A metafictional thriller. We see the chapters of a novel being written, as well as the responses to the chapters by the author's pen pal. The plot of the author's novel starts when a woman's scream is heard in the reading room of the Boston Public Library. It is revealed that the woman was murdered, and the experiences bonds together four people who heard the scream. This part of the novel is fascinating.

The metanarrative hinges around the author's pen pal, who slowly reveals more of himself throughout his emails and feedback. Watching his feedback be taken into consideration for the following novel chapters is immensely satisfying in ways I can't quite describe, especially when the changes are clearly but not explicitly sarcastic.

I found this to be a gripping and thoroughly original thriller, and I read it in one sitting. However, the ending of both arcs falls slightly flat to me, both being a bit anticlimactic and the in-universe novel ending not living up to the originality that preceded it. Be that as it may, I would still recommend this to almost anyone as it is far and above many other thrillers in originality and thrills. Hugely entertaining.

A twisty-turny ride that was enjoyable from cover to cover! This is a must read for fans of thrillers and mysteries who are looking for something off the beaten track. While the theme is not new - a group of strangers thrust together, one of whom is the murderer - Gentill's novel with a novel treatment is refereshing. Avid readers will get a kick out of the setting - the beautiful Boston public library.

I would recommend for fans of classic mysteries and character-driven whodunits. Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the Arc.

I really enjoyed this story and lost a few hours of sleep because I could not put it down. The story with in a story was fun and I thought both stories were interesting. I like some characters a bunch, others not so much. I was on a strong solid five stars until the end. It felt rushed and I feel confused.

Didn't finish reading it on time.
Great premise and I was really getting into it.
I love any book about libraries or with libraries as a setting.

A smart, original thriller set in the Boston Public Library. I was gripped from first to last as four people sit in the reading room when a scream pierces the quiet. A security guard tells everyone to stay where they are, and as the four converse, their unique reasons for being there are revealed. One is the murderer. Gasp! Sulari Gentill is my new go-to thriller writer and if you love the genre, you can't miss THE WOMAN IN THE LIBRARY! Out June 7.

Thanks to the author, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for the ARC; opinions are mine.

#TheWomanInTheLibrary #SulariGentill #poisonedpenpress #NetGalley

I received this book from NetGalley and was excited to read it based on the blurb. I thought the book would be about these 4 friends, solving the murder but that’s not at all what it was. In fact, the titular woman in the library is all but forgotten for the bulk of the book.

The blurb plot was also the “book within a book,” with the “real” author being sent increasingly dangerous fan letters. You never see what the author’s response is and why the fan keeps getting advanced chapters despite clearly being unhinged. The author also names a character in her book after the fan and alludes to him also being a creepy dude, right up to the end where he pops up again and is there to help? Unclear because the dude gave off real “stay the hell away” vibes but the main lady protagonist didn’t.

Also, the fan constantly corrected the author with what Australian things to change to make them sound more American but then the suggestions were just as inappropriate (ie not all southern men say “ma’am” or “yonder”) I’m sure this was meant to make the fan sounds more patronizing as the novel went on but it just ended up being irritating as his corrections were just as wrong.

I wish the blurb was written better because I expected a different book.

Thank you, Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an advanced copy of this in exchange for an honest, unbiased review!

I don't know that this summary gives an accurate depiction of this novel. I was under the impression that this is a locked room mystery - that the whole novel takes place within the Reading Room - and it is not that. This is actually a book about an author writing a book about an author writing a book. Seriously. It's hard to describe and is a bit convoluted. Each chapter ends with notes on that chapter from a beta reader of sorts, and part of the book's tension comes from the escalation from the plotline of that beta reader and their relationship to the author writing this story.

This book (or at least this version of it) feels like it's 90% dialogue. It gets tedious and often the action is hidden behind characters meeting up to just discuss the mystery and suspects. Most annoyingly, there is a confrontation in the final chapters that we don't see at all. This frustrated me to no end and I felt cheated out of that plotline - that nothing built from that ever mattered at all (so why include it?!)

