Devi Nair
š§ Listened in audio š¢ Narrated by Katherine Littrell ā± Duration: 11 hours š·ļø Publisher name: Dreamscape Media and Poisoned Pen Press š Published: March 19, 2024 šµļø Genre: Mystery / Thriller
You know that feeling when a bookās average rating makes you hesitate, but your gut says, try it anyway? That was me with The Mystery Writer. I recently read a wildly popular title with glowing reviews and even a Netflix adaptation and absolutely did not enjoy it. So walking into this one, with its modest 3.4 star rating on Goodreads, I wasnāt expecting to be blown away. I had read one of Sulari Gentillās previous books, The Woman in the Library, and remembered liking it but not enough to hunt down her entire backlist. But when a fellow blogger mentioned this book, the title alone hooked me. Curiosity won.
This book grabbed me from the first chapter and never really let go. Before I gush about the story itself, I need to talk about the audiobook narration. Katherine Littrell absolutely nailed it. The smooth transition between the Australian and American accents felt effortless, and the performance added a layer of authenticity that made the whole listening experience richer. Audiobooks can make or break a story like this, and here it was definitely a win.
What fascinated me most was the meta-fictional structure. At its core, the story follows Theo, an aspiring writer who lands the attention of a major literary figure. When that mentor is murdered shortly after reading her manuscript, a strange and tangled conspiracy begins to unfold. If you read the summary carefully, you can probably guess where parts of the story are heading. But strangely, that predictability didnāt bother me at all. In fact, it did the opposite. Because I wasnāt obsessing over āwhat happens next,ā I found myself paying more attention to how the story was being told.
And thatās where the book shines.
Gentillās writing is vivid without being overindulgent. The descriptions build a clear mental picture while still leaving room for the readerās imagination. The only small hurdle for me was the shifting perspectives. The narrative jumps between Theo, her brother Gus, Mark, a police officer, and several others. On audio, that took a little time to adjust to, because sometimes it took a moment to figure out whose head we were in.
Even with that minor bump, the overall experience was incredibly fun. Itās clever, layered, and delightfully self-aware in the way it plays with storytelling itself.
Would I recommend it? If you enjoy meta fiction, literary thrillers, or stories about the publishing world, this one is worth picking up. Ignore the middling ratings and give it a chance. The story may not rely on shocking twists, but the writing, structure, and storytelling craft make it a genuinely engaging read. Iād happily hand this one to anyone who enjoys stories about stories, and mysteries that play with the rules.
š§ Listened in audio š¢ Narrated by Katherine Littrell ā± Duration: 11 hours š·ļø Publisher name: Dreamscape Media and Poisoned Pen Press š Published: March 19, 2024 šµļø Genre: Mystery / Thriller
You know that feeling when a bookās average rating makes you hesitate, but your gut says, try it anyway? That was me with The Mystery Writer. I recently read a wildly popular title with glowing reviews and even a Netflix adaptation and absolutely did not enjoy it. So walking into this one, with its modest 3.4 star rating on Goodreads, I wasnāt expecting to be blown away. I had read one of Sulari Gentillās previous books, The Woman in the Library, and remembered liking it but not enough to hunt down her entire backlist. But when a fellow blogger mentioned this book, the title alone hooked me. Curiosity won.
This book grabbed me from the first chapter and never really let go. Before I gush about the story itself, I need to talk about the audiobook narration. Katherine Littrell absolutely nailed it. The smooth transition between the Australian and American accents felt effortless, and the performance added a layer of authenticity that made the whole listening experience richer. Audiobooks can make or break a story like this, and here it was definitely a win.
What fascinated me most was the meta-fictional structure. At its core, the story follows Theo, an aspiring writer who lands the attention of a major literary figure. When that mentor is murdered shortly after reading her manuscript, a strange and tangled conspiracy begins to unfold. If you read the summary carefully, you can probably guess where parts of the story are heading. But strangely, that predictability didnāt bother me at all. In fact, it did the opposite. Because I wasnāt obsessing over āwhat happens next,ā I found myself paying more attention to how the story was being told.
And thatās where the book shines.
Gentillās writing is vivid without being overindulgent. The descriptions build a clear mental picture while still leaving room for the readerās imagination. The only small hurdle for me was the shifting perspectives. The narrative jumps between Theo, her brother Gus, Mark, a police officer, and several others. On audio, that took a little time to adjust to, because sometimes it took a moment to figure out whose head we were in.
Even with that minor bump, the overall experience was incredibly fun. Itās clever, layered, and delightfully self-aware in the way it plays with storytelling itself.
Would I recommend it? If you enjoy meta fiction, literary thrillers, or stories about the publishing world, this one is worth picking up. Ignore the middling ratings and give it a chance. The story may not rely on shocking twists, but the writing, structure, and storytelling craft make it a genuinely engaging read. Iād happily hand this one to anyone who enjoys stories about stories, and mysteries that play with the rules.