Seven students must survive overnight in a rare books library (with at least one killer on the loose) in this twisty locked-room mystery/thriller.

It’s multi-POV, which works well for this genre as it makes you suspect everyone and no one. The author is obviously a lover or libraries, and the setting is well-researched with lots of dark academia vibes (even down to the pretentious, oblivious, lonely, awkward or highly unlikeable characters). The deaths are grisly and the discomfort palpable, with elements of horror that play on fears of the dark and confined spaces. All aspects that make it hard to put down.

If you’re the kind of person who loves to guess murderer, motive and means, I challenge you to read this book. I called how one of the deaths took place, but not the one that started it all. You deserve a heartfelt round of applause if you figure out what happened before it’s revealed. The author has crafted the story, the clues, the characters and the claustrophobic, traumatised atmosphere so well. It’s fast-paced, clever and scarily believable. You’ll read it quickly, swept up in the horror.

This book kind of reminded me of a mix between the breakfast club and one of us is lying but with characters that aren't as lovable, interesting or fun. I was let down by the conclusion and though it was not my favorite, it was not bad and I did continue too read so I think it just was not for me with how much I read the mystery thriller genre

I’m often baffled by how much other readers seem to like a book that I didn’t care for at all, but here I find myself in the opposite role: The reviews for this book are for the most part decidedly negative, but I thought it was great.

In a lot of ways this is just an And Then There Were None style thriller which has the additional bonus of being set almost entirely inside a college library. This has a bit of popcorn horror to it too (Think Riley Sager or Taylor Adams), and I thought it was smartly plotted and loads of fun.

I particularly enjoyed the structure of this, as well as the fact that it’s almost impossible to guess what really happened until the very end. And though it’s not the ending I imagine many readers wish for, it’s clever and logical and I enjoyed the fact that it breaks with standard Thriller tropes.

The premise of this book was intriguing so as a library lover I just had to read it!
7 people are locked in the university's rare book library but only some of them make it out alive. As the story unfolds the characters clandestinely to perform a Greek ritual rumored to quell the fear of death. However, their plans are disrupted when the library plunges into darkness, and a member of their group is found dead. Was Kip murdered? Did someone poison the drugs that were supposed to be taken by all of the participants? As the night goes on, they turn on each other and only 2 survive the night.
I found this book entertaining and was kept guessing until the very end. I did NOT see that ending coming!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I stopped reading this book around 30% in. The premise sounded interesting, but a third of the way into the book and I'm bored, not wanting to pick it up, and not caring what happens to the characters.

A group is going to spend the night in a rare books library to complete a "ritual" while on drugs... until something happens and they realize they can't get out (cue locked room mystery).

This might work for others, but this one is definitely not for me.

CW: blood, drug use, death

A group of college kids spend their last night before graduation locked in a library to partake in a ritualistic celebration.

Umu, Ro, Kip, Soraya, Faye, Mary, Davey
are the characters and I enjoyed how in depth and interesting the character development is.

Kept me in suspense throughout, and the deaths are disturbing (realistically so).

The book was too intense, graphic, and disturbing for my tastes BUT very well written with an excellent plot. If you don’t mind graphic violence, it’s a great read.

I was so intrigued by this book… a locked door myster/thriller. But this just got so incredibly slow so fast. I struggled to follow the characters, it was just too much. I could not enjoy this book as much as I hoped for that reason. I also don’t enjoy mysteries that are far fetched, and “unrealistic” and this was one of those.

That Night in the Library by Eva Jurczyk is a spine-chilling locked-room mystery that grows more sinister with each page, leading to a cut-throat final twist and reveal that will leave readers breathless. Praised by New York Times bestselling author Elle Cosimano, this novel is as gripping as it is terrifying, ensnaring readers from the very start.

The premise is captivating: on the night before graduation, seven university students gather in the basement of their school's rare books library to perform an ancient Greek ritual meant to free them from the fear of death. The forbidden setting adds a layer of tension, making the library not just a backdrop but a character in its own right, shrouded in mystery and darkness.

