This is a fairly good thriller. It’s a bit slow in the beginning and it isn’t quite as thriller-y (thrilling?) as I would have expected from the label, but the tension does build. The story itself is fine, but I think I just didn’t enjoy the characters. I can appreciate an unlikable character, but I more just didn’t care about any of these characters except maybe Gio. There may also just have been too many characters - parts had me going “that name sounds vaguely familiar… let me flip back and see who these people were.”

This book also made NYC feel weirdly small? But it wasn’t a New York City Book (where you feel like it was written for people who live there and the rest of us are missing something), which I appreciated. It is a quick read for sure, so I’d call it a fine palette cleanser.

The immediate post 9/11 setting really added to this novel's depth and gave some support to the main character's self sabotage. Would definitely read another Kate Belli.

The Gallery Assistant was a pleasurable and exciting read.

I rooted for the Gallery Assistant all the way even though if I were in her shoes my first reaction would have been to runaway. But what would happen to the plot?

I liked that I was able to guess who the villain was..made me feel my detective was getting better.

Highly recommended

As Chloe unravels secrets and navigates the glamorous yet gritty gallery scene, the story delivers unpredictable twists and a chilling sense of danger. While the pacing slowed a bit in the middle, the final twist was truly unexpected. Thank you to the publishers for the advanced copy—this was a solid 4-star read and a perfect pick for thriller fans!

This was my first time reading a Kate Belli novel and overall I thought it was a good read. An intriguing mystery full of uncertainty after Chloe wakes up from a party with no recollection of how she got home, only to find out that her host from the night before (a new up-and-coming artist) has been murdered. If you loved Netflix's "This is a Robbery" but also the personal touch of art in "The Longest Ride", this is a great fit. There is also an undercurrent of NYC in the months following 9/11 which I thought was respectful & well-written. I wouldn't say it's a total page turner but I think if you're looking for a book, it's a good read. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC - look for this book when it comes out October 14th!

I just finished reading this book. The plot was absolutely fantastic! It was quite the page turner, and I could not put the book down once I began reading it. I can't wait for it to be released. I will recommend it to everyone I know!

I wasn’t really sure what to expect when sent this book. And it DID NOT disappoint. I enjoyed it and have definitely told a couple friends to keep an eye out for it!

The Gallery Assistant is a fast-paced, twisting thriller that blends the high-stakes art world with the emotional weight of personal trauma. Set in post-9/11 NYC, it follows Chloe as she tries to piece together a hazy night that ended in murder. The deeper she digs, the more tangled the lies become—and as an unreliable narrator, even Chloe isn’t sure what’s real.

Though it starts off slow, the pacing picks up quickly once the conspiracy unfolds. The atmosphere is tense and mysterious, with strong character development and emotional depth. If you like thrillers with unreliable narrators and layered secrets, this one’s for you.

This was a slow burn short read that kept me guessing. While I devoured this quickly, it did leave me wanting more. I saw some things coming which takes away the fun for me. And there was just something missing that I feel would have made it a 5 star book. But overall, I still enjoyed it.

I liked this book from the beginning, but it felt a little slow in the beginning. However, I was invested in the store enough to continue reading and the more I read, the better it got. I saw some flaws in the main character, but I can see them being realistic things, considering what she went through. I enjoyed the story and the ending, and I even watched a documentary that inspired the author to write this book.

Enter Chloe...while waking up after a night of drinking in NYC with no memory isn't completely heard of for her, this time is different. Not only does she feel horrible, but she quickly learns that the host of a party she attended is dead!

This was a really neat read - as someone who watched the 9/11 attacks from a classroom TV, the setting of this book was so well-written that it quickly took me back in time! While it feels like just yesterday, I appreciated all of the technology references and the fact they had a significant impact on the plot and characters rather than just thrown in there as a novelty. Fast-paced with plenty of twists along the way, "The Gallery Assistant" was a twisty thriller that was difficult to put down. The first few chapters felt like the dragged a bit, but once you were IN there was no turning back!

While my own personality is very different from Chloe's I found her a very likable and intelligent main character - the narration style really drew me in, encouraging me to follow her story and root for her! I'm a sucker for any strong female lead!

Thanks so much for this ARC - I appreciated finding a new author and this certainly won't be my last read from Belli!

This was my first book by this author and I look forward to reading more from them. This is an emotionally engaging mystery that expresses grief and trauma through fine art. It was very fast paced and quite heartbreaking. It did a wonderful job at connecting you with the characters.

This was kinda boring to be honest. The plot could have been constructed better. The ending wasnt that satisfying.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, Kate Belli, and publisher for trusting me with an advanced copy of The Gallery Assistant. This is my first book by Ms. Belli and I look forward to reading more of her books.

This book takes place post 9/11 with the main character, Chloe Harlow, working at an art gallery in New York. Chloe often drinks too much resulting in blackouts of time. In fact as the book begins, she has attended a party for an up and coming artist and has no idea how she got home from the party. The night of the party the artist was murdered and the police are questioning everyone, including Chloe, who attended the party. Two different mysteries unfold during the reminder of the book, the murder and Chloe’s PTSD related to 9/11.

I enjoyed this book. There was plenty of mystery and suspense to keep the pages turning. The main character was flawed yet believable. The only trouble I had with this book was keeping all of characters strait. Overall an enjoyable book.

I dont know that this worked for me. Its definitely more of a slow burn mystery, in my opinion than a thriller.

The storyline didnt go well together for me. It seemed like the author was trying to tell two stories in one and they didnt mesh right for me.

I didnt like the characters, and there were ALOT of them to keep track of. I didn't even like their names, just everything about them annoyed me.

Overall I'd give this 3 stars.

this is honestly heartbreaking for reasons you really wouldn't expect. This is set 2 months after 9/11, with our FMC being in the North Tower when it got hit. This is sad and brutal; and in many ways showcased the repercussions felt by the locals after the attack. While the story itself has more to do with art and a murder, the underlying tone of sadness and grief is carried throughout; and because of this I wouldn't call this fast paced. It was slower than most thrillers I enjoy, but I was totally enraptured by how everything took place and all the connections.

It was pretty cool having the publisher reach out and offer me a galley of this book, however, I was underwhelmed. This is a murder mystery, not a thriller, and that could be my problem, to be honest. The writing was decent and easy. Check your triggers!

The Gallery Assistant is a thriller novel following Chloe as she deals with her PTSD following 9/11 and the uncovering of a massive web of lies in the art world beginning with the death of a well-known artist. Chloe was the last person to see the artist alive, but she has no memory of the night leading up to the murder.

This book started out slow but once we started getting into the conspiracy it went so fast. I enjoyed the aspect of not knowing what is real and what isn't since Chloe is a very unreliable narrator. I would recommend this to those who enjoy fast-paced mysteries. 4.5/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

I thought this book was fabulous. I was a bit thrown off with the references to 911, but eventually it all makes sense. The PTSD creates a type of unreliable narrator, which I usually don’t like, but this really worked. The whole situation was a suspenseful. I was really worried about the cat being left alone. Luckily Groucho was fine. The plot was not cookie cutter and overall there was suspense coupled with action. I thought this was well done. You do have to pay attention because there are a ton of characters. I had to go back a few times and refresh myself on. A few of them. I really enjoyed this one!

This book was intriguing and suspenseful. The plot twists were surprised and not predictable. The story had a dark quality to do different from the authors previous books, but it was definitely a good read. The pacing and length were just right.