Do you fondly remember messaging your crush on MSN after school?
Miss those shoes that never recovered from the sticky floors of your hometown nightclub?
And can't stand your spare-room housemate after lockdown?!

Then escape with this year's most feel-good read!
_______

'THE YEAR'S MOST ORIGINAL ROMCOM' ELLE
'David Nicholls for millennials' i
'Made me smile, laugh, cringe and inwardly cheer' 5***** READER REVIEW
'Found myself wincing and laughing with familiarity' EMMA GANNON
'Hilarious' Evening Standard, 'Best New Books in 2021'
'Funny and compelling from page one!' LUCY VINE
_______

Ellen and Alexa have survived hangovers, dodgy landlords and most of their twenties together.

But can they survive this?

While nursing The Hangover from Hell, a flooded kitchen leads best friends Ellen and Alexa, and hapless housemate Jack, into their attic to turn off the water supply.

But when Ben - Alexa's date from the night before - walks in, the door slams, the handle breaks and all four are trapped.

Cue the Worst Ever morning-after-the-night-before.

As the hours tick by, Ellen nurses her sore head and watches as her best friend falls for this handsome stranger.

Only for a horrifying realization to hit. She is sure she knows Ben from somewhere.

Frantically searching her memories, Ellen pieces together exactly how they've met before.

Is Ben really who she thinks he is?

And, most importantly, what on earth is she going to do about it . . .

This is a hilarious story of housemates and hangovers and friendship and dating as four twenty-somethings discover what The Worst morning-after-the-night-before really looks like . . .

Fans of Beth O'Leary, Mhairi McFarlane and Dolly Alderton will LOVE this oh-so relatable tale of what can happen behind locked doors

AS SEEN IN GRAZIA
_______

'The Lock In is a dream read: an immaculately plotted romcom which vividly captures both late teenagehood and twentysomething houseshares' i

'I LOVED this book . . . I highly recommend The Lock In' CARRIE HOPE FLETCHER

'Beautifully written, warm and fun with a dose of early noughties nostalgia' Laura Kay, author of The Split

'I cannot recommend this book enough!' 5***** READER REVIEW

'A funny, joyful hug of a book! A nostalgic, pitch perfect ode to the awkwardness and hilarity of yearning teenage years and house sharing in your twenties' Cressida McLaughlin

'Immensely readable, witty and well-crafted . . . a very millennial tale of love, loneliness and friendship' i

About the Author

Phoebe Luckhurst was born in London and brought up in Glasgow. She is a Senior Commissioning Editor at The Sunday Times Magazine, and has written features and interviews for the Guardian, Sunday Times Style, Elle, ES Magazine, Grazia, the Telegraph and Vogue. Phoebe has had the theme tune to The OC stuck in her head since 2003 and once almost spent her student loan on a micro-pig. She no longer shops online when drunk.
The Lock In was her debut novel, and her second, The Back Up Man, will be published in 2023.

Reviews
Entertaining, endearing, and truly unique. Found myself wincing and laughing with familiarity -- Emma Gannon, bestselling author of Olive
The year's most original romcom * ELLE *
Hilarious * Evening Standard, 'Best New Books in 2021' *
David Nicholls for millennials . . . The Lock In is a dream read: an immaculately plotted romcom which vividly captures both late teenagehood and twentysomething houseshares * i *
A high-concept romcom that's stuffed full of belly laughs and nostalgia * Red *
Such a fun, clever, original and massively entertaining read . . . I love it, you'll love it -- Lindsey Kelk
I LOVED this book . . . I highly recommend The Lock In if you fancy a fun summer time read -- Carrie Hope Fletcher
Beautifully written, warm and fun with a dose of early noughties nostalgia, The Lock In is a perfect summer read -- Laura Kay, author of The Split
I loved this book. Brilliantly written and so perceptive on the trials and tribulations of Generation Rent, it's also screamingly funny, deliciously nostalgic and really just a very fun time. I almost wish they'd stayed locked in for longer -- Lauren Bravo
An immensely readable, witty and well-crafted debut . . . a very millennial tale of love, loneliness and friendship * i *
This will have you both cringing and crying with laughter * Woman's Weekly *
On one hand a feel-good, laugh out loud funny escapist read, and on another a blistering critique of twentysomethings' experience of renting in the capital * Evening Standard *
This hilarious debut will give you all the lols you need this summer. A highly relatable comedy about flatmates, hangovers and terrible landlords * Evening Standard *
Funny and compelling from page one and so well written. Such a brilliant premise and really well executed. Officially a huge fan of Phoebe Luckhurst! -- Lucy Vine, bestselling author of Hot Mess
A funny, joyful hug of a book! A nostalgic, pitch perfect ode to the awkwardness and hilarity of yearning teenage years and house sharing in your twenties -- Cressida McLaughlin
Loved the concept and characters. . . it's very funny -- Sarra Manning
Proper laugh-out-loud stuff * Fabulous Magazine *
'Best new good book to read' * Cosmopolitan *
Irresistible premise . . . addictive * i *
One to watch * The Bookseller *
Hilarious * Woman *
Joyful * Stylist *



Book Information
ISBN 9780241508756
Author Phoebe Luckhurst
Format Hardback
Page Count 384
Imprint Michael Joseph Ltd
Publisher Penguin Books Ltd
Weight(grams) 497g
Dimensions(mm) 222mm * 144mm * 35mm