Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books for allowing me to read this book early. The opinion in this review is my own.

Chloe wakes up after a night out, but she has no recollection of how she got home. When she arrives at work the morning after the party, she’s greeted by detectives because someone has been found dead. Chloe needs to piece together her patchy memories with the stories she’s being told and trying to reconcile the differences.

This book is set in New York City, one month after the 9/11 attacks, which adds some tension to the story. The premise was promising, but it didn’t completely deliver. I still had a fun time reading this, but it dragged a bit in the middle and some of the chapters felt unnecessary. I feel like if there were some extra editing it would improve the book overall. However, I still had a good time and I’d recommend this if you’re looking for a quick read.

While this was an interesting story that held my attention, it felt a bit forced to me throughout the book. The ending seemed to rush into a conclusion and was all a little too neat and convenient for my taste. Overall, it was entertaining enough to finish but certainly didn't blow me away with twists and turns.

The Gallery Assistant by Kate Belli is a captivating thriller that plunges readers into a world of mystery, art, and danger. Set against the backdrop of post-9/11 New York, Chloe Harlow wakes up with hazy memories after a party, only to find herself embroiled in a murder investigation. The artist she had been working with is dead, and as Chloe attempts to piece together the events of that fateful night, she discovers troubling inconsistencies between her recollections and what others claim happened. Belli masterfully blends suspense and intrigue, taking readers deep into the glamorous yet cutthroat world of high-end art galleries. Chloe’s journey to uncover the truth is filled with twists and turns, and the mystery behind the artist’s death is rich with secrets and lies. As Chloe gets closer to the truth, the stakes rise, and danger lurks around every corner.
The Gallery Assistant is an engrossing read, perfect for fans of psychological thrillers and art-world mysteries. With its suspenseful pace and unexpected twists, it’s a thrilling ride that will keep you hooked until the last page.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publishing house for this arc.

Chloe is an assist at a posh art gallery. Waking up one morning after a party hosted by one of the gallery’s newest artist she realizes she can’t remember anything from the night before including how she got home. While yes this is weird it’s not at all a new occurrence. Since surviving being in Tower One on 9/11 Chloe has been suffering ptsd and is clinging to anything to get through life, mostly getting blackout drunk after work.
So when detectives tell her the artist has been murdered, that she may have been the last one to see her alive and other strange things start happening to her, she can’t be sure at all about anything. Can she trust her mind, is she making this all up?
I really enjoyed this story, growing up in NY post 9/11 I can agree with a lot of what the mfc and her friends were feeling. It was a scary time for all especially for those that survived ground zero. Adding all that trauma to another problem, one where you might be the last one seen with a murdererd artist and you can’t remember it. No wonder Chloe feels like she’s possibly going crazy. It’s a story about deceit, friendship, trauma, trust. What is happening, and why? It’s up the Chloe to find out…
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC copy of this. I was intrigued by the concept that this book was set in NYC in 2001 shortly after 9/11. Belli did an excellent job capturing the feel of the city and the intricacies of trauma like that so soon after it occurred. The overall premise was cleverly constituted and set in the world of high end art. I definitely recommend this to thriller readers who like a dose of emotion.

While the plot was good and the characters were well drawn, I find the story moved slowly. There were additional chapters that were fillers. Enjoyed but not on top of my list

Loved this thriller! Protagonist Chloe awakens one morning to discover the host of the party last night has been murdered. As an art dealer, she isn't sure if it has anything to do with her, as she blacked out and can't remember getting home--although she has blurry images that may be a dream or??? And the more she tries to investigate on her own, the more confused she becomes as there are things she still can't remember and people that are acting oddly. It's a great, twisty mystery that I devoured!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

2⭐️ I was really intrigued by the premise of The Gallery Assistant, but unfortunately, this one just didn’t work for me.

Set in November 2001, the story follows Chloe Harlow, who wakes up with no memory of how she got home after a party — only to find out that the host, a rising artist connected to her gallery, is dead. As Chloe tries to piece together the events of that night, she’s pulled into a tangled web of secrets, lies, and danger in the New York art world.

It sounded like the kind mystery I’d enjoy, but I just couldn’t get into it. I found myself putting it down constantly for other books. The story never really hooked me, and when I finally made it through, I still felt pretty underwhelmed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row for this advanced e-copy in exchange for my honest opinion!

The Gallery Assistant is a gripping mystery set in post-9/11 New York City, and the 2001 backdrop is truly chef’s kiss perfect—haunting, raw, and full of tension. The atmosphere adds an extra layer of suspense to an already thrilling story. Chloe, the main character, is both likable and believable, making it easy to root for her as the mystery unfolds. The pacing keeps you hooked, with just the right amount of twists and turns. This is a great read for anyone who loves mystery thrillers with emotional depth and vivid settings.

