Unfortunately, I DNF’ed this book at 18%. I got confused what was going on pretty quickly and just didn’t have it in me to keep reading. The letters or side story didn’t make any sense or brought anything valuable to the rest of the book. I am not sure where the author was going with it there.
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I think this was a case of a book being marketed oddly - and it set me up to be disappointed. I'm not generally a fan of lists in reviews, but I feel like this is the best way to approach a book that wasn't for me, but had some good qualities.

Read this if you like :
--story within a story books
--the premise of a possibly unreliable narrator
--a meta concept that each of the characters is being created to suit the narrator/writer of the story within a story
--a mystery with a few characters, who have backstories that are slowly revealed....kinda

Skip it if you don't like :
--unbelievable insta-friendship and unbelievable insta-love
--stories that seem like they might have a lot to do with a library, but really don't
--slow burn stories
--endings that happen quickly and don't give you a lot of detail

It has to be said that I felt like the library aspect of this, in plot and title, felt like it was just added to appeal to bookish folk who enjoy reading about a library in a plot. If this had been called The Woman in the Gas Station, would it have appealed to as many people and prompted them to pick it up? But the location is arbitrary.

I consumed to this book all in one sitting, which is something I haven't done in ages.

I didn't know going into it that there is a book within a book element, and I must admit that I am a bit of a sucker for that trope. I was intrigued to see how both plots would progress, and honestly figure that if folks didn't enjoy this, it's because they are not fond of that device (although they could obviously have other reasons).

The mystery of who the murderer ended up being was intriguing to untangle, and I'm glad my uneasy about the beta reader didn't going no where.

TW for racist stereotypes and ranting of that nature.

The four characters who hear the scream in the library become friends beause of the scream. But one of them is the killer, how could that be when they are all four at the librayr table?
This book is written with an interesting format: an author writing a mystery whena fellow author offers suggestions as the author submits chapters.
Difficult to put this one down. I felt the fellow author, Leo, was not a nice person. Read to see what ensues in this unusual mystery.

What I Loved:

The Characters. Freddie, Marigold, Whit, and Cain are four strangers that bond after being at the same table in the Boston library when a woman is killed. Winnie and Cain are writers and studies of character who blossom into friends and more. Marigold is a tattooed, kick ass psychology major, loyal friend, and a *little* crazy, who is in love with Whit the perpetual Harvard Law student with mommy issues. As the four of them continue to hang out more, romances blossom, secrets come out, and they are all in danger… or are they? In the background is Leo the neighbor, but also Leo the writer’s helper. Similar characters, but very different functions to the story. I loved them all. Gentill creates such rich characters, all with flaws and secrets and layers like onions. You could picture eating ridiculous donuts and crying over a glass of wine with each of them, you see each character in the people you walk by in the city. Complex characters are hard to find in some thrillers, but not here.

The Atmosphere/Setting. Picture Boston in the fall heading towards winter. It is “college” season, with everyone going to and from colleges, seeking warm libraries and hot coffee, glasses of wine and romance. And yet, a layer of dread hangs in the air, of anticipation. A girl from one of those very Boston schools is dead in our narrator’s book. Multiple women from real-world Boston are turning up dead. Women are being stalked, “gifts” are showing up with no senders, and it is hard to trust anyone: even those closest to you. That is what pervades Woman in the Library. It is eerie, it is spooky, and it makes you want to cuddle up with your blanket and wine.

The “Story in the Story“, second half: I will admit, the meta nature of Woman in the Library completely threw me for the first third of the book. I was having a hard time separating the “real” author based in Australia from the character writer currently living in Boston, and the “real” Leo the proofreader from book Leo, a writer in residence in Boston and Winnie’s neighbor. The real world letters from Leo to the author also threw me out of “fantasy land,” like when he brings up masks, wildfires, and other insanity going on in the real world. However, as the pace picks up and the suspense builds, I was able to not only understand the split storyline but become deeply invested in both the novel characters and the “real life” author’s issues. I devoured the second half of this book, anxiously awaiting resolutions to both stories.

What Didn’t Work as Well:

“Story in the story” first half: On the flip side, when I first began Woman in the Library, I was deeply confused. None of the promotional material for this book mentioned that the characters in the book are actually actively being written by the “main” character, a writer in Australia, and that the murder in the book is not the “real” murder we are trying to solve. I was confused at the onset, and almost put down Woman in the Library” after the first two chapters. If this wasn’t an ARC, I might have.

The “Actual” Author. Due to the set up as described above, the “actual” writer of the characters, Hannah Tigone is never actually heard from throughout The Woman in the Library. The only way we know her is through correspondence with “real Leo” and with the FBI. I never got a real sense of what this woman was really like, which I guess was the intent since she is the “author,” but still felt like a loss.

