SHORTLISTED for the 2022 Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction
SHORTLISTED for the Comedy Women in Print Prize

AN OLD LOVE. A STUCK DOOR. AND THE MORNING AFTER THE NIGHT BEFORE . . .

THE FUNNIEST ROM COM OF THE YEAR!
COSMOPOLITAN'S BEST NEW GOOD BOOK TO READ

'Joyful' STYLIST
'Hilarious' WOMAN
'The year's most original romcom' ELLE
'Proper laugh-out-loud stuff' FABULOUS MAGAZINE
'Stuffed full of belly laughs and nostalgia' RED
'A dream read' i
_______

They'd like to be going out.

Instead they're stuck in . . .

Best friends Ellen and Alexa have always been close.

Until one fateful morning when they get locked in their attic with hapless housemate Jack and Alexa's date from the night before, Ben.

With no way out, hangovers and the hours crawling by, it seems best friends can get too close for comfort.

Especially when Ellen realises she already knows Ben - perhaps rather better than Alexa does . . .

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

AS SEEN IN GRAZIA

SEE WHAT EVERYONE IS SAYING ABOUT THE LOCK IN:

'This will have you both cringing and crying with laughter' WOMAN'S WEEKLY
'A funny, joyful hug of a book! ' Cressida McLaughlin
'An immaculately plotted romcom' i
'A hilarious debut' EVENING STANDARD
'I LOVED this book . . . I highly recommend The Lock In' CARRIE HOPE FLETCHER
'Funny and compelling from page one' LUCY VINE, author of Hot Mess
'Beautifully written, warm and fun' Laura Kay, author of The Split
'I cannot recommend this book enough!' 5***** READER REVIEW
'Made me smile, laugh, cringe and inwardly cheer' 5***** READER REVIEW

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 *
Blissfully funny * i *
Hilarious * Woman *
Joyful * Stylist *



Book Information
ISBN 9781405949521
Author Phoebe Luckhurst
Format Paperback
Page Count 384
Imprint Penguin Books Ltd
Publisher Penguin Books Ltd
Weight(grams) 266g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 23mm