That Night in the Library has an excellent premise; a genuine locked door mystery turns into a blood bath thriller.

I loved the setting and back story of the library. However, the characters' actions defy logic, and I required significant amounts of suspended disbelief to enjoy the story.

The reveal at the ending was clever and felt right. I just didn't quite understand how it absolved previous actions by certain characters.

Thank you to the publisher for an early copy. All opinions are my own.

What exactly did I just read???? Seven people went into the library basement, and only two came out in the morning. When rescuers finally got there in the morning, they just let the remaining two go and treated them like victims. There were dead bodies and blood everywhere, and they just let them go. The solution to the first death might have been interesting on its own if he had been the only victim. Although I truly don't think just licking a page would be enough to kill him but I could be wrong. Very little of this book made sense.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

That Night in the Library

That Night in the Library is an intriguing thriller/suspense novel the likes of a murder mystery. There’s plenty of familiarity within its pages, bringing to mind elements of Lord of the Flies, And Then There Were None, Clue, and Glass Onion. Each of these came to mind at one point or another as I read. They all have common themes and plot points. What makes That Night in the Library unique is the setting and the vast literary knowledge required to make it feel real and believable. Jurczyk has a stunning ability to ground you in the most absurd of happenstances. Each character was distinct enough to carry their own portions of the novel, even if I found the majority of them to be terrible people once we got to see their perspective.
While I was reading, the mention of a scalpel made me take note and I jokingly wrote to myself “Chekov’s Scalpel?” And I’m delighted to say that while that more obvious element was correct, it had more layers to it than I had expected. There’s a lot in the lead up to the fateful night in the basement of this rare books library that might just seem like scene setting as a way to introduce us to each character to get us as readers to care about what happens to them, but it’s more intricate than that.
Even if it took the final pages for me to appreciate the story being unfolded, I applaud Jurczyk and her crafting ability.

This one was okay. It was a good thriller for people who don’t read many thrillers. I’m finding that the older I get, the harder it is for me to read about college aged people. The premise of this one was really great but it fell flat for me. There were some parts that were very repetitive and it appeared to be intentional but it made the book feel longer than it was. There were also no redeemable characters. I did really like the twists and the view of how people react when trapped somewhere.

This is a mixed bag. The premise has promise, but the execution was half-baked. The pacing for a novel under three hundred pages is uneven, filled with pages of boring information only to be followed by an intense action scene. The action there was entertaining, but it took forever to get there. The ritual part wasn't explained well and never really occurred. All of our characters are self-absorbed, but they are college kids in the USA, so what else to expect? The ending was a fun twist, but I can foresee people hating it and thinking it was cheap.

Overall, this was not a very memorable read and had pacing issues. It's still a relatively short read, so if you like unhinged college students give it a go.

Thank you, NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press, for the advance copy! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Seven students gather in the basement of their university's rare books library on the eve of graduation to perform a "ritual" to dispel fear. It was intriguing initially - unfortunately as the situation spirals out of control for the participants and truly horrible things happen, I became less invested. The characters are not endearing in any way - but maybe that's the intent.

Not what I was expecting, unfortunately.

Senseless murders, characters acting in the most weird and unrealistic way, and the strangest plot ever. Plus, in the end, no explanation, characters who murdered people act like it never happened. Seriously.

A disappointment.

I liked but didn't love this one. I really liked the overall plot and the way that it ended, but I didn't really like any of the characters so I found it hard to care about what was happening to them. Also I felt like the ritual could have been explained better.

⭐️⭐️That Night in the Library by Eva Jurczyk. Thank you @netgalley and @poisonedpenpress for this ARC. This is my first shared 2 star read, and I absolutely hate that! I feel so guilty because the author spent so much time on this novel, but I truly don’t think this book was for me, (which is totally okay).

I was intrigued by the premise of this book. A locked room mystery set in a library, surrounded by rare books, and a ritual rooted in Greek myths, how could I say no?
However I felt this book fell flat. It
was slow and was confusing to read, almost like a bunch of scattered thoughts. I truly think the idea behind it was good, the execution just didn’t work for me.

This story has multiple perspectives, which I normally love, but some of the backstory was not necessary or confusing. None of the characters were particularly interesting, so I wasn’t necessarily rooting for anyone! To be honest, I struggled to finish, and wish I had abandoned early on, and trusted my gut, but I hate not finishing a book.
Maybe I wasn’t the right audience for this, but this book just wasn’t for me.

