Oh man, I'm a little conflicted here. I read Gentill's "The Woman in the Library" and "The Mystery Writer" back to back. I gave "The Woman in the Library" 4 stars. I think I'll land on giving this one 4 stars as well with the note that there are some issues that would definitely make this a lower rating (which I'll touch on later) if I didn't just someone get sucked in and had a really good time anyway.

The Mystery Writer follows Theodosia Benton, failed Aussie law student turned aspiring writer, as she starts over in the U.S. with the help of her brother, Gus. She meets a highly successful author at a cafe who becomes a mentor to Theo. When he is brutally murdered and both Theo and her brother come under suspicion by the police, Theo is thrust into a dangerous search for the true killer.

The Iffy: Both of the novels I've read from Gentill use mixed media. I think it was used really well in "The Woman in the Library," but it almost seemed like there wasn't enough in "The Mystery Writer" to truly make an impact. I wanted more. Next, Theo is insufferable. She makes the craziest choices and is just so naive. Finally, the ending was very OTT. Like...just wild.

The Good: I liked a lot of the other characters a lot. I didn't expect to be drawn in to a story that utilizes a lot of current issues and leans into conspiracy theories, but here we are. The preppers ended up being a highlight of this novel for me. The OTT ending worked for me for some reason - like it was just so out there that I found it kind of fun.

Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a digital arc. All opinions are my own.

DNF. When I requested I was in the mood for a read like this, but it didn't catch my attention when I started it.

I've enjoyed Sulari Gentil's books in the past, but The Mystery Writer is not a good fit for me. The heroine is teary and insecure, conspiracy theorists abound, and the constant gun warnings are feeling preachy. I hope this was just a one-off mismatch!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

After reading The Woman in the Library, by Sulari Gentil, it did not surprise me at all that The Mystery Writer was a rollercoaster of a read from start to finish. Every single time I thought I had a handle on what I was reading, something else would happen that left my mind spinning in an entirely new direction. The unexpectedness of the story and the progression of the story led to a unique reading experience that had me eating up page after page.

It was interesting to watch the development of the story unfold, thanks to the switching of POV’s every once in a while. There was just enough change that it had me doubting everything I thought I knew. While I thoroughly enjoyed the different POV’s it was jarring from time to time to be yanked out of one perspective and into another. The jarring nature of those changes emphasized the tension as the mystery unfolded, but again, could be a bit jarring.

The main character, Theodosia, was a rare character who started the story as an unlikable, difficult to understand protagonist, to a young woman who’s trauma developed throughout the story leaving her sympathetic and much more understandable to readers. Her relationship with her brother and his protective nature gave me something to root for. Their relationship became fully formed as the story went on and each character's backstory became more fleshed out little by little. It was a little frustrating to get tiny little hints at the trauma that had unfolded in their lives, but took so long to get the full stories.

There are so many layers to this book and an seemingly unending number of conspiracies. It was such an interesting take on the world of publishing and the hidden influences within the world that it was very hard to put down. It was a crazy hole that the only way to find out the truth was to immerse myself fully until the end.

⅘ stars for this incredibly wild ride.

Please be aware of the heavy topics that this book deals with. Please check trigger warnings if necessary.

Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

ALC from pub
This book started so strong. I was invested in Theo and what she was doing with her life after leaving law school. I always enjoy a story with an author plot line and I felt like this is what really got me invested, especially after she met another author. I knew from the synopsis that this other author would die. However, the parts that came after this murder started really strong, but fell apart for me by the end of the book. I think sometimes ending a mystery, especially with plot lines that are in this book that I don’t want to say and give away, can be tricky. I felt like the ending was too long and drawn out and convoluted, and it really impacted my enjoyment of the story. Overall, while this wasn’t my favorite, I would be open to reading this author again in the future.

This has an intriguing plot to get me hooked in the story. It is all about a conspiracy theory until it becomes true and real. This might be one of the books that makes you keep reading and I read a lot of those things in the past. The plot drags and it felt short as it was finished abruptly. The writing was inconsistent but it was fine. Also, there were a lot fonts so it was expe ted of the story but it was so vague and left unattended but it kept me going. This was such a love and hate one for me so I will say I may recommend it but not enough because I might forgot about this in a few days.

Thanks Netgalley for letting me read this in exchange of an honest review.

I don't want to say too much in this review and spoil the book for anyone, so I'll try to talk a little broadly.

