Honestly was very excited for this book! Had a great start, but ultimately did not enjoy. Confusing with so much going on at one time it was hard to stay focused.

Special thanks to NetGalley & Poisoned Pen Press for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was intrigued by the idea of a mystery thriller that also had academia vibes. I was expecting suspense and intrigue, but this kind of fell flat for me. I loved the idea of the students sneaking into their university’s rare books library and performing a ritual. They are trapped in the dark with something sinister on the loose with only books for protection. The group must work together to unravel the mystery and find a way to survive the night.

I do normally enjoy multiple POVs, but I had a hard time differentiating between each of them in this book. I also expected distinct multiple personality types for each of the characters, but unfortunately I think the author missed the mark there. The atmosphere of the book was definitely the highlight for me. I enjoyed the dark academia/horror vibes that conjured up memories of “Scream”. I was engaged and on edge throughout the story. There was a twist or two I wasn’t suspecting, but some of the story was more predictable than I hoped.

Overall, I did enjoy this book and all of the spooky vibes.

So I loved the concept of That Night in the Library and while I didn't really like any of the characters, I didn't mind that bit as a reader. It did make me slightly less invested in all of it though. There was no one I was cheering for to survive (or the be the murderer).

While I appreciate that Jurczyk gives readers chapters from the POV of each of the seven characters who agree to participate in the ritual, it does make the plot a big muddled. In fact, I lost the plot a few times once people started dying and those left alive began accusing each other. I thought that the reveal of how the first person dies was interesting and fit within the theme and location of this book... and it also wasn't what I was expecting.

This is a pretty quick read that was still enjoyable, even if it didn't quite live up to my expectations.

Having one person responsible for narrating all second POVs is no small task and Hannah Cabell does this well - though I think this audiobook would have benefited from even just two narrators splitting between a male and female narrator to help distinguish the unique voices better.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, RB Media, and Recorded Books in exchange for an honest review.

I had high hopes for this but this just wasn’t for me. I didn’t like any of these characters or the plot as it developed.

Mystery thrillers aren’t typically my genre of choice, but every once in a while, I find one that really captivates me. This was one of them. I loved the idea of a Greek Mythology ritual bringing a group of unlikely college students together. While there were some slow spots and a few too many POVs, I ultimately really liked this book. It was an easy book to read, with lots of moments when I re-guessed who the killer was. Faye was a good character to narrate this story, as was Umu, and surprising death scenes. And the twist about Kip?! Loved that!

I don't quite understand how this one went so wrong for me, but despite a premise and cover that immediately drew me to the book, I could not for the life of me actually get into the story... The characters were, frankly, rather odious and unlikeable. An unlikeable character is not necessarily a problem, but when every single person you encounter makes you either angry or eye-rollingly annoyed, it doesn't help with reader engagement. I also found the story to be remarkably slow-moving, particularly considering the premise. While I understand the need for set-up, it just felt like all I was encountering were different character descriptions, over and over, with no action - despite rituals and closed libraries and the promise of Dramatic Events to Come. The narrator was fine but didn't pull me into the book either. I wasn't able to continue listening or finish - this one was not for me.

I got this as an arc from NetGalley

I was so intrigued by this book at first. The premise seemed very interesting and I was excited to get into it. However, I didn’t like a single character and the switch in povs made it hard to keep track. I completely forgot who one of the characters was and that was concerning since I read it in two days. The little backstory of the library donor felt unnecessary but was interesting. I may read something else by this author but I don’t have the highest of hopes.

I hate to be with the voice of the majority on this one, but I just wasn't engaged by this book. It seems to be marketed as Adult, and they're all at least of age to be graduating from college, but I think the target demographic is much more suited to a young YA audience.

Unfortunately the characters had very simplistic thoughts, so their POVs held little interest for me. I found it repetitive that even 80% into the novel we were being told for the umpteenth time about the setup and plan for the night's events.

And the final reveal? Not only was it telegraphed early on, but it was kinda incredible that a group of collegiate students who attend or work at this specific library would be unaware of that fact. Cause it honestly felt like a flashing neon sign to me, a non-librarian who doesn't work at this library renowned for that sort of thing.

