‘The Mystery Writer* by Sulari Gentill surprised me—in the best way. What starts as a quiet story about chasing literary dreams quickly spirals into a dark, twisty thriller. I was hooked by Theo’s journey, even when I questioned her choices, and the layered plot kept me guessing. Smart, suspenseful, and full of surprises—perfect for fans of mysteries with a literary edge.

This was a DNF for me. I couldn’t get past the first few chapters. The side plot was very confusing.

Not quite for me

I really wanted to love this one, but it just didn’t land. The premise had potential, but the story felt over-the-top, and the main character, Theo, came across as surprisingly naive and gullible for someone with her background. There were glimmers of intrigue, but overall, the pacing dragged, and I struggled to stay engaged. I can see how others might enjoy the twists, but unfortunately, this one just wasn’t my cup of tea.

The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill is a clever, twist-filled literary mystery that blends murder, conspiracy, and the struggles of an aspiring novelist. When Theo Benton gives her manuscript to her writing idol and he’s found dead the next day, she becomes the prime suspect and is pulled into a web of secrets hidden in the publishing world. Readers praise the originality, quirky characters, and surprising turns, though some found the pacing uneven and the ending a bit rushed. Overall, it’s a smart, meta take on the mystery genre that will appeal to fans who enjoy books about books and the darker side of storytelling.

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC of The Mystery Writer
Theo leaves the university to write a book. She meets a very successful writer at a café where she went to work on her novel. They strike up a friendship. At some point, he suggests that he might be able to help her get published, but then says that the publisher wouldn’t really be a good fit for her. After her friend is murdered, she has to navigate a complex web of conspiracies.
It was an interesting read with good pacing, good writing, and a good story. I thought that some parts were slow, but overall, I’d recommend it.

I really wanted to love this book because the synopsis sounded intriguing. I thought it would be a suspenseful thriller. However, it was hard to get into and most of the plot lacked belief. Still, I recommend this for fans of Ruth Ware!

This book had so much potential — the kind of premise that immediately pulled me in. I mean, a story about a writer? Yes, please. That’s already one of my favorite setups — not just because I love reading, but because I love writing too. It’s meta, it’s layered, it’s always interesting. And the way this one kicks off? Incredible.

Theo gives up her law career and shows up at her brother’s house with two suitcases and a half-finished novel, determined to start over. She meets her literary idol at a coffee shop — both of them there to write — and then… he’s murdered. Immediately I was like, okay, I’m in.

And then it got… weird.

The publishing agency that represented Dan gave off major red flags immediately. I clocked it the second they were introduced. And not to toot my own horn, but I guessed where this was going super early on — and to be honest, I wish the story had gone in the direction I imagined, because it would’ve been a stronger, more satisfying twist. What actually unfolds feels a little messy, a little hokey, and full of plot holes.

That said, I listened to this one on audio and flew through it. It kept me engaged while I was painting and doing chores — but mostly because I was entertained, not necessarily impressed. There were multiple points where I found myself laughing, rolling my eyes, and thinking, “Wait, what just happened?”

Still, if you love books about books, morally gray publishing drama, or stories that spiral into chaos in a guilty-pleasure kind of way, this might be one to try.

What an incredibly suspenseful novel! Sulari Gentill has great talent in not only immersing you into the novel, but keep you on the edge of your seat. I really enjoyed this read and the story laid out for us. The novel focuses on aspiring writer, Theodosia Benton.. After her lover is murdered the day she gives him her manuscript, she is determined to revenge his death, solve the murder, and protect her brother, the main suspect.

As I said, from start to finish this novel had been on the edge of my seat! I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend to any thriller lovers!

Had a great time reading this book. It was enjoyable, I read it in 2 sittings.
Highly recommend reading this if you like this genre.

Another exceptional bookish-themed mystery-thriller by Gentill, who's quickly becoming a favourite of mine on the auto-buy authors list.

I particularly appreciated: the extremely well-developed array of secondary characters, the brother-sister relationship (which I find Gentill writes exceptionally well, similarly to her most recent release Five Found Dead) and the literary references and writing-related themes.

I found this book impossible to put down, if work didn't get in the way, it's very likely that I would have finished this in less than 48hours. At the very beginning I had an inkling of where this story might be going, but then the characters took me somewhere else and there were plenty of unexpected twists and turns. Things definitely took a turn I wasn’t expecting at about 75/80% in and I was flabbergasted, but isn’t it the best when a book takes a surprising turn that you didn’t see coming?

