This mystery about an aspiring writer and conspiracy theories was not for me. Had it not been for my NetGalley arch (that I read way too late past publication), I would have not finished this book. I started skimming after around 100 pages because the writing is clumsy and on many occasions heavy on „telling not showing“. The plot is somewhat convoluted but not engaging, partly because I had no connection to any of the characters. I think the writing got in the way of that.
After reading The Woman in the Library (3 stars for me), I wanted to try another mystery by the author, unfortunately they’re not my cup of tea.

While the premise is intriguing, the story ultimately falls short. Theodosia’s character lacks meaningful development, making it difficult to connect with her journey. The ending feels rushed and unsatisfying. With more focus on character growth and a stronger conclusion, this could have been a much more impactful read.

Review submitted on Amazon but not yet approved.
Thank you for this ARC!

Finally got to read this one!! It was just ok for me. It was a quick read and still entertaining but it wasn’t my favorite by any means. The details in this book were superb though. It really drew me in and I could picture it playing out in my head while reading.

I read about half of this and decided not to finish. The synopsis gave away a lot of things that hadn’t even happened in the first half of the book, which made the exposition just too long. The main character was so naive and the publisher contract was unbelievable. I didn’t buy the premise or care what happened to the characters in the book, so I moved on.
I did love The Woman in the Library by this author, so I had high hopes, but I think the concept didn’t work. Go check out that book instead! I’ll definitely keep my eye out for what she writes next, even though this one was a miss for me.
Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to review.

Sulari Gentill is a new to me author, but I've heard good things about her prior book, The Woman in the Library, so I requested her new book.

It focuses on Theo, who impulsively quits law school in Australia and moves to the U.S. to pursue her dream of becoming a novelist. To save money, she moves in with her older brother. While writing daily at a local establishment, she meets and befriends a famous male author, who becomes her mentor. Shockingly, Theo goes to his house one day and discovers he has been murdered. From the beginning, the book also weaves in a message board of Internet conspiracy theorists, which play a larger role later in the story. This part of the book moved at a good pace and kept me intrigued.

I did not really enjoy how the story progressed after the initial murder. Of course, Theo and her brother Gus become prime suspects, and then additional murders start to occur. Like some other reviews mentioned, I had difficulty connecting with and relating to Theo, as she just seemed so naive and made some unrealistic choices.

Overall, this book started out strong and if it had remained that way, I would have given it 4 stars. However, the time jumps, abrupt ending, and unrealistic villain at the end did not work for me. I am still willing to give her other book a chance, however.

I would recommend this book for readers who enjoy:
*BIPOC authors
*Books about authors & writing books
*Conspiracy theories
*Anti-establishment

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Poison Pen Press for an advance copy of this book.

Sulari Gentill will forever and always be my favourite crime writer.
I read The Mystery Writer in just one day - I literally couldn't put it down!
Weaving a story within a story within ANOTHER story seems impossible to me but Gentill does it with ease, and makes all 3 extremely compelling.
The main cast of characters are all wonderful and have plenty of depth, yet just enough secrets to keep you guessing what they each could be capable of.
I loved it!

Hmm. What do I say about this book??

The writing was divine. Incredibly fast paced. I loved Mac’s character a ton. I am a little sad to say I figured out the bad guys very early on in the book but it didn’t really detract from the story too much.

I will definitely be picking more up from this writer.

"The Mystery Writer" by Sulari Gentill is an engaging and well-written novel. With surprising twists and a unique style, it kept me guessing until the end. Perfect for fans of suspenseful and intelligent mysteries.

This book was a fantastic read! I loved the clever plot and structure of the novel. It can get a bit confusing with all the stories taking place within the story, but it is captivating if you can follow it all. And taking place in the Boston Public Library makes me want to visit!

I was really drawn to the concept of a literary thriller centered on writers, conspiracies, and the power of storytelling. The premise promised a chilling, twisty ride full of secrets and intrigue, so I was excited to dive in.