That Night in the Library follows seven students who spend the night in the library. They wanted to perform some ritual. The book has multiple points of view.

The book isn’t bad. But I don’t know if it’s good either. I’ll probably forget about it. The characters were one dimensional and unimpressive. We didn’t get a good look at any of them. The plot jumped around and confused me at times.

This author can write. I can see great books in her future. This one just didn’t impress. I’m not writing her off.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

If you’ve ever seen the movie Bodies, Bodies, Bodies, that’s the vibe I got from this read. It was a quick and easy listen. However, I did feel like the story line lacked a climax. It pretty much kept the same pace through out.

I got about half-way through this audiobook and couldn't continue. This audiobook was very disappointing and unengaging. I didn't connect with any of the characters, and didn't find myself caring about any of them. I felt that the narrator had a clear voice, but didn't execute the story well enough. There was no emotion or suspense that the plot needed.

In terms of the story, it was a major letdown. Not only was the pacing too slow, but it was boring for long periods of time. It wasn't suspense building, it was just dragging on. Eventually, when an event would happen, they were too predictable.

Seven students lock themselves in the basement of the rare book library. Soon after the Greek mythology themed gathering starts, the lights go out and one of them is dead. They aren't the first death of the night either..

I love the idea of the book, it just wasn't as an exciting listen as I had hoped. There is so much promise. I did enjoy Hannah Cabell narrating!

Thank you NetGalley and RB Media | Recorded Books for an advanced audio copy.

Unfortunately this book was not for me. The premise of seven graduate students conducting an ancient ritual in the locked basement of university library was an interesting one. However when they almost all of them took acid to enhance the experience I began to loose interest in the credulity of the characters. Are not grad students supposed to be smarter than that? And then the first student dies with more to follow. The story just did not make any sense to me and I'm afraid I cannot recommend it. 2 stars.

The night in the library starts off with 7 graduating students sneaking into the rare book library the night before graduation for a night of rituals and fun. Things quickly go wrong when one student dies. It was a med paced book that I enjoyed.

Seven students. One lock-in at the library overnight. What could go wrong??

Rituals, murder, secrets, and dark academia all play into this incredibly disturbing night at the library. Can they make it till morning?

Although this story was not really for me, I think others will enjoy it. I will suggest picking it up if like a mystery/horror story.

Thank you to the publishers for my gifted ALC.

The Night in the Library by Eva Jurczyk promises a gripping tale of suspense and intrigue set in the depths of a university's rare books library. The premise—a group of students locked in overnight, facing a series of chilling events—holds immense potential for a thrilling read.

However, despite the intriguing setup, the execution of the story fell flat for me. While the premise hinted at a captivating exploration of fear, secrets, and the power of literature, the narrative failed to deliver on its promise.

The characters lacked depth, and their interactions felt forced, failing to evoke the tension and suspense essential for a successful mystery. Furthermore, the plot twists were predictable, robbing the story of its ability to truly surprise and captivate.

Ultimately, The Night in the Library left me wanting more. While the idea of being trapped in a library with a murderer is undeniably intriguing, the execution of this novel failed to engage me fully.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC/audiobook. You said, "We hope you enjoy this book." And I would like to reply that I did! Not my personal favourite of narrators, but she speaks clearly and is easy to understand, which is most important. This locked room mystery gets 4 stars from me, only for the reason that so many people contaminated the crime scenes. Surely by now everyone would know better!

I was fortunate enough to get to read "That Night in the Library", by Eva Jurczyk, so I was really excited when I was given the chance to listen to the audio book, and it did not disappoint. The narrator did an amazing job of keeping me up at night, both because I couldn't stop listening, and because it was even scarier as an audio book. I absolutely enjoyed every spooky moment.

I loved the premise of this book and I actually thought the ending was pretty clever as well. It's just the stuff in the middle I didn't care for.

These characters are awful. I was hoping more of them would die so I could stop hearing from them. I don't mean that I dislike the characters, I mean they were written as exaggerated caricatures instead of people. The whole basement part gets really confusing as well. It seems like a bit of an homage to Lord of the Flies since they get crazed, but it was not well done.

I wish so desperately that this was a first draft so that things could be changed as it held so much promise.


Thank you to NetGalley and the author for my advance copy of this audiobook.