"Clue" vibes, "Misery"-esque, meta murder thriller!

When four strangers hear a blood-curling scream while in the reading room of the Boston Public Library, it seems like just a weird coincidence. But when a dead body is found, a complicated web of lies and revenge traps them in a nightmare. Strange text messages, violent threats, and shady histories weaves together a story of a fiction within a fiction, perfect for fans of the game/movie Clue. Interspersed at the end of each chapter is another character who becomes increasingly obsessed with this fictional story, making this a meta-murder mystery with total Misery vibes that will have readers turning pages not knowing who to trust in order to figure out both mysteries.

Thoughts: I'm a huge fan of the game and movie Clue, so the fictional story making the up the bulk of this work had me hooked. I honestly didn't know who to trust. At one point it does become a bit predictable, but the underlying story-within-a-story is what really kept me invested. It's hard to describe, but basically readers are treated to a fictional murder mystery chapter by chapter along with a struggling author and fan who's offering suggestions to help the mystery's author. But as each chapter passes, the struggling author/fan providing feedback becomes increasingly aggressive and agitated. As the story escalates, so does this author/fan -- until everything comes to a dramatic conclusion. I like that we don't hear from the actual author but instead hear their perspective through their fictional chapters as the two stories unfold. While the murder mystery had some predictable aspects, the story-within-a-story is a twist I've only encountered a few times before and Sulari Gentill really hits the right notes with this format. It definitely enhanced the suspense of the story and kept me reading late into the night. As mentioned, this mystery is perfect for fans of Clue and Misery.

**Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.**

I received The Woman in the Library as an ARC through NetGalley. It was a little confusing at first with a writing, writing about a writer while receiving correspondence from a colleague abroad. But by chapter 3, I could not put it down! This is my first book by Sulari Gentill and will definitely looking to read more of her novels.

Four strangers in a library reading room bond after they hear a woman scream from another part of the building. Freddie, Cain, Whit and Marigold become quick friends as they try to untangle the murder of the woman who screamed in the library. Could one of them been the murderer? Freddie the writer at college on a grant, Cain a published novelist, Whit who is purposely trying to fail law school or Marigold a psych major?

LOVED the originality with this one. Thrillers tend to be a dime a dozen these days, but this one was special. I actually enjoyed the story within a story within a story plot device. It might not work for all readers, but I vibed with it. Loved the "letters" in-between chapters too -- it gave me something to look forward to.

I wasn’t expecting this story-in-a-story mystery and wasn’t sure if it was going to get confusing along the way. It did not. Instead, it pulled me in so fast, keeping me enthralled along the way. I literally could not put this book down.

The characters were all intriguing and I didn’t have a clue who the killer was. Of course, at some point the author gives us enough to know where to look, but then the anticipation really began to mount as I waited to see how it was all going to play out.

The resolution was satisfying and left me wanting more from this author.

I really didn’t enjoy this book at all and I struggled with it. I read it quickly but was very disappointed with it. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Structured as a novel within a story, The Woman in the Library is a tension-filled mystery. Hanna is an established Australian author of thrillers working on a book that takes place in the Boston Public Library. Leo, also a writer and living in Boston, is a fan and the two have an epistolary friendship where we see Leo offer encouragement, constructive criticism and logistical advice. Leo is specifically well positioned to aid Hannah with her novel-in-progress story as he happens to do most of his writing at the Boston Public Library. These letters are interspersed with Hanna’s actual novel, which centers around four library patrons working in the reading room of the library when they hear a terrifying scream. Turns out, one of them is the murderer. There is quite a bit to follow in the dual narration and the fact that the reader is aware that the main plot of the novel is a novel itself (so a novel within a novel) puts some distance between what can typically feel like a propulsive mystery. But if you like meta novels, such as The Plot or Agatha Christie-type mysteries, then this is the book for you. Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the advanced review copy.

Enjoyed this mystery about novelists, friendship, and revenge set in Boston with a unique story within a story mystery unfolding at the same time. This work centers on an Austrailian novelist who has won a fellowship and is writing her book in Boston. She is working in the reading room of the Boston Public Library, along with several other intriguing characters, when a scream echoes throughout the library. She and the other interesting patrons quickly bond once they learn that a woman was actually murdered. Who do you trust when you are new to the country and are pretty sure one of your friends is a murderer? Great for fans of Anthony Horowitz's Susan Ryeland series.

I gave The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill five stars.

This was the first book I read from this author and it will definitely not be my last.
This was such a brilliant book and it was written in a unique way that I truly enjoyed. A story within a story. My favorite part was the letters to the author at the end of every chapter giving her tips about Boston and how she can write the story and later you get to see how she is using it while she is creating the amazing story.

