**Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

I loved this book! It's a "reverse" locked room mystery that starts with a scream in the Boston Public Library, which leads to the discovery of a dead body. The four main characters are strangers who are brought together after hearing the scream, but as time goes by, it becomes clear that some of them know more than they're letting on.

I didn't predict where the story was going, which I always enjoy in mysteries/thrillers. This book is well-written, the characters are well-developed, and the story is pretty fast-paced (I devoured this in a few days). I also thought the use of the book-within-a-book format was extremely well-done and really sets this book apart from others in the genre. This book will make the perfect summer vacation read and I highly recommend it!

'd like to thank Netgalley for the ARC of this book. Opinions expressed are entirely my own.

This book was lackluster at best. At first, I was intrigued. I liked the story within a story concept. I wanted to see how things would grow and develop, particularly the thriller being written by Hannah. But, as the story continued, everything felt less clever. The inner story - the "draft" that Hannah is getting feedback on, grows tedious as the four main characters waffle about making poor choices in an attempt to solve a murder. A lot of it hinges on a romance that rings entirely hollow and dull. I didn't like any of the characters, so I found myself disconnecting and caring less about them.

As for the outer narrative, the letters which Hannah receives, there is absolutely no hint at the story's finer details. In the beginning, their relationship seems harmless enough, and Leo is a pleasant little reprieve.

SPOILER:

Soon, he becomes pretty dark, and then immediately after, the FBI is involved. I expected things to ramp up, for Hannah to begin to lure Leo into a trap. Instead, we see her make a few feeble attempts, asking for an address and a picture, and then she does little else. By the end of the book, he's neatly captured with no real climax. It was a let down.

Meanwhile, the draft trudges on, and it also ends on a perfectly hollow note.

Just such a disappointment.

Four strangers are drawn together in the Boston Public Library when they hear a woman scream. Security says they haven't found anything, it was probably just a prank. But when a woman's body turns up the four new friends are determined to find out who she was and why she was murdered. But some of the new friends have pasts they'd like to keep to themselves and one of them is the murderer. Toss in a side story told in letters between an obsessed fan of a murder mystery writer who lives in Australia and things turn creepy quickly. Is Leo just a quirky neighbor who doesn't have the literary skills to make it as a published author? He certainly makes his disappointment known with each rejection letter he receives. Why does he always seem to be "in the area" when bodies are discovered? And why does he keep showing up at Winifred "Freddie"s" door? The various strands of the story intertwine, twist and get rather knotted while the mystery is eventually unraveled and the murderer is discovered among them. The reader knows from the outset that one of them is the murderer, but the Who, Why, and When are left up to the reader to hypothesize until the very end.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the idea of a book within a book but was more frustrated with the letters between the two. I think it would have been better without the letters as I was more invested in the main plot. I think doing both made it so I didn’t know which to focus on and the book ending wasn’t as satisfying if I were to just focus on one. The writing is well done just not for me.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review! This book was truly addictive and I was HOOKED! I love the whole book about an author writing an book and it was just fun! Made me feel like I was watching a Hitchcock film!

Susan Gentill crafts a unique narrative style for her mystery, The Woman in the Library. Unfortunately, her characters are not as fascinating as her clever writing perspective. While this novel will find fans, this reviewer is not one of them.

The Woman in the Library is a difficult book to categorize simply because, in so many ways, it is two mysteries in one. It begins with an email from aspiring writer, Leo to a successful writer named Hannah. It's obvious they've corresponded in the past and he is, essentially, reading chapters of her book as she finishes them and offering critiques and advice. Hannah is in Australia and he is in Boston, which is the location of her book. The book she is writing is The Woman in the Library. It starts out simply enough, we follow aspiring writer, Freddie to the Boston Public Library where she ends strikes up a conversation with four people after all of them heard a woman scream. Of course, they later find out the woman was murdered and the four insta-friends band together to solve the murder while entangling in each other's personal lives.
The four main characters are compelling as they all have quirks and idiosyncrasies that make them believable and the mystery itself twists and turns in several different directions. As it's a mystery, I don't want to say much about the plot. I will say that what makes this book exceptional is the secondary narrative, the email at the end of every chapter from Leo to Hannah. In the first couple of chapters, I truly checked to see if it was some printing mistake then I got completely sucked in. Both narratives are mysteries and I raced through this book trying to solve them. Again, I can't say much without giving the whole thing away but the characterization of everyone is spot-on. I was completely creeped out by aspects of this book and I have been telling everyone about it since I finished it. I rarely write reviews but this one kept me riveted the whole time. It was fabulous!

