I absolutely adored The Woman in the Library. I didn't quite connect with this one. That being said, however, I would not hesitate to read another one from this author.

I have been an avid fan of Sulari Gentill until I hit this book. The star rating is a challenge as the characters are well-formed and the brother-sister interplay is fun. The back cover description gives away FAR too much of the storyline and the “mystery”. It describes 75%+ of the book plot so instead of feeling building tension, I was waiting for it to all just happen already. The conspiracy element is not emphasised enough, there is A LOT of right-wing babble in chat rooms which I found annoying (I am not one to read a conspiracy theory styled books) and then a number of characters follow this line of thinking. On top of this, the whole thing is just wildly implausible, I can even begin to think how this could be possible but, as I say, because it’s outlined, it was also oddly predictable.

Trigger warning: violent death described

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive this book for an honest review.

I am so sad to say I did not love this book.
I loved the cover and had such high hopes but I was disappointed.

I found this book confusing and slow at times.

Unfortunately it did not peak my interest.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it had me guessing and questioning right up until the end! I am not usually fond of writers who write about someone who wants to be a writer and then seemingly easily become one, but the narrative worked well here in connection with conspiracy theories. I did get a bit annoyed by the lead relying on men to safe her / be there for her. I guess this is due to the fact that she is just in her early twenties and her brother threats her like a little sister.

This was a wonderful book. A great Thor ill er that kept me guessing the whole time. I would recommend this to all thriller lovers!

The Mystery Writer is about an author, Theo, who is writing her first novel after dropping out of law school. She moves to Kansas to live with her brother and begins frequenting the same bar every day to write where she meets Dan, a bestselling author. They become very close through their writing together until she finds Dan murdered in his home. She soon finds herself and her family in danger as she desperately tries to find out who did this. There are many twists and turns along the way and it definitely leaves you guessing about what is really going on in the literary world!

I love the concept of this story and was very intrigued by the initial description. I did struggle a bit with the writing as it was slightly confusing and I felt like it jumped around too much. I also felt like it was a bit too obvious as it was clear from the beginning who the murderer was and it was frustrating that Theo was so naive trusting so many people she shouldn't. That said, I think if the writing style doesn't bother you then you would love this story! It is definitely a page turner and very entertaining.

As Theo works on her first novel, she befriends a famous author. But when he is mysteriously murdered, she finds herself in danger too... Conspiracy theories abound and Theo must find out what is going on before more people get hurt.

Sulari Gentill is a wizard at weaving in two seemingly unrelated stories into one! And no matter how I try to guess how they fit together, I am always surprised. The suspense and pacing were great, I couldn't put it down! I also really enjoyed the varied cast. Each character is unique. I was initially a little confused by the direction the story went but the ending was thoroughly satisfying and also completely unexpected (which is exactly what I like in a mystery story!).

This is a book (and author) I would highly recommend to anyone who loves a good mystery, especially one that involves writers and books.

A great thriller! The storyline was unique and fast paced. I read this in one evening! I enjoyed all of the characters.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you @netgalley and @poisonedpenpress for providing me a free copy of this book. All opinions are my own. The plot of this book is extremely intriguing. I didn’t not expect the ending at all, it kept me guessing. Sulari Gentill’s writing is beautiful and the book is an easy read. The last half of the book felt a little bit too long for me. I wished it was more fast paced. I also wanted to see a little bit more romance between Theo and Mac. Some supporting characters were not explained enough which caused a lot of confusion. Overall, I am giving this book three stars.

Amazing story. The characters were great. The storyline was awesome. Definitely a 5 star must read. This was my first time reading a book by this author.

This is the 2nd book I have read by Gentill where I got caught up in a layered mystery involving characters that I truly enjoyed hanging with. The protagonist is always thinking and trying to figure out the best course of action but always ends up in trouble. Luckily she has the help of her lawyer brother and his wonderkind friend to rely on when she gets involved with another writer who turns up dead. Bringing in the conspiracy theorists and end of the world preppers with their online presence and the chaos they can create through that presence makes this work seem not so fiction- like. Highly recommend!

‘The Mystery Writer’ by Sulari Gentill is a page-turning murder mystery that touches on topical themes in our current post-covid world. While I felt the end was hurried, I enjoyed the first half's build-up to the twist at the end. While none of the characters, especially Theo, were physically described in detail, I feel like this plays into the meta nature of ‘The Mystery Writer’– Theo discusses how she never describes her own characters in her writing as she wants them to remain subjective to the reader (“Making your protagonist a blank slate canvas allows you to reflect that; it allows the readers to find themselves in your characters and perhaps to recognize their own biases”, page 23).


