At the beginning of this book, I was afraid I would not like it but as I continued I found myself enjoying it more and more. The author weaves a great story with characters you really root for. She is turning into a must read author for me.

This is the second book I’ve read by this author. Last year I read The Woman in the Library and enjoyed it so was excited that I was able to receive an arc through NetGalley.
Summary:
This book is about Theodosia Benton, a young woman from Australia who had been raised within a cult. She is close to her brother, Gus, who moved to America several years earlier.
Theo shows up on his doorstep with her suitcase and announces that she has dropped out of law school. She has a partial novel that she wants to finish. Her brother is supportive.
Theo spends her days at a local bar and becomes friends with another writer, Dan. He is a little older than her and she is surprised to find out that he is a successful author. The two develop a relationship. Theo decides to surprise Dan one day but when she arrives at his house, she notices a man leaving. When Theo walks through the open door, her world is turned upside down.
Theo becomes a suspect in a crime and she and Gus are targeted by a murderer.
Review:
It didn’t take me long to finish this book. It wasn’t because I couldn’t put it down but more because I felt the need to read it for NetGalley. The writing is not bad, but I found some of the storyline difficult to swallow. Some of the characters were unbelievable. I read a lot, and I can suspend belief if the story is good but toward the end of the book, it fell apart for me.
What I liked:
I liked Gus and Mac, the private investigator and how the three meshed together as friends. I liked the budding romance.
I liked the idea of conspiracy theories as part of the story.
I liked the setting. Lawrence, KS feels like a safe place but is it really? I liked the fact that she took a safe place in the middle of the country and brought a little danger there. The contrast helped make it more suspenseful.
I liked the twists and turns. It did keep me guessing.
I liked Mac’s crazy family.
What I didn’t like.
My biggest dislike was when I discovered who the bad guys were. To me it didn’t make sense. Something was missing from the explanation. Why would an organization resort to that? I guess it didn’t explain it well enough for me. I feel like there was something missing in the explanation.
Would I read more from this author? Yes, because I did enjoy – The Woman in the Library and now that I know there was a book – After She Wrote Him, I do plan to read it someday. I gave – The Woman in the Library four stars when I reviewed it, but I can’t honestly give this book four stars. I will give it three stars because I do feel it is well written, but it didn’t work for me.
Year Published: March 19, 2024
Category: Mystery, Thriller
Pages: 352 pages Kindle
Rating: Goodreads 3.59
I do want to thank NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this arc and give an honest review for other readers. Though I didn’t enjoy this one as much as – The Woman in the Library, I do feel that anyone who enjoys thrillers with a book theme should give this book a try. I wish I could give all my reads five stars but feel that wouldn’t be honest with other readers. I also understand that this is my opinion only. There will be readers out there who will love this book.

About the author:
Once upon a time, Sulari Gentill was a corporate lawyer serving as a director on public boards, with only a vague disquiet that there was something else she was meant to do. That feeling did not go away until she began to write. And so Sulari became the author of the Rowland Sinclair Mysteries: thus far, ten historical crime novels chronicling the life and adventures of her 1930s Australian gentleman artist, the Hero Trilogy, based on the myths and epics of the ancient world, and the Ned Kelly Award winning Crossing the Lines (published in the US as After She Wrote Hime). In 2014 she collaborated with National Gallery of Victoria to write a short story which was produced in audio to feature in the Fashion Detective Exhibition, and thereafter published by the NGV. IN 2019 Sulari was part of a 4-member delegation of Australian crime writers sponsored by the Australia Council to tour the US as ambassadors of Australian Crime Writing.

Sulari lives with her husband, Michael, and their boys, Edmund and Atticus, on a small farm in Batlow where she grows French Black Truffles and refers to her writing as “work” so that no one will suggest she get a real job. (Goodreads Bio)

I have been reading quite a bit recently. I am currently reading – The Deep End by Julie Mulhern and Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz. Both books are from my bookshelf. One was on my list of 24 in 2024 and the other is one that I was in the mood to read. I will update you on my numbers for the 24 in 2024. I hope to have both reviews out next week.
What are you reading? Anything I should know about. Have you read something that you have really enjoyed? Can’t wait to tell you more about these two books.
Until next time,
Virginia

Sulari Gentill’s latest novel, The Mystery Writer is a cleverly concocted and very original mystery, which gently plays with the conventions of the crime novel, while providing a good dose of mystery and suspense. I think that it is Sulari’s best novel to date.

