This book features a book within a book. About halfway through, things took a bit of a twist that I really enjoyed. I really enjoyed this book, even if some of the characters are problematic.

I lost interest in this story. The author writing about an author with the editing notes just got irritating(even though they are important). Plus the instant friendships were a bit much. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

I really love the cover of this book and the description is compelling- but the execution of the concept is uneven. This is a story built around a what-if scenario that author shares the origins of at the end of the book. The question is interesting, funny even, but after finishing the novel I'm not sure it's enough to support the story as it is. The novel unfolds as chapters of a mystery alternating with letters to the author of said mystery from a man named Leo. The reader is left to guess at the relationship between Leo and the author, and it takes awhile to understand why we should care about Leo at all. By the time we do truly understand the mystery told chapter by chapter feels a bit like an after thought as there are still many questions by the time everything wraps up. But perhaps since these chapters are supposed to be a work in progress the reader is meant to be forgiving of that and focus on the letters from Leo. It was compelling enough to keep me reading and these days a fast read is a good fit.

Brilliant! Inventive! My first book by this author and I’m ready for the next. I love her characters, the cleverness of the writer writing about a writer who’s writing a book, the emails from a third person that starts the book, the way she handles the pandemic without bogging down the story, and the perfect red herrings that work right up to the end. I already want to reread this book because it was so good.
Read this book!

What starts off as a general contemporary novel quickly became something else, especially with the introduction of Leo, a writer-acquaintance of the novel's main character. The reader may be confused for a bit as there are two people named Leo (or are they the same person?). You'll have to keep reading to find out but I will share there is 'something' going on and it involves at least one person dying by the hand of another. Not exactly twisty but very, very good writing! This book moved from three stars to five IMHO by the time I got to the next to the last chapter. Bravo!

A genuinely original premise with the story-within-a-story-within-a-story. Highly recommended for collections where thrillers are popular.

I absolutely loved every minute I spent reading this novel. The Woman in the Library, is like nothing I have ever read before and I appreciated how unique it was. Sulari Gentill, does an incredible job narrating such a thrilling story!

A library is supposed to be quiet, right? But everyone has something to hide, and secrets can be very loud when they are brought to light. The library is no longer so quiet, a woman's scream has pierced the ears of the patrons. Security quickly enforces a lock down until they can find out what just happened. Four people, all in the reading room for different reasons pass the time away with chatter, but one of them is a murderer.

This is a novel you wont be able to put down. I was completely consumed early on and I was so eager to see who was the murderer and why. I could not flip the pages fast enough.

Easy 5 star read! Due out May 13, 2022, you do not want to miss this one.

A classic whodunnit that will keep you guessing long after the first chapter. Follow along as four strangers who met under mysterious circumstances in the Boston Library Reading Room try to solve a murder. Each of them has something to hide- but is is something worth killing for?

Such a fantastic mystery that keeps the reader guessing until the very end. Two seemingly innocent stories quickly take a dark turn that makes this book impossible to put down. Emailing with a fellow writer named Leo, Hannah shares her manuscript for her work in progress. Her book begins with four strangers hearing a scream that echoes throughout the Boston Public Library. Their shared experience sparks an unlikely friendship, but we quickly learn, that each person has something to hide. Freddie the Australian author falls in love with the mysterious Cain, also an author, who has a mysterious past. Marigold the tattooed college student is in love with Whit, the handsome rich law student. As Freddie works on her newest book she becomes tangled up in the lives of each of her friends. However her new found relationships take a turn for the worst when multiple murders expose each persons dark side. Meanwhile Hannah's emails with Leo become dangerous, and she finds out that even real people have secrets to hide. Throughout all of this danger, secrets are finally revealed with an unbelievable ending. I highly recommend this book!

Holy moly! I highly recommend this one for fans of Ruth Ware or The Woman in the Window. It’s a devour in one sitting or as soon as humanly possible.

I loved this intelligent, high tension, addictive, unputdownable book so much!

A story is hidden inside another story about a writer’s building another thriller story: are you confused with the story line reminding us of smart thriller book version of Inception screenplay! At least nobody’s dreaming in this book! It’s only 3 dimensional story so you have to wear your 3D glasses during your read not to get lost!

This book is written in unique, unconventional, twisty, intelligent style.

There’s a main murder story connecting four alibis who are coincidentally ( or not so coincidentally) meet at BPL for their own writing researches. And at each chapter’s end contains emails about a true fan’s reviews about the continuing story which is still written!

Aren’t you still drawn into? It is absolutely riveting and picked my interest with its impactful ending of the first chapter: main character of the story: Winifred Kincaid a.k.a. ,27, an aspiring Aussie author who came to the states by benefiting from Marriott Scholarship chooses the same day to work at the Boston Public Library with random three young people who share the same table with her.

She observes three of them without giving away too much clue : 23 years old tattooed girl with nose ring : she called her “Freud Girl” and her real name is Marigold Anastas, a vivid, eccentric, energetic girl who studies psychology with stalking tendencies ( unusual trait for the choice of her major).

A Harvard Law student, mommy’s boy with flirting charm, a powerful lawyer’s dear son, she called “ Heroic Chin” and his real name is Whit Metters

And third one she obviously likes a little more is charismatic author, 30, with mysterious past, she called “ Handsome Man” ( she could be more creative but she’s charmed by this man at first sight, who can blame her!) his real name is Cain McLeod ( or not! )

They both heard a woman’s scream at the library and their common panic connected the foursome to share coffees and stories at the Map Room. First chapter implies one of them is a murderer. But which one?

