4.5★
“ ‘Don’t ever do anything like that again.’

‘Like what?’

‘Like walking into a strange house alone, with no idea who’s in there. This isn’t Hobart, Theo. People here have guns, and if you wander into their house a lot of them would be quite happy to shoot you.’

‘It wasn’t a strange house...’

‘He wasn’t expecting you. Americans respond to surprises by shooting.’”

I could be clever and say ‘You're not in Kansas anymore’, but in fact she actually is in Kansas in a town called Lawrence.

Theo, Theodosia, is 22, has dropped out of law school in Australia and flown to the US where her brother is a lawyer. He listens to her reasons and is understanding, but he does have a hard time making her believe that she is among people who may shoot first and – you know – ask questions later, if at all.

The two of them were raised in Tasmania by parents who are hippies. or ferals, as they're known, who have a hard time believing that these are the kids they’ve produced. They are peace-loving, tambourine players, not gun-toting doomsday preppers. (They come later.)

Brother Gus encourages little sister to write, which is what she’s always wanted to do. She finds a nice coffee shop, becomes a regular and makes friends with the staff. She feels she’s joined the ranks of other famous authors who work in public. She even meets another novelist who sits across the way from her.

Meanwhile, running in the background is a conspiracy forum which appears in short bursts throughout the book. The story opens with this bit.

“Caleb fell back onto his bed and placed his arms behind his head. If they knew, they would take over. It would be Caleb do this, Caleb do that…like he wasn’t the one who’d known from the beginning. They would forget that. Perhaps it would be better to wait. That way, when it started he’d be the one behind the wheel; they’d have to listen to him.”

Later we get posts and conversations, the things that Caleb is reading and contributing to.

“The people have a right to know. The sacrifices have a right to fight. Beware the icons: Disney, Coca-Cola, CNN. They are friends of the Minotaur. Prepare. Soon we will rise to lay siege to the Labyrinth. More later.
We Know What We Know.
Primus”

Later, the sign-off is simply WKWWK. (Yes, as from the show Hamilton, it says, but I digress.)

Here is another taste.

“Has anyone noticed that FLOTUS does not age? It’s worse than you think. I’ve seen pictures from the Civil War and she’s in them. How do you think she does that? Is it connected to the Frankenstein Project?”

What the? I wasn’t sure how this was going to tie in, but there’s a third excellent character, Mac, a private eye (former lawyer) who works with Gus and whose own family are doomsday preppers. Gus, Theo, and Mac are interestingly normal, considering the families they come from, and I enjoyed their interactions.

Then there is a murder and it looks like Theo may be implicated, so tensions rise and we get full-on thriller action. There is international intrigue and another whole layer of conspiracy at work.

I had found this a bit slow somewhere in the middle and wondered where Gentill was taking us, but I needn’t have worried. I miss her Aussie stories, but I have to admit this one was fun and will probably appeal more to an American audience.

Gus and Theo bring enough of an Australian attitude to make me happy. I enjoy the plot and the characters and the mystery more than the guns and bloodshed, but so what? Gentill’s books are always a good read.

Thanks to #NetGalley and Pantera Pressa for a copy of #TheMysteryWriter for review.

The positive: The writer had a great relationship between brother and sister in the story. Having said that, I found the book to be very confusing with an unnecessary storyline about conspiracist. It was difficult to connect to the characters or take an interest in the plot. Overall, it didn’t work for me.

My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions are my own.

Wow. Sulari Gentill sure knows how to captivate us with complex story lines.

In The Mystery Writer, Theodosia Benton leaves her attorney job and shows up at her brother’s home with only two suitcases and an unfinished novel. She has many doubts about her life, including whether she is capable of becoming a successful writer.

She is drawn into a hidden literary world when her mentor, a highly successful author, is murdered. Theo wants the killer to be found but when the police start looking at her brother as a prime suspect, she knows there’s more going on than she knew.

Theo discovers that everyone is looking for her and she will have to die. Is it a conspiracy or is that too far-fetched?

This is a literary thriller and it is wild! Look out for it in March 2024.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC in return for an honest review.

This book was almost a "non-read". It started out with a post to social media with a doomsday theme. I was expecting to begin the book with an explanation of who the characters were like most books do. So, I skipped the first few pages and got into what I considered the beginning of the book. Each time the author wrote about the social media posts, I skipped them. After several times of doing this, the author finally got through to me on what those social media posts were about.

I went back and reread the book from the beginning as I now understood it wasn't a gothic story but really was about a mystery writer. It took about halfway through the book before the two stories jelled in my mind of what was going on. Once, this happened, I couldn't wait to read the rest of the book.

