you fondly remember Jackie Magazine, Sony Walkman’s, twiglets, Babycham, and the Green Goddess then you are definitely in for a treat.
The Barbecue at No.9 is largely set on the Saturday of Live Aid in July 1985. I remember that Saturday well, as that morning I had returned from holiday and caught a Metropolitan Line train which trundled past Wembley Stadium. I had a holiday job in the guided tours department at Wembley and had I not been on holiday I would have worked the event. And so I was curious to read a book that featured that day, to revisit it through the lens of someone else’s perception.
The characters are brought together by an invitation to a barbecue in support of Live Aid. The hostess, Lydia, is the consummate one-up neighbour, whose motivation is to show off. Each guest carries the weight of a painful secret and attends to attempt to escape from their inner demons for an afternoon.
The chapters follow different characters and their inner thoughts as they struggle to maintain a veneer of normality in a social setting. OK, but if you think that all sounds worthy but not terribly interesting…you would be wrong! This is an ultimately uplifting story about the hidden goodness in people and the dangers of making assumptions. It’s about giving yourself permission to be who you really are, and to be gentle, kind, and understanding with one another. But again, that could be yawn…boring… in the hands of a lesser author. But that is so far from the reality of this read which is equally entertaining, nostalgic, insightful, and hopeful.
I guess what I’m saying is to trust your instincts. If this book intrigues you, then chances are it will exceed expectations. Oh, and if you fondly remember Jackie Magazine, Sony Walkman’s, twiglets, Babycham, and the Green Goddess then you are definitely in for a treat.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The action in this book takes place over one day. The day the Gordon family are hosting a neighbourhood BBQ. To coincide with the biggest concert ever - Live Aid - to mark to occasion. We are introduced to many of their neighbours along the way, most of whom will, by the end of the day, have had life changing fallout from various shenanigans, all of which I am going to leave it to the author to explain for maximum enjoyment.
I did enjoy this book, but I am not sure I enjoyed it as much as I thought I would. Every character, pretty much, has a big enough secret so as to affect their lives dramatically once said secret is exposed. Admittedly, some with positive outcomes rather than the negative they feared. And as things started to unravel for certain of them, we also had the backdrop of Live Aid which, to me anyway, just existed as padding and a bit of a memory aid. Maybe I missed some connection...
It was also quite slow going. Definitely initially as certain things were hinted at, with more to follow as the day went on and people interacted more, as the secrets started getting chipped away at. This did build up the tension but, at the end of the day, there were a lot of secrets that ended up, for me anyway, being a bit more like a damp squib than something shocking. Maybe I wanted too much from it all. Maybe I wanted quality not quantity. Maybe I've been ruined by reading so many crime books. I don't know.
All that said, I did stay with it all and, by the end, when all was said and done, I left the book safe in the knowledge that life is going to be a whole lot easier for the residents of Delmont Close...
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
I did enjoy this book, but I am not sure I enjoyed it as much as I thought I would. Every character, pretty much, has a big enough secret so as to affect their lives dramatically once said secret is exposed. Admittedly, some with positive outcomes rather than the negative they feared. And as things started to unravel for certain of them, we also had the backdrop of Live Aid which, to me anyway, just existed as padding and a bit of a memory aid. Maybe I missed some connection...
It was also quite slow going. Definitely initially as certain things were hinted at, with more to follow as the day went on and people interacted more, as the secrets started getting chipped away at. This did build up the tension but, at the end of the day, there were a lot of secrets that ended up, for me anyway, being a bit more like a damp squib than something shocking. Maybe I wanted too much from it all. Maybe I wanted quality not quantity. Maybe I've been ruined by reading so many crime books. I don't know.
All that said, I did stay with it all and, by the end, when all was said and done, I left the book safe in the knowledge that life is going to be a whole lot easier for the residents of Delmont Close...
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
Review of advance copy
It's the summer of 1985, and the Live Aid concert is the biggest TV event of the year. To mark the occasion, Hanna's parents - well, her mum, Lydia - has decided to throw a barbecue party and invite the neighbours from the rest of the street. After all, Lydia wants everyone to know how well to-do she is. Nothing matters more than appearances.
But Hanna's got a secret that might ruin her parents' lives. And she's not the only one. It turns out that many of the residents of Delmont Close are battling their own demons, including Rita who has fled from a life in Australia, and Steve, whose time in the Falklands War has taken a massive toll on him.
Unlike The List of Suspicious Things, there's no mistaking the genre here: this is a drama, where characters are the key focus. And since Jennie excels at writing characters so brilliantly and realistically, that's no bad thing. There are no twists and turns, just a small dose of slow-burn suspense as the scope of everyone's secret is slowly doled out.
The events of The Barbecue at No. 9 unfold over one day, with the book split hour by hour. Chapters split between the perspective of several of the characters, allowing us to get to know them all deeply. There are lots of names of neighbours bandied about and it can occasionally be tricky to keep up with who's-who, but it never becomes an issue.
Steeped with nostalgia, with complex characters that you simply must know more about, this is another triumph for Jennie Godfrey. It's remarkable in a quiet, thoughtful way, capturing the mundanity of everyday lives, reflecting the fact that none of us are perfect and we're all just out here doing our best.
But Hanna's got a secret that might ruin her parents' lives. And she's not the only one. It turns out that many of the residents of Delmont Close are battling their own demons, including Rita who has fled from a life in Australia, and Steve, whose time in the Falklands War has taken a massive toll on him.
Unlike The List of Suspicious Things, there's no mistaking the genre here: this is a drama, where characters are the key focus. And since Jennie excels at writing characters so brilliantly and realistically, that's no bad thing. There are no twists and turns, just a small dose of slow-burn suspense as the scope of everyone's secret is slowly doled out.
The events of The Barbecue at No. 9 unfold over one day, with the book split hour by hour. Chapters split between the perspective of several of the characters, allowing us to get to know them all deeply. There are lots of names of neighbours bandied about and it can occasionally be tricky to keep up with who's-who, but it never becomes an issue.
Steeped with nostalgia, with complex characters that you simply must know more about, this is another triumph for Jennie Godfrey. It's remarkable in a quiet, thoughtful way, capturing the mundanity of everyday lives, reflecting the fact that none of us are perfect and we're all just out here doing our best.
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