I have seen reviews comparing this book to Inception meeting Agatha Christie, and I could not agree more. If you love a classic whodunnit with twists, check this book out!

This book comes out June 7.

Thank you Net Galley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4767486424

This book is possibly the most meta book that's ever been written- a book within a book within a book, and you'll need a flow chart, red string, and a blank wall to keep it all straight. This probably would have been great without the addition of the first layer- the Australian woman writing the book about the book, but with it, there were simply too many characters, plot lines, and narratives to keep track of.

The Woman in the Library is truly a unique mystery novel that captures the reader from the first chapter. The actual mystery is a story within a story- if you can imagine! At heart is the story of four strangers who are sharing a table at the Boston Public Library when they hear a horrendous scream. This scream catapults the four strangers into an unlikely friendship as they try to solve a murder mystery. The story within a story framework was ingenious and allowed the issues of the "real" world to creep into the story in a thoughtful way. This is a book I will definitely recommend to fellow mystery lovers and probably re-read again!

I received a digital advance copy of The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill via NetGalley. The Woman in the Library is scheduled for release on June 7, 2022.

The Woman in the Library is a story within the frame of another story. The framing story is correspondence between Leo and Hannah. Hannah is a novelist, currently working on a mystery involving four people brought together by a scream in an otherwise quiet Boston library. As she writes, Hannah sends chapters to Leo, who reads and replies, offering criticism and suggestions.

The second story is Hannah’s mystery novel. Four strangers become friends when a scream shatters the silence in the library where they are each working alone. While security investigates the scream, patrons are asked to stay put, resulting in the four strangers talking and forming unlikely friendships. Those friendships grow and are tested as bodies are found. One of them is a murderer.

Due to the framing structure of this novel, it’s a bit hard to describe and talk about. Honestly, my brain often struggled as it attempted to sift through and put together the pieces of the story. As the bulk of the novel was the novel Hannah was writing, that part of the story felt distant to me. While it was well written, and had clear characters with their own sets of motivations, the fact that it was a fiction within a fiction kept me from becoming fully invested in the characters and the situation. My brain kept insisting this story was not real. To my mind, the only part of the story that was real was the correspondence between Leo and Hannah. Even as I write this, this makes no sense, as the entire book is a work of fiction. I’m not sure why my mind made this distinction between the frame and Hannah’s novel. I am very curious to know if other readers had this same experience.

A side effect of this distancing for me was that the only character I ended up “knowing” was Leo. We get to read each of Leo’s emails to Hannah, discussing the story, his perceptions and suggestions for the story, and his report of what is happening in his world. From Hannah, we only get the chapters she is sharing. We don’t get any text she might have included in her emails to Leo. The result is that my only view into Hannah’s character is through her story, and my only view into Leo’s character is through the words he chooses to share with Hannah. In the end, I felt as if I had a decent understanding of Leo as a character, and a set of guesses surrounding Hannah. The characters within Hannah’s novel remained fictions.

Despite these challenges, or really because of them, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. The mystery within Hannah’s novel is solid, and due to Leo’s commentary, I found myself reading with his (somewhat skewed) critical mind, as I was working to predict what he might comment on in his next email to Hannah. The correspondence between Leo and Hannah held it’s own mysteries, which added another layer to the mystery within Hannah’s chapters.

Overall, The Woman in the Library is a thought-provoking twist of a mystery. The story within a story will make readers consider and question everything from the various forms relationships can take to the power of words to influence our thinking. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mysteries and reading/ writing.

One of my favorite things about getting an Advanced Reader Copy of a book through NetGalley is discovering a writing that I would not have purchased for myself. The description of The Woman in the Library seemed to fit my preferred reading genre, but the cover and marketing indicated that it might be outside my comfort zone. However, the establishing event occurs in the Boston Public Library in Copley Square and that library and location hold fond memories for me. So I took a leap and started reading. What a fun book! There are several timelines and story lines occurring within the book and it took me a little bit to figure out what was going on. I was still concerned that it might get too intense for me, so I stopped reading it at night. I am extremely glad I persevered and finished the book. I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good Whodunit. I was enthralled until the final words.

This was such a fun book. While I didn't find the mystery itself super unique, the format of a story within a story, was genius and made me feel like I was reading this book alongside someone and exchanging thoughts. Loved the format so much.

