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The Library After Dark
A bookseller must escape the infamously haunted library that holds her darkest secrets, but with a murderer in her tour group, escaping alive is not as simple as it seems, in this twisty locked-room thriller from bestselling author of You Are Fatally Invited.
Not all fairytales were meant for children.
Aria Stokes is finally feeling settled—she lives in a tiny New York apartment, works as a bookseller at a local shop, and has even taken a leap of faith in love by indulging her attraction to bookstore regular Jasper. And he seems to already know her so well.
As a Valentine’s Day surprise, Jasper gets the two of them tickets to an exclusive, after-dark tour of the Daedalus Library—the grandiose establishment famed for its immersive genre-based reading rooms and, more notoriously, its rumored hauntings. While Aria normally loves all things ghastly, this place holds more dark secrets than she’d prefer Jasper to know. Like that the last time she was here, she left a body behind.
But when the automatic-door entry malfunctions and Aria, Jasper, and the five other people in their tour group become trapped in the library, they are forced to venture through the storied rooms and hidden passageways of the Daedalus in search of escape . . . and Aria quite literally has nowhere to hide from the shadows of her past. Then the group learns there’s a murderer in their midst.
Now, as she tries to break out of the library’s intricate reading rooms, Aria has to decide who she can trust—and what secrets are best kept buried—if she wants to make it out alive.
Not all fairytales were meant for children.
Aria Stokes is finally feeling settled—she lives in a tiny New York apartment, works as a bookseller at a local shop, and has even taken a leap of faith in love by indulging her attraction to bookstore regular Jasper. And he seems to already know her so well.
As a Valentine’s Day surprise, Jasper gets the two of them tickets to an exclusive, after-dark tour of the Daedalus Library—the grandiose establishment famed for its immersive genre-based reading rooms and, more notoriously, its rumored hauntings. While Aria normally loves all things ghastly, this place holds more dark secrets than she’d prefer Jasper to know. Like that the last time she was here, she left a body behind.
But when the automatic-door entry malfunctions and Aria, Jasper, and the five other people in their tour group become trapped in the library, they are forced to venture through the storied rooms and hidden passageways of the Daedalus in search of escape . . . and Aria quite literally has nowhere to hide from the shadows of her past. Then the group learns there’s a murderer in their midst.
Now, as she tries to break out of the library’s intricate reading rooms, Aria has to decide who she can trust—and what secrets are best kept buried—if she wants to make it out alive.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published May 5, 2026
About the author
Ande Pliego
2 books632 followersAnde Pliego began writing stories when she discovered she could actually wield her overactive imagination for good. A lover of stories with teeth, she writes books involving mind games, dark humor, general murder and mayhem, and most importantly, finding the hope in the dark.
When not reading or writing, she can usually be found dabbling in art, scheming up her next trip, or making constant expeditions to the library. Born in Florida, raised in France, and having left footprints all over the globe, she is settled in the Pacific Northwest, USA, with her little son. Ande Pliego is the bestselling author of You Are Fatally Invited and The Library After Dark .
When not reading or writing, she can usually be found dabbling in art, scheming up her next trip, or making constant expeditions to the library. Born in Florida, raised in France, and having left footprints all over the globe, she is settled in the Pacific Northwest, USA, with her little son. Ande Pliego is the bestselling author of You Are Fatally Invited and The Library After Dark .
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 805 reviews
April 22, 2026
An entertaining murder mystery novel that captivated me most with its unique setting, because the possibly haunted library really was such a vibe. The Daedalus Library, also nicknamed the Library of Death, is a former mental hospital that was expensively renovated to house a vast collection of books, maps, antiquaries and plenty of other exhibits. The library is already infamous for its eccentric founder and for multiple mysterious lethal accidents that happened over the years, but on top of that it's also rumored to be haunted and full of hidden passageways. It's home to a variety of death masks and books that are poisonous and books bound in human skin, and it's most well-known for housing the only remaining copy of a possibly cursed collection of fairytales. I would totally visit this place if it existed in real life and I was kind of jealous of the characters in this book who are all invited onto a special after-dark tour through the library's halls. But the jealousy ceased quickly when people started to die one by one and everyone accused everyone of being a serial killer. The tour group consisted of a bookseller, an architect, a professor, an author, a journalist, a teacher and a retired nurse, and all the characters had a deeper connection to the library and were following their own agenda. There are chapters from all of these characters, but we mostly follow Aria, the bookseller, who was dragged on this tour by her new boyfriend. She probably had the most unpleasant history with the library out of all the characters, but basically everyone was mysterious and it was super interesting to unravel all their secrets and hidden goals. The characters weren't exactly deep, but they were also far from the annoying stereotypes of the genre. The book had me hooked in just a few pages and I also liked that there was a little bit of mixed media included. Some pages were good to keep track of everything, like the floor plan and the guest list and a newspaper article, but the included fairytales were actually connected to the plot and that was fun too. I do have to say that the reveals at the end lost me a bit, though. Some things were positively wild, but others were really stupid, like people just not recognizing each other for the entire novel. I also think that the book was missing a detective character who at least tried to figure out what was going on, because the reader is left alone with all the information from like 7 POVs. I'm also criticizing the random and pointless Neil Gaiman / Coraline reference and I don't understand why it would be included in a novel publishing in 2026. I actually hope that it gets removed for the final version. Other than that, I had a really good time with this book. I was reading with great interest for the entire time, theorized alongside it, admired the cool library and enjoyed the inherent bookish love of it all.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine / Bantam for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine / Bantam for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
June 28, 2026
The Library After Dark starts with Aria, a bookseller, and Jasper, one of her bookstore regulars, going on a Valentine's Day date. It seems they're new in their relationship, but if the date that Jasper has planned is any indication, he knows Aria quite well already.
He's gotten them tickets to an exclusive, after-dark tour of the Daedalus Library. For a Book Lover, a dream date!
The Daedalus is an imposing establishment known for more than its book collection. It's also filled with immersive genre-based reading rooms and rumored hauntings.
Even though Jasper believed it was going to be a private tour, it's not long before other guests end up arriving and they've all got tickets for the tour as well. Though initially disgruntled, apparently he needs privacy to be romantic, there's not much to be done about it.
Meanwhile, we learn from Aria's perspective, that she has a personal connection to the Daedalus that she'd rather keep secret from Jasper and everyone else.
This was the section of the book that stuck with me the most. The other group members were Wes, Piper, Michelle, Callum, Ruth and Saskia, but Saskia worked at the Daedalus and was their tour guide.
Not long into the tour, the automatic doors seemingly malfunction, trapping the group inside the library. From there, it's a fight to find a way out, but when bodies start dropping, it turns into a fight to survive the night.