The themes of this novel are as follows:


—Parasocial relationships—

At first, Theo is under the impression that Dan Murdoch‘s obsessed fans are to blame for his death. It makes you consider the parasocial relationships between fans and their idols and the potentially harmful consequences that can come from these. For instance, Theo’s brother, Gus, notes that: “The public’s interest in the lives of writers had increased with the accessibility afforded by social media and the web in general, but the very accessibility was dangerous.“ (p. 234). The fact social media has blurred the lines between reality and fiction affects how close a person feels to the celebrity they have never met, but idolise online. Take, for example, the horrific tragedy that befell Christina Grimmie and the hands of one of her so-called fans.


This not only means that ordinary people feel entitled to the private lives of celebrities, but it also leads to the ability to manufacture how one presents themselves online. For instance, in ‘The Mystery Writer’, the authors’ agents run the social media accounts for authors.


—Separation between art and artist—


In ‘The Mystery Writer’, Gentill presents the concept of PR-run social media accounts to manage damage control. We are now living in a world where we are slowly coming to terms with the reality of problematic celebrities who otherwise portray themselves, and are thus perceived, in a very different light until allegations or problematic stances arise. Stars like J.K. Rowling or Lizzo are perfect examples of this phenomenon.


—Conspiracy theory-fuelled forums, doomsday preppers—


“My mother is getting ready for a war—civil, or some kind of invasion; Zeke thinks there’ll be another worldwide pandemic or several; Sam is convinced that electromagnetic solar pulses will render all forms of technology inoperative leading to a breakdown of the social order; and I think Caleb still believes in zombies…”
Gentill, p. 189


The story is peppered with snippets of chats between conspiracy forum members, one of them being Caleb, whose account we begin with at the start of the book. Although only one of the branches of this story, I found it interesting how it intertwined with the main narrative. Especially as the belief in conspiracy theories has intensified in recent years.


“…fictional narratives could be used to influence people into all sorts of things, to vicariously control democracy.”
Gentill, (p. 275)


This is an advance copy gifted to me by NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press.

Theo is an aspiring author who leaves law school in Australia to live with her brother in the US and learn her new trade. Finding her favorite author in a coffee shop and being mentored by him is a dream com true. That is, until the dream turns into a nightmare when her mentor is found murdered. This is a twisty tale that keeps you guessing and quesioning from beginning to end. With writing that grips you, you plunge headfirst into a story full of mystery, thrills, conspiracy theories and doomsday plots. A gripping read you won't want to put down. Thanks to #NetGalley#PoisonedPenPress#SourcebooksInc.
#TheMysteryWriter

I greatly enjoyed the author's last book, but this one was extremely disappointing, It thinks it's clever but it's actually just ridiculous and silly. I love a good twist, but this one strains credulity.

And I don't think whoever has written the marketing copy has read the book. If I'd know I was in for doomsday preppers and Qanon type conspiracies I would not have chosen to read this book.

The character of Theo was either woefully naive or just plan dumb.

I can't remember when I disliked a book as much as this one.

I'm shocked by how much a did not like this book after loving Woman in the Library.

I love this author’s writing. Lures you in, always suspenseful, keeps you guessing. I liked Woman in the Library a bit better than this one for a few reasons.

This book was great about keeping me guessing throughout. But I did know about 45% of the way in that everything had to be down to Veronica Cole and the agency. And it irked me that Mac — who was brilliant and a private investigator — noted that it was odd that Cole and Day Delos ended up with her manuscript but then never investigated them. And that’s not to say this book didn’t surprise me; it did. I just knew that agency was at the heart of whatever was going on.

The final thing I struggled with was that I felt like Theo was weirdly naive to the point of being pretty stupid. And it wasn’t until the very end that I understood better how she’d be raised and just how sheltered she was. And that explanation totally worked… but I still spent a lot of the book annoyed with Theo haha.

Still a solid 4 star read!

What did I just read??? Theo has come to America leaving law school. She’s staying with her brother and is writing a book. She meets another novelist Dan Murdoch and they become friends. Then Dan is murdered and what Theo thinks she’s knows about him might not be true. This book has suspense, chases, gun fights, murder, and doomsday preppers. I have no idea what I just read but I couldn’t put it down.

A great follow up to the author's previous work. This one has a slightly more expansive setting and, therefore, less of a 'cozy mystery' feel to it. Characters were interesting and the author did a great job maintaining levels of suspicion and mistrust among various individuals. A great read for a rainy day!

Another great mystery from this author. I look forward to recommending it to readers who love a dark, suspenseful story with lots of surprising twists and turns. Just when you think you have this one figured out, a character or situation totally astonishes you -- makes this a book that is just about impossible to put down.

4/5 it kept me interested, I enjoyed the read, the character development and the general story plot, I found myself thinking some parts were unnecessary but overall I enjoyed the read

The Mystery Writer is an excellent thriller involving writers, publishers, private detectives, and even an apocalyptic thread which makes for a very interesting read. This was the first book by Sulari Gentill that I had read and I am looking forward to reading more of work. She has an easy, flowing style with convincing dialogue and characters that are well fleshed-out. The storyline is very original and believable with plenty of action, humour, and a plot that really keeps you reading to what is a very satisfying conclusion.
Highly recomended.