The Gallery Assistant

by Kate Belli

This twisty and sinister thriller follows a New York art gallery assistant reckoning with her past and now trapped in a web of deceit after an up-and-coming painter is murdered—perfect for fans of Katy Hays and Julia Bartz.

November 2001: Chloe Harlow wakes up late, with hazy memories of the party the night before but no recollection of how she got back to her Brooklyn apartment. Ever since the terrifying and catastrophic terrorist attack, it seems she has been on a collision course with destruction.

When she finally arrives at the exclusive Upper East Side art gallery where she works, she is immediately called into her boss’s office. A pair of NYPD detectives greet her, also very curious to know how her evening ended…because the host of the party, a rising painter and the gallery’s newest artist, is dead.

Navigating both the sophisticated high-stakes art world and her personal life in burgeoning Williamsburg, Chloe struggles to piece together a complete picture of that lost night. As she digs deeper, inconsistencies emerge between what she remembers and what people tell her actually happened, and more questions are raised. Everything begins to feel like a conspiracy and maybe it is. Because Chloe is the only one who glimpses the secrets the murdered artist left behind, and the closer she gets to the truth…the more deadly it becomes.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Audiobook, Psychological Thriller

288 pages, Hardcover

First published October 14, 2025

About the author

Kate Belli writes thriller and historical mystery. She has lived all over, from Florence, Italy, to Brooklyn, New York, to the Deep South, to a cottage next to Monet’s gardens in Northern France. Today she lives and works in Central Pennsylvania with her husband and son. When not writing, Kate works as a professor or a yogi, depending on the day.

Reviews

[Linzie (suspenseisthrillingme) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deeply emotional but also an epic game of cat-and-mouse, The Gallery Assistant took me from into high-flying art world as well as the harrowing days after 9/11. A complex plot that delivered dirty schemes and equally suspicious characters, I didn’t know who or what to trust until the mind-blowing set of reveals hit the page. Starting off slow and building into an explosive runaway train of unguessable truths, it took me by surprise in the best possible way. You see, alongside of the deep, dark web of deceit was a story of what it was like to be at Ground Zero on 9/11. Following it up with a realistic portrait of the trauma it must have inflicted, Chloe’s persona was utterly believable. Struggling through life but determined to put together the mystery before her, I fell head over heels for her impressive characterization.

All said and done, despite the somewhat abrupt series of revelations, I was thoroughly impressed by this new mystery/thriller. A twisty whodunnit filled with layers of intrigue, it was nevertheless a quick, easy read at under 300 pages. Initially pulling me in with the haunting secrets that were dragging Chloe down, I wanted to desperately know what she was hiding. Once all was revealed, it humanized her in a way few novels can managed. The plot, though, was what kept my fingers flying at speed. Taut, raw, and compelling, once the twists were laid bare, it felt shockingly true-to-life. After all, it easily mixed together an unreliable narrator with an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride that had my heart pounding away. Perfect for fans of Lisa Unger and Ellery Lloyd, it was an absolutely brilliant read from cover to cover. Rating of 4.5 stars.

SYNOPSIS:

November 2001: Chloe Harlow wakes up late, with hazy memories of the party the night before but no recollection of how she got back to her Brooklyn apartment. Ever since the terrifying and catastrophic terrorist attack, it seems she has been on a collision course with destruction.

When she finally arrives at the exclusive Upper East Side art gallery where she works, she is immediately called into her boss’s office. A pair of NYPD detectives greet her, also very curious to know how her evening ended…because the host of the party, a rising painter and the gallery’s newest artist, is dead.

Navigating both the sophisticated high-stakes art world and her personal life in burgeoning Williamsburg, Chloe struggles to piece together a complete picture of that lost night. As she digs deeper, inconsistencies emerge between what she remembers and what people tell her actually happened, and more questions are raised. Everything begins to feel like a conspiracy and maybe it is. Because Chloe is the only one who glimpses the secrets the murdered artist left behind, and the closer she gets to the truth…the more deadly it becomes.

