Aria Stokes, a New York bookseller, is invited on an exclusive after-hours tour of the infamous Daedalus Library; a place known for its eerie, immersive rooms and whispered hauntings. But the night takes a deadly turn when the group becomes trapped inside and discovers there’s a murderer among them. As secrets unravel and danger closes in, Aria must confront her own dark past if she wants to make it out alive.

I really wanted to love this one. It had all the elements I’m drawn to a bookseller protagonist, a mysterious library, and a locked-room-style thriller. The concept of the Daedalus Library (basically a horror museum you can wander through) was genuinely intriguing, and it gave the story a unique backdrop.

That said, I ended up feeling pretty underwhelmed. The POV jumps around quite a bit (which in itself I don’t mind), and for most of the book, it’s unclear who the true main character is, which made it harder to fully connect. The plot itself felt a little convoluted, with so many threads and characters weaving together that it could’ve benefited from another round of tightening and editing.

I was initially hooked, but as the story went on, I found myself less eager to pick it up. It’s labeled as horror, but I didn’t find it particularly scary. It’s more mildly tense with some gory elements rather than anything truly unsettling. I did finish it because I wanted to see how everything wrapped up, but the ending was just… fine.

Overall, a cool premise that didn’t quite deliver on execution for me.

AMAZON | GOODREADS | BOOKSHOP |★★★

The Library After Dark comes out May 5, 2026. Thank you to Bantam for my advanced copy in exchange for my review.  If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.