Reviews with content warning for Child abuse - The Mystery Writer

When Theodosia Benton shows up on her big brother’s doorstep with some luggage and an idea for a novel, she’s sure of two things: she no longer wants to be a lawyer, and Gus will always have her back. A chance encounter at Benders, a local watering hole, introduces Theo to a famous writer, who takes her under his wing - and perhaps into his heart.

Just when Theo is at her happiest - contemplating her developing relationship and invigorated by her newly finished draft - things begin to unravel. Theo is drawn into a web of lies, conspiracy, and murder.

The novel shows its hand early in the story. This isn’t necessarily a drawback; letting the reader in on secrets that the characters haven’t quite figured out can add tension and increase suspense. However, the novel treated some of its more predictable plot points as unexpected twists, which impacted the story’s pacing. In the last quarter of the novel, the action winds down for a great deal of exposition about the characters’ pasts,

the events surrounding a 2-year time jump

, and the motivations and methods of the primary antagonists.

Despite the pacing in the final fourth of the book, the central conspiracy was compelling, the characters were varied and believable, and I really enjoyed the meta commentary on the publishing industry. As an American, I also appreciated the Australian perspective on American culture and gun laws. (Both the author and the protagonist are Australian.) Readers who love books about books, red herrings, and intricate conspiracy theories will likely enjoy this literary thriller. Overall, an enjoyable, layered mystery with well-developed, believable characters.

Thank you to Sulari Gentill, Net Galley, and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with a digital advanced reader copy of this book. I look forward to reading more of Gentill's work in the future (and to exploring her back catalogue)!

Content Warnings

katie_lacour's review against another edition

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3.5

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The plot line of this book is so crazy it’s almost believable. Theo, a law school dropout and aspiring author, meets and becomes friends with published author Dan. Dan’s experience and insight has Theo well on the path to finishing her book and getting published when Theo finds Dan, dead. Now Theo, her roommate lawyer brother, and “researcher” Mac (with his odd family) must find out who the real killer is when everyone is too eager to look at the trio.

I enjoyed how the book shows how the manipulation of one person’s story can change an entire narrative.

Reading about the story in Lawrence was surreal and cool as someone who has lived there; the depiction was pretty spot on and I liked how the author contrasted leftist lawrence with the far right conspiracy theorists.

The depiction of ideology was humorous and ominous but also I felt like it could have been really cool to show it even more from an insider perspective to almost convince the reader and “radicalize” them.

I was definitely bouncing between character to character to see who the murderer was. Any good mystery book should have you paranoid to the culprit and the author successfully accomplished this!

Sometimes the characters seemed a bit dumb and gullible but in some ways it was enjoyable because it was a classic moment where the audience is shouting at the fictional characters “don’t trust them!!!” However, Theo in particular was too trusting and naïve to me considering her friend had just been murdered.

The outsider Australian perspective on guns and the far right was funny to me. Furthermore, the inclusion of cults was so interesting (Mac’s family, theo’s parents, and minotaur).

At the end, would have been nice to have more closure or have a more fleshed out conclusion. I’m not sure if I enjoyed the romance, as it felt somewhat like an afterthought. If there was more leading up to it I would have enjoyed it more, but otherwise it felt a little goofy for the instant bonding—although of course there is a trauma bond to consider.

The police was so useless which was so irritating, while I know the police might not be that effective in real life it seemed unbelievable just how useless they were! But again, this helps to add to the plot and build the tension of the storyline.

I enjoyed this murder mystery, and I would definitely be interested in reading more books by the author!

CW: Childhood SA, Gaslighting, Cults, Murder, Guns, and Abduction.

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