Thank you to Kate Belli and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

PUB DATE: October 14, 2025

Content warning: mention of: 9/11, anxiety disorder, alcohol abuse, PTSD, gaslighting, violence, fraud

[CarolG · Rating 4 out of 5]

In November 2001 Chloe Harlow wakes up late, with hazy memories of a party the night before but no recollection of how she got back to her Brooklyn apartment. When she arrives at the exclusive Upper East Side art gallery where she works, she is called into her boss’s office where a pair of NYPD detectives are waiting to speak with her because the host of the party, a rising painter and the gallery’s newest artist, is dead and Chloe is thought to be the last person to see Inga alive. Navigating both the sophisticated high-stakes art world and her personal life, Chloe struggles to piece together a complete picture of that lost night.

This is a convoluted murder mystery with an intricate storyline and a sympathetic main character. Chloe is suffering from untreated PTSD following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the twin towers in New York which results in panic attacks. She also suffers a lack of self esteem and, as a result, she tends to drink too much and is always questioning her life choices. I enjoyed the book for the most part although it's slow moving and seemed a lot longer than under 300 pages. I liked the setting of the New York art world and Chloe's occupation as a gallery assistant is something unique to me. The underlying crimes are different from the usual murder mystery themes. The author's acknowledgements give you a good idea of how much research she did. There are many references and flashbacks to the events of 9/11 which I'm not sure were necessary to the main storyline. I think many people would still find it upsetting to be reminded of that day. This is my first experience of a book by Kate Belli and I'll check out some of her past works when time permits.

Thank you to Atria Books, via Netgalley, for inviting me to read an advance copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: October 14, 2025

[Susan's Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chloe Harlow set herself up for the fall: she partied a tad too hearty and drank to excess on a regular basis.



So much so that on "that fateful morning," she was an hour late for work and could not remember how she had gotten home from a work-related party the previous evening.



...And this memory lapse would turn out to be crucial because apparently she was the last person to be seen with the murdered Inga Beck. Chloe worked as the curator's assistant for the art gallery where Inga's work was to be shown - and apparently Inga had focused most of her attention on Chloe that fateful night.



Things were looking bad for Chloe, but she refused to stop searching for clues as to what the cryptic messages in Inga's abstract paintings meant.



That nail-biter of an ending kept me on the edge of my seat. This was my first Kate Belli thriller, but it won't be my last. My only complaint would be that the plot relied too heavily on Chloe's drinking problem, which she somehow managed to tame while she was on the investigatory trail. Chloe had been trapped inside a stairwell in the Twin Towers during the 911 attacks. She and so many New Yorkers were suffering from PTSD, and this was her main excuse for disappearing into a wine bottle almost every night. In her afterword, the author reveals that she too used to work as a gallery assistant and was also in New York when the Twin Towers fell.

There were plenty of red herrings, possible culprits and baffling scenarios to keep anyone turning the pages until that action-packed ending!



I am rating this thriller 3.9 out of 5 stars, rounded up to a 4 since Goodreads and NetGalley do not allow for half stars. My thanks to Kate Belli, her publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review,

[Jaidee · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 stars !!

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria books. This was released October 2025.

Out of respect for the immense loss, tragedy and trauma of 9/11 I am declining to post a review. There is one chapter about the protagonist fleeing the world trade center that felt authentic. This is why the book gets more than one star.

The rest of the book is very poorly done in almost every aspect of thriller writing and I wish I had never picked this up.

[ari [gin’s vrsn 🩵] [semi ia] · Rating 2 out of 5]

thank you Atria publishing for inviting me to read this e-arc through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

dnf at 25%

i’m desperate for something that i will actually enjoy. 🫠

pre-read

i didn’t know this was a thing guys?! publishers invite you to read books?! dang 🤧

[Kim ~ It’s All About the Thrill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I mean LOOK at this cover!! Dream come true for thriller lovers!!! AHHH we have a pink thriller!!! 🩷 I am in love!! 😍 Thank you @atriabooks @atriathrillers #atriapartner for my gorgeous gifted copy!! 🥰

Pub date is 10/14/25!! 🥳🥳🥳

I have wanted to get my hands on this since the second I saw it. What is even better than a pink cover is a thriller set in the art 🖼️ world…. In New York… EEK!! 😍 See what I mean?? Don’t you want it?? 😂 Yes… you definitely do.

