Not a fan of stories about conspiracy theories. But that is only a small, but significant and relevant portion of this book. The basic story is a good, classic murder mystery with interesting characters and a story hard to put down.Thanks to #NetGalley and #TheMysteryWriter for advanced digital copy.

Theo is a want to be writer who just moved to the United States to be near her brother after a few incidents caused her to want to leave Australia. Now in a new town, in a new country, Theo is trying to flex her creative fingers and explore the world of writing. As she sits down at a local cafe to try and churn out a few pages at a time, she becomes friends with one of the other locals who helps her hone her craft until one day he doesn’t show up and she goes looking for him at his home, finding a horrific scene and becoming a suspect in the process.

I enjoy a good thriller which can keep me on the edge of my seat and one thing I can say about this book is it has a lot going on. Perhaps a little too much at times, but overall it’s a pretty good story. It does take a few chapters for the energy to build, so it is a sort of slow roll and then a very quick chaotic tumble the rest of the way. We have mob like publishing companies, conspiracy theories, preppers, framing people for murders, and a host of other things I am sure I missed.

Nevertheless, I was entertained by this book and want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an audiobook as well as digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I thought the narration was well done and helped with the atmosphere of the story. I love when the narrator has the accent of the intended character. I hope I can read her other work “The Woman in the Library” soon. It seems to be up my alley as well.

This book took me longer to read than it should have. The premise sounded great……the execution gave me difficult read. The bouncing back and forth to the conspiracy threads with no context in the beginning really had my head spinning. Then once I got it, it just didn’t seem to flow well within the story. At around 40% I honestly almost marked it as DNF, but I hate to ever do that unless I am just overwhelmingly bored.
The characters didn’t seem to grab my attention in any way. They weren’t bad. Just that they weren’t super interesting. I began to say to myself over and over “why is Theo being so naive.” It honestly became troublesome.
All in all I think that this book could be great for someone who is looking for a read that doesn’t require you to be super invested. I may revisit it at a later date and see if it can spark my interest.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

The Mystery Writer follows Theodosia Benton whose mentor's untimely murder drives her toward a career change that tangles her in an inescapable labyrinth of murder and secrets.

I think Sulari Gentill is an immensely talented writer, and that has never been more clear to me than in this book. Ultimately, the plot of The Mystery Writer is almost entirely laid out in its summary, to the point that not a single twist of this mystery thriller felt truly twisty or surprising. Despite that, I found that I was generally enjoying my time with this book. I found the writing particularly engaging, and I do think many aspects of the plot really got me thinking and considering a lot about modern society. I'd even happily make the argument that, in dealing with the concept of conspiracy theories, and attempting to crack open even a fictional idea of their origin, this book is rich with themes absolutely begging to be explored further. While I don't believe this to be Gentill's strongest work, I think it was decent, and I do think it's the kind of thriller that will find its audience and spawn a million conversations. I know I will certainly continue to look forward to whatever else Gentill brings to the table next.

The Mystery Writer is definitely for those readers who enjoy books about conspiracy theories and also when conspiracies turn out to be true. This book also had a mixed media element so readers should be those who enjoy that type of format. I had recently read The Woman in the Library by the same author and had rated it 4 stars so I was hopeful for at least another 4 star read.
Theodosia Benton (Theo) leaves law school in Australia to come to the United States to live with her brother, a lawyer, and pursue writing. She meets another writer in a coffee shop who is subsequently murdered and her brother becomes the prime suspect. Theo takes steps to save her brother and try to solve the murder.
While this book was a quick read as the author has a style that flows well, I did not enjoy the story itself as much as The Woman in the Library, so this book ended up being 3 stars for me. If you enjoy mixed media and conspiracy theories, this book would definitely be for you. I will continue to read other books by this author.