I was pretty invested in this at the start. Meeting Aria and Jasper, as well as learning about the Daedalus was fun and engaging. Then all the other characters start rolling in, and we're getting ALL of their perspectives.
We're hopping around amongst them, learning about their connections to the Daedalus and trying to keep track of all the action going on in the library. It quickly became a lot.
Around 60%, my interest was gone entirely. It should've kept my attention. Everyone had secrets and their own motivations for being there, but the way it was tossed together, it made it unpleasant to try to track.
After that point, it was as unenjoyable for me as the author's first book, You Are Fatally Invited. So, unfortunately, even though it did initially have a lot of promise, I was entirely let down by the second half.
It was sooooo convoluted by the end. I think this is my last go with this author. I gave their first book 1.5-stars and this is getting a 2. I just don't think they're for me. Good concepts, poor execution.
Thank you to the publisher, Bantam, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I'm sure I'll be in the minority opinion on this one, but I'm always honest about my experience with the books I read.
Sadly, this author isn't for me.
He's gotten them tickets to an exclusive, after-dark tour of the Daedalus Library. For a Book Lover, a dream date!
The Daedalus is an imposing establishment known for more than its book collection. It's also filled with immersive genre-based reading rooms and rumored hauntings.
Even though Jasper believed it was going to be a private tour, it's not long before other guests end up arriving and they've all got tickets for the tour as well. Though initially disgruntled, apparently he needs privacy to be romantic, there's not much to be done about it.
Meanwhile, we learn from Aria's perspective, that she has a personal connection to the Daedalus that she'd rather keep secret from Jasper and everyone else.
This was the section of the book that stuck with me the most. The other group members were Wes, Piper, Michelle, Callum, Ruth and Saskia, but Saskia worked at the Daedalus and was their tour guide.
Not long into the tour, the automatic doors seemingly malfunction, trapping the group inside the library. From there, it's a fight to find a way out, but when bodies start dropping, it turns into a fight to survive the night.
I was pretty invested in this at the start. Meeting Aria and Jasper, as well as learning about the Daedalus was fun and engaging. Then all the other characters start rolling in, and we're getting ALL of their perspectives.
We're hopping around amongst them, learning about their connections to the Daedalus and trying to keep track of all the action going on in the library. It quickly became a lot.
Around 60%, my interest was gone entirely. It should've kept my attention. Everyone had secrets and their own motivations for being there, but the way it was tossed together, it made it unpleasant to try to track.
After that point, it was as unenjoyable for me as the author's first book, You Are Fatally Invited. So, unfortunately, even though it did initially have a lot of promise, I was entirely let down by the second half.
It was sooooo convoluted by the end. I think this is my last go with this author. I gave their first book 1.5-stars and this is getting a 2. I just don't think they're for me. Good concepts, poor execution.
Thank you to the publisher, Bantam, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I'm sure I'll be in the minority opinion on this one, but I'm always honest about my experience with the books I read.
Sadly, this author isn't for me.
Read
May 14, 2026DNF
I was intrigued by this book, and it had all the things I would enjoy: a bookseller, a mysterious library, and a locked-room mystery sounded right up my alley. But unfortunately, I had to DNF this one.
There are multiple characters and perspectives that were hard to keep track of, and I felt the book could have used another round of editing. I found myself initially interested, but slowly not wanting to read it. But what led me to DNF was the use of "Christ" in vain. I checked my Kindle ARC and saw it was said 8x. I can handle some language, but that was too much, and I'm surprised, as I believe (I could be wrong) the author is a Christian.
It took me out of the story, and I just didn't want to push myself to continue a book I knew I wasn't going to enjoy or rate highly.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC. All thoughts are 100% my own.
I was intrigued by this book, and it had all the things I would enjoy: a bookseller, a mysterious library, and a locked-room mystery sounded right up my alley. But unfortunately, I had to DNF this one.
There are multiple characters and perspectives that were hard to keep track of, and I felt the book could have used another round of editing. I found myself initially interested, but slowly not wanting to read it. But what led me to DNF was the use of "Christ" in vain. I checked my Kindle ARC and saw it was said 8x. I can handle some language, but that was too much, and I'm surprised, as I believe (I could be wrong) the author is a Christian.
It took me out of the story, and I just didn't want to push myself to continue a book I knew I wasn't going to enjoy or rate highly.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC. All thoughts are 100% my own.
June 24, 2026
ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley
this actually has my favorite premise of 2026 - eight people attending an after dark book tour, that end up locked in a horror themed haunted library, in new york, on valentine’s day? all with different secrets they have been harboring for quite some time? and you also get to read parts of a maybe cursed fairytale anthology while also reading about these people and what they are enduring, because they are going to be the first to see this book restored after many years? like, sign me up immediately, actually. and essentially, that is all you really should know before going into this one, because this murder mystery just gets more and more layered as the story progresses.
but i did have a good time reading this one and experiencing all the twists and turns. I kind of fear like i am just destined to give every thriller i read a three star, but i'm stubborn and always keep picking them up, especially when they have set ups like this one. i also unfortunately can’t really say what i didn’t love about this one, but in a very vague sentence (in fully unhinged) - i just wouldn’t have made the same choices as the mc at the end lol. but i hope you all really enjoy this one extra if you pick it up! (and lots of dtw airport mentions as a lil bonus, too, lol!)
trigger + content warnings: gore, blood, murder, death, vomit, talk of overdosing, self harm in past mention, talk of suicide, talk of needles, abandonment, parent illness in past, loss of parent in past, grief, talk of abusive homes, blackmail
blog | instagram | youtube | wishlist | spotify | amazon
this actually has my favorite premise of 2026 - eight people attending an after dark book tour, that end up locked in a horror themed haunted library, in new york, on valentine’s day? all with different secrets they have been harboring for quite some time? and you also get to read parts of a maybe cursed fairytale anthology while also reading about these people and what they are enduring, because they are going to be the first to see this book restored after many years? like, sign me up immediately, actually. and essentially, that is all you really should know before going into this one, because this murder mystery just gets more and more layered as the story progresses.
but i did have a good time reading this one and experiencing all the twists and turns. I kind of fear like i am just destined to give every thriller i read a three star, but i'm stubborn and always keep picking them up, especially when they have set ups like this one. i also unfortunately can’t really say what i didn’t love about this one, but in a very vague sentence (in fully unhinged) - i just wouldn’t have made the same choices as the mc at the end lol. but i hope you all really enjoy this one extra if you pick it up! (and lots of dtw airport mentions as a lil bonus, too, lol!)
trigger + content warnings: gore, blood, murder, death, vomit, talk of overdosing, self harm in past mention, talk of suicide, talk of needles, abandonment, parent illness in past, loss of parent in past, grief, talk of abusive homes, blackmail
blog | instagram | youtube | wishlist | spotify | amazon
July 6, 2026
Me, for a solid few minutes after finishing this book: *staring into space, muttering to myself, “what the actual hell did I just read?”*
But like, in a good way! 😅
Okay, the first thing I will say is that this book is pretty dark, and the way some of the characters die is pretty brutal. I am a huge chicken, so I don’t read horror, but I would say this book likely toes the line at times.
