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a_reader_obsessed's review against another edition
3.0
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 [b:The Woman in the Library|56803179|The Woman in the Library|Sulari Gentill|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1631826249l/56803179._SY75_.jpg|88799772], 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
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 [b:The Woman in the Library|56803179|The Woman in the Library|Sulari Gentill|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1631826249l/56803179._SY75_.jpg|88799772], 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
vibeke_hiatt's review against another edition
3.0
I received an ARC of this book through Goodreads Giveaways.
Like some of the other reviewers, I was initially misled by the description and thought that this would be a book of true crimes stories. It is not.
As a writer, I also thought it might be a good resource for teaching me how to write mystery novels. I was not disappointed there. About 1/3-1/2 of the essays had a lot of good advice for writers.
Aside from addressing the "mystery" of writing, some essays really did talk about crime. Other writers, though, seemed too think that by adding the word "mystery" to essays about the mundane, they could fool the reader into thinking there was actually an interesting mystery to find in their story.
Not every essay was written in an engaging way. It was difficult to get through some. Some essays were only worth 2 or 3 stars, while others were 4 or 5. I would recommend this books to writers for the advice it gives, but I would only recommend some of the essays for entertainment.
Like some of the other reviewers, I was initially misled by the description and thought that this would be a book of true crimes stories. It is not.
As a writer, I also thought it might be a good resource for teaching me how to write mystery novels. I was not disappointed there. About 1/3-1/2 of the essays had a lot of good advice for writers.
Aside from addressing the "mystery" of writing, some essays really did talk about crime. Other writers, though, seemed too think that by adding the word "mystery" to essays about the mundane, they could fool the reader into thinking there was actually an interesting mystery to find in their story.
Not every essay was written in an engaging way. It was difficult to get through some. Some essays were only worth 2 or 3 stars, while others were 4 or 5. I would recommend this books to writers for the advice it gives, but I would only recommend some of the essays for entertainment.
chrissypops's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Thank you to Netgalleym Sulari Gentill and Dreamscape Media for the eAudio of The Mystery Writer.
Narrated by Katherine Littrell
I did enjoyed listened to this book. Katherine Littrell had a lovely paced voice for this particular book and kept me engaged. I feel that if I has read this book, it may of been a DNF for me.
I found the plot quite slow and even though I liked the interactive parts of the conspiracy theory online group, I felt the book was bulked out with a little too much. The bones of the book, the dynamics between Theo, her bro Gus and Mac ( Gus' friend ) were pretty good and I enjoyed that. Even though I understood the ending, I felt it didn't really suit the narrative or the direction of the book. I shall be looking into reading more of Sulari's books though as I can see lot of things I like about their writing.
3 stars for me.
Narrated by Katherine Littrell
I did enjoyed listened to this book. Katherine Littrell had a lovely paced voice for this particular book and kept me engaged. I feel that if I has read this book, it may of been a DNF for me.
I found the plot quite slow and even though I liked the interactive parts of the conspiracy theory online group, I felt the book was bulked out with a little too much. The bones of the book, the dynamics between Theo, her bro Gus and Mac ( Gus' friend ) were pretty good and I enjoyed that. Even though I understood the ending, I felt it didn't really suit the narrative or the direction of the book. I shall be looking into reading more of Sulari's books though as I can see lot of things I like about their writing.
3 stars for me.
carrieleaharris's review against another edition
3.0
I wish I could give it 3.5 stars. I got this as an ARC on a goodreads giveaway. And generally I liked it. I think i was hoping that it was the authors talking about research on true cases to write their fictional stories. It wasnt. They were each telling a story of their own, some spooky, some mundane. Yes, some of the stories I thoroughly enjoyed, and wished they would keep going, and those authors I added to my tbr pile, and other stories I couldnt finish and just moved on to the next. I wouldn't read it again or really recommend it to a friend though. So 3 stars.
mg_in_md_'s review against another edition
4.0
This is my third novel by this author, who is quickly becoming an auto-read for me. The latest stand-alone mystery had me hooked from the beginning. With elements of a fish out of water, a global conspiracy theory, Doomsday preppers, a murder mystery, and a shadowy publishing industry set against the seemingly quiet backdrop of Lawrence, Kansas, I could not help but wonder where the story would end. There were twists and turns galore, with red herrings sprinkled in along the way. The many moving pieces could have taken the story in a number of directions, so I enjoyed seeing how they all fit together as events unfolded and ultimately came to an end.