Sulari Gentill takes her keen eye for meta-textual literary mysteries and applies them to the conspiracy theory in this, her latest compelling novel. If you, like me, haven’t much patience for real life conspiracy theories, that could make this book a bit of a challenge to enjoy, as the escapist fiction of its plot relies heavily on buying into, if not outright sympathizing with, various fictional conspiracies and their proponents. If, however, conspiracies are totally your jam, then I can’t recommend this novel highly enough!

Theo Browning has fled her law studies in Australia to crash with her brother Gus in Lawrence, Kansas, where he’s recently made partner in a respectable law firm. While the provisions of her late American grandfather’s trust would provide more than adequate funding for her to pursue a law degree in whichever country she chooses, what she really wants is to be a writer.

After several months of living with Gus and writing in cafes, she strikes up a friendship with successful author Dan Murdoch. He encourages her work, but is somewhat reluctant to introduce her to his own agent, Veronica Cole. Theo learns why firsthand when Veronica later explains some of her agency’s requirements, in this case pertaining to their clients’ romantic relationships:

QUOTE
“Day Delos and Associates is a holistic agency. We manage our clients’ careers, not just their books, and careers can be destroyed by an unwise assignation. So when a client wishes to form an association, he or she sends the particulars to the agency. The agency then runs general checks…criminal history, public platforms–nothing particularly intrusive.”

Theo wasn’t quite sure what to say.

“Day Delos’s greatest asset is the reputations and careers of our writers. Naturally, we wish to protect them, and without exception our writers are very grateful. You’ll find it’s standard practice among the better agencies.”

“Really,” Theo replied. “It seems extreme. Writers are entitled to private lives, surely.”
END QUOTE

Despite her hesitation at signing over her privacy in this way, Theo very much wants to be a published author. Her innocent dreams of achieving her ambitions are exploded, however, when she stumbles across Dan’s dead body. His death sets off an online firestorm, as it coincides with the disappearance of an underground leader known only as Primus, who had claimed to have privileged information regarding a terrible government plot to raise the dead. With both the police and Primus’ online followers zeroing in on Theo’s relationship with Dan and scrutinizing her every move, she soon begins to wonder if there isn’t some merit to Day Delos’ stringent contract requirements.

Things only get worse when another dead body turns up. The Lawrence police expand their net to investigate the few confidants Theo has in the area. Almost as bad is the intensity of the conspiracy theory weirdos’ attention, which is matched only by the media’s growing interest in the case. After being driven out of their home, Theo and Gus seek refuge in perhaps the least likely of places: the bosom of a doomsday prepper enclave. But when Gus’ life is put on the line, will Theo do the unthinkable in a desperate effort to save her beloved older brother?

The tangled plotlines of this novel certainly echo the labyrinthine motifs throughout, as naive young Theo is pulled hither and yon in the tides of forces far greater than even her imagination had ever dreamed. Despite my impatience with Theo’s eagerness to please, I appreciated how carefully Ms Gentill laid the foundation for our protagonist’s personality, even down to her accent (while making an important point about Australians in general):

QUOTE
“What I can’t work out is how he knew you were Australian,” Gus added scowling. “It’s an unusual nationality to guess out of the blue…and, generally speaking, the world doesn’t realize that Australians come in all colors.”

Theo’s brow furrowed. Gus was right. She had taken after their father and was much darker than her brother. People had, in the past, asked her if she was Egyptian, Greek, even Peruvian, but no stranger had guessed Australian before. “The accent, I suppose,” she offered half-heartedly.

“Most Yanks can’t tell the difference between an Australian and a British accent… and your accent is pretty weak.”
END QUOTE

Fast-paced and au courant with both political and literary trends, The Mystery Writer feels like an absorbing variation on Ms Gentill’s already terrific body of work. The fact that it isn’t my favorite book of hers says far more about me and my interests than the quality of this entertaining novel.

What??? Just….what??? The Mystery Writer has it all!!!!

Theo is an aspiring writer who feels like she may be going nowhere in life. She lives with her old brother Gus, an attorney, in Kansas. They grew up I Australia and must navigate moving to the US for Gus’ job.

