This book took me by surprise. I was not sure what to expect but wow! I loved it. I will be watching this author for more to come.

What a great premise for a book! The writer and her character interact. I was anxious to read this one, yet was confused during the first half of the book. I continued to read the story, and fell into the rhythm after a while.

Madeline is a lawyer and writer. Her husband, Hugh, is the small town's only doctor. He is also a bit controlling. Madeline (Maddie) writes a new story, unlike her famous series. The main character, Edward,. becomes an obsession of . He becomes real to her......

Meanwhile, Edward is writing about Maddie. His unrequited love for the married Willow inspires him.

There is a murder at Willow's art gallery - what happens to Edward?

And even more important, What happens to Maddie? ...

The idea behind this book is to be applauded. Although confusing at times, it will be a hit for some of the readers.

Many Thanks to Sourcebooks/Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for a different kind of read.

I wasn’t impressed with this book. I kept reading hoping it would get better but it didn’t. It was very confusing. Maddie is a lawyer who also has made a name for herself by writing a series of books. She decides that she wants to write something new and ends up immersing herself
in her newest novel especially the main character Edward. Maddie’s husband Hugh, is a doctor and is away from home most of the time as he is the only doctor in their small town. She also believes that he is lying to her and keeping secrets. Her character, Edward attends the art gallery opening of his best friend Willow where a man Vogel was murdered. Edward becomes a suspect in the murder and os determined to find out the true killer.
The book is confusing where Maddie is writing about Edward and Edward is writing about Maddie. Some of the scenes in the book seem very awkward and at times it is hard to follow what is real.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

After She Wrote Him by Sulari Gentill is one of the most original books I've read in a long time, and I applaud that.

Who is the author and who is the subject? Who is writing who? This book was mind-bending and weird and fully original from beginning to end. I did struggle at times to keep track of who's POV or mind I was witnessing, but a concept this large, complex and interesting is bound to come with some speed bumps in the writing.

Overall, I struggled with this book enough that it took away some of the enjoyment from such an incredible concept. I still enjoyed it and wouldn't say that I disliked the book, but it was more difficult to read than I was hoping.

Regardless, the story and method of this book are so fascinating that I will still be on the lookout for more by this author.

Thank you for this ARC, Netgalley!

A successful crime writer, Madeleine, creates a character, Edward, and begins to imagine his life. She becomes so captivated with him, nothing else matters, including her husband, Hugh.

Edward, also an author, is writing about a crime writer, Madeleine. He is in love with a married woman, Willow and when he attends her art show a critic is murdered and Edward becomes the prime suspect.

This is an interesting concept and clever book and I needed to concentrate as it took a bit of getting used to the switching between who is writing, especially when Madeleine and Edward start interacting with each other - who is writing about who? Though I did like how the stories were intertwined and the characters were likeable and I really enjoyed the first half of the book. Then the story seemed to slow down and I was waiting for something to happen. I was disappointed with the ending as it seemed very abrupt and I thought there were a lot of questions that had not been answered.

Overall, I found it an enjoyable read and a well written book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this Kindle ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Madeleine D’Leon makes a living primarily as the writer of a semi-successful series of crime novels. When she experiences a sudden burst of inspiration in the form of a vivid character who she names Edward McGinnity, Madeleine is so captivated by him that she casts everything else on her schedule aside in order to create a story around him. Edward begins to invade her life in ways she didn’t expect, taking on his own voice, opinions, even agency. He almost seems to become real. To add to the reader’s confusion, Edward himself is working on a novel – a novel about Madeleine. The two continually imagine and fantasise about each other, their respective narratives becoming increasingly more difficult to control, until we question who is the author and who is the subject.