So our girl Chloe…well she had one too many drinks.. 🍸🍷🥂… but she still rolled into work the next day… Upper East Side art gallery…is Chloe’s work..😉

Back to the party… there was a murder… and the detectives 🕵️ want to speak to Chloe because she was the last to leave the party… ummm 😬… and Chloe was black out drunk… so there’s that. 😳

What did I love??

✅ A twisted thriller
✅ Set in the art world!!
✅ NYC!!
✅ An ending I never saw coming
✅ A fabulous author’s note that brought it all together

[Carolyn Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC of The Gallery Assistant by Kate Belli. There was a complex mystery involving murder, financial manipulation of artworks, and fraud, all relating to Chloe's work as the new Gallery Assistant. Artist Inga Beck threw a party in November 2001 to celebrate that her abstract paintings were to be featured and exhibited in the NYC gallery. Chloe cannot remember much about the party or how she got home to Brooklyn.
Chloe is a heavy drinker who has blackouts, is passive, and is self-destructive with casual sexual affairs. There is a detailed description of the time she was trapped in a Twin Tower during the WTC terrorist attack. She made her way out from a 70+ floor, but still suffers from the terror and survivor's guilt. This traumatic experience is supposed to account for her personality flaws, but it may also be blamed on her excessive drinking.

She is questioned at work by two police officers, as Inga was murdered shortly after the party ended, and Chloe is believed to be the last partygoer to see her. She is determined to find out what happened at the party. There is a difference between her scattered memories and what friends tell her. Chloe finds cryptic clues passed on to her by Inga, as well as hidden in the artist's paintings. Her attempt to find Inga's killer leads her deep into the complex world of financial art manipulation and fraud.

Combining the 9/11 terrorist attacks with the mystery in the NYC art world did not work for me. The two stories were different in tone, and the description of Chloe escaping during the building collapse could be disturbing to many readers. I think just a mention that she was there and her resulting PTSD would be sufficient. The slow pace caused me to lose focus on the complex art mystery and the reasons behind people dying and disappearing.

The premise of the story was strong, and I wanted more of the fascinating details regarding the NYC art scene. The collective trauma of 9/11 should be diminished or avoided. The book's publication is scheduled for October 14/2025.

[Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate Belli's upcoming thriller, THE GALLERY ASSISTANT, has been getting some buzz as of lately, so I knew that when I got a copy that I'd have to dive in. Thank you @atriabooks @atriathrillers for my gifted copy! I chose to venture the audiobook route and I can't say enough good things about the narration, thank you @librofm for this gifted ALC! If this is what I come to expect from Kate Belli's thrillers, then I want more!

I dove into THE GALLERY ASSISTANT not quite knowing what to expect and it turned out to be a popcorn thriller that hooked me right away. Chloe Harlow wakes up after a night of drinking with no memory of how she made it home. Before I hear the peanut gallery clapback about the drinking trope, SORRY BUT I STILL ENJOY IT AND IT'S FUN IN THIS ONE. Chloe drags herself to the art gallery where she works, only to be met by detectives delivering chilling news—the rising artist at her gallery is dead. With her memories fractured and her alibi being sus AF, Chloe is pulled into a dangerous game, uncovering cryptic messages hidden in the artist���s work that may point straight to the truth or the killer.

This book is juicy and fun, but also weaves the tension through sharp writing and a traumatic backdrop of New York’s post-9/11 world, giving the story both atmosphere and grit that I personally related to as someone who had dealt with the chaos of New York during 9/11. Chloe’s blurred perception makes the mystery feel all the more unsettling, as every revelation raises new questions. THE GALLERY ASSISTANT is the kind of book that keeps you suspicious of everyone. Sleek, unnerving, and full of secrets, THE GALLERY ASSISTANT makes me want to see what else Belli has up her sleeve.

