The night before graduation, seven students gather for an all night ritual in the basement of a rare books library on their campus. Those who take part in the Greek tradition will no longer fear death. At a time when the students are about to embark on their unknown futures, the ritual seems fitting.
Except shortly after the lights go out, the first body drops. Trapped in a locked basement until sunrise, the students all turn on one another trying to identify the killer.

That Night in the Library is a twisty locked room thriller with a mix of Hunger Games. Alliances are formed and betrayed and everyone is in testing the limits of their own will to survive.

The night before graduation, seven students hide in the basement of the library to perform a Greek ritual. What was supposed to be a night of debauchery and fun quickly turns for the worse when the lights go out and one of their own dies.

I expected more dark academia, less drama. I imagined this premise would lead to backstabbing (literally) and mistrust, but a of the issues felt high school and half-baked. My biggest issue was that all of the characters were so insufferable. There was not one that I liked which made it hard for me to get sucked into the story.

Thankfully, at least, the whodunnit element kept me reading.

Phenomenal cover and title, though.

I loved the description of this book and wanted so much to love. A cool murder mystery in a library... Unfortunately this feel too flat for me. The points of view changed but when in their chapter it was hard to remember who's it was. I think I needed more and chapters to set out as to who they are.

The classic setting of a locked room mystery, where you have to figure out who in the room is killing people. I found it tedious, and I wasn't sucked into this book at all.

This book will keep you uncomfortable and guessing through each page! I seriously was not prepared for the level of epicness of this suspenseful read! Pick this up!!!

The premise of this sounded good, but it just didn't deliver. Seven university students agree to a ritual in the library's basement after hours...and soon it becomes a murder. It's hard to develop any character depth a) with a cast that big and b) because the narration doesn't really lean into any omniscient structure because it could reveal the killer. As a result, the characters are just bodies and the whole "who-dun-it" element falls flat.

While not a great story for General Mystery readers, I do think this would be a good story for YA audiences.

Overall: 2 stars (It was fine)

I'll tell my students about: drugs, murder/violence/gore, language, alcohol, trauma, LGBTQ+

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

This book was not for me. I just could not relate to the characters, they were just unlikable. I had a hard time getting into it.

I had read and enjoyed the author’s previous book, so I was happy when I got the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. Although it is a clever mystery, I don’t think I am the target audience. I couldn’t relate to any of the characters or their behavior. I found it hard to believe that a group of very smart academics would have wanted to participate in the planned events for the night at the library, as well as how they behaved at the event. I also didn’t appreciate the blood and gore. It was quite a contrast from The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections.

I think some readers will really enjoy this book, however it just wasn’t for me. I had a hard time getting into the story and feeling invested in the characters. I did think the writing was well done and appreciated the short chapter length.

A modern whodunit set to a dark academia backdrop, The Night in the Library tells the story of seven university students who have been picked by an event organiser to try out an ancient ritual. As hedonism ignites, a death toll begins to skyrocket, leaving the remaining members of the group scrambling to keep their wits--and their heads--about them. While it's not necessarily anything new, The Night in the Library is a fun ride, until the very end.

I love reading locked room mysteries so this book was right up my street, the build up of suspense and tension kept it exciting for me.

3.5 stars

Eva Jurczyk’s That Night in the Library is a chilling literary mystery set in a university’s rare books library. Seven students perform an ancient Greek ritual, but when the lights go out, one of them dies. Trapped with a murderer, they rely on books for protection. While the premise is captivating, the execution occasionally falters. Multiple narrators add suspense, but some character development lacks depth. If you enjoy atmospheric mysteries, give this book a read.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a wonderful and enjoyable read!!!! I loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre. Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The premise is intriguing, the execution was a little disappointing. Seven young people are planning a night in the basement of William E Woodend Rare Books Library, the night before their graduation from a prestigious Vermont University. Davey, who works as a student assistant in the library whilst studying for his PhD is hoping to get a permanent position at the library. He has planned a ritual based on the Greek myth of Demeter and Persephone.
The young people are a mixed group of four young women and three young men. The ritual promises chanting, spirituality and drugs. The basement’s concrete, conveniently for the plot, blocked out all cellphone reception. The group were effectively locked in the basement together with no possible contact with the outside world until the library was opened up in the morning.
The pacing is uneven, the first quarter of the book introduces us to the various participants, the POV flits between them, some of the group take acid in place of the kykeon the ancient Greeks would have taken, but nothing much happens until one of the participants starts coughing up blood and the lights go out. This is a locked room whodunnit mystery with a few twists. Staging the book in Vermont with a group of pretentious students, gives the book that Secret History vibe but with more blood, it is fascinating which rare books prove the best at mopping up the copious amounts of blood spilled. The suspense and the paranoia build as the night wears on, the characters’ views are unreliable as most are under the influence of LSD.
The characters are well fleshed out but I wasn’t particularly invested in any one of them, and wasn’t bothered who died and who survived.
Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for this ARC! The views expressed are my own and I leave them voluntarily. That Night in the Library by Eva Jurczyk comes out on June 11, 2024.

