This book was not what I expected. There was very little about the library mentioned. It turned out to be about an author writing a book about a murder. It seemed like a cozy mystery and I am not fond of those. It is a quick simple read however with a romance or two included.

If you made the movie Inception into a book about writing books, you might end up with something close to The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill, a book with more layers than Shrek’s infamous onion metaphor.

Four people are using the Boston Public Library’s reading room one morning when the peace and quiet are interrupted by the sound of a woman’s scream. As they wait for security to investigate, the group begins to talk: Winifred/Freddie is an Australian author living in Boston on a scholarship, Marigold is a psychology student at the university, Whit is a bored law student, and Cain is a published author. When a woman’s body is eventually discovered, the group finds themselves becoming more and more involved in the investigation because one of the people who were sitting at the table is a murderer and Freddie is now using their lives to write her very own masterpiece.

However, that’s not the only story, because the story of the four friends is itself being told to us by its author Hannah Tigone as we learn through a series of letters sent to her, one after each chapter, by her increasingly invested beta reader Leo. Leo is helping Hannah out with some research in Boston while he writes his own novel but soon a new mystery is formed outside of the story Hannah is writing too.

The Woman in the Library is a brilliantly written and cleverly crafted book that deserves far more popularity than it seems to be getting but might just be too smart to ever receive it. It can be tricky to follow at times because of the multiple layers where characters are themselves characters in books written by other characters (I think I counted four separate levels of storytelling) but I found that I quickly wrapped my head around things once I was a few chapters in. There were some clever plot twists scattered throughout that will have you casting doubt on pretty much everyone, and I loved how the writing had you second guessing (or maybe even triple or quadruple guessing) about who could and could not be trusted after all. The secondary plot happening in the beta reader notes/letters ended up being my favorite part of the whole book as it slowly unfolded with occasional sudden reveals. This was a story mechanic I don’t think I’ve ever seen used before and I loved how it played with the core story and made you see those events in a different light.

The Woman in the Library ended up being one of those can’t-put-it-down books that kept me up late getting to the end, even though it was miles away from what the synopsis made me think it was about. This is a mystery/thriller that is absolutely worth your time.

I actually really enjoyed this!!! But I felt like the last paragraph was unsatisfying--it kind of felt disjointed from the rest of the narrative. Like, huh? Great mystery with interesting development, good resolution, and a very odd last sentence or two.

Great. book.. enjoyed reading it and plan to have it as my next book club pick. The characters were engaging and I really liked how all the characters entertwined with each other. This is a great book for a beach day or rainy day.

Who is the killer? You think its A but you also think its B or even C… This book is going to drive you crazy in terms of trying to figure out who is the actual killer!

A woman screams and security tells everyone to sit tight while they investigate. There are four strangers who are pushed together and told to wait until security can say it's safe. The strangers chat and become friendly with one another in the midst of waiting. They discuss their reasons for visiting the reading room and more. They soon find out that a woman has been murdered. There is a killer among the group of four who have just met but who could it be and why would they kill? Dive in and see if you can figure out who the killer is among them!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

This book looked like everything I would like in a book. I couldn’t wait to start it, unfortunately I could not get into this book and I’m not sure what it was in the long run. I tried to get into the storyline but it just didn’t hook me and even when I finished the book I’m not sure what I read. I probably won’t pick a book by this author again

This was a WONDERFUL book that I highly enjoyed! A scream splits the air. Four people are in the reading room at the Boston Public Library. This scream brings the four of them together in unexpected ways. Will the scream mean that one of them is a murderer, or were they all just caught in a moment?

Though I typically love a good murder mystery with a group of shifty strangers at the center of suspicion, The Woman in the Library didn't do it for me. The premise is a unique execution of a "story within a story", and the line between manuscript and reality blurs as the plot thickens. I thought this mirroring of fictional vs nonfictional narratives was very interesting and added an edge as you follow both the characters and the novelist as they experience somewhat mirroring mysteries and dangers. I found the divide confusing at times, which I suppose is part of the point, but it did come together and made more sense as the story progressed.

Despite the increase in unsolved crimes and building tension, I struggled to finish the book. I wasn't able to ever truly connect with any of the characters, in part because they felt too one-dimensional and single-minded. The fictional narrator, Freddie, particularly frustrated me. I understand that her commitment and loyalty to her new friends/love interest(s) was meant to facilitate tension by casting doubts on the seemingly obvious explanations, but I found it unconvincing. For a character of her age, maturity, and intelligence, she often throws all reason out the window as she becomes enamored with her new beau and puts herself in perilous situations. Even more frustratingly, she is self-aware that she's acting illogically but still chooses to ignore the valid concerns.