Jurczyk's writing excels in creating an atmosphere of claustrophobia and dread. The moment the lights go out and one of the students falls dead, the story plunges into a gripping tale of survival and paranoia. With the body count rising, the students are left to fend for themselves, using only the books around them as their shields against the unknown threat lurking in the dark.

The character dynamics are a standout feature. Each student brings their own secrets and fears into the library, and as the night progresses, these hidden aspects come to light, adding depth and complexity to the narrative. The interplay between the characters, coupled with the escalating tension, keeps the reader engaged and on edge.

Jurczyk's skillful pacing ensures that there is never a dull moment. The plot unfolds with meticulous precision, each twist and turn ratcheting up the suspense. The final reveal is both shocking and satisfying, a testament to Jurczyk's ability to craft a compelling and unpredictable mystery.

That Night in the Library is more than just a thriller; it's a literary exploration of fear, friendship, and the unknown. Jurczyk weaves a narrative that is as intellectually stimulating as it is terrifying, making this book a must-read for fans of mysteries and psychological thrillers.

In conclusion, That Night in the Library is an excellent story with great writing. Eva Jurczyk has crafted a masterful tale that transports readers to a world where secrets live in the dark, books breathe fears to life, and the only way out is to survive until morning. Once you enter this library, there's no turning back. Highly recommended!

💊 T R I P P Y T U E S D A Y 💊 featuring “That Night in the Library” by Eva Jurczyk!

BOOK REVIEW: 🖤🖤🖤/5

Seven students come together the night before Graduation to spend the night in the basement of a rare book library to perform an Ancient Greek ritual. They hide in the library basement after hours to perform a ritual that banishes the fear of death. They all pop an acid tablet to loosen themselves up and to open their minds. However, as the ritual begins one of the students winds up DEAD 😵! The group is totally locked up, have zero service to call for help and must do what they can to survive the night!

I can’t say anything else because the less you know the better! This story is bizarre, trippy and not at all what I expected! It definitely is a mash up of locked room mystery, gothic thriller and dark academia!

Thank you kindly to Eva Jurczyk, Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for my digital copy in exchange for my honest review! This book released last week!

This was good mystery set in closed place. I enjoyed all the twists and turns and it kept me on the edge. Good book! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher

If you think that this novel is a cozy locked room mystery then you’d be sorely disappointed. This book had some serious stuff and is definitely NOT for the faint of heart. There’s violence all throughout as one by one, the dead bodies piled up. I certainly didn’t expect the final twist nor the abrupt ending. At first I felt let down and was like, that’s it?!?! After all the buildup and suspense?? But, upon further reflection, I realized that this literary locked room thriller is really quite clever. The people hoping to come out fearless by performing the ancient Greek ritual had the outcome they deserved because of their own (un)doing. You have to read this to understand.😉 The events that transpired THAT NIGHT was sooo grisly it was like a Quentin Tarantino movie! As the story progresses, the pacing also hastened. It was wham bam kapow then boom! The end! I usually liked clear cut endings but for this one? The sudden ending worked in its favor especially for the way the final twist was sprung. Suffice it to say, my jaw dropped. I love it when a plot twist comes out of nowhere but actually ties the whole story together. I really enjoyed reading this one so thank you Poisoned Press for sending me the digital ARC. That Night in the Library is already available where books are sold.

I was surprised to see the rating of this book on Goodreads but despite that I’m still hopeful this book might work for me. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.

The premise of this book sounds very promising but some parts feels dragging especially the inner monologue of the characters. The main storyline didn’t start until after 20% into the story which causes me to lose interest very fast.

I was hoping once we get to the main storyline, the locked-room mystery will be more suspenseful. However, I didn't feel the gripping atmosphere despite the characters being locked in a room with a 'murderer' together for a long time.
I skimmed a lot of pages just to get to the ending and know who’s the murderer and how did the victim die.

However, the ending felt too rushed with just a simple explanation about how the first victim die which send off a chain of several horrible events that took place.

