I really enjoyed this book! I thought the overall plot ended up getting a bit complex with the motivations and through line of what happened but a quick read with a fun subject in the art world.

2.5 rounded up
Nothing really memorable about the story. I think it is a slow burn mystery but I found it to drag a lot and it would have been a DNF if not for a commitment to Netgalley to review. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

I feel a little torn on reviewing this. I enjoyed this overall as the story was fairly compelling and is definitively a thriller. However, there were moments that felt forced and the character’s disillusionment gave the story a bit of an unreal feel. I think the pace of the story worked really well but could incorporate the backdrop of the aftermath of 911 a little better.

Chloe is the titular gallery assistant, living in Brooklyn and late to work in the Upper East Side after waking up hungover from a party at an artist's loft the night before. Chloe doesn't remember much about the party and she doesn't know how she got home. When she arrives at work, she and her boss Lou are summoned to the gallery owner's office to meet with two NYPD detectives, who inform them that the artist, Inga, was found murdered in her loft early that morning. Chloe must now extricate herself from the investigation; moreover, she feels compelled to figure out the mystery of Inga's death.

Chloe narrates through three parts of the novel, and we learn about the PTSD she developed in the wake of 9/11. She doles out the details of the trauma she experienced during the attacks throughout the book and makes the reader understand what she lived through. It's very engaging and handled with aplomb.

The story moves quickly, told in short chapters that are very engaging. Learning about Chloe and her past is interesting, and she is very easy to root for. The art world and the city of New York make for a dynamic backdrop for this trendy tale. The novel is sure to please readers who enjoy a fast-paced mystery thriller and tales taking place in NYC.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! This book was a quick and fun thriller set right after 9/11 in the New York art world. I like how the author incorporated her real experiences and art knowledge throughout the book. I think the plot was engaging and kept me guessing throughout. Heavy topics include PTSD, murder, and 9/11 flashbacks, but it was all well-written.

This was a well written mystery, though the setting in an immediately post 9/11 New York was jarring. The mystery of who killed a talented artist had plenty of twists and turns, but the time and place of the story loomed large over it and felt distracting.

The Gallery Assistant is a fast paced thriller set in the world of New York City’s high end art scene. The story follows Chloe Harlow, a gallery assistant who wakes up after an artist’s party with unsettling memory gaps. Her unease deepens when the party’s host is found dead the next morning, thrusting her into a disturbing search for answers.

As Chloe begins to piece together what really happened, it becomes clear she can’t trust everyone around her. Friends gaslight her, trusted colleagues hide secrets, and the sense of paranoia grows. With Chloe as an unreliable narrator, readers unravel the mystery alongside her looking for motive and truth.
The story is rich with behind the scenes glimpses of the elite art world and features an array of characters. While the narrative maintains tension throughout, the final stretch loses a bit of momentum and grounding. Still, The Gallery Assistant remains an easy, engaging read that delivers suspense and psychological twists with style.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

This book was like if you took Ottessa Mosfegh’s My Year of Rest and Relaxation but had it written by Frieda McFadden. Party girl gallery assistant accidentally may have witnessed a murder? Oh but because of aforementioned partying, she really can’t remember. Did I mention this takes place shortly after 9/11 in NYC and our main girl also is suffering from PTSD from being in the north tower that day? Overall I enjoyed this book. It was a quick read for me. I’m not really sure why, but in the beginning I thought everyone was British. I had to put down the book and see if the author was British and realized she wasn’t and maybe I just envisioned this subplot in my mind. Once I got over that- and was back on track, I was very much locked into our story. I loved the idea, but at times the plot seemed to get a little far fetched (especially in the end). I am rounding the stars up to four though because I am usually good at guessing the plot twist at the end, and I did not guess this, nor did I guess who the murderer was. I think if you like a typical thriller but want a more elevated narrative, this book is perfect for you. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the free ecopy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Fast paced thriller that kept me in the edge of my seat, a bit predictable, but I really enjoyed the premise and the atmosphere was just so glorious. The author used great imagery!

