The premise of this one is absolutely amazing. A murder occurring in a crowded library? YES PLEASE. However, this one just wasn’t my favorite! It was really slow paced and the alternate story line of the story within the story just didn’t hold my attention! The author is clearly a very talented writer, though. I think many will really enjoy this one! 3 stars from me. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!

This was a great mystery. I loved that it was a book about a woman writing a book. The mystery that Hannah is writing is intriguing. and the Leo emails to Hannah in between chapters are extremely creepy and unsettling. I really loved this book and can’t wait to read more from Sulari Gentill.

DNF at 13%

I did not love this book. It is the book within a book format, and that wasn't specified in the description. I think that I am usually quite annoyed with this format and cannot think of a book I have truly enjoyed with that setup.

I thought that the premise was an interesting one: there are 4 people in the reading room at the BPL and they hear a scream. A woman is later found dead. It could be the setup for something really fun, but at this point neither storyline was moving and they were both just talking about writing. It was almost a book within a book within a book. I attempted to push through and I felt myself starting to slump, so I will not be continuing.

That being said, I don't think that if you enjoy this type of trope that you will necessarily have a bad time with this book. It just really didn't work for me personally, but I have heard other glowing, early reviews.

3.5 stars, raised to 4

The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill tells the story of 4 people, brought together by a scream in the Boston Public Library. Told in an interesting way, the novel goes back and forth between letters to the Hannah, the author of the story within the story, from Leo, a fan. Hannah, based in Australia, sends Leo chapters of her manuscripts as she writes them. Leo serves as a man-on-the-ground, helping Hannah with descriptions of specific places and American turns-of-phrase. Hannah's manuscript is a novel about 4 people who meet in the Boston Public Library and become friends after connecting with one another during a police investigation of a woman's death.

The 'woman in the library' screams and sets the stage for the developing friendship of Winnie, Marigold, Cain and Whit. As we learn more about these characters, we realize that they are unlikely friends with a lot of skeletons in the closet. Without revealing too much, we are led in one direction by the fictional author, Hannah, only to encounter some twists and turns along the way. The ending of the woman in the library story was somewhat predictable, if a little abrupt.

The overarching story is one between Hannah and her penpal, Leo. As we are given more insight into Leo and his motivations, we realize that there is another mystery happening at this level. Again, I don't want to give anything away, but this piece of the story was definitely different from the fictional story within it.

The structure of the book is a different take on the storylines of exchanged letters. The reader is aware from the beginning that Hannah and Leo are outside of the manuscript, so the reader is drawn into the writing process and the developments surrounding Hannah and Leo.

Overall, the structure of the book was interesting. The story-within-the-story was a bit predictable with it feeling too much like a story that doesn't draw the reader in.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #PoisenedPenPress for an ARC of #TheWomanInTheLibrary

Thank you to Net Galley, the publisher, and author for providing me a copy of this book for my honest review. This is a very interesting and unique take on a locked room mystery. It is for book lovers, library connoisseurs, and those who enjoy locked room mysteries. This will keep you guessing with its twists and turns. I absolutely adored this book. It was so clever and kept me guessing! I highly recommend it.

Sulari Gentill's The Woman in the Library is a slick piece of metafiction, in which an Australian mystery writer (Hannah Tigone) is writing a book about a mystery writer (Winifred "Freddie" Kincade) who is writing a mystery in the Boston Public Library in which the characters are her tablemates (Freud Girl, Heroic Chin and Handsome Man). The bulk of the novel is based on the mystery in which Freddie and her tablemates find themselves after a woman screams in the library and is later found dead. Are the characters who they claim to be or is one of them a killer? This tale is surrounded by a larger frame tale in the form of email correspondence between Hannah Tigone and a hapless psychopathic writer, Wil Saunders a/k/a Leo Johnson, who is not only a character in Freddie's story, but who also appears to be committing freelance murders on his own. The nests of stories are entertaining, but the questions raised by the novel also take it to another level. Is it important to know the race of the characters in a mystery novel, particularly given the racially charged relationship between police officers and alleged suspects in the United States? And what role should the pandemic play in any novel set in present time? 4 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended.
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Thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks and the Poisoned Pen Press for gifting me an advanced reader's copy of this novel. Any opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

A story within a story, (within another story?) About a murder that happens often scene in the library, where aspiring author Winifred meets the new friends. Is one of them the murderer?!

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fascinating premise! I love a good mystery and the narrator did a great job. The names of the strangers turned friends are also hilarious to me. If you want a book that'll pull you in, give this one a try!

"The Woman in the Library" was a fantastic mystery book! The format was so unique; I loved that there was a book within another book. I found the main character, Freddie, likable for the most part. She did make a few decisions that I questioned, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book.

After the first few chapters, I flew through the rest of the book. I didn't want to put it down. I highly recommend it to readers who enjoy mystery books about writers.

