Thank you to NetGalley UK and Poisoned Pen Press for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Mystery Writer is at its core a murder mystery novel, with numerous twists and turns and an Agatha Christie feel, which also reflects on contemporary issues such as social media, conspiracy theories, and gun culture in the US. I was kept on the edge of my seat throughout and wanted to know what was really going on and would recommend this book to whodunit fans.

There are a couple things that dampened my enjoyment of this book. Personally, I was underwhelmed by the "literary world" aspect of this book which was a bit flat. The plot was also very convoluted so I really had to pay attention to every detail to be able to follow. Additionally, the constant presence of guns was a bit repetitive. All these things I mentioned may be part of the point of the book and I maybe just wasn't the right audience for it.

I requested this book after having read the Woman in the Library.

I was truthfully a bit underwhelmed with it and was confused at some times. The plot is convoluted. The last section was bizarre.

When I saw this book on NetGalley, I quickly clicked Request, smiling like a fool when it was granted. Sulari Gentill is a new writer to me, but The Mystery Writer was a classic story told in a new way. A writer finds a dead body, which inspires her to continue to write while solving the crime. But her own brother is the suspect, and its her lover who is murdered. What kind of loyalty should she hold firm? Toss in a conspiracy theorist and a new book deal with a fancy agency, and things are looking too connected, if you know what I mean. As a story concept, I like it. Generally, the execution was fine. But the collection of suspects, the missing scenes that would have tied things together, and the jump in time period (3 months later, 6 months later) felt awkward and perhaps lazy. I don't mean that in a cruel way, but I didn't see the purpose for them. The investigation and actual happenings during those missing times should have been filled with great action, and so the end felt just dropped in for closure. Will consider more books by the author, but it may not have been an ideal match for my reading preferences.

Taking it at face value in the beginning, I thought this book was interesting. But when the deaths increased, I realized all was not what it first seemed. The characters are either on-the-surface boring or fascinating (Mac's family for instance). Prepare to be entertained and confused. It's a mystery after all

Really enjoyed this one! It kept me on the edge of my seat, I couldn't wait to go back and read it once I put it down. I liked the modern day focus on the dark web, and very interesting twist at the end with the past revelation of scorned writers. Would recommend!

What a crazy ride this book is. You have murder, intrigue, and a missing author. Anything and everything could happen when it comes to writing your first book. The one thing you don’t expect is to be swept up in world where those you least expect are going to be coming for you making your life miserable until you do what they want. I think readers are going to be thrown into a world where upside is right and right side up is wrong. Will they be able to figure out everything that is happening in time? This is a perfect book club book and I can’t wait to recommend it soon.
Thank you so much to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

Theodosia (Theo) Benton shows up at her brother’s home with two suitcases and an unfinished novel. She isn’t sure how he is going to react because they’ve had a strained relationship since they were kids, but they quickly develop a routine. She starts to frequent a local bar, Bender’s, to sit and try to write. While there one day, she starts talking to another patron, only to find out he’s a famous author. They develop a friendship but when he’s murdered, Theo wants to find the murderer.
Theo’s brother, Gus, is a successful lawyer on the partner track at his law firm. He brings his friend, Mac, an investigator, in to look into the murder. Mac’s family are doomsday preppers and the few interchanges with them in the book provided a bit of comic relief.
Interspersed with the story of Theo, Gus and Mac are interchanges between conspiracy theorists who are not only looking for Primus but also trying to figure out who it is. “Caleb” is a part of this. We find out who Caleb is mid-way through the book.
When Gus ends up in the hospital, Theo goes into hiding but Gus and Mac never stop looking for her. One day, they finally get a clue to her location and try to track her down.
Interesting story. Moved quickly. Towards the end, the storyline jumped in time…like months and then years in time. That was unexpected. Overall, very well written. As it is an ARC, there were a few typos within the text which I’m sure (?) will be fixed prior to publication (rounded down from 4 stars to 3.5 for this).

I was pretty excited for this new mystery novel, having read and loved Gentill’s previous work, The Woman in the Library. Hell, the promise of another author-centric murder-mystery caper was more than enough to set me to full-intrigue mode, making me eager to pick this story up.

And, for the most part, The Mystery Writer delivered, holding my attention from page one, once again cementing how compatible I am to Gentill’s uniquely voiced, smart-as-a-whip, propulsive style of mystery storytelling.

I especially liked how, again, the author effortlessly placed authentically Australian characters into very American situations and environments, in a way that I, an Australian, don’t see very often in my fiction reads.

The story was engaging and quite perfectly paced, quickly setting the scene as hopeful young author Theo, an Aussie fish out of water in small-town Kansas, gets caught up in a conspiratorial plot of subterfuge and murder, after she finds new (boy)friend and older renowned author, Dan Murdoch, murdered in his home.

The plot that then plays out didn’t quite hold as many twists or reveals as I would have liked, but I easily found myself caught up in the mystery at hand, even though I predicted some big things very early on and felt that the conclusion of the story was perhaps a bit unsatisfying.

As a protagonist, I found Theo to be a very frustrating heroine to follow, proving early on (and regularly there on out) to be a bit too naïve and gullible for my liking, lacking the innate survival instincts and basic smarts I prefer in my female-driven mystery stories. I didn’t hate her, which would have completely ruined the story for me, but I can’t pretend my biggest issues with the story didn’t lie with her character and some of the ridiculous actions/reactions she had along the way.

Thankfully, on the flip-side of Theo’s fairly-vexing character, stood her lawyer big brother Gus, along with his private investigator friend Mac, both of whom possessed the intelligence, assertiveness, and protectiveness I craved, providing me with not one, but two very likeable male sidekicks, who held the story together and keep me invested long-term.

Even though The Mystery Writer wasn’t the best I’ve read from Gentill so far, I’m still happy I read it, knowing full-well that I’ll be reading more of her stories in the future—no coaxing necessary.

This was difficult for me to finish. It was difficult to follow and the writing didn't grab my attention. I did not review it on social media so that it wouldn't have a negative review out there - it just might not have been my cup of tea, but I couldn't get through it.

It was a great start that moved quickly and kept moving to the end. It reads as a thriller but is more of a mystery. For cozy fans, this should be a good read. Anyone who likes a good conspiracy book should also pick this up.

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. When her mentor is brutally murdered and her brother blamed for it, she must investigate and save her brother!

This started off great but around halfway just got overly complicated and I had a hard time paying attention. We are doing this for an upcoming book club I am running at work, so I am curious to hear what others in the group think.

The Mystery Writer" by Sulari Gentill follows Theo Benton, who leaves her university due to issues with a lecturer and seeks refuge with her older brother in Kansas, USA, to pursue her passion for writing. Unfortunately, the novel falls short in delivering a believable narrative, with scenarios that seemed implausible and doubtful.

The inclusion of conspiracy theories, Doomsday preppers, and untrustworthy characters led to storylines that didn't quite add up cohesively. As the plot unfolded, I found myself grappling with the lack of believability and struggling to connect with the narrative.

Regrettably, the novel didn't resonate with me, and my concerns persisted until the point I decided to leave the book unfinished. Consequently, I can only assign a rating of 2.0 out of 5.0. I appreciate NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advance copy, even though the story ultimately did not work for me.

As most books are wont to do, often it’s the blurb that will lead a reader to check out the story. For me, it was the intriguing setup that lured me in as well as the fact that I highly enjoyed The Woman in the Library, and I was ready for another propulsive read to keep me on my toes. No doubt Gentill’s writing continues to be easy to digest. It’s quick, it flows, it pulls the reader along.

So, I was looking forward to the prospect of conspiracies, a ton of chilling secrets, and an explosive mind blowing reveal. For me, this didn’t really crescendo until the last 20% and when it did, it kinda fizzled. I’m not saying the idea wasn’t smart and interesting because it was, but maybe my unrealistic expectations were just too high. Perhaps because it took over 300 pages to really set things up, the ending seemed too rushed where the conspiracy fallout never truly came and was sinisterly (and sadly probably realistically) left open to continue on its twisty nebulous path. I readily admit that I want my fictional entertainment to be solidly in the happily ever after realm where the bad guys get their well deserved comeuppance.

It didn’t help that the heroine Theo was difficult to root for where my jaded self wanted to shake her way too many times to have a bit more self preservation, to not be so naive and gullible. In my opinion, the actual standouts of this were Theo’s brother Gus, and his friend Mac. They’re protective and smart, and both of them work tirelessly (and fruitlessly) to keep Theo from making many mistakes and missteps. I truly enjoyed every scene that they were in. Also, while I love any bit of romance to a story that I can get, I didn’t buy into what was presented and felt that Theo was one very lucky lady to deserve such devotion.

Overall, this had good bones, and I think many will enjoy this on its own merits or that of the author’s. I personally wanted more of everything because what was delivered just wasn’t enough to fully titillate and engage me specifically. Regardless, Gentill is still an author of interest, and I’ll continue to check out her future works!

