The premise of the book seemed interesting. However, I did not find the characters very compelling. The mystery did not draw me in. The twists kept confusing things so much that I just felt tired. I felt reluctant to keep picking it back up to try to finish. It just did not appeal to me.

I want to start off by saying I apologize for a late review. But I still read and want to put out my honest thought and review. Just like The Woman in the Library this one didn’t disappoint.I really went listening to this audiobook not wanting to know anything. About this book. Just that I enjoyed the author other book so much. I couldn’t stop or put this audiobook. I enjoyed another mystery and world this author has created. Some tough subjects bought up during listening. But the author does amazing job. I really enjoyed the characters and the setting of this book. Being from Kansas and lived in Prairie Village. I felt like I was home trying to help these characters figure out who is killing people. I will be definitely a big fan of the author and her writing. And will continue to support. This audiobook didnt feel like a long boring book. I highly recommend this audiobook.
Now I have to say that ending kinda left me thinking this isn’t going to be the last of these characters and the publishing company. I f not I was happy that everything kinda was figure out at the end.
About Book:
Theo has come to live with her brother. After leaving law school. To live with her older brother who is a high profile lawyer/ partner in his firm. Theo takes up writing and finding that she wants to become amazing author. And have her books published. When she meets fellow author who she becomes close to. And when he comes up murdered and other end up dead around Theo. Cops are looking at her and her brother and his friend. This book is amazing and takes you on a rollercoaster.
Thank you the author and netgalley again for another opportunity to listening to amazing book.

This sounded like a book I should have loved, but it was too ridiculous. Theo quits law school to be a writer, which is already weird because a lot of lawyers write, but she was just planning on not earning a living and hoping to be successful. Theo makes one terrible misjudgedment after another, and it's baffling that she can be so naive.
Conspiracy nonsense can be fun but this was silly. Even after watching the endless cycle of nonsense in the last several years, these conspiracies were pretty pointless. The underlying premise behind the main plot of the book didn't make sense at all.
I think the only thing I really enjoyed was that Theo's brother was so loving and supportive.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

I received The Mystery Writer from Netgalley several months ago and I really wanted to like it. I started and stopped a few times, with finishing multiple other books in between these start and stops. I don't like giving bad reviews, but in all honesty I never wanted to pick this book up and always found myself zoning out. I just couldn't connect with the story or the characters, and I ended up skimming certain parts and ultimately DNFing. Not every book is for every person and I know there are others who will enjoy it but it’s just not for me and I have to many books on my TBR to continue to read something that doesn’t bring me joy.

Rating 4/5

Summary: Theo quits law school in Australia and reunites with her big brother in the U.S. to pursue writing. She meets and gets romantically involved with a writer when trouble arises. People are turning up dead and Theo seems to be the common denominator. This puts her brother and her brother’s career at risk. Theo must do everything she can to protect the people she loves even if that means sacrificing herself.

What I liked: The book begins with excerpts from a conspiracy theory online chat forum. I loved that it pointed directly to what would play out in the book so you knew what to look out for and everything made more sense. I also liked the romantic relationships that developed for Gus and for Theo throughout all the chaos.

This book was well crafted with engaging believable characters and an intricate plot.
It starts out when Theo, drops out of the university where she was taking course to enter law school, and moves from Australia to Lawrence Kansas to live with her brother Gus, a partner in a law firm. Theo decided that law was just not the field for her and she would rather be a mystery writer. In fact, she has an idea for her first mystery novel in mind. She spends her days at a cafe in town, where she meets other regulars, and Dan, who is a published author with a well know publisher. They have the beginning of a romantic relationship, when Theo finds Dan's murdered body in his kitchen the next day.
This brings into play her brother Gus and his attempts to protect his sister, and the work of Mac, an investigator for the law firm. Both men are protective of Theo and do their best to help her through this trauma and ensuing events which disrupt her (and their lives.
This book brought into play so many different characters, and if anyone would have told me that I would love a book with conspiracy theorists,(with potential plots at the beginning of many chapters), end of the world preppers, and even a little bit of Jan 6 involvement (not in a political way), I would have scoffed as a ridiculous idea. However, I must say that this book had me hooked from the beginning! Yes, there were plot twists, red herrings, and all the other essentials to make a great mystery. The elements were perfectly balanced and expertly woven into a believable/unbelievably good story.
I received a complementary ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, and am writing this review to express my own opinions.
Do not hesitate to get this book NOW! I highly recommend it.