🏷️
#bookreview

Overall really enjoyed this read! It was compelling and full of adventure, mystery, and suspense! I enjoyed the writing style as well and the characters (which is a pet peeve of mine). Overall would recommend!

A group of students stay behind after hours at the library to participate in an ancient ritual ceremony in the basement. The requirements are to fast beforehand, and then take drugs during the ceremony. They’re all the right ingredients for a night gone horribly wrong.

I liked the premise, and the cast of characters were certainly eccentric enough for this ritual. Admittedly, none of them are likeable which plays into the plot. Anyway I don’t necessarily need likable characters, they need to be compelling. That said, I wasn’t entirely overawed by these folks. The writing was good; I just felt that sometimes the POVs went on longer than needed, and my mind wandered. Each incident that occurs gets more terrifying and gruesome thanks to everyone being out of their minds. There was a point when I just wanted it to be over, and then it was, and OH MY GOD THAT ENDING!!! WTF just happened?!!?? I couldn’t help but shake my head in disbelief! I still am.

80% of me thinks it’s genius, and makes up for the middle of the story that dragged for me. Jurcyzk wins the shock value here! (In fact, she liked my two-sentence review on Goodreads as soon as I finished it. I loved her response.)

Highlights:
* Locked door mystery/dark academia
* Multiple POVs
* Unreliable narrators
* Library & ancient books/manuscripts/languages

Be aware of: violence, drug use

I say give this one a go. The ending will elicit various reactions which I think is the most fascinating aspect of this read, and a win for the author.

Thanks to @netgalley & @poisonedpenpress for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book didn't reach my expectations. I felt like I was waiting for the story to get going and it just kinda didn't.

It felt a bit over written and the characters were realluy uninspiring.

The ending is the only saving grace in this book. I am glad I finished it because the ending was actually worth it. I wonder if it was just above my paygrade and didn't get it but the ending is worth it.

The pace wasn't quite right either. It was a bit slow then a lot going on and then nothing but it felt unfinished. I actually would lvoe to listen to the audio as maybe something was lost in translation for me

3 stars

Summary: Seven university students gather in the basement of a rare and antique books archive/library after closing time. It is against the rules and they aren’t supposed to be there, but they have come to participate in a ritual supposedly borrowed from the ancient Greeks. All the lights go out and then one of the party dies inexplicably and gruesomely, setting off a chain of events fueled by fear, drugs and suspicion. How many will survive to see the morning?

Thoughts: The title and the cover of this novel caught my imagination. I felt that the concept had great potential – a group of overly-educated young people, high on acid and academic achievement, gather to reenact a Greek ritual after dark in the old library. There were so many directions to take this story. Ultimately, the execution was lacking. None of the characters was even slightly relatable, which made it difficult to get invested in any of them. There was a serious lack of character development, meaning their general conduct and actions lacked context and didn’t make sense to me.

I wasn’t entirely certain if the author was trying to demonstrate the baser side of human beings underneath the veneer of higher education, or if she was just trying to say that highly educated people can be stupid too. In any event, I quickened my pace through the last chapters as I needed it to be over.

This book had a super cool synopsis. Seven people doing an ancient Greek ritual in a super mysterious old library basement. The lights go out, and people start dying.

Unfortunately, the only good thing about the book was the synopsis. It took 25% into the book to even get to the lights going out.

I struggled with the writing style - it was passive, backwards, and confusing. We got a few different POVs, but there wasn't a lot of difference in their internal dialogue's, no one really had any personality. The book was also so, so, so repetitive. I was bored and struggled to get through, just to find out who killed the first guy.

The ending really made no sense, and the "statement" was never tied back to anything. Bottom line, really cool idea, really terrible execution. I appreciate the ARC from NetGalley and the publisher.

I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of "The Night in the Library" by Eva Jurczyk. Jurczyk’s writing style in this book is enchanting and atmospheric, making the library feel like a place where magic could actually happen. The story unfolds with vivid descriptions and a sense of mystery, drawing you into a world where books come alive and secrets hide around every corner. Ellie’s journey through the library is suspenseful and full of discovery, mixing fantasy and suspense in a way that keeps you hooked. While the plot can wander a bit, the novel’s charm and imaginative premise make it a captivating read for anyone who loves stories that blend reality with fiction.