The main character also reads WAY older than her supposed age. It's mentioned several times that she is in her late 20s, when she acts and speaks at least two decades older than that. It's small, but every time she mentions how old she is, it irked me.

Tense and twisty literary thriller in which Sulari Gentill causes you to question the meaning of friendship and the power of words. Highly Recommended for lovers of libraries and stories! #Netgalley #TheWomanInTheLibrary

The 52 Book Club 2022 Challenge Prompt: 2. Featuring a library or bookstore

Other Possible Prompts: 8. Involving the art world, 11. A book with less than 2022 Goodreads ratings (for now!), 12. Set on at least two continents, 22. An unlikely detective, 52. Published in 2022

Another great one!! This book is just, *chef’s kiss*. I thought I was in for a good mystery, but this book is unexpectedly great. Not good. Great. The surprising depth but all around intrigue of this one totally got me. It gave me Agatha Christie vibes…

The Woman in the Library is a book in a book in a book. Read it, read it again… terribly confusing to explain, but so, so good. The main narrative centers around Freddie, an Australian author currently residing in Boston on a fellowship. During a regular trip to the Boston Public Library, Freddie and three other strangers in the Reading Room are united by hearing a woman’s scream. Security initially turns up nothing, but the four later find out a woman has been murdered. Freddie leaves her lunch knowing she has just broken bread with a murderer. Could it be Handsome Man, Heroic Chin, or Freud Girl? She begins writing her novel with her new friends shaping her characters, and the mystery of the murder continues to unfold around them.

If this part of the narrative whodunit isn’t enough to pull you in: Freddie’s story as a novelist is written by another character, outside of that story, by the name of Hannah. Hannah’s a famous novelist from Australia herself, conversing via email with her Bostonian friend and colleague, Leo. After each chapter of Freddie’s story, written and sent by Hannah, we read Leo’s feedback, and his advice for making the book more authentic including Boston locales or American lingo. I absolutely refuse to ruin any of this plot line for you. But please know, there’s so much going on in this book…so many layers…and holy smokes, are they amazing.

Like I said, this book took me by surprise. It just wasn’t what I thought I was jumping into, but now I see why it has such incredible early reviews and ratings. There’s an added layer of depth to this mystery that I find fun and so creative, while at the same time intriguing and nail-biting-worthy.

Not to mention, when it comes to the actual whodunit, I had literally no idea. I was kept guessing the whole frickin’ time. But I’m not going to lie, I’m not great at guessing the murderers or twists in books and movies usually anyways. Which is kind of annoying, because I read and watch so, so many…but regardless, Gentill had me totally thrown off from the very start. Not only is she incredible at building characters and creating depth within them that left me guessing, but adding Leo and his own observations of who the murderer could be also added a back and forth as I was reading. Bottomless depth to this one, and so much fun to read.

The only thing preventing me from giving this the full five stars was Leo’s piece of the story. I wish I had more information. You’ll see what I mean, but again, I don’t want to give too much away. All of that had me gasping in surprise, so I can’t ruin it for you, for sure. But the end to that part of the narrative leaves something wanting in regards to this. Maybe we’re in for a sequel?

Yeah, so in case it wasn’t clear from my review: I highly recommend The Woman in the Library. You should definitely give it a read! I received a copy of The Woman in the Library from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It will release on June 7, 2022. Pre-order it asap! 🙂

Have an awesome week, friends!

This is the 'Inception' for all the thriller lovers like me.
How much do I love this book - AHH!
This was unique and brilliant.
I can't recommend this enough!!!

by Sulari Gentill
Pub Date 07 June 2022
Publisher Poisoned Pen Press"The ornate reading room at the Boston Public Library is quiet, until the tranquility is shattered by a woman's terrified scream. Security guards take charge immediately, instructing everyone inside to stay put until the threat is identified and contained. While they wait for the all-clear, four strangers, who'd happened to sit at the same table, pass the time in conversation and friendships are struck. Each has his or her own reasons for being in the reading room that morning—it just happens that one is a murderer" ....

