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There are currently 28 member reviews
for The Mystery Writer
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Beth C. (Sioux Falls, SD)
Reading about Writing - The Mystery Writer
I enjoyed this book very much. It has a plot that keeps the reader on their toes. The main character is engaging and the other characters are interesting. The writer, Theodocia Benton, and her brother Gus are native to Australia which gives them a slightly different perspective on American culture. The story takes place in the college town of Lawrence, Kansas, which due to the college atmosphere allows the coffee shops and bookstores to seem realistic even in the middle of the Midwest. There is an unusual subplot involving an online chatroom and also a family that is into survival of Armageddon planning. For me those elements were a bit of a stretch, but not so much as to spoil the book. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy a good mystery.
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Patricia G. (Dyer, IN)
The Mystery Writer
There are plenty of twists and turns here as the main character, Theodosia Benton, very suddenly finds herself in a tangled murder investigation. Online conspiracy theories, the stuff of our everyday headlines these days, play an interesting role in the mystery as well as an insider's look into the publishing world itself. I found the latter especially intriguing and will be researching and reading more about this topic. This is my first Gentill offering; I will be exploring more.
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Sue P. (Albuquerque, NM)
The Mystery Writee
I went back and forth between a 3 or a 4-star review and in the end, decided on 4 stars. The reason? I LOVE the relationship between the brother and sister - Gus and Theo. It just made me happy. The mystery (mysteries) was good, and there was no gratuitous gore. I'm sort of over books that have that. Although the Conspiracy Theories were (kind of) integral to the plot, I'm pretty sick of those, too. We are living with that on the Nightly News these days. But, overall, this book is worth a read.
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Giovanna I. (Harrison, NY)
The Pen Is Mightier Than the Sword
Who doesn't secretly imagine what it would be like to become a famous writer? For Theodosia Benton, known as Theo, it's a dream come true when she leaves behind law school and a career as a lawyer. Traveling from Australia all the way to Lawrence, Kansas, to stay with her older brother Gus, Theo's desire to write takes her on an unexpected journey. Add Gus's good friend Mac Etheridge, who happens to be a private investigator whose family is preparing for Armageddon, and you have an entertaining cast of characters. When Theo befriends writer Dan Murdoch, she has no idea their relationship will entangle her in a wide web of intrigue, especially when she discovers his dead body and her brother becomes the prime suspect.
The fast-paced thriller keeps the reader engaged in the story, and the multiple characters create a fun mix of mystery and comedy. Gentill creates a world that is all too real and keeps us guessing who is responsible for Dan's murder and the subsequent trail of dead bodies. The Mystery Writer plays out so well in my mind that I could envision the plot unfolding on the movie screen, complete with eccentric characters and even more wild chase scenes. The novel cleverly explores how the author's pen can be mightier than any weapon. Reader beware!
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Valerie C. (Chico, CA)
Slow initially but picks up the pace
Initially hard to read because the protagonist did unbelievably stupid things, it did engage me and ended very satisfyingly. There is some final editing to be done. For example, one paragraph contains both a scene and character change causing some confusion. Overall, a good read and I recommend this book.
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Melissa S. (Rowland, NC)
Authors and Murder
After doing a little research into Sulari Gentill's list of previously published novels, I was intrigued and eager to start The Mystery Writer. After a bit of a slow start, the novel picks up pace by introducing subplots and hints of mystery to come. Subplots of past trauma, conspiracy theorists, and doomsday preppers keep the reader wondering where and how it will all fit or weave together. I couldn't help but see at least a couple of the subplots as a little comic relief as well.
I began the novel with little to no preconceived notions of what makes a good mystery simply because I never read them. Therefore, I feel my impression of the novel is based solely on how the storyline stands on its own and not compared to other works. The only reason I give this novel 4 stars is because the character development is a little shallow. I felt a little rushed through the unfolding events. Maybe a few less subplots would have given the author more time to develop main characters and the main plot. Not really a huge deal and certainly wouldn't stop me from recommending the novel.
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Barbara K.
Sulari Gentill Writes about Writers - Again!
The old adage says that you should write what you know, and Sulari Gentill has taken that to heart in her most recent two novels, The Woman in the Library, and now, The Mystery Writer. Gentill definitely knows how to construct a clever and entertaining novel featuring writers, and in this one, the publishing industry as well.
The Mystery Writer is something of a hybrid between the conventional mystery in which an innocent bystander is put into the position of having to unravel a crime, and a conspiracy thriller. Overall the blending of the two genres works quite well. Although the reveals of the elaborate backstories of the main characters tended to be a bit clunky, and at times the pacing was inconsistent, neither of these is a serious flaw.
I appreciated the fact that although there were plenty of hints along the way, the specifics of the who-dunnit-and-why were left vague enough that my interest was consistently sustained. The ending was especially well done and had me turning the pages as fast as possible. Definitely a fun read.
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