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.

I really enjoyed this twisty thriller! The end felt a little rushed and I guessed the major twist pretty early on but overall I really enjoyed it. Would certainly read more by this author.

I really wanted to like this book. The writing itself is good, and the pacing keeps you interested. The storyline is entertaining, and there are enough different facets (the mysterious publisher, the secrets Dan was keeping, the QAnon-type forum, etc) to keep your mind turning.

However...Theo's character was so completely dumb. At first, I could give her some grace since shocking events are happening. But then she just kept making dumb decisions after dumb decisions. She was supposedly in law school and dropped out, and decided to come to see her brother in Kansas and become a writer. Her first manuscript is so good that her dream publisher thinks it's good. But she cannot see the facts in front of her throughout the entire story. This woman was in law school, has been in numerous situations in her life, and has traveled across the world, but is clueless to suspicious activity happening to and around her the whole time. There are just so many red flags that any reasonable person would think twice about, and it made it hard to want to continue.

This book felt a bit like inception. It took me a while to get into it but the story is quite entertaining once you get past the 60% point.

As has happened with several other books, I was so interested in reading this that I purchased a copy not remembering I had received an advanced reader’s copy by NetGalley. Thank you to NetGalley and to author Sulari Gentill for the honor of being given an unedited version, but I chose to read the published version in case I wanted to quote anything from the book.

Although there is nothing from the book I want to quote, I enjoyed this fabulous, twisted, roller coaster ride of a novel. Its plot is so convoluted it’s nearly impossible to imagine what will happen at almost every turn of the page. It’s extremely inventive and exceedingly well done. Rarely have I been so entertained for such an extended period and unable to guess what comes next in a plot. This is a rare feat of a novel, and I highly recommend it. I look forward to reading more by this brilliant author, Sulari Gentill, and I do not regret having purchased a copy of this novel as well as having been given a free copy in advance of its publication.

DNF - I attempted to start this book and it just did not hold my interest. This may be a book I come back to in the future.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat and I can not get over the twists and turns of everything! Very well done!!

I recently had the pleasure of reading this, and I have to say, it exceeded my expectations in so many ways. From the very first page, I was hooked by the engaging style and the intriguing characters. The author does an excellent job of building a world that feels both immersive and believable, making it easy to get lost in the story. The plot was full of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. Just when I thought I had it figured out, the story would surprise me with something unexpected. I highly recommend this and all their work.

A college runaway from Australia arrives in America and crashes with her brother to write the great... Australian? American? novel. She meets her hero, falls in love with him and then the mystery begins.

While there is a bit of "conspiracy theory" feel to the book, the story unfolds well. Gentill backs up the clues and twists with the story line supporting it well. The end feels a bit rushed and, at least in my case, feeling a bit off kilter. But it was a good read. I would not class it as one of Ms. Gentill's best, but still enjoyable.

This was such a weird book. I had a difficult time getting into it then felt I had to finish but only for the review. Conspiracy theories just are not my thing and this one was a doozy.

This book felt made for me. A mystery with a writer protagonist who is writing a book. It felt like inception but for books. Loved the meta approach to writing. Can’t wait to read more by Gentill

I enjoyed The Woman in the Library. So, I was excited to see another book available by this author. This one felt more like a mystery to me than the Woman in the Libraryl. The story has likable characters and seems to have been setup for a sequel.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Clever Concept, Slow Pace

The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill offers an intriguing premise, blending literary mystery with suspense as it follows a writer entangled in a real-life crime. Gentill’s sharp prose and meta approach to storytelling create a layered narrative that plays with the boundaries between fiction and reality.

While the concept is unique and the central mystery holds promise, the pacing feels uneven, with slower sections that dampen the suspense. Some characters lack depth, making it harder to fully connect with the stakes of the plot.

3 stars — a smart, twisty mystery with an original angle, though its slower pace and underdeveloped characters may leave some readers wanting more.