The Mystery Writer

by Sulari Gentill

There's nothing easier to dismiss than a conspiracy theory―until it turns out to be true When Theodosia Benton abandons her career path as an attorney and shows up on her brother's doorstep with two suitcases and an unfinished novel, she expects to face a few challenges. Will her brother support her ambition or send her back to finish her degree? What will her parents say when they learn of her decision? Does she even have what it takes to be a successful writer? What Theo never expects is to be drawn into a hidden literary world in which identity is something that can be lost and remade for the sake of an audience. When her mentor, a highly successful author, is brutally murdered, Theo wants the killer to be found and justice to be served. Then the police begin looking at her brother, Gus, as their prime suspect, and Theo does the unthinkable in order to protect him. But the writer has left a trail, a thread out of the labyrinth in the form of a story. Gus finds that thread and follows it, and in his attempt to save his sister he inadvertently threatens the foundations of the labyrinth itself. To protect the carefully constructed narrative, Theo Benton, and everyone looking for her, will have to die. USA Today bestselling author Sulari Gentill takes readers on a rollercoaster ride in The Mystery Writer , a literary thriller that turns the world of books and authors upside down and where a writer's voice is a thing to be controlled and weaponized, to the peril of everyone who loves a good story.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook, Crime, Suspense

384 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2024

About the author

Once upon a time, Sulari Gentill was a corporate lawyer serving as a director on public boards, with only a vague disquiet that there was something else she was meant to do. That feeling did not go away until she began to write. And so Sulari became the author of the Rowland Sinclair Mysteries: thus far, ten historical crime novels chronicling the life and adventures of her 1930s Australian gentleman artist, the Hero Trilogy, based on the myths and epics of the ancient world, and the Ned Kelly Award winning Crossing the Lines (published in the US as After She Wrote Hime). In 2014 she collaborated with National Gallery of Victoria to write a short story which was produced in audio to feature in the Fashion Detective Exhibition, and thereafter published by the NGV. IN 2019 Sulari was part of a 4-member delegation of Australian crime writers sponsored by the Australia Council to tour the US as ambassadors of Australian Crime Writing.

Sulari lives with her husband, Michael, and their boys, Edmund and Atticus, on a small farm in Batlow where she grows French Black Truffles and refers to her writing as “work” so that no one will suggest she get a real job.

THE WOMAN IN THE LIBRARY, Sulari’s latest novel will be released on 7 June 2022.

Reviews

[Jayme · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have a habit of automatically requesting books from authors that I have enjoyed before-often without even reading the premise! Next year, I will have to be more discerning, and start reading the synopsis to determine if the particular story is REALLY a fit for me, despite past positive experiences with the author!

Had I done so in this case, (and the synopsis really shares too much!) I wouldn’t have requested this book, as I know that I rarely enjoy a story about conspiracy theories or the people who believe in them. But, that wasn’t the only issue I had with this book…

**

Theo Benton has left the University she has been attending, convinced that her career path as an attorney is the wrong path for her, and shown up on her brother's doorstep in Kansas with two suitcases and an unfinished novel.

She decides to finish her book at cafe/bar called “Benders”, which happens to already have a highly successful “writer in residence”, Dan Murdoch, who quickly becomes her mentor-until he is brutally murdered.

Could his senseless death have anything to do with the Conspiracy Theories he has been researching?
Was he involved or is there another agenda at work?

Theo is determined to find out.

Unfortunately, despite her good intentions, I could not connect with Theo, who comes across as a weepy, naive “damsel in distress” who needs continual rescuing from her brother Gus, and his friend and associate, Mac, whose family are “Doomsday Preppers”.

Another issue-as written, you would believe that all Americans run around armed with a gun.

In addition, despite 400 pages, the last 30% uses SEVERAL abrupt time jumps, to move the story to its denouement, making the ending feel extremely rushed. (and over the top)

“After She Wrote Him” earned 4 stars from me, and “The Woman in the Library” earned 5 stars and a place on my FAVORITE READS shelf for 2022, so I am sure this is a one off and I am still looking forward to seeing what Sulari Gentill pens next. But this isn’t one that I can recommend.

2 stars ⭐️

Available Now to those who feel they might be the right audience for this book.

Thank You to the Poisoned Pen Press for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prepare for another mind-blowing mystery from the brilliant author Sulari Gentill, the mastermind behind 'Woman in the Library.' Gentill expertly keeps you on the edge of your seat as she immerses you in the enigmatic world of a famous author's whodunit mystery, with a cadre of eccentric doomsday conspiracy theorists lurking in the shadows. These suspicious characters seem to monitor every move of the story's protagonists, turning them into unwitting pawns in a perilous game.

The tale commences with Theodosia Benton's unexpected arrival at her brother Gus's doorstep. Their relationship has been strained since a childhood incident involving a cult. They both agree to abide by their grandparents' will, which stipulates that they must become lawyers, distancing themselves from their cult-affiliated, hipster parents and securing a trust fund in the process.

However, Theo has already abandoned her law studies in Australia to pursue her dream of becoming a writer. She relocates to Lawrence, a small town in Kansas, where her path crosses with the famous author Dan Murdoch at a local coffee shop. Their quick connection evolves into a deep friendship, and they bond over their shared passion for writing. Things take an intimate turn during an afternoon spent at Dan's house. When Theo completes her novel, she turns to Dan for help in approaching his prestigious agency, Day Delos and Associates Management. Yet, Dan surprisingly dismisses the agency as unsuitable for a writer of her caliber. This unsupportive response deals a significant blow to Theo's aspirations, leading her to invite Dan to dinner with her brother as an olive branch.

However, upon returning to her house, Theo is met with an open door, a welcoming cat, and a slippery floor. What she discovers next defies belief: a gruesome bloodbath fills the room, and her beloved author lies lifeless in the bathtub.

The connection between Theo and the author, along with the subsequent involvement of another determined mother, casts suspicion upon Theo. Her brother's job is also jeopardized because of her predicament.

Enter Theo's close friend, the private investigator Mac Etheridge, who becomes a much-needed ally. However, Theo soon discovers that Mac is part of the eccentric Etheridge Family, a group of conspiracy theorists who believe in zombies, government secrets, and preparing for doomsday. This revelation adds another layer of complexity to her already tumultuous life.

As Theo grapples with the unraveling mystery, she finds herself entangled with zealous fans of Dan Murdoch, a nosy young journalist ready to expose her secrets, and a perilous web of powerful and dangerous individuals. Her dream of pursuing a writing career has unwittingly dragged her and her loved ones into treacherous territory. Can she navigate this perilous journey and protect her brother and newfound detective friend?

This is a masterfully executed, multi-layered narrative with a unique concept that grips you from the start. While the pacing slows down slightly in the last third of the story, it adds depth and drama to the narrative. The final chapter picks up the pace and delivers a brilliant conclusion.