This book also features very short chapters, usually around two pages each, that have Grimm Brothers-esque fairy tales, which are also quite dark. Seriously, Ande, that rabbit one is going to stay with me forever. As an aforementioned scaredy-cat who is extra sensitive to content relating to children, I mostly skimmed these chapters. Personally, I much prefer the Disney version of fairy tales. However, if you do enjoy dark fairy tales, folklore, and horror, I think you will find these a great addition to the story!
One thing this book does really well is the setting and atmosphere. The author created such a unique library that is captivating in its various rooms, secret passageways, and unnerving decorations. I also thought the author did a great job making the environment feel tense and creepy, which fit perfectly with the story and the gothic architecture. Now, I will say that the first half of the book does have a lot of descriptions of the various rooms. While I really enjoyed and appreciated this, I can see why some readers may not enjoy that as much.
Additionally, since the author uses a lot of space to describe the various areas of the library, the first little bit felt a little slow to me. This was compounded by the fact that the beginning seemed to focus on increasing suspicion among the characters and giving the reader a lot of questions, without many answers. However, in the second half of the book, the answers come QUICK, as a lot of twists arise and secrets are revealed.
With that said, while the second half did feel exciting, it did also feel a little confusing at times, as there was a lot going on. Personally, this didn’t necessarily bother me, as I really liked that it kept me guessing and prevented me from figuring everything out too early.
Another reason this book may be overwhelming or confusing for some is that there are several POVs. While Aria is the main narrator, we do get multiple POVs from the other characters stuck in the library, though how often we get each character varies and is inconsistent. I love when there are lots of POVs, as I feel it adds multiple layers to the story in an enriching way, but I know that is not the case for everyone.
In terms of the mystery, I thought it was well executed, despite the fact that it does get a little confusing for a little while. The author did a really good job adding multiple layers, which felt like they were being pulled back one by one, like an onion. This allowed me to continue guessing all the way until the end, where thankfully everything was wrapped up and tied together nicely! The only thing I do wish we got more information on was how the killer pulled off some of the things they did, especially in terms of the first murder.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and ended up finishing it in one sitting! If you are a fan of dark thrillers, locked-room mysteries, and/or fairy tales, you should absolutely check this one out!
But like, in a good way! 😅
Okay, the first thing I will say is that this book is pretty dark, and the way some of the characters die is pretty brutal. I am a huge chicken, so I don’t read horror, but I would say this book likely toes the line at times.
This book also features very short chapters, usually around two pages each, that have Grimm Brothers-esque fairy tales, which are also quite dark. Seriously, Ande, that rabbit one is going to stay with me forever. As an aforementioned scaredy-cat who is extra sensitive to content relating to children, I mostly skimmed these chapters. Personally, I much prefer the Disney version of fairy tales. However, if you do enjoy dark fairy tales, folklore, and horror, I think you will find these a great addition to the story!
One thing this book does really well is the setting and atmosphere. The author created such a unique library that is captivating in its various rooms, secret passageways, and unnerving decorations. I also thought the author did a great job making the environment feel tense and creepy, which fit perfectly with the story and the gothic architecture. Now, I will say that the first half of the book does have a lot of descriptions of the various rooms. While I really enjoyed and appreciated this, I can see why some readers may not enjoy that as much.
Additionally, since the author uses a lot of space to describe the various areas of the library, the first little bit felt a little slow to me. This was compounded by the fact that the beginning seemed to focus on increasing suspicion among the characters and giving the reader a lot of questions, without many answers. However, in the second half of the book, the answers come QUICK, as a lot of twists arise and secrets are revealed.
With that said, while the second half did feel exciting, it did also feel a little confusing at times, as there was a lot going on. Personally, this didn’t necessarily bother me, as I really liked that it kept me guessing and prevented me from figuring everything out too early.
Another reason this book may be overwhelming or confusing for some is that there are several POVs. While Aria is the main narrator, we do get multiple POVs from the other characters stuck in the library, though how often we get each character varies and is inconsistent. I love when there are lots of POVs, as I feel it adds multiple layers to the story in an enriching way, but I know that is not the case for everyone.
In terms of the mystery, I thought it was well executed, despite the fact that it does get a little confusing for a little while. The author did a really good job adding multiple layers, which felt like they were being pulled back one by one, like an onion. This allowed me to continue guessing all the way until the end, where thankfully everything was wrapped up and tied together nicely! The only thing I do wish we got more information on was how the killer pulled off some of the things they did, especially in terms of the first murder.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and ended up finishing it in one sitting! If you are a fan of dark thrillers, locked-room mysteries, and/or fairy tales, you should absolutely check this one out!
January 3, 2026
My Quick Takes:
- 5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Genre 📚 thriller
- Language 🤐 moderate
- Spice ❤️🔥 none
- Content 🤔 graphic on page death/murder
Is Ande Pliego ruining thrillers for me?!
I have so much to say about this thriller, but I’ll keep it brief. It is an atmospheric mashup of thriller, fantasy, and a dash of horror. It is CREEPY, I read it at night before bed and got spooked a few times. I don’t remember the last time I couldn’t read a thriller at night, I loved it 😅
Everyone’s a suspect with a secret in this locked room thriller. If you love knives out mysteries and clue, with a Grimm’s Fairy Tale twist, this is the move.
- 5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Genre 📚 thriller
- Language 🤐 moderate
- Spice ❤️🔥 none
- Content 🤔 graphic on page death/murder
Is Ande Pliego ruining thrillers for me?!
I have so much to say about this thriller, but I’ll keep it brief. It is an atmospheric mashup of thriller, fantasy, and a dash of horror. It is CREEPY, I read it at night before bed and got spooked a few times. I don’t remember the last time I couldn’t read a thriller at night, I loved it 😅
Everyone’s a suspect with a secret in this locked room thriller. If you love knives out mysteries and clue, with a Grimm’s Fairy Tale twist, this is the move.
May 14, 2026
Hooo, this was a hot mess. The idea of the library was great, but the execution failed. I feel this book's existence is a symptom of the pressure on genre authors to publish a book a year. It might have been good if given more time to cook. She had a good story in her first book, and now this one is entirely made up of thriller and mystery cliches, all to the tune of overblown figurative language that makes no sense and does not belong in a mystery book. Very little substance, lots of melodramatic language.
