📖 ARC Review 📖

Publishing June 24, 2025

A special thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and author Mary Anna Evans for selecting me to receive an advanced copy of The Dark Library. 💙 This is my voluntary and honest review.

This is a standalone historical suspense that is set in the 1940's and follows Estella Ecker. Estella returns to her childhood home, Rockfall House, after the mysterious disappearance of her mother and her father having a stroke. After the death of her father she becomes the owner of Rockfall House which has a library filled with rare books. Considered off limits to her growing up, Estella (E) now has access to her father's library. What dark secrets will she uncover? It seems that E didn't know her parents as well as she thought she did.

I normally am not one to read historical but this book drew me in right away. Being a single, working woman in the 1940's proves to have its challenges and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about E as she navigates her way through life. The twists and turns of this book had me engaged throughout and I couldn't wait to learn what secrets E would uncover along the way! I will say, this isn't your typical historical fiction, or at least not what I think of when I think of historical fiction. It had lots of suspense and a great story line. I will definitely be checking out more of Mary Anna Evans' work.


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https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7510019859

The Dark Library is an eerie gothic slow-paced story that unsettles the readers and brings out the darker sides of life and death. A story of the missing and murder, of past and present, of memories and truth. The story is slow paved but beautifully written so that the reader cannot help but become a character, to be drawn into the mystery that surrounds this family. I really enjoyed the mystery and the threads that are woven from the past to the present. It is a story of atmosphere as much as actions.

My rating:

Plot: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Writing: 4 out of 5 stars
Character development: 4 out of 5 stars
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

Recommended for readers of:

Mystery
General Fiction


Review:

This is an intriguing story. When Estrella returns home her father is on his death bed and her mother has disappeared. Everything she thought she knew from her childhood isn’t quite as it seemed at the time. Slowly she goes on a journey of discovery to find her missing mother and unravel the secrets of the past.

The story is well written but slow paced focusing more on the emotional and psychological effects. The writing is atmospheric with a slightly gothic and haunted feel to it. The characters were described with the right amount detail for them to be realistic but not enough so they kept an air of mystery to them. You feel the unease of the main character, her confusion the realization that she doesn’t really know her own parents or whether any of people in town can be trusted. Slowly the mystery unfolds. This made the book suspenseful and kept me going till the end.

Review copy provided through Netgalley at no cost to me.

Dr. Estella Ecker, or 'E' as she preferred to be addressed, is such a vividly drawn protagonist that she seemed to come alive in my imagination while I read this book. The other characters are equally well-crafted, easily reminiscent of people in real life due to their relatable nature.

The narrative is both marvelous and engaging. While it bears some resemblance to other historical fiction from this era, the fictional town of Bentham- on- Hudson and its rugged cliffs are described hauntingly and beautifully. If Rockfall House were a real place, it would surely be an incredible home, and I would have enjoyed gazing up at it in wonder from the lake below the cliff - ideally from a sailboat! :)

My only disappointment was the detailed descriptions of the settings, which occasionally slowed the story's momentum. At times, I found myself skimming to see how much longer this saga lasted, which I believe diminished the reader's connection to the plot and events.

I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!

Here's an interesting tidbit: right before diving into this book, I finished David Baldacci' s 'Strangers in Time', which came out just a few weeks ago, making it just a month between the release of both titles. Though Baldacci's story takes place in London and this one is set in a fictional locale in upstate New York, many similar themes, ideas, and events appear in both narratives, which I find an intriguing coincidence. Spoiling the specifics would ruin the fun, so I recommend that anyone who enjoys this book also read 'Strangers in Time' to catch the parallels, and let me know in the comments if you agree.

I somehow feel the book title should've been 'Rockfall House', because of the sheer size and scale in which it has been described in the book. The library, however dark and mysterious, did not have a major part to play in the plot till after 70% of the book was already over - and a very short-lived role too. The house on the bluff was omnipresent throughout, with its mysteries and suspense, right from the get-go.

Rich vocabulary - Throughout the book, I discovered numerous new words, prompting many frantic dictionary searches, which truly impressed me. I've always viewed myself as a well-read individual and a capable wordsmith, and this erudite literary piece added to my appreciation.