Theo Benton has one dream: to become a bestselling author. Determined to make her mark in the literary world, she leaves Sydney and heads to the United States on a whim to stay with her brother Gus and focus on her writing. But her plans take an unexpected turn when she befriends a famous author, Dan Murdoch, at a local bar. He is encouraging of her writing, but when he turns up dead after she gives him her draft manuscript, Theo finds herself as the prime suspect in his murder.

As Theo grapples with the shocking turn of events, she realizes that Dan may not have been the person he seemed to be, and that there is something sinister going on in the world of publishing. Desperate to clear her name and uncover the truth, Theo sets out on a quest to find out who killed Dan and why.

The Mystery Writer starts out quickly and Sulari keeps the pace ticking over at a steady rate as the book moves through some very unexpected developments. The plotting is clever, and is well supported by an eclectic cast of characters, especially the family of one of Gus’s friends. All the characters are nicely fleshed out, and Theo makes for a good lead character, with a mixture of flaws, secrets and hidden strengths.

Seamlessly woven into the story are marvellous revelations on the publishing industry and writing in general. Some of Sulari’s reflections on authors and publishers are brutal, but also amusing, and she frequently highlights the importance and influence of books.

The ending may stretch credibility, but recent events in America will make you stop and think that perhaps Sulari’s central conceit is right! In any event, it does not stop The Mystery Writer from being a very enjoyable read that I could not put down.

See full review at: https://murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/a...

4.5 rounded up

I would like to thank NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with an advance e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Look for it in your local and online bookstores and libraries on March 19, 2024.

Totally enjoyed this fast-paced mystery and its great characters. There are lots of interesting side stories like conspiracy theorists, doomsday-ers, and cultists, besides the main storyline of writers and their agents! It was nice to have a novel set in an unexpected place like Lawrence, Kansas, too.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks/Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC to read and review.

The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill kept me on my toes! The main character, Theo, is quite likeable. She gives up a high profile career to chase her dream of becoming an author. She is close with her brother, Gus. And the story that follows will keep you guessing as the mystery, and of course murder, unfolds. This was my first book from Sulari Gentill and I did enjoy it! Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press, Netgalley and Sulari Gentill for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy.

Thank you to NetGalley, the Publishers, and Sulari Gentill for an ARC of the Mystery Writer! Overall, I found this book very fascinating. The plot was honestly amazing - I loved the concept and at least for me, it hasn’t been done yet which was what made it so intriguing. There were a few parts that felt a bit off and that may just be due to it being an ARC and not the final copy, but this is something you should grab and give it a try! Theo has packed her bags, left law school, and is on the doorstep of her brother’s house in Kansas to become an author. She befriends another author and he becomes her mentor, he is brutally murdered. Theo wants to uncover what happened to him and let’s say everything that can go wrong, goes wrong. Her brother is the accused murderer and Theo knows that is not the case and will do everything possible to ensure his safety.

This is the second book I’ve read by this author, and each book has been really good. The author knows how to create layer upon layer of intrigue and red herrings.

The books have been so good that even after finishing it, you have to go back and see how you missed that ending. The clues are there, but are you following the right ones? I’ve added this author to my must be read list and cannot wait for more.

When Theo decides to quit law school to pursue her dream of being a writer, she leaves Australia and moves in with her older brother, Gus, an attorney in Lawrence, Kansas. While writing her book in a local coffee shop, she meets Dan, a famous author who left New York City to lead a quieter life in Lawrence. Dan quickly becomes a mentor for Theo, and eventually their friendship turns romantic. When Theo discovers that Dan has been brutally murdered, she and Gus become the prime suspects, and Theo will do whatever it takes to protect her brother.

I was lured into reading this book by its description and beautiful cover, but ultimately I was left underwhelmed. There was a lot going on with different storylines and so many characters. I really enjoyed the murder mystery aspect of the story, and I would have loved it if it were just a cozy mystery without all of the conspiracy theorists and doomsday preppers. There were parts of this story that were hard to get into, but then there were parts that were so engaging that I couldn't read fast enough. Theo was a hard protagonist to root for because she was so naive and gullible. The side characters really saved the day, and Gus and his PI friend Mac were definitely my favorites.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

With The Mystery Writer, author Sulari Gentill has crafted a multi-faceted, twisty gem of a book that is both well-written and fast-paced and keeps you enthralled and turning the pages well past when you should have gone to sleep.
The book provides a look into the cut throat world of literary agents and publishing, while also highlighting how the manipulation of opinion and belief has been honed online and can be used to incite and instigate those who follow certain threads. Gentill features a wide ranging set of diverse characters - from preppers to legal experts, conspiracy theorists to fiction writers. None of these groups is overdone or stereotyped, making them relatable and humanizing to readers who might otherwise have seen such groups of people as something 'less than'.
Such heavy topics are balanced out by hints of romance and the humour of two Australian sibling' reactions to aspects of American culture that are foreign to them.
The conclusion of the book may come as a surprise to some, but it is a satisfying one. I highly recommend this book!
I consider myself fortunate to have received an ARC of #TheMysteryWriter from #NetGalley.

