When Theodosia Benton shows up on her big brother’s doorstep with some luggage and an idea for a novel, she’s sure of two things: she no longer wants to be a lawyer, and Gus will always have her back. A chance encounter at Benders, a local watering hole, introduces Theo to a famous writer, who takes her under his wing - and perhaps into his heart.

Just when Theo is at her happiest - contemplating her developing relationship and invigorated by her newly finished draft - things begin to unravel. Theo is drawn into a web of lies, conspiracy, and murder.

The novel shows its hand early in the story. This isn’t necessarily a drawback; letting the reader in on secrets that the characters haven’t quite figured out can add tension and increase suspense. However, the novel treated some of its more predictable plot points as unexpected twists, which impacted the story’s pacing. In the last quarter of the novel, the action winds down for a great deal of exposition about the characters’ pasts, the events surrounding a 2-year time jump, and the motivations and methods of the primary antagonists.

Despite the pacing in the final fourth of the book, the central conspiracy was compelling, the characters were varied and believable, and I really enjoyed the meta commentary on the publishing industry. As an American, I also appreciated the Australian perspective on American culture and gun laws. (Both the author and the protagonist are Australian.) Readers who love books about books, red herrings, and intricate conspiracy theories will likely enjoy this literary thriller. Overall, an enjoyable, layered mystery with well-developed, believable characters.

Thank you to Sulari Gentill, Net Galley, and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with a digital advanced reader copy of this book. I look forward to reading more of Gentile’s work in the future (and to exploring her back catalogue)!

I really wanted to like this book and I did for the first maybe 40% but then everything went off the rails. I'm not sure how the timeline started jumping by months and then years so quickly when everything had been in the same time period initially. Then we are dealing with some type of super spy Tom Cruise "Mission Impossible" type shenanigans where there is multiple conspiracy theories, cults, authors working as spies and assassins, not to mention the crazy Doomsday preppers. I mean, what didn't this book have?? Towards the end we also have some really bad editing, as the different points of views were not clearly separated at all from paragraph to paragraph. It seemed rushed and like the author wasn't even sure where the ending was going and so was just throwing everything out there to see what would stick. This could've been a really good and interesting story with a twist, but it just fell incredibly short of the goal.

Realizing that law school is not for her, Theodosia takes a flight to the US to surprise her big brother Gus,who is a partner in a law firm. As Theo decides if her wish to become a published author is really something within her grasp, she meets a fellow author at a local pub. As her relationship with this author develops, she finds that he is keeping secrets that he claims his publisher insists upon. Wanting to be published by the same publishing house, Theo wants to know why her friend won't recommend her to his agent. When he fails to show up at their pub, she goes to his home only to discover that he's been murdered. As the story of the murder/suspects and motives unfolds, readers are given an inside look at an underground conspiracy webpage/blog which claims that the deceased author was going to produce their perfect manifesto. However, the manuscript is missing and so the followers rally to find the murderer--only to pin the blame on Theo. As bodies start to pile up, Theo and Gus find themselves being hunted by more than one group either seeking the truth or wanting to cover it up. The publisher is all powerful and controlling of the lives of its authors and this leads to some extreme measures being taken by them to keep their secrets safe. Some quirky secondary characters add to the story nicely. I found it a bit slow at the start, but it picked up the pace about a third of the way in and I found the rest of the story enjoyable.

This book started out very well, and I was immediately drawn in to the interesting storyline and character development. Then the final 1/3 of the book kicked in and the whole thing decended into absolute nonsensical chaos. The timeline is completely thrown out the window, where one sentence is 3 months later, the next is 5 1/2 months, and the next is 3 years. What?!?! And there's no clear dilineation. We're dealing with conspiracy theories, right-wing politics, Tasmanian cults, writers who are assassins for hire, Homeland Security secret prisons, high speed chases, doomsday preppers, love at first sight...this book really does attempt to cover every conceivable base.
I feel like the book might still be in the editing stages because the storyline starts crossing over itself, across character perspectives, sometimes within the same paragraph. It all becomes a confusing action-adventure mess that sloppily ties up a bunch of ends no one even knew were loose. Add in a couple of love stories that are thrown in as an afterthought and this is what you're left with.

Maybe the author was pressed with meeting a last minute deadline and scrambled to finish. I sincerely hope that is the case. Either way, I won't be reading anything from this author again. Fool me once...

My first time reading a Sulari Gentill gook and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. I did enjoy the book and will read others by her. It did take me couple of days to really get into the story as it was a bit of a slow burn but once I did. really enjoyed it and was not wanting to stop reading it. Everything about this book screams plots twists and who is the killer and I couldn’t get enough. Every time I thought I had something figured out, I was wrong! Who knew a story about a law student turned writer could be turned into a great thriller?

As a reader and wish I could put my pen to typing, this story had the twists and turns I find enjoyable. I like to continue guessing as the page turns. Thanks for the ride. The characters are developed in pieces, which leave you to guess what else is there. Made me connect. The theories made me smile and laugh at a few thoughts. Reminded me of a touch of CSI and Law & Order.

I just reviewed The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill. #mysterywriter #NetGalley

This was different. I love conspiracy theory stuff in fiction because it’s based so strongly in possibly conceptual truths.

When Theo abandons her law career path and turns to her brother for a place to stay, she decides that her unfinished novel is what she wants. So, she spends time in a coffee shop “writing”… There she meets Dan, a well known writer working in a manuscript of his own. The two form a swift friendship, which quickly turns romantic.

But, when Dan is found dead and his manuscript missing, things become stranger and stranger. Theo knows that she needs to learn more about Dan and is determined to do so.

This was good. I enjoyed the characters and the plot, but there was something missing for me, something that kept me from fully engaging with the story. It was a fun and interesting take on the rich and powerful and how far the reach goes.

