A fantastically plotted mystery sure to delight book lovers.

The Woman in the Library was a favorite of 2022 for me so I knew I would most likely love The Mystery Writer and it did not disappoint.

After dropping out of law school, Theo goes to stay with her brother while she tries to finish her novel. She finds a coffee shop where she can work and as luck would have it, there's another mystery writer who frequents the shop. After he takes Theo under her wing, Dan is murdered and Theo gets pulled deep into a web of conspiracy, which she can make neither heads nor tails of. Twisty and full of surprises, The Mystery Writer is a compelling story. My one complaint would be that the story moves around in the timeline a bit much for my taste, which made the ending feel a bit abrupt. I think fans of Gentill's previous work will find this installment a worthwhile read.

BOOK REPORT
Received a complimentary copy of The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill from Poisoned Pen Press/NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.

Once again, the main thing I find myself having to say about a book is, “Better in concept than in execution.”

I mean, I loved the conspiracy theory and prepper stuff, and was a big fan of the private investigator character. But, honestly? I was truly shocked to find out that this was not a debut novel—it had that everything-and-the-kitchens-sink jumbled up feel to it. (No offense to the kajillions of excellent debut novels out there.)

Also, parts of it were just so implausible as to beggar ALL freakin’ belief.

So, if that ending meant that this is the first in a planned series, count me out if and when it comes reading any more.

DESCRIPTION
A mischievous twist on mystery novels and the people who write them." ―Benjamin Stevenson, author of Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone

"Stunningly original and thoroughly captivating, Sulari Gentill’s The Mystery Writer perfectly captures the pulse of our time." —Andrew Child

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.

USA Today bestselling author Sulari Gentill takes readers on a rollercoaster ride in The Mystery Writer, a literary thriller that turns the world of books and authors upside down and where a writer's voice is a thing to be controlled and weaponized, to the peril of everyone who loves a good story.
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ADVANCE PRAISE
“Some mysteries need a crime writer to solve. Clever, twisty, and surprisingly unexpected.”
—Michael Robotham, two-time winner of the CWA Gold Dagger Award

Sulari Gentill's book, Woman in the Library was one of my favorite reads of 2023. When I saw her newest book, The Mystery Writer, was available on NetGalley, I jumped at the opportunity to request it. I was thrilled when my request was approved.

I was engrossed in this captivating narrative that had me eagerly flipping through the pages. Despite its extended length, the complex storyline and unexpected turns captivated my interest from beginning to end. This literary adventure is a compelling, mysterious journey that will leave you guessing until the final pages.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced e-reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I couldn't get into this one. I thought it was slow going at the beginning and while the blurb made it sound exciting, I didn't find that to be the case with this book. I didn't like the FMC, I found to be ridiculous at times. The ending had me confused as all get out.

Parts of it also reminded me of the author's first novel:
1) Australian woman moves to the U.S., (acts like she moved from Mars to Earth)
2) There are coffee shops
3) Friends made along the way

Definitely not for me.

Theo decides to drop out of law school to pursue her dream of being a writer, and in the process moves in with her brother, and meets his best friend Mac. But the murder of Theo’s mentor, a fellow writer, sets off a wild chain of events, featuring conspiracies, disappearing writers, and more murder.

Here’s the thing with this book. I loved the three main characters, and the book started really intriguingly with a strong-sounding mystery. But then the story went off the rails, and just kept going, at least in my opinion. You can definitely give this book a go, it just didn’t end up working for me.

Sulari Gentill is a master of the literary thriller game. She has this extraordinary talent to take the concept for a thriller and build it out in a complicated and daring plot that is unpredictable at each step and somehow lands at the finish with a standing-ovation-worthy ending! In her latest novel, The Mystery Writer, an aspiring writer finds the murdered body of her writing mentor, and it turns out that is only the beginning of her journey to the truth…

About the Book | The Mystery Writer

Theodosia “Theo” Benton has dropped out of law school in Australia to pursue a career in writing. She arrives unannounced at her brother Gus’s door in Lawrence, Kansas (and finds him at a slightly compromising moment) to ask if she can stay with him while she works on her writing. Gus is an attorney himself, but offers her a place to stay and support, though he encourages her to leave the apartment each day to write.