Later in the story, I felt like some of the transitions in the action were a bit abrupt. The story sometimes jumped forward in the timeline and picked up from a different character's perspective, so I found myself trying to reorient myself before proceeding with a new chapter. While it did not detract from my reading enjoyment, I can see where it might make it harder to follow the story. This is a slow-burn of a thriller that requires some attention. I felt that the pacing was excellent for the moody, murky, and off-kilter atmosphere of the story.
Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for the NetGalley copy and a chance to read this novel prior to publication!
Later in the story, I felt like some of the transitions in the action were a bit abrupt. The story sometimes jumped forward in the timeline and picked up from a different character's perspective, so I found myself trying to reorient myself before proceeding with a new chapter. While it did not detract from my reading enjoyment, I can see where it might make it harder to follow the story. This is a slow-burn of a thriller that requires some attention. I felt that the pacing was excellent for the moody, murky, and off-kilter atmosphere of the story.
Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for the NetGalley copy and a chance to read this novel prior to publication!
marilynw's review against another edition
3.0
The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill
I enjoyed the author's last book and was looking forward to this one, which started out okay and then took a drive off a cliff. I held on to the end but wasn't enjoying the ride all that much. My favorite characters were Gus, Mac, and a dog named Horse but with a plot that went haywire, I didn't have all that much fun with them.
Theo has dropped out of school and had shown up at the doorstep of her brother Gus and the sweet dog, Horse. There is a will involved and Theo is breaking the stipulations of the will. But Theo wants to write, to be a great author, and she's come to Gus for a place to live.
Life turns very bright when Theo meets the famous author Dan Murdoch at the coffee shop where she writes. He becomes her friend and mentor and life is good until it's not good anymore. Someone has murdered Dan and Theo and Gus are suspects!
Throughout the story we see social medial posts from some strange usernames saying strange things. Since I couldn't connect the dots there wasn't much I could do with those posts. But then the whole story goes strange on me. I need more of an explanation to enjoy such a long book when I've for sure lost the plot (maybe I never had it?) and feel totally at sea. And then there are some very unpleasant time jumps. There is too much book in some places while there are also places where a lot of years have been left out. The moving forward in time are the quickest and most jarring time jumps I've read. By the time I'd gotten to the end, it was hard to care that I got there.
Expected publication March 19, 2024
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for this ARC.
I enjoyed the author's last book and was looking forward to this one, which started out okay and then took a drive off a cliff. I held on to the end but wasn't enjoying the ride all that much. My favorite characters were Gus, Mac, and a dog named Horse but with a plot that went haywire, I didn't have all that much fun with them.
Theo has dropped out of school and had shown up at the doorstep of her brother Gus and the sweet dog, Horse. There is a will involved and Theo is breaking the stipulations of the will. But Theo wants to write, to be a great author, and she's come to Gus for a place to live.
Life turns very bright when Theo meets the famous author Dan Murdoch at the coffee shop where she writes. He becomes her friend and mentor and life is good until it's not good anymore. Someone has murdered Dan and Theo and Gus are suspects!
Throughout the story we see social medial posts from some strange usernames saying strange things. Since I couldn't connect the dots there wasn't much I could do with those posts. But then the whole story goes strange on me. I need more of an explanation to enjoy such a long book when I've for sure lost the plot (maybe I never had it?) and feel totally at sea. And then there are some very unpleasant time jumps. There is too much book in some places while there are also places where a lot of years have been left out. The moving forward in time are the quickest and most jarring time jumps I've read. By the time I'd gotten to the end, it was hard to care that I got there.
Expected publication March 19, 2024
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for this ARC.
emjay2021's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to the publisher, Seal Press, for a review copy (via Edelweiss+) in exchange for an honest review. A version of this review is also on my blog and on the Edelweiss+ site.
I really enjoyed this collection of essays. I've been a fairly avid mystery reader for a big chunk of my life, since high school, and I've made my way through plenty of detective series by a wide range of authors. I do look for intriguing plots, but equally important are the quality of the prose and the complexity of character development.
So I was particularly interested to read what various authors had to say about mysteries and writing. Pleasingly, they each interpreted the assignment a little differently. Some wrote about a mystery in their own life; some wrote about a family mystery; others wrote about the mysteries of the creative process itself. I enjoyed reading the wide range of responses.