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this advanced copy
The plot? yes, well, it's complicated!
First up we have Hannah, a fictional Australian author writing a novel set in the city of Boston, USA. Hannah has a fan/beta reader by the name of Leo, he actually lives in Boston, they have not met as Hannah remains in Australia, they communicate solely by email
Next we have Freddie, who is the star of Hannah's novel, Freddie lives in Boston , there is also a Leo in Freddie's life.

Freddie seeks inspiration for her novel in the reading room of the Boston Public Library, she discreetly studies the four strangers at her table and, in the way of a fiction writer, creates new names and characters for each of them.
Little does she know that one blood curdling scream echoing through the library will connect these strangers to her and to each other in a most unusual fashion!

Meanwhile, back in Australia, Hannah continues to receive both compliments and faint criticism from Leo. Over time Leo's emails get somewhat demanding, he becomes annoyed when his advice and suggestions go unheeded, he also gets downright creepy.

In Boston Freddie is caught up in a series of events that will leave you turning those pages as fast as you can!

I really enjoyed this book except for the ending, it wrapped up a bit too quickly, I felt I was left hanging over the outcome of a certain character. Maybe it's just me and other more perceptive readers will have worked it out.

Now that I've discovered Sulari Gentill I will be looking out for her other works

A thoroughly enjoyable read. Compelling mystery throughout. The whole concept of libraries, books, writers and plots is really engaging to a book lover. Combine that with murder and murderers, it leads you on a cat and mouse trail that means you just have to keep reading.
A great book, loved it

This review will be posted with Waterstones

This book was sent to me for review electronically for review by Netgalley. "In every person's story, there is something to hide...the ornate reading room at the Boston Public Library is quiet..." Conversations with strangers...four meet and get to know each other. One is a murderer...which one? Is this story real? The concept of this novel...a story of murder written by a novelist in the book...while a real murderer reviews and gives advice...sound convoluted? It is...at times...I had to take a step back and ascertain what was real in the book and what was part of the in story of the novelist...the one in the book...not the person writing this novel. Sorry...that is the concept of this tale woven by an author that is ingenious. I have read other books similar but never one exactly like this one. I could not put it down...and don't even talk about the ending...no hints there. My suggestion is take this book...don't miss it...concentrate on reading it...don't overthink...just enjoy...Take your time...don't try to determine who did what...just be...I am eager to read other books by this novelist...

4.5 rounded up. What a thrilling, suspense-filled mystery! We follow Hannah, a popular author, through her writing process as she crafts her new novel. Though we don’t know much about the author herself, we get a partial picture of who she is from her interactions with an obsessed fan, Leo, and her writing.

Hannah is composing a story about four strangers who meet by happenstance in the midst of a mysterious murder. Bound by the peculiar circumstances through which they meet, we begin to piece together what happens in Hannah’s novel. It’s a real puzzler and is sure to keep the reader guessing. It is hard not to get lost in the story and project what is happening in Hannah’s novel to what is happening in her reality.

The only real glimpses of Hannah’s life come from a crazed fan, Leo. Whom she is corresponding with as a (presumably) unasked for consultant. In addition, we have a few emails from law enforcement and lawyers.

This story was fascinating and mind-bending in more ways than one. I loved pulling all of the seemingly disparate pieces (real and imaginary) together to try to solve the mysteries presented.

Two things that I found mildly frustrating was the lack of more robust information about our author. It was just too vague for my liking. In addition, reality’s ending left a bit to be desired in my opinion. But I thought Hannah’s novel’s ending was fantastic.

This book was a real page-turner that I will be sure to recommend to friends and family.

Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for this title in exchange for my honest review.

This book is a book within a book. The protagonist is an Australian writer who is writing in the US. As she writes each chapter, she sends it to a colleague to review. We read the comments from the colleague. But that activity becomes a book within itself. So, in effect, we have three writers. The real author. The main character. And the author in the book being written by the author in the book. At times, it can become a bit difficult to process. But the overall affect is riveting.

The book is well-written. Some of the characters could have been a little more developed. But the dialogue was crisp and realistic. Overall, the technique made for a ripping good story.

This book ticks all the boxes, even the ones you didn’t know you wanted ticked!