Woman in the Library is an engaging whodunnit that is up there with Christie and Hitchcock. Four strangers are in the Reading Room at the Boston Public Library when there is a murderous scream and a dead body is discovered. Who is dead? Who is the murderer? Who are these four strangers?

This book is full of witty scenes and is packed with tension that keeps the pages turning. While the title might bring some readers to the conclusion that it is a psychological thriller (Woman in the Window, Girl on the Train, etc), it is NOT in that realm and is much more like Christie’s Body in the Library. The descriptive text from the publisher had me clamoring right away to give it a read and I’m so glad I did. Highly entertaining and in my favorite genre of books. (Side note: Someone better be pitching this to Masterpiece Mystery!)

Loved this book. So many twists and turns. I am a fan of books with multiple plots, and this book definitely has them. Mysteries within mysteries. I would definitely recommend reading this book.

“Perhaps that's my statement: I am no one and everyone.”

I breezed through this story, not realizing how far I've gone until 50% through. To find a story that does this to a reader is hard. That is the power Sulari Gentill's storytelling holds.

I did not expect the premise: and that, in my opinion, is what completely took ahold of me. Enabling me to read through, unaware of my surroundings all the while, unaware of time.

In addition Gentill also possesses the great genius of puzzling the hell out of her audience. I did not know what to think, what to believe, which side to take all throughout the story. The characters all have serious defenses in hand, arguments in mind! There is a conflict of emotion in the heart of the reader at every page of the story. I had plotted out so many theories and all of them seem plausible. At the same time so shocking that my mind can't fathom them to be the true course of the story!

I really loved how fast-paced the story is but also tried to prolong my experience as soon as I noticed I was near the end. The writing style employed is simple but perfect for the story. Never too much idle time, always with the use of perfect-fit terminologies. The author lets readers plot out the scene for themselves which is fun.

The story is rife with morals, implications, and thoughts regarding the current state of humanity. It is rich in ideas and well-researched. It teaches us to dream and believe and stand strong in our convictions.

I was just going through a normal morning when the ultimate twist came barging in! Readers, prepare yourself in every way for this book. I was already atuned to the story, I thought it would maintain its original flow --- it did not. Gentill knows when to use the big guns. Her plot is to die for in that regard!


The Woman in the Library is an insanely fast-paced, engrossing tale which plays with the reader's mind in extremely witty ways.

It has been a long time since I've read a book in one sitting. THE WOMAN IN THE LIBRARY is a cleverly written mystery remnant of an Agatha Christie novel. You may have to suspend reality a bit to enjoy this properly, but that is common in this genre. Gentill has created an entertaining whodunnit with a small cast of hyperbolical characters that you can't help but enjoy.

I loved the book within a book concept! While the main narrative feels more cozy crime/amateur detective, the subplot grows increasingly chilling and graphic and I found myself heavily invested in both.

This would have been a five star read if I had found the ending more satisfactory. It wasn't problematic, but it wasn't as strong as I would like it to be. For me, this is a case where the suspense and writing style outweighs the resolution. It was the thrill of the ride I enjoyed most!

Thanks to NetGalley and poison pen press for a free digital copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

My favorite thing about Netgalley has been the exposure to authors who are new to me as a reader. I LOVED this book! Count me as a new fan of Sulari Gentill.

This story-within-a-story format really pulled me in. Story 1 is the tale of 4 strangers who meet in the Boston Public Library, and they form sort of a weird bond/friendship after hearing a woman's scream. They find out later a woman was murdered in the library. The foursome is a collection of writers, a graduate psychology student, and a hopeful law school flunkee. By all accounts they should work as friends, but somehow they do. Because they were in the BPL at the time of the murder, they are questioned by police. Little tidbits about each are released, and I had to figure out who was guilty.

Yet, Story 2 is told through a series of emails between a writer and another writer/fan of her work. She is currently writing Story 1 and getting feedback from a fan/fellow writer. He comments on each facet of Story 1, and then the emails take a turn in tone.