*Thank you to Sulari Gentill, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for the free eBook in exchange for leaving an honest review.

Until I received a NetGalley ARC of The Woman in the Library, I had not read anything by Sulari Gentill. After inhaling the story of The Woman in the Library, I will definitely be seeking other books by Gentill. The Woman in the Library will be published 7 June 2022, on what would have been my mother’s 107th brithday!
Book Riot has already named The Woman in the Library as part of its “15 Best New Mystery Books of 2022,” and BookBub includes it in its most anticipated books of 2022. I can understand why. In my review, readers can rest assured that I will include no spoilers whatsoever.
The story captivated me from the outset. Ellie Marney, NY Times bestselling author, describes The Woman in the Library as having “more layers than an onion.” That description is quite apt.
In this mystery within a mystery, Hannah Tigone is writing a mystery novel. She is in Australia and writing about a mystery that takes place in Boston in the winter. She has met Leo Johnson, an American would-be writer, who is advising her about places and incidents in Boston. He also throws in advice about American word usage when he deems some of the Australian usage unlikely for American characters.
As Leo’s and Hannah’s correspondence continues, Leo becomes more strident in his letters and in his advice. He suggests darker incidents than Hannah is using. To add to this story, Hannah also has a character named Leo in the story she sends to Leo Johnson for suggestions.

Now, to the fictional story that Hannah is writing. In that story, Winifred Kincaid, Freddie, a writer from Australia, has received a Marriot Scholarship which provides her with a stipend and a beautifully furnished apartment in Boston so that she can write unencumbered by a job and other distractions.

Freddie is sitting in the Map Room of the Boston Public Library in order to find inspiration so she can work on her mystery. As she thinks about her work, she notes the other people near her and starts taking notes about them, surmising why they are there and what their backgrounds might be. In her mind, they could be possible characters in her book.

Freddie names the other people this way: Freud Girl, Handsome Man, and Heroic Chin. While Freddie idly wonders about these three people, they all hear a loud scream. Clearly, the scream comes from a woman, but where is she and why is she screaming? Very quickly, guards usher people out of the room.

Now, Freddie, Freud Girl, Handsome Man, and Heroic Chin have a shared and frightening experience. They introduce themselves. Handsome Man is Cain McLeod; Freud Girl is Marigold Anastas; Heroic Chin is Whit Metters. They agree the scream requires discussion among themselves, so they retreat to the Map Room Tea Lounge to discuss the incident.

Thus, an unlikely friendship begins to develop among the four who had been strangers only hours before. What will readers learn not only about Freddie, but also about Cain, Marigold, and Whit? And how will Leo Johnson, the real person and the character, fit into the story. Only by reading The Woman in the Library can readers discover the whole truth. The revelations will be shocking and mind-tickling! The unexpected turns will keep readers guessing about the characters—the fictional characters as well as Hannah Tigone and Leo Johnson.

Sulari Gentill was born in Sri Lanka and grew up in Zambia and Brisbane, Australia. She has an impressive number of books already published. The Woman in the Library adds to that number.

THE WOMAN IN THE LIBRARY may work as a young adult novel but it didn’t work for me. The title is very enticing. Avid readers typically love books about writers and libraries and with a premise of a murder in the Boston Public Library what's not to love. Unfortunately for me, The Woman in the Library lacked execution. The story within a story was confusing and failed to captivate. The descriptions of the characters (Heroic Chin, Freud Girl and Handsome Man) and their actions made me think I was reading a YA novel. The overarching frame of the story is the correspondence from Leo to Hannah. I found this part of the book annoying and failed to understand it’s purpose. Though I did not love the execution of this book, I appreciated the premise.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I liked The Woman in the Library. This was a good mystery but a bit confusing. I liked the way Leo would read each chapter, then correspond with the Author. I liked the characters. I liked all the twists and secrets that were uncovered. I was surprised by the outcome. This was a thrilling read.
#TheWomanInTheLibrary #NetGalley

Interesting structure that left me with more questions when I finished it.

This is the tale of 4 strangers who meet in the Boston Public Library and are brought together by a scream. Who screamed? Why did it happen?

Winifred, Freddie, is an Australian writer watching the other 3 in the reading room and gathering ideas for characters in her new novel based on them. Little does she know what’s in store, what will bring them together and what could tear them apart…

I found the structure of this book to be very interesting: a story within a story. I wasn’t exactly sure where it would go when I started. About halfway through some plot twists happened that I was eager to find out/have resolved.

The overall feelings of the protagonist manifested in me; the anxiety of not knowing details or who to trust and a deep want to get to the bottom of things. It made me wonder how I would react to the situations she was put in.

I was able to picture the settings in my mind fairly easily as well as the physical attributes of the characters and their wardrobe. I felt, by the end of the book, that I had a good grasp on each character, their looks and their motivations.

Overall, a very easy to read book that flows quite quickly, but left me wanting more answers at the end of it. Knowing it’s a standalone novel, I suppose it’s up to me to fully flush those out, so perhaps that is exactly what the author wanted?

Thank you to the author, Sulari Gentill, Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the arc ebook copy of this book!

A wonderful mystery where nothing is as it seems. Four young people, one Australian, three Americans, are linked in sudden friendship by hearing a scream in the Boston Public Library. As the story unwinds, we. learn a lot about the 4 main characters (and several supporting ones) as we attempt. to unravel the mystery and learn who the perpetrator was. Sulari Gentill keeps us guessing until the end, and she writes so well! I'm looking forward to reading more that she has published.

I absolutely loved this book, the plot had me thinking all kinds of things. There were several points where I thought well that’s obvious only to be proven over and over to be wrong.
There is an author writing a book and receiving information from someone who loves where the book is to be based. There are four people who meet. Two of whom are authors.
Someone withholds some truth, someone else lies.
What is real and who is what they seem they are?

No chance of a spoiler if you love whodunnit’s and twisted plots you will have to read this.
Loved the characters, even the ones I hated, no names Leo you’re annoying!
I recommend reading this and I might do something that I’ve only done a handful of times ever before and go back and re read it!

A twisty tale of whodunit set at The Boston Public Library with a sprinkle of romance. Yes, please!

Four strangers sit at a table, all somewhat submerged in their individual tasks. Within a short time, a woman’s scream pierces the quiet, leaving an air of terror in its quake. The group soon comes to find the scream was a prelude to the murder of the mystery woman, and in a twist that turns this story on its head… one of the four is the murderer.

If a synopsis like this isn’t enough, what if I told you that it is merely an added layer to this story?

Hannah Tigone, a bestselling Australian author, enlists Leo Johnson, an aspiring writer and native Bostonian, for advice and insight on Boston geography and Americanisms. Through their correspondence, a certain unease creeps its way into the narrative.

Sulari Gentill’s The Woman in the Library is a clever plot that kept me guessing the integrity of each character until the bitter end. *It reminded me a bit of Murder on the Orient Express, where everyone was suspect. To compare anyone to Agatha Christie can only mean one thing… Brilliantly done!

Please note your To Do List to run out and grab a copy on June 7th!

Thank you @NetGalley @sularigentill @poisonedpenpress for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

What an original and clever idea. This is written as a book within a book. Hannah is a well known Australian writer, based in Sydney, writing a book set in Boston, with the help of her “Number one fan”, an aspiring but failing wannabe author, who lives in Boston and is only too happy to help with research and his own ideas. I felt there was something creepy and sycophantic about Leo from the outset. A borderline stalker is how I would describe him but whether I was correct in this you will have to read to find out. Hannah’s novel is about Freddie, a budding author from Australia, living in Boston on a scholarship, who decides to base her new novel on three strangers she meets in the Boston Library. All four are there for very different reasons when they are interrupted by a woman’s terrified scream and bond as a result. When they discover that the woman who screamed was actually being murdered they decide to try and find out what happened. As Hannah’s story about Freddie and her friends progresses (with the help of Leo), so does Freddie’s story within the story,

I loved this book. I loved the characters, their interaction. I thought it was fast paced, twisty and lifted to a new level by the clever concept of a book within a book and the contribution of Leo.

If you enjoy twisty murder mysteries with plenty of psychological suspense, add The Woman in the Library to your reading list. When a woman is murdered at the Boston Public Library, four strangers find themselves bound together by the mystery of who killed her. But their newfound friendship is quickly tested as the police investigation turns to them — and as more attacks occur within their circle. Gentill's writing is assured and engaging, and I was drawn in immediately by these four characters and especially by the increasingly chilling frame narrative. Even if you guess the reveal (I almost did but was distracted by all the other possibilities), watching it all play out is a pleasure, especially with Gentill's confident plotting. This is my first Gentill novel, but it certainly won't be my last.

My thanks to NetGalley and to Poisoned Pen Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

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.

a murder mystery that starts off slow but does pick up later. will make you keep guessing on who is the murderer.

i received this arc and this is my voluntary review.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Actual Rating = 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3

"The Woman in the Library" was an interesting reading experience in that the story did basically nothing for me, but the structure was quite cool.

The primary narrative revolves around 4 people who became friends at the library the day a woman is murdered there, and then they get involved with the mystery. I didn't find this plotline particularly engaging - it seemed implausible and overly cerebral - but this narrative was actually the story in a story. There are also two writer friends corresponding about the content....though not all is as it seems with them either. DUN DUN DUUUUNNNN. I wish this plotline was more developed, but I guess the idea is that we only get the bullet points of it and need to fill in the blanks.

TBH - I skimmed the end because I frankly didn't care. Super interesting concept but not the best execution.