'Woman in the Library' offers an enthralling, thought-provoking, fast-paced mystery thriller that comes highly recommended, even though I personally favored it slightly less than the author's previous work. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed the unique concept and the intricately crafted characters, particularly Gus and the vivid Etheridge clan.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with a digital review copy of this unputdownable book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

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[Sujoya - theoverbookedbibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

When twenty-two-year-old Theodosia “Theo” Benton drops out of law school in Australia, she ends up in Lawrence, Kansas, at the home of her older brother Gus, a practicing lawyer. Theo is an aspiring writer and Gus is supportive of her goals, encouraging her to pursue her dreams. At Gus’ insistence, she finds a place to sit and write - a bar named Benders where she meets Dan Murdoch, a best-selling author whom she quickly befriends. Dan encourages Theo and from him, she begins to understand how the publishing world works. But when Dan is brutally murdered, Theo, Gus, and their friend Mac are drawn into a complex web of conspiracy, lies, deception, and murder. As the narrative progresses, Theo realizes that all was not as it seemed in Dan’s world and that sometimes the truth can be stranger than fiction.

I was intrigued by the premise of The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill. Cleverly crafted and well-paced, with a solid mystery at its core with some interesting twists along the way, this novel surely held a lot of promise. My first problem with the novel was the fact that I wasn’t a fan of Theo, who is portrayed to be a bit too naïve for my liking. I did like the other characters and especially loved reading about their lives in Tasmania and the bond between the adult siblings even though they didn’t spend much time together growing up. The conspiracy theories and doomsday preppers added to the intrigue (and the entertainment value) in the story and I was eager to see where the characters finally landed. I also wasn’t a fan of the time jumps (yes, more than one) toward the end which made me feel like I was missing parts of the story, despite the narrative feeling a tad too lengthy. Usually, I love complicated mysteries and enjoy trying to guess the identity of the culprit and don’t mind suspending disbelief. However, the plot became too convoluted (laughably so) toward the end and way over the top for me to appreciate the direction of the story or the final revelations.

I really enjoyed The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill and was eager to read the author’s new book. While the premise of the novel is enticing, and I found some of the characters and plot twists definitely interesting, I didn’t enjoy this one as much as I had hoped.

I paired my reading with the audiobook narrated by Katherine Littrell. The excellent narration breathes life into the story and the characters and makes for an engaging immersion reading experience. The audio narration definitely enhanced my overall experience with this novel.

Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for the digital review copy and Dreamscape Media for the ALC via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The Mystery Writer was published on March 19, 2024.

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[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up)) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Mystery Writer is the latest release from Sulari Gentill, author of The Woman in the Library.

I have heard so many great things about The Woman in the Library, so when I was offered the chance to read The Mystery Writer a little early, I jumped on it.



This story follows Theodosia Benton, an aspiring author, who has just left her native Australia and moved to the United States, to Lawrence, Kansas, to live with her older brother, Gus, a successful attorney.

The two had an unconventional upbringing and you can tell that there is a lot of history there, yet they have a loving and supportive relationship. Gus is happy that his sister is pursuing her dreams, instead of going along with the path her parents and grandparents had in mind for her.



As part of her writing process, Theo begins to visit the same local cafe everyday. It's there she meets and befriends, Dan Murdoch, who turns out to be a best-selling author.

Their relationship develops at a hasty clip and then one day, Theo finds Dan has been murdered. The stuff hits the proverbial fan from there.

Gus has a friend, Mac, who happens to be a private investigator, and he sort of takes on a role as Theo's protector, as they work together to try to figure out what happened to Dan.



This was a difficult book for me to rate. It started out strong for me. I was deeply intrigued for like the first 40%, or so, then it just went absolutely off the rails.

I got to the point where I wanted it away from me. I was over it. It was such a sharp turn, I looked up like, what the actual heck am I reading?!



There was a mixed media element to this that I did not enjoy. Usually I am totally down for mixed media use, but in this case, I found it to be more distracting than anything.

I understand what it was supposed to represent in context to the overall plot, but yeah, just because I understand it, doesn't mean I enjoyed it.

Then there's Theo herself, who was way too naive for my tastes. Her naivety kept being explained away by the fact that she had moved from Australia, but that doesn't track. It's Australia, not the moon. She felt more like a time traveler straight out of the 1920s, or something; absurd.



This is the type of story, where I really have to be able to get behind the MC and I found her to be truly annoying. I did like Gus, Mac and the dog, Horse. Theo though, not so much.

Also, I didn't enjoy where the plot went. The baddies seemed mere caricatures of baddies, versus something that would make sense to this story. I just couldn't get behind it all.

With this being said, I understand that this is 100% due to personal taste and that a lot of Readers may end up really enjoying this one. After all, just because it wasn't for me, doesn't mean it won't be for you.



If this synopsis sounds intriguing to you, or if you enjoyed this author's previous work, you should absolutely give it a go. Perhaps I'm just in a mood. It wouldn't be the first time that's happened.

Thank you to the publisher, Dreamscape Media, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

I do appreciate it and should say that the audiobook was very well narrated. I may not have gotten through this one, if it wasn't for the audio format!

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a fan of The Woman in the Library, I was curious to see what Sulari Gentill would write next. Initially, I felt off kilter and was wondering if this was the book for me. But then I remembered I felt the same way with TWITL, so I stuck with it. The plot is convoluted. Theo gives up on college and shows up on her brother’s front porch in Lawrence, Kansas. She’s decided she wants to be a writer. Hanging out in a local cafe/bar, she befriends an established writer. But no sooner have they become romantically involved, that she finds his dead body in his house. Interspersed with this storyline, the reader is privy to a group of conspiracy theory nutjobs and their messaging. It would be easy to say this group was too crazy to be believable. But our family has a QAnon idiot in our midst, and some of her theories are so unreal as to beggar belief.
I struggled to relate to Theo. I had to keep reminding myself that she was still very young and maybe not wise enough to know what she was signing up for. But would someone smart enough to get into law school really be so dumb? There were numerous times that she just seemed oblivious. it was so obvious that something was fishy with Day Delos & Associates from her very first meeting with them. Flip side, I really enjoyed Gus and Mac and appreciated what a great big brother Gus was. And Mac’s doomsday prepper family did help provide comic relief. I would have actually liked it if they had played a bigger role in the story.
Despite my issues with Theo, I did get drawn in and was curious to see how it was going to play out. I found myself reaching for the book whenever I had a spare minute. It moved at a nice brisk pace with lots of moving parts. But the last section of the book just went totally off the rails for me. It was all I could do to stay with it. The book went from being a four star to a two star. I’ll think twice before picking up her next book.
My thanks to Netgalley and Poison Pen Press for an advance copy of this book.

[Sandysbookaday (taking a midwinter break) · Rating 4 out of 5]

EXCERPT: He awoke early on the day he died, lying unmoving for a time under the weight of frustration, the inertia of despair.
The grief was crushing. The realisation that he'd lost it all. Over something that should have been nothing. . .
He sat up. The bookcase was blurred, and though he tried to pull himself together, it remained so. Slowly, stiffly, he rose from the couch on which he'd spent the night and grabbed a book from the middle shelf. His first novel, once everything - the culmination of dreams, an admission ticket to it all. Until she'd torn it down.
He ran his fingertips over the glossy jacket - the letters of his name were slightly raised. He'd never see that again, never feel it. 'Hit the road, Jack, don't you come back . . .' The tune was harsh on his lips, self-mocking and bitter. 'No more . . . no more . . . no more . . .'
A suit had been laid out for him = shirt, shoes, even boxers. Every last thing had been considered, every outcome anticipated, every decision already made.
There was nothing left to do but die.