What a glaring disappointment this turned out to be. All that build up, all that intrigue, only to take the “she’s Blanche Dubois crazy!” route instead of doing something that would require a modicum of nuance. The way this novel ended is so poorly executed and undeserved that not only did it knock an entire star off my rating, it also made me scowl involuntarily at my screen. In fact, the inconsistency demonstrated throughout After She Wrote Him is jarring. The characters of Hugh, Madeleine’s husband, and Willow, Edward’s love interest, are both prone to swing from one extreme trait to another within the space of a couple of pages. Willow’s sudden changeability may be attributed to Madeleine’s gradual infatuation with Edward influencing her characterisations, but Hugh’s jump from loving husband to manipulative bully is so instantaneous that it made me question the legitimacy of Madeleine’s narrative. Crucially, it wasn’t a good kind of questioning, the kind which I had been experiencing in the beginning of the novel. I found the first half of this work compelling and provocative in its narrative uncertainty. I was thrilled by the notion that the real mystery of the novel could be on the identity of the true writer, whether it would end up being Madeleine, Edward, or someone else entirely. Alas, no such luck. Instead, we went with the mad woman in the attic. How banal.

This book started off pretty good, it was a very interesting idea and the two characters stories switched back and forth seamlessly. I feel that maybe a third of the way through i started to slightly lose interest, and it got a little weird when the two authors started interacting with each other, especially when they kissed and so on! I feel like it dragged on a bit and then just ended. I kept waiting for something more, a twist maybe (multiple personalities, I dont know), but it was just over....

Thank you to NetGalley for a Kindle ARC of After She Wrote Him.

This is an immersive, meta story about a female crime writer, Madeleine, who becomes enamored of the male lead, Edward, she is writing about.

Or is he in love with her?

Both Madeleine and Edward are going through a tumultuous time in their lives; she is still struggling with the aftermath of yet another miscarriage and suspects her physician husband, Hugh, is stepping out on her; a colleague of Edward's has been murdered at a gallery opening and he is the prime suspect.

The meta structure of the novel was a bit confusing, at first, but the author writes with a fluidity that matches the dual narratives happening at the same time.

Generally, I only like meta-moments when Deadpool is speaking to the audience, but it works here.

But, the novel isn't about Madeleine or Edward, or the strange connection they have for one another.

After She Wrote Him is about seeking solace in words and story, in finding some kind of peace in your own head, so to speak, especially after a tragedy and you fear that grief will overwhelm you.

It is about that side inside each of us that seeks someone who is not quite there, who understands every little thing about you, and vice versa, so words don't ever need to be exchanged because sometimes, words aren't enough.

After She Wrote Him isn't for everyone if you're looking for a straightforward mystery or thriller.

It's strange, odd, contemplative, bizarre and uncomfortable at times, but I'd recommend giving it a try, especially if you want to read something different.

This is going to be one of those books that I loved but that I have a hard time writing about, largely because so much of the magic I found in this one has to do with the way I feel personally about writers and writing. That's a personal experience, and not one that necessarily lends itself well to explanation or explication. But trust me when I say that this is a marvelous book and one of my favorite finds this year!

I love meta-fiction and books that explore the relationship between author/character or art/artist. Anthony Horowitz and Gordon McAlpine are two of my very favorite authors who are masters at this type of story telling. And now I can say without a doubt that Sulari Gentill has entered their pantheon...

This is a book about an author writing a book. But who is the author and who is the book? Gentill has done a brilliant job exploring themes of identity, ownership, madness, creativity, and self. The opening back-and-forth in story lines is engaging. But when things start to overlap, that's when the magic really happens. The story is engaging and both well-written and well-crafted. I loved the way the perspective shifts flowed seamlessly between Madeleine and Edward; it reinforced the interrelationship between the two and really added depth to the narrative.

I imagine there are some who won't like the ending. I found it spot-on perfect for the story, a reinforcement of the themes teased out through the narrative. I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this one, and am definitely going to look for more from Gentill!

After She Wrote Him was a wonderful piece. It featured great writing overall, as well as an intriguing premise. It was such a trippy experience overall, and the ending was left quite open-ended, which leaves the readers wondering.

The characters were nicely constructed and you definitely get more invested in them as the story JG les on. Although rather abrupt, the ending completely broke my heart. I have to say, it was great to see some Sri Lankan representation!!

I wish the pacing either held steady or picked up as time went on, but it felt like it was slowing down the closer the reader got to the end. This made it a little difficult to finish this piece.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review this piece! A more comprehensive review will be shared on social media closer to the date of release.