Some examples:
"A memory flickers in a blink, pebbling my arms in goose bumps: Evangeline's skin-covered finger bones guiding a pen over a notebook page" — just say "fingers"!!!!
"The lights go out, and beneath our feet, the elevator drops to our screams" — there has to be a better way to phrase this. Also, this is how most of the chapters end like this, on a cheap cliffhanger.
"My entrails cinch together" — this is not a thing
"The name inches a little deeper through my chest, and I flick it off like a spider." — anytime an author starts talking about things in the chest you know you're in trouble, it's an image authors without much to say often come back to
"Something bit at my core." — Just let the story speak for itself! we don't need physical reactions from POV characters, we can figure it out on our own
"But the rage that had pupated inside me for so long metamorphosed into grief when I walked through the hall of death masks." — sigh
I'm not saying goodbye to this author, but I certainly won't be paying full price for one of her books again until she has more books under her belt, and after I've read it first from the library.
Also, authors: resist the impulse to have multiple narrators unless you can differentiate voice, and your plot is under control. And please note the first person present tense narrative here. Always a mistake when your craft isn't working.
Buzzword Reading Challenge 2026: a border/frame
Some examples:
"A memory flickers in a blink, pebbling my arms in goose bumps: Evangeline's skin-covered finger bones guiding a pen over a notebook page" — just say "fingers"!!!!
"The lights go out, and beneath our feet, the elevator drops to our screams" — there has to be a better way to phrase this. Also, this is how most of the chapters end like this, on a cheap cliffhanger.
"My entrails cinch together" — this is not a thing
"The name inches a little deeper through my chest, and I flick it off like a spider." — anytime an author starts talking about things in the chest you know you're in trouble, it's an image authors without much to say often come back to
"Something bit at my core." — Just let the story speak for itself! we don't need physical reactions from POV characters, we can figure it out on our own
"But the rage that had pupated inside me for so long metamorphosed into grief when I walked through the hall of death masks." — sigh
I'm not saying goodbye to this author, but I certainly won't be paying full price for one of her books again until she has more books under her belt, and after I've read it first from the library.
Also, authors: resist the impulse to have multiple narrators unless you can differentiate voice, and your plot is under control. And please note the first person present tense narrative here. Always a mistake when your craft isn't working.
Buzzword Reading Challenge 2026: a border/frame
April 26, 2026
3.5⭐️
I loved You Are Fatally Invited so I was super excited to read the authors new book. A locked room murder mystery in a library at night that maybe haunted.. that is one intriguing storyline.
This story does take quite a bit to get going. It was really slow and dragged in for almost half the book until something really happened. Once it did not let up. There are a lot of characters to get your head around and it was difficult to keep track of them all and seperate them. As well as this there were characters who were not who they said they were and that confused me even more.
The point of view jumps around so much and so fast that I did have a hard time following who we were hearing from and when. This is one big library, so many rooms to explore and possibly die in. The deaths were quite shocking, in fitting with the library that held so many secrets.
I really did like the concept of this story, and the details of the library itself were so vivid. The conclusion was completely unexpected and very interesting, once I got my head around it all.
A fun read for the most part, thanks to Ballantine, Bantam for my early copy to read on NetGalley. Publishes on May 5th
I loved You Are Fatally Invited so I was super excited to read the authors new book. A locked room murder mystery in a library at night that maybe haunted.. that is one intriguing storyline.
This story does take quite a bit to get going. It was really slow and dragged in for almost half the book until something really happened. Once it did not let up. There are a lot of characters to get your head around and it was difficult to keep track of them all and seperate them. As well as this there were characters who were not who they said they were and that confused me even more.
The point of view jumps around so much and so fast that I did have a hard time following who we were hearing from and when. This is one big library, so many rooms to explore and possibly die in. The deaths were quite shocking, in fitting with the library that held so many secrets.
I really did like the concept of this story, and the details of the library itself were so vivid. The conclusion was completely unexpected and very interesting, once I got my head around it all.
A fun read for the most part, thanks to Ballantine, Bantam for my early copy to read on NetGalley. Publishes on May 5th
May 14, 2026
I loveeee an ambitious premise and, for the most part, this one paid off. A labyrinthine library, cursed and deadly secrets, a possible serial killer ghost, and an after-hours tour group in peril. Lots to enjoy here!
I do think this got quite cluttered in the end, with a lot of plot elements large and small scrambling for attention as they wrap up. The book is still enjoyable, but I wish it was more polished in its denouement.
Fans of bibliomysteries with dark themes will find something to enjoy here.
I do think this got quite cluttered in the end, with a lot of plot elements large and small scrambling for attention as they wrap up. The book is still enjoyable, but I wish it was more polished in its denouement.
Fans of bibliomysteries with dark themes will find something to enjoy here.
May 6, 2026
Thank you to Ande Pliego and Random House for my copy of this book. It's about Aria, a girl who feels like everything is going right, and she has finally escaped her past. As a surprise, a man she has been seeing gets her tickets to an after dark tour of a famous library, known for it's grand architecture and rumored hauntings. While normally this would be something she would love, Aria has a dark past tied to the library. Then the doors malfunction and trap them inside, forcing them deeper into the library and its literal and metaphorical traps.
Thoughts: This book had a lot going on. I think it had an amazing premise and the storyline sucked me in. It was slow to get into, but mysterious, and I didn't know the direction the story would take. There was a lot of symbolism and meaning behind the fairytales, which was an interesting way to break up the chapters.
I personally felt like there was way too much going on and it became hard to keep track of. There were too many first person POV and too many weaving connections that felt a bit messy and confusing. I did like the book, but it was a bit too dark and complex when I didn't feel it needed to be. 3 stars for me.
Thoughts: This book had a lot going on. I think it had an amazing premise and the storyline sucked me in. It was slow to get into, but mysterious, and I didn't know the direction the story would take. There was a lot of symbolism and meaning behind the fairytales, which was an interesting way to break up the chapters.
I personally felt like there was way too much going on and it became hard to keep track of. There were too many first person POV and too many weaving connections that felt a bit messy and confusing. I did like the book, but it was a bit too dark and complex when I didn't feel it needed to be. 3 stars for me.
June 17, 2026
oh this was EXCELLENT. I'm not a big thriller girlie (mysteries are more my thing) but I think this sat in between the two in a really nice way. Reminiscent of "And Then There Were None", the claustrophobia strengthening as the body count grew made the story totally absorbing. Add on the secrets that each invitee carried in with them, and the ones that the library itself supplied, and I simply could not look away. Any time a book can fully capture my attention, it gets high marks from me, and I thought this one was really well done. Definitely checking out more from this author in the future!
