Bookish mysteries make me feel all cozy! This was no exception. My first from Sulari and I desire more. The content had me fast paced reading until the end! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Great cover as well.

what a great book. Well written story with those twists. I enjoyed it so much that its a book you will want to go back and reread it again...a bit slower and enjoy every minute. would recommend you read this book when it is published.

I found immense pleasure in immersing myself within the pages of this book, effortlessly completing it within a mere few days. The narrative's captivating and accessible nature, coupled with its subtly sophisticated prose, greatly contributed to my reading experience.

The central character, Theo, undoubtedly captured my affections with her endearing qualities, her portrayal so finely etched that it was as if I had formed a personal connection with her. Her decision to abandon her law studies in pursuit of her true passion for novel writing lent an air of authenticity to her journey. Seeking refuge at her brother Gus's abode during this transitional phase added a layer of complexity due to their shared family obligation. The resultant tension from this familial pact, combined with Theo's courageous dive into her writing pursuits, evoked both empathy and satisfaction.

While Theo penned her novel within the confines of a cafe, her awareness was drawn towards another frequent occupant, the author Dan, with whom an unexpected companionship blossomed. The subsequent revelation of his fame, only after his tragic demise, added an intriguing twist to the narrative. Theo's plunge into an alarming and violent ordeal following Dan's murder heightened the stakes, engaging me further.

The author's skillful craft in shaping Theo into a multi-dimensional character resonated deeply. The portrayal of her past trauma, handled with grace and subtlety, stood out. Gus's protective stance, stemming from a place of genuine concern, was masterfully portrayed without veering into melodrama. Theo's inner turmoil, questioning her role in her past trauma, was heartrending yet relatable.

Gus and his companion Mac both emerged as authentic and compelling characters, their dynamics seamlessly interwoven into the story. The glimpses into Mac's eccentric family added a touch of whimsy that I thoroughly enjoyed.

The narrative's twists and turns, punctuated by moments of anguish during Theo and Gus's separation, drove the plot forward with riveting momentum. The author's adeptness in weaving parallel plot threads that eventually coalesce added an extra layer of intrigue to the narrative tapestry.

Despite being a novice to this author's works, this book has undeniably sparked my curiosity, propelling me to explore her other offerings, particularly her standalone mystery novels. Without reservation, I wholeheartedly endorse this book to fellow readers seeking an enthralling literary journey.

3.5 stars for me, rounded up to 4 for the writing!

This was a super compelling read. Read it in three days or less. I loved the first half of this book. Theo, Mac, and Gus are unique characters and probably the best part of the book for me. The horse is also excellent. I enjoyed the camaraderie between those four.

Now, on what I liked less, the last second part to me felt less strong. 80% in, I was just desperate to get it over with-- -the time jump, although I see why it was needed, didn't click for me.

That said, the author is mega-talented, and I wouldn't hesitate to read another of her books.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and finished it within a few days. It's so readable and engaging, and feels well-written in a sort of understated, effortless way.

The main character, Theo, is very likeable and is written in such a way that I really felt like I knew her personally. She's quit her law course because what she really wants to do is write novels, and has turned up at her brother Gus's house to see if she can stay with him during the transition. There's a complication with quitting her course because they are both involved in a family agreement to do it, so there's quite a bit of stress about this. However, Theo gets started writing and seems to be happy.

Over the course of writing her novel in a cafe, she becomes aware of another author who writes there, Dan, and strikes up a friendship, only later realising that he's actually quite famous. But when Dan is murdered, Theo finds herself sucked into a very frightening and violent situation.

I liked how the author has created Theo as a very believable and rounded character. She's previously suffered sexual assault and I thought the way this was described, and the response of her brother Gus to be overprotective of Theo, was very well done. It isn't written in an over the top or melodramatic way. And it's slightly heartbreaking but all too familiar when she has times when she wonders if she is somehow to blame.

Gus is a great character too, again very believable, along with his friend Mac. I also enjoyed the descriptions of Mac's slightly wacky family.

It's a great plot with lots of twists and turns, including some very anguished parts where Theo and Gus are separated. The writer introduces different elements of the plot simultaneously before bringing them together later, which makes for an interesting read.

I've never read anything by this author before but will now be looking at her other books, especially her standalone mystery novels. I definitely recommend this book.