It is on one of these excursions that Theo happens to meet a famous writer named Dan Murdoch. Even more unexpected, the two have a wonderful conversation and over the following months Murdoch becomes a mentor to Theo on her writing. Despite their age difference, Dan and Theo share an intimate night together. When Gus learns that Theo has more than a casual relationship with Dan, he asks to meet him. However, when Theo arrives at Dan’s apartment she discovers he has been murdered.

In the wake of this terrible crime, things begin to get much more complicated. Theo is approached by Dan’s former literary agent who has expressed interest in her work, which she got from Dan. The publishing agency is known as one of the best in the world, but that comes with a rather strict contract should Theo sign with them. Meanwhile, the police are questioning how Theo came to be at Dan’s apartment and whether she knows more about his murder than she lets on.

Several strange occurrences seem to link to Dan’s murder, but Theo isn’t sure how. A neighbor drops off a letter that was mistakenly delivered to his house. The letter is from Dan to Theo and must have been sent before his death. Meanwhile Dan was involved in an anonymous underground conspiracy community that he says he was using for research, but they seem to know his real identity and that his unpublished manuscript may be the key to what they are searching for. Gus worries that Theo’s life may be in danger and asks his friend Mac, a private investigator, to keep an eye out when another murder happens that appears to tie into the web of mysteries surrounding Dan’s death. And that is only the beginning of what Theo will have to go through to understand what is really going on…

Review | The Mystery Writer

This is an intricately plotted story. I can’t even begin to describe how many different threads pull in that seem to distract from what really happened, until the end when everything is expertly laid out to show that not a single thread was extraneous to the conclusion. I don’t think this book will be for everyone—for those familiar with Gentill’s writing, she is an expert at an outlandish literary plot. Nothing about this is a straight forward murder mystery. But don’t forget the title—this is at its core a story about a mystery writer and all will eventually tie into that when the mystery comes together.

Theo is an infuriatingly naïve character and that leads Gus and eventually his friend Mac to be a bit over protective of her. But based on some things that happen, it seems they may not have been protective enough! Gus is an intelligent and funny person, and the backstory that you’ll learn about him and Theo and why they are living in different countries adds quite a bit of texture to the story.

As the plot teaser says, there’s nothing easier to dismiss than a conspiracy theory—until it turns out to be true. And this story has a lot of fascinating plot lines that surround conspiracies. The question is if and how they are related?

Dan Murdoch was deeply embedded in an online conspiracy group that he claims was for research. However, his murder only adds more questions about this group. Are they behind it? Is the conspiracy they believe in not-so-far-fetched after all? Or is Dan’s murder unrelated? Mirroring the shadowy online conspiracy group are the very public conspiracists that largely include Mac’s direct family. These characters were such a bizarre delight in the story, and they may just serve a purpose after all. It turns out that being a dooms day prepper means you have solutions, tools, and a social network in place to solve a lot of unexpected occurrences…

I loved this novel! I was fascinated by the direction the plot went in after Dan’s death and the investigation gets moving. At some point it switches perspectives and jumps in time. Gentill has a way of crafting her stories that always make the reader feel slightly off-kilter, which adds to experiencing the story. After all, her stories are twisted and feeling off-kilter matches what the characters are experiencing. The ending is intense and I suspect it may be polarizing for some readers! I’ve seen a few reviewers that thought this story went too far off the rails, but I felt the opposite. The story is a high-speed ride with no seatbelt on and I loved every minute of it!

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for my copy. Opinions are my own.

