'That Night in the Library' by Eva Jurczyk.
On the night before graduation, seven students gather in the basement of their university's rare books library. They're not allowed in the library after closing time, but it's the perfect place for the ritual they want to perform—one borrowed from the Greeks, said to free those who take part in it from the fear of death. And what better time to seek the wisdom of ancient gods than in the hours before they'll scatter in different directions to start their real lives?
But just a few minutes into their celebration, the lights go out—and one of them drops dead. As the body count rises, with nothing but the books to protect them, the group must figure out how to survive the night while trapped with a murderer.
One night locked in the library. What could go wrong?
I really wanted to love this book, the synopsis seemed right up my street. Overall the book was good but there wasn't really any likable characters in it apart from maybe Faye. I find it hard to really enjoy a book if I dislike most of the characters, so I think personally that's why I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to. Like I said though overall the book was good. I liked the murders, they were pretty gruesome and I liked the stuff about Demeter.
Thanks to NetGallery UK, the publishers and the author for letting me read the book in return for an honest review.

This was a mess. I think I understand what the author was trying to do, but they just couldn’t get there. The writing style felt a little pretentious, which was annoying to read and wouldn’t have been needed to be done if it was written better overall. There were so many characters with constantly changing POVs, it made the book difficult to follow, and it didn’t take me long to realize I didn’t care about any of them. I feel like this was trying to be an edgy Secret History/We Were Villains type story, but it was actually a little cringe. Maybe it was trying to be camp and I just wasn’t getting it. Also having a very blatant Ariana Grande reference in one of the opening chapters felt super random and just took me out of the book and I really hated it.

ARC provided by NetGalley

"One night locked in the library. What could go wrong?"

This is a locked room mystery and I absolutely loved it. A group of students gather for a "party" in the library's basement the night before graduation. Things quickly go awry and bodies start piling up.

I really enjoyed the fast-paced writing style and the distinct personalities of the characters. There are seven main characters and multiple POVs, but it never felt like too much to keep track of. Davey was so easy to dislike but it was very interesting being inside his head. I found myself rooting for Faye, frustrated with Soraya, and waiting for Kip to get what's coming to him. As a librarian I really enjoyed the setting being in a rare books library and learning some things about the history of the books and how they're handled.

Jurczyk's writing is witty and humorous. The reason behind the mystery literally made me laugh out loud and everything ended so abruptly that you can't help but laugh. I'll definitely be reading more from this author.

Anyone who likes locked room mysteries should read this.

This read a bit like a B-movie to me. I really had difficulty getting into it and the multiple POVs really got challenging after a while. Overall, this one was just okay. The idea of doing drugs to complete an ancient Greek ritual didn't titilate me like the premise of the book made it seem. I found myself bored often and the little bit of action only held my attention for so long before it went back to being bland again.

Thanks NetGalley and Poisoned Pen for this ARC.

I'm not going to finish this book . Honestly, I don't care who killed who and what happened. I wanted to like this book. It does remind me of The Cloisters, but sadly that's not necessarily a compliment. I don't like the characters - they have no depth - just caricatures of people. And the fact that it all appears to be blamed on wanting to participate in a ritual which we know nothing about and it involves drugs so everyone goes a bit crazy.... Not compelling at all.

I enjoyed the level of suspense in this story and did not anticipate the reveal. I also really liked the author's delving into each character's back story so you knew why they were reacting to the situation as they did and I also felt they represented an interesting mix of personalities, social prejudices, etc. I would recommend the book to readers who like "escape room" or "locked room" mysteries. It's a quick read.

The library staff go crazy when locked in overnight. No one is innocent. Everyone is forced to rethink their relationships.

Seven college students in a locked room murder mystery set in a library sounds like a book I would love but this was disappointing. This book struggled primarily with pacing. I found the first 60% to be very slow and at times I was bored and waiting for something to happen. I also didn’t care about any of the characters other than Ro. I thought the rest were either unlikeable and/or underdeveloped. I did like the ending though. Thank you netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this arc in exchange for my honest review and opinions.

Readers who enjoyed the book (or movie) the Hole where a group of teenagers lock themselves into a cellar in their school will find the premise of the book familiar. A group of graduate students plan to hold a ritual just before their graduation in the rare book archives in the basement of the library where they work. The plan seems simple enough, light some candles, make up a chant and trip on acid. Until one of them starts choking on their own blood and dies terribly in front of the group. Only one thing is certain - no one else is in that basement, so one of them must be the killer. Readers will be swept along with the fast pace of this gory ride and wondering along with the shifting narrative which narrator to believe and which of them is the killer. As the night goes along motives are revealed and friends are divided, who will survive until morning? A twisty, gory ride for fans of thrillers.

This was fantastic. I loved every second and couldn’t put it down. This kept me guessing until the very end. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

“That night in the library” is a locked door thriller that follows seven students who break the rules and sneak into the university’s rare books library after closing hours on the eve of graduation. The group selection is small and specific, Some of them are students, library employees and others and plus one invites.

The intention is to perform a Greek ritual, however things go badly wrong when one of the group mysteriously dies and the rest are left to fend for themselves against an unknown murderer whilst being trapped inside with no way out.

