After She Wrote Him was not the book for me. I couldn't get into it at all. Right from the first page, I couldn't connect, and usually I give books about a 1/3rd pages read before I give up, and this was one of those.

4.5 stars

Now THIS was a creative story! A writer (Madeline) writing about a writer (Edward) who is in turn writing about her. Talk about a brilliant and mind-boggling read! At times I found it a bit difficult to follow along and had to re-read a few sections because it switched the POV so abruptly, but as I read further, I became more accustomed to the author’s style of writing and it flowed seamlessly. It also did not feel like I was reading a story written within a story because of the two writers interacting with one another...I really loved that about this book!

Highly recommend!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3220824000

I am unsure as to why I did not do a #honestreview for this #ebook that was given to me via #netgalley. I liked this book alot. It ended up opening my eyes to other peoples thought processes. After she wrote him was a wonderful story. You just have to read it for yourself.

DNF. The premise of this sounded intriguing, but it just could not hold my attention for more than a few minutes at a time. Ended up being way more convoluted than I was in the mood for right now, and I haven't been able to motivate myself to push through it. Most of the reviews are great, so I think a lot of others will love it!

This was a brilliant read! A very unusual novel where the act of writing the novel becomes the story and was perfectly carried out.

Madeleine d’Leon is the fictional author who is writing a novel about an author, Patrick McGinnity who becomes a suspect in a murder. She soon finds herself engrossed in Patrick, preferring to spend time with him than her distant husband Hugh. Patrick in turn is writing about a character called Madeleine d’Leon and also falling in love with her. Sounds confusing? It’s really not, as it’s so well written, but the lines do become blurred as you try to work out who is writing whom and it is best to keep a clear head when reading this.

Written with humour and intelligence, the relationship between Madeleine and Patrick starts to morph into something real and tangible as Patrick tries to solve the murder for which he is a suspect. At the same time Ms Gentill is also cleverly giving us an interesting insight into the writing process and an author’s relationship with her characters and the impact those characters can have on the story itself (and there are several obvious parallels between Ms Gentill’s popular crime series and her background and those of Madeleine, her fictional crime author).

Originally published as ‘Crossing the Lines’ in 2017, a revised edition is being released in March 2020 and is recommended as an original and entertaining read.

Normally, I am anti-synopsis: I never read them; in fact, if I could put out a Public Service Announcement warning people not to read them, I would. I feel like books should be a journey to be savored as you go and not be ruined by the anticipation of what you already know is coming thanks to those uber-chatty synopsis writers. However, this book is an exception to that rule.

After reading the first few chapters, I was pretty confused, and I figured that a synopsis just might be the prescription for what was ailing me. So, I read one, started the book over, and then I got it. It’s being marketed as “creative” and “inventive,” and it absolutely is.

Basically, Madeleine and Edward are both writers, and they are writing the same story. In one version, she’s the author and he’s the main character, and in the other version, that’s reversed. One of them is real, and the other one is not. Obviously, the line between author and authoree, if you will, gets a bit blurry. Madeleine and Edward discuss plots and character development with the, uhm, characters in their lives, and we as readers are treated to valuable glimpses into the lives and minds of writers.

Edward, who is aware that he is her character, ponders: “What if you wrote of someone writing you? In the end, which of you would be real?” Later, we are told this: “It’s an exploration of an author’s relationship with her protagonist, an examination of the tenuous line between belief and reality, imagination and self, and what happens when that line is crossed.” Those two quotations pretty much sum up he author’s goal for this book. What a fun premise and what fun ideas to explore!!

Alone, the creator/created aspect would have been enough for me to recommend this book, but wait, there’s more!! There is a classic “whodunnit” mystery thrown into the mix. Someone dies, and several people have motives for murder. It’s entertaining and exciting.

So, if you’re feeling a bit experimental with your reading, pick this one up and give it a go. I really don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

It was surely one of the most unique story I ever got to read. Even after completing it, I'm still unsure of where I stand. The plot is intricate, complex but does grasp you within the first pages.
Whether the characters are real or not, I think it's up to the reader to decide. My mind settled quite early on which character was the author and which was the creation - the ending confirmed my theories while leaving some grey areas and mysteries unsolved.