Really, this book blew my mind a little bit! Can't wait to purchase a copy when it releases in June. Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC copy.

This was an exciting take on a locked room mystery with a second disturbing plot woven throughout.

This was my first Gentill book, and I loved the exciting and fresh plot. The book centers around an author who is writing a mystery and her correspondence with another author regarding the plot. I found this idea fresh and exciting.

Additionally, the book takes place in a library and is meant for book lovers as well as mystery lovers.

What a great book. I would definitely recommend this fun, fresh read.

Oh my goodness, what a ride! When I read the synopsis, I went in expecting a locked room type of mystery, and that's what I got, but gosh I also got so much more!

The synopsis: One day, 4 strangers are sitting together in the Reading Room of the Boston Public Library when a scream breaks through the silence. It turns out that a woman has been murdered in the library, and one of the 4 sitting at the table is the murderer. How, when they were all sitting together when the murder occurred? In this twisty literary thriller, we follow the 4 strangers as they become fast friends, all the while wondering which one of them has taken a life. How well can you truly know someone? These friends find out the hard way: Not well at all.

So right in the first 5% of the book, we get a twist. It was something that was not mentioned at all in the synopsis, and it threw me for a loop, but it was perfect. I'm glad that every review I've seen so far for this book hasn't mentioned it--it's a moment that is completely unexpected, and it is best experienced when you don't know anything about it.

The structure of this book is what really awed me. I can't say too much without veering into spoilers, but Gentill managed to combine two literary forms and create a mystery that was just wholly original and wildly thrilling. Gentill's characters were well-developed, and the curveballs that she threw at the readers about certain aspects of the characters were truly masterful. I spent the whole time flip-flopping about who I thought the killer was and isn't that one of the marks of a great thriller? I think so! I was fully engaged throughout my entire read, and it wasn't until the killer was revealed that I knew who it was--the plotting of this book was just that good!

After reading this, I'll definitely be checking out Gentill's backlist, because this title was simply stunning.

I was hooked on this book from the very start.
The storyline was a bit confusing to start with, having the letters at the end of the chapters, but I soon got used to that. I did not guess at all what was going to happen in both timelines.
The characters were well written and engaging.
There were a few grammar mistakes here and there and repeated words.
I will be picking up a final copy when it is released.
Thanks to Netgalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Sulari Gentill for allowing me to read this wonderful book before release.

Crime fiction genre is one of my favorites. Now throw in a scream, a murder and a library? You got yourself a story! I was on the edge of my seat ( and every last page). A great read- but make sure the lights are on.

Engaging mystery with a unique framing device that results in several shocking twists and thought provoking current event considerations. Fun read and a perfect choice for bookclub!

The framing narrative of this novel was intriguing, and both stories were entertaining.
However, I found the overall effect contrived, without any sense of purpose in the use of the dual narrative. A nice, easy read, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend.

This book had me intrigued right from the beginning. It was interesting to try to figure out who was behind all of this and it truly keeps you guessing. I really enjoyed the Leo character and his suggestions for her book. It added a whole other dimension to the story and particularly, to the ending. This was a lot of fun and I enjoyed the characters, who were flawed, but likable. I'm not familiar with this author, but I will definitely pick up more from her in the near future. I will definitely recommend this one.

Oh my ... sigh. There is so much that didn’t work for me in The Woman in the Library. First of all, the pace was erratic. It started out slowly, dragged on from there, picked up a little about two-thirds of the way through, and then ended.

Nothing really happened until deep into the book. So many pages are used up trying to set the tone for four people who were supposed to have become fast friends in the enormous Boston Public Library (insert eyeroll … highly unlikely). That would be the second-of-all. The whole book was very contrived, even the part about how those four ended up at the same table.

The story-within-a-story’s writer’s painstaking efforts to write a novel became confusing at first and then annoying. There was a line in the book that had me chuckling, “… a story is about leading a reader to meaning.” I thought, oh how I wish you would, dear author, because this book is meandering on its way to nowhere.

Regarding the ending, I could see part of it coming as it was very predictable. The rest was weak at best. Even the explanation of the woman in the library was lame. When all was explained, it simply wasn’t plausible.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and honestly review The Woman in the Library. Sadly, my review is dismal; this book just wasn’t for me.