Mary Anna Evans is a prolific writer who skillfully crafts books that blend mystery, history, archaeology, and science in perfect harmony. This is my first encounter with her remarkable work, and I look forward to delving into more of her writings in the days to come.

And yes, thank you for acknowledging us librarians for all our contributions!

I was enjoying this book but DNF’d it about 75% in as they started bringing up the topic of rape.

I would not of picked this book up to read if I had known that the book covered the topics of SA and rape as a survivor myself I do not like reading about that kind of thing.

This book is about a woman during ww2 who’s father dies and mother goes missing and her attempt to try and track down her mother and find out what happened to her.

Like I said it was good until it wasn’t, this book needs warnings as there are subjects in it not everyone may be ok with.

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned pen press for the arc

The dark library, by Mary Anna Evans, is a historical fiction set over the beginning of World War 2. The author mixes different genres into it, bringing mystery and family relationships into the narrative.

Although slow paced in its greater part, the sense of discovering secrets keeps the reader interested in the book. It shows Estella, preferably called E., returning home after her father is passing away and her mom reported missing, presumably dead. E. goes on investigating her mother's whereabouts, as much as the secrets kept by her father in his valuable library.

Struggling to make ends meet, E. starts making friends and meeting old colleagues, and the story keeps showing the period of war.

An interesting read for those who look for a different view on the WW2, as well as the development of an interesting dark mystery.

This one is perfect for those who like family mysteries. It is a historical fiction novel that takes place during WWII and has some splashes of the war in it, although it’s an interesting perspective. It definitely is a slower pace and the author doesn’t focus as much on the action, but more on the emotional and psychological effects of searching for the truth. It definitely has undertones of dark academia and gothic vibes, but it felt almost too slow burn for me. The author does do a good job of keeping the mystery burning, but some parts of the book just felt a little too dry. Overall, an intriguing read that’s a different take on WWII stories.

It was okay. A nice new take on historical fiction but it felt a bit confused regarding what genre it truly wanted to be.

Okay I liked this one, but I thought the dark library was actually dark and scary 🫣. I guess it is kind of 🤔 but not in the way I thought. 😁 Anyway The Dark Library is still a good book. It has really good characters and a good story though there are some things I didn’t expect or agree with, it was still a good read. The main character E, (Estella, she likes to go by E) is a professor at the University where her father worked and was well known. She was out of town on her own when her mother and father’s housekeeper, Annie, calls and says her father is not well and that she needs for her to come home quickly. Estella goes and soon after she arrives her father dies. Her mother is not there and they have no idea if she’s alive or dead. Her mother and her father had had an extremely bad argument on the day her father took sick and her mother disappeared. So now Estella and Annie are trying to take care of a mansion of a house with hardly no money, because WW II is happening and things are rationed and women doesn’t get paid well for a job well done in 1942 because they are women 😑. And from there it just gets worse. Yes I know by now I’ve realized why is this called The Dark Library? 🤔 well, I don’t and you won’t either, if you read, until towards the end, very close to the end and then it opens up and you will say “Ahhhhhh, I get it now!” Or at least I did anyway 😊 I recommend to anyone who likes mysteries, and stories with timeline around WWII. There is hardly no language, if any, and no sexual content. I would have given it 5 stars because of this, but the reason for the 4 is because I believe the library should have been spoken of more. It really wasn’t mentioned until towards the end when the ah hah moment comes around and you realize that’s why it’s the dark library. So I just felt it should have been spoken of sooner. Her father’s books were spoken about but not why it was a dark library. I just thought it should have been known to the reader much sooner. But it is still a great story with great characters. Thank you to #NetGalley, the author, and publishers for the opportunity to read and review #TheDarkLibrary with my honest thoughts and opinions. 🙂

Please note that this ARC was provided by the publisher via Net Gallery in exchange for an honest review.

I liked but didn't love The Dark Library. It was a fairly interesting read throughout, but ultimately it fell flat. In my opinion, the most intriguing story line was E's mom. It was interesting to speculate on why she disappeared and what could have happened to her. I also liked learning about E's dad, even though he was clearly not a great guy. At the risk of dropping spoilers, the conclusion of the book felt like too much, too late. The "plot twists" about German spies and the information that E's dad was hiding was.... a lot. If that was going to be the major twist, I feel like it should have been developed more significantly or at least alluded to.

3/5 stars.