ABOUT 'THE MYSTERY WRITER': There's nothing easier to dismiss than a conspiracy theory—until it turns out to be true

When Theodosia Benton abandons her career path as an attorney and shows up on her brother's doorstep with two suitcases and an unfinished novel, she expects to face a few challenges. Will her brother support her ambition or send her back to finish her degree? What will her parents say when they learn of her decision? Does she even have what it takes to be a successful writer?

What Theo never expects is to be drawn into a hidden literary world in which identity is something that can be lost and remade for the sake of an audience. When her mentor, a highly successful author, is brutally murdered, Theo wants the killer to be found and justice to be served. Then the police begin looking at her brother, Gus, as their prime suspect, and Theo does the unthinkable in order to protect him. But the writer has left a trail, a thread out of the labyrinth in the form of a story. Gus finds that thread and follows it, and in his attempt to save his sister he inadvertently threatens the foundations of the labyrinth itself. To protect the carefully constructed narrative, Theo Benton, and everyone looking for her, will have to die.

MY THOUGHTS: While I didn't read this in one sitting . . . I did read it in less than twenty-four hours. Gentill kept me on the edge of my seat, unsure of what was coming next. The plot is diabolically clever, the characters an interesting mix of police, lawyers, preppers, hippies and the writing and cafe communities.

In A Conversation with the Author at the end of the book, the author speaks about the similarities between the character of Theo Benton and herself; Theo abandoning her law degree at the risk of losing her trust fund to write, while Sulari was a lawyer for fifteen years before giving up the profession to write full time.

Interspersed with the narrative of the novel are snippets from conspiracy theory chat rooms. These are important to the essence of The Mystery Writer, so please don't skip them. The final message at the end of the novel is chilling.

This is a thrilling story of manipulation, deceit and conspiracy. I loved it, conspiracy theorists and all.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

#mysterywriter #NetGalley

THE AUTHOR: Sulari lives with her husband and sons on a small farm in the foothills of the Snowy Mountains of Australia, where she grows truffles, keeps donkeys, and writes about murder and mayhem.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill for review. All opinions expressed in this revie are entirely my own personal opinions.

[Phrynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another stand alone book from this Australian author which is great (but I still miss the Rowland Sinclair series)

In The Mystery Writer the main character, Theodosia Benton (Theo), leaves her university course in Sydney and moves to the U.S. determined to be a writer. She moves in with her brother Gus and begins to spend her days writing at a coffee shop. There she meets Dan who turns out to be a published author who becomes her mentor. When he is murdered it stirs up an ants nest of mystery and danger for Theo, Gus and Mac who is a friend of Gus and a private agent.

There follows more murders, shootings, several visits to hospital, and an introduction to the lives of doomsday preppers in the form of Mac's family. Conspiracy theories abound on the internet and it is scarily realistic how easily people can be led to believe in almost anything. Especially when so many of them have guns.

The story began at a steady but unremarkable pace, by the middle it was speeding up, and then it went for broke in the last third. By that point I was having trouble putting the book down at all. I enjoyed it all very much and am going to give it five stars.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book

[PattyMacDotComma · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5★
“ ‘Don’t ever do anything like that again.’

‘Like what?’

‘Like walking into a strange house alone, with no idea who’s in there. This isn’t Hobart, Theo. People here have guns, and if you wander into their house a lot of them would be quite happy to shoot you.’

‘It wasn’t a strange house...’

‘He wasn’t expecting you. Americans respond to surprises by shooting.’”

I could be clever and say ‘You're not in Kansas anymore’, but in fact she actually is in Kansas in a town called Lawrence.

Theo, Theodosia, is 22, has dropped out of law school in Australia and flown to the US where her brother is a lawyer. He listens to her reasons and is understanding, but he does have a hard time making her believe that she is among people who may shoot first and – you know – ask questions later, if at all.

The two of them were raised in Tasmania by parents who are hippies. or ferals, as they're known, who have a hard time believing that these are the kids they’ve produced. They are peace-loving, tambourine players, not gun-toting doomsday preppers. (They come later.)

Brother Gus encourages little sister to write, which is what she’s always wanted to do. She finds a nice coffee shop, becomes a regular and makes friends with the staff. She feels she’s joined the ranks of other famous authors who work in public. She even meets another novelist who sits across the way from her.

Meanwhile, running in the background is a conspiracy forum which appears in short bursts throughout the book. The story opens with this bit.

“Caleb fell back onto his bed and placed his arms behind his head. If they knew, they would take over. It would be Caleb do this, Caleb do that…like he wasn’t the one who’d known from the beginning. They would forget that. Perhaps it would be better to wait. That way, when it started he’d be the one behind the wheel; they’d have to listen to him.”

Later we get posts and conversations, the things that Caleb is reading and contributing to.

“The people have a right to know. The sacrifices have a right to fight. Beware the icons: Disney, Coca-Cola, CNN. They are friends of the Minotaur. Prepare. Soon we will rise to lay siege to the Labyrinth. More later.
We Know What We Know.
Primus”

Later, the sign-off is simply WKWWK. (Yes, as from the show Hamilton, it says, but I digress.)

Here is another taste.

“Has anyone noticed that FLOTUS does not age? It’s worse than you think. I’ve seen pictures from the Civil War and she’s in them. How do you think she does that? Is it connected to the Frankenstein Project?”

What the? I wasn’t sure how this was going to tie in, but there’s a third excellent character, Mac, a private eye (former lawyer) who works with Gus and whose own family are doomsday preppers. Gus, Theo, and Mac are interestingly normal, considering the families they come from, and I enjoyed their interactions.

Then there is a murder and it looks like Theo may be implicated, so tensions rise and we get full-on thriller action. There is international intrigue and another whole layer of conspiracy at work.

I had found this a bit slow somewhere in the middle and wondered where Gentill was taking us, but I needn’t have worried. I miss her Aussie stories, but I have to admit this one was fun and will probably appeal more to an American audience.

Gus and Theo bring enough of an Australian attitude to make me happy. I enjoy the plot and the characters and the mystery more than the guns and bloodshed, but so what? Gentill’s books are always a good read.

Thanks to #NetGalley and Pantera Pressa for a copy of #TheMysteryWriter for review.

[* A Reader Obsessed * · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars

As most books are wont to do, often it’s the blurb that will lead a reader to check out the story. For me, it was the intriguing setup that lured me in as well as the fact that I highly enjoyed The Woman in the Library, and I was ready for another propulsive read to keep me on my toes. No doubt Gentill’s writing continues to be easy to digest. It’s quick, it flows, it pulls the reader along.

So, I was looking forward to the prospect of conspiracies, a ton of chilling secrets, and an explosive mind blowing reveal. For me, this didn’t really crescendo until the last 20% and when it did, it kinda fizzled. I’m not saying the idea wasn’t smart and interesting because it was, but maybe my unrealistic expectations were just too high. Perhaps because it took over 300 pages to really set things up, the ending seemed too rushed where the conspiracy fallout never truly came and was sinisterly (and sadly probably realistically) left open to continue on its twisty nebulous path. I readily admit that I want my fictional entertainment to be solidly in the happily ever after realm where the bad guys get their well deserved comeuppance.