I ended up not being able to finish this book. The dialogue really felt unreal to me which is weird because I have liked other works by this author in the past. Not for me but I hope to keep reading things from this author.

This was my first time reading this author. As I looked as a couple of the reviews, I think I should have started somewhere else. This book was hard to get into at first. Then it got confusing and head shaking. From a technical standpoint it is well written and edited. It might have been that I’m not a fan of conspiracy theories. I just couldn’t connect with this one.

Theodosia Benton leaves Australia and her law degree behind to give full time writing a chance. Moving in with her brother Gus, she finds her rhythm at a local coffee shop/bar called Benders. Here she meets best selling author Dan Murdoch, who coaches her as she works on her first manuscript. What starts as a friendship becomes something more, and ends up a nightmare. As soon as she hands over her manuscript to Dan, he turns up dead and the bodies pile up. With Theo being the only connection between a slew of murders, she is wanted by the police.

The Mystery Writer was somewhat entertaining, especially the doomsday preppers who were colorful and entertaining characters—I wish they had a greater role in the tale. Her relationship with her brother was a little awkward and forced, but perhaps that was intentional as they had been separated for several years and across continents. Overall, the book was enjoyable enough, but it could have been so much more. The conspiracy theories could have been better integrated into the murders, and the “all Americans have guns” could have been toned down a bit.

Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and the author Sulari Gentill for the advanced copy of the book. The Mystery Writer is out now. All opinions are my own.

Although I read and enjoyed Sulari Gentil’s earlier novel, The Woman in the Library, this one was a bit over the top for me.. It was both outlandish and predictable, which is indeed a strange combination. It may find some fans out there, but I won’t be among them.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

So the basic plot is honestly good. I love a good conspiracy theory so having that element was really fun. However, the elements that make it good get tripped up by the pacing of the book. It was too slow for me to feel excited about unraveling the mystery of who was murdering people around town. It picks up a little bit at the very end but by then there’s been such a lack of suspense that the sudden pace increase just feels jarring. Also in the last thirty pages, the perspective jumps every other paragraph for a short time with no warning or flow and I’m pretty sure part of it is actually out of order. I don’t know if that’s because it’s an advanced copy or not but if that’s how it’s supposed to be written it’s an interesting style choice as it’s a bit hard to follow. The book also changes perspectives 3/4 of the way through the book from Theo to Gus and Mac while at the same time going from a day to day type timeframe to having massive time jumps. It doesn’t feel cohesive, it feels as though the author realized the book needs to be wrapped up and it needed to be done quickly as it had already stretched on to long. This one just wasn’t a winner for me but id be up for reading another of this authors books because their basic idea behind this one was so original.

After the opening chapter of this book, I wasn't sure where it was going. But I enjoyed the Australian protagonist in Kansas and the connections that began making more sense as the book continued.

Theo is an Aussie who quit law school to come to the U.S. to move in with her lawyer brother and become a writer. Murder enters the picture just after she meets a fellow writer. And there is a conspiracy theorist somehow involved, who is nicely tied in near the end, after more murders surrounding Theo. Lots of action and a different sort of plot. Highly entertaining.

Thus was my first story by the author.
This story was good. A lot of ups and downs with characters who could have been involved. At one point you discover who was doing the killing, but the author still made you feel like it could be another character who was responsible for the deaths.

I could not finish the book. I don’t care to read about conspiracy theorists and how they are manipulated.

Take a crime fiction story and make it about writers—an unusual and intriguing twist. When your story comes to life, are you involved in the murder? With the murder of one author, the reader enters into a series of twists and turns about why he was murdered, if his friend—a novice female author—would also be murdered, and how early experiences of life and fringe cults may influence both the writing of the novelists, their murders, and their escapes. Twists and turns and the reality of fiction and real life make this an intriguing read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the Advanced Review copy.