I was so happy to receive the ARC this new novel from Sulari Gentill, I loved her previous books (After she wrote him and The woman in the library) and this one too is going to be one of my favorite mysteries.
The book has a slow start but then the plot thickens and I was really enthralled in the story; I ended up not sleeping much these days because I wanted to see the end of it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Did not finish book. Stopped at 19%.
DNF around 20% I liked the synopsis of this book and was excited to read it but I felt the story was very slow and hard to get into. This is a genre I typically like so I am a little disappointed 😞

I like reading about conspiracy theories, but this felt like I was reading from Reddit with the conspiracy conversation. I couldn't get hooked even with one of the "thrilling" scenes it was very quick and then fell flat again.

Theo was also very naive and I found her irritating.

I was sent this ARC on NetGalley by Poison Pen Press

I really liked this authors first book but the second was just average. I could not connect with the main character and I found I had to really suspend my belief in a whole lot of things she encountered.
Pacing was another issue I had. I felt like it just drug on and on. It also had a bit of the previous book and I almost felt like I was watching a rerun.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for a honest opinion.. 2.5⭐️

This book was just okay. The writing itself was fine but the story could have been more tightly written with a main character who was less frustrating to follow.

This is my second book by Gentill and I'm again impressed with her talent at devising compelling plots that hook the reader. I love books that are about books and this was a fun jump into the writing process. Recommended for anyone who likes bookish mysteries or is interested in the lives of writers.

Well written but a tad slow in the beginning. It was easy to be invested in the characters. There were a few twists at the end. The resolution, I did see coming, while a couple others surprised me. I thoroughly enjoyed the descriptive narrative but I wish the plot had taken a slightly different turn. Overall, I would read more by this author and this story was worth the read.

I thought Woman in the Library was so wildly crafty I knew I needed this one.
And I was not disappointed. This was definitely more chaotic plot wise but was very fun to read.

Theo Benton was raised in a cult in Tasmania and is currently abandoning law school and takes refuge with her brother in Kansas to write her book before telling her parents she quit school. Theo meets a very famous author, Dan Murdoch, in the bar she has been writing in and forms a mentor/mentee relationship with him. She is hoping that he can help her get signed to his agent and get her book published. When she finds him dead she finds herself a suspect and getting stalked by his conspiracy theorists fans.

With so many twists and wild ass characters this kept me on my toes and really had no clue where this was going. It was a fun time.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an eARC

This one just was not for me. I appreciate that it was well written, unfortunately it just wasn’t my cup of tea!

This one didn't keep me hooked as much as I thought it would. The story line was decent and there were definitely a few good twists; however, I felt as though there was a lot of extra filler information that wasn't quite necessary or super interesting.

Mysteries about books, bookstores, and writers are some of my favorites. That fact and having LOVED Gentile's The Woman in the Library made me very excited to read this one. Many thanks to @netgalley @poisionedpedpress @dreamscape_media and @sularigentill for digital and audiobook copies. Below is my honest review.

Theo has quit law school in Australia and traveled to live with her brother Gus, who practices law in Kansas. She has dreams of becoming a writer and spends her days writing at a coffee shop/bar in town. She discovers that another morning regular is a world-renowned author. Over several months, he becomes an important mentor to her as she helps re-inspire him to write. When he is found brutally murdered, Theo and Gus are key suspects but also quickly discover that they may be caught up in something much bigger than either could have imagined. As the walls begin to close in, Theo makes an impossible choice to save her friends and family.

Like The Woman in the Library, the way this book is written reminds me of M. C. Escher's etching Drawing Hands because the story is writing and re-writing itself - unfolding a little at a time. Although the primary narrative is told through Theo's perspective, the prologue and numerous excerpts throughout are told through other lenses, making clear that there is more to the book than what Theo is experiencing. Although I still have some questions because of the story's complexity, I loved the core characters of Theo, Gus, and Mac (a writer, a lawyer, and a detective). My favorite part of the story is how they work together, their messy families, and their unwavering belief in each other. I did not see the end coming, but I really enjoyed it.
The audiobook gets huge kudos for all of the different accents and characters that are expertly voiced by a single narrator.