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. That Night in the Library is a chilling literary mystery that transports readers to a world where secrets live in the dark, books breathe fears to life, and the only way out is to wait until morning. Not your average locked room mystery. This book is incredibly frightening and held me until the last page.

Being locked in a gothic library overnight, surrounded by rare books, and doing an ancient summoning spell… well, this sounds like my kind of adventure! That Night in the Library by Eva Jurczyk combines a thrilling story with mystery and some horror to make for a near perfect read.

I did have a bit of trouble at the beginning getting into the story. The premise of the story is what kept me going, but the characters are what gave That Night in the Library a bit of a weak start for me. At first they felt a bit one note, and very, very selfish. But I had to remind myself that they are college kids so they don’t yet have the layers that someone 20 years older would.

I’m glad I decided to continue reading, and am looking forward to what Jurcyzk puts out next.

The plan: reenact an ancient ritual in a library basement.

Davey Kebede has worked throughout his time as a graduate student in his Vermont university’s rare books library, and on the night of his final shift (the night before he is scheduled to graduate) he plans to stage a re-enactment of the Eleusinian Mysteries. He has invited several other students, some graduate students like himself and others undergrads (including the two other grad students who are graduating with him and with whom he is in competition for the sole permanent position at the library). The ritual is designed to retrace the steps taken by Demeter, goddess of the harvest, while she searched for her missing daughter Kore (Persephone) who was kidnapped by the god of the underworld, and it involves fasting prior to the revelries, singing and dancing at the onset, and then entering the underworld/sanctuary and consuming a special mind-altering potion . According to Davey’s version, the library basement will be “the underworld” and acid the drug of choice. The invitees: Umu the pretty undergrad and her drug-dealing best friend Ro who lives locally and is providing the acid; Mary the Asian-American social media whiz (and job competitor #!) who practically lives on Adderall; Soraya the second in competition for the library job and someone for whom Davey has carried a (not entirely camouflaged) torch; Kip, the nasty guy who is both Soraya’s manipulative boyfriend and whose family is a major contributor to the library’s collection; and finally Faye, the shy and mousy undergrad who has passed her entire four years at the university without making a single friend or attending a party, and who is invited basically to achieve the right number of participants and because, like the others, Davey thinks it unlikely that she will tell Ronald (the supervisor of the library who doesn’t know about, and wouldn’t condone, the bacchanal) what Davey has planned. What could possibly go wrong? Think Lord of the Flies meets And Then There Were None, with a sprinkle of The Secret History. Blood will be shed, and not everyone who hides in the basement that night will live to see the morning.
The premise for this novel is an excellent one….a locked room mystery, a library full of rare and unusual items, and a ritual steeped in Greek history. I found it hard to stay immersed in the story, however, in large part because I didn’t really find any of the characters likable or interesting. Self-absorbed yes, arrogant also yes, and remarkably un-self-aware. As a result, I was not particularly vested in the survival of any or all of the characters (in fact, I may have been rooting for one or more to get the ultimate comeuppance), and while the ending introduced a plot twist I did not anticipate I had already lost interest in the act that said twist explained. The writing was good, and the lore of old and/or rare books, maps and so on was interesting, it did not for me compensate for spending a few hours with a really annoying group of characters. There may be an appeal for readers of Lucy Foley, Stacy Willingham and Sara Ochs, but I would give the book only a conditional recommendation (2.5 stars rounded up)….others may well have viewed it differently, particularly if they are in an age group closer to that of the characters. Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me early access to the title.

𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 3⭐️
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: Mystery/ thriller 📚

𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:
I have no idea what was going on in this one- it was all over the place

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
Locked in a library setting
Ritual based on Greek myths
Fast paced reads
Multiple POVs
Unlikable characters
Murder mystery

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍:
Rare books library

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛:
I didn’t find the final reveal shocking
I was so confused at times

Thanks to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Sourcebooks for this copy of "That Night in the Library."

What a wild ending that I will not forget!

The beginning is a little slow as as we meet all the people who have been invited to the reenactment of an ancient Greek ritual on the last day of their library work.

But when they're locked in the basement and ready to start, the lights unexpectedly go out and one of their group dies. How do they figure out the cause of death, which one of them is the murderer, and how to survive the night?