Theo meets a handsome writer, Dan, and they begin to write with each other almost daily. They meet at their favorite spot, Benders, and spend hours writing and giving each other feedback.

Eventually the two begin a romantic relationship which Theo is thrilled about. Until Dan is brutally murdered. What unfolds are twists and turns that I couldn’t keep up with at times.

I will briefly mention that there were parts of this story that drug on a bit in the middle. Go through it because the end is worth it!

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I've loved this authors previous books and was excited to get a chance to read this one. This book was a good thriller but different from what I expect from this author. 4 stars.

That was fun, thriller-y goodness!! Sure, the plot device is kind of outlandish, but it fits our times and doesn't take away from the enjoyment. I think most and many tin-foil hat wearing conspiracist wackadoodles will really enjoy this. Now where did I put my roll of aluminum foil?

I read The Woman in the Library by this author last year and really enjoyed it. In this new book, Gentill takes on conspiracy theories. Theodosia quits law school and flies from Australia to the U.S. to stay with her brother. She has decided to give up law and become a writer. She starts writing at a local coffee shop everyday and becomes friends with an older, famous writer. He becomes her mentor. Then he is brutally murdered. Theo does everything she can to find his murderer. I would avoid reading the synopsis for this one. I think it gives too much away.

This is described as a roller coaster ride of a thriller and it really is. There are conspiracy forums and doomsday preppers and it all extends a bit over what is actually believable for me. Still, it was a bit of a wild book and I found it very entertaining.

I wanted to love this book after falling in love with The Woman in the Library last year, but this just didn't do it for me.
Firstly, I think that the blurb did this book a disservice. It set expectations that were not met.
Theo was painfully naive as a protagonist and made so many just idiotic decisions that she didn't feel real. I didn't find myself rooting for her as she went from one mistake to the next.
The pacing was painfully slow until 70% through when there was a time jump and then the book began to get exciting. However this is a long time to wait for the book to get started
I kept thinking I should dnf this book but my love of the author's last book gave me hope that this would pick up. I was left feeling underwhelmed and disappointed
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. These opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and The Poisoned Pen Press for gifting me this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

2 Stars

Due to the low rating, I will not be posting my review onto my socials. There were multiple things that were wrong with this book for me. I had a very hard time trying to relate to Theo, the main character. She was incredibly naive and needed her hand held to make it through everything. I found this odd for someone who had been attending college to become an attorney. Also, I found a lot of stereotypes involved with the story. This was an immediate put off for me. Another issue I found was the amount of time jumps. It would've been okay had they been throughout the story, but they were solely in the ending of the book. It was whiplash for me as the reader. The amount of time jumps caused the ending to feel rushed and unrealistic. I loved The Woman in the Library, and I was so excited for this one. But it just wasn't up there for me.

I have not had as much time to read lately as I would like however, this book keeps bringing me back and lives in my head rent free trying to sort out this puzzle. Almost halfway through and am penciling in time to sit down and finish as we speak!

I absolutely loved this authors debut and with The Mystery Writer becoming equally a favorite, Sulari Gentili is becoming an auto read for me!

I found this book to be just like one of the conspiracy theories it talks about. It gives you a believable premise or hey-that-happened-to-me-too moment and somehow makes the whole story seem more logical. I really enjoyed reading it, though some of it seemed a little repetitive, saying the same things over and over again in descriptions or actions. I would recommend it as a novelty read.

What in all that is holy did I just read? A convoluted tale of conspiracy, murder, and intrigue, The Mystery Writer was both riveting and yet also utterly bizarre. From its wholly original premise to the constantly ratcheting suspense, despite a definite need to suspend all disbelief, I was still wrapped up in the plot from the very first word. Don’t get me wrong, there were some very real missteps, but let me start with the positives first.

Despite a slow burn beginning, as the page count grew so too did the action. With ample shootings, murders, stalking, and even a car chase or two, the pace picked up steam in the second half only to explode in the last fifty pages. And while I didn’t exactly love any of the characters, a dog named Horse totally got my adoration. All in all, while it wasn’t exactly my normal thriller, I did get addicted to it far more easily than I would’ve expected.