I really wanted to love this one, but I think it would have worked better with a revised format. The book was written with a time jump about 3/4 of the way in. I think it would have been better to have a little faster pace at the beginning and put the time jump 1/4 of the way in, and then have the clues come out and work through the mystery from there, after one of the main characters goes missing. As written, the first 3/4 starts to drag, and the disappearance and time jump breathes life back into the story.

Very slow paced beginning, enjoyed the way it wrapped up.

The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill

It was certainly a thought-provoking whodunnit swirled with quirkiness - only an engaging author could evoke.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an E-ARC.

When Theo (Theodosia) Benton left school and a promising career in law, she could never imagine the twists and turns her life would take. From becoming a writer to finding her mentor brutally murdered, her life takes the shape of a novel. Will her carefully constructed house of cards collapse under the scrutiny?

This story had a premise to die for! A story about an aspiring writer getting caught up in a murder, what's not to love? Unfortunately, I didn't love it. The idea was clever and writing kept an engaging pace for the most part. However, the story suffered from pushing just how far a reader can suspend their disbelief. Sometimes simpler is better as this plot got convoluted. Gentill had to include several unnecessary twists and time jumps to get everything to line up, and it just didn't work for me this time. Great idea, poor execution.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all views expressed are my own.

The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill, author of the thriller The Woman In The Library has once again outdone herself in this new exciting, unpredictable and imaginative story. With so many elements for a terrific read...mystery, conspiracy, murder and disappearances, no one could ask for more in this psychological nail-biter.

Theodore (Theo) Benton has decided to give up a budding career as a lawyer and while still in law school she decides to drop out become a writer and lands on her brother Gus' doorstep armed with an almost completed manuscript. Gus, an attorney adores his sister and supports her decision.

So, Theo begins to write her novel in a diner, someplace away from Gus' apartment. There, she meets another writer, a bit famous who himself is trying finish his novel. He becomes a mentor to her of sorts and they grow close. But then Theo's life begins to unravel as he is found dead in his house, and she unfortunately is the person who found him. All she remembers is seeing a man run from the scene. She discovers the manuscript he was writing has disappeared.

Suddenly, she and her brother become unlikely suspects in this murder with Gus never even knowing the other writer. At the same time two unusual situations occur. First, a secret conspiracy group who believed the writer to somehow be the leader of their cult have decided Theo killed him and second, the publishing company which published the dead writer has informed Theo they would like to represent her and publish her novel.

But when more murders occur the police find evidence that Theo's brother Gus was the killer. Gus injured and, in the hospital, awakens to find Theo has confessed to the murders and disappeared. He knows neither of them did any such thing. He begins to search for her, but years pass and although he doesn't give up, he feels as if he will never find her.

Until suddenly someone gives Gus a book which is on the best seller list. As he reads it something seems familiar. The writing...could it be?

The Mystery Writer will keep you entertained and captivated as the story plays out and all the different worlds begin to collide into one unforeseen ending.

Thank you #NetGalley #PoisenedPenPress #SulariGentill #TheMysteryWriter for the advanced copy.

I read another book by Sulari Gentill that didn’t work for me, but that doesn’t mean I write the author off…and I’m glad I gave her another chance with The Mystery Writer. I love a good conspiracy novel and the mystery grew the more I read. Books about books add another level of interest.

Theodosia Benton left her career path as an attorney behind and came to the United States, showing up on her brother’s doorstep. She wants to be a writer, but she never anticipated the path she would travel to become successful…and neither did I. I knew there was a conspiracy, but those behind it and the way it unraveled, took me by surprise.

The characters came from colorful backgrounds and I fell in love with Mac’s wacko family. Sure, they were off the charts, but when it comes to family, they have their backs.

“…genetic predispostion to lunacy…”

Theo’s instincts are correct when it comes to Veronica and Day Delos and Associates. To save her brother from being charged with murder, she takes drastic action. The pacing creates a tension that had me racing through the pages

I want to tell you so much, but I don’t want to spoil the twists and turns hinted at in the synopsis. I will tell you…if you love a conspiracy, a mystery that has you scratching your head, and some danger to keep the thrills coming, you might want to give The Mystery Writer by Suleri Gentill a read.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Mystery Writer: A Novel by Sulari Gentill.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com

A fun ride into the world of writing - characters to root for and enough clues to help you along the way. Would love a sequel!

I enjoyed this mystery. It had some good twists. This one messed up family. It was interesting, the characters were well written.

it was my first book by sulari gentill and I went in blind, which was the right decision! I really enjoyed this book and loved the way it was written and the mix of mystery and thriller aspects had me hooked from the start! I would definitely recommend it to everyone who likes a good mystery with plots and turns where you can't see the end coming!