It didn’t help that the heroine Theo was difficult to root for where my jaded self wanted to shake her way too many times to have a bit more self preservation, to not be so naive and gullible. In my opinion, the actual standouts of this were Theo’s brother Gus, and his friend Mac. They’re protective and smart, and both of them work tirelessly (and fruitlessly) to keep Theo from making many mistakes and missteps. I truly enjoyed every scene that they were in. Also, while I love any bit of romance to a story that I can get, I didn’t buy into what was presented and felt that Theo was one very lucky lady to deserve such devotion.

Overall, this had good bones, and I think many will enjoy this on its own merits or that of the author’s. I personally wanted more of everything because what was delivered just wasn’t enough to fully titillate and engage me specifically. Regardless, Gentill is still an author of interest, and I’ll continue to check out her future works!

Thank you to the author and Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley for the ebook in exchange for an honest review

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Theodosia Benton arrived from Australia on her brother Gus' doorstep in Lawrence, Kansas, completely unexpectedly. Theo had quit her law course at the University of Canberra to pursue a career in writing. She didn't let Gus know she was coming because she thought he'd send her back. His successful career as a partner in a law firm was something Theo no longer was interested in, for herself. Gus was happy to see his kid sister, and had no intentions on sending her home. As Theo settled into her daily writing at a nearby coffee bar, where other authors also congregated to write, Theo met up with well known writer, Dan Murdoch, and he became her mentor. But then he was brutally murdered, and Theo found his body.

When the police decided Theo was their #1 suspect, Gus immediately stood by her as her lawyer. And his good friend and work buddy, Mac, also worked at their side. But another person was murdered and with evidence thin on the ground, the police continued to question Theo. But Gus was in the frame as well, and suddenly Theo was missing; nowhere to be found. What had happened to Theo? It seemed that she had vanished into thin air...

The Mystery Writer is another brilliant mystery thriller by Aussie author Sulari Gentill which I could NOT put down. Conspiracy surrounded all players with intrigue and control at its heart. As I turned the pages toward the end, I wasn't sure what would happen - but it couldn't be good! I always love Ms Gentill's writing, and this one sure didn't disappoint! Highly recommended to all who love a twisty, intriguing thriller!

With thanks to Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I saw this book on NetGalley, I quickly clicked Request, smiling like a fool when it was granted. Sulari Gentill is a new writer to me, but The Mystery Writer was a classic story told in a new way. A writer finds a dead body, which inspires her to continue to write while solving the crime. But her own brother is the suspect, and its her lover who is murdered. What kind of loyalty should she hold firm? Toss in a conspiracy theorist and a new book deal with a fancy agency, and things are looking too connected, if you know what I mean. As a story concept, I like it. Generally, the execution was fine. But the collection of suspects, the missing scenes that would have tied things together, and the jump in time period (3 months later, 6 months later) felt awkward and perhaps lazy. I don't mean that in a cruel way, but I didn't see the purpose for them. The investigation and actual happenings during those missing times should have been filled with great action, and so the end felt just dropped in for closure. Will consider more books by the author, but it may not have been an ideal match for my reading preferences.

[Kerrin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found The Mystery Writer difficult since I don't enjoy reading about conspiracy theories, doomsday preppers, and an literary agency that fuels false information. I won't get into the plot. The blurb on the back of the story gives away too much as it is. I never fully invested in the characters because of the over-the-top story. The story ends with a set-up for a sequel since one of the antagonists gets away.

I enjoyed the author's previous work, The Woman in The Library, so I was even more disappointed in this one.

[Linzie (suspenseisthrillingme) · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's nothing easier to dismiss than a conspiracy theory―until it turns out to be true.

When Theodosia Benton abandons her career path as an attorney and shows up on her brother's doorstep with two suitcases and an unfinished novel, she expects to face a few challenges. Will her brother support her ambition or send her back to finish her degree? What will her parents say when they learn of her decision? Does she even have what it takes to be a successful writer?

What Theo never expects is to be drawn into a hidden literary world in which identity is something that can be lost and remade for the sake of an audience. When her mentor, a highly successful author, is brutally murdered, Theo wants the killer to be found and justice to be served. Then the police begin looking at her brother, Gus, as their prime suspect, and Theo does the unthinkable in order to protect him. But the writer has left a trail, a thread out of the labyrinth in the form of a story. Gus finds that thread and follows it, and in his attempt to save his sister he inadvertently threatens the foundations of the labyrinth itself. To protect the carefully constructed narrative, Theo Benton, and everyone looking for her, will have to die.

What in all that is holy did I just read? A convoluted tale of conspiracy, murder, and intrigue, The Mystery Writer was both riveting and yet also utterly bizarre. From its wholly original premise to the constantly ratcheting suspense, despite a definite need to suspend all disbelief, I was still wrapped up in the plot from the very first word. Don’t get me wrong, there were some very real missteps, but let me start with the positives first.

Despite a slow burn beginning, as the page count grew so too did the action. With < b>ample shootings, murders, stalking, and even a car chase or two, the pace picked up steam in the second half only to explode in the last fifty pages. And while I didn’t exactly love any of the characters, a dog named Horse totally got my adoration. All in all, while it wasn’t exactly my normal thriller, I did get addicted to it far more easily than I would’ve expected.

The negatives, however, were plentiful. From the conspiracy theory subplot to the idea that all Americans seem to love wielding a gun, there were some very odd concepts in this book. Then there was the speeding train of ridiculousness that took what was an enjoyable plot and derailed it for me. And the climax? So very over-the-top. But what bugged me the most was Theo herself. Naïve and somewhat obtuse, I just wanted to shake her out of her obliviousness.

By the end of the book, my nose was crinkled up and I had a mildly disbelieving look on my face. Or so I’ve been told. I do have to say, though, that I was, yet again, a fan of Gentill’s propulsive writing style and well-developed characters. With a startlingly complex web of deceit and plenty of twists and turns, there was no figuring out the final reveal before it was delivered. And while it wasn’t my favorite book by the author, I found it addictive and unputdownable just the same. So grab this one at your own discretion, but you just might get hooked by this rollercoaster ride too. Rating of 3.5 stars.

Thank you to Sulari Gentill, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

Trigger warning: drive-by-shooting, conspiracy theory believers, false imprisonment

*Synopsis provided by the publisher.

[Meags · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

I was pretty excited for this new mystery novel, having read and loved Gentill’s previous work, The Woman in the Library. Hell, the promise of another author-centric murder-mystery caper was more than enough to set me to full-intrigue mode, making me eager to pick this story up.

And, for the most part, The Mystery Writer delivered, holding my attention from page one, once again cementing how compatible I am to Gentill’s uniquely voiced, smart-as-a-whip, propulsive style of mystery storytelling.

I especially liked how, again, the author effortlessly placed authentically Australian characters into very American situations and environments, in a way that I, an Australian, don’t see very often in my fiction reads.