Short synopsis: someone is murdered in the Boston public library

My thoughts: the concept of this was so interesting and unique. A story within a story, set in the Boston public library (which is amazing if you’ve never been there).

All in so I was somewhat confused through the majority of the book, but may have just not been in the right headspace to properly post attention to the details this .

Read if you love:
* slow burn mystery
*plot twists
*who done it
*unique multi layered writing style

“Still, there might be something fitting about a friendship based on a common love of words being founded on an exchange of the same.”

The Boston Public Library’s opulent reading room is serene until a woman’s horrified scream breaks the stillness. Security personnel takes over right away, telling everyone inside to remain put until the threat is discovered and neutralized. Four strangers who happened to be seated at the same table while waiting for the all-clear engage in discussion and formed friendships during this period. Each person was in the reading room that morning for a different reason; it just so happens that one of them is a murderer. In the Boston Public Library, Harriet, an Australian implant writer, stares towards the ceiling in the hopes of getting ideas for a new book. Fortunately, Cain, Whit, and Marigold are seated at the same table when they overhear the horrifying sound of a lady screaming. They end up becoming friends quickly and easily after being shocked. only to learn quickly that the wailing woman had been killed. Who killed her? Could it be a person seated at the table?

This entertaining mystery is recounted from Harriet’s point of view. Leo, a reader of Hannah, the author of the novel we’re reading, is featured in alternating chapters that tell a story within a story. I’ll start by saying I liked this. Life intervened, forcing me to put it down, but it continued to circulate in my thoughts, which was a very nice thing. It was an unusual read because it was told in two tracks (first, the author’s writing of the title story and then, second, the communication of her beta reader responding to the narrative with comments and ideas). I’ve read novels in this style before, but this one stood out as being interesting.

I thought this part of the narrative was cleverer, funnier, and slightly creepier than the main one, and it built to its conclusion in a more gratifying way. Although it does demand some concentration and the primary plot’s resolution felt anticlimactic to me, I still found the mystery to be quite fascinating, though I did feel a little lost in the first few chapters as I tried to understand the characters. I do not doubt that this very original and modern interpretation of a murder mystery will be very well received. Readers are taken on a nuanced journey by Gentill into the confusing world of friendships, where things may not always be as they seem. Even though I figured this one out, the characters and plots are so deceptively camouflaged that it had no impact on how much I enjoyed reading. This tale is dark, suspenseful, and incredibly engaging. This will be a hit with mystery lovers.

The Woman in the Library is a layered murder mystery. Four strangers are seated together at the library when they hear a woman's scream. This event brings these strangers together, and together they investigate not only who did it, but what exactly transpired to begin with.

First of all, I loved that the story took place at the Boston Public Library, a famously old and beautiful location. The story itself was interesting with three different threads running through the book, the actual story with the four strangers, the notes/book that the author is writing based on the scream in the library, and a series of letters mailed to the author. While I loved this aspect, the storylines did get a bit muddled and confusing. I gave the book 3 stars for this reason. An excellent setting and great characters, but just a little too messy for me to enjoy. Would still recommend for someone who can focus on the storylines and enjoys a mystery within a mystery!

If you are looking for a murder mystery that is incredibly well crafted, will keep you guessing around every turn, and has a cast of characters that you will fall hard for… LOOK NO FURTHER!! I am absolutely enthralled with this book! The alternating chapter perspectives provide an additional sub plot that is just as intriguing as the main plot. I still have some questions about the ending, and it will probably live rent free in my head for a while. Highly, highly recommend this book!!

It seems readers are either absolutely loving this book - or not. Unfortunately, I did not. I did not finish. I like the premise, and the way it was written was so different, but it didn't hold my attention. I'm so disappointed that I didn't love it. Doesn't mean others won't. I hope they do.

DNF at 20%

Ultimately, I can’t get into this one no matter how hard I try. The writing style is odd, and audio being my primary form of consumption isn’t helping. I’d be better off putting this one down than forcing my way through a plot that I don’t really care about.

I was not expecting this. I went thinking one thing and end thinking otheer completely different. The plot was amazin true be told. Loved to see the 4 different povs. My mind just kept blowing troughout the entire book.

The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill is a terrific whodunnit that very well be one of the most original novels I have picked up in some time.

Summary -

Four strangers share a table in the reading room at the Boston Public Library when the peaceful calm is shattered by a woman's scream. The four, Winifred, Marigold, Whit and Cain now find themselves thrust into a mystery. Who screamed and why? Security on first inspection could find no reason for the scream or anyone who actually witnessed it. Until the next day, when...