EXCERPT: He awoke early on the day he died, lying unmoving for a time under the weight of frustration, the inertia of despair.
The grief was crushing. The realisation that he'd lost it all. Over something that should have been nothing. . .
He sat up. The bookcase was blurred, and though he tried to pull himself together, it remained so. Slowly, stiffly, he rose from the couch on which he'd spent the night and grabbed a book from the middle shelf. His first novel, once everything - the culmination of dreams, an admission ticket to it all. Until she'd torn it down.
He ran his fingertips over the glossy jacket - the letters of his name were slightly raised. He'd never see that again, never feel it. 'Hit the road, Jack, don't you come back . . .' The tune was harsh on his lips, self-mocking and bitter. 'No more . . . no more . . . no more . . .'
A suit had been laid out for him = shirt, shoes, even boxers. Every last thing had been considered, every outcome anticipated, every decision already made.
There was nothing left to do but die.

ABOUT 'THE MYSTERY WRITER': There's nothing easier to dismiss than a conspiracy theory—until it turns out to be true

When Theodosia Benton abandons her career path as an attorney and shows up on her brother's doorstep with two suitcases and an unfinished novel, she expects to face a few challenges. Will her brother support her ambition or send her back to finish her degree? What will her parents say when they learn of her decision? Does she even have what it takes to be a successful writer?

What Theo never expects is to be drawn into a hidden literary world in which identity is something that can be lost and remade for the sake of an audience. When her mentor, a highly successful author, is brutally murdered, Theo wants the killer to be found and justice to be served. Then the police begin looking at her brother, Gus, as their prime suspect, and Theo does the unthinkable in order to protect him. But the writer has left a trail, a thread out of the labyrinth in the form of a story. Gus finds that thread and follows it, and in his attempt to save his sister he inadvertently threatens the foundations of the labyrinth itself. To protect the carefully constructed narrative, Theo Benton, and everyone looking for her, will have to die.

MY THOUGHTS: While I didn't read this in one sitting . . . I did read it in less than twenty-four hours. Gentill kept me on the edge of my seat, unsure of what was coming next. The plot is diabolically clever, the characters an interesting mix of police, lawyers, preppers, hippies and the writing and cafe communities.

In A Conversation with the Author at the end of the book, the author speaks about the similarities between the character of Theo Benton and herself; Theo abandoning her law degree at the risk of losing her trust fund to write, while Sulari was a lawyer for fifteen years before giving up the profession to write full time.

Interspersed with the narrative of the novel are snippets from conspiracy theory chat rooms. These are important to the essence of The Mystery Writer, so please don't skip them. The final message at the end of the novel is chilling.

This is a thrilling story of manipulation, deceit and conspiracy. I loved it, conspiracy theorists and all.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

#mysterywriter #NetGalley

THE AUTHOR: Sulari lives with her husband and sons on a small farm in the foothills of the Snowy Mountains of Australia, where she grows truffles, keeps donkeys, and writes about murder and mayhem.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill for review. All opinions expressed in this revie are entirely my own personal opinions.

The premise of this book was stronger than the execution. It felt like the writing was rushed. The time jumps at the end weren’t providing the context you needed, and the twists weren’t my favorite. The plot got too complex, although the doomsday preppers were funny.

The Mystery Writer is set in Laurence, Kansas, but it could have been set in a small suburb of any town in the USA. Overall, I thought the story had good tension and resolution but did drag in some parts. There were definitely twists I did not see coming, which is rare.