The story was engaging and quite perfectly paced, quickly setting the scene as hopeful young author Theo, an Aussie fish out of water in small-town Kansas, gets caught up in a conspiratorial plot of subterfuge and murder, after she finds new (boy)friend and older renowned author, Dan Murdoch, murdered in his home.

The plot that then plays out didn’t quite hold as many twists or reveals as I would have liked, but I easily found myself caught up in the mystery at hand, even though I predicted some big things very early on and felt that the conclusion of the story was perhaps a bit unsatisfying.

As a protagonist, I found Theo to be a very frustrating heroine to follow, proving early on (and regularly there on out) to be a bit too naïve and gullible for my liking, lacking the innate survival instincts and basic smarts I prefer in my female-driven mystery stories. I didn’t hate her, which would have completely ruined the story for me, but I can’t pretend my biggest issues with the story didn’t lie with her character and some of the ridiculous actions/reactions she had along the way.

Thankfully, on the flip-side of Theo’s fairly-vexing character, stood her big brother and lawyer Gus, along with his private investigator friend Mac, both of whom possessed the intelligence, assertiveness, and protectiveness I craved, providing me with not one, but two very likeable male sidekicks, who held the story together and keep me invested long-term.

Even though The Mystery Writer wasn’t the best I’ve read from Gentill so far, I’m still happy I read it, knowing full-well that I’ll be reading more of her stories in the future—no coaxing necessary.


***A special thanks to Poisoned Pen Press (via Netgalley) for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Lisa B]

Not rating bored to tears 😭 in the first 50 pages pass on this one wondering why I started this at all eye rolls 🙄 everywhere with this one.

[PinkPanthress · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝗜 𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄. 𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗦𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹, 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸!

Theo(dosia) Benton, a 22 year old University dropout from Canberra travels to Lawrence, Kansas, to be with her big brother Gus and his Dog Horse, and to actually change everything in her life as well as maybe even finish the Book she started. She wants to be a writer, an author who spins their own stories for people to enjoy since she devoured the Books of Jack Chase when she was a kid.

After a short time, she meets the renowned writer Dan Murdoch at the coffee shop called ‘Benders’, her daily writing refuge (Schreibrefugium). Dan, significantly older and seemingly alone in the world, becomes her support. He evolves into her Mentor, Confidant, and eventually her Lover.

For Theo, everything seems to be going great for the first time in ages and she completes the first draft of her debut novel. But when she wants to invite Dan to a dinner with her brother, she finds him murdered in a most horrific way.
Theo’s world collapses and her life changes abruptly. But also for her brother Gus and his two work colleagues (and best friends), Mac and Jacqui, life turns into a nightmare.

Why was Dan murdered? Why won't the Police listen to Theo?
And what’s the deal with this online forum full of Conspiracy Theories? Will Theo be able to avenge Dan’s death? Who can she still trust?”

“Becoming a writer is one thing, staying one is entirely another beast.” -Dan Murdoch

The book was overall very fluidly written and pleasant to read. Although I had downloaded it a fews weeks ago, I had to put it aside initially due to urgent tasks and my Job. HOWEVER, when I finally picked it up last weekend, I couldn't put it down. I read until the early hours of the morning and had finished it by Sunday morning.
It's one of those books that you want to keep reading, even though at the same time you don't want it to end, to prolong the reading experience. I was a bit disappointed when I finished it so quickly.

-Theodosia was not an easy to read protagonist for me. At first, I felt sorry for her because of her naivety, but then I wanted to give her a slap to force her to think logically. BUT then I was reminded that she was supposed to be only 22 years old.

-Dan somehow made me feel sorry for him. How exactly had he gotten into this situation? Was there something to read between the lines or was it all just wishful thinking?
Sometimes you just like a side character in a book, regardless of theirs ossible flaws or how little they 'actively' contributes to the story.
I will write some of my thoughts about him when this book has been published for some time. Those spoilery thoughts will then be found marked at the very bottom of my review as Spoilers. 💭

-Gus I found a bit irritating, but at the same time awesome in his own way. Typically the way much older, big brothers are (I know what I'm talking about, I have 2 of that kind walking around in this world)
I loved his dog 'Horse', such a so sweet big boy. I imagined him as a gentle giant all the time. A bloodhound? A Great Dane? Something like that.

-Mac was phenomenal, in his rather reserved way and despite his 'funny' prepper family background. Sometimes, in my opinion, he was the only one who really thought logically and detached about all Elements of the Case at hand.

-Jacqui? I liked her from the start. I would have liked to read more about her and am glad that she becomes more than just a friend of the siblings at the end.

I found Gentill's cheeky, humorous undertone in this book very well done. The way she wove a touch of cynicism into the whole essence of the processes about book writing and publishing was superb. As a Grafik/Digital media designer, I've met and have known a few people in book publishing, and THAT made me enjoy the whole Book in a special way.

Even though I knew early on some parts of how the plot would work out, the Book still kept me entertained AND made me ask myself if I was mistaken with what I thought was the reason for why things happened (trying to not spoiler this, so it's hard to describe what I am not trying to refer to...).

The story was actually very well thought out, but there were a few tiny moments here and there where I thought... no, that was not so good! (At least for me)
Not because of how it all panned out or because of this 'Conspiracy Theory' trope woven in… on the contrary, I liked that bit!

For example the writing style became somewhat irrational towards the end. Too large and/or incomprehensible time jumps. Also, towards the end, I would have liked better spacing, such as blank lines in between POV shifts, in the last 'more hectic' chapters to keep a better overview while reading… not sure if I am making myself clear hear. But maybe that was due to my copy, who knows!?

Although I usually dislike multi-part/series in Books and Movies most of the time, yet I firmly believe that this book would have been even better if it had been a two-parter or had had more pages.
Of course, this is not always at the discretion of the author. Publishing deadlines and editor's suggestions for changes must be taken into account. Therefore, all in all, I am quite satisfied with this story.

As already mentioned, I am a bit annoyed about how the story with Dan was handled at the end. But that's okay and won't irk every reader!

Well-deserved 9.6 out of 10 stars, in GR that makes 4.8, which I am happy to round up to a full 5 Star Rating! 🧿

Publishing Date will be 19'th of March 2024!

𝑰𝒏 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍, 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌! 𝑰𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒚, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒚'𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉. 𝑰𝒕 𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒂 𝒃𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒐𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒓, 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒉 𝑰 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉. 𝑭𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒅 𝒐𝒏, 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝑻𝒐𝒖𝒓-𝒅𝒆-𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒆𝒍𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔!

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you, Poisoned Pen Press, for the advance reading copy.

Some general tips if you are planning to pick up this book when it comes out:

1. You will like this book if you’re looking for a cosy mystery thriller kind of read involving authors and writers.

2. You will like the book more if you are NOT looking for stressful hardcore fast paced thrillers.

3. Yes, you will love the book if you love reading about realistic lovely adult siblings being protective of each other.

Well, if you have checked all these three things please do pick up this book. The plot is explained well. But do not expect a killer gasp-out-loud twist towards the end. But you will really appreciate the explanation provided. The story has a good closure and well developed characters. Even the side characters are well fletched out.

The writing is slow to start with but it picks up towards the second half.