A slow paced story, riddled with missing family, murder, and a poor recollection of the past.

Estella, who goes by E, has returned home. Her father has passed and her mother is missing, assumed dead.
E doesn't believe this is the case, and moves back into her childhood house, where memories are triggered and not everything is as she remembered.

While this is a very slow paced book, it held my attention the whole time. I loved the gothic tones and feel like it would be a great book for who loved Daisy Darker and Mexican Gothic.

The Dark Library by Mary Anna Evans is a beautifully eerie and emotionally layered mystery that kept me hooked from start to finish. I really enjoyed the mystery of the family and what was going on—secrets, rumors, and hidden truths are expertly woven into Estella Ecker’s unsettling return to Rockfall House. The library theme was excellent, adding a moody, gothic touch as Estella dives into the very books she was once forbidden to touch, searching for answers about her missing mother and the truth about her domineering father. Evans crafts a suspenseful, atmospheric story full of twists and quiet revelations that stay with you long after the final page.

The Dark Library is a historical fiction novel with splashes of war—though not your typical war story. Instead of focusing on battles, Mary Anna Evans dives deep into the shadows of family, secrets, and legacy. When mysterious deaths and long-buried secrets resurface, E is drawn back home to unravel the lies her father spun throughout her life.

The story unfolds at a slower pace, which may not be for everyone, but the intrigue keeps the pages turning. It’s less about action and more about the emotional and psychological toll of uncovering the truth. If you enjoy atmospheric stories that blend history with mystery and a touch of suspense, this one is worth a read.

Very enticing premise for the story however it lacked depth for me. Everything was just laid out there with not much finesse. The times where there were opportunities to really build suspense and drive home this being a thriller, but they just fell flat. The pacing was a bit slow overall. If you want a not the intense thriller this could be a good fit.

I think this is mostly a case of bad timing.
The Dark Library is about a woman that comes home after hearing about her mother's disappearance and her father's death, it is timed in WWII with the background of her work in a university where she's not appreciated because she is a woman in academia.
This should've been a hit, but it missed for some reason. I couldn't concentrate and/or connect with the characters.
I think I will have to pick it up again another time when I'm in the mood for a family mystery. I absolutely recommend it if you like thrillers and mysteries, I'm the problem here.

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for the e-ARC!

I enjoyed this book but it was a SLOWWWW read for me. I found myself not wanting to sit down and read, I may have just been in a slump but I didn't love the writing style. I felt almost like it was a movie written down where I was missing details because I didn't actually see them happening.

While I was drawn into this due to it being historical fiction I found it to be fairly slow paced. In addition I was confused as to the storyline of parents as I didn’t feel that was clearly presented
For me the way the past and present was presented was not clearly defined and I had to stop reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC and the opportunity to read this for my genuine review

This was my first time ever reading a historical thriller and I really enjoyed it. It added some flair to a genre I'm becoming very accustomed to. I really enjoyed this read and I'd like to thank Poisoned Pen for the ARC.

Can a family’s dark history repeat itself? That haunting question lies at the heart of The Dark Library, a suspenseful and emotionally charged novel by acclaimed author Mary Anna Evans. Set against the brooding backdrop of Rockfall House, this story weaves mystery, memory, and identity into a compelling psychological tale.

Estella Ecker returns reluctantly to the place she once fled—her father’s imposing home and the college where his influence still lingers. With her mercurial mother missing and her father long dead, Estella finds herself surrounded by whispers, rumors, and the legacy of a man she never truly understood. At the heart of it all is her father’s forbidden library—an eerie collection of rare books that may hold the key to unlocking decades of secrets.

Evans crafts a richly atmospheric setting, where the house itself feels alive with memory and menace. The narrative explores weighty themes of inheritance, both literal and emotional, and the inescapable pull of family ties. Estella’s journey is not only about solving a mystery but also about confronting the truth of who she is and the shadow her parents cast over her life.

Suspenseful and unsettling, yet ultimately triumphant, The Dark Library is more than a mystery—it’s a story about the courage to face the past and reclaim one’s future. A perfect read for fans of gothic suspense and deeply personal, character-driven mysteries.

I am not usually one for historical fiction, but I really liked the premise of this book and it definitely did not disappoint. This book was well written, almost lyrical and perfect for a cozy day.