The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill
Published by Poisoned Pen Press Coming out in 2024

Imagine a plot twisting a love story into murder into a world of espionage and conspiracy theories. Then sprinkle in some likeable protagonists, supportive friends, quirky survivalists as well as bohemian Aussie parents and you will understand the pull of “The Mystery Writer”.

The story centers on Theodosia Benton, her brother Gus and Ben’s friend Mac. Theo, a naive aspiring author, has a sad history with abusive men until she meets Dan Murdoch. Murdoch, a reclusive accomplished author hiding out in Lawrence KS, becomes Theo’s mentor and lover until he is violently murdered. The story continues as other individuals linked to Theo are murdered, making her the police’s sole suspect.

Sulai Gentill had a deft hand with the prose of this book. The writing was exciting and the characters came alive on the page. I generally enjoyed the pace of the book; the beginning and the end had me enthralled and, even though the middle section bogged down a bit, it did not stop me from jumping headfirst into the end. I am eagerly looking forward to reading other of her books.

I was impressed with the growth Theo showed throughout the book. I didn't expect the plot twists and turns that showed up. Definitely a conspiracy theory I would never have thought of!

Going into this book, I had such high hopes but for some reason, I really struggled and had to DNF. I understand with it being an advanced readers copy not all edits have been made, but I had a hard time following along with the dialogue. Overall I do feel like it was giving cozy mystery vibes that I know would appeal to someone. Unfortunately it just wasn’t for me.

Theo leaves Australia-and law school-to end up in rural Kansas with her brother, Gus, and his friends, Mac and Jacqui. As Theo engages to write her first novel, she's swept up in small town life....and then multiple murders.

Gentill created likeable, realistic characters that made the reader easily wants to follow. The easy writing style was description, but not overwhelming. The plot constantly incorporated subtle clues with new information. While the ended was pretty evident early on, the plot continues to kept me invested and racing towards the end.

Elements of family dynamics, social media use, public persona vs privacy issues, seeds of corruption, etc were all well-woven into the story to create depth without drowning the audience. Even though this is a General Fiction, I think advanced teenage readers would definitely enjoy it.

My only "complaint" is how quickly the ending reached its conclusion. I'll be on the lookout for more Sulari Gentill books in the future!

Overall: 4.5 stars

I'll tell my students about: alcohol, language, trauma/death, violence, sex, stalking, sexual abuse

**Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the free ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.**

A woman wanting to write a novel quits college and shows up at her brother's house. She finds a cafe to write in, and meets another writer there. They get to know each other. She then finds him dead when she goes to visit, which begins the rest of the story.

I absolutely adored the Woman in the Library, so had really high hopes for this book as well. I enjoyed but not nearly as much as the other. That said, it was still ab entertaining and twisting ride.

I was so excited to receive this book. I got confused early on by the introduction of a chat room
Conversation that led me to believe this was more fantasy or sci-fi related. so I put the book aside thinking perhaps I wasn’t in the right mood. The premise was wild if there was a defined premise and having an Australian author set a mystery in Lawrence KS -shall I say was too bad for Lawrence KS because every stereotype was thrown at Lawrence and KS for that matter. I thoroughly enjoyed the book set in Boston however this title with its emphasis on survivalists and conspiracy theories and a dystopian, well I can’t finish that thought because that would give away more of the book. Not a fan-at all. Not recommended.

I’m a mystery lover, a British police procedural lover, not a conspiracy theory lover, or so I thought until I was given an advance reader’s copy of this book by NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press. Because I had so enjoyed the authors last book and the different way the story was told I decided to keep going after the first chapter opens with an online prepper watching “The Shield growing, strengthening”, and I’m so glad I did. Aussie Theo has dropped out of law school and come to Lawrence, Kansas, surprising her attorney older brother. Gus warmly invites her to stay with him and his huge dog, Horse, while she works on her novel. Meeting a famous author who befriends and mentors her draws her into a life that quickly spins out of control, taking her brother and his friend Mac along for the ride. The trust and love between the three of them was so evident and believable as they try to work out what is happening. Mac’s wild family, and Theo and Gus’s childhood as ‘ferals’ in Tasmania add to the story line, which had twists and turns that kept me reading nonstop. Definitely a must read, this was such a well written story in a smaller town you can picture through the vivid writing. Another out of the box mystery by Sulari Gentill.

