Another great read by Sulari Gentill. The characters were fantastic and kept me flipping pages long past my bedtime. I loved the personal and professional dynamics. Lots of great emotional tugs.
Thank you NetGalley, Sulari Gentill and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read and review this book

The Mystery Writer is a thrilling literary rollercoaster that redefines the boundaries between reality and fiction. As Theo Benton navigates a hidden literary world, trying to unravel her mentor's murder, the intricate plot and suspenseful twists drew me into the mystery and crime genre. Gentill's skillful storytelling and exploration of the power of narrative have not only crafted a captivating tale but also revealed my newfound appreciation for the intricacies of mystery fiction. An enthralling read that ignited my love for the genre.

Chock full of conspiracy crazies and doomsday insanity, this novel will leave you feeling topsy-turvy in the best way.
Theo Benton leaves law school to pursue fiction writing. She moves in with her brother, Gus in Lawrence, KS, and ends up befriending the elusive writer, Dan Murdoch. But when Dan is murdered, Theo becomes the #1 suspect. Suddenly, her world and that of Gus and his friend and PI, Mack, become a waking nightmare. As the bodies pile up, Theo decides sacrifices need to be made and she promptly disappears. Gus and Mack try desperately to find Theo but someone definitely doesn't want them succeeding.
There are interludes in the book that help you to understand why Dan was murdered. And maybe the doomsday enthusiasts aren't so far off the mark with the conspiracies.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this e-arc.*

This is an interesting novel. It has a story within a story, and I admit I wasn’t quite sure how it fit with Theo’s. Luckily her part of the book was entertaining enough that I could keep reading until the eventual connection occurred. However I did find the book to get a bit sluggish & repetitive around the middle. I’m not quite sure if this will please everyone. It’s a murder mystery that’s for sure, but there’s a conspiracy angle that the author doesn’t stick the landing on for me. Overall I don’t think it’s a bad book, I just preferred her last one much more.

If you like conspiracy theories, preppers and clandestine organizations, then this book is for you. Unfortunately for me, I should have read the book blurb more carefully as I was expecting a mystery of a different sort. Nevertheless, the book flowed well through most pages. The main character, Theo(dosia) was for a 22 year old fairly naive, perhaps because of her upbringing. Good thing she had her brother, Gus and his good friend, Mac, to advise her. Closer to the end, the story seems to become disjointed, if not unbelievable. It was an okay book, just not at the top of my list. Thank you Netgalley and Poison Pen Press for an early copy. This review is my opinion. 3.5 stars

Lover murdered.
Brother is a suspect.
Who can she trust???
Theodosia is a 22 year old woman. Dropped out of Law school in Australia and moved to U. S to fullfil her dream of being a writer. He brother is supportive and is encouraging her. She starts to go a coffee shop regularly where she meets another writer Dan they get to know each other , him helping and mentoring her and being her confidant. Then, they are in relationship till one day she finds him murdered and her brother is a suspect.
If you like, conspiracy theories and twisted stories this one is for you. As for me, I didn't enjoy this one as much as her previous novel The Woman In Library but I believe that every story has it lovers and what wasn't for me might be the best book for someone else's so make sure to check it out
Thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for granting me an ARC of #TheMysteryWriter in exchange for my honest review.

Xoxo💋

Poisoned Pen Press provided an early galley for review.

I am instantly drawn to stories about writers. They are my kindred spirits.

I read a book by the author a few years ago - The Woman in the Library and liked it. Once more we are dealing with a story premise involving writers. The prologue and many chapters open with details and conversations that slowly start to form a bigger picture that is key to the plot. They are intriguing and mysterious. However, these do not overshadow the main narrative involving our writer-to-be Theo.

I enjoyed the relationship between Theo and Dan Murdoch, mostly for the insider glimpse into the world of writers. I appreciated the guidance Dan provided, and then I was surprised (though I shouldn't have been) by the turn the relationship took (in several ways). It certainly kept my attention focused and my curiosity piqued. I also found Theo's conversations with the publishing agent Veronica to be very revealing (the author here clearly writing about what she knows - interacting with the world of publishing).

But as the bodies start to stack up, my view of Theo shifted. I started to see her more as a victim and as an observer to larger events going on around her. She finds herself caught up in circumstances and with factions well beyond her control. When the final third of the book hits, the story has taken a completely unexpected turn that left me in even more of a confused state. If that was the reaction the author was trying to evoke in the reader, mission accomplished. Sulari does manage to bring it all around in the final chapters to explain everything.

Theo drops out of college and shows up at her brothers front door. With a slightly rocky/mysterious past, Theo is hellbent on writing a novel and her brother Gus takes her in. Soon after, Theo befriends a fellow writer, but when he is discovered murdered, things get really messy. There are tons of conspiracy theories and Theo finds herself in the middle of it.

I had a few complaints. This story was LOOOOONG. It took forever to develop, and then would have these rework abrupt time jumps. Like 3 years and now Gus has a cane and wtf did I miss?! I didn’t even feel like I knew the characters and what was happening.

The ending seemed VERY rushed. Like we took 8 hours to get to this point, and it’s done in 1 anticlimactic chapter. Also the fact that the author had every American in her story carrying a gun? Please, Gentill, go eat some Vegemite and recognize not every American is a gun-toter 🥴

My issue was, I read Woman in the Library and liked it… so I expected something similar/equally as readable. To be honest, up until like 70% of the way through, this was a 3.5/4 star book for me.

The rushed ending, lack of excitement, and overall sense “wow this was underwhelming” leaves me at a 2.5.

Great thriller! The book grabbed my attention right from the start. I loved the connection between writers and conspiracy theories. I was kept guessing in how the truth will come to light. I am hoping for a reappearance of Veronica!