And for thrillers, I do not add the storyline in reviews. You just go in blindly with less expectations. And this gives you more!

[jamie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Content Warnings: murder, sexual assault, stalking, gun violence

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC!

After reading and enjoying Sulari Gentill’s The Woman in the Library, I was super excited to pick up her latest book, The Mystery Writer. I found The Woman in the Library to be clever and creepy, and I was hopeful that The Mystery Writer would top it.

To say I was disappointed would be an understatement, to say the least.

The Mystery Writer was a slow-paced, convoluted story that was honestly so ridiculous at parts that I had to roll my eyes and walk away. The novel follows the story of Theo Benton, an aspiring author who drops out of law school and moves to the US to live with her older brother. As she starts working on her manuscript, she befriends an older author who takes her under his wing. Everything is going great — Theo is finishing her manuscript, her relationship with her mentor is turning into something more — until her mentor ends up dead, and Theo is the prime suspect in his murder.

But that’s not all. It turns out that Theo’s dead mentor was involved in a conspiracy that might just go all the way to the top. And now Theo isn’t just caught up in a murder; there’s a whole web of secrets, lies, and violence in which Theo finds herself thoroughly wrapped.

This sounds right up my alley. So what went wrong?

To begin with, the writing itself felt amateurish and unedited. The book read like a first draft: lots of potential, but lots of cleaning up to do. I overlook a lot of typos and mistakes in ARCs, since they are not finished with editing, but this book had a long way to go in that aspect. There were also continuity errors and logical inconsistencies that took me out of the story on more than one occasion.

My biggest problem, though, was the character of Theo. I wanted so badly to like her, but I found her so clueless as to be unbelievable. I understand that books typically need miscommunication and bad choices for the sake of having a story, but this went far beyond that. Theo overlooked every red flag in her path and constantly put herself in harm’s way out of unimaginable ignorance. It was hard to root for her when it seemed every decision she made was so wrong.

I also found the plot to be unbelievable to the point of, quite frankly, absolute ridiculousness. This was not a murder mystery, it was a conspiracy-theory thriller completely unrooted in reality.

At the end of the book, the author states that she doesn’t plan ahead in her books; she just writes and lets the story take her where it’s going to go. That is incredibly obvious by the book’s stilted pacing and unsatisfying answers. So much of The Mystery Writer drags on, slowly building dread, and then bam! All at once, in the last twenty-five percent or so, it’s like the story realizes it’s about to end and tries too hard to catch up with itself. You know when you’re writing in big letters and you suddenly realize there isn’t enough room for the rest of your sentence, so you have to make the rest of the letters increasingly thinner to squeeze them all in? That’s how the ending of this book felt.

With too many characters, a litany of alternating perspectives, and abrupt time jumps of years, I just could not center myself within this story. I could not even bring myself to invest in the story; I only wanted it to end.

I love metafiction and murder as much as the next guy, but sadly, this is not a book that I would recommend to anyone.

[Justin Chen · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 stars

A bingeable mess, even though I was consistently engaged from start to finish, the lack of commitment to a specific theme/tone made The Mystery Writer sillier and more disjointed than what I was expecting coming from Sulari Gentill, whose past few novels often incorporated an intricate literary ‘gimmick’ (such as After She Wrote Him, with its 2 writer protagonists writing each other’s POVs). Same attempt was made here, but with less impactful outcome.

Other readers have highlighted their frustration towards the protagonist, and I can see where they’re coming from: her behavior throughout is widely inconsistent. Sometimes naive to a fault, at the same time we are meant to believe her as someone with a decent understanding of laws and attention to detail—she ends up being less of a fleshed-out character, but a puppet for plot convenience.

The fragmentation continues with its plot, which starts out like a lighthearted cozy mystery, only for its latter half turning into some kind of Mission Impossible extravaganza with huge action set pieces and grave consequences. The novel also features characters with very extreme worldview, but for reason unknown presenting it as funny ‘quirks’ (isn’t it hilarious Americans carry guns everywhere and have doomsday shelters?), yet at the same time drawing provocative parallel between conspiracy theory and the power of storytelling. I was left in the constant whiplash, not sure whether The Mystery Writer is going for surface level entertainment, or something more critical.

The audiobook is expertly done by the narrator, but with many POV switches happening mid-chapter, sometimes it can be easy to miss listening without seeing the proper formatting on page.

At no point did I find The Mystery Writer boring, thanks to its cast of colorful secondary characters (compensating for its weak protagonist), and the constant hijinks. But I was annoyed by the haziness of its intent; it’s almost like the author was trying for something like Yellowface, making a razor-sharp commentary about the publishing industry ‘weaponizing’ stories, but chickened out so decided to wrap it all in comedy instead. If you have not read from Sulari Gentill before, probably don’t start with this one.

**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**

[Mallory · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting mystery, but I’m not sure it was totally what I expected it to be. I started with the audiobook but switched to kindle so I could finish it faster. It started and moved slowly but there were parts that jumped. Theo goes to stay with her brother after she decides not to finish law school despite what their grandparents’ trust wanted for her. He supports her and she decides to start writing and to achieve her dream of being an author. As she writes she meets another writer and they become friends and eventually loves. But when he murdered it looks like her brother may be the primary suspect. Theo is desperate to find out who killed her friend, but there are more secrets than she could have ever guessed. There is a lot of conspiracy theory layers to this one and while that’s not always my favorite it worked for the story. I do like my thrillers to seem a bit more realistic and I guess there is not enough of a conspiracy theorist in me to find this mystery realistic.

[Megu · Rating 2 out of 5]

After "The Woman in the library" I didn't have high expectations, but I was hoping for some fun. Unfortunately "The Mystery Writer" didn't deliver even in that department, as the fun was lost somewhere between main character naivete, some weird misconceptions about the publishing world and ridiculous time jumps that completely ruined the 3rd act for me.
I couldn't get over the scene where the main character is offered a representation by a literary agency that is so blatantly evil, my teeth hurt that the protagonist couldn't see it. The agent told her that she had to give up all of her social media and contacts and basically hand her personal live over to the agency. That should ring a flashing alarm in her head, but she just assumed that's normal? I couldn't like Theo, as she was soooo oblivious to how publishing work - nowadays it's expected from writers to run their own promotional campaigns using their private social media channels, so an agency trying to cut you off from all social contacts and the internet should give you a major red flag.
The pace of the whole thing was off, especially when the main character suddenly disappears for two years in the middle of the 3rd act.
And the final reveal explaining what was the villain's plan was simply ridiculous. I actually laughed out loud when I read it.

[Barbara K · Rating 3 out of 5]

The old adage says that you should write what you know, and Sulari Gentill has taken that to heart in her most recent two novels, The Woman in the Library, and now, The Mystery Writer. Gentill definitely knows how to construct a clever and entertaining novel featuring writers, and in this one, the publishing industry as well.

Aside from the general subject matter, and the fact that principal characters in both books are Australians transplanted to the US, the two books are actually quite different from one another. The Mystery Writer is something of a hybrid between the conventional mystery in which an innocent bystander is put into the position of having to unravel a crime, and a conspiracy thriller.