[Jannelies (living between hope and fear) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Gallery Assistant is, as in so many light (psychological) thrillers nowadays, a young woman who doesn’t know who she is and what she wants to become. Chloe (it’s always a Chloe or a Sarah) is in her mid-twenties, suffering from PTSD and a full-blown alcoholic. She narrowly escaped from dying during the 9/11 attacks and when she finally tells us the whole story, I can fully understand why she’s still suffering. It’s only two months since the attacks but she stubbornly denies that she needs help with her trauma. Instead of seeking help, she drinks and she parties.

One day Chloe wakes up having no memory of the night before, when she was partying with friends on occasion of the gallery she works for signing up a young but very talented painter. What happened that night is the story that takes up the most part of the book. Added to that we see how Chloe suddenly gets promoted but there is something very fishy about that, and how she and some of her friends are trying to come to terms with the fact that said talented painter was murdered on that fateful night.

I liked the parts where we get a glimpse of how the art industry works and the descriptions of the various paintings. I could almost see the paintings in my minds’ eye. Sadly Chloe keeps making mistakes in her quest to find out who the murderer was – she drinks even more and completely ignores the people around her who want to help, including one very kind neighbour. In the end it all comes down to rich people wanting to get even more rich and the illegal ways they use to do that.
Five stars for this title because, despite the small flaws I noticed in the way the three (yes, three) stories) come together, I enjoyed reading it very much. The story of how Chloe escaped on 9/11 made me hold my breath…

Thanks to Simon and Schuster and Edelweiss for this review copy.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really good book!! Great mystery that keeps you guessing, and suspicious of pretty much everyone. The storyline is very well written, and it makes me very happy when all the loose ends are tied up in the end. This is worth the read!!

Thank you to Net Galley and Atria Books for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Kate Belli, and Atria Books for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Always eager to explore the writing of authors new to me, I reached for this ARC by Kate Belli. A scintillating thriller that had me turning pages well into the night, Belli packs a bunch of action into this piece. Chloe Harlow wakes up after a night of partying, unable to remember what happened. When she arrives at her place of employment, she is tasked with preparing for an art exhibition for an up-and -coming artist. Soon thereafter, the police arrive to ask questions. The artist has been murdered and Chloe’s whereabouts remains a mystery. Chloe learns that there is more to the story and soon wonders if she is to be the messenger, delivering a truth after the fact, which might point towards the killer. Belli keeps the reader hooked with this strong thriller!

Chloe Harlow is late waking up after a night of drinking with friends and colleagues one morning. She has no idea how she got home or what happened, but is sure to catch flack if she does not make it to work on time. She rushes into the gallery where she is an assistant and begins her day. This is soon abruptly halted when the police arrive to ask questions. They share that a local artist being featured at the gallery has been found murdered, a woman who hosted the party the night before. Chloe’s lack of memory about the party proves to be a troubling point for everyone.

As Chloe tries to remember, she discovers only shards of what happened. She has been tasked with leading a memorial exhibition for the artist and discovers some troubling aspects to the artwork that will soon be on display. Is Chloe aware of a secret communication the artist sought to convey? Chloe digs deeper and finds other messages that are not easily discovered, leaving her to wonder if she has tripped onto something important that might explain the murder.

While Chloe tries to share what she knows, people around her begin to question her mental acuity, for a variety of reasons. Chloe must find her footing and share this news before she is ignored by everyone. A killer is out there and Chloe will have to put the pieces together, while wrestling with her own inner demons. Kate Belli delivers a strong story that captivates the reader until the final page turn.

I love discovering new authors, as they bring a sense of excitement to their work. Kate Belli did that for me with this piece, leaving as many questions as answers. Her narrative clips along, layering itself to bait the reader to forge onwards. The storytelling keeps the reader guessing and never quite sure what they might have stumbled upon. Characters are both relatable and full of backstories to differentiate themselves from one another. Plot points keep the reader guessing and provide a pathway for numerous surprises as a killer lurks in the shadows, while also in plain sight. I will likely be back to look at other work by Belli soon!

