3.0 (1 rating)
The Library After Dark A Novel
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.
ISBN: 9780593871607
Reader Reviews
3.0
1 rating
Jolene C.
Apr 2, 2026
The Library After Dark by Ande Pilego felt like stepping into a maze where every hallway whispers a different story. The concept instantly grabbed me. A mysterious library, a locked room setup, and dark fairytales woven through it all? I was ready to love it.
But for me, it ended up being a bit of a struggle to stay locked in. There’s a lot happening all at once, and I had a hard time keeping up with everything, which pulled me out of the story more than I wanted.
What did work for me were the dark fairytales scattered throughout the book. Those moments had this eerie, almost haunting feel that really stood out and gave the story its own unique flavor. I found myself wishing there had been more of that thread to follow.
In the end, this one just wasn’t quite my kind of read. But I can definitely see it clicking for readers who enjoy fantasy leaning, locked room thrillers with layers and a darker edge. If you like stories that feel like puzzles wrapped in fairytale shadows, this might be one to explore.
But for me, it ended up being a bit of a struggle to stay locked in. There’s a lot happening all at once, and I had a hard time keeping up with everything, which pulled me out of the story more than I wanted.
What did work for me were the dark fairytales scattered throughout the book. Those moments had this eerie, almost haunting feel that really stood out and gave the story its own unique flavor. I found myself wishing there had been more of that thread to follow.
In the end, this one just wasn’t quite my kind of read. But I can definitely see it clicking for readers who enjoy fantasy leaning, locked room thrillers with layers and a darker edge. If you like stories that feel like puzzles wrapped in fairytale shadows, this might be one to explore.