The premise is great. I love a quick thriller read, but this book just didn't quite deliver the way it had the potential to deliver.
Very short read - so that is great, good palette cleanser.
The pace of the plot was great! I did love the pace.
It is written from the FMC POV and is divided into 3 parts.
There is a murder of a painter that sends the FMC, Chloe, into a spiral and her PTSD exacerbates (PTSD from 9/11).
It is a very down vibe as the takes place right after 9/11.
Some of the events are over the top and a bit unrealistic.
The decisions that Chloe makes do not make sense given the chaotic events (ie, walking alone, etc).
I took issue with the pace of the book - a SLOW burn. Plot just felt a bit unorganized?
The ending was great, though!
Give it a shot if you want a quick thriller!
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ARC!

Stars: 4.5/5

Pub date: 13 October 2025

Thanks to Atria and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I approached it with some hesitation—reading fiction about your own field can be tricky. As someone who works in and studies art at the graduate level, I’m often wary: if the technical details are too dense, it can be a slog, and if the historical accuracy is off, it can be distracting. Fortunately, this novel struck all the right notes.

At first, I wasn’t sure about the inclusion of the 9/11 storyline. I loved the early 2000s New York City setting, but I didn’t initially understand why the post-9/11 context was necessary—until everything clicked into place later on.

The pacing was strong, and the payoff was deeply satisfying. Our protagonist, while flawed, largely avoids the typical missteps you see in thrillers, which I appreciated.

That said, there were a few moments where the timeline within a scene felt off. For instance, in Chapter 29, it seems to go from midday to night in what the narration implies is only a few minutes. These small inconsistencies pulled me out of the story briefly, but overall, they didn’t detract from my enjoyment.

Given that this book is set in the months following 9/11, it includes depictions of the racism, xenophobia, and Islamophobia that were widespread. I hope in the final version, the acknowledgments (or an added author’s note) offer a thoughtful note addressing these elements. Along with this, I hope sensitivity readers are reviewing these passages.

The Gallery Assistant by Kate Belli was hit or miss for me. I enjoyed the art aspect, but felt it was overshadowed by the 9-11 aspect. I think it's hard to truly capture the mindset of people during that time. For that reason, the writing felt trite and not totally believable. The characters felt shallow and one-dimensional, too. And the pace was slow. Overall, not a great read for me.

As someone who's studying art history I loved this a bunch as I was able to almost place myself in the story. Definitely loved the idea of a murder involved around a museum setting. I can't wait until this is released so I can get a physical copy. Thanks NetGalley and Atria books for this ARC read.
4.4/5

The ended up becoming better than I had had expected, as it was a little slow to start. I could not say that I really liked any of the characters, and I know sometimes that is the point. Fortunately, this had a solid ending.

This was a slow starter for me and I'm not much on art, but it picked up quickly. I mean who doesn't love a good murder? Everybody should give this a chance.

“The Gallery Assistant” is a mystery book by Kate Belli. This was an odd book. It starts off with Chloe Harlow wondering how she got home after a party because she has no recollection after a certain moment. When she gets into work, two police officers are there - announcing that the host of the party has died, who was someone Chloe’s place of employment (an art gallery) was hot to promote. This book takes place shortly after 9/11 and a lot of this book is focused on Chloe’s PTSD (and self medicating with alcohol to help forget), which seemed to take away from the mystery aspect. It also doesn’t help that Chloe’s friends and co-workers do a lot of trying to persuade her that their truth is the truth (gaslighting, which wasn’t a common term in 2001) so trying to figure out who was telling partial truths - and wondering how much of Chloe’s truth could be believed - was a bit difficult. I came up with my own theory rather early on and except for a few small details, I was right (not patting myself on the back, it just seemed like the only thing that made sense from clues Ms. Belli dropped). Overall, this was an interesting read - and I hope that Chloe finds some peace - but I could see this book being made into a TV special or movie and it finding a good audience.

