This is the kind of story that takes its time and slowly pulls you in. Set in the 1940’s, we follow Estella “E” as she tries to find her missing mother and other mysteries/ deaths around town. It’s part historical fiction, part mystery, with a gothic feel throughout.

I liked the moody setting and the way the story gradually unraveled. It’s slower paced, but if you enjoy a mystery with depth, atmosphere and secrets, pick this one up!

While I do think this book would be great for more a mystery reader - it was not for me. I know going into this it was more of a historical mystery, but it was very slow to get into and it unfortunately didn't grasp my attention. This would be perfect for some people, I think I am just more of a thriller, more fast paced suspense read.

The title and cover of The Dark Library completely drew me in—but unfortunately, the book itself just didn’t live up to the intrigue it promised.

With ARC copies, I always try to finish the book no matter what, and while I did make it through this one, I found myself struggling to stay engaged. I kept putting it down and getting distracted, which is never a great sign. The pacing felt uneven, and early on—around the 20% mark—I still didn’t understand the direction of the story. It jumped back and forth in time and spent a lot of energy on plot threads that didn’t feel meaningful. Case in point: Why are we spending so much time on Dean Jameson?

That said, it did improve later in the story. Estella’s father dies of a stroke, and she discovers that her long-missing mother had been abandoned in an asylum by him. He gave false information so no one would find her, and she remained silent for years. That twist was compelling and added much-needed emotional weight. There’s also a romantic subplot involving a character named Devon, but honestly, I’m not sure what to make of him—he comes off as shady, and I couldn’t quite figure out how he fit into the bigger picture.

The ending was... interesting, but weird and a bit jumbled. It left me with more questions than answers, and while I appreciated the attempt to tie things up, it didn’t fully land for me.

Overall, this was just okay. A solid 3 stars—it has potential, and some strong moments, but ultimately fell flat in too many places to leave a lasting impression.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an eArc copy of The Dark Library. I think the synopsis of this book is a little misleading. The library is barely mentioned until about 75% into the book which was very confusing and made the pacing feel very slow. Once I hit the 75% mark, the story flew. The Dark Library would have been a 2 star rating but the ending was good enough to bump it up to a 3.

I had a tough time wading through The Dark Library by Mary Anna Stevens. The author tried to cram too many ideas into one book (like me trying to fit thirty library books into one tote bag). It was hard to keep it all straight (the author seemed to have too many ideas). The mystery is missing. There is a touch of intrigue (blink and you will miss it) but there is no tension (no twists, turns, or action). I found the characters to be lacking and unlikeable. The characters needed to be fleshed out and given personality (they needed something). I expected more of the story to take place in the library (it is titled The Dark Library), but I was let down once again. Many of the plot points had no point which was so frustrating. A Slow Loris moves faster than the pacing in this story. Many unnecessary minute details bog down the story. The ending is rushed (we go from zero to sixty and then get whiplash when it suddenly goes back to zero again) and unsatisfying. If you are suffering from insomnia, then begin reading The Dark Library and get ready to drift off to slumberland.

This was a great mystery thriller, I was gripped from the start and I loved the historical setting.
We meet E (Estella) during WWII not long after she returned to her hometown of Bentham-on-Hudson, as she tries to secure a position as a professor, come to grips with losing both her parents (the death of her father after her mother has disappeared under mysterious circumstances) and to keep herself afloat in the old house on the Hudson River.
When the dean of E's university plummets from his office and dies, E finds herself swept up in coming to grips with the dean's death, searching for her mother, and unravelling the strange events that took place in her family and small town in recent years, while she was living in Boston..
E is a sympathetic character, to be a woman at a time where women were not hired as professors, to be in a situation where she can't make proper decisions about her house or her finances, it was so awful to think about. She's cheerful though, and her friends Marjorie and Leontine help her face her circumstances.
While this definitely isn't romance focused, I loved the inclusion of Dr Devan Chase, the charming literature professor who joins the university at a time where lots of teachers are joining the army.
The town of Bentham-on-Hudson was a fun setting, it gave great small town mystery vibes. There plot was twisty and I couldn't work out who to trust or who was a suspect as things went on - I felt like I wasn't sure about anyone!
This was an easy read, I devoured it while trying to puzzle out the ending, and I was shocked by the ending.

Overall, this was a good standalone mystery read.

