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.

The first thing I want to say is I am shocked at how much the synopsis gave away. I think there is a lot of criticism by readers generally in the mystery/thriller genre that synopses give away too much. But I was shocked when the things listed in the synopsis didn't happen until **70%** That really makes no sense to me.

As far as the story. I really enjoyed the set up and beginning. I always love stories centered around writers and the publishing industry. I don't love stories that go towards espionage and conspiracy type angles. So that component lost me a little bit. The main character's decisions and naiveté definitely bothered me at points, but I did like some reveals and the relationships that developed.

Sulari Gentill really writes unique stories and while this one wasn't my favorite, it was still fun and unique and I look forward to seeing what she does next!

Yet another book I never received. It's a shame your system has broken down to the extent that it has. I will not be asking Netgalley for may more titles.

This is the second book that I've read by Sulari Gentill. This mystery had me hooked from the start. I liked the writing and how the plot unfolded.

I enjoyed The Woman in the Library and was eager to read this book. However, it took a while to get going and while initially engrossing, it became quite frustrating.

The most significant issue I had was with Theo – the female lead, who made me so confused with her actions. I don’t know but some of her choices were truly head scratching and that mostly ruined my enjoyment of the book.

Thanks to Poison Pen Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

This is just a tad different a book within a book but a mystery happens. It was not as wonderful as others but it was a little dull. Yes all the classic parts written were there but it was hard to get captured in Theo’s plot for a book or the mystery found in Murdoch murder. It’s disjointed and not to the normal read you expect. Too many bits need more polish.

WILD + TWISTY!!! ♥️ Theodosia (Theo) Benton abandons her remaining few years at an Australian law school to be a writer. She shows up at brother Gus’s Lawrence, Kansas home asking for a place to live while finishing her novel. She writes every morning at the local cafe/bar Benders.. oh yes, named after that infamous 1800’s family. Theo strikes up a friendship with famous author Dan Murdoch who becomes her mentor. When he is found murdered on the day Theo gives him her manuscript, she tries to solve the crime. This novel is like peeling an onion, multilayered.

The characters themselves are a mish-mash of people that had me scratching my head—no idea what roles they would play; good or bad; -Writer. Attorney. Publishing agent. Private eye. Doomsday preppers. Reporter. Serial killer(s)???

In one way or another.. ALL hold one commonality: -the literary world.📚👩🏼‍💻

THE MYSTERY WRITER is a cat and mouse game of intense pressure and a thick layer of secrets. I had no idea where this was going.. and sure enjoyed the ride!🎢😳🤯 Is my first book by Sulari Gentill. Now of course, must read The Woman in the Library. 4.5 stars — Pub. 3/19/24

I received an arc copy of this book thanks to Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Mystery Writer is the second book by Sulari Gentill that I have had the privilege of reading. The premise of this one is a budding novelist from Australia moving in with her brother to a small town in Kansas in order to pursue her dreams of becoming a published author. Soon, she is caught up in a murder mystery of her own when her new love interest, also an author, ends up dead and she becomes the prime suspect. Full of suspects with conspiracy theory addled minds, a shadowy writers' agency, and a family of survivalists all of which are the perfect ingredients for an intriguing mystery. The first 75% of the book is well written and builds anticipation as the plot unfolds and more untimely deaths occur around Theo, seemingly tightening the noose around her as a suspect as she rushes to find the real killer. However, the last 25% of the book simply jumped the shark for me. Although the ending technically fit the storyline, it was so outlandish and unbelievable that I felt like it could have gone in a less crazy direction and still had been true to the groundwork laid in the first three/fourths of the novel.

I did enjoy Gentill's writing and her character development was extremely well executed, but the ending seemed like it was almost written by someone else completely with POVs changing mid paragraph at one point and some reveals that came completely out of left field but could have easily been referred to early on without giving too much away.

Recommended for fans of mysteries that are not at all predictable, but still highly enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sulari Gentill, and Poisoned Pen Press for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

A captivating world where identities can be reshaped for an audience, intertwining mystery and literary intrigue. When protagonist Theo's mentor is murdered, she becomes embroiled in a dangerous quest for justice, risking everything to protect her brother, who is unjustly targeted by the police. As secrets unravel and the labyrinth of lies deepens, Theo and her brother must navigate a treacherous path to uncover the truth. With skillful storytelling and a gripping narrative, this novel earns four stars for its compelling blend of suspense, literary themes, and intricate character dynamics that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the final page.

Well, I tried. I really, really tried to love this book. I started and stopped a few times, but then I committed and powered through. In the end, it was confusing, jumbled, and packed with too many meaningless characters. I don’t like giving bad reviews, but in all honesty this felt like a chore to read. The beginning was good. I enjoyed Theo and her romance with Dan. The murder was also interesting, but the crazy conspiracy stuff just didn’t work for me. Perhaps others will love it, but it just wasn’t for me.

Amazing!!! Left me absorbing all the facts while turning the pages. This is a literary gem that delves deeper than murder, but also what Theo wants to get out of herself and the world.

I’m not very sure what just happened to me. And by what happened to me, I mean the experience of reading this book. It started out strong but had TOO MUCH going on. I lost track of who people were pretty frequently, honestly. There were some interesting elements that definitely made it stand out- some interesting red herrings, etc. But overall it was too intricate for me, and the time lapse at the end made me crazy. Also, Theo is one of those heroines you want to shake a little bit. I do think it’s unique, and there are many thrillers that end up feeling like the same old story- this is not one of them. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc.

I really enjoyed The Woman in the Library, so I was looking forward to diving in! Unfortunately, The Mystery Writer felt much more slap-dash. The pacing was very uneven: incredibly slow in the first 2/3 and a frantic rush to the end. I'm also unsure why the description reveals the entire plot. There is no twist or revelation that isn't printed on the back cover.

Content-wise, something rubbed me wrong. There is a commentary of "cancel culture" and the supposed necessity of writers being above reproach, particularly on social media, which felt a bit self-pitying from an award winning author. It was also strange to go from getting a lecture about American's love for guns to ultimately having the MAGA doomsday prepper family saving the day.

Gentill's talent for forming intricate and well crafted plots is readily apparent, but it does get a little lost in the sauce.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed Gentill's Woman in the Library and I was looking forward to this one. It started out strong, and I was especially tickled by its setting in Lawrence, KS, where I lived for several years. I thought relationships in the book were well-done and I was excited to see what happened. However, as the book continued on, many of the plot points became more and more ludicrous, even for a thriller, and I felt that the author was trying to pull too many threads together (conspiracy! writing community! publishing industry! early-life commune! sibling love! new love!). It was a lot. And then the book totally jumped the shark and it became difficult to continue reading. I tried my best, but I was also hampered by an ARC that seemed to have many missing (or misplaced) sections, and I eventually gave up at about the 85% point.