There is multiple deaths, lots of suspicions and paranoia, multiple POV for each of the characters.

What I liked;
The setting taking place in the library was different, especially including all the old rare books elevating that mythical mystery aspect.

What didn’t work for me:
The overall plot had potential but I had a difficult time connecting with the characters.

Thank you to Poisened Pen Press, Eva Jurczyk and NetGalley for the EARC!

Publish date; June 11th

Very good book!! Enjoyed reading this book. I have never read a book by this author so wasn't sure what to expect. This book was worth it!!

I'm sorry, I'm not going to finish this one, it is not for me. I made it about 55 pages, but I could not connect with any of these characters. I could not understand the premise. Why would anyone agree to this mysterious ritual? Especially when 3 of the people in the group are hoping to earn a full time job in the library after graduation? So they decide to break the rules the night before the decision is made? Doing psychedelics in the basement? Also, this is a short book, it should not take this long in a murder mystery for the actual murder to take place. I hate giving up on books but I was struggling too much with this one.

That Night in the Library is a mystery thriller set in a rare book library of a university, where seven students gather for a ritual that goes awry when one of them dies!

The plot of the story follows the remaining six characters as fear and suspicion take over, leading to a series of deaths and increasing paranoia. The book executes a contemporary twist on the locked room mystery trope. The resolution may not be entirely convincing, but the fast-paced mystery with believable young characters and the intriguing library setting make for an engaging read.

The story unfolds through multiple points of view, with the characters facing escalating tensions and blame as they navigate the aftermath of the deaths. The focus of the story lies more on the mystery and the thrill of social pressure rather than the ritual itself, keeping me intrigued until the final page.

However, while the premise shows promise, some aspects of the execution, such as uneven pacing and underdeveloped explanations, kind of left me feeling the story is somewhat lacking in depth.

Overall, this book offers a mix of suspense and intrigue, with a twist at the end that may divide opinions. Despite some pacing issues and a somewhat underwhelming execution, the novel provides a relatively short and entertaining read, particularly for those interested in stories involving college students in intense situations.

That Night in the Library was my first book by this author and although I didn't completely got taken with it, it definitely won't be my last from this author as I see lots of potential!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending the arc!

Seven university students plan to spend the night in the basement of a rare books library to perform a ritual said to take away their fear of death. When one of them ends up dead, nobody is sure who the killer is and who will be next - and they have been accidentally locked in until morning. The fight to stay alive - and figure out who to trust begins as the body count rises.

This was only an okay read for me. I found myself bored at times - it didn't make sense to me why these students wouldn't trust one another so quickly and parts of it just seemed too unrealistic, even for a horror novel. I like thrillers, but felt this was more of a horror novel - too much blood and guts and not enough of a real story to bring it all together. It is well written - it just may not be my cup of tea.

I had high hopes for "That Night in the Library", unfortunately, the book failed to meet my expectations. The whole setup seemed wicked cool – a bunch of seniors sneaking into a rare books library for some ancient ritual? Sign me up! But when I finally cracked it open, man, was I disappointed.

Let's talk characters. Honestly, I couldn't relate to any of them. Like, who acts like that in real life? They were either too over-the-top or just plain boring. And the way they talked to each other? It felt like the author was trying way too hard to make them seem edgy and cool, but it just came off as forced.

And the plot? Don't even get me started. There were numerous points throughout the book where I found myself so confused. Like, there were so many twists and turns that it made my head spin. And not in a good way, you feel me? Plus, some of the stuff that went down felt totally random, like the author was just throwing stuff at the wall to see what stuck.

I really wanted to love "That Night in the Library." I mean, the premise was killer, and the writing was decent enough. But between the cringy characters and the confusing plot, it just didn't hit the mark for me. Maybe it's just not my cup of tea.

Being a librarian I was very curious to read it. It was suspenseful and thrilling. I always said the books talk at night and now I believe it.

I'm so sad about this!

Thank you to the publisher for my arc.

I was so excited to read this but sadly it fell flat in the execution. I feel like if this was written in a different format such as first person. that this would read better. having it in third person makes the chapters seem very choppy and hard to get through.

That Night at the Library is everything you want in a thriller or mystery. It has dark academia, rituals, Greek mythology, interesting characters and dynamics all wrapped into one locked room. I could not put this down!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the early access in exchange for my honest review.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley.

On the cusp of graduation, seven students converge in the library's basement, drawn together by a clandestine ritual borrowed from ancient Greek lore, a ritual rumored to grant liberation from the shackles of mortality. As they gather to partake in this arcane ceremony, little do they know that their night of revelry will soon descend into a harrowing battle for survival.

The allure of the premise is undeniable, I'm a sucker for stories that intertwine the mystique of libraries with the suspense of a locked-room mystery. However, even a quarter of the way into the story, the pace remains slow.

Moreover, the characters left much to be desired. They lacked depth and nuance, coming across as mere caricatures rather than fully fleshed-out individuals. It's difficult to muster empathy in their plight when they themselves feel dispassionate and uninspired. Their interactions felt contrived and forced, lacking the authenticity that would have lent credence to their predicament.

While the book held the promise of an enthralling literary mystery, it ultimately fell short of expectations.