Think Inception meets Agatha Christie, set in Boston and intersecting Australian / American culture and that’s where The Girl in the Library starts. It’s an astonishingly intelligent, multilayered story within a story that will literally keep you turning the pages until the very end.

By way of synopsis… the story begins with Australian author Hannah Tigone conversing with a colleague in Boston about her upcoming novel. He is providing factual elements for her story, which is set in Boston and she is feeding him the story chapter by chapter. We also get to read the story, which is about four random people who happen to be in the reading room of the Boston Public Library when a murder is committed. From here the story unravels on two (or three) levels, intersecting, twisting and generally learning you a wide eyed reading maniac until the very last line.

A stellar read that I ignored my children for, I cannot WAIT to have a hardcopy of this book on my shelf in June.

Freddie, an author from Australia, meets Cain, Whit and Marigold while writing at the Boston Public Library. She had been observing them all as possible characters when the silence in the library is shattered by a woman's scream. The scream and the ensuing lockdown allow the four to converse and become friends. When a woman's body is later found at the library, the four become interested and involved in trying to solve the murder. This book within a book is well written, with enough twists to hold a reader's attention throughout.

**Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for a fair and honest review**

This was a very ambitious book and the 'Inception' feel of a story within a story was intriguing. The mystery of the woman in the library was well plotted and, as it was unravelled, you came to know and care for each of the characters. The adiditonal storyline of the fictional author and their advisor / friend became much more complicated than I had expected and, to be honest, I'm not entirely sure I understood how it ended. The 2 characters named Leo was a bit too much for my tired brain, which one was it at the end? Had the 2 storylines merged?

On the outer layer of this book are two characters: Hannah, a previously published and apparently successful series author in Australia, is writing a new novel about Winifred (“Freddie”), also an Australian novelist living in Boston on an academic fellowship. Leo, a struggling (and needy) writer acquaintance/fan of some kind, is corresponding with Hannah (we do not know her responses to his suggestions — Hannah is mostly a mystery). Leo is “assisting” by adding realistic Boston landscapes, correcting American idioms, and sending local photos of crime scenes to Hannah as he proofreads her manuscript chapter by chapter.

In the inner layer, Hannah’s main character, the fictional Winifred, is writing about the people she’s just met in the Boston Public Library — a group of three who came together after all heard a woman’s scream and later found out a murdered woman was discovered in the library. Freddie tells us upfront that one of these people is a murderer. Hannah has also inserted a fictional Leo, the one-sided narrator (name unchanged), into the story as Freddie’s neighbor.

The “real” Leo seems to think he can guess the murderer in Hannah’s novel, but if Hannah’s process mimics her protagonist Freddie’s method, it’s an ongoing “bus ride” with no definite destination (or killer) in mind. Because of Leo, we also know that Hannah’s novel is being created during the time of the Australian wildfires and the developing pandemic.

Is this a story about writing a mystery, a story about the writer character trying to solve a mystery, or a story, in the deepest layer, about the tale that the writer character is trying to compose?

One thing that always draws me into a novel is a twisty or unusual structure and Sulari Gentill’s “The Woman in the Library” definitely fits that description. I also love books about authors as main characters and a book about an author writing about another author is delightful. We almost never give thought to the author, but “The Woman in the Library” makes you hyper aware of who is writing what. Well plotted, smartly conceived and cleverly executed! 5 stars!

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Marigold has jewel green eyes, “sparkling in a frame of smoky kohl and mascara”.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO However, I loved the description of nana’s colorful garden like “a box of smarties.”

A murder in a beautiful library - who wouldn't want to read this book?? The Woman in the Library is one of the BEST mystery novels I've read in quite a while. I love how Gentill is able to weave a story within a story. This provides the novel with the depth that readers crave and creates some breathtaking, unbelievable twists and turns. This book causes you to second guess the characters, the plot, and even yourself at some points because you're not even sure who could be guilty. The correspondence between the main character and her friend at the end of each chapter sets the ideal tone for a mystery novel like this one. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes Clue or your classic mysteries.