Estella must return to her home, Rockfall House, upon the death of her father and disappearance of her mother in the midst of WW2. Rumours and whispered secrets surround the house and its contents… What darkness lies in the walls?

This was an extraordinary historical thriller! Darkness and mystery build up throughout the novel at a steady pace, keeping you intrigued as a reader and wanting the answers to the questions along the way.

I loved that the main characters were strong willed females with a penchant for investigating; this is a perfect atmospheric read for those who love historical thrillers with a gothic undertone.

Returning to her family home, Estella must figure out how to keep the house running while searching for her mother, who has unexpectedly disappeared. We witness the struggles of an educated woman as she attempts to establish a name for herself in higher education. There's so much betrayal and hidden secrets that soon come to the surface.

Thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for the eARC!

The Dark Library keeps you on your toes, as you and the main character never know who to trust.
During World War II, Estella (E) Ecker returned to Rockfall House, her childhood home. Her overbearing father has died, and her mother is missing. She begins working at the local university while she tries to find any clues about whether her mother is alive or dead. When her boss commits suicide, she becomes even more unsettled. What is going on in this town? Did it have anything to do with the dead body they found in the water by her home when they were looking for her mother? Or does it have something to do with the pictures she finds in the library her father made sure to keep everyone out of? What was actually going on with her family? And why is everyone looking at her like they are scared of her?
The title and official synopsis were somewhat misleading for me. It takes about 75 percent of the novel before the library enters the story, to my frustration. But as I continued to read, I understood that the library undercut every portion of the book from the very beginning. This is what gives the book its title. I also hope that I gave a clearer synopsis of the book, as I had expected something more supernatural from the official one. Though I was a tad disappointed there was nothing of that vein included, I was pleased with the story anyway. Mary Ann Evans creates a tense atmosphere, revealing mystery after mystery for E and the reader to unravel.
Evans builds a gothic world in the town of Bentham-on-Hudson. The house itself is almost a character in itself. It is a major location where some of the darkest events happened, but it also looms in the background of the brightest events. You can’t escape Rockfall House. Each person who steps into the house is a suspect. Can E trust her new friends? Her old friends? Each person she comes across has some connection to the house, whether they had dinner parties with the parents or they are children of those diners. Except for Devan, but he has an interest in the area. E and the reader must always be on their toes.
A great suspense novel, The Dark Library is a must-read this summer!

I DNF’d this book. I didn’t want to read a book by an author that would use language in the way she does. Her character didn’t want to live in a town that was “all white”. Would any publisher allow her to say that if it substituted “all black” or “Asian”? Of course not. I used to not care or just overlook this type of stuff, but after reading several different books in several different genres lately with race brought up, I’m frankly sick of it. The only way to stop this is to demand publishers use the same rules for generalizations against white people as a group, as you would other races as a group.

Thanks to NetGalley for my copy in exchange for my review.

The Dark Library by Mary Anna Evans The Dark Library follows the story of a young librarian named Emily, who discovers a hidden section in her library filled with ancient, mysterious books. As she delves deeper into the secrets of these volumes, she uncovers a world of magic and danger that threatens to disrupt her quiet life. Emily must navigate this newfound realm, confronting dark forces and uncovering long-buried truths to save her beloved library. Emily learns that the hidden section was created centuries ago by a secret society of scholars dedicated to preserving forbidden knowledge. These scholars believed that the power contained within these ancient texts should be safeguarded from those who might misuse it. Over time, the section was forgotten by most, its existence becoming little more than a whispered legend among the library's oldest caretakers. As Emily explores the hidden section, she initially feels a mix of awe and trepidation, overwhelmed by the vastness of the knowledge before her. Her curiosity soon transforms into determination, as she becomes resolute in her mission to protect the library and its secrets. Along the way, Emily experiences moments of doubt and fear, but ultimately, she grows more confident and courageous, embracing her role as both guardian and seeker of truth.

This was not a thriller in the normal way, with lots of twists and turns, but instead a slow burn full of secrets and an intense family relationship plot. I really enjoyed it!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

I found the plot for this story quite interesting, but ultimately had a hard time connecting with Estella, although I did enjoy her relationship with Annie and her friends. I found this to be more of a historical mystery with Estella trying to figure out not only what happened to her mother but also the mystery of why one of her colleagues ended his own life. Not so much a thriller, at least until we got almost to the end, when we were nearing the resolution to the story. It's a slow burn, with a dab of romance thrown in.
This was overall enjoyable, with some surprising twists and a very intriguing mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisened Pen Press for the eARC!
all thoughts and opinions are, as always, my own.