As with any essay collection by various authors, I connected with some more than with others. Particular standouts, because of both the subject matter and the writing style, were Connie May Fowler's searing essay about childhood abuse, childlessness, illness, and healing; Steph Cha's electrifying account of stalking and harassment; Sulari Gentill's essay about a family mystery in her birthplace, Sri Lanka; Asuma Zehanat Khan's musings about her Pashtun family's past; the mystery of Caroline Leavitt's disappearing voice; and finally, an amusing and spooky tale by Kristin Lepionska about a haunted apartment. If I had to choose just one as the absolute best, it would be Steph Cha's, but it's got stiff competition from the others.
Even the ones that weren't particular standouts for me were, in general, entertaining and engaging. Overall, I'd recommend this to anyone who likes personal essays and memoirs, whether or not you like to read mystery novels.
I really enjoyed this collection of essays. I've been a fairly avid mystery reader for a big chunk of my life, since high school, and I've made my way through plenty of detective series by a wide range of authors. I do look for intriguing plots, but equally important are the quality of the prose and the complexity of character development.
So I was particularly interested to read what various authors had to say about mysteries and writing. Pleasingly, they each interpreted the assignment a little differently. Some wrote about a mystery in their own life; some wrote about a family mystery; others wrote about the mysteries of the creative process itself. I enjoyed reading the wide range of responses.
As with any essay collection by various authors, I connected with some more than with others. Particular standouts, because of both the subject matter and the writing style, were Connie May Fowler's searing essay about childhood abuse, childlessness, illness, and healing; Steph Cha's electrifying account of stalking and harassment; Sulari Gentill's essay about a family mystery in her birthplace, Sri Lanka; Asuma Zehanat Khan's musings about her Pashtun family's past; the mystery of Caroline Leavitt's disappearing voice; and finally, an amusing and spooky tale by Kristin Lepionska about a haunted apartment. If I had to choose just one as the absolute best, it would be Steph Cha's, but it's got stiff competition from the others.
Even the ones that weren't particular standouts for me were, in general, entertaining and engaging. Overall, I'd recommend this to anyone who likes personal essays and memoirs, whether or not you like to read mystery novels.
lesmisarahbles's review against another edition
4.0
Theodosia Benton, aspiring writer and law school dropout, shows up on her brother's doorstep with two suitcase. an unfinished novel, and finds way more than she bargained for.
This is a keeps-you-guessing mystery thriller that I really enjoyed. I found Theo and her brother Gus to be pretty well fleshed out protagonists, and the underlayer of conspiracy theories in the vein of forum posts at the beginning of chapters helped set an enjoyably tense mood. My only critique is that the last third of so of the book drags, only to then ramp up in action very suddenly and a little chaotically.
Thank you to Sulari Gentill, Poisoned Pen Press, Sourcebooks Inc, and NetGalley for my advanced reader copy.
This is a keeps-you-guessing mystery thriller that I really enjoyed. I found Theo and her brother Gus to be pretty well fleshed out protagonists, and the underlayer of conspiracy theories in the vein of forum posts at the beginning of chapters helped set an enjoyably tense mood. My only critique is that the last third of so of the book drags, only to then ramp up in action very suddenly and a little chaotically.
Thank you to Sulari Gentill, Poisoned Pen Press, Sourcebooks Inc, and NetGalley for my advanced reader copy.
pio_near's review against another edition
4.0
Wow... that took a turn!
But not in a bad way!
As with her previous novel, The Mystery Writer takes a premise... a young engeneau who falls for a famous author helping her career... and turns it on its head by discovering the famous writer dead.
But then, with a riot of protestors, a wacky conspiracy theory, and a parade of dead bodies, no one seems to be sure of what happened, but all fingers point to the Mystery Writer.
A terrific read, both for its thrilling action and wild storyline, I was entertained the whole time!
My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
But not in a bad way!
As with her previous novel, The Mystery Writer takes a premise... a young engeneau who falls for a famous author helping her career... and turns it on its head by discovering the famous writer dead.
But then, with a riot of protestors, a wacky conspiracy theory, and a parade of dead bodies, no one seems to be sure of what happened, but all fingers point to the Mystery Writer.
A terrific read, both for its thrilling action and wild storyline, I was entertained the whole time!
My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
bekcasey's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0