**content warnings for profanity and some pretty gnarly death scenes lol not too gory but intense nonetheless
**content warnings for profanity and some pretty gnarly death scenes lol not too gory but intense nonetheless
May 25, 2026
This starts with a full multi-cast of characters. The narration was an all out production. I was hooked to this locked room mystery. However, at about 60% in, I found myself getting lost a bit. I normally can keep up with tons of characters, but keep in mind, there’s a whole lot going on here. I recommend not to speed it up too fast. This is suited for fans of locked room thrillers and multiple POV.
3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you to PRH Audio for the gifted copy and to Kristin for my giveaway win.
3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you to PRH Audio for the gifted copy and to Kristin for my giveaway win.
May 14, 2026
The Library After Dark promised a lot, and more or less failed in the execution, but it was also fun at times. Multiple first person POVs wasn’t a terrible idea, but all of the characters felt flat, a lot more telling instead of showing, and I often had to go back and see which character was telling the story as none of them had a distinct voice from the others.
The library itself was supposed to be a major character here, not just the setting, and I never really felt a strong sense of place or that the setting was used to serve the story.
I can’t put my finger on it, but the writing had a vibe I was not enjoying, it wasn’t quite YA, but it never felt adult either.
I did like the fairy tales that opened a large number of chapters and I did want to stick with the story to find out who got killed, how they were murdered and who the killer was….in the end though the kills weren’t very inventive and there weren’t too many surprises.
The library itself was supposed to be a major character here, not just the setting, and I never really felt a strong sense of place or that the setting was used to serve the story.
I can’t put my finger on it, but the writing had a vibe I was not enjoying, it wasn’t quite YA, but it never felt adult either.
I did like the fairy tales that opened a large number of chapters and I did want to stick with the story to find out who got killed, how they were murdered and who the killer was….in the end though the kills weren’t very inventive and there weren’t too many surprises.
February 23, 2026
Blood-drenched and brilliant, THE LIBRARY AFTER DARK is a story of survival…and what happens after you’ve done the worst things imaginable.
While the first 30% takes some time for set-up and character introduction, after that mark I was absolutely tearing through the pages, breathless with horror and hope.
Just like with YOU ARE FATALLY INVITED, Pliego manages a beautiful balance of devastation and delight. Her characters are flawed, entirely human—and yet, light exists past the darkness of their deeds. I also really loved the romance subplot with all its twists and turns.
I cannot wait to see what Pliego writes next—she has become an auto-buy author. For those craving folkloric horror that carves out your heart yet uplifts your starving soul, this is for you. 🖤🥀
🥀 Note: I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and the author as part of her Street Team. I was not required to leave a positive review. 🥀
While the first 30% takes some time for set-up and character introduction, after that mark I was absolutely tearing through the pages, breathless with horror and hope.
Just like with YOU ARE FATALLY INVITED, Pliego manages a beautiful balance of devastation and delight. Her characters are flawed, entirely human—and yet, light exists past the darkness of their deeds. I also really loved the romance subplot with all its twists and turns.
I cannot wait to see what Pliego writes next—she has become an auto-buy author. For those craving folkloric horror that carves out your heart yet uplifts your starving soul, this is for you. 🖤🥀
🥀 Note: I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and the author as part of her Street Team. I was not required to leave a positive review. 🥀
May 29, 2026
3.5 stars
May 31, 2026
A hot mess. It had too many characters and needed extensive editing. Plus, I listened on audio. And the character Aria, her voice actor, was terrible, so whispy and overly dramatic. 2 stars cuz I'm glad it's over.
June 21, 2026
Thank you, Ballantine | Bantam, for sending me this ARC. I absolutely loved You Are Fatally Invited, so I was very excited to read this book by Pliego.
The Library After Dark is packed with suspenseful, punchy moments, and I really enjoyed the use of multiple POVs. It’s a compelling locked-room mystery with great character dynamics.
That said, the plotting felt a bit jumbled in places, and the ending didn't quite land for me (considering the complex build-up).
Overall, it was still a fun ride, just not a favorite. But, if you love atmospheric, locked-room mysteries filled with quirky characters and hidden agendas, this is still one to pick up!
3.5 stars!
Pub Date May 05 2026
The Library After Dark is packed with suspenseful, punchy moments, and I really enjoyed the use of multiple POVs. It’s a compelling locked-room mystery with great character dynamics.
That said, the plotting felt a bit jumbled in places, and the ending didn't quite land for me (considering the complex build-up).
Overall, it was still a fun ride, just not a favorite. But, if you love atmospheric, locked-room mysteries filled with quirky characters and hidden agendas, this is still one to pick up!
3.5 stars!
Pub Date May 05 2026
June 29, 2026
Do you like books and libraries? If the answer is yes, then this book is for you. But be warned, you might not survive going to this library. It might literally kill you! Yeah, this was something. I didn't have any idea what I was into when I started this book, and it got dark fast. Readers who enjoy locked room mysteries with some very murdery murders will get a kick out this book. You meet all the characters as they go on a nighttime tour of the Daedalus Library, famed for its rather ghoulish/gruesome collection, and rumored hauntings. Aria and Jasper are a dating couple who are drawing very close to each other, but secrets revealed over the course of the night may bring their blooming relationship to an end. If they can survive, when members of the tour start getting murdered by the library itself. Is it the haunting, or is it someone who has a vendetta against the people on the tour, who all seem to have a connection to Emmaline, the matriarch and owner of the library?
I enjoyed this immensely. It was a bit intense and violent for me (let's just say I would be scared to watch the movie version), and I was holding my breath because I was on the edge of my seat about what the library had in store. There were some really good surprises and it was not predictable in the slightest. Again, I was not prepared for how dark this book got. The glimpse in the deepest depths of human nature and how love can motivate people to do heinous things. The only critique I have is some of the characters felt a little flat compared to others. But I was definitely sucked in and think the story overall was really engaging and took me on a suspenseful ride. I loved how the fairy tale stories were incorporated in the story, and they were about 20 steps above even the original Grimms tales in their disturbing content. As a fairy tale lover, that got me hooked in as well. Yeah, this one is for those interested in the darker aspects of book culture.
I am looking for more books by Ande Pliego.
Advanced Review Copy provided by Netgalley courtesy of Ballantine.
I enjoyed this immensely. It was a bit intense and violent for me (let's just say I would be scared to watch the movie version), and I was holding my breath because I was on the edge of my seat about what the library had in store. There were some really good surprises and it was not predictable in the slightest. Again, I was not prepared for how dark this book got. The glimpse in the deepest depths of human nature and how love can motivate people to do heinous things. The only critique I have is some of the characters felt a little flat compared to others. But I was definitely sucked in and think the story overall was really engaging and took me on a suspenseful ride. I loved how the fairy tale stories were incorporated in the story, and they were about 20 steps above even the original Grimms tales in their disturbing content. As a fairy tale lover, that got me hooked in as well. Yeah, this one is for those interested in the darker aspects of book culture.