Kudos, Madam Belli, for a refreshing spin on the thriller novel.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[TheConnieFox · Rating 2 out of 5]

♥ My Overall Thoughts ♥

I really wanted to love this fictional mystery thriller book, but it did not deliver. It is a short read and is a very slow burn. I do love the themes of the story, the short chapters, the synopsis and the diverse cast of characters. This is divided in three parts and is written from the female main character’s point of view. It is fast paced and easy to red. This book did not give me thriller vibes, but it did give me mystery and dark vibes. Just because this book wasn’t for me, doesn’t mean it’s not for you!

♥ Synopsis and Rating ♥

“The Gallery” is centered around an art gallery assistant in New York, named Chloe. After an upcoming painter gets murdered, she starts trying to piece together what happened. Chloe starts to feel isolated and has PTSD from the 9/11 events. As the story unfolds, this starts becoming a murder mystery and everyone isn’t to be trusted. Overall, I rate this a 2 out of 5 stars.

♥ Content Warnings ♥

Content warnings include violence, mental illness (primarily PTSD) and murder. I think people that liked watching “Made You Look: A True Story About Fake Art” on Netflix would enjoy reading this!

♥ Thank You ♥

Thank you to NetGalley, author Kate Belli and Atria Books | Atria/Emily Bestler Books for this digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review! All opinions and thoughts expressed are my own.

♥ Publication Date ♥

This book is expected to be published on October 14, 2025!

♥ Quick Review ♥

🩷 Mystery / Thriller
✔️ Main Character’s POV
🩷 Dark and Mysterious
✔️ Main Character has PTSD
🩷 Murder of a Painter
✔️ Slow Burn
🩷 “Made You Look: A True Story About Fake Art” vibes

》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ * 。° 。 • ˚《

❥ ୨⎯ Connie ⎯୧ ❥

ツ౨ৎ

[Erin Clemence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.

Expected publication date: Oct. 14, 2025

“Deception by Gaslight” series author Kate Belli has written a new standalone novel, “The Gallery Assistant”, the story of a young woman, living in New York City a few months after 9/11, who, while trying to deal with her ongoing trauma, discovers the dark side of the art world after an up-and-coming artist is killed.

“Assistant” takes place in 2001, partly to help readers understand the protagonist, Chloe’s, trauma that resulted from her experience in the first tower during the attack. Also, when the dead body is discovered, it adds more intrigue to the investigation as, although cell phones are more readily available, not everyone has one (including Chloe) and they are not as advanced as they are today, making everyone work that much harder to uncover secret clues.

Chloe should be relatable to most readers, as a young woman who failed in both college and as a New York actress, she falls into the art world when a friend offers her a coveted position. However, she manages to find her place by the end of the novel, feeling comfortable in her own skin and in a new relationship, which is worth cheering for.

“Assistant”, obviously, takes place in the art world, but it isn’t heavy in artistic language or theories. Most of the behind-the-scenes art world depictions are recognizable and understandable to those of us (like me) who are completely clueless in this area. There are a lot of moving parts involved in the production and distribution of art, and “Assistant” merely helps readers understand that aspect a little more, without confusing readers or overpowering the suspenseful plot.

The mystery itself is suspenseful but Belli does conclude it in a satisfying way, bringing all of the plot points together.

Although the “blacked out from drinking and don’t remember what happened” murder mystery trope has saturated the market as of late, “The Gallery Assistant” is still well-written and worth the read!

[Alan (on December semi-hiatus) Teder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Art, Auctions and Murder
A review of the NetGalley eBook ARC released in advance of the Atria/Emily Bestler Books hardcover / eBook / audiobook (to be published October 14, 2025).

I will confess that the sloppy, blackout drunk is not a favourite lead of mine, so The Gallery Assistant did not initially create much empathy for me when it opens with main character Chloe Harlow awakening on a morning after a lost night before. The world of art galleries, high-end auctions, suspicious art dealers and purchasers was still enough to pull me in for this suspense thriller.