READ THIS IF YOU LIKE:
-books about writers
-amateur sleuths
-plot twists
-frame narrative structure

Four strangers are drawn together when a blood-curdling scream rings out in the Boston Public Library. Two writers, Winifred ("Freddie") and Cain, and two students, Marigold and Whit, are sitting at the same table when they hear the scream and decide to discuss theories over a meal. Within hours, the news reports that a woman's body has been found in the BPL and the foursome discuss possible motives and identities of the presumed killer. Freddie is a mystery writer and uses her new friends and the strange incident at the library as inspiration. There is also another layer to this story--the tale about Freddie and her new friends is actually a manuscript from an author named Hannah, who is sharing chapters with an acquaintance named Leo. Leo provides feedback and checks out real locations in Boston for Hannah to use in her novel, while also correcting some of her Australian jargon to American phrases. As the book goes on, both of these narrative layers get progressively creepier and claustrophobic.

This was a unique and fun reading experience. At first I felt that Leo's letters were interrupting the story I preferred but then it got really interesting. I suspected nearly every character in the story within the story, including Freddie herself, at one point or another. Contrary to the title, the majority of this story takes place around Boston, but not actually inside the library. Overall I really enjoyed this book and I thought the mystery's conclusion was surprising but made sense-- pretty much the best way a mystery can be concluded if you ask me. If you're looking for a twisty novel and especially if you like a frame narrative, THE WOMAN IN THE LIBRARY is a must-read.

Thank you very much to Poisoned Pen Press for an early copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the digital ARC!

Things I enjoyed:
▪️Short chapters that ended leaving you wanting more.
▪️Unique storyline for a thriller which seems hard to do with so many of them out there.
▪️Thought-provoking topics that left you pondering what you would do.
▪️Classic whodunnit.

What I didn’t love:
▪️The story in a story set up. The letter writing from Leo didn’t seem needed. I didn’t understand how it was all tied together at the end.
▪️I never felt connected to the characters. They weren’t likable for me and I didn’t believe they would have become fast friends the way they did. It didn’t feel believable.

If you’re looking for a quick thriller this summer, pick this one up.

Today we are talking about The Woman in the Library!
Netflix was kind enough to notify me that Criminal Minds will be leaving at the end of the month. Is there a better show to watch when reading about a mysterious murder with a very small suspect pool?

When Winifred received the Marriot Fellowship to write a mystery novel while living abroad in the U.S. she never envisioned she would become enmeshed in a mystery herself. While writing in the Boston Public Library, using some of her fellow patrons as inspiration, an ear piercing scream shatters the silence of the room. Marigold, Whit, and Cain, all as alarmed as Winifred, begin to guess the cause. When a body is found hidden away the next morning, the four form a bond. It doesn’t take long for accusations to begin to fly in the group when one of them is stabbed and another has been previously incarcerated, for murder.

Huge thanks to Netgalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Sulari Gentill for an advanced copy of this book.

There is nothing that will make me gravitate to a book more than for it to be epistolary. If you don't know epistolary novels are those that include a diary, journal or letter format. Today that can also include emails or even text messages. My all time favorite epistolary so far is Dear Aaron by Mariana Zapata. The Woman in the Library is definitely a close second. It is a story within a story. It is whimsical and thrilling.

The characters are well thought out and all have their own story to tell, which they do. I really enjoyed how Winifred, Freddie, became the center of the group, how the other three characters gravitated towards her as lover, protector, and friend. I definitely wasn’t surprised by how the story ended, but enjoyed the journey to the end. All in all I would recommend this book if you love a good murder mystery or epistolary novels like me.

The book opens with Hannah, who narrates most of the book. She is an aspiring Australian writer working on her next novel in the Boston Public Library and in the opening scene, she's in the reading room to do some surreptitious people watching, hoping her observations will inspire the creation of some of her story's characters. Her eyes eventually sweep toward Cain, a nearby author who turns out to be doing much of the same. They, along with two other nearby patrons in the reading room, are startled when a bloodcurdling breaks the room's studious silence.

These four strangers, bound by a shared mystery, conduct some impressive if amateur sleuthing to try and figure out what happened in the library. Through local news, the four realize, not with little horror, that they were witnesses to a murder. But when the work of local police forces seem to hit a strangling halt, the new friends decide to do some amateur sleuthing of their own. Before long, strange and increasingly sinister things start happening to each of them, as though someone was trying to get warn or get rid of them.

All the while, the writer in Hannah decides this is perfect fodder for storytelling. As she and her new friends try to get to the bottom of the murder, she spins all the events into newly spun chapters for her book. Each chapter of the book begins with a letter from her American writer penpal, Leo, who gives her regular feedback on the unwinding novel.