(thank you netgalley for this arc-copy!)

After loving The Woman in the Library, I knew I would be reading all of Sulari Gentill's books going forward and was excited to dive into The Mystery Writer. I'm not sure why but for some reason, the conspiracy forums threw me off more than I would have liked, and I didn't love that facet of the storyline. There was also a lot going on with very little action until the end, and it left me very muddled about my feelings. The whole 'relationship' between Theodosia (Theo) and Dan felt very lacking as well, and I didn't really understand how she could fall in love with someone so quickly, even if he was her favorite author. Just a lot of things that didn't add up for me.

I did however really enjoy the audiobook and I thought Katherine Littrell did a fantastic job. She's definitely what kept me going, and if I had read this it may have been a DNF. I am making it sound like I enjoyed this book a lot less than I actually did, but I promise I didn't think it was all bad. It was interesting enough that I did want to find out how it would end, and I thought the plot was quite intricate and sharp. The elements used in the plot were what did me in eventually, and it was slow in random parts as well. I do not want this review to stop anyone from reading the book though, and if you are a fan of conspiracy theories and sketchy characters, I would definitely give it a shot.

I started this book on March 9, read for a day or two and then moved onto other books in my TBR. It's now May and I need to admit that I don't want to come back to this book.

The storytelling was very long winded and not much happens in the first quarter of the book. There was so much tell not show. I didn't enjoy all the subplot of the online forum with the conspiracy theories. I didn't make me curious about how that ties in with Theo, the murder, and Kansas. When I find myself rooting for the early exit of the main character in the book, it's time to quit the book. I felt the same way when reading Twilight.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the advance reader copy. I am required to disclose this by law.

I thought this was really well written and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I think it will find readers at our library, so we will definitely be purchasing for the collection.

THE MYSTERY WRITER was an interesting read, and a departure from the typical The premise was compelling and enjoyed the characters, but the plot was a little long-winded, and ultimately challenging to follow.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read and review THE MYSTERY WRITER.

Theodosia Benton leaves law school in Australia to move to the United States to live with her brother Gus. Gus has lived in the US for many years and is a successful lawyer. Only Theo has decided that she doesn’t want to go into law; she wants to be an author. Once settled in, she begins working on her novel, heading off each morning to work in a quiet tavern with several other writers. There, she meets Dan Murdoch, a highly regarded author of several best sellers. They become friends, and he goes out of his way to help her.

Murdoch’s latest book is about conspiracy theories. He won’t tell Theo the details, just the basic idea. When Theo finishes her book, he steps in to direct the manuscript to his literary agency. The agency is where I had to suspend belief, as I found it to be a holistic agency that controls everything in your life, very much a Mafia/strong-armed organization. I did have a real problem with that, and I felt that it gave much away.

I found the book highly entertaining. It’s mostly believable, but at times it does seem to go overboard. It focuses on those conspiracy theories I mentioned, on preppers, assumed identities, murders, and fugitive writers. There are also murders and child molestation worked into the story.

While I did enjoy this book, I found the convoluted ending to be predictable and strange; although, given the state of the world, they may be more realistic than I’d like to admit.

The Mystery Writer is an interesting and involving mystery that I recommend if you can suspend disbelief and take it all in with a grain of salt. I enjoyed the characters, especially Mac and his mother.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I thank all involved for their generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.

"The Mystery Writer" by Sulari Gentill is a captivating tale that keeps readers hooked from start to finish with its intriguing plot and suspenseful twists. Set against the backdrop of the writing world, Gentill crafts a narrative that keeps readers guessing as they eagerly turn the pages to uncover the truth.

One of the strengths of the book is its ability to keep readers engaged and wanting more. The story is filled with unexpected twists and turns that make it difficult to put down. With each new revelation, Gentill expertly ratchets up the tension, leaving readers desperate to see what happens next.

However, while the plot may be gripping, some readers may struggle to connect with the main character, Theo. Her naivety and seemingly unrealistic outlook on life may make her difficult to relate to for some readers. Despite her flaws, Theo's determination and tenacity shine through, making her a character worth rooting for, even if she does occasionally frustrate.

The ending of the book may also leave some readers feeling unsatisfied. As the story reaches its climax, a lot happens at once, and some may find the resolution to be a bit far-fetched. While the ending may not tie up all loose ends neatly, it does provide a satisfying conclusion to the story.

Overall, "The Mystery Writer" is an entertaining read that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very end. While it may have its flaws, the intriguing plot and engaging storytelling make it a book worth picking up for anyone who enjoys a good mystery.