Author Kate Belli sets this story in the unsettling time of the aftermath of September 11, 2001 (i.e. 9/11) in New York City. That atmosphere of general paranoia creates the background to disturbing events at the exclusive art gallery where Chloe Harlow works. She arrives that morning only to discover that the artist host of the party from the night before has been found murdered.

The gallery is operating under possible tight financial circumstances and when Chloe's supervisor is laid off, Chloe is suddenly promoted to curate the upcoming show which will feature the work of the newly dead artist. The situation becomes more suspicious when she discovers that her mentor has disappeared. But then Chloe begins to discover possible clues to the artist's murder in the paintings that were left behind. Can she piece those together with any fragments of memory from the lost night in order to solve the murder?

So despite the rocky start, there was a redemptive arc to Chloe's story and the overall atmosphere of the gallery setting and the unsettled world in late 2001 made for an entertaining read nevertheless.

My thanks to Atria/Emily Bestler Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advance ARC copy for which I provide this honest review.

Trivia and Links
Author Kate Belli is best known as a writer of historical fiction with her 4-book series of the Gilded Gotham Mysteries (2020-2023) set in late 19th century New York City.

The promo for The Gallery Assistant notes that it will appeal to fans of Katy Hays (The Cloisters (2022) a.o.) and Julia Bartz(The Writing Retreat (2023) a.o.).

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ | Very intriguing read, I love reading thrillers that are not your typical sub genre. This hidden jewel dove into the world of art fraud as well as post trauma from a 9/11 survivor! Chloe was a very likable FMC and even when she made questionable decisions, her PTSD made us empathize with her. She is in a world where no one can be trusted & she is surrounded by the unlikeliest of suspects. After her boss completely disappears, she knows his sudden move was “suspect” but a front row seat is the only way she can investigate this situation. Chloe had no idea how deep the deception was and as the pages continued, readers are on this wild ride with her hoping she solved the mystery before it’s too late.

Overall, I enjoyed this unique read and would recommend! Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy.

[ari · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 - This was a good slow burn suspense novel. I love anything centered around art and the art world. This book is set about a month after 9/11, and there is a lot of tension and focus on it. I was pretty young when it happened, and also not living in the US, so while I definitely understand the tragedy and relevance, it also does not hit me in the same way it might for others. There are quite a few characters and I had a hard time keeping them straight. I loved the city setting and the writing style made it easy to follow. This was a solid mystery/thriller.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

[ReneeReads · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so excited to get this book and based off the synopsis I thought I would love it. Unfortunately I did not gel with this book. This one is marketed as a thriller but I didn’t find much thrill in it. I am sure this book will be great for many readers.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books | Atria/Emily Bestler Books for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Trisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mid-week party for an art gallery has Chloe waking up not quite sure how she got home (and what time). But when she gets into work late and still hung over, her second stop - instead of coffee - is with the police.

What follows was an interesting mystery. It felt a little over-the-top but it did involved art and artists so it wasn't too much of a surprise. At first Chloe was a tough main character. She's unreliable, drinking to black out often, and it's hard to be with her as she moves from party to party. But once the plot got g0ing and it was important for her to stay sober and level headed, it was nice when we could depend on her.

I also think this story did an amazing job of really painting the PTSD that New Yorkers might have experienced after the event. It was well done, highlighting little parts of life in New York that I didn't even realize might have had triggers and be upsetting for many there. Most disheartening were the terrible conspiracy theories they had to listen to. I didn't blame them for being mad (but I did blame them for their racism!).

An interesting mystery set back in 2001 just after the 9/11 attack involving the art world and all the money and power that that environment holds.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

[Gina Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars for The Gallery Assistant by Kate Belli
Chloe Harlow wakes up with few memories of how she got home after a glamorous art party—only to find out that the party’s hostess, a rising new artist, has been murdered. From there, Chloe’s journey unfolds, filled with twists, secrets, and the lingering trauma she carries from surviving 9/11.
I loved the glimpse into the amazing world of art. The suspense was palpable throughout the story. I didn’t know where the story would take me, and that unpredictability kept me hooked.
This was my first book by Kate Belli and it was such an easy, engaging read. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys a suspenseful,mystery thriller.
Thank you to @netgalley and @atriabooks for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. PUB DATE October 14, 2025
#TheGalleryAssistant #KateBelli #ArtWorldMystery #SuspenseReads #NetGalley #ARCReview #Bookstagram #MysteryReader #ReadersOfInstagram

[Abbie Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this thriller. The mystery kept me guessing, and the depiction of 9/11 added some emotional weight.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!

[Stephanielikesbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an engaging debut thriller set in the aftermath of 9/11 in the New York art world.

The plot was interesting, the main character was very likeable, there were some great suspenseful scenes, red herrings, twists and turns, and a tense and action-packed ending.

But this was also a story about trauma (specifically from 9/11), racism, and classism, and these issues were well integrated and sensitively handled. I also liked the author’s writing style and thought the descriptions of famous pieces of art were vividly done - it’s not surprising given the author worked in an art gallery. The main character’s flashback scenes to 9/11 scenes in the Twin Towers seemed so real.

I really enjoyed this one and will be looking for more from this author.

Thanks to the publisher for this digital copy. All opinions are my own.

[Jeannine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I'm a Kate Belli fan. I like the way she tells a story and her writing style. I've read and reread her previous books many times. She's a "must read" author for me.

This was my first mystery thriller and I understand why "thriller" gets tacked on there. I love mysteries, but have never felt the discomfort of knowing the heroine is in danger, but not knowing exactly why or who is after her. There were points when I couldn't put this down until there was a lull in that feeling because I was so nervous for Chloe!

Chloe works at a gallery whose newly-signed, up-and-coming artist, Inga, was murdered. While the investigation in the murder goes on, Chloe is charged with organizing the planned exhibition of Inga's work. Something unusual is happening at the gallery, though. There are murmurs of the owners having financial trouble, but they bid on one of Monet's Waterlilies at an auction. Chloe's boss resigns and disappears. Chloe thinks she sees messages in Inga's work. The owners of the gallery don't want her to talk to the detectives investigating the murder, but Chloe can't even remember the party because she blacked out.

Chloe is dealing with PTSD from 9/11 through drinking and partying. People are starting to believe the conspiracy theories about the attack. Who funded the attacks? Is funding for terrorism moving through the art world?

Coming from just outside NYC (yes, a bridge and tunnel type), the 9/11 storyline hit close to home and I found the treatment of that period made me emotional at points. It came as no surprise that Belli reveals that she was in Manhattan that morning. The flashback portion of this story was hard to read, but it was really well done. Chloe (and some of her friends) are messy, but it's understandable. I liked her and rooted for her, even though she made poor decisions at times.

Am I a thriller convert? Probably not, but I'll keep reading when Kate Belli is telling the story.

[Heathers_readss · Rating 3 out of 5]

Im not sure if authors are deciding now is a good time to introduce themes referencing the 9/11 attacks in their books but this is the second arc I’ve read this yes that features the events.. and I don’t know how I feel about that, maybe it is a good thing to give readers a safe space to process some old emotions but im personally just not a fan and it kind of leaves me with an uncomfortable sensation that distracts from the rest of the plot.

If I remove this aspect from the rest of the plot, the plot itself was pretty enjoyable. We have a confused main character and pieces of a mystery we are trying to puzzle together, strange messages. Memory loss, people acting weirdly makes for lots of questions to get answers for.

I’d say this was mid for me, without the Terroism plot thrown in it would have been 4⭐️

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting story but long-winded if you're not really into art. I was here for the 9/11 angle and I got too much art talk. I didn't know what was real and what was fictional when it came to art talk and it kept its 9/11 secrets too long.

I will say that it was well-written and atmospheric in a genuine way, not just leaning on 00's stereotypes for inauthentic nostalgia.

I read a book with a somewhat similar theme to this a few months ago, ie art world and 9/11. Perhaps that's why I wasn't as into it. It felt like a world I'd already slightly dipped into but never fully submerged.

