I really enjoyed this, it had an entertaining plotline and i liked the characters. It was very readable, some of the twists were a bit unbelievable and i feel like it didnt fully tie everything together at the end but would still recommend

I went into this book thinking the story was completely different to what it was. I was pleasantly met by an interesting and mysterious tale.
I really liked all of the characters in the book and how the author was not afraid to go to darker places at times with backstory. I’m not always a huge fan of a conspiracy theory but it really worked in this storyline.
The bonds between the main characters were all nice to read, nothing you wouldn’t believe in terms of emotions and relationships.
I’ll probably find myself reading this author again down the line!

The Mystery Writer was a ride! I started off wondering how I'd manage to get through it as initial chapters didn't really grab me, but I'm glad I stuck with it as Sulari Gentill ramped up the action and pulled off a combination of whodunit, conspiracy thriller, and a very clever take on the publishing industry. I did feel at times that Gentill tried to cram too much in and that this resulted in some storylines feeling slightly rushed through, but it was an enjoyable read and I'll definitely be checking out her other novels.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review of the novel.

Theo has dropped out of Law School and moved to a small town in America where she knows her brother will support her dream to be a writer. Writing every day in a bar, she meets Dan Murdoch - already a best selling author. They bond over words and books, until Dan is murdered and Theo finds herself sinking further into a web she may never break free from. 

This was a really interesting twist on a classic murder mystery type story. That the main characters are writers gives a quite interesting dynamic from the start. This book certainly went in directions I was not expecting at all. 
When we meet Theo, she is an aspiring writer. She's really quite a relatable character, trying to follow her dreams and gradually growing in confidence. Dan Murdoch, an older, established writer, comes across as a genuine person, truly interested in helping Theo. 
Looking back on the story, there are so many little hints dropped throughout about what was going to happen. I guessed the main twist fairly early on, but that still played out in a way I didn't expect. There were many other twists I did not guess.  The story was woven together really well, so by the end you were kicking yourself for not putting it all together. Hints were dropped in such a way to make the reader feel vaguely uncomfortable and a little confused at the events, but not really know why. The tension was retained throughout. 
About two thirds of the way through, the perspective changes from Theo to Gus - her brother - and his friend, Mac. Both these guys were likeable enough characters, with their own quirks in the form of Gus's past and Mac's crazy family. I thought though that the story lost a little of its identity at this point. The voices of Mac and Gus were not as engaging as that of Theo. It also went a little action-hero in comparison to the previous tense murder mystery. I think this was so jarring for me in particular because I'd seen this one marketed as a 'cosy' mystery. I would have to disagree. It was tense and twisty and quite unique, but  I would not use cosy to describe this book. I would, however, recommend this to anyone looking for a murder mystery novel with a difference.

When I started reading this book, I wasn't sure if it was going to be for me but I am so glad I stuck with it as it turned into a brilliant story with so many twists keeping you guessing!

Well worth the read, so don't be put off if the start isn't for you.

A very humerus and fun take on a mystery/thriller. I didn’t enjoy this as much as I thought as humerus books are not really my thing and I thought this would be more series. But still good nonetheless and if comedy and a light hearted mystery is your thing you’ll like this.

Whilst this was slow to start - it was an enjoyable read and refreshing take on the murder mystery side of things. Quite humorous in places and well written.

Thanks to Ultimo Press and NetGalley for ARC.

Theo and her brother Gus have had a rackety, peripatetic childhood in Tasmania. Gus is a successful lawyer in the US, and Theo decides to take a break from university and stay with him for reasons that are at first unclear. She wants to write a novel, and befriends a famous, reclusive mystery writer at the bar/coffee shop she hangs out in to write. Reclusive Dan is murdered, Theo becomes prime suspect, and the race is on to stay alive long enough to clear her name, protect her loved ones, uncover her own troubled past. Corruption, survivalists, the dark web and conspiracy theorists,

I loved the spins on the cosy mystery genre, the unfolding family dramas, and the ingenious if slightly improbable publishing plot line. The writer is new to me, but she has several books to her name and she knows how to propel the plot forward and keep you engaged in the characters narratives. I am sure that this too will be the first in a series and the next will be cracking fun.

I wasn’t sure I’d be able to read this book after the first couple of pages as I thought it was going to be a fantasy novel. I’m glad I stuck with it though as once past the web chat (there is too much of it incidentally) I really enjoyed the book. The characters really sing, even the dog is believable. The plot is a little silly to be honest, but that does not detract from the fun.

After reading The Woman in the Library last year I jumped at the chance to review this book as well.

It was a great twist on mystery novels and the cliffhangers at the end of chapters really kept me engaged and wanting to keep reading. I did find that the pacing was inconsistent for my liking and the time jumps felt sudden. The characters felt very well fleshed out and I got to know enough about them in the course of the plot without being too bogged down. I liked the overall ideas and the different take on mystery this author gives I'm just not sure this one was for me, I’ll definitely be reading the next book Sulari Gentill releases.

