I really liked the premise of a locked room thriller and that is what drew me in for this one. It was a decent read but I found it had a hard time keeping my attention. The book felt very chaotic. It had multiple perspectives and no one really knows whats going on as all hell breaks loose in this library basement and so I felt like there wasn't really anyone I could root for because I couldn't trust anyone. There are also incidents that happened that I feel would have had consequences in real life but they were just kind of brushed over. The ending had an interesting twist. This book would be good for academics that love thrillers since they quote a lot of academic books and refer to library installations and ancient literature.

Enjoyable read and something that will lure you in and keep you on your toes!


Though there was a little hesitation on the start of the real adventure making the pace of the storytelling a little bit slower than most books on its genre, when the action happened, it kept on rolling!

That Night in the Library is a literary thriller that isn’t quite what I expected. I went into it knowing that it’s literary, though in this case, I think the word “literary” is mostly being used to emphasize that the story has a slower pace, with a lot of character background and flashbacks. I think the poor reception for this book has to do with the fact that thrillers, in essence, are fast paced. They have a lot of twists in the plot, and they get the readers’ blood pumping with adrenaline. This book doesn’t quite do that, and as a result, it feels more like a suspense novel.

I enjoyed the build-up to the “night in the library,” as we got to know the characters and why they chose to participate in this peculiar and mysterious little ritual. That said, none of the characters are particularly likable. Because there are so many characters with complex backstories, it felt like we didn’t have the chance to dig deep into any of their motivations or personality quirks. At least, not enough to push past the unlikable characteristics to truly understand them.

There were some interesting twists in the plot, though the book does unfold exactly how you would expect. Despite the book’s general predictability, the final reveal at the very end gave me chills. The setting is fantastic–a library–and because the story is touted as literary, we do get quite a bit of interesting historical information sprinkled throughout.

All in all, this book was entertaining, despite its slower pace and unlikable characters.

"That Night in the Library" by Eva Jurczyk promises an intriguing mystery set in a beloved library, but unfortunately, it falls short of its potential. While the setting and premise initially draw you in, the story struggles to maintain momentum and deliver the excitement one might expect from a mystery novel.

The plot centers around a mysterious death during a private event at a library, with Lily, a librarian and amateur detective, stepping in to solve the case. The setting is well-drawn and has a lot of potential to create a tense, atmospheric mystery. However, the pacing is uneven, and much of the narrative feels bogged down by unnecessary details that don't add to the story or the suspense.

Character development is another area where the book falters. While Lily is a somewhat engaging protagonist, her character arc is underdeveloped, and her motivations are not always convincing. The supporting cast is mostly forgettable, lacking the depth and nuance that could have added more layers to the story.

Overall, That Night in the Library has a charming premise and a great setting for a cozy mystery, but it doesn’t quite live up to its promise.

I received a complimentary copy from the Poisoned Pen publishers and all opinions expressed are mine.

The book follows seven students one night before graduation who decide to perfom a ritual in the university rare books library basement. During their ritual ,the light's go out and one of them drops dead. I did not quite enjoy this read but it's perfect for fans of locked room mysteries

A group of college kids lock themselves in a basement and attempt to perform an old ritual. Then people start dying one by one. This story reminded me a lot of Christie’s “And Then There Were None.”

The story was slow for me to get into at the beginning but it picked up about 1/3 of the way in. The writing style was good, and I like the multiple perspectives. The ending was predictable, but the story was still enjoyable and worth the read.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader copy of That Night in the Library by Eva Jurczyk in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book and the odd twists. It reminded me of a movie that I recently saw, but if I said the title it would reveal some of the plot. It was a fun book to read.

My feelings about this book are complicated. On one hand, I kind of hated it. On the other hand I did finish it, so as a thriller it did work. It's possible this book is just not for me since I hated every single character. I did not relate to them and thought they were underdeveloped and super annoying. Now, the book is short so maybe I'm not being fair. The premise of this locked door mystery was intriguing, but I did not care about the "ritual", and I did not care about the characters. I was very curious about the initial death and what had caused it. I was pretty sure it was not in fact a murder, and I was interested enough in finding out what had happened there that I kept reading. That was also a huge letdown in the end.
I think the author was trying to make a comment about how quick we are to jump to conclusions and think the worst of each other. It just made for a book full of monsters who had no depth or empathy. I gave it 2 stars instead of one or none, because I did finish it, and so again, I give small credit to it as a thriller.