The setting in in America but about a brother and sister who were Australian. The brother was a lawyer and the sister up and quit studying to become a lawyer as she had a desire to be a mystery writer. The brother had a private eye who works for the law firm he is a partner of. Between the three of them and the doomsday posters, they story unfolds with several twists and turns and keeps the reader engaged.

When you begin reading this book, just remember the social media posts give you background for later in the story. Be patient and it will come together.

This was fascinating!! What a refreshing storyline. I love following along with Theo, Gus and Mac. I would highly recommend this book!

While I loved Sulari Gentilli's last book, The Woman in the Library, this one just didn't do it for me. The premise was interesting, the main characters well defined, but about 3/4 into the book the pace suddenly became breathless, time jumped forward and I thought it all became illogical.

At the end of the kindle arc edition there is a rendering of the back cover in which the plot is laid out to clearly - I'm glad I didn't read the ahead of time, and suggest a broader description be substituted.

Thank you #PoisonedPress and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

“The Mystery Writer” is a mystery book by Sulari Gentill. After reading this book, I’m not sure how I feel about it. The pacing was a bit off - sometimes things moved slowly for set-up purposes, but then at others it raced through really quickly. Ms. Gentill’s lawyer past shows, again, in this book - and I really rather like those bits mixed into the story. But for this being a “thriller” - I think it’s more a “cozy murder” than a thriller. There’s conspiracy theory parts that seemed a bit out there - but then aren’t most conspiracy theory things? The main character, Theo, at times seemed rather mature but then would revert to naive so quickly that it felt a bit undeveloped. However, I really loved the relationship between Gus and Theo - it’s obvious they cared for each other and were constantly wanting to protect the other one. And Horse - we all need a dog like him. I’m really on the fence about what rating to give this book - parts I liked, parts I felt were a bit weak, and the “mystery” was obvious (to me) pretty quickly in the book (which usually isn’t an issue, but this time I felt it was). Think I’m going to give it a 3.75 - it held my attention, was a fast read, and I liked a number of the minor characters - rounded up to 4.

Thank you NetGalley for the eArc copy of this book.

I quite enjoyed following Theo and her brother through the story as they worked to solve the mystery around her friend. I was emotionally invested for most of the story and threw on my detective hat to follow them through the journey.

If you enjoy mysteries and feel up for the task of being a detective. Then definitely try this book.

Well, that was a ride of twists and turns I wasn’t expecting! As a lover of books about books and especially books about writers, I was initially drawn to the cover…and didn’t expect the journey that The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentrill was about to bring me on. Carefully weaving a thrilling tale of murder, conspiracy and a dash of romance, Gentrill had me captivated from the very beginning with her inclusion of conspiracy laden web-posts. At first, I wasn’t sure exactly WHAT was going on and even though- did I have the right book? It did not take long, however, for the storyline to take off bouncing effectively between narrators and perspectives, and leaving me questioning reality at every page turn. I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced, well-written, narrative thriller (which at times felt like a spy novel dripping with conspiracy and murder). I also found it delightful to reread the prologue after having finished…and found myself feeling fully satisfied that the story had come full circle. After all, we know what we know.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ five stars for a great read!

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the free advance copy of The Mystery Writer. The opinions expressed in my review are completely my own.

I was so excited to read this book, but it just fell flat for me. I kept losing the plot and didn’t connect with any of the characters. The synopsis sounded so exciting and entertaining. Took me way too long to finish this book. Thank you NetGalley, Sulari Gentill and Poisoned Pen Press for this digital arc.

Theodosia Benton abandons law school and her Australian home to focus on her unfinished novel, moving in with her brother in Lawrence, Kansas. A meeting with a successful author leads to mentorship, a free flow of ideas, and maybe something more … until he shows up dead one day, brutally murdered. Weird things keep happening and none of them are very good for our heroine, her brother Gus, and his investigator friend, Mac. Every time the author had a chance to go down the obvious path she instead takes evasive action and veers off onto a path I would never expect. Between the action and the backstories of her (very) relatable characters, we are treated to a twisted, entertaining, self-referential mystery blending writing techniques, reader psychology, conspiracy sites, preppers, and Tasmanian hippies (yes, you read that right). The situation does sometimes veer into regions of (to me) unrealistic evil corporate overlord action, but all of the other characters are believable and interesting — I particularly liked all the writerly discussions which focussed more on how to engage with a reader rather than dry (to the non writer) techniques. Be warned: a bit of a creepy feeling pervades the whole book, and I did feel that Theo should have figured some things out a little sooner than she did, but then I was in a comfy, stress-free space, so perhaps I wouldn’t have figured out very much more had I been in her position :-)

I struggled between 3 and 4 stars. Ultimately I went with 3 because it just felt like there was something missing. This is a great, no jumps or impossible twists book. I can’t quite put a finger on what was lacking. It was an entertaining, well written read, but I wouldn’t read it again. I would recommend this book for someone who wants an easy, cozy read.