The ending was quite confusing: neither of the main protagonists' stories were clearly wrapped up, it left us hanging and craving for a real closure. That ending, unfortunately, shadowed the read of my reading experience and disappointed me a bit.
Still, this story cannot shy away from being one of the most original mystery ever written.
It takes a certain talent to mess with one's mind completely as Sulari Gentill was able to do!

Wow. Phenomenal! This book is a crazy thrill ride. There are a few books that come out and are different from all the other thriller novels and this is that. It has a very creative storyline and the characters were gripping as well. Beautifully written and constructed.

After She Wrote Him is a great work of meta-fiction. It is so different from other books of ficiton, the author very seamlessly blends the narrative without making it seem awkward. The characters are interesting and although it is a short novel one has to pay attention to understand what is going on. Keeps readers guessing til the end.

I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book has one of the best premises of any I have read recently. To say much is to spoil this fun mystery. The novel revolves around an author’s relationship with the subject of her fictional novel, or is he the true author while she is part of his imagination. This book kept me enthralled and turning the pages. It is my favorite of 2020 so far!

I applaud Sulari Gentill on an out-of-the-box novel with a gutsy writing style. I can only imagine the waves this book will cause and I look forward to watching the splash.

I had a hard time getting into this story at first. It doesn’t read like a typical novel and it was confusing at first. But once you get used to the way the story is written, it reads easy.

Madeleine d’Leon is a crime writer. She has a successful series, a wonderful following, and a crumbling marriage. She throws herself into her novel and is unaware, at first, of her husbands pulling away from her. The more she notices of his absence and distance, and then lies, the more she throws herself into her novel with her main character. Her new main character, Edward McGinnity, is as charming as he is handsome. And the more she submerses herself into her book, the more the edges of her reality blur and she clings to her brooding main character.

Edward McGinnity is a literary novelist with a dark past and few friends. He is in love with Willow Meriwether, who only views his as a best friend and brother. He despises Willows husband as much as the husband despises him. Edward begins his new novel with his exciting new crime writer main character, Madeleine d’Leon. She is smart and sensible, a classic beauty. While at an art galley opening for Willow, a murder is played out. With a crime writer main character and his reputation on the line, Edward clings to his beautiful main character, as the edges of his reality blur and he find himself a suspect.

Who is the writer? Who is the character? A novel about an author, writing about an author, writing about the author. Wow. That alone is a hell of an idea.

This book walked the tight rope between metaphysical and existential, never quite reaching either extreme. The ending was a punch that I didn’t see coming, but I must say, I am not upset about it. It found it to be the perfect ending to a book overflowing with creative genius.

Thank you to the author, Sulari Gentill, the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this title, in exchange for an honest review.

Madeleine d'Leon doesn't know where Edward came from. He is simply a character in her next book. But as she writes, he becomes all she can think about. His charm, his dark hair, his pen scratching out his latest literary novel . . .
Edward McGinnity can't get Madeleine out of his mind--softly smiling, infectiously enthusiastic, and perfectly damaged. She will be the ideal heroine for his next book.


The only thing better than a crime novel - is a crime novel about a crime novel. So many twists and turns and I could not read fast enough to find out what would happen next. very well done,

~This ARC has been gently provided in exchange for an honest review~

I chose to read this book, because the premise seemed quite interesting and original, and it didn’t disappoint me.
I’m sure that we all feel like we are able to know, see, and listen so clearly the characters in the book we are reading that it seems like they were real. If we can be so involved in the story we are reading, imagine then, what a writer must feel about their characters. That’s exactly what is depicted in this book.

Edward McGinnity is a “serious writer”, as Madeleine points out, he writes“the kind of worthy, incomprehensible stuff that wins awards”. One day, the inspiration comes to him and Madeleine d’Leon is born. The first thing he knows about her is that she is a writer too, a mystery/crime writer.

Madeleine d’Leon is in a meeting when Edward starts taking shape in her mind. There’s been a murder and he is the main suspect. In order to defend himself, he starts investigating who the murderer is.