This was my first book by Kate Belli! I thoroughly enjoyed this story! I am not usually into art, nor do I know anything about art, so reading this was a little nerve-wracking for me. This story was so good! It was fast-paced, twisty, a little emotional, and kept me hooked! This definitely won't be my last book by this author!

I want to personally thank NetGalley, as well as the author, publisher, and anyone else involved in providing copies, for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Atria Books for my arc!

This ended up not being what i expected it to be but i was definitely not mad about it. the story was interesting and kept me engaged. But Chloe really should've just seen a therapist and i feel like a majority of her issues could've been solved.

I wanted to love this mystery thriller, but it didn’t quite deliver. The book is concise with a slow-burn pace. I liked the themes, short chapters, and diverse characters. Told from Chloe’s point of view, it’s set in post-9/11 New York where she works at an art gallery and struggles with PTSD. When a painter is murdered, Chloe tries to piece together what happened while facing heavy gaslighting and distrust.

The story leans more toward mystery and dark vibes than thriller. The setting before cell phones felt realistic, but there were too many characters to keep track of. Chloe’s vulnerability and struggles felt authentic, making it hard but rewarding to read at times. Overall, I give it 3 out of 5 stars. Fans of art world mysteries and dark psychological stories might still enjoy it.

3.75/5 - Honestly, this book was good. I was engaged and it kept me guessing - I honestly couldn't predict the ending. I think what turned me off was the 9/11 flashbacks. I wasn't expecting them and it was a bit unsettling for me (which is totally expected when you're re-living such a traumatic event).

This was one of the best thrillers I have read so far this year! In an absolutely brilliant move the author, Kate Belli, artfully fleshes out a character, Chloe, who is suffering from PTSD and puts her in the middle of an active police investigation. The problem: she drank too much at the party and has absolutely no idea how a newly famous artist ended up dead, let alone how she, Chloe, even got home that night. The characterization is so well done you expect her to step off the pages and end up on the nightly news when the case is wrapped up.

Great job!

Chloe’s story is so interesting you just fall for her and her situations. A job in an art gallery, a few good friends including her roommate. Possible love interest right around the corner and unfortunately horrible flashbacks from having survived 9/11. When an important artist is found murdered the list of suspects hits home and who to trust? Very exciting and enjoyable.

I couldn’t get through this one but it may just be the timing in my life and I am going to give it another try in the future!

The Gallery Assistant is a fun popcorn thriller focusing on the elite Fine Arts world in NYC. Things aren’t what they seem and people are disappearing. This was a peak into the behind the scenes drama of an art gallery.

I had to put this down after the 20th mention of 9/11 (the plot had seemingly nothing to do with 9/11). Thank you netgalley for the early copy but this just wasn’t for me 🫶🏻

A pulse-pounding thriller about the art world. Fans of STILL LIVES will flip for another gallery-set suspenseful journey. Great prose and a compelling backdrop of the 9/11 attacks.

🖼️ I finished The Gallery Assistant by Kate Belli yesterday and I’m still thinking about it. Set in the glittering, chaotic world of post-9/11 New York, this fast-paced mystery follows Chloe Harlow, a gallery assistant trying to keep her life together after surviving the towers.
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Still shaken and quietly dealing with PTSD, she wakes up after a party with only blurry memories… and finds out the gallery’s new rising star, Inga Beck, was murdered that same night.
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As Chloe tries to retrace her steps and make sense of what actually happened, she realizes she may have been the last person to see Inga alive, and that the truth might be buried somewhere in her fractured memories.
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This story blends art-world glamor with real emotional weight. The backdrop of post-9/11 trauma adds depth and urgency to Chloe’s unraveling as she struggles to trust herself, untangle the lies around her, and figure out what’s real.
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There are twists, secrets, and some seriously shady characters, and the pacing kept me hooked the entire time. Think Only Murders in the Building meets The Devil Wears Prada with a haunting murder mystery at its core.
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This one’s smart, suspenseful, and surprisingly moving. Highly recommend adding it to your fall TBR. Out October 14th! Thank you @netgalley @atriabooks @atriathrillers @simonandschuster for the review copy in exchange for my own opinions!
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⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ rounded up to 4!
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