I didn’t like or dislike the characters. A few of them felt too flat and one-dimensional, while others felt too over the top and unbelievable. I thought Theo came across as very naive for someone who was in law school, and Gus fell into the stereotypical “big brother” trope.
I thought using Theo’s point of view was good; we only know what she knows. In the beginning, I was thrown by the conspiracist forum chats. I didn’t quite get what they were there for, and there wasn’t any differentiation between the chats and the start of the chapter. It was a bit jarring the first few chapters until you got the flow. I would have liked to have seen these as a page between the chapters.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. It hits a lot of genre tropes. I could see some filmmaker trying to make this into a movie (and it could be either really good or really bad, lol).

Bestselling author and 2023 Edgar Award nominee Sulari Gentill took me on a can’t-put-it-down, rainy-day-read ride that had me finishing The Mystery Writer in less than 10 hours even with a packed day of innkeeping duties for a full house of B&B guests.

The title drew me in. The prologue intrigued me. Chapter One’s first paragraph had me wondering what I was getting myself into and whether or not I should just close the book. Luckily, just paragraphs later I met Theo and was hooked.

Theodosia Benton left law school and showed up on her attorney big brother’s Kansas doorstep, having not seen Gus since he left Australia when she was just 10 years old.

Inspired by events from her life back in Tanzania, Theo was determined instead to become a writer, a goal Gus supported, encouraging his little sister to follow her dream never expecting what came next. The dream turned into a nightmare when her brother became the prime suspect in the murder of the man, who had become Theo’s mentor.

I highly recommend The Mystery Writer. With engaging characters, as well as a couple of conspiracies, expected and not, you’ve got a gripping mystery in store.

I enjoyed Gentill's novel The Woman in the Library, so I was excited to get my hands on this one. Although I wouldn't say I liked it as much, I still enjoyed it. I liked The brother-sister dynamic between Theo and Gus, Horse (no spoilers), and plot elements (who doesn't love conspiracy theories, the crazy lives of authors, and murder?).

I didn't love the pace (too slow for me) and Theo's stupid choices. I mean, I know she's only 22, but COME ON!
Overall, I enjoyed this novel. It's a suitable quick read with a somewhat intriguing mystery. Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the copy.

The Woman In The Library was a solid read but this newest book from the same author didnt quite live up. This one is hard to rate because the first part of the book was great but it fell flat around halfway through. And while I finished it for the sake of a rating I didnt find the latter half great at all

The premise was a bit confusing at first, and kinda bored me. But as the story progressed, damn the twists and turns! Didn't expect that I will enjoy it, but kinda disappointed with the ending. Seems abrupt, if you're gonna ask me.

The Mystery Writer is the second book by Sulari Gentill that I've read. Back in 2022, I read the story within a story thriller The Woman in the Library. As the story within a story isn't a trope I encounter often, I thoroughly enjoyed that novel. So I had high expectations for this new novel.

From the beginning, the novel felt a little too formulaic. I get it, Gentill had a winning formula and wanted to exploit it again. But I don't like reading novels where I feel like "I've been there, done that". So I was skeptical that I could lose myself in the story as much as I did for the previous book.

Another problem I had with the book was the characters. They felt like caricatures rather than real people. They were a little too stereotypical and their actions didn't always ring true.

Despite these issues, I did enjoy the book. It's a nice piece of escapist reading. I didn't have to keep track of a lot of characters or details. It was kind of like being on a rollercoaster that you've ridden several times. You might anticipate the twist and turn, but your stomach still plummets along with the free fall.

If you are planning on a trip to the beach or just a lazy weekend at home, you can't go wrong with this book.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Saturday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2024/03/the-mystery-writer-by-sulari-gentill.html

The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill.

Theodosia Benton flees law school and lands in her brother’s guest room with her suitcases and a goal to write her first novel. Luckily Gus is supportive and welcoming, and so Theo sets off every day to the local pub to work on her manuscript. It is there that she meets and falls for a charismatic author who happens to be a literary hero of hers. As Theo’s book progresses, so does the connection between her and her new mentor, that is, until he is found brutally murdered, and with no initial leads as to who killed him.

What ensues is a labyrinth of twists and suspects, threats seem to come from all sides, and before long Theo’s own brother, Gus, is a suspect. To protect her brother, Theo does the unthinkable. But Gus will not accept what has happened and pushes to uncover the truth, putting himself and others in danger.