At prima fascia, there was a lot to like about this book. The first chapter opened with some thrilling action, in one of my favorite earthly locations no less. I loved that the two of the main characters were aspiring writers, which allowed the author unique opportunities to offer some interesting meta-commentary on the writing process, including gems such as these (spoken by Hannah, the narrator) -

"I am a bricklayer without drawings, laying words in sentences, sentences into paragraphs, allowing my walls to twist and turn on whim. There is no framework, just bricks interlocked to support each other into a story."

Plus there was the whammy of a whodunnit that splashed out in the very first pages. Who was murdered and why? From there, the plot got a little messy for me. As the book unfolds, there are a perplexing flurry of red herrings thrown the readers' way. Her penpal Leo becomes increasingly creepy, a neighbor seems unnecessarily clingy, and each of her friends seem suspicious for one reason or another. I'm a big fan of suspense, but this dizzying carousel of suspects became quickly tiresome.

I know some other readers have made mention of the charming 'book within a book' theme, but it actually created serious trust issues for me as a reader. If I were in Hannah's scary shoes, witnessing people beat up in the streets and and picking up on creepster vibes around me all day, I seriously doubt I'd have the wherewithal to sit before a typewriter and spin tales about being a real life target. And then there were a slew of questionable decisions from there. Staying in place while creepy notes and anonymous 'gifts' showed up at her home address. Aiding and abetting someone with a criminal history that she just met. Falling in love with one of the primary suspects, against all seemingly obvious signs. I know it's all fiction. I know that there's the good-moral subtext that not everyone with a criminal history is truly criminal. I know that as a reader, I'm bound by an implicit agreement to suspend disbelief whenever the author deems necessary. But it all made me question Hannah's qualifications as the hero of this story and I found myself caring less and less about what happened to her.

Seeing as how she's the main protagonist, that made it pretty difficult to keep the pages turning.

As an ARC previewer, I knew I'd have to make it to the end if I wanted to give genuine feedback. But as a reader, I lost interest long before the midpoint. So as far as reviews go, I'm afraid the verdict is in.

arc so no spoilers as always! this was one of the most disturbing books i've ever read but it was absolutely fantastic. the way the horror elements creeped in slowly and the layering of how the story within the story escalated as the outside events did as well was fantastic. the plot twists were incredible, especially because using someone else as a feedback device on the story as you're reading really threw off at least my natural detective instincts (lol). cannot recommend enough, read asap if you're into thrillers, horror, and love the boston area!

spoilers for netgalley:
the FBI letter reveal halfway through was SO GOOD. seeing leo become more and more unhinged as he got obsessed with the anonymity of masks and even cain's race was a nice touch. and whit was a good twist as well! obviously i was at least a little suspicious of him the whole time because freddie tells us straight away it's going to be him, marigold, or cain, but the way it was revealed and the fact that he knew caroline were fantastic. LOVED this book

Such an amazing and well done story!
I wasn't able to put this book down! I've always liked "books within a book" kinds of stories and this delivered!
The author does an amazing job with creating balance between perspectives and guiding us along with no confusion whatsoever. It flowed really well and had a great pace that kept me turning pages.
The plot? The twists! So many mysteries within mysteries.
One of my favorite things with this was the relationships the author created between all of the characters,

At first I thought I was just going to read a fun mystery, but this blew my expectations away.
Highly recommend!

An interesting take on reversed locked room mysteries and a wonderful exploration of tropes in mystery writing. If you enjoyed Peter Swanson's Eight Perfect Murders you might like this book.

Told between two perspectives: The fictional narrative in it's "draft" form and the correspondence from the writer's friend who is giving both helpful suggestions and details their woes as an aspiring author themselves. The "draft" reads as a bent take on what may have been the reality of the main character Freddie. While Freddie is in the Boston Public Library one day working on her manuscript, everyone in the reading rooms hears a horrifying scream from within the library. When a security guard goes to inspect what may have happened, Freddie and her tablemates become instant friends and immediately being speculating what may have happened. When reports later on the news tell of a dead body found in the library the four band together to figure out what happened.

The forced insta-friendship was a bit much for me. Certainly there were other aspects that came along with the forced friendship that also felt very fake. All those parts were necessary to move the story where it was going, but it just felt like placeholders that were needed to move the plot along instead of being cohesive part of the narrative. But that could also just be me interpreting the book wrong?

I felt like this book was trying to say more about the mystery locked-room scenario than what was on the page and maybe I just wasn't as knowledgeable about the mystery tropes the author was trying to pull apart? I don't know, but I just left this book feeling like I didn't *get* it?

Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and Sulari Gentill for the advanced copy in exchange for a review.