I am looking for more books by Ande Pliego.
Advanced Review Copy provided by Netgalley courtesy of Ballantine.
June 2, 2026
This book was a struggle to read. It didn’t flow well and felt disjointed. The plot still eludes me.
I was blessed with an ARC. Thank you, NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.
I was blessed with an ARC. Thank you, NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.
September 3, 2025
If you love books and libraries and stories in stories, you’re going to LOVE this book. A fast-paced, stay up all night thriller that keeps you guessing! I loved Jasper’s character, and love the way Ande wrote Aria’s character growth! This was such a FUN, thrilling ride with all my favorite things!! I need a private, fancy library tour now—sans a killer.
May 18, 2026
《4.5⭐️ rounded up to 5⭐️》
Aria Stokes is a bookseller trying to rebuild her life when her charming crush Jasper surprises her with tickets to an exclusive after hours tour of the infamous Daedalus Library. The library is legendary for its immersive reading rooms, eerie architecture, and rumors of hauntings. But for Aria, it's more than just a spooky landmark. It's the place where she once left behind a dead body. What begins as a romantic date spirals into a nightmare when the library's doors seal shut, trapping Aria, her date, and a small group of strangers inside it's maze of hidden passageways and genre themed chambers. Then someone dies. Suddenly the ornate halls start to feel less like a library and more like a trap. As paranoia spreads, every guest seems to be hiding something, and Aria is forced to confront her past while trying to figure out who among them is a killer.
There's something deeply unsettling about a book that makes you feel trapped alongside the characters and The Library After Dark absolutely nailed that feeling! After Ande's debut You Are Fatally Invited last year, I knew I had to read whatever else this author writes and I was not disappointed! The atmosphere in this was unreal! Every hallway, locked door and hidden room and passage felt drenched in tension. What I enjoyed most was how layered the mystery became. Every character seems to have their own secrets and I changed my mind about who could be trusted multiple times. The story along with the fairy tales had this Gothic feel to it while still keeping the pace sharp enough! I also love that the thriller elements weren't just showy techniques and shock value. Underneath the twists and eerie vibes there was a lot of about guilt, fear, identity and the stories people tell themselves to survive. This is definitely for readers who love atmospheric thrillers with a dark academia energy and an immersive setting!
Aria Stokes is a bookseller trying to rebuild her life when her charming crush Jasper surprises her with tickets to an exclusive after hours tour of the infamous Daedalus Library. The library is legendary for its immersive reading rooms, eerie architecture, and rumors of hauntings. But for Aria, it's more than just a spooky landmark. It's the place where she once left behind a dead body. What begins as a romantic date spirals into a nightmare when the library's doors seal shut, trapping Aria, her date, and a small group of strangers inside it's maze of hidden passageways and genre themed chambers. Then someone dies. Suddenly the ornate halls start to feel less like a library and more like a trap. As paranoia spreads, every guest seems to be hiding something, and Aria is forced to confront her past while trying to figure out who among them is a killer.
There's something deeply unsettling about a book that makes you feel trapped alongside the characters and The Library After Dark absolutely nailed that feeling! After Ande's debut You Are Fatally Invited last year, I knew I had to read whatever else this author writes and I was not disappointed! The atmosphere in this was unreal! Every hallway, locked door and hidden room and passage felt drenched in tension. What I enjoyed most was how layered the mystery became. Every character seems to have their own secrets and I changed my mind about who could be trusted multiple times. The story along with the fairy tales had this Gothic feel to it while still keeping the pace sharp enough! I also love that the thriller elements weren't just showy techniques and shock value. Underneath the twists and eerie vibes there was a lot of about guilt, fear, identity and the stories people tell themselves to survive. This is definitely for readers who love atmospheric thrillers with a dark academia energy and an immersive setting!
February 1, 2026
I was overall entertained and engaged throughout this book! I am a fan of thrillers that keep me guessing and The Library After Dark did just that.
I loved the added twists of the fairy tales throughout. I liked reading them and then seeing how they played out in the main story. Fairy tales in their nature are very grim and they followed that same formula in the real story so that was a bit gruesome at times. I could have done without a lot of the bloody scenes but overall, they were easy enough to read though.
I would highly recommend reading this book with as few breaks as you can. Picking the book up and then putting it down for a few days at a time did not serve me well with all the characters and their interconnected stories. I think I would have enjoy it more (and understood it more) if I had read it in one or two sittings.
Overall, I really enjoyed the characters, the plot twists, the setting, and the ending. I would highly recommend if you like thriller/mysteries with multiple points of view!
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!!
I loved the added twists of the fairy tales throughout. I liked reading them and then seeing how they played out in the main story. Fairy tales in their nature are very grim and they followed that same formula in the real story so that was a bit gruesome at times. I could have done without a lot of the bloody scenes but overall, they were easy enough to read though.
I would highly recommend reading this book with as few breaks as you can. Picking the book up and then putting it down for a few days at a time did not serve me well with all the characters and their interconnected stories. I think I would have enjoy it more (and understood it more) if I had read it in one or two sittings.
Overall, I really enjoyed the characters, the plot twists, the setting, and the ending. I would highly recommend if you like thriller/mysteries with multiple points of view!
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!!
July 4, 2026
2.5 stars
A glimpse of intrigue buried beneath an undercooked execution, The Library After Dark has a hooky premise, several chilling thriller sequences (the deaths are surprisingly brutal), and enough twists and revelations to keep the pages turning—even if they eventually veer into ridiculous excess. Unfortunately, those strengths are undermined by prose that feels alarmingly unpolished: bloated sentences weighed down by unnecessary adjectives, awkward flow between paragrpahs, stilted dialog (the romance is the worst, there is no flow or chemistry to the 'banter'), and disorienting action sequences. A rarity for me, but reading this novel I found myself constantly lost track of which character's perspective I was reading from.
At its core, I really like what The Library After Dark is aiming for: a labyrinthine library, a cursed artifact, and a cast of characters harbouring secrets and competing agendas. But the novel reads more like an early draft than a thought-through, finished manuscript. Too often, it felt as though I was digging through word vomit in search of the story's stronger ideas. Since I read the ARC version, it's possible some of these issues is addressed in the final version, but in its current form, the lack of polish is more egregious than in almost any advance copy I've received. Which is a shame, because I found You Are Fatally Invited to be a promising debut. I can't help but wonder whether the pressure to deliver another novel within a year ultimately prevented The Library After Dark from becoming what it could have been.