Overall, this book is definitely not for me – I struggled so hard to finish this book.
Probably because I didn’t really like the writing style, so many parts felt confusing and I didn’t feel connected with the characters as well.

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: blood, murder, violence, drug use, addiction

That Night at the Library was, um, interesting..... this was a little bit of a bizarre story, but considering most of the characters had taken drugs, I suppose that tracks.

That Night at the Library is a locked room mystery. It's kind of a dark Breakfast Club meets Lord of the Flies.

A group of university students get together to spend the night in the William E. Wooden Rare Books Library at their school. Their intent is to recreate the Eleusinian Mystery ritual. In theory, during this ritual, they'd face the thing they were most afraid of, and they would never be afraid again.

But, the students get more than they bargained for when one of them dies horribly. Locked in a room in the basement, it had to have been one of them. Slowly, fear and suspicion take over, and they start to turn on each other. The consequences of this night end up being unfathomable.

The book alternated between different points of view of. The characters were all flawed, and all seemed to have something to hide, so it was hard to tell who was guilty. To say things got carried away would be an understatement. It honestly made the story slightly over the top.

I was definitely compelled to finish this book, I needed to know what happened in the end and who was guilty, and it was a quick read. It was definitely written well. As I said, I just found it a bit too out there.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for the advanced digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

I love books that have to do with libraries. Imean who doesn't like to get lost in a book about the very things that many of us hold so dear to our hearts. Whats even better is when that book takes a turn and people begin to die.
Based off from Greek Mythology seven students preparing to graduate from university are bound together by a crazy night in the basement of the rare books library.
No one is supposed to be in the library overnight but these students choose to engage in a last party a ritual from Greek Mythology that is supposed to make them never feel fear again.
Instead of never feeling fear though all that comes of that night is fear. When one of the graduates dies from an apparent overdose all the others flying high begin to point the finger of blame onto eachother. They all have their reasons for maybe wanting one another dead, however when more of them begin to die the night takes a devastating turn.

#ThatNightInTheLibrary by #EvaJurczyk is a compelling read and one that I didn't see coming.

Thank you to #Netgalley for the chance to read #ThatNightInTheLibrary by #EvaJurczyk in return for a fair and honest review

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.

A horror/thriller set in a locked library overnight? I was excited to read it. Unfortunately this book ended up being completely different than I expected. It starts with the introduction of the characters. A lot of time is spent introducing each. Right away I didn't like any of them. You don't have to like characters to enjoy a book but the characters are the sort I wouldn't enjoy in any book. Other readers may like them more.

The plot is odd and confusing. The mix of academia and bloodshed doesn't work as presented. Instead of feeling fear or suspense I was just disturbed.

2.5/5

**2.5-stars**

That Night in the Library is an Adult Literary Suspense novel. This is a recent release and I went into it, I'll admit, with a bit of trepidation. The early reviews aren't the highest, but in a way that piqued my interest even more. I frequently find myself in the minority opinion, so I went in open-minded, ready to give it a nice go. I so wanted to at least give this a 3-star rating, but sadly, I just can't.

The concept was okay, like the very basic concept, but the execution completely missed the mark.

This story basically follows a group of seven people, who make a plan to sneak into the basement of the rare books library at their University, and spend the night, performing some sort of obscure ritual while they are there. It says in the synopsis that it is the night before graduation, but honestly, I don't remember those kinds of details from this. It was quite difficult to parse anything out really. I did understand they were going to perform a ritual, that I believe was said to free the participants of any fear, or something like that. IDK, really.

It's an odd mix of characters. They weren't all friends, or anything, they just needed seven people, so ended up inviting a girl who worked at the library, who really didn't know any of them, someone's drug dealer, etc. That one part I did understand clearly about the ritual was they fasted before, and then dropped acid. Most of the rest of it was delivered to us through a drug-addled haze, so not particularly the most coherent way to convey a plot.