Who has created whom? Who is the real author and who is the character? After she wrote him is a page-turner story with an original plot.

What I liked:
- The quirky way in which the book is written. It's "tell" rather than "show" in places, certainly more so than your usual murder mystery, and it's this technique that lends the narrative its slightly literary flavour.
- The book made me think. Really think. About reality versus fiction. About mental health. About love.
- The actual story.

What I struggled with:
- The quirky way in which the book is written (see above). It took a while to train my reading mind to get into the story.

The verdict:
- Definitely give this one a try.

After She Wrote Him is an original, truly unique novel about a writer writing about a writer, and it just gets more complex from here--but in a good way.

Two writers, each writing a book in which the other in the main character. *insert surprised emoji here* I can only imagine how thoroughly author Sulari Gentill worked to properly outline this masterpiece! The only major downside to this novel is that it requires your full concentration. If not, you will be properly confused, unable to keep up with both sides of the story. But if you take your time and enjoy this book, you'll realize you've discovered a smartly written, perfectly executed story.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. This is my honest, unbiased opinion.

After She Wrote Him starts with Madeleine. She is a lawyer, but she wants te be a writer. One day during a board meeting, she starts writing about a character named Edward McGinnity. When Madeleine comes home after the meeting, she talks to her husband Hugh Lamond about Edward.

Edward is also a writer. He is writing a story about a crime fiction writer names Madeleine d’Leon. When Edwards visits a gallery with an exhibition of his beautiful friend Willow’s paintings, he has a conversation with Geoffrey Vogel. Vogel is a flamboyant man who edited Edward's latest novel. Edward hated the editing and both Willow and Edward hate Vogel.

A few moments after the conversation has ended, Vogel's dead body is discovered. He fell of the stairwell and the police think someone pushed him.
When Willow is being questioned by the police, Edwards starts thinking about what Madeleine would think of the murder of Vogel. She is a crime fiction writer after all.

Writer-ception.
Maddie's reality gets mixed with Edward's fictional life. She works her real friends into Edward's story, he works his friends into Madeleine's story and their stories blur into each other more and more. Maddie makes up a very detailed life for Edward and Edward does the same for Madeleine. They even start talking to each other.

As a reader, you get a look into the mind of a writer. It is only fitting to use the author's own words: “It’s an exploration of an author’s relationship with her protagonist, an examination of the tenuous line between belief and reality, imagination and self, and what happens when that line is crossed.”

Madeleine and Edward think about each other all the time. Edwards wonders what Madeleine would think about the circumstances under which Geoffrey Vogel was killed. Madeleine rather spends time writing about Edward than going out with her friends or spending time with her husband.

As a reader, you begin to wonder which character is real?

"What if you wrote of someone writing of you? In the end, which of you would be real?"

I loved the suspense. This is a whole new kind of mystery novel. There are so many questions. Who is writing about who? Who killed Vogel? Are Edward’s friends to be trusted? Can Madeleine trust her husband? Is she losing her mind? Is she even real..?

Very original and fascinating to read. The ending was put together so wonderfully. This is a must read for everyone who loves a good mystery.
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Thank you to NetGalley and Poisened Pen Press for sending me an e-ARC.

After She Wrote him started out really well and coherent, but the story slowly spirals into confusion even for the reader. While the book is ambitious, the execution is is messy. I read it because the premise is interesting. After all, some stores are character based. But as the story continues, I wonder if the real author had lost track of her inital aim or just lost control of story, making it more and more like an uncontrollable train wreck that isn't going to end well.
The ending was as expected: disappointment in my case. This is probably not a good way to describe/ talk about Chuang- Tzu's Butterfly dream parable.

A little mind boggling concept but in a good way. Who is the writer, who is the character? Enjoyed this for the most part but a tad disappointed in the ending. Still, all in all, a good read.

After She Wrote Him is like grownup Inkheart. The lines become blurred between writer and character. Characters become a massive part of the writers lives, and start to come to life. It's an interesting concept, but I was left wanting more.

This book keeps you guessing. Who is the writer? Who is the character? Definitely a complex story that keeps you interested. Great intriguing read! Thank you netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!