Sadly, as preposterous as the various conspiracies in the book may seem, they are frighteningly similar to what we read about in the news every day. Gentill's observations on the demands put on today's authors to be "saintly" in their public comments are well made. It must be tempting to just stick their heads in the sand and let their books stand on their own without engaging in public commentary or making public appearances, though their agents and publishers would probably not permit it.

Overall the blending of the two genres works quite well. The reveals of the elaborate and improbable backstories of the main characters tended to be a bit clunky, and at times the pacing was inconsistent, but neither of these is a serious flaw. My experience with thrillers is that characters frequently have backstories that leave them with both wealth and an assortment of skills and useful acquaintances, so that’s consistent with that genre.

I appreciated the fact that although there were plenty of hints along the way, the specifics of the who-dunnit-and-why were left vague enough that my interest was consistently sustained. The ending was especially well done and had me turning the pages as fast as possible. Definitely a fun read. My thanks to BookBrowse and Poisoned Pen Press for my advanced reader copy.

3.5 stars, rounded up because it’s the Friday of a long weekend.

[Donne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having enjoyed Woman in the Library, I’ve been looking forward to finally getting to read this one. One of the things that I enjoyed about Woman in the Library was the story around the story, writers writing about writers. It was this notion that I had in my head from the get-go as I delved into this story with a very similar storyline/plot.

The very first sentence of the book summary is kind of a spoiler, “There's nothing easier to dismiss than a conspiracy theory—until it turns out to be true”. So, from the get-go, I’m thinking, “ok, it’s about a conspiracy theory that’s actually true”. The rest of the book summary basically just introduces the main characters siblings, Theo and Gus (a lawyer) and how the story started, so I’m not going to repeat any of that here. What the book summary doesn’t mention is Gus’s friend and co-worker, Mac, who is an investigator at Gus’s law firm. It also doesn’t mention how this “conspiracy theory” started and that mystery is in itself a potential conspiracy theory compliments of the conspiracy theory trolls that live online fanning the flames of conspiracy theory nonsense.

There is also a secondary storyline that the book summary alludes to and that is that there is some event in Theo and Gus’s past (back in Tasmania) that the family had buried and has been hiding ever since. This is just one of the catalysts for Theo’s act of protecting Gus. Also, it doesn’t help that Mac comes from a somewhat nefarious family of doomsday preppers, whose suspicious behavior has been on law enforcement’s radar for a very long time. Personally, I’ve always found these people to be some of the wackier types of conspiracy theorists. JMHO

Most of the story flips back and forth between Theo and the online posts of a bunch of conspiracy theorists that revolve around what happened to another member of the forum that they refer to as Primus, who they believe is Dan Murdoch, who was Theo’s mentor/lover that was murdered. The conspiracy theorists believe Primus’s postings were revealing another conspiracy theory regarding a book he was posting about that would reveal another conspiracy. Getting the picture now? Yeah, me neither, but it does make the story more interesting. Anyway, none of this is a spoiler since it all transpires pretty early in the story.

The second half takes a crazy turn and that is where a good chunk of the story goes off the rails. For me, I actually like crazy twists and turns; my enjoyment of a story is not contingent of a story’s level of believability. Unfortunately, it’s not long before the ending begins to become just a humongous, hot mess, which is the same issue that I felt Woman in the Library had too. I really dislike messy endings; they’re kind of a pet peeve of mine. It’s really sad when a writer spends a lot of time, energy and effort creating a good storyline and developing interesting characters only to get to the end of the story and just kind of lets the whole story go up in a blaze, and not in the glorious kind of way either.

The elements of a story that has the most effect on my overall enjoyment of a story are strong characters, interesting storylines, a pace that keeps me engaged and the author’s writing style, which for me includes how well the writing flows and how a writer wraps up the story. Based on the first three elements, I’d give this book a 3.5star rating, if I could. When vacillating about whether or not to round up or down on a story, I rarely feel inclined to round up on stories with clunky, messy endings. This is the case here. I want to thank NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #PoisonedPress #TheMysteryWriter

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

WILD + TWISTY!!! Theodosia (Theo) Benton abandons her remaining few years at an Australian law school to be a writer. She shows up at brother Gus’s Lawrence, Kansas home asking for a place to live while finishing her novel. She writes every morning at the local cafe/bar Benders.. oh yes, named after that infamous 1800’s family. Theo strikes up a friendship with famous author Dan Murdoch who becomes her mentor. When he is found murdered on the day Theo gives him her manuscript, she tries to solve the crime. This novel is like peeling an onion, multilayered.

The characters themselves are a mish-mash of people that had me scratching my head—no idea what roles they would play; good or bad; -Writer. Attorney. Publishing agent. Private eye. Doomsday preppers. Reporter. Serial killer(s)???

In one way or another.. ALL hold one commonality: -the literary world.📚👩🏼‍💻

THE MYSTERY WRITER is a cat and mouse game of intense pressure and a thick layer of secrets. I had no idea where this was going.. and sure enjoyed the ride!🎢😳🤯 Is my first book by Sulari Gentill. Now of course, must read The Woman in the Library. 4.5 stars — Pub. 3/19/24

I received an arc copy of this book thanks to Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Mystery Writer is the third stand-alone novel by award-winning, best-selling Australian author, Sulari Gentill. When Theodosia Benton arrives at her older brother, Gus’s home in Lawrence, Kansas, having abandoned her law course in Canberra, she’s not sure of the reception she’ll get. But Gus doesn’t let her down: he’s thoroughly understanding and happy for her to stay.

They will, together, decide what and when to tell their feral parents but, meanwhile, Theo finds Benders Bar/Café, an accommodating and friendly spot where she can pursue her dream: to write a novel. She’s not the only writer taking advantage of the indulgent staff, and eventually she and Dan begin chatting about writing, with the older man offering much appreciated feedback and advice.

Only after some months does she learn that Dan Murdoch is an internationally acclaimed bestselling author, and the attractive, expensively-tailored woman who occasionally joins him is his agent with the coveted Day, Delos and Associates. Just as her manuscript is nearing completion, their mentor/mentee relationship takes a turn, one Theo cautiously welcomes, but which is unfortunately short-lived.

That Gus Benton is a junior partner in a respected law firm when Theo finds Dan is his kitchen with his throat slashed is fortunate for her, but less so for him. His partners are none too pleased with the publicity that results when Theo seems to be the only suspect on whom the police are focussing. When Gus’s house is besieged by press and Dan Murdoch fans, they are lucky to have a bolt hole with a friend.

An unexpected development after Dan’s death is the approach by his agent, who tells her that Day, Delos & Associates is interested in Theo’s novel. Veronica Cole explains their exclusivity requirements, should Theo sign with them, and Theo is a little taken aback by the level of control they insist on having. Is a writer not entitled to a private life?

Theo later observes: “The public’s interest in the lives of writers had increased with the accessibly afforded by social media and the web in general, but that very accessibility was dangerous. Online friendship was a fickle thing. Loose comments, failed jokes, or simple flares of temper could unleash a contagion of outrage and condemnation. It was no longer enough to write a good book; authors had to be photogenic, witty saints as well.”