Overall I enjoyed this story about an Australian who decides to drop out of law school to pursue her dream of being a writer. To that end she lands on her brother's doorstep. At her local bar she befriends a well-known author who is researching conspiracy theories, and finds him brutally murdered in his home. That's where things get weird.

There's a lot of different threads in this book and they all more or less successfully come together in the end, but some of it felt more developed than others. We start off the book with this weird conspiracy theory chatroom and Caleb, who turns out to be related to one of the main characters (not really a spoiler, we learn it fairly early on), but he's never more than a small bit character and it feels like he's just there as a plot point - whereas he could have been REALLY interesting. I want to know more about his journey. What next? Cause I'm sure he doesn't believe this is over.

There were quite a few moments when I wanted to shake the main character for being so naive - you just witnessed TWO people murdered and are in hiding but yet you're taking calls and meeting up with weird literary agents? NO WAY can you be that trusting! But okay. I wanted to root for her but really what was she thinking??

The jumping around in time at the end felt a bit jarring too; I would have liked a bit more transition, especially since the first 2/3 of the story took its time with the pacing. But I liked the premise of the shadowy organization, the conspiracy theories (which one to believe? All crazier than the last but then the real conspiracy was just as outlandish)

Also the author makes it seem like Americans are all running around armed with guns all the time, which, I guess, fair enough if all you know about the United States is what you hear on the news, but it was almost cartoonish and kinda laughable.

The Mystery Writer is the third stand-alone novel by award-winning, best-selling Australian author, Sulari Gentill. When Theodosia Benton arrives at her older brother, Gus’s home in Lawrence, Kansas, having abandoned her law course in Canberra, she’s not sure of the reception she’ll get. But Gus doesn’t let her down: he’s thoroughly understanding and happy for her to stay.

They will, together, decide what and when to tell their feral parents but, meanwhile, Theo finds Benders Bar/Café, an accommodating and friendly spot where she can pursue her dream: to write a novel. She’s not the only writer taking advantage of the indulgent staff, and eventually she and Dan begin chatting about writing, with the older man offering much appreciated feedback and advice.

Only after some months does she learn that Dan Murdoch is an internationally acclaimed bestselling author, and the attractive, expensively-tailored woman who occasionally joins him is his agent with the coveted Day, Delos and Associates. Just as her manuscript is nearing completion, their mentor/mentee relationship takes a turn, one Theo cautiously welcomes, but which is unfortunately short-lived.

That Gus Benton is a junior partner in a respected law firm when Theo finds Dan is his kitchen with his throat slashed is fortunate for her, but less so for him. His partners are none too pleased with the publicity that results when Theo seems to be the only suspect on whom the police are focussing. When Gus’s house is besieged by press and Dan Murdoch fans, they are lucky to have a bolt hole with a friend.

An unexpected development after Dan’s death is the approach by his agent, who tells her that Day, Delos & Associates is interested in Theo’s novel. Veronica Cole explains their exclusivity requirements, should Theo sign with them, and Theo is a little taken aback by the level of control they insist on having. Is a writer not entitled to a private life?

Theo later observes: “The public’s interest in the lives of writers had increased with the accessibly afforded by social media and the web in general, but that very accessibility was dangerous. Online friendship was a fickle thing. Loose comments, failed jokes, or simple flares of temper could unleash a contagion of outrage and condemnation. It was no longer enough to write a good book; authors had to be photogenic, witty saints as well.”

While she remains under suspicion, and the whereabouts of Dan’s last manuscript are a mystery, and the killer remains at large, a flash of inspiration has Theo planning out a new novel, the concept of which she shares with a select few, something that might later turn out to be very important.

Several chapters are prefaced by the observations of a doomsday prepper, or comments on a forum that seem to come from conspiracy theorists, and Theo’s later close encounters with some of them are rather alarming. Before matters are finally, and very satisfactorily, resolved, Theo is stalked, there are two more murders, Theo, Gus and his friend are interrogated multiple times, evidence is planted, and there’s a police shooting that ends quite badly for one of them.