Unfortunately, the story took over 300 pages to really build momentum, and the payoff in the final 20% felt rushed and somewhat underwhelming. The conspiracy’s fallout was left hanging in a nebulous way that, while realistic, didn’t satisfy my desire for a strong resolution or justice served. I tend to prefer my thrillers with a more definitive conclusion, and this one left me wanting more.

Additionally, I found the main character difficult to connect with, which made it harder to fully engage in the story.

That said, the idea itself was smart and original, and the writing shows potential. Perhaps readers who enjoy open-ended thrillers or slower-building suspense will appreciate this more than I did.

Having read and enjoyed The Woman in the Library, I was really excited to read The Mystery Writer. While I didn’t enjoy this book quite as much, it was still a great book.

Theodosia “Theo” Benton abandons her pursuit of a law degree and “runs away” to join her brother in the States, where she continues to work on her book. She meets a mentor at her preferred place to write, and when he ends up brutally murdered, everything changes.

There were some interesting twists and turns, but it lacked a certain amount of excitement. Worth the read, but not my favorite by the author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read. All opinions are my own.

4 out of 5 stars.

This one was hard for me to rate, i've really enjoyed "The Woman In The Library" so I was excited for the opportunity to crack this one open. To me, the book started strong then somewhere about half way in went haywire. I also found myself annoyed with the MC which made it harder for me to enjoy.

There is no doubt Sulari Gentill is a strong writer and I will absolutely continue to read her work. This one was just "okay" to me. 3 stars!

This review is long overdue, I did purchase this title for my library because I could see the wide appeal, even if it wasn't exactly for me. I couldn't relate to Theo but there was enough suspense that I think it will keep readers guessing and I can see us eventually making this into a book club kit.

This was blurbed by some authors I really enjoy so i have listened to it since pub day via audio and thought it was great! I did. guess the twist but it was still very suspensful and i would happily read from this author again

Prepare for another mind-blowing mystery from the brilliant author Sulari Gentill, the mastermind behind 'Woman in the Library.' Gentill expertly keeps you on the edge of your seat as she immerses you in the enigmatic world of a famous author's whodunit mystery, with a cadre of eccentric doomsday conspiracy theorists lurking in the shadows. These suspicious characters seem to monitor every move of the story's protagonists, turning them into unwitting pawns in a perilous game.

A literary thriller about an aspiring writer? Yes, please! But the book jacket writers drop a major spoiler that doesn’t happen until you’re 75% (!) through the book. And the other big plot points are fairly easy to guess. Read this one if you can avoid the spoiler; otherwise start with Gentill's The Woman in the Library, a clever locked-room mystery,

I started this one, but I was able to finish it. It started off good, but I eventually lost interest in it. I will try again another time to finish it.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this copy.

While I find myself completely enthralled by each setting Sulari Gentil chooses for her books, and request them from Netgalley or read them as soon as possible, I sometimes get confused by the way the mystery written abd have trouble keeping up. I hoping I better luck next time.

Thank you Netgalley for this ALC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.

The first quarter of this book had me intrigued. A book about people writing books, a chat room of conspiracy theorists messaging in code, a woman named Theo arriving unannounced to her brother’s home having quit law school to write a novel. She strikes up a friendship and becomes lovers with a fellow novelist, Dan Murdoch, whom she meets at the local pub. However, when he ends up murdered and she finds his body, the conspiracists come for her. She then leaves the novel for a time span of three years and arrives later in the story as the mystery is revealed.

The story pacing was excruciatingly slow and I didn’t connect with any of the characters. There were so many scenes that seemed unconnected to each other and I found that I just didn’t care how the story unfolded. I almost DNF-ed the book because it didn’t really hold my interest. Perhaps Theo just wasn’t a fully developed character and it seemed like Gus (her brother) and Mac (the undercover detective) took center stage and they weren’t particularly interesting either.

This is my first Subaru Gentill novel and I’m not sure about reading another after this story. It was just okay.

I just couldn't get into this one. I may give it another try in the future. Thank you for the opportunity to read it.