Sadly, I'm giving this a rating of 2.5 and rounding out up to a 3. I really enjoyed The Woman in the Library, so I had high hopes for this book and was thrilled to pick up another book by the same author. It initially started off well but then it got jumbled Yu and way too complicated. All of a sudden the genres became mixed up. It went from Mystery to like action thriller. I mean where did assassins fit into this. I made myself finish this book because I don't like to DNF a book. unfortunately, I did find myself skipping through parts that I found either confusing or not interesting. It's not a book I would recommend.

Overall, I enjoyed this book but sometimes the pacing felt a little slow and it dragged. The characters were great but sometimes there were elements that were so out there that I really had a hard time finishing this one. A majority of the storyline was revealed in the synopsis so there wasn't much beyond figuring out how everything tied together as it went. Some of the phrases were beautiful and Gentill has a clear mastery of their craft.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

With a title like "The Mystery Writer," a reader could be forgiven for anticipating a contemplative sort of book about the writing life. That is not what is on offer here.

Theodosia (Theo) Benton is a newly-minted writer who has an idea for a mystery novel. She is also fleeing law school and Australia and has ended up on her brother's porch in Lawrence, Kansas. Her brother, Augustus (Gus) Benton, is a partner in a law practice.

Gus takes her in, and wisely tells Theo she needs to have somewhere to go to work on her writing. How about a bar?

This works out well for Theo at first-- just not for the corpses that start piling up. And then not so well for Theo, who becomes a suspect.

"The Mystery Writer" is quite the page-turner. Several characters are not who or what they seem to be-- but which ones?

I enthusiastically recommend "The Mystery Writer," as well as the other Sulari Gentill book I've read, "The Woman in the Library."

Thank you to NetGalley for the Advance Reader's Copy of this book.

I really enjoyed the other book I read by Sulari Gentill and this one was no different. These books have a different quality about them that makes them very easy to read and make you think about them after you put them down. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone!

This was a slow burn read for me. It was fast paced as I'd like a book but I hung in there because I really like the writing style, character development & plot besides it being on the slower side. Everything tied together nicely. Thank you

I had high expectations for this, and it started off pretty well. I was amused by the Australian look at life in America. The promising start soon got bogged down with conspiracy theories, preppers, random violence, and it all didn't quite gel for me. The whole conspiracy theory angle didn't feel well-explained, and the changing POVs were a little shallow for me.

There is enough to keep one's interest, and I can see that many people loved all the different angles here. I just wasn't one of them.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being offered freely.

Intriguing mystery about how our personal stories can ensnare us in lies and deception whether on social media or in our family. I loved the story within a story format that the author uses to help increase the suspense. It can be a bit confusing but I dive in with a sense of humor and intrigue. Theo comes to live with her brother Gus in Lawrence, KS. They grew up in Australia but went to different high schools and colleges. Theo drops out of law school to become a writer. She meets Dan and falls for his charm and passion for writing. When she finds his dead body, all hell breaks loose for her and her brother. The author’s fans have a conspiracy theory about him and now Theo is their target. She must come up with a plan to avoid the killer and protect her brother. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this riveting book!

I found this book really intriguing. It’s been a while since I’ve read a mystery novel but I do have to say I feel proud of myself of still knowing how it was going to end pretty early on.

Theo leaves law school to become a writer and flees to her brother, Gus’, place. Theo meets Dan, an acclaimed author, who she slowly falls in love with after writing together. Unfortunately, this murder mystery starts with Dan. Theo, Gus, and their PI friend, Mac, work together to find out as much information as they can. Several plot twists and some pretty out there things occur that tie a lot together.

I think some of the jumps towards the end of the book could have been explained a little better but I also felt like the ending was a bit rushed. There were also some loose ends that I dont’t think were really covered, but that’s ok. Overall, I think this was a good story and it helped me get back into the world of mysteries. It sounds like there could also be a sequel to this book which could be pretty cool.

I received an eARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Rating 2.5

I enjoyed The Woman in the Library so I was excited to pick up this one from the same author. It started well but then it got too complicated. I felt like I was reading an action movie script... with incredible plots of "assassins" and power. I'm very curious about what other people think... I finished it because I didn't have anything else to do otherwise I would have DNF it unfortunately.

The mystery and writing were excellent, but I was a bit confused throughout most of the book. This is one that I will need to come and re-read at a later time and give another try.

Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I heard really great things about Gentill’s precious books, so when I saw this one I knew I needed to read it. It’s not per se that this book was bad, I just wasn’t compelled to read it and struggled to pick it up. I wasn’t invested in the characters and didn’t care to find out what happened. This one very much gave me the same vibes as Yellowface which unfortunately I found a let down as well.

The ending was very unbelievable and just a lot. Here’s to hoping others enjoyed it more than me!

Thank you to Netgalley & Poison Pen Press for the opportunity to read this ARC. I do enjoy and appreciate all the books I have the opportunity to read, even if they aren’t for me!

I enjoyed this book at first, but halfway through, I got tired of all the conspiracies and all the back and forth. I did like the story overall. I would try this author again.

This enticing, clever mystery has multiple twists and turns that never cease. It is a difficult to put down because of the fast and compelling plot.

Theodosia Benton is arduously working on a novel, her first, and slowly becomes friends with Dan, a well-known, respected, mysterious author. Then the relationship becomes more than just a friendship. When Dan is found murdered, Theo's brother, Gus, a well-known, successful lawyer, is accused of Dan's death, and confusion reigns. The years go by, and questions dominate the book.

Gentill's writing is skillful and her plot making is brilliant. The secrets of every character add suspense and accusations that persist until the very end of the book. Mystery readers everywhere will love this book.

Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book.