Thank you to Atria for inviting me to read an advanced copy of The Gallery Assistant by Kate Belli. What I enjoyed about this book is that the MC is an unreliable narrator, which is one of my favorite thriller tropes.
I enjoyed the diverse cast of characters and how Belli explored the effects of PTSD and how the events of 9/11 impacted people in different ways. From conspiracy theories, to themes of distrust as well as building community, Belli touches on these themes throughout the story.
What kept me from giving this book a higher rating was the MC’s internal monologue, which was prevalent throughout the book. At times, the streams of Chloe’s internal thoughts were too long, too detailed, and felt disconnected from the plot at times with unnecessary information.
I also felt disappointed that the mystery of the murder and happenings within the art world were unrelated to what Chloe went through during 9/11. At first, I was put off at using 9/11 as a reason for Chloe’s PTSD, but as the story went on and Chloe’s reason for being in the tower was revealed (and especially after reading the author’s acknowledgment at the end of the book), my feelings on this changed and I could better appreciate having this be a part of the story, although I do think the full memory of being in the tower and the significance of the drawing in the closet should happen earlier in the book.
The other detail that I struggled with is that Chloe kept leaving the cat at the apartment when she started spending more time at Gio’s. She barely went back to check on him and she even acknowledged that the cat wasn’t happy at being left alone, and there was no reason why she couldn’t have asked Gio if she could bring the cat with her. I really did not like this decision and it made her seem incredibly selfish and almost unlikeable.

in this book, Chloe Harlow wakes up with no memory of the night before, only to find herself entangled in a mystery surrounding the death of a rising artist at an exclusive gallery. As she unravels the events of that night, Chloe discovers inconsistencies and secrets that lead her to question everything, with deadly consequences as she gets closer to the truth. A gripping tale set against the backdrop of the high-stakes art world and the lingering shadow of 9/11.

I was completely pulled into The Gallery Assistant from the first page. Set in late 2001, the atmosphere is thick with post-9/11 tension, and I could really feel Chloe’s sense of unease and disconnection as she tries to remember what happened the night of the party. The mystery unfolds slowly but grippingly—I found myself second-guessing every character right along with her.

What I loved most was how vividly the book captures New York during that moment in time. The contrast between the upscale art gallery world and Chloe’s grittier life in Williamsburg gave the story depth, and the writing made it easy to feel the weight of what she was going through emotionally. It’s not just a murder mystery—it’s also about memory, trauma, and how we navigate truth in the middle of chaos.

There were a few parts that dragged a little in the middle, and I wish some of the side characters had been more fleshed out, but overall, this was a smart and moody thriller that kept me turning the pages. The ending was satisfying and left me thinking long after I finished.

If you’re into atmospheric mysteries with a psychological twist and a strong (but very human) female lead, I’d definitely recommend this one.

The Gallery Assistant by Kate Bell is a fast paced thriller mixing PTSD with the mystery. I enjoyed the storyline and the characters. Well done.

This was such a fun book and very different from what I normally read but i really enjoyed it. I was changing my mind on the "who", "why" and "how" until the very end and I never came close. True page turner!

I enjoyed this book and read through it quickly. It centers on Chloe, a twenty-something New Yorker who is in a new role at an art gallery and also struggling mightily with coming to terms with the aftermath of the Sept 2001 terrorist attacks. When an artist named Inga is murdered after a party Chloe attended, but drank too much to remember details, police detectives show up at her job. As she struggles to fill in the gaps in her memory, people around her are doing weird things that makes her think that maybe there is a giant conspiracy being covered up by even those closest to her. She investigates, but in the charming way a regular person would versus in an unrealistic way that many authors try to have their protagonists do.

Chloe was easy to like and very human. She made mistakes and she certainly wasn't handling her trauma all that way, but it all felt very authentic. I could relate to the 9/11 storyline and thought that it was woven in nicely with the murder storyline. I did have to suspend my disbelief here and there, but I overall liked the story and thought that the twists and turns were well done. I really enjoyed the ending, which tied things up perfectly and answered all of my lingering questions.