While she remains under suspicion, and the whereabouts of Dan’s last manuscript are a mystery, and the killer remains at large, a flash of inspiration has Theo planning out a new novel, the concept of which she shares with a select few, something that might later turn out to be very important.

Several chapters are prefaced by the observations of a doomsday prepper, or comments on a forum that seem to come from conspiracy theorists, and Theo’s later close encounters with some of them are rather alarming. Before matters are finally, and very satisfactorily, resolved, Theo is stalked, there are two more murders, Theo, Gus and his friend are interrogated multiple times, evidence is planted, and there’s a police shooting that ends quite badly for one of them.

Once again, Gentill gives the reader a cleverly plotted tale with some excellent twists before the final reveal. Her characters have depth and appeal, and several aspects of her protagonist give this novel somewhat of an autobiographical feel. Another page-turner!
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press.

[Heathers_readss · Rating 2 out of 5]

The mystery writer follows our FMC Theo, who decides to drop out of university and attempt her dream of becoming a famous author.

To do so she moves in with her big brother Gus, and spends her days at a local coffee shop working on her book. There she meets (and fan girls over) one of her favourite authors, and soon they build a flirtatious friendship and spend their days together where he informs her that he is working on a horror novel inspired by information he finds on online conspiracy theory chat rooms.

Everything is going perfectly, their friendship turns into romance and Theo completes her novel with the hopes of finding a publisher. But that all goes down the drain when she stumbles upon her boyfriends gruesome murder.. “And she knew suddenly that she had slipped in his blood”.

Events following lead to lies, deception, disappearances and time jumps.

What I liked about the book:
I really enjoyed the narration by Katherine Littrell, I’m a big fan of Australian accents and it made the reading experience enjoyable for me.

The book started out with a bang.. the phrase “There was nothing left to do but die” caught my attention and invested me into the story.

The plot was unique and sent you down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories and mysterious unexplained occurrences.

That being said, I found it difficult to get behind the FMC, her character was somewhat pitiful for her age and I just wanted to shake some sense into her.

The time jumps at the end left me feeling a little disconnected to the conclusion of the story and I would have preferred a clearer picture to what was going on. All in all I’d have to say this book was so-so, definitely not in my must read recommendations list, but also not a bad book overall.

This is my first read by this author and my overall feelings won’t deter me from trying again with another piece of their work.

Thank you to Sulari Gentill, dreamscape media and NetGalley for an ALC! 🩷

[John Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strap in for a wild ride with "The Mystery Writer," where even the plot twists have plot twists, and the characters have secrets worthy of a daytime soap opera......…..

Book Information

The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentillis a 400-page mystery/thriller novel with a planned publication date of March 19, 2024. Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with an Advance Readers Copy for review.

Summary

When Theodosia Benton ditches her law career for writing, she wonders if her family will back her and if she's any good at it. But she gets tangled up in a secret writer's world when her mentor is murdered. When cops suspect her brother, Gus, she steps in to save him. But things get messy as Gus follows clues left by the dead writer, putting them all in danger. To keep their secrets safe, Theo and her crew must face a deadly threat head-on.

My Thoughts

In "The Mystery Writer" by Sulari Gentillis, I found myself immersed in an entertaining tale that kept me eagerly turning pages. Despite its length, the story's intricate plot and surprising twists held my attention throughout. The Mystery Writer is a literary journey that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Gentillis skillfully builds suspense, gradually unraveling the mystery as the narrative unfolds. While the beginning may seem slow, the tension steadily mounts, keeping me on the edge of my seat. I looked forward to moments in my day when I could reopen the book and read just a few more pages. Though some aspects of the book felt exaggerated, such as the portrayal of the publishing company and the conclusion, the overlay of conspiracy theories added depth to the story.

One of the novel's highlights is its exploration of sibling relationships, which adds emotional depth to the plot. The bond between the adult siblings is portrayed with authenticity, enriching the story's dynamics. Additionally, the inclusion of the prepper family and their unique perspective added both nuance and humor, while the presence of Horse, the lumbering dog companion, added a touch of warmth.

The one challenge I had while reading the book was that the shifts in point of view were disorienting, requiring me to pause and reorient myself within the narrative. Additionally, some elements of the plot may strain credibility.

Overall, "The Mystery Writer" is a well-crafted novel with a thought-provoking plot and compelling characters. It offers readers an engaging and suspenseful reading experience that lingers long after the final page.

Recommendation

"The Mystery Writer" is a captivating book that keeps you engaged with its suspenseful plot and unexpected twists. With its intriguing characters and gripping storyline, it's an entertaining read all the way through. If you're a fan of mysteries and suspense, this book is definitely worth picking up.

Rating

4 Mystery Stars

[Isabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ The Mystery Writer follows Theodosia Benton as she leaves law school in Australia to pursue writing while living with her brother, Gus, in Kansas. She becomes entangled in a conspiracy when her new friend and renowned writer, Dan Murdoch, is murdered after reading her manuscript.

The premise of the novel is compelling and I loved Sulari Gentill’s unique cross-cultural blend of Australian characters in an American setting. I was able to enjoy a different, sometimes humorous, perspective on what is considered “normal” in American life, even during the book’s darker moments. The conspiracy setup is intricate and has enough potential to kick off a multi-book series if Gentill wanted.

Theo, while endearing, is sooooo naive from beginning to end. Her unwavering belief in the goodness of others, even when faced with clear danger, detracts from her character development, especially when she still believes Day Delos is on her side AFTER they kidnap her. Get fucking real.. Thank goodness for Gus and Mac (Gus’ PI friend), whose well-developed, more serious characters provided a bit of sense and safety where Theo saw none.

If I guess what is happening too early in a mystery/thriller, then my engagement with the storyline can fall pretty fast. While the overarching plot twist is predictable, the smaller twists and turns generally maintained my interest and suspense. Additionally, the narration by Katherine Littrell is captivating. She does a great job bringing the characters to life throughout the book.

Thanks to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, Sulari Gentill, and Katherine Littrell for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review to follow. 3.5★

[Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Theo left her university studies in Australia because she didn’t want to be an attorney like her brother. She wanted to be an author.

Her brother Gus was surprised when she showed up on his doorstep in Kansas because they were told they had to follow their grandfather‘s orders that stated in the trust fund that they had to become attorneys.

Gus was even more surprised when Theo met another author, Dan Murdoch, at a cafe and became friendly with him. Was this meeting an accident or one that was on purpose?

Gus wanted to know who this author was and how they became friendly so quickly, so Theo went to Dan’s house to ask him to come for dinner since he never answered her calls all day, but found him murdered.

Now Theo is involved and the only suspect.

How did she get herself in this mess?

Why would anyone murder Dan?

Theo didn’t know him that well, but hints and conversations at the beginning of a few chapters indicated he was involved in finding out something about an organization.

Apparently, Dan's murder wasn’t the end of it, though. More murders happened, and someone kept following Theo.

Was she in danger too just by association?

Was the murderer closer than they knew?

THE MYSTERY WRITER has a slow start, but the tension and intrigue pick up as the investigation and many other things happen.

Some odd characters, but all in all it is a book mystery readers will enjoy and won't want to put down once the book continues. 4/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.