The negatives, however, were plentiful. From the conspiracy theory subplot to the idea that all Americans seem to love wielding a gun, there were some very odd concepts in this book. Then there was the speeding train of ridiculousness that took what was an enjoyable plot and derailed it for me. And the climax? So very over-the-top. But what bugged me the most was Theo herself. Naïve and somewhat obtuse, I just wanted to shake her out of her obliviousness.

By the end of the book, my nose was crinkled up and I had a mildly disbelieving look on my face. Or so I’ve been told. I do have to say, though, that I was, yet again, a fan of Gentill’s propulsive writing style and well-developed characters. With a startlingly complex web of deceit and plenty of twists and turns, there was no figuring out the final reveal before it was delivered. And while it wasn’t my favorite book by the author, I found it addictive and unputdownable just the same. So grab this one at your own discretion, but you just might get hooked by this rollercoaster ride too. Rating of 3.5 stars.

Thank you to Sulari Gentill, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

This novel is about an aspiring young woman writer who is mentored by an older best selling male novelist. She falls in love with him just before he is murdered and after he's declined to submit her novel to his very successful agents. Complications ensue when the police suspect her, her brother, a nd a friend of the authors murder and two subsequent related murders., and the young woman author is essentially imprisoned by the agents who have been representing formerly best sellers male authors convicted of sex crimes by giving them new names.
The brother and his friend eventually solve the murders and free the young woman author.
This is only the bare bones of a very complicated plot that takes place mostly in Kansas and Australia. It also is somewhat based on a Greek myth about the Minotaur and the labyrinth, While it's somewhat convoluted , the characters are interesting and well drawn, and the writing style is clear and holds your attention. On that basis I'd recommend it..

Theo, an aspiring author, drops out of law school to pursue her writing passion. She finds herself in a local watering hole/coffee shop for hours a day working on her novel with other authors holed up doing the same. This is where Theo meets and falls for Dan Murdoch, an established best selling author. They quickly land in a relationship which Theo fears she's tarnished by asking him to connect her to his publisher. He refuses and somehow ends up dead shortly thereafter. Theo may be next or could even be pegged for Dan's murder....

I truly wanted to like this so much. I mean a book about books, mysterious deaths, conspiracy theories? Come on, it's right up my alley! For some reason this one just never sparked and took off for me. I liked the characters well enough, the dog was cool, the premise interesting...it just never grabbed me. I found myself gravitating from it a lot and it took me much longer to finish than I'd hoped. I did like the authors style of weaving in online threads to supplement the plot and the mystery but again it just didn't sweep me off my feet. It could very well just have not been the right time for me to pick it up and other readers may LOVE it. I'd say if you enjoy a good layered murder mystery involving authors who turn up dead, this may be the book for you!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read in exchange for my honest review.

First I want to thank NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and Sulari Gentill for my ARC of The Mystery Writer. WOW! I could not put this down! What a wild ride! From start to end I was hooked! I could feel the emotions of each character and felt very empathetic towards Theo. The characters were also well developed and believable. Gus being the overprotective brother, Theo the little sister who doesn’t want to intrude on her brother’s life, Mac the brother’s best friend who would do anything to help his friend. I loved the description of Mac’s wacky family. The story line was very well developed with each chapter drawing me in more! I hope that the author will write a follow up book because this one left me wanting more! I will definitely be reading more by Sulari Gentill!

Thank you for the ARC! I’m sorry to report back I didn’t love this book. The premise is super interesting and the author is one I’ve read from and enjoyed before but this one didn’t do it for me. This felt very conspiracy/rightwing/nutjob which to be honest we get enough of in real life.

Oh my gosh this book. THE STRESS (in the best way). I was deeply invested in the three primary characters and every time things took a turn I had to get a handle on my emotions. The Mystery Writer has so many layers, great character developent, and the pacing is spot on. If you're looking for a tense page-turner that'll keep you guessing, pick this up!