Thank you to the author and Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley for the ebook in exchange for an honest review posted to Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6219151750?book_show_action=false

Australian native Theodosia Benton quits law school to write a novel and moves in with her attorney brother, Gus, who has emigrated to Lawrence, Kansas. While working on her project at a local coffee shop, she meets Dan, a famous but reclusive author who becomes more than just a mentor for her. When she discovers his dead body, a nightmare begins in which both Theo and Gus are alternatively accused of killing him and also in which their lives are in danger from unknown forces. Throw in online conspiracy theorists, doomsday preppers, and an ultra exclusive publishing house and the plot thickens.

Books about writers and the writing process are always interesting. Add a thriller to the mix and there are all kinds of possibilities. Although the plot line is a bit wild and after starting out slow the timeline rapidly skips ahead, you are in for an enjoyable, multi layered read.

I did cringe at some of the naive choices Theo made, but, after all, she was raised by “feral” (hippie) parents in
Tasmania, so what does she know of the cruel world? And especially of a world that seems to be more and more overtaken by conspiracy theories and misinformation and the control they can excerpt over people?

BTW - Lawrence, Kansas really is the home of Stull Cemetery which has a role in this plot and is purported to be one of the 7 “gateways to Hell.”

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. I just couldn't get into the story and I'm not really sure why. The author's style and writing was solid and the characters felt real. Perhaps it was just a little too meta for me. I usually love novels that involve writers but I had to take a pass on this one.

This is my third novel by this author, who is quickly becoming an auto-read for me. The latest stand-alone mystery had me hooked from the beginning. With elements of a fish out of water, a global conspiracy theory, Doomsday preppers, a murder mystery, and a shadowy publishing industry set against the seemingly quiet backdrop of Lawrence, Kansas, I could not help but wonder where the story would end. There were twists and turn galore, with red herrings sprinkled in along the way. The many moving pieces could have taken the story in a number of directions, so I enjoyed seeing how they all fit together as events unfolded and ultimately came to an end.

Later in the story, I felt like some of the transitions in the action were a bit abrupt. The story sometimes jumped forward in the timeline and picked up from a different character's perspective, so I found myself trying to reorient myself before proceeding with a new chapter. While it did not detract from my reading enjoyment, I can see where it might make it harder to follow the story. This is a slow-burn of a thriller that requires some attention. I felt that the pacing was excellent for the moody, murky, and off-kilter atmosphere of the story.

Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for the NetGalley copy and a chance to read this novel prior to publication.

I wanted to enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed The Woman in the Library. While I did enjoy this book, it did fall short for me personally. Messages from the conspiracy theory message board and Caleb at the start of the chapters were confusing at first. I did have to go back and read them over again. (Personally, this is one part of Sulari Gentill's books that I am not fond and could do without.) Parts of the book are fast pace with multiple plots, but there is a point where the story was a little too slow and I started to lose interest. The time jumps made me feel like the story was dragging out and could have ended sooner. Overall, it was an interesting view of when the publishing community goes dark and to extremes. What would you be willing to give up to become a best selling author?

This book surprised me. It was much more than a mystery about one writer investigating the death of another. It was a twisty conspiracy thriller about writers, publishing and social media. It was fun and clever. I especially enjoyed the Kansas setting and the doomsday prepper family.
Thanks to NetGalley for an eGalley of this title.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

The Mystery Writer is a metafictional thriller that explores the dark side of the publishing industry and the power of storytelling. The protagonist, Theodosia Benton, is an aspiring writer who abandons her law career to pursue her passion. She meets her literary idol, a bestselling author who agrees to mentor her and read her manuscript. However, the next day, he is found dead, and Theodosia's brother, Gus, becomes the prime suspect. Theodosia goes on the run, leaving behind a trail of clues in the form of a story that only Gus can decipher. But as he follows the thread, he uncovers a sinister conspiracy that threatens to destroy the lives of many writers and readers.

Sulari Gentill, an Edgar Award nominee and a USA Today bestselling author, delivers a gripping and clever novel that blends fiction and reality, mystery and suspense, humor and irony. The Mystery Writer is a tribute to the power of imagination and the love of books, as well as a warning about the dangers of manipulation and deception.

Gentill's writing is witty and engaging, and her characters are well-developed and relatable. The plot is fast-paced and full of twists and turns, you won't be able to put it down. The Mystery Writer is a must-read for fans of literary thrillers and of metafiction.