I also almost DNFed when one character's backstory was revealed. SPOILERS AHEAD AND TW: I strongly dislike when characters have an extremely traumatic experience that primarily serves as a plot point or is used to "prove" something about them. I really hated how after Kane tells Freddie that his step-father abused him as a child and attempted to r-word him, she uses this as evidence to everyone else that he is completely innocent in all accords. It was a disappointing portrayal of a serious topic, especially since it was not addressed or concluded in any real healthy way and was solely there as a way to shock readers into feeling sympathy for Kane and be more inclined to believe his innocence along with Freddie. Doubt on the general conclusions about Kane could have been cast in a way that did not involve exploitative trauma and it could have been used to enhance the twists in much more meaningful ways.

In the end, the culmination of frustrations I felt at the characters, plot points, and story decisions made this book difficult to finish. The twist ending, while an interesting turn of events, felt untrue and poorly supported and I didn't find the ending satisfactory.

This novel was a joy to read. It had enough twists and turns to keep me guessing and the characters were layered and entertaining. This was an intelligently written story. It took me a minute to get used to the unique format (an author writing about an author), but ultimately, this format made the story extra unique and compelling.

this was really fun! i'm from boston so it was really interesting to read a mystery set in my home library. twisty and satisfying

Very entertaining and enough mystery to keep guessing. A group of college students meets up in the library and hear a scream. The tangle of coincidences and not-so-coincidental follows the group from there.

This was a DNF at first and then I went back and finished it. HOLY COW I WISH I STUCK WITH IT! I personally didn't like the chapter of what's going on and then the break of like a fan letter. That's not my thing but I kept hearing amazing things about this book so I decided to give it another go. It's a story within a story and it's got the twists and turns of any wonderful thriller/mystery. If you're on the fence, keep going. The next chapter might be the one to convince you to stay.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen for this ARC.

A story within a story is the best thriller trope out there, and The Woman in the Library doesn't disappoint. Uniquely written and utterly twisty, it's intelligent, high tension, addictive, and unputdownable.

In The Woman in the Library, the author writes about an author who is writing about an author. Once you wrap your mind around this unique setup, you will love this novel! It's a classic whodunit with the twist of a unique story outside the story, as it were.
THank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC,

This one was just not for me. I made it halfway then chose to stop. Maybe another time I will try it again. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for my review.

I was intrigued with the "story within a story" concept for this novel, and felt that Gentill pulled it off reasonably well. My main complaint is I wanted more. I just didn't feel invested in the characters enough to feel a true sense of suspense or concern for them. And I wanted more of the collaborator's story, a bit more of his background and motives.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with a complimentary eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I can’t stop thinking about this book, but not in a good way. I was very intrigued by the concept of a story within a story and that it was set in a library, but I just needed more fleshing out of some storylines and less minute details and weird characters- There was just too much going on and too many nonsense scenes. The supporting characters were not likable, which is fine, but they also brought nothing to the story. There were also a lot of extra details and describing instead of showing, and I’m not sure if those were supposed to be red herrings or not, but I do know is that they were annoying. I had high hopes for this one but it overall fell flat.

The Woman in the Library
• Author: Sulari Gentill
• Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press through NetGalley
• Publication Date: June 7, 2022
Wow what an ambitious attempt for any author, I have to give credit for the premise and attempted execution of The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill. I would have loved to hear the “elevator pitch” of this book, but then again Sulari Gentill is an established author so perhaps the publisher just “went with it”. The story is actually two, maybe even three stories in one – a story within a story kind of thing. I continually asked myself is this a mystery or a thriller and the answer is “yes” – one story is more of a mystery but the second seems like a thriller.
Between that cover and the premise being a woman appears to be murdered in a library which results in four strangers becoming intertwined in each other’s lives is a promising premise, at least for me. If that had been the only story, I think it could have been fleshed out and enough for most of us readers. I also think the added story lines could have been individually fleshed out and perhaps their own books. But having them all together resulted in a confusing and forced story that was constantly interrupted by the “other” story. The relationships and conclusions all seemed forced and unrealistic.
Being a first for me with such a story or multi story set-up I would be very curious to discuss with others their experience with the book. I felt like the writing was over all good but the storyline and mechanics felt disconnected and jarring which did not allow me to connect with any of the characters.

Summary: Not really one I would recommend, but I would love to talk about with those that have read it.

The Woman in the Library is the best kind of story. It feels a bit like you're reading a game of Clue or you're at a murder mystery party. It's kind of like book-ception (like Inception, but books!). Plus, it all takes place in a library, which is just the best place to be.

I couldn't put it down, and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a fresh new book to read.