⭐️⭐️
The Mystery Writer had an intriguing premise, but it just didn’t keep my interest. The pacing felt slow and I never really connected with the story or characters. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the engaging mystery I was hoping for.

The novel begins pretty decently, but the plot progressively turns bizzare. The revelation of the antagonists and their identities are so funny and outlandish. Sometimes I feel that the writers and publishers in literary circles, especially those involved in mass paperbacks, considerably ovverrate their relevance and importance in the world. One could sense it in Yellowface too, but considering that it's a biting satire, most of it could be excused. In case of this novel, the notion of cultural relevance of everyone involved could only be termed delusional and if it's written as a satire, it's teethless.

This mystery about an aspiring writer and conspiracy theories was not for me. Had it not been for my NetGalley arch (that I read way too late past publication), I would have not finished this book. I started skimming after around 100 pages because the writing is clumsy and on many occasions heavy on „telling not showing“. The plot is somewhat convoluted but not engaging, partly because I had no connection to any of the characters. I think the writing got in the way of that.
After reading The Woman in the Library (3 stars for me), I wanted to try another mystery by the author, unfortunately they’re not my cup of tea.

While the premise is intriguing, the story ultimately falls short. Theodosia’s character lacks meaningful development, making it difficult to connect with her journey. The ending feels rushed and unsatisfying. With more focus on character growth and a stronger conclusion, this could have been a much more impactful read.

Review submitted on Amazon but not yet approved.
Thank you for this ARC!

Finally got to read this one!! It was just ok for me. It was a quick read and still entertaining but it wasn’t my favorite by any means. The details in this book were superb though. It really drew me in and I could picture it playing out in my head while reading.

I read about half of this and decided not to finish. The synopsis gave away a lot of things that hadn’t even happened in the first half of the book, which made the exposition just too long. The main character was so naive and the publisher contract was unbelievable. I didn’t buy the premise or care what happened to the characters in the book, so I moved on.
I did love The Woman in the Library by this author, so I had high hopes, but I think the concept didn’t work. Go check out that book instead! I’ll definitely keep my eye out for what she writes next, even though this one was a miss for me.
Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to review.

Sulari Gentill is a new to me author, but I've heard good things about her prior book, The Woman in the Library, so I requested her new book.

It focuses on Theo, who impulsively quits law school in Australia and moves to the U.S. to pursue her dream of becoming a novelist. To save money, she moves in with her older brother. While writing daily at a local establishment, she meets and befriends a famous male author, who becomes her mentor. Shockingly, Theo goes to his house one day and discovers he has been murdered. From the beginning, the book also weaves in a message board of Internet conspiracy theorists, which play a larger role later in the story. This part of the book moved at a good pace and kept me intrigued.

I did not really enjoy how the story progressed after the initial murder. Of course, Theo and her brother Gus become prime suspects, and then additional murders start to occur. Like some other reviews mentioned, I had difficulty connecting with and relating to Theo, as she just seemed so naive and made some unrealistic choices.

Overall, this book started out strong and if it had remained that way, I would have given it 4 stars. However, the time jumps, abrupt ending, and unrealistic villain at the end did not work for me. I am still willing to give her other book a chance, however.

I would recommend this book for readers who enjoy:
*BIPOC authors
*Books about authors & writing books
*Conspiracy theories
*Anti-establishment

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Poison Pen Press for an advance copy of this book.

Sulari Gentill will forever and always be my favourite crime writer.
I read The Mystery Writer in just one day - I literally couldn't put it down!
Weaving a story within a story within ANOTHER story seems impossible to me but Gentill does it with ease, and makes all 3 extremely compelling.
The main cast of characters are all wonderful and have plenty of depth, yet just enough secrets to keep you guessing what they each could be capable of.
I loved it!

Hmm. What do I say about this book??

The writing was divine. Incredibly fast paced. I loved Mac’s character a ton. I am a little sad to say I figured out the bad guys very early on in the book but it didn’t really detract from the story too much.

I will definitely be picking more up from this writer.

"The Mystery Writer" by Sulari Gentill is an engaging and well-written novel. With surprising twists and a unique style, it kept me guessing until the end. Perfect for fans of suspenseful and intelligent mysteries.