Overall, I found this to be a good read with a memorable protagonist. Very tough topics were handled well and made for an engaging story. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Overall a pretty middle of the road thriller. Took a minute to get it to be a page-turner, but then I flew through the middle 50% of the book. It slowed down at around the 75% mark. The line writing was solid and didn't have any of the cringy writing often found in thrillers. The main character had the most depth, but the side characters were rather flat (which I don't care about too much for a thriller). The ending had a lot of action, but I wasn't shocked by anything and didn't feel satisfied by it. I wouldn't rave about this book, but I also wouldn't say it's terrible. 2.5 stars.

This twisty and sinister thriller follows a New York art gallery assistant reckoning with her past and now trapped in a web of deceit after an up-and-coming painter is murdered.

This book was a delightful and mysterious read. Kate is a good story teller and her characters are delightful.

this one was such a vibe. the setting alone—art world drama, secret affairs, and that low-key glittery tension of people pretending everything’s fine when it absolutely is not—had me all the way in. it’s more character-driven than plot-heavy, which normally isn’t my thing, but it worked here. the main character had just the right mix of curious and quietly bold, and the mystery unraveled in this slow, atmospheric way that made me want to pour a glass of wine and read it all in one go. the pacing dipped a little in the middle, but the final third picked it back up nicely.
not super twisty, but definitely layered.

Interesting concept about a gallery assistant with PTSD who is being questioned because of the murder of the new artist they signed. Her boss has disappeared and her friends think she is crazy. What really happened that night? 4 stars

In The Gallery Assistant by Kate Belli, Chloe Harlow wakes up with no memory after an art party she attended last night, only to discover that the hostess has been murdered. Chloe is a curator’s assistant at an important gallery in New York and the time is right after 9/11. From a fuzzy confusion about what happened, who her friends are and what is really going on in the art world, Chloe’s journey takes off and is filled with twists and secrets, all while dealing with her trauma and the city’s reaction to the terrorist attacks.
I still love an unreliable narrator and Chloe is certainly that, between drinking too much, denying her experiences and being kept deliberately in the dark about criminal activities. The book was engaging and unpredictable and you never know quite who to trust. It was slightly slow at first but once it got going I enjoyed it and stayed up way too late to finish it because I just had to know.
This was my first book by Kate Belli and I will definitely be reading more. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC, this book will be available in the US on October 14, 2025.

As a New Yorker who was here during 9/11, I can certainly understand the emotions and subsequent anxiety that Chloe had as her own sense of comfort was holding Maya's hand as the buildings began to fall. Chloe turned to alcohol at Rosemary's and those who frequented it regularly as a sense of comfort. She felt excited to be promoted at the gallery and under the teachings of Lou, began to understand the history of paintings, the brush strokes and the type of paint used. When she was invited to Inga's show, she felt part of those who view and understand art. However, beginning on that night, her life changed dramatically with Inga's death and subsequently Lou's disappearance. She began to see the dark side of the art world whether it be the gallery owners, buyers and sellers and which paintings are authentic. She traced the words in Inga's paintings as to who was actively involved. I was glad she sought comfort and peace with Gio and the epilogue was fabulous. A truly gripping read.

Chloe is an assistant in a New York City upper east side art gallery. When she wakes up after a night partying at the Brooklyn loft of one of the gallery's artists (Inga), she can't remember a lot of the evening (as some would say she lost some film). Things start to get complicated when she arrives a work and learns that Inga was found murdered in her loft. As Chloe starts paying attention to things in the gallery, she uncovers truths about her coworkers and herself. The descriptions of gallery workings, art history research, and art auctions are really good. Trigger warning: this takes place 3 months after 9/11 and Chloe was in one of towers before it came down - there's a harrowing accounting of her experience. I couldn't put this book down and it had me guessing right to the end.