This is a dark, twisty ride of a story. It definitely starts out as a slow burn - we get to know Estrella (or E, as she prefers to be known), her family, and why she left and eventually returned to the small, sleepy town she grew up in.

But eventually, we learn who, exactly is keeping secrets in this town (spoiler, its almost everyone!!)

I liked the dreary atmosphere of this story - I loved the setting of being 'back home' while WWII rages on in some distant land but still impacts every part of these people's lives.
The creepy, decrepit house and massive library were the perfect backdrop for the specters of E's parents that loomed over her every step.
And the twists were shocking and satisfying.
(a few of them had me gasping and clutching my face in shock)

There was a sprinkle of romance through the story, but it didn't really grab me that much. I was much more interested in the messy family drama going on.

For fans of family dramas, set in a sleepy New England college town at wartime, this was a quick, dark historical story.

As someone who really enjoys historical fiction, I thought this was a solid read. I enjoyed the aspects of the story that touched on the war, as well as the way that the family was written about. There were just enough secrets sprinkled throughout to make me want to continue to turn the pages looking for answers. I will say that there were moments that were slower, which is why I took one star away. I felt that the pacing could have been a little quicker during the middle parts. I was hooked early on and then it tended to drag for me in the middle. Overall though, this was a solid read that I Really enjoyed and would recommend to others.

Let me start off by saying this book had quite a lot going on. I picked it up for the dark academia vibes of the title, but ended up getting quite a bit more.
Estella, or E, has returned home after the disappearance of her mother and the death of her father about 15 days later. She refuses to believe her mother is dead and holds out hope she will show up but the local police are convinced it was a suicide and that she was a weak or fragile woman. It seems there are multiple times in this book women, in general, are looked upon as being weaker or more fragile, or perhaps even disposable. E has a PhD in literature and still the best career she can find is to be a research assistant at the college where her father used to be the Dean.

After her father's death, E has to figure out her own finances as well as for the house she now has to care for. She thought her family to be well to do but when she has access to his books, she finds there is almost nothing. There are plenty of mysterious deaths as well as family secrets to uncover. I wouldn't say there is a great deal of action but the psychological and emotional toll it takes on E is quite brutal at times. It is a bit slower paced but the eerie vibe gives it the gothic undertones I was looking for.

It was a well done mystery, I think it was just a bit slower paced than I wanted and I don't know why I wanted some ghosts or other paranormal activity, but overall, I really liked it being centered around books and the house, and family secrets as well as some other secrets as well.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press via Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a great historical fiction mystery novel. The setting was during the 1940’s WWII era and really showed how much women were underrepresented in that time. It was a slow burn, but definitely kept me wanting more. Historical fiction is not my favorite genre, but I have found some really good books that I loved so if the plot grips me I will read it. I loved the character development and the settings were well written and detailed very well I felt like I could be there. You could tell the author did a lot of research into the era which you could really tell. Overall very interesting read and very good book.

I don’t read a ton of historical fiction, but I have to say that this book was amazing. While not super faced paced, this book kept me intrigued the entire time. You get to see the era of where women in academia are less than liked. The thriller aspect of this book was extremely enticing. The characters are super well written, and the suspense in the plot made it even better. I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves a good mystery/suspense novel.

It was so fun reading a book like this! I don't normally read books like this but I definitely dont regret it. There were so many mysteries in this! I loved it

This book surprised me! I didn’t think I would enjoy it as much as I did when I finally finished it! It’s a slowburn Gothic mystery, set during the start of WWII. It is interesting to read that not much has changed since then — gender inequality was rampant and women were relegated to jobs “more suited to feminine roles”.🤷🏻‍♀️🙄 I really liked the main character, E, and the other women (Leontine, Marjorie, Annie and even Mrs. Ecker) — they were all smart, resourceful and brave in their own ways. I admired them for being able to survive in a male-dominated society while forging their own paths in life. I love how the mystery slowly unravelled, all while E was patching her relationship with her mother and having a romantic interest on the side! A good and entertaining story overall. Thanks @poisonedpenpress for my digital copy of The Dark Library.