"...I look up. A reporter talking to camera. '...the body of a young woman was discovered by cleaning staff in the Boston Public Library.'
I close the laptop and turn up the volume, leaning forward towards the television. A body, My God, the scream! The reporter tells me nothing more of any use. I switch to another station, but the report is much the same. The body is not identified beyond being that of a young woman.
My phone rings. It's Marigold. 'The news! Did you see the news?'
'Yes.'
'That scream.' Marigold sounds more excited than frightened. 'That must have been her.'
'I wonder why they didn't find her then?'
'Maybe whoever killed her hid the body?'
I smile. 'They didn't say anything about murder..."

Now the four new friends are eager to solve the mystery of the dead woman in the library but in reality, they themselves are only part of a story being written.

"...Dear Hannah,
I sense my Marigold is in danger. Killing her would certainly enhance the sense of tragedy and tension, but it does run the risk of feeding into the cliché that the quirky best friend is there to be killed off. If you are going to take her (and I will mourn that), make sure you don't waste the opportunity to tear the reader apart with the horror of it. Marigold should not go quietly..."

Hannah Tigone is a successful writer embarking on a new novel. Her premise is a murder in the Boston Public Library. Four strangers huddled around a table quietly studying when a woman screams and then these four strangers are strangers no more. Hannah is corresponding with a fan and frustrated writer, Leo, who becomes her beta reader. Chapter by chapter, Hannah sends Leo the proof of the novel and he in turn, responds with his critique.

Only chapter by chapter, Leo's critique becomes more personal and he begins to behave as if the manuscript is actually his. As the messages are sent back and forth, Leo becomes darker and more sinister with each passing chapter.

"...What exactly did the FBI tell you, Whit?'
Whit falls into the couch beside me. 'Cain was convicted of murder in the first degree. He served nearly eight years. Got out about seven years ago, changed his name and wrote a novel.'
'And you didn't think this was something Freddie and I needed to know?' Marigold has recovered enough from the shock of the news to shout at Whit.
I interrupted. 'If he got out seven years ago, and he served nearly eight, he must have been very young when this happened.'
'Unless he lied to us about his age, along with everything else.' Marigold folds her arms.
'We don't know that he's ever lied to us,' I protest.
'He didn't tell us anything about prison!'
'That's not the same thing as lying. None of us has told each other everything.'
Marigold studies me. 'It's a big thing to leave out, Freddie.'
'It's also a big thing to confide..."

The four friends begin to unravel the mystery of the woman in the library and when one of them is attacked, they begin to realize that one of them may actually be the murderer.

Review -

The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill is as near perfect a novel as you will ever come across. A tantalizing Russian nesting doll of a tale. The inner story, of the four friends and the Woman in the Library is a tense mystery where the four trust and mistrust one another as they realize how very little they truly know of one another. The outer tale, of Hannah and Leo, is a slow burn of terror and madness that strips away the veneer of normalcy and allows the reader to peer into the paranoia and fear that recent events have wrought.

What is most impressive is that Gentill writes both stories so well. Though the story of Hannah and Leo is more of a short story than a full novel, given the space it is given, it is still very much a well crafted and detailed narrative. The reader is engrossed in both tales and neither one seems to encroach on the other. Like Siamese twins joined at the hip, one does not live without the other.

The mystery of the woman in the library does not suffer from being a story within a story. The reader will care greatly about the characters and the emotional investment needed in such a murder mystery is powerful. You will want the best for Freddie. You will want Cain to be innocent. You will want Whit to act like a grown up and you will want Marigold to learn some boundaries. All the while knowing that they are characters in some one else's book.

The Woman in the Library is a damn good read.

The Boston Public Library’s silence is shattered by a woman’s scream. Security guards lock down the premise and rush to investigate. While they wait, four strangers talk at a reading room table, and an unlikely friendship begins. Each has a reason for being there, each has something to hide, and one of them is a killer.

The Woman in the Library is a brilliantly plotted story. Sulari Gentill takes what could have gone wrong in a million ways and twists it into a compelling and impossible to set aside tale. I would like to give specifics but can’t without ruining some of the elements of surprise. Instead I’ll say that, a story that could have easily tipped toward slow, proved gripping. A tale that, because of its nature, could have kept the reader on the outside became completely immersive. Even with an ever-growing number of strikes against the characters, I couldn’t help but root for them. I wanted an explanation for everything.

Gentill stacked everything up against herself, then she went on to not only overcome each obstacle but shine. Right on the back cover, we are told about four strangers, and one is a murderer. If that doesn’t narrow down the suspects and give the reader a big advantage, then I don’t know what will. But even equipped with that knowledge, Gentill leads us through a never-ending maze of twists and turns, culminating in the shocking ending.