Once the ritual starts, they're literally trapped in this basement space; locked in. They're getting into it, doing their chanting, and dancing around and what not, when suddenly, one of the participants drops dead. From there, as you would expect, they start to freak out, because that person is dead! How did they die? Were they killed? Is one of them responsible.

Since they're tripping, suspicions run high. Things get wild. More bodies fall. Is anyone going to survive?

So, yeah, that's a basic breakdown of this story. I feel like it's for a very niche market. You have to be a specific type of Reader for this to work for you. There is sort of a vibe of this being a book about books, but not to the level of like a Strange the Dreamer, or The Dark Half. It's too hazy a theme for me to actually recommend it for that trope alone.

Without any malice, I would say this feels like one of those cases where the author is more enamored with their own writing, the words and phrases they use, than with any actual plot. It comes across a bit arrogant, in a way. I would equate it to The Tenth Girl by Sara Faring.

With this being said, this is 100% my personal opinion. Just because it didn't work for me, doesn't mean it won't work for you. I would urge anyone who thinks it sounds interesting, to give it a go. There's a book for every Reader, and a Reader for every book. I know there is an audience for this one. Unfortunately, I'm just not a part of that audience.

Thank you to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press and RB Media, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I gave it a shot and even though it didn't work out for me, I appreciate the opportunity to provide my opinion.

Many thanks to the publisher for my copy. All opinions are my own.

I really liked the premise of this book, as I hugely enjoy a locked door mystery. While this book had many of the elements I really enjoy in a book, I did find myself a bit at odds with the characters in the book. I don't mind an unlikable character, but I really couldn't find a character I did like, or was really rooting for, which made reading the book an interesting journey.

I did like the foray into the greek mythology/ritual vibe that the book centers around, and I do love ridiculous twists of which this book has plenty. This is a great pick if you are looking for some easy to read entertainment.

This book was not what I expected. I was intrigued by the synopsis, a group of acquaintances stay after hours in a university library basement to perform a ritual, but things end up much differently than planned. I was not expecting this story to go the way it did. I was a bit taken aback at how dramatic it ended up being. I wasn’t particularly a fan of any of the characters and there was too much unnecessary murder. I have so many questions about the story and the characters. I don’t think I was the correct demographic for this one, unfortunately. Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC through NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

The premise of this book was immaculate and what first drew me to it. A locked room murder mystery, the promise of a dark force, and a very old library? What more could a girl ask for?

However, upon reading it...

Unfortunately, it wasn’t what I expected at all. I struggled to connect with any of the characters. It wasn’t until over 50% into the book that anything interesting happened. Even when something did happen, I was left feeling confused, like I had nothing to go on. It didn't feel like anything was happening.

The writing isn’t bad; it’s well-written, but the plot felt elusive. I felt like I was learning about the characters yet knew absolutely nothing about them. Because the narrative shifted perspectives between almost all the suspects, there was no one to root for. No one to really trust, but not in a good way. It felt disorienting, like nothing made sense. Everyone seemed guilty until their chapter came around and they spoke in a way that wouldn't make sense if they were the murderer.

Yet, I saw the book to its end. The final sequence of events, during the few final hours until morning, were probably the most interesting part of the whole book. When we stopped getting (in my opinion) useless information about the characters and action started to happen, the book was good. It could've been even better if the first 65% or so was recised and it was faster-paced from the start.

The writing was good, and the book was okay in the end considering everything. Nothing more, nothing less. The end felt a little underwhelming considering what was happening.

In summary, the book had its moments but didn’t quite live up to its promising premise. The locked room, dark force, and old library setup was intriguing, but the execution left much to be desired. The pacing and character development felt off, but the final hours did redeem the experience a bit.

True rating 2.5-2.75

A group of grad students spend the night locked in a library basement to perform a ritual. Of course, things don’t turn out as expected. Told from multiple points of view, this was an excellent locked-room mystery with a roller coaster ending. Highly recommend for thriller readers and this would make a fantastic book club read, as well. Thanks so much for the opportunity to read in advance!