This is told from a few different "views." We mainly hear from Theo's perspective with sprinkles of Mac, Caleb, and a few others. One murder turns to chaos and Theo struggles to make sense of it all, until one day she's gone. Aspiring to be come a writer and dropping out of law school, moving across country, and finding an idol who she falls in love with. The next moment he's gone and Theo doesn't know what to do.

This vooks has quite a few turns you don't see coming and the. Puzzle pieces slowing start clicked together! Such a fun read! Sucks you in!

Too much political intrigue for me. I am not american, so I could not really care less for all the political part of the plot. I expected something heavily related to the writing world and process, and all I was reading was politics.
Also I didn’t connect with the protagonist, so I really had nothing to keep me interested.
I see the what a more political interested reader could appreciate, but I was not that reader

Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Theodosia drops out of college and goes to live with her brother, Gus. Theodosia's only wish is to be a writer and her brother encourages her to chase her dreams. She goes to a nearby cafe everyday to get out of the house and write. She soon becomes acquainted with a famous author. The two get close, and while going over to the author's house to invite him over for dinner, she finds him dead. Murder is suspected and she finds herself to be the prime suspect... and the center of hatred of all his fans.

I absolutely loved this book! It had everything I wanted and more! I enjoyed the murder mystery and how just about every chapter there was a plot twist. I also loved how in the beginning of a lot of the chapters there was a forum post that you didn't understand in the beginning, but made a whole lot of sense in the end. The romance between Mac and Theodosia was also great as it wasn't overplayed or came on too quick!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to, honestly, anyone who wants to read a great book!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentrill is set to release March 2024. It follows the story of a young woman named Theo who drops out of law school in Australia to move in with her brother in Kansas. Her goal is to become a writer instead. By chance, she befriends a famous author who provides feedback and mentorship as she writes her first book. But then he is murdered, and Theo's life takes a surprising turn...

This book was very different than most thrillers I’ve read. It intertwined conspiracy theories with murders, and truly made my brain spin (in a good way). In my opinion the book has three distinct parts: the beginning where Theo is working on her book, the middle which is following the events that take place after the murder, and then the ending. In my opinion the ending was the best, as many questions were answered. The middle felt a little long winded and felt like a slow burn. Overall I enjoyed this book, and I’m curious to see if the author writes a sequel.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the free advance copy of The Mystery Writer. The opinions expressed in my review are completely my own.

A young woman named Theo drops out of law school in Australia to move in with her brother in Kansas and become a writer instead. By chance, she befriends a famous author who provides feedback and mentorship as she writes her first book. But then he is murdered, and Theo's life takes a surprising turn...

I wasn't quite sure what to expect of this book, but it was definitely different from anything else I have read. While it mostly follows Theo's point of view, we see from some other characters as well, including posts to a conspiracy theory website. The book seemed to have 3 distinct parts to it, at least for me: Theo working on her first book in hopes of becoming a successful author, mentored by famous author Dan Murdoch; the events following Dan's murder; and Theo's disappearance. Along the way we meet a whole cast of characters, some of which are quite interesting. The story takes some unexpected turns, though there were some parts to this puzzle that I pieced together on my own long before they were revealed. The book is written well with great descriptions, but at times it felt like the story was moving too slow for me, especially in the middle part. I typically read mystery books that are more of a thriller, so I tend to prefer a faster pace. There were also some elements that felt unresolved or left me feeling a bit confused. In the end, I could see this being a book that would be loved by the right reader, but for me it was a bit too drawn out.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the free advance copy of The Mystery Writer. The opinions expressed in my review are completely my own.

Another great murder mystery by Sulari Gentill. Thrilling, riveting and suspenseful is how I would describe this book. Gentill keeps you on the edge of your seat while you try to figure out who did it and what is going on.

Fast paced and full of twists and turns, this book is very entertaining and gets you hooked from the get go.

I really enjoy Gentill’s writing. Her books are those I will read regardless of what it is about, and she never disappoints.

Thank you to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked all of these characters, but wasn't as big of a fan of the storyline around them. The age discrepancy between the young writer and her mentor wasn't great, so the book started off on an awkward note for me. It's a cosy, conspiracy novel, with ratcheting tension around the whodunnit of who killed her mentor. Weaving in the story of Theo and her brother Gus's past only serves to make them both look guilty, and Theo tries to prove their innocence with the help of Mac, an investigator pal of Gus'. Can she prove her innocence, is there a grand conspiracy afoot, and will it all come together in the end? I was definitely confused at times, and I'm not sure those parts served the purpose to which they were intended.. I'll keep reading Gentile's novel's, as they are never boring...

Interesting premise but slow moving at the intro. Overall, good read but took a while to get interested in plot and characters.