I guessed I had to turn the pages faster to find out more about these four people and how their paths get crossed as more violence and murders are thrown into the equation.

We also have a quick look to the one sided correspondences between the author who created foursome’s whodunnit murder story and a little deranged fan who writes his opinions and suggests direction to the author.

Hannah Tigone is the main author of the story we don’t know much about her: ( only we know she’s successful Australian thriller author and black) and we don’t see her own correspondences, we learn about her via emails of Leo who seems like another aspiring writer and her biggest fan , who reads her manuscript, giving her some ideas about language, slangs, idioms etc. But we also realize his criticizing tone starts changing a little bit: his lecturing tone to make irreversible changes with the story and his stubbornness to reject understanding true nature of characters and their motives Hannah created turner into something more maniacal and uncontrollable!

Leo’s emails are added at the each chapter of main story which ends with twisty cliffhangers help to build more tension and awaken readers’ curiosity.

As you understood: you just read two plots at the same time and there’s a smart move from the author who also added Leo as a colleague of Freddie at the library murder story which makes us confused more about the motives of the character.

The surprising ending was also remarkable. I was thinking to give four stars because the whodunnit subplot’s culprit was a little obvious even though the author tries harder to deceive us by pointing out the other characters as suspects. But the unique two intercepted storylines ( both of them are interesting) and smart ending earned my additional half star.

I’m rounding up my 4.5 to 5 murder mystery, well plotted, greatly executed, exciting stars!

Looking forward to read more works of the author sooner!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

This was a different kind of mystery with the book within a book plot. It was a slow start but got better as it went on. It took me a bit to figure out what was going on but it was a good read.

Wow! The Woman in the Library is the best book I've read all year. The story of four strangers who become friends when they hear a woman scream in the Boston Public Library. Soon they find out the woman has been murdered.
I don't want to give too much away, but this novel is unique, a story within a story. It's compelling, sometimes disturbing and just amazing.
I always enjoy Sulari Gentill's books and this one is a must read. I highly recommend it.

The Woman in the Library is a standalone murder mystery novel. Clever writing left me guessing whodunit until the last few pages. Even though the author let's you know from the outset that this is a novel, I still felt fully vested in the characters and their fates. Sulari Gentill is not a new novelist, but this is the first novel of hers I have read. Set in contemporary times, she seamlessly builds out each character. After reading The Woman in the Library, it is easy to understand why Ms. Gentiill has won multiple awards.

This interesting murder mystery is set in Boston, including the beautiful Reading Room in the main branch. Four strangers begin a conversation, and then relationships, after hearing a scream while they are all in the Reading Room studying. The discovery of a dead body increases their concerns, so they decide to try to solve the mystery themselves. Interspersed with the regular story are emails from a fan of the author's, who provides critiques of her writing, chapter by chapter. Although a bit too long, the novel has a pretty good story, a clever format, and strong characters. Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing an ARC.

I was intrigued by the premise of the book and its location at the Boston Public Library, so I was excited to have the opportunity to read an advance copy of the book. I found the book's plot to be unique, and I liked that the book was not just a murder mystery, but also an interesting look at friendships that develop quickly with strangers. I had some difficulty with the format of the book and keeping track of what was "real" and what was part of the book within the book. Unlike most mysteries, this book raised a lot of ethical questions and would make a good choice for book discussion groups.

An intriguing mystery written in a clever style. This is a book within a book, and perhaps even a book or two inside of that book. The book draws you in as you read chapter after chapter of a murder mystery. These chapters are written by an Australian woman with each chapter ending with a letter to the author from a writer living in Boston, where the story takes place, with feedback for the author about the location and American phrasing. The story itself that she is writing is about an Australian author living in Boston writing a book who meets up with 3 others in a Boston Library when they hear a woman scream. This event binds them together and they form an intense friendship that arises from that moment. New friends are a good thing, except one of them is a murderer. This story drew me in from the first chapter and I couldn't put the book down. Interspersed with the story itself is a great deal of back story about writing processes as there are multiple authors at play in this book.
Thank you to Net Galley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a different mystery, it threw me off at first until I understood what was going on. It's about an author named Hannah who is writing a mystery book. The mystery story is the main part of the book. At the end of every chapter, Hannah includes a letter from her friend Leo who is editing and offering suggestions for her story. The mystery itself revolves around 4 strangers who meet at the Boston Public Library one afternoon after they hear a woman scream. Later that evening, they find out she was murdered. The story is told from Winifred's (also known as Freddie) point of view. I was curious as to the murder at the library along with other crimes that happen later. My favorite part is the quick friendship they make after their unfortunate first meeting.

Hannah is an Australian author who has a regular correspondence with another author who also happens to be a fan that offers her advice on her Boston setting. With four characters that are in the Boston Public Library when they hear a scream. Being held in place while security checks it out. the four begin talking and forge a friendship. They soon find out that a body was found in the library and it was a murder. Now it comes down to whether one of the group is a killer.

This book had a bit of a slower start and it was hard to keep track of what was the story, and what as supposed to be real. That made this a bit of a longer read as I had to stop and think and look back more than a few times. But it sure made for an interesting read.

What a wonderfully fun and complex story. I particularly enjoyed the literary suggestions offered up by the incongruous Leo. The Woman in the Library kept me on my toes as I juggled to keep fiction, nonfiction, and red herrings separate. A mysterious dance with excellent characters.