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 4 out of 5]

review to come

[Meghan Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the advanced copy of this one. I've never read Kate Belli before, but this book leads me to believe we'll be meeting again. The Gallery Assistant is a well-paced mystery thriller that follows the protagonist Chloe Harlow, an art gallery assistant, as she navigates strange situations in her professional and personal life after one of her gallery's artists is found murdered. Suffering from PTSD after surviving the collapse of the Twin Towers on 9/11, Chloe is not sure if she can even trust her own memories in trying to unravel the truth of what's happened in her gallery. I thought it was smart to have this book take place in an era before the prevalence of cell phones, to keep Chloe's discoveries true to practical and real-time findings. Overall, I thought this story moved smoothly and was a page-turning read... who doesn't love a murder mystery set among the fine art world! But, there were perhaps one too many characters, who at points, I couldn't remember who they were - various gallery coworkers, Chloe's bar friends, and neighborhood friends. This was a surprisingly pleasant read and I would recommend to anyone looking for a Manhattan-based mystery.

[Janie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a moody, atmospheric mystery set in New York City just two months after 9/11, and it intertwines the grim legacy of trauma with art-world glamour and death.

Chloe Harlow is flawed and vulnerable- she carries PTSD from being in the North Tower, drinks to dull the memories, and is often unsure whom she can trust. This lends her a fragility that makes her compelling.

The art world setting is richly drawn. There are effective twists, red herrings, and the sense that memory itself is an unreliable guide, which heightens the tension. As Chloe pieces together fragments from the night of the party, the mystery deepens.

Emotional, Thoughtful, and Mysterious! 3 stars!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy! This book will be released 10/14/25.

[Braden Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

THE GALLERY ASSISTANT is a murder mystery set in the art world, and while I thought it was a quick and easy read with a fabulous NYC setting...it ended up being a bit underwhelming. Belli's protagonist is an unreliable narrator trying to fill in the gaps, and while I was intrigued to put those pieces together, I found my own theories to be more interesting than the resolutions we got. Belli sets the story shortly after 9/11, but because of this - it became less of a thriller, and more of an account of someone with severe PTSD from such a tragedy. I think that's interesting unto itself, but I found there to be such a schism between that and the mystery that it felt like two books in one, and the mystery portion was underbaked and boring to me. I wish I liked this more, but I have to be honest with my reviews, and this one was not for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Hannah | Reading Under Covers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for my early copy for review - out October 14!

THE GALLERY ASSISTANT by Kate Belli follows Chloe in the months after 9/11 as she navigates her city and job as a gallery assistant while in the throes of PTSD and conspiracy theories. When someone associated with the gallery is found murdered, Chloe takes it upon herself to solve the case when she begins to find secret messages.

There were parts of this book that worked really well - despite being a slower paced story, I was engaged for most of it and had a difficult time putting it down. The author's knowledge surrounding the art world and New York were apparent and the research she did do shone through.

However, 9/11 is a major part of this story - our main girl Chloe was in one of the towers - and, while the acknowledgements offered me some clarity from the author, it felt like just a way to give Chloe some major PTSD, a drinking problem, and lent itself to the conspiratorial nature of the story.

I'm not sure I would have picked this one up if I knew how forward-facing that event would be, especially mixed into a fictionalized world with a murder mystery that lacked in its payoff.

I won't write Belli off because I do thing there were some strong elements within her writing, but this one was not for me!

[MrsHarvieReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Gallery Assistant by Kate Belli is a thriller set in the New York art world in November 2001. Chloe Harlow is an art gallery assistant reeling from the 9/11 attacks. She is coping with her PTSD by drinking until she blacks out and sleeping around. She is an unreliable witness to a murder and possible conspiracy.

Chloe is an unlikable character who makes terrible and frequently dangerous decisions. I was conflicted with the use of the 9/11 attacks in the storyline. It was deeply emotional and I felt distracted from the cat and mouse plot. The ending was somewhat abrupt but provided enough closure for the plot points.

I listened the audiobook narrated by Devon Sorvari. I thought she struggled somewhat portraying different sexes with various accents. Overall this novel kept me engaged but is not one that will be particularly memorable. 3/5⭐️