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this one about 1/4 of the way through. When I read the synopsis, I was instantly intrigued and excited for this read, but it ended up being a bit too odd for me, with pretentious and unlikeable characters. I find it difficult to get into a book when I can’t connect with any of the characters (especially in stories like this one where there are so many characters, at least one should feel more relatable/likeable).

I liked the short nature of the chapters, making it a potentially quick read, but lost interest.

Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, & Eva Jurczyk for the free e-ARC in exchange for this honest review.

Delicious…
Seven students, a rare book library and a ritual. Seriously, what could possibly go wrong? Well, the lights go out for starters. When one of them drops down dead, and then the body count begins to rise, it becomes clear that they are trapped inside with a killer. Who will survive the night … and how? Heaving with Gothic atmospherics, a deftly drawn and credible cast and an undercurrent of menace this is a deliciously foreboding and transporting literary mystery with a wholly beguiling setting.

A group of students decide to hide in a rare book library for a ritual party. From the beginning, things don’t turn out the way they plan. When a member of the group dies, panic sets in and they find themselves turning against each other and not knowing who to trust. It was a fast read, and i liked hearing the story from the different narrators. But I had a hard time getting invested in the outcome.

I received an early copy through Netgalley, but all opinions are my own.

From the moment I cracked open "That Night in The Library," I was hooked. I finished within a day because I simply could not put the book down. This enthralling mystery kept me guessing until the very last page, weaving a web of intrigue that had me eagerly turning each page in search of answers. What sets this book apart is its masterful incorporation of Greek mythology, particularly the timeless tale of Persephone. The author seamlessly intertwines these mythic elements into the narrative, adding depth and resonance to the story's twists and turns.

The author's skillful storytelling keeps the reader on their toes, never quite sure who to trust or what to believe. With each revelation and twist, the true identity of the villain remains tantalizingly elusive, keeping readers guessing until the final reveal. It's a testament to the author's talent that they are able to maintain such a high level of suspense and tension throughout the narrative, keeping readers eagerly on the edge of their seats until the very last page.

In conclusion, "That Night in The Library" is a gripping tale of mystery and myth, expertly crafted to keep readers enthralled from beginning to end. With its clever references to Greek mythology, compelling characters, and relentless sense of suspense, it is a book that will linger in the mind long after the final chapter has been read.

I love a good whodunit book. Seven students who work at a prestigious library spend the night in there. Who survives?
It was a slow start, but about the middle of the book it starts picking up and turns into a quick read. There are quite a bit of twists and turns to make you think. Overall, good book!
I received this book from NetGalley.

This one kept me guessing until the very end.

A group of friends, strangers, and frenemies gather in the basement of their university’s library on the night before graduation. Among the rare books collection, they begin an ancient Greek ritual, but events quickly spiral into chaos when one of them drops dead. To top it off… they’re locked in the dark basement until morning comes, fighting to survive the night.

It was hard to get into this story. It starts off slowly, and the majority of the characters aren’t well developed. I also wish the ritual had been described better, as it was sort of glazed over. However, these faults lent themselves to an even more mysterious tone. I was truly terrified at points, and I didn’t figure it out until the very end.

Read if you’re looking for:
🎓dark academia
🔒locked-room mystery
🔪murder
📓unreliable narrators
👓multiple perspectives

3.75/5 ⭐️

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press (I love you.) & NetGalley for the arc. As always, opinions expressed here are entirely honest and my own.