***This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!***
A glimpse of intrigue buried beneath an undercooked execution, The Library After Dark has a hooky premise, several chilling thriller sequences (the deaths are surprisingly brutal), and enough twists and revelations to keep the pages turning—even if they eventually veer into ridiculous excess. Unfortunately, those strengths are undermined by prose that feels alarmingly unpolished: bloated sentences weighed down by unnecessary adjectives, awkward flow between paragrpahs, stilted dialog (the romance is the worst, there is no flow or chemistry to the 'banter'), and disorienting action sequences. A rarity for me, but reading this novel I found myself constantly lost track of which character's perspective I was reading from.
At its core, I really like what The Library After Dark is aiming for: a labyrinthine library, a cursed artifact, and a cast of characters harbouring secrets and competing agendas. But the novel reads more like an early draft than a thought-through, finished manuscript. Too often, it felt as though I was digging through word vomit in search of the story's stronger ideas. Since I read the ARC version, it's possible some of these issues is addressed in the final version, but in its current form, the lack of polish is more egregious than in almost any advance copy I've received. Which is a shame, because I found You Are Fatally Invited to be a promising debut. I can't help but wonder whether the pressure to deliver another novel within a year ultimately prevented The Library After Dark from becoming what it could have been.
***This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!***
May 19, 2026
I put this on hold months and months ago, so when I finally picked it up I was re-delighted by the premise. I have a pretty bad track record with modern mystery books, but I wasn't this expecting this to be as bad as it was.
First off, it contains the strangest phrases I have ever read. Some notable examples are:
-skin-covered finger (I would hope so?)
-my ribcage unlaced (I hope not??)
-numerous references to body parts turning into cement (e.g. "my knees turned to cement")
-voices/objects lancing every 5 pages
-skin coming apart at the seams
-air being described as liquid, gloopy, solid, and runny
In sum, the prose is very flowery—very purple prose—to the extent that every sentence is incredibly dramatic. For instance, a character being frightened by a shadow becomes something like this: "[h]e turned his body as fast as whip and saw a circular figure vanish. Fear stirred and paralyzed his whole body and his knees turned to cement as his feet became rooted to the ground and his agape mouth sucked in air at a desperate pace". Some prose being like that is fine and can even lend itself to the eerie setting, but purple prose coupled with baffling phrases equals incomprehensible sentences.
The extensive descriptions of the library are also way too detailed. This doesn't seem like a bad thing, right? Well, it can be way confusing when every room is described in extreme detail. Maybe I am just bad at visualizing, but setting the scene too much can be just as bad as not setting the scene at all. There is genuinely no way all these rooms are fitting in a four-storey house. Is this the house from "House of Leaves"?
Character-wise, everyone was a moron. Aria keeps talking about how she can't date, how she can't deal with the house, how she can't wait to leave, but then proceeds to do every single thing she says she can't bear to do. Her "romantic" moments with Jasper were also happening when someone was trying to kill them. Let's be less horny for one night guys. The multiple POVs was also pretty confusing because sometimes it would be one sentence from another character, but a monologue from the next. The fascinating (read: ridiculous) prose was also written into each POV, so differentiating characters is hard.
Everyone also having secret identities was major overkill. A good hidden identity is difficult to pick up on, but once the reader realizes they can go back and put the clues together. These personas were just told to the reader in random moments to confuse them even more. Just like too many cooks ruin a dish, too many red herrings ruin a mystery (bad analogy, but I feel compelled to type this). The resolution to the mystery was ridiculous, and anything hinging on an assumption/misunderstanding is just cheap writing in my opinion.
All in all, I turned my anger into laughter to make myself finish this book which is not a great sign. At least I learned some silly turns of phrase?
First off, it contains the strangest phrases I have ever read. Some notable examples are:
-skin-covered finger (I would hope so?)
-my ribcage unlaced (I hope not??)
-numerous references to body parts turning into cement (e.g. "my knees turned to cement")
-voices/objects lancing every 5 pages
-skin coming apart at the seams
-air being described as liquid, gloopy, solid, and runny
In sum, the prose is very flowery—very purple prose—to the extent that every sentence is incredibly dramatic. For instance, a character being frightened by a shadow becomes something like this: "[h]e turned his body as fast as whip and saw a circular figure vanish. Fear stirred and paralyzed his whole body and his knees turned to cement as his feet became rooted to the ground and his agape mouth sucked in air at a desperate pace". Some prose being like that is fine and can even lend itself to the eerie setting, but purple prose coupled with baffling phrases equals incomprehensible sentences.
The extensive descriptions of the library are also way too detailed. This doesn't seem like a bad thing, right? Well, it can be way confusing when every room is described in extreme detail. Maybe I am just bad at visualizing, but setting the scene too much can be just as bad as not setting the scene at all. There is genuinely no way all these rooms are fitting in a four-storey house. Is this the house from "House of Leaves"?
Character-wise, everyone was a moron. Aria keeps talking about how she can't date, how she can't deal with the house, how she can't wait to leave, but then proceeds to do every single thing she says she can't bear to do. Her "romantic" moments with Jasper were also happening when someone was trying to kill them. Let's be less horny for one night guys. The multiple POVs was also pretty confusing because sometimes it would be one sentence from another character, but a monologue from the next. The fascinating (read: ridiculous) prose was also written into each POV, so differentiating characters is hard.
Everyone also having secret identities was major overkill. A good hidden identity is difficult to pick up on, but once the reader realizes they can go back and put the clues together. These personas were just told to the reader in random moments to confuse them even more. Just like too many cooks ruin a dish, too many red herrings ruin a mystery (bad analogy, but I feel compelled to type this). The resolution to the mystery was ridiculous, and anything hinging on an assumption/misunderstanding is just cheap writing in my opinion.
All in all, I turned my anger into laughter to make myself finish this book which is not a great sign. At least I learned some silly turns of phrase?
March 18, 2026
Thank you to @netgalley and @bantambooks for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts! 💚 But sheesh loueesh, this book was an absolute SLOG to get through…. I almost DNFed it several times because I was so bored and confused!
