Theo has dropped out of college with the ambition to become a writer. She pitches up in Kansas at the home of her brother and writes a manuscript. She also becomes close to a fellow coffee shop writer called Dan. Dan is older and a best-selling author, he recommends Theo to a publisher but then is murdered. The local police force and Dan's fans all think Theo, her brother and his friend Mac are involved but maybe there is a conspiracy at work.
The plot for this book is crazy - conspiracy theories, doomsday preppers, disgraced authors etc - but the whole is a complete joy to read. I read it as an amusing novel, not a thriller, and I hope that is the way it is supposed to be! ( )

Book Page: I tend to be skeptical of conspiracy theorists—wait, let me rephrase that: I think most conspiracy theorists are bat-guano-crazy, howl-at-the-moon wingnuts. So it was with some trepidation that I embarked on the reading of Sulari Gentill’s The Mystery Writer. One of the main characters is a dyed-in-the-wool conspiracy theorist caught up in an online matrix of resistance, revolution and heaven knows what else, who is led by a character named Primus, who for all we know may be a 42-year-old who still lives in his mom’s basement. Rent free. But let’s put that aside for a moment, and focus on the protagonist, Theodosia “Theo” Benton. Theo has made her way from Tasmania to her brother’s house in Kansas in hopes of becoming a writer. Against all odds, she befriends her literary idol in a local coffee shop, published author Dan Murdoch, whose presence in the corporeal world is, unbeknownst to him, racing toward a violent close. Oh, also, he may have been the aforementioned Primus. Or not. Conspiracy theories are notoriously flexible that way. But when Theo begins to look into the death of her friend/mentor, she will be forced to come to terms with the real-world consequences of internet rants. Gentill’s follow-up to The Woman in the Library is an original and entertaining read with likable characters (even some of the wingnuts), although it may put me off Kansas for a while.

The Mystery Writer is another stand-alone mystery by Sulari Gentill whose freedom from the Rowland Sinclair series has led to wildly inventive, somewhat improbably story lie this one. It begins when Theidosia quits college and Australia, heading to the US and her lawyer brother. She wants to write a novel and her brother is supportive

She starts going to a coffeehouse/bar to write, sitting at a corner table typing away on her laptop. She meets Dan, another writer, one she admires, who goes to the same coffeehouse/bar. Soon they share a table daily and Theo feels like she if falling for him. But in an extraordinarily bad coincidence, once she sleeps with him, he is murdered. Of course she is the suspect.

Meanwhile, her book is coming along well. She may have a literary agent, the agent her murdered author lover said was unsuitable. Her brother’s private investigator friend is on the job, but because the police seem incapable of detecting the gaping opening of a paper bag, soon her brother, the detective, and she are variously and together suspected of the murder.

The Mystery Writer is one of Sulari Gentill’s best novels. She creates characters that are plausible and likeable. It was going great with moments of humor, but the last part leading to the resolution is improbable. The tone of the story is abruptly changed from a domestic cozy to a espionage thriller. It’s jarring and far too unlikely. I loved the three quarters of the book and my rating reflects that. The last quarter, well the least said, soonest forgotten.

I received an e-galley of The Mystery Writer from the publisher through NetGalley.

The Mystery Writer at Poisoned Pen Press | SourceBooks
Sulari Gentill author site

https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2024/04/20/the-mystery-writer-by-sul... ( )

The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill is a story that I found challenging to finish. I was not a fan of the weepy and whiny Theo. She frequently needs to be rescued (it gets tiresome) by her brother, Gus, and his friend (as well as associate), Mac. It is good that Theo and Gus are supportive siblings (they are there for each other and Theo really needs Gus). The first three quarters of the book is setting up the plot (which we basically know from the blurb) and the conspiracies (which were really not needed). The conspiracy theories were tedious, implausible, and repetitive. I did not enjoy the repetitive dialogue on Americans and their personalities. Their beliefs on gun violence began to grate on my nerves (they made it sound like every American carries a gun). I believe Mac’s family of preppers are supposed to be funny, but I found them scary. The political chat room discussions were tedious (and irritating). I did not enjoy the political undertones in the story (I can turn on the news for politics). The author exaggerated Christians and conservatives (while there are some overzealous individuals, the majority are not). Over exaggeration and implausibility applied to most components of the book. I found the story to be too long, and the first third moved at a snail’s pace (actually, that is an insult to snail’s). In the last third, the tale begins jumping forward in time (sometimes months, sometimes years). After the slow pace of the rest of the book, the ending is rushed with loose ends (I find unanswered questions frustrating). The Mystery Writer was an unenjoyable reading experience. ( )

Literary mystery thriller with a unique perspective.

Theodosia Benton abandons her university education and flees Australia to live with her brother, Gus, in Lawrence, Kansas. She knows that she will face some obstacles trying to accomplish her dream of becoming a writer. Things start happening for her in a positive way when she meets and works with a successful author at the local coffee shop. Just when her hopes of being published are about to come to fruition, her mentor is murdered, and she is questioned repeatedly as a person of interest. Her brother, a lawyer, is drawn in to defend her but when there is another murder, he and his friend, Mac, are arrested. Theo has little choice if she wants to save and protect Gus and Mac.

There is so much more to this narrative, but I don't want to give any spoilers. It goes in so many unexpected directions with all these interesting side characters and tangents. From conspiracy theorists to preppers to a devilish publishing agency, there is a lot going on. Quite the plot! I really liked that this was set in a city familiar to me as I have been to Lawrence, Kansas, many times and that just made it all more fun. I liked the author's writing style and the way the story unfolded kept me interested.

I read along while listening to the audio and am thankful to the publisher for the e-book ARC and to my local library for the audiobook. The audio was very well done and really showed the depth of the characters in the novel. I have not read any of this author's other books but do intend to do so now. ( )