The pacing is impeccable and has one chasing the end. What sets this thriller apart from others are its whimsical flourishes and unconventional characters (even for writers), whose somewhat aberrant behaviour leaves the reader astonished. It’s truly a delightful read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and author Sulari Gentill for my ARC copy in exchange for a review.

Another good novel by author Sulari Gentill. A bit of a complicated mystery best to be read carefully so as not to miss anything important to the story. I enjoyed it.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Sulari Gentill, author of The Woman in the Library, has released a new book, The Mystery Writer. This new story is more of a cozy mystery surrounding authors and writers. The writing is clean and clear, and the characters are well-developed. The plot is slow to build but it comes to a satisfying conclusion.

The author of “The Woman in the Library” is back with another nail-biting mystery/thriller. “The Mystery Writer” follows Theodosia ‘Theo’ Benton at the beginning of her writing career. She finds a mentor/lover/friend within Dan Murdoch, a published and established author who writes at the same local haunt as her. After their professional relationship blossoms into something more personal, and Theo starts developing real feelings, everything comes crashing down when she discovers Dan’s murder body. Over the following months and years, chaos ensues, and more people are murdered. Theo finds herself as the prime suspect and can’t seem to stay out of the spotlight.

Sulari Gentill is able to instill tension into nearly every chapter and keep the reader on their edge of their seat. The plot moves very slowly, yes, but somehow you’re still sucked in and simply need to know what comes next. Many of the characters are presented as very one-dimensional, but yet they’re very likeable and you’re rooting for their success. I think that having one-dimensional characters actually helped the book, because you know so little about each one that there’s a seed of doubt as to if they’re good or bad. Throughout the book, as I tried to repeatedly guess who the killer was, I turned to almost every single character at one point or another. I think that is an important part in a mystery novel, and Gentill did it very well.

One thing that bothered me was the ending of the book. Everything felt very rushed at the end, and highly unrealistic. Also, the point of view changed very frequently towards the end of the book, sometimes from paragraph to paragraph, with no breaks in between. It was a bit hard to keep up with, and rather confusing.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys suspenseful mystery novels. You’re able to play sleuth as you read the book and attempt to figure things out before they’re revealed in the end. It was an enjoyable, quick read that will satisfy many readers.

A little bit of a slow start, but once the story is moving, it can't move fast enough! This was a terrific story with enough plot twists to keep the reader guessing. I found Theo to be smart and engaging; her brother Gus definitely falls into the way overprotective category. And Mac - he's great, sometimes a little unbelievable with the amount and type of data he is able to access, but his family is over the top. Not quite as vicious as I was afraid, but steps on its own toes to protect their own. I appreciate that this was a standalone novel, I didn't feel like I was missing information about the plot or background of the characters. All in all, I found this book to be most enjoyable and am ready to read another book by this author.

This ARC was provided by NetGalley and the publisher, the opinions expressed herein are strictly my own.

The Mystery Writer is Sulari Gentill's recent mystery revolving around authors, books, and publishers.

Theodosia "Theo" Benton leaves law school in Australia and unexpectedly ends up on her brother's doorstep, telling him she's decided to become a writer. Every day, Theo goes to Benders to toil away on her laptop creating her debut novel. While there, she becomes friendly with known author Dan Murdoch, and they become close over the course of some months. When he isn't at Benders one day, she goes to his home and finds him dead on the kitchen floor. At first, the police are looking at her as their prime suspect, but as more people start dropping like flies, the police zero in on her brother, Gus, and Theo will do anything to take the spotlight off of him.

The concept for this was really good, and I was looking forward to reading it; however, it was a little disappointing to me. There were some convoluted things happening, and I'm not entirely sure I understand how they all connected at the end. That's not saying it was bad, there are definitely a lot of readers who would thoroughly enjoy the roller coaster ride of this plot. The writing itself was good, and the characters were believable. There's a possible cult and dooms-day preppers, so if you enjoy those, then this one is definitely for you.

All in all, a nice addition to Sulari's growing catalog of books. For lovers of contemporary crime fiction, private investigators, family, and books about books!

Thank you to @NetGalley and @PoisonedPenPress for a digital copy for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.