I really enjoyed this author’s first book, YOU ARE FATALLY INVITED, and it had a similar vibe to THE LIBRARY AFTER DARK (multiple potential suspects, characters who aren’t what they seem, a locked room mystery, etc.), but whereas her first book was somewhat memorable and easy to follow, this one was just messy. Firstly, there are a LOT of characters, and even those characters seem to go through multiple secret identities, to the point where I was having a hard time keeping track of who was who. In addition, the setting was so confusing as well that I had a hard time actually picturing what was going on. I think Pliego was trying to make the Daedalus Library a lot like the Winchester House in California (stairs that lead to nowhere, rooms that just go on and on….that kind of thing) but as a library/museum instead of a house, and it just didn’t work for me. There were so many random things packed into it and multiple different floors and tunnels that I really question how big this building actually is. 😆
But I think my main problem is that I really didn’t understand what the whole point of the story was? It all centers around this book of dark fairy tales, and I guess you’re just supposed to suspend disbelief that something like that would have like a cult following (to the point where people would kill to get their hands on it)….but there are also many murders that have taken place in the building (prior to our story) and possibly some ghosts thrown into the mix as well. I spent about 98% of this book struggling to understand what was happening or even CARING about what was happening. I saw most of the “twists” coming from a mile away too, so that didn’t help much. 😑
So yeah, I wish I had just DNFed it, but it was honestly one of the ARCs that I was MOST looking forward to. 😩 But it genuinely took me nearly a week to finish this, because I just wasn’t excited to get back to it! Maybe I just wasn’t in the right mindset for it right now. 🤷🏼♀️ My reading slump continues! 😢
I really enjoyed this author’s first book, YOU ARE FATALLY INVITED, and it had a similar vibe to THE LIBRARY AFTER DARK (multiple potential suspects, characters who aren’t what they seem, a locked room mystery, etc.), but whereas her first book was somewhat memorable and easy to follow, this one was just messy. Firstly, there are a LOT of characters, and even those characters seem to go through multiple secret identities, to the point where I was having a hard time keeping track of who was who. In addition, the setting was so confusing as well that I had a hard time actually picturing what was going on. I think Pliego was trying to make the Daedalus Library a lot like the Winchester House in California (stairs that lead to nowhere, rooms that just go on and on….that kind of thing) but as a library/museum instead of a house, and it just didn’t work for me. There were so many random things packed into it and multiple different floors and tunnels that I really question how big this building actually is. 😆
But I think my main problem is that I really didn’t understand what the whole point of the story was? It all centers around this book of dark fairy tales, and I guess you’re just supposed to suspend disbelief that something like that would have like a cult following (to the point where people would kill to get their hands on it)….but there are also many murders that have taken place in the building (prior to our story) and possibly some ghosts thrown into the mix as well. I spent about 98% of this book struggling to understand what was happening or even CARING about what was happening. I saw most of the “twists” coming from a mile away too, so that didn’t help much. 😑
So yeah, I wish I had just DNFed it, but it was honestly one of the ARCs that I was MOST looking forward to. 😩 But it genuinely took me nearly a week to finish this, because I just wasn’t excited to get back to it! Maybe I just wasn’t in the right mindset for it right now. 🤷🏼♀️ My reading slump continues! 😢
May 22, 2026
3.5⭐️
This definitely took me a little while to settle into because there are a lot of moving parts early on and it took me a bit to properly get a grasp on the characters and their connections to the library. Around the 25% mark though, I found myself invested enough to keep going rather than DNF’ing, and I’m glad I pushed on because the second half ended up being much stronger for me.
The atmosphere completely carried this book. The Daedalus Library had such a strong gothic feel to it and once the group became trapped inside, the locked-room aspect really kicked into gear. Hidden passageways, old secrets, dark fairytale elements and a cast of characters who all seemed to be hiding something from each other made this really addictive once it found its rhythm.
I also liked that everyone invited onto the tour had their own connection to the library and their own reasons for being there. Watching everything slowly unravel inside this eerie setting became a lot of fun once the story properly got moving, even if some reveals worked better for me than others.
This definitely took me a little while to settle into because there are a lot of moving parts early on and it took me a bit to properly get a grasp on the characters and their connections to the library. Around the 25% mark though, I found myself invested enough to keep going rather than DNF’ing, and I’m glad I pushed on because the second half ended up being much stronger for me.
The atmosphere completely carried this book. The Daedalus Library had such a strong gothic feel to it and once the group became trapped inside, the locked-room aspect really kicked into gear. Hidden passageways, old secrets, dark fairytale elements and a cast of characters who all seemed to be hiding something from each other made this really addictive once it found its rhythm.
I also liked that everyone invited onto the tour had their own connection to the library and their own reasons for being there. Watching everything slowly unravel inside this eerie setting became a lot of fun once the story properly got moving, even if some reveals worked better for me than others.
June 6, 2026
Oh wow! What a smartly written gothic horror story.
After reading and really enjoying Pliego's thriller/suspense novel You Are Fatally Invited, I knew I had to give The Library After Dark a try. I was hesitant going into it because I'm not a huge fan of the horror genre, not because I'm particularly squeamish but because I have an overactive imagination and scare easily if something goes bump in the night.
What worked for me in this novel were how seemlessly Pliego was able to shift from one character's point of view to another's without it being jarring. (She does this in You Are Fatally Invited too). I also loved the atmosphere of the book as well as the plot. The ending felt too neat for me, but it works overall.
In short, this would be an excellent one to read during "Summerween" or in October.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me the book.
After reading and really enjoying Pliego's thriller/suspense novel You Are Fatally Invited, I knew I had to give The Library After Dark a try. I was hesitant going into it because I'm not a huge fan of the horror genre, not because I'm particularly squeamish but because I have an overactive imagination and scare easily if something goes bump in the night.
What worked for me in this novel were how seemlessly Pliego was able to shift from one character's point of view to another's without it being jarring. (She does this in You Are Fatally Invited too). I also loved the atmosphere of the book as well as the plot. The ending felt too neat for me, but it works overall.
In short, this would be an excellent one to read during "Summerween" or in October.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me the book.
July 6, 2026
Rating: 3.75⭐️
I enjoyed this, the setting was perfect and the writing was so captivating. I’d love to see this turned into a movie! It was slightly repetitive in parts and if you don’t like too many characters in a story then this wouldn’t be for you.
I enjoyed this, the setting was perfect and the writing was so captivating. I’d love to see this turned into a movie! It was slightly repetitive in parts and if you don’t like too many characters in a story then this wouldn’t be for you.
March 30, 2026
A literary setting that feels so original and unique, a must read for lovers of libraries! This was tense and atmospheric all while being familiar, it made the read so fun. I enjoyed the various characters we got to know and they were all crucial to uncovering the full story. Really enjoyed this read and would definitely recommend to thriller fans!
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted arc
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted arc
May 2, 2026
The perfect follow-up to You Are Fatally Invited—which I binged and adored—Ande Pliego’s sophomore novel is every bit as lush, imaginative, and chilling as her first. Picture a tour group trapped in a mysterious (and likely haunted) library with a dark history, but throw in a series of frightful fairy tales for added atmosphere and symbolism. The result is a playful mystery with major appeal for lovers of Agatha Christie, Gothic fiction, and knife-edge suspense. The fun of this novel isn’t only in its breadcrumb trail of clever clues, but also the literary Easter eggs Pliego plants in the library’s one-of-a-kind reading rooms and characters’ conversations. Everyone is hiding something, and their secrets might just kill them. This is my kind of book.
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