04 July 2025
The Dark Library Review With 21 Book Club Questions
Reviewed by: Melissa Ng
Quick Facts
Book Publication Date: 24 June 2025
How I Read It: Advanced reader copy from NetGalley
Where You Can Find The Dark Library by Mary Anna Evans: Amazon Australia* | Kobo US* | Kobo Canada*
| Libro.fm*
Content & Trigger Warnings: Death, death of a parent, suicidal ideation, suicide, sexual assault, murder, misogyny
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of The Dark Library.
The Dark Library Summary
Estella Ecker never wanted to return to Rockfall House. She left years ago to get away from her controlling father. But now, with her mother missing, Estella is back — living in her family’s grand old home and working at the same college where her father once ruled the halls.
At the heart of it all is her father’s private library — a collection of rare books he never let her touch. Now that he's gone, the library’s secrets are finally within reach.
As Estella tries to figure out what happened to her mother, the people around her seem more interested in talking about her father’s legacy than helping. The more she digs, the more she wonders: who were her parents really? And what has been hidden in this house all along?
Dark, mysterious, and a little bit gothic, The Dark Library is a story about family secrets, missing people, and finding the courage to face the truth.
The Dark Library Review
I was really intrigued by the premise of The Dark Library, which is why I requested it on NetGalley.
A mysterious library, a missing mother, and a WWII setting? Sign me up.
But I have to say, the synopsis felt a bit misleading. Yes, the library is important — but it barely gets mentioned until the last quarter of the book.
For the first 75% of the story, I was confused about where it was going. I honestly thought this was heading for a 2-star rating.
Then, in the final section, things finally clicked into place. The pacing picked up, the reveals were solid, and I flew through to the end.
That last bit saved it from being a total miss and bumped my rating up to a 3.
What I Liked:
✔️ The setting: The slightly gothic atmosphere, WWII backdrop, and eerie Rockfall House were excellent. I just wish we’d had more of it.
✔️ The reveals: Once the twists arrived, they felt fitting and gave the story much-needed momentum.
What Didn’t Work For Me:
❌ The synopsis: The library sounded like the main hook, but it barely features until the end. At the halfway point, I still didn’t understand what the book was trying to do and considered DNFing it.
❌ Pacing: The first half was incredibly slow, and not in a good way — more like pointlessly slow. Then the final section rushed through the most interesting parts. I would’ve preferred the reveals to be spread out to keep me more engaged.
❌ The romance: The relationship between Estella and Devan felt very much like instalove. Estella mentions she might be in love with him after just a week — which didn’t feel realistic or earned.
Final thoughts:
Pacing was the biggest issue here.
Without the stronger final quarter, this would’ve stayed at 2 stars. It was okay, but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re really into slow-burn mysteries with a literary style.
The Dark Library Book Club Questions
- What were your favourite and least favourite moments in the book?
- How did you feel about the WWII setting?
- Did you make any early predictions? Were any of them right?
- What did you think of Estella as a main character?
- What did you think of the romance between Estella and Devan?
- Did you think the book was paced well?
- Do you think Estella could have done anything differently to get a promotion and better office?
- Was the portrayal of misogyny and gender dynamics realistic for the time period?
- Do you think Estella’s mother knew the truth about how her father made money?
- How would you compare Estella’s relationship with her mother to her bond with Annie?
- The story deals with serious topics like suicide, blackmail, and sexual assault. How do you think these were handled?
- Were you able to predict any of the twists or reveals?
- Were any of the reveals particularly shocking?
- What did you think of the ending?
- Would you like to live in a house with secret hiding spots?
- If you had a secret hiding spot, what would you stash there?
- Did the library live up to your expectations?
- Do you think Estella would have kept the blackmail operation going if no one had found out?
- What would you have done if you discovered those hidden photographs?
- Have you read any other books by Mary Anna Evans?
- If so, where does The Dark Library rank?
- If not, are you interested in reading more of her novels?
- If The Dark Library was adapted into a movie, which actors would you cast for each character?
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