My first book by Kate Belli and definitely won’t be my last!! This was a fast paced thriller that kept me captivated throughout the whole book. Chloe wakes up after the night of a party with no recollection of what happened. And the cops come knocking because the host of the party is dead.

I loved the atmosphere of this book as we are taken into the art world. This takes place just a couple of months after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the trauma of that really adds so much to the story. We see Chloe spiral while at the same time trying to find out who is responsible for Inga (the artists) death.

We go back and forth wondering who is involved and who we can trust in this story!

Chloe Harlow wakes up in her own bed after an all night party, not remembering how she got home or what happened during the party. She has had black out periods before because of excessive drinking, but her situation is now serious as the host of the party, an up and coming artist, a friend of hers, died at that party.

Chloe's own sleuthing leads her to discoveries regarding the gallery where she works and art owners, painters, and works of art. What she finds out during the book shocks her and puts her in danger as well.

Well crafted and suspenseful, the novel is entertaining, with a likeable main character who is both vulnerable and savvy.

I really enjoyed this book. It is my first by this author. I usually do not read thrillers but this book makes me want to read more.

It’s a fun, smart mystery set in the high-pressure world of New York art galleries, and it totally pulls you in. The main character is likable and quick-witted, and the behind-the-scenes look at the art scene felt fresh and interesting. I personally loved the time this book takes place - post 9/11 which compared to now, are less attached and connected since phones, etc were not things everyone had and depended on.

The story moves at a good pace and has enough twists to keep you guessing.

If you like mysteries with a little glamour, a little romance, and a lot of smart writing, this one’s definitely worth picking up. I’ll be keeping an eye out for what Kate Belli writes next!

This was so much fun for me as an art girlie!

This follows an assistant at an art gallery in New York City. She stumbles across the dead body of one of the artists of the gallery and she has to overcome her own personal struggles and drama to try and figure out what happened.

And I thought the pacing of this was really great. Lately, I've read so many books with pacing issues and I really don't find that happening here. Something was always happening and the story was always moving along and being added to.

And, of course, there are hidden messages within the artwork. I JUST LOVE THAT! Gimme more of that, please and thank you!

I also think that putting this in the time period it was in was really smart. This takes place after 9/11 but before smart phones were everywhere, so our characters are a little bit more separated from information but still struggling with the aftermath of 9/11. I think that was a clever way to add more to the story that assisted in its telling.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

I was a little hesitant about reading this book since I'm not interested in art, but I needn't have worried. The Gallery Assistant is a great mystery! Chloe is a likable character even though she frustrated me. She keeps blacking out from drinking and was upset that she couldn't remember the party, yet she just kept drinking! It was exasperating watching her make terrible choices, but I was rooting for her too. She was dealing with PTSD from being in one of the towers during the 9/11 attacks, so it was hard to blame her for making poor decisions. The mystery was rather complex and there were plenty of twists and turns I didn't see coming. There are a lot of sketchy characters, and I had no idea who was involved or what was going on. I thought this was an engaging, fast-paced novel and I would definitely recommend it! I look forward to seeing what Kate Belli writes next!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC.