The Dark Library is an interesting read, entertaining enough to keep you reading, however, it was not as suspenseful as I hoped it would be. It has a good premise, and I enjoyed the idea of the family, particularly father, having secrets Dark enough to tarnish the family name. Unfortunately, this read was a bit too slow for me and not as exciting as I anticipated.
Thank you NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Mary Anna Evans for this read.

This books was a new style and felt different to my norm. So I was glad to get stuck in. It felt very immersive and dark. Like I could feel the scenes going on in front of me. It intrigued me to keep wanting to find out more. And the mystery felt like it held on until revealing itself in moments that sometimes twisted and sometimes were just aha moments.
I'm glad I got to read this book. I liked getting such a different take and writing style.
And once the pace started picking up I felt like I was fully involved and needing to know more.

The Dark Library is the story about a young woman who returns to her parent's gothic manor on the Hudson after the death of her father. She joins a local university where the Dean throws himself off the tower to his death, but then the story completely changes to finding out what happened to her mother the night she disappeared? All while she is trying to maintain this Victorian house and go on dates with suitors?

I am not sure this book is for me. It felt very disjointed as if I were reading three different story's that were mashed together. It was giving historical fiction, historical romance, gothic mystery, murder mystery and thriller? I'm not sure. The pacing is very slow and I could not connect with any of the characters within the novel.

Unfortunately, this is a no for me.

<i>Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>

Thank you Netgalley for the arc of this book. It started off strong, and then became a little slow for me about halfway through. The plot seemed all over the place, and I wasn't a huge fan of the main female character, E. This is also not a normal genre I would read, so maybe that is why my rating is so low?

This had a really intriguing premise and a great gothic atmosphere, but the story didn’t fully land for me. I enjoyed the eerie setting and the literary touches, but the pacing felt uneven and I struggled to stay fully invested in the plot.

It had some standout moments and solid writing, but overall, it just didn’t quite hit the mark. A decent read, especially if you’re into slower, moodier mysteries.

Evans weaves historical intrigue with contemporary stakes, creating a story that’s both atmospheric and intellectually engaging. Faye remains a strong, resourceful protagonist, and the blend of academic setting with a touch of gothic tension makes this a satisfying read for fans of intelligent mysteries.

Verdict: A sharp, smartly written mystery perfect for readers who enjoy archaeology, dark secrets, and strong female leads.

This wasn't exactly what I was expecting and yet it was enjoyable. I particularly liked the mother character - she had unique spunk and some hidden depths. I work at a university so those scenes and politics and interactions were compelling (and largely accurate!) Annie the housekeeper/friend was a stabilizing presence throughout who represented someone who saw the family as they truly were and still stood by them.

My favorite character was Devan his true good nature; he was well written and his mystery was nicely explained.

I found the father's "military/war secrets" plot to be pretty thin and not well developed; it would have helped me to have a bit more background on what exactly he was hoarding and what he planned to do with it. I understood the potential damage that info about local folks' KKK ties and salacious assignations, but to have a random "faculty" person show up in town & later at the party, hide, jump out and wield a gun, was disjointed. I wasn't entirely sure where the story was going and then there was a bad thunderstorm and everything wrapped up.

Historical fiction mixed with some dark academia and well written characters. I really wanted to like this book more than I did the story was interesting and I liked the setting of the old Victorian mansion unfortunately it got a little lose for me in the last half and took a little too long for me to get into in the beginning. Would still recommend 3 stars and would read more from this author. I want to thank Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

The heavy gothic style of this book was so beautifully written. The story was very captivating, I just wanted to keep it reading to found the outcome. The book within a book theme was so fun to read and I had a great time with this.

“The Dark Library” was an excellent mix of dark academia and historical fiction. I really enjoyed the authors writing style, I found it to be immersive and detailed.

The book is a bit of a slow burn, but once it picked up, I really enjoyed it. Some of the twists weren’t surprising, but the plot definitely made up for it with it’s mystery.

Overall, the book was well-balanced and kept me interested once the slow burn ended. Definitely worth picking up when it’s released June 24th!

I loved the historical context and the dark academia/mystery vibes. The pace was tough for me but I know lots of people will love this one!

The premise of The Dark Library was interesting, but the pacing was difficult for me to stay focused with. I also think the author was trying to mesh together too many topics into one. It would have been more profound to address a few. I know many will enjoy this book- especially if you like historical fiction.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A 1940's Gothic novel/academia mystery thriller that is surprisingly cozy.

Estella has come back home to her small town to help her family. her once domineering father is ill and her mother is missing. When scandal and death begin following her around as she attempts to uncover her family's secrets, she must figure out who her true friends are and who is threatening her life.

I found this story very enjoyable and the pacing was perfect. as a mystery, I don't think it's terribly evocative. however, the characters are engaging and we'll structured and the twists are compelling and original.

I really enjoyed this book, murder, mystery, academia. It had it all, it was slow to start but it picked up pace and I sped through it. Brilliant read just in time for summer

“The Dark Library” has a lot of potential, with an intriguing concept and a mysterious setting that initially drew me in. Mary Anna Evans sets the stage well and creates an atmosphere ripe for suspense. However, the story never quite reaches the depth it promises. The pacing falters at times, and while the buildup suggests a twist or revelation, the ending feels unoriginal and predictable. It’s not a bad read, but it left me wishing for more development and a more impactful conclusion. A decent book, but not as memorable as it could have been.

I was immediately convinced that I would’ve finished this one quickly. It was a slow start but it kept me turning pages quick. I enjoyed the story behind it and I am sure others would also.

It had a little bit of everything in this book. It was suspenseful, mysterious, intense, and a war story.

I would recommend this quick read!

3.5⭐️!! I enjoyed this! This was a little slow, but the twists were really good! This gave me huge like dark/gothic academia vibes!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC digital copy. I was not compensated for this review and all opinions are my own.

Absolutely loved the setting!! Appreciated the scattering of strong female characters. Would have preferred the plot to have moved more quickly. For that reason, I’m rating this book 3.5 out of 5 stars with my respect to the author.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this prior to release. This was a bit of a slow one for me, had I read the blurb properly I might not have requested as historical fiction isn’t for me, but I surprisingly enjoyed this, I didn’t see the twists coming!

3.5! ⭐️

Publication Date: June 24, 2025

Such a suspenseful mystery that blends academic intrigue with deeply human stakes. Gave me “gothic academia” vibes. Mary Anna Evans creates a compelling atmosphere where old secrets and rare books intertwine, drawing you into a world of quiet tension and intellectual curiosity (which I so desperately can relate to). The pacing was good. Although, the story just didn’t land for me, I felt like I was missing something… some of the characters lacked a bit of depth I was hoping for. Would still recommend as I don’t believe I was the target audience for this one, but others may be.

Thanks to the author, the publisher, and netgalley for the opportunity to read this arc. Much appreciated!