Chloe, the main character, delves into the facts behind a murdered artist. This begins as no easy feat, as she has hazy memories and lost time from the night before. She is tenacious though, and things get more dangerous for her as the story unfolds. Great book!

The gallery assistant. I really couldn’t get into this book. It was very vague and the main character was such a flake that it made the story so flighty

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!

I was graciously given an ARC of this title.

This is my first read from Kate Belli. I enjoyed it! I felt the pace was medium...or somewhere between medium and fast

I'd recommend this book. 3.5 stars.

ARC - Chloe Harlow was drinking too much and not remembering what happened. A party she went to it got so bad she couldn't remember getting home into bed that night. Chloe worked for a Gallery and later heard that the hostess an artist with a contract there was murdered that night. All people that attended were interviewed by the police. She was delivering a small painting to someone it the 9/11 tower when it was hit by the first plane and going down the stairs in all the debris and soot trying to get home, a terrible experience. Kept drinking and blacking out not remembering and would not go to therapy. Strange things started to happen to her and around the Gallery. As the story goes she needs to find out who killed the Artist!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars for The Gallery Assistant by Kate Belli
Chloe Harlow wakes up with few memories of how she got home after a glamorous art party—only to find out that the party’s hostess, a rising new artist, has been murdered. From there, Chloe’s journey unfolds, filled with twists, secrets, and the lingering trauma she carries from surviving 9/11.
I loved the glimpse into the amazing world of art. The suspense was palpable throughout the story. I didn’t know where the story would take me, and that unpredictability kept me hooked.
This was my first book by Kate Belli and it was such an easy, engaging read. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys a suspenseful,mystery thriller.
Thank you to @netgalley and @atriabooks for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. PUB DATE October 14, 2025
#TheGalleryAssistant #KateBelli #ArtWorldMystery #SuspenseReads #NetGalley #ARCReview #Bookstagram #MysteryReader #ReadersOfInstagram

The Gallery Assistant is a twisted thriller set during the months following the 9/11 attacks. After attending a party, New York art gallery assistant Chloe wakes up with no idea of how she got home. She is shocked to learn that the party's host, an up and coming painter represented by the gallery, was shot dead - and it appears that Chloe may have been the last person to see the victim alive.

As Chloe struggles with both her personal and professional lives, as well as the devastating aftermath of 9/11, she begins to suspect that something sinister is afoot. But will she be dismissed as a paranoid conspiracy theorist, or will she be able to convince her friends, colleagues, and the police that something really is wrong, and that her life - and theirs - may be in danger?

This was a little more of a slow burn than I would have liked, but it kept me guessing right until the very end - and kept me turning the pages wanting to find out the truth.

Slow burn. There were too many characters introduced in one go early on. Good historical context on the mindset subsequent to 9/11. Good description of the effects of PTSD. I believe people in her situation would be able to relate when reading the book. It's certainly a mystery book, but it doesn't feel like a thriller. Maybe categorize it as historical fiction. I like the art aspect of the story.

The Gallery Assistant pulled me in almost immediately. This book had a little of everything - complex relationships, murder, mystery, art, the aftermath of 9/11 and mental health. The mystery unfolds smoothly adding necessary flashbacks to past experiences suffered by the main character, Chloe, which brought depth to the story. I appreciated all the twists and turns, as it kept me guessing who was involved in the mystery. While there were multiple characters, and some blended together at times, each played a crucial part in the story. And I did not see the twist at the end coming. The author did a great job connecting all the dots and bringing the mystery to a conclusion. And the final scene was just perfect!

Note: I did receive an arc of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review! Thank you again!

This story was set in NYC, with an interesting back drop of being newly after 9/11. Our main female character has trauma from surviving 9/11, and doesnt remember how she gets home one night. The same night her friend is murdered. So many twists and turns. I was deeply interested in this story from start to finish. This was my first book by this author and wont be my last.

The Gallery Assistant takes right off, Chloe wakes up in her Brooklyn apartment with no memory of how she got home. She’s a gallery assistant in NYC and attended a party the night before for one of their artists. Still groggy, she heads to work and finds the police there. The artist, Inga, was found murdered in her apartment the morning after the party. After the interrogation Chloe’s boss, Lou, mysteriously disappears from the company and his apartment. Chloe begins to uncover secrets within the gallery and tries to remember anything from the night of the party. She uncovers hidden messages within Inga’s paintings and discovers maybe she knew something was going to happen to her.

This is a quick, fun read. Definitely a fast paced thriller. I loved the NYC setting, the story takes place recently after the 9/11 tragedy. Overall I really liked this book and it kept my interest, however I did feel there was too many characters. Between Chloe’s coworkers, friends and the party guests it was hard to keep track of who everyone was.
The Gallery Assistant is very twisty and will keep you guessing until the end!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and SS Artia marketing for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. Look for the gallery assistant October 2025.