Conspiracy theorists and cozy mystery fans, this one is for you!
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The concept of this was really fun and a little different to your average mystery novel— I enjoyed half of it but the last half fell slightly flat for me. I wasn't a huge fan of the writing style of this book, mostly the dialogue felt somewhat juvenile to me in places and it kept taking me out of the story. That being said, I did think the buildup of tension in some scenes was good and I did like how some chapters ended on a cliffhanger which made me want to keep reading on.
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I found the characters mostly likeable and I loved the little hint of a slow burn romance within the story which also didn't take away from the main plot. The main thing other than the writing style that brought my rating down was the timeline getting a little messy in the last half of the book; I found myself getting confused when we were suddenly taken to a year later and then 3 years after the incident. I think this could have been done better even if it meant the book being slightly longer just to prevent it feeling as confusing.
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The plot itself was strong enough for me to stick with a 3 star rating though. There were a few predictable twists but I still enjoyed reading how they played out and I liked that the characters felt pretty fleshed out with plenty of background to them that I found interesting learning about. Overall, for a slightly different take on a mystery novel, this one was fun to read and though in some places it could be better, I still think it's worth a read if this is your kind of genre.

Thank you Netgalley & publishers for the advanced digital copy.

A thrilling novel about aspiring writer Theo(dosia) and the mystery surrounding her new found love interest's murder the day after she gives him her new manuscript.

This book had me intrigued from the first page, although I did feel there were points throughout that were quite rushed, but I understood that this was needed to keep the story going without turning it into a 700 page tome.

I loved Gus and Mac, and of course the loveable Horse.

The Etheridge family were brilliant and if I'm completely honest I'd certainly read a book just about them and their prepping antics!

The twists and turns had me wanting to read on to see where it would lead and I wasn't disappointed, although I would have liked perhaps more of a showdown of sorts than the explanation.

This was my first book by author Sulari Gentill and I'll definitely keep my eye out for her work in the future.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Book-based thriller/mystery - great fun guessing what's going on.

I loved my first Gentill book last year (The Woman in the Library), so it was a definite 'heck yes!' when I saw her latest title up for grabs. If I'm reading anything about murders, it needs to be something a little out of the ordinary to capture my interest.

So as a former librarian, a book about books and writers, and dead bodies was RIGHT up my proverbial street. A younger sister moves in with her brother, a lawyer in America, after she decides to quit her own course of study back home in Australia. Always having dreamed of writing, her brother encourages Theo to take the time to make something of this ambition and she finds a writing nook in a local bar, frequented by, among others, an older man, also writing.

Later finding him to be a writer she knows, Theo becomes entangled, firstly with him as a muse/mentor, and later romantic feelings begin to develop. Manuscripts are exchanged (among other things). But before much can occur, she's calling her brother Gus for legal/practical help after finding herself starting a dead body and covered in his blood.

With the police suspicious and further bodies popping up, Theo's writing ambitions and success and freedom might not be mutually exclusive.

Lots of backstory, with agents, police cases, detectives and a giant dog called Horse all having a part to play in a complex web of literary crimes, I thoroughly enjoyed being swept up in wherever this was going to take me. The eventual reveal was brilliant, I loved the author's plotting and solution. She does this very well.

Entertaining, and I hope one day to see the author's characters on a big screen - not least because films about writers and writing need to be made still cooler than they already are.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

This was such good fun to read! A bonkers plot - in a good way. Comments on writers and agents had me in stitches, not to mention, preppers and Americans and their guns. Underlying it all, characters I was behind - including Horse, the dog - and a mystery that got more convoluted as chapters sped on. I read it in almost one sitting. I guessed part of it early on but that didn't spoil the enjoyment of reading on to see how it played out. A definite five stars for me.

The Mystery Writer is a great read, very cleverly put together by Sulari Gentill. It was enjoyable right from the start all the way through to a very satisfying ending.

A very enjoyable book. After a slow, slightly confusing start the book really gets going. Theo wants to be an author so leaves Australia to join her brother Gus in the US. Theo is befriended by another author, Dan in a cafe where they write. She finds Dan's body when he is murdered, but then more murders occur. Gus and his friend and colleague, Mac try to help solve what's going on. The plot does push the boundaries of reality but the 3 main characters are very likeable. There are some loose ends so I hope there is a sequel as I would like to read about the characters again.

This was just way too long and the pacing was a bit off for me... and maybe it would have been better with a different cover, because I thought this would be almost a cozy mystery and it very much was not. But the writing wasn't strong enough to carry the very dark themes, I just really kept waiting for it to be a cozy mystery after all...
On a positive note, Sulari Gentill is great with coming up with ideas, this was certainly a wild one! I really enjoyed The Woman in the Library, and will probably pick up more books by this author, just this one didn't quite work for me.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Ultimo publishers for an #ARC of #TheMysteryWriter.
The book had a differing storyline to the blurb I read beforehand, however I was not disappointed by the story. The mystery writer spans over a few years and glosses over time-lapses in a sense, but it also avoids making it an overly long book and keeps it snappy and moving.
With characters to hold the attention and some added tangents (doomsday preppers in a new light), this is a book that has it all. Highly recommended.

This is an unusual take on a murder mystery. I found it fairly gripping for most of the book and was intrigued by the different strands. Mac's family were fun and the main characters interesting and well-drawn. I wasn't so keen on the time jump towards the end - I always find things like that disturbing in books - a gap of some years where you don't know what was happening. However, overall it is a good read and a quick one, as I couldn't put it down.

Thank you to Ultimo Press and netgalley for providing me with a free arc in exchange for an honest review.

This fast paced mystery is perfect - it has the right amount of chaos, insanity and 'suspend you disbelief' moments to keep you on the edge of your seat. The narrator is written well-openly honest about much of the main storyline while questionably shady about her past.

One thing I will say is that the blurb felt a bit misleading in that it led me to believe the story was focussed on her trying to prove her brother's innocence but instead much of the focus is on her innocence.

10/10 for the dooms day preppers.