I absolutely loved Sulari Gentill’s last mystery thriller, The Woman in the Library, which was one of my favourite books of 2022 – so when an opportunity to read this latest stand-alone release was presented, I immediately jumped onto it. In short, this book was a difficult one for me. On one hand, the the conception of the central plot and certain devices the author uses (e.g., opening each chapter with a chat room post) is novel, well executed and adds suspense and backstory to the book; but on the other hand, the plot devolved into incredulity (particularly in the last 1/3 of the book) and a couple plot choices in the latter half of the book demolished what suspense/tension the book had built up.

The plot revolves around an aspiring author, Theo, who leaves her law degree at an Australian university and moves to the US to live with her lawyer brother whilst she writes her debut novel (an alternative career she has long craved). It is during this time that she befriends a famous but mysterious writer (an older man) who becomes a mentor, confidant, and – inevitably – a lover. When he is subsequently brutally murdered, Theo and those she loves become prime suspects. They attempt to uncover the truth behind the murder, efforts which thrust them all into a corrupt literary world where manipulation of image, and voice is used as a tool of control.

As I mentioned, this was a polarizing book for me. I enjoyed the originality of the plot concept, which touches on topical issues today. The execution did not hit the mark for me however. There were too many moving parts to this plot, which meandered and looped through some unnecessary detours in my opinion. There are also several examples late in the novel where I lost track of what was going on as the narrative switched rapidly between characters. Worst of all for me is that there is, late in the novel, a fast-forward of several years in the story. This was presented so unexpectedly that it really detracted from the suspense/momentum building, and it was at this point that the book lost me. The book is worth a read, but for me did not quite do it, especially compared to other books Sulari has written. 3.5/5 stars, rounded down. This book is due for release in March 2024. Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a great follow-up book from Sulari Gentill. It is a suspenseful, offbeat literary mystery and just a plain good story. At this point I would read most anything Gentill writes. Recommended for book and mystery lovers. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I would like to thank NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Theodosia Benton, what have you gotten yourself into?? First time aspiring writer Theo Benton traveled from her Aussie home to Lawrence, Kansas to start over. Becoming a lawyer no longer appealed to her, but writing did. After several shared glances with another writer at a local bar, Theo and Dan strike up an easy camaraderie, and eventually become more than friends as they continue work on their respective novels. When Theo goes to invite Dan to dinner so he can meet her brother, Gus, Theo walks in to find Dan murdered on his kitchen floor. As the bodies in this small town begin to pile up, and the police have no other suspects, Theo, Gus, and their PI friend Mac are put in danger time and time again. Who is targeting writers in Kansas?

I asked myself so many times while reading The Mystery Writer, "what is going on here??!!" I kept returning my focus to one character in particular, but there were revelations I was not prepared for. This book had just enough twists to hold my interest for the long haul. The ending was satisfying, and really tied right back in to where it all began.

Thank heaven for Sulari Gentill. In a murky world of mediocre writing, she is a breath of fresh air; one of those authors who allows the reader to sink right into her world. (And one who makes me remember what good writing is.)

This book was bonkers but in the best way! I really enjoyed this tale about a young woman who wants to be published and all the ensuing chaos (and conspiracy theories!) as her [redacted] is murdered. There’s an underground bunker, a shady literary agent, a weird dog, a private eye named Mac, and a manuscript about ghosts– if you’re looking for a unique contemporary murder mystery, “The Mystery Writer” has everything.

My first from Sulari Gentill and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. I will say that it took me couple of days to really get into the story as it was a bit of a slow burn but once I was hooked… I was HOOKED. Everything about this book screams plots twists and who dun it’s 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?! I will definitely pick up another novel from this talented author.

I was eagerly awaiting Gentill's next book, as I thoroughly enjoyed The Woman in the Library, but this did not work for me. It was okay, and I'd rate it a 2, if it weren't for the rampant Goodreads inflation and my general reticence to rate anything low, given that I know how hard it is to write a book in the first place and it's obvious that this wasn't a result of a lack of trying. I struggled the entire time to connect to the characters and to the Q-Anon-inspired plot, but the biggest disappointment was in the dialogue, particularly in the first half. Were it not for the positive reviews, I'd have stopped reading at the point when we're introduced to the P.I.'s conspiracy theorist/doomsday prepper family. The dialogue in those scenes feels like a completely different, much more novice, writer. But the book does get much better after that point, and I did appreciate that the premise is unique.