Once again, Gentill gives the reader a cleverly plotted tale with some excellent twists before the final reveal. Her characters have depth and appeal, and several aspects of her protagonist give this novel somewhat of an autobiographical feel. Another page-turner!
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press.

2 Stars

One Liner: Eek… what happened!

Theodosia Benton drops out of law studies in Australia and travels to Lawrence in the US to stay with her older brother Gus (a lawyer). She wants to become a writer and aspires to publish a book. Gus encourages her to go ahead, and soon, Theo is not only writing her debut novel but also getting deeper into the literary world.
However, when a famous author is killed, Theo and Gus end up in a bigger mess. As more deaths occur and the police have no clue, the brother-sister duo, with some help, have to get to the bottom of things. This is easier said than done since those behind the screens will do anything to keep the secrets safe.
The story comes in Theo and Caleb’s third-person POV with snippets of online chat conversations at the beginning of each chapter and a few chapters from other third-person POVs.

My Thoughts:
An advantage of reading the book late is that I have no fear of being an outliner. In fact, I could start the book with zero expectations and knew it would be slow-paced.
• 0 to 33% - decent (even if I couldn’t ignore some things)
• 34 to 70% - umm okay (but it is spiraling out of control)
• 71 to 100% - a dinosaur could appear, and I wouldn’t blink an eye
Theo starts okay but soon ends up melodramatic. Though I felt sad that she could be so easily groomed, I couldn’t empathize with her as the story progressed. She went from being vulnerable to an idiot in quick time. Some of her actions and decisions were incredibly stupid. Dropping out of law school was one good thing she did. Imagine having someone like that to represent you! *shudder*
Thankfully, Gus and Mac were much better. I liked them a lot more and enjoyed their scenes. Gus is adorable and the kind of big brother anyone would want to have. Wish we got his POV, too. And oh, he has a dog named Horse, who is a big softy.
Mac’s family is eccentric and what you’d call the doomsday preppers. Still, I quite liked the mother and some brothers despite the limited presence.
Now, the blurb makes it clear that conspiracy theories play a vital role in the plot. That’s true. We get this track in snippets, which add to the intrigue (to an extent). I admit I was curious to see how it would come together. Well, let’s say it wasn’t worth it. Also, makes me wonder if the last section was rewritten after feedback to make it OTT. If yes, it’s the worst move ever. Think of Ekta Kapoor’s daily soaps to guess the mess (IYKYK).
I knew the last section of the book was the weakest, but didn’t expect it to go kaput to this extent. And to think Gus at one point said Theo wasn’t an idiot to make stupid decisions. Dude, you have no idea how much you underestimate her stupidity. Moreover, the patterns in Theo’s life are worrying.

Despite everything, I can see the potential in the original premise. If only it was properly structured!
To summarize, The Mystery Writer has too much going on with a weak main character and fails to bring it all together cohesively. It may work for readers who like ‘shocking’ twists, but I’d still recommend you to go with low expectations.
Thank you, NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
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The review will not be added to Amazon.

• A mix of conspiracy theorists and writers, sign me up. The Mystery Writer follows Theo and her brother Gus as they both get tangled up in a mysterious literary underworld. What follows is a series of murders and disappearances.

• The Mystery Writer is fast paced and stayed true to the plot. All the twists and turns are properly paced to want to keep going! I ate this book up within 24 hours!

• Thank you Netgalley, Sulari Gentill and Poisoned Pen Press for this e-arc. The Mystery Writer is out in the world for you to go grab.

What was the point of this while thing? Someone wrote a good book? Not this one. This one was a mess of people who would love to pretend that conspiracies and gun violence was a product of throughly American driven ridiculousness, even when there is nothing about either of those things in the product of the ,mythical novel that ends this. The ridiculousness and laziness were far too previlient to ignore or forgive. It was lazy. It just led to nothing because it was based in nothing.