I found The Mystery Writer difficult since I don't enjoy reading about conspiracy theories, doomsday preppers, and an literary agency that fuels false information. I won't get into the plot. The blurb on the back of the story gives away too much as it is. I never fully invested in the characters because of the over-the-top story. The story ends with a set-up for a sequel since one of the antagonists gets away.

I enjoyed the author's previous work, The Woman in The Library, so I was even more disappointed in this one.

The Mystery Writer starts with such a strong premise that ultimately falls flat.

Unfortunately, our MC Theo is so clueless and somehow people around her keep dying. It’s so hard for me to believe a woman who was in law school could be so stupid in so many ways. She constantly was making herself look guilty as well as not seeing a LOT of red flags ahead of time.

As the story went on, I found myself getting more and more frustrated. There are so many side stories that ultimately didn’t add to the story – talking about Qanon-esque forums, doomsday preppers, growing up on a commune, etc. This could have had a much smaller scope and been so much more effective. Also there’s a very jumpy timeline and point of view shift around the 75% mark and I found it totally ruined the flow of the story that was already being set up.

I did really like the characters of Gus and Mac (and of course, Horse). They were really well conceptualized, and I loved the family dynamic with Gus and Theo. It just wasn’t enough to carry the rest of the book.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and Sulari Gentill for the opportunity to read The Mystery Writer, to be published 19 March 2024. 4/5 Stars for this different take on mystery writers. Theo decides to leave University where she studies law, to move to her brother’s house to write a novel. During her time there, a murder occurs which ultimately involves her and her brother. Good read. #NetGalley #PoisonedPenPress #SulariGentill #TheMysteryWriter

This book is well written, but compared to the author’s previous book “the woman in the library” it proofed to be a disappointment. A rather unlikely plot, with a mishmash of a more than naive main character leaving abandoning law school to become w writer, her brother being accused of the murder of her mentor, and conspiracy theories. And the final chapters feel convoluted and rushed.

Theo Benton leaves her University studies to become an attorney so she can become a novelist instead. She shows up on her brother's doorstep unannounced. She soon meets and befriends Dan, who is in the process of writing his next novel. When the unthinkable happens, Theo finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. The book's first half felt sluggish but perked up toward the end. Thanks to the author Sulari Gentill, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review an ARC of The Mystery Writer.

"Theo wanted them to know she was still here. A ghost, unable to be a part of their world anymore, but she was here"

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC of the book "The Mystery Writer" by Sulari Gentill.
It’s a well-written mystery with a very compelling enigma. Even when you think you have grasped the situation, there are unpredictable turns that will drag you in unexpected directions and keep you on your toes until the end. I had my suspicions about the whole book, but I wasn’t 100% sure until the end.
Theodosia, nicknamed Theo, is the main narrator of the narrative. She left law school to become a lawyer and went to live with her brother with a dream: to finish her novel. She knows that it is risky, and if at first she was a girl who doubted herself, always looking for someone to help her, at the end of the novel she becomes a strong and determined woman who would do anything to save her loved ones.
The other characters, Theo’s brother Gus, and his friend Mac, are also well-defined with interesting stories. Both with different but moving stories, going through many difficulties to help Theo.
The story is rather intricate, with conspiracy theories and the literary world coming together in an interesting way. I particularly appreciated Theo’s sense of estrangement in American perception (she is Australian).
The narration has a fast pace that never bores you, always with new twists.
It’s engaging, and it will inspire you to think about the world of literature and how books and stories can affect how we perceive reality.

The premise of the book piqued my interest immediately, but, I feel like it was not executed the best. I still thoroughly enjoyed the book, but some areas definitely got long and drawn out, and the the ending felt very rushed, like it all just came tumbling out.

A very enjoyable read, not quite as much as The Woman in the Library, but I found it fun to solve. Theo drops out of an Australian college and moves to Kansas to live with her brother, Gus. They both have distanced themselves from their parents because of the cult they belong to. Their grandfather left them a trust fund so long as they both became attorneys. Gus held true to this agreement, but Theo decides to be a writer.
One of her mentors and writer, Dan Murdoch, begin a relationship together. When she walks in and finds him dead, she becomes a suspect. I love these kinds of mysteries that build and you must finish quickly to find out who the killer is. You won't find out without crossing a few lines. Theo and Gus both become involved in a thread of lies and webs when they enter a thread/ story with a writer leaving a trail of murders with a line of suspicious killers. When PI Mac is thought to be a trusted person for Theo, they soon find he is part of a conspiracy group. This group has a hangup on the weird elements involving zombie hunts, and doomsday.....
Interesting concept and it worked well if you are leisurely reading. I enjoyed it just enough.
Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this entertaining ARC in exchange for my review.

This is the second mystery of Gentill that I have read. Both are mysteries featuring mystery writers and they play with your expectations in the best way. There were some twists that I saw coming and others which suprised me. Don't look for a neat and clean ending with no loose ends with this story, that would betray the vibe of the whole book. I

This was a hard book to categorise and was quite twisty in places. There are conspiracy theorists, preppers, and who is leading who down the dark tunnels of the internet to unravel, no=one is quite who you think they are. I enjoyed it but am not sure I would whole=heartedly recommend it.

Thank you Netgally, Sularo Gentill and poisoned press for the ARC.

I really loved the authors other work The woman in the library and was excited when I was given the opportunity to read and review The Mystery Writer.

The premise of the book is what drew me in and it did not disappoint. The action and fast pace of the book kept me reading. I did guess at some things happening but it tied up nicely in the end. If you enjoy conspiracy, high paced plots this one is for you!