The Mystery Writer - Sulari Gentill

Review by Julia

Best consumed with

An important plot point in The Mystery Writer is conspiracy theories, particularly how they can develop and spread online. When I’m getting ready to spend some time in front of a screen - which, I’ll be honest, recently has just been binging absolutely anything and everything to do with Brian Cox (the British scientist) - I need a comforting drink that I can sip slowly, one that tastes good either hot or cold (or somewhere in between). And the only answer to this is the humble tea!

My go-to is a fruity herbal tea (I like anything with raspberry or strawberry), but I’m also partial to camomile tea, or an Irish/English breakfast with a healthy dose of milk. So put the kettle on, grab your tea of choice, and settle into this comforting and breezy read. 

What's it all about?

The protagonist is Theodosia (Theo), who decides to leave behind her law studies in Australia, and goes to the US to stay with her brother Gus (much to her brother’s surprise!). Theo harbours dreams of becoming a published and bestselling author, and after moving in with Gus, she starts to frequent a local cafe to work on her debut novel. 

At this cafe, she meets a famous author, Dan Murdoch, and Theo and Dan become fast friends. However, when Dan is unexpectedly and inexplicably murdered, Theo realises that not all is as it seems. Theo enlists the help of Gus, and Gus’ colleague and friend Mac (a private investigator), to help find out what happened to Dan. These 3 characters subsequently get embroiled in conspiracy theories and a sinister world with deadly and unimaginable consequences.

Why did I choose this book to read?

After having read two of Sulari’s other books (see our previous reviews here: The Woman in the Library - by Sulari Gentill, After She Wrote Him (originally published as Crossing the Lines) by Sulari Gentill), it’s safe to say that I am a fan of Sulari’s writing. It’s funny, witty and full of twists and turns that you don’t see coming.

I received this book courtesy of my family’s Secret Santa (my middle sister) for last year’s Christmas, and not because she is a mind-reader, but because I specifically requested this gift. Now, I’m sure you’re thinking, doesn’t requesting a specific present defeat the very purpose of Secret Santa? And yes, you would be absolutely correct….which is why this action of mine (which lead my other sisters to do the same) outraged my Mother, who explained how this is very much not the proper way to go about Secret Santa, and so we have decided to go back to “surprise me” wish lists going forward (in other words, Mother - 1, Julia - 0).

What did I love?

For me the highlight of this book was the partnership and comradery of Gus and Mac. These two are initially introduced as colleagues. Gus is a partner in a law firm and Mac is a private investigator whose company does work for the firm.  However, it’s clear from the outset that they are also good friends, and their relationship only grows closer once Theo arrives (I’ll let you find out how yourself once you read the book). The banter between Gus and Mac is fun and enjoyable to read and I liked seeing how it develops over time as they face threats and challenging circumstances. Parts of the novel can be a bit unbelievable and far-fetched, so Gus and Mac’s realistic relationship helped to ground the story.

The novel contains extracts from an online conspiracy theory forum involving someone referred to as “Primus” who is discussing “the Frankenstein Project” and “Minotaur”. At first it’s pretty confusing to understand what is going on, but it slowly starts to make sense as the book continues. Sulari is an expert at weaving together seemingly unconnected threads into a coherent plot and this is no exception. After you get used to the online extracts, it becomes rather fun to guess whether the characters we’re getting to know are the same people as on the forum, and how what they are discussing is connected to Dan’s murder.

The big twist at the end also really surprised me. I didn’t see it coming at all! It was a bit unbelievable (maybe just a bit too ‘out there’) but if you suspend a bit of disbelief, it does tie together all the loose threads nicely.

What did I not love? 

The pacing of the novel felt a bit off. Some plot points took a long time to develop, while others felt a bit too rushed. For example, the consequences of Theo and Dan’s friendship, as affected by his murder, forms a large part of the novel but the relationship itself was developed very quickly and felt a little abrupt.

Another gripe I have with the novel is that as much as I enjoyed the extracts of the conspiracy forums, it was disappointing that they stopped about halfway through the novel. Some of the mysteries of the conspiracy forums are solved, but I wish they had played a larger part of the larger story.

Overall, I enjoyed this book - it was a fun and breezy read, definitely a page-turner.  However, in my view, Sulari’s other novels are far better. Sulari really is a brilliant writer so if you’re new to her work, I would recommend reading her other novels first (see our previous reviews here: The Woman in the Library - by Sulari Gentill, After She Wrote Him (originally published as Crossing the Lines) by Sulari Gentill).

Book club recommended?

Yes, as it’s fun and easy to read - your book club will be able to get through this novel fairly quickly and have fun discussing the plot and resolution of the mystery.