This book sounds cool.

It's not.

It's boring with flat characters and a predictable plot. Completely unnecessary.

***A big thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC copy of this book.***

Seven pretentious college students gather for a night of Greek rituals and drugs, spiralling into paranoia and violence in a library basement.

Though the premise is intriguing, the execution falls short. For a sub-300-page book, the pacing drags with too much exposition and too little action. The Greek rituals, central to the plot, are poorly developed, and the self-absorbed characters are hard to root for.

The ending offers a twist that may divide readers—some will find it clever, others cheap. Overall, it’s a forgettable read, but if you enjoy chaotic college tales, it might be worth a quick skim.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this chilling read! I love locked room mysteries and this hit the spot. The suspense in this story was great, it kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end, but I didn’t LOVE the characters.

This was super fast paced and kept my interest all the way through and I would recommend it to any who love these types of stories!

The story is fast-paced but the characters were uninteresting and their constant bickering became annoying. The ending was disappointing, and the plot was too chaotic to take seriously.

I struggled to finish it and wished I’d stopped earlier. Other than the interesting premise and Greek mythology, there wasn’t much I liked. It might not be for everyone, so check other reviews before deciding to read it.

"That Night in the Library" by Eva Jurczyk was a book I was excited to read.

The premise of the book, seven grad students sneaking into the rare book section of the library after hours before chaos ensues, initially grabbed my attention. However, as much as it pains me to say, I felt the execution was lackluster at best. It was hard to root for any of the characters or even care about some of the plotlines. The story felt convoluted at times when it could've benefitted greatly from some simplification.

It read as though the author grew up as a fan of Agatha Christie and maybe tried a little too hard to follow that blueprint.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for gifting me this ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review!

I agree with other that the suspense drug out until the very end and kept me going, but unfortunately I also didn’t like or connect with any of the characters. I did like how bloody and unexpected everything got, but there was just a lot going on from every point of view and some characters were extremely hard to keep straight for me. This book will definitely be a hit for some, just not for me!

Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this.

I read the synopsis for this author’s other book. From what I gather, she’s a fan of books and libraries. So much love to her for writing about that. I wasn’t the target audience for this book. I thought I would be. A locked room thriller? Say less. But no. I wasn’t a fan of any character. But I did like how she wrote how the situation can cause people to behave in such out there ways.

I kept getting the characters confused. And the twist? Well….I didn’t see it coming so that was good but I needed more answers at the end.

I truly wanted to enjoy this book! 7 college students sneak into the rare books library and are locked in overnight! Things devolve pretty quickly and I found that I didn’t really like or care much about the characters. There were some intriguing moments that helped me finish this one, I just didn’t find it as engaging as I had anticipated it would be.

**I appreciated the opportunity to read and review the electronic ARC. Thanks NetGalley and the publisher.

On the eve of graduation from a Vermont college, seven students stow away in their campus rare books library for an overnight adventure. One has planned a mysterious ritual with mythical undertones in the library's remote lower level. Are the participants about to experience a harmless rite of passage, or will what unfolds evolve into a dangerous situation that none of them anticipated?

When one of the group members dies unexpectedly, the others begin to fear for their own safety. As more mayhem follows, each is left to wonder if there is a killer in their midst and whether they will survive until morning.

Psychologically well developed characters make this suspenseful whodunit a page-turner.

I really enjoyed this! I like the unique setting and it was fast paced. If the synopsis interests you, I'd recommend giving it a shot. Thank You to Eva Jurczyk, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

It's the book that broke the internet.

I was one of the lucky few chosen to read and review this banger early and boy oh boy was I counting my lucky stars.

Eva Jurczyk, takes us on a wild ride filled with twists and turns. By the time I got over one big reveal I was speeding down the rabbit hole filled with heart pounding shrills that kept me completely engrossed .

This is an author we all need to keep an eye on, if this was the first thriller debut, what possibly could come next?

Ill be the first in line to see, check out this teaser :

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?

A fantastic mystery that marries the ancient mysteries of myths with the very contemporary academic world with its attendant pressures. A truly satisfying ending that I did not see coming!

This advanced reader's copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.