#AfterSheWroteHim #NetGalley
I read it a night because it was so twisty, i couldn't put it down. Great storyline with great execution. Its my first book from this author. Highly recommended.

The premise was much more intriguing than the execution. I was a little let down. I guess I was hoping for something a bit more. It wasn't as interesting as I hope it would have been.

Here is an excellent venture into the mind of a writer and mind of a character interacting. I've actually had conversations with my characters before... but not like this!
Excellent writing, but not so great an ending. I felt very deflated and disappointed. I guess, if I had read any other of her books, I might have been prepared for this kind of ending. This was my first read of hers and I completely and enthusiastically enjoyed it all the way to the last chapter, maybe last 2 chapters.
The characters are so well developed the transitions seem to be transparent. Head hopping is not really noticeable. That is the mark of an excellent writer. Description is not overpowering, but so deft that the authors places you right in the scene. You're sitting on the sofa, or the in the garden, or in the car, or at the bistro drinking coffee while they story moves around you. In fact it gets to the point where you aren't sure who is the real deal and who is the character.
The plot is quite intriguing, and the murder really isn't a murder--or is it really murder? You'll have to read to find out.
This one is a keeper.

Deliciously creepy! Any reader will find this book mesmerizing: the notion that a writer would dive down the rabbit hole to literally embrace characters they've created is soo far-fetched. But any writer of fiction wiill fully understand the fascination with and seduction of loving what they've created...just a bit too much. Madeline writes popular genre mysteries, but her latest manuscript is something quite different: she's created Edward, who amounts to her dream man. Almost at once, Madeline embroils the warm, handsome, wealthy character in a murder.
Edward, a writer with one failed novel (revised into garbage by a self-important editor) is creating a novel starring a successful author mired in a failing marriage. Her name is Madeline. Quickly, the two stories intertwine, each author - who is real? who is a seductive figment of an author's imagination? - imagining increasingly real conversations and encounters. At first, it is dizzying, but once the stories mesh the pacing grabs on and won't let go.
As the stakes grow with incident upon incident in Edward's suddenly out-of-control life, Madeline's doctor-husband Hugh is increasingly insistent that she seek help for what he terms her depression and distance. The denouements are shattering, but the "wrap-up" for me was hurried and unsatisfying., with loose ends merely hinted. I had to check to see if a few more pages had gotten misplaced.
Even with the tepid ending, this is an pretty good read.

What a multi-layered book! Don't try and read this one if you're tired, because you need to pay attention to keep it all straight. I had to read the first few chapters a couple of times to keep the threads of the plot untangled. It's a brilliant premise, and I can well imagine all the notes the author must have used in the writing of it.

It's complex, cranial, absolutely psychologically twisty. A very, very different read!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with the ARC. The writing, characters, plot, was on point for me! This was an interesting read and will read more from this author in the future!

After She Wrote Him by Sulari Gentill is a somewhat confusing psychological thriller that I still don’t really know how I feel about. Madeleine is taking a break from her successful historical mystery series and becomes infatuated with a new character she’s written, Edward, who coincidentally is an author, too. Edward has lost his family in an automobile accident which has cast a presence over his present work. Edward begins writing a novel with Madeleine as the protagonist whose sadness comes from a series of failed pregnancies. Each one of them has conflict and tragedy to contend with. Edward is a suspect in a murder and Madeleine has issues of trust and fidelity with her Physician husband, Hugh.

The authors lives traverse in such a way that I’m not sure who the written character is and who the author is?
I’m not sure I would recommend this book to someone who reads for the pure enjoyment of it. I know there is a deeper meaning to be found here, I’m just not sure what it is.

A big thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Great writing. Just fell right into these characters from beginning to end. Great storyline and keeps you guessing all the way through. If you want a different kind of read choose this one.

This is a very enjoyable unique read, nothing like anything I've read before. Sulari has developed the characters with skill, highly believable. I would definitely recommend. Keep an open mind through the first chapters.

Thank you Netgalley for sending me this arc. I will be reviewing this book in the near future with an honest rating and review.