My one qualm with the book falls completely under personal preference. I enjoy reading as a way of escaping for a little bit from the craziness of life. In The Woman in the Library, the author incorporated several occurrences ripped straight from the headlines. For example, Covid and other issues that have plagued our news cycles in the past few years. While they weren’t a predominant part of the book, they came up from time to time. It forced me to deal in fiction with what I already have in real life.

If you enjoy a smartly-written whodunit with a locked room feel to it, then I recommend The Woman in the Library.

The Woman in the Library is a thought-provoking, brilliant and well-executed mystery and thriller book. Hooked right from page one, I found myself musing over the fab four of the BPL who instantly bond over a scream, a murder they just heard. As each finds themselves on a quest to decipher what happens, friendships will be tested, betrayal comes knocking, and motives will be pending a thorough review. Trust backed by love and attraction complicates this, and boundaries will be pushed. Kudos to Sulari for pulling out such an unconventional manner of storytelling whereby the chapters of the book are presented first, followed by the email exchange steeped in reality. This is the marriage of inception and Agatha Christie. I could never have predicted the series of events leading to a well-thought and numbing ending. I went back to read it twice to understand the union between fiction and reality. For mystery and suspense fans, do not skip this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for giving me this ARC. This honest review is left voluntarily,

My thanks to NetGalley for giving me a copy of this for my honest review. This book had high places and low places. I had to reread several sections as it did not flow and I could not keep characters straight. Four strangers are in the library and hear a woman's screams. Parts of the library are closed and after many pages we find out that a woman had been killed. I gave it 4 stars as some of the twists and turns are wonderful in coming to solve the mystery and some of the interactions and relationships. That being said many places I found confusing but all in all a good read.

This was a super-clever story within a story within a series of letters, and keeping up with it via audiobook was a little tough but well worth it.

The novel involves a best-selling writer who is sending beta chapters of her novel-in-progress to a fan, Leo, who is writing her back with ever-more-pointed critiques. Most of the novel is told via the beta chapters and this feels like the "real" story, so it is sometimes hard to remember that the real story is actually about the novelist writing the tale we are hearing -- especially because in the novel, the main character is a novelist who is writing about people she met in a library -- and she is setting her story in the library with those people as models for her characters! Whoa, trippy... but oh-so-fun!

The tale the novelist tells involves four people sitting in the fancy special books room at the Boston Public Library who hear a scream and then discover a murder was committed while they all sat there. The natural buzz that arises causes them all to start chatting with one another and before long they have struck up friendships that in some cases are budding romances. In addition, the Australian novelist in the novel is in Boston on a fellowship, and some of her fellow fellows are characters in her book, as well. Gentill does a fantastic job of keeping the reader guessing as to who-done-it without throwing in any red herrings. On the top level of the story, Leo's letters start to get darker and angrier (and more racist and sexist) as he can't find an agent to represent him, and the FBI have to investigate whether he's a threat.

Thanks to Netgalley and Poison Pen Press for providing me with a free advance copy of the ebook, and to the fabulous readers' app Scribd, which provided me with the audiobook by Dreamscape Media, excellently narrated by Katherine Littrell. There were lots of voices with both American and Australian accents, and everything was done well. The author was an astrophysicist, then an attorney, then a novelist who has won lots of awards for her Rowland Sinclair mystery series, so she is well-educated with wide interests and it shows in her delightful writing. I would be glad to read more by her.

I fear this is another case of a book being rated poorly over all because of bad marketing. The synopsis for this book isn't really accurate for what you're getting. It was a fine thriller, if a little predictable - like obviously the main suspect is a huge red herring.

Typically I like meta books - but in this one it just felt tacked on. Like what was the point of that? There wasn't much resolution there, and frankly this book would have gotten a higher rating from me if it hadn't been there.

For most of the book I was around a three stars, but the ending just didn't give what I needed it to give to get that three stars.

This is one heck of an action-packed murder mystery. Set in the Boston Public Library - which immediately had me hooked as I love a good library - this is a story about chance encounters, friendship and the complexity of humans.

The correspondence between Hannah and Leo is very clever and I was so hooked that I totally forgot that Hannah was working on a piece of fiction…

But fiction and fact can be very blurry, as we discover as we read further. This is a fantastic read and kept me entertained all the way through. An adventure from start to finish.

It's a closed room mystery - a group of 4 strangers sit at a table in a library and hear a scream. Someone is murdered in the stairwell. Who did it? As they are held for questioning, confidences are shared and friendships are formed. But one of them is a murderer. Who did it?

I did not see the killer coming in this one and really enjoyed my reading experience!