Scan barcode
raeslow's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment
thesapphiccelticbookworm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Racism, Medical content, Gun violence, Police brutality, and Murder
kylieqrada's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, and Blood
Moderate: Sexual assault, Stalking, and Violence
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Grief, and Rape
c0ffee_b00ks22's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
BTW, the romance was good. I really enjoyed reading that part of the book
Moderate: Sexual violence, Blood, and Sexual assault
nicoyarose's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Murder, Sexual assault, Gun violence, and Sexual harassment
mels_reading_log's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Grief, Gun violence, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Blood, Murder, Death, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Pedophilia
readingwithemmathomas's review against another edition
3.0
Lovable characters
Funny dialogue
Cons:
Bad pacing
Confusing at times
Very obvious political preferences?
I would give the author another try, though. Their craft will likely improve with time!
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment
fkshg8465's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, and Child abuse
avidreaderandgeekgirl's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Death, Grief, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, and Cursing
Moderate: Kidnapping, Murder, Confinement, Pedophilia, Alcohol, Police brutality, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, and Violence
Minor: Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Sexual assault
srivalli's review against another edition
2.0
- 0 to 33% - decent (even if I couldn’t ignore some things)
- 34 to 70% - umm okay (but it is spiraling out of control)
- 71 to 100% - a dinosaur could appear, and I wouldn’t blink an eye
Theo starts okay but soon ends up melodramatic. Though I felt sad that she could be so easily groomed, I couldn’t empathize with her as the story progressed. She went from being vulnerable to an idiot in quick time. Some of her actions and decisions were incredibly stupid. Dropping out of law school was one good thing she did. Imagine having someone like that to represent you! *shudder*
Thankfully, Gus and Mac were much better. I liked them a lot more and enjoyed their scenes. Gus is adorable and the kind of big brother anyone would want to have. Wish we got his POV, too. And oh, he has a dog named Horse, who is a big softy.
Mac’s family is eccentric and what you’d call the doomsday preppers. Still, I quite liked the mother and some brothers despite the limited presence.
Now, the blurb makes it clear that conspiracy theories play a vital role in the plot. That’s true. We get this track in snippets, which add to the intrigue (to an extent). I admit I was curious to see how it would come together. Well, let’s say it wasn’t worth it. Also, makes me wonder if the last section was rewritten after feedback to make it OTT. If yes, it’s the worst move ever. Think of Ekta Kapoor’s daily soaps to guess the mess (IYKYK).
I knew the last section of the book was the weakest, but didn’t expect it to go kaput to this extent. And to think Gus at one point said Theo wasn’t an idiot to make stupid decisions. Dude, you have no idea how much you underestimate her stupidity. Moreover, the patterns in Theo’s life are worrying.
Despite everything, I can see the potential in the original premise. If only it was properly structured!
To summarize, The Mystery Writer has too much going on with a weak main character and fails to bring it all together cohesively. It may work for readers who like ‘shocking’ twists, but I’d still recommend you to go with low expectations.
Thank you, NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheMysteryWriter
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Sexual assault