"After She Wrote Him" by Sulari Gentill attempts to weave a metafictional narrative blending reality and fiction, but the execution falls short, resulting in a convoluted and confusing reading experience. The novel explores the relationship between an author and her fictional creation, blurring the lines between the two worlds. However, the ambitious concept often becomes tangled, making it difficult for readers to fully grasp and appreciate the intended complexity. The characters, while intriguing in theory, lack the depth necessary for readers to invest in their journeys, leaving a sense of detachment. Despite the novel's innovative approach, the overall impact is hindered by a disjointed narrative that struggles to maintain coherence.

2.5 stars

What if you wrote of someone writing of you? In the end, which of you would be real?”

Maddie d’Leon is a lawyer turned mystery writer who is moving away from her successful series to write a new crime novel featuring the writer Edward McGinnity. Or maybe, Edward McGinnity is a writer who has started a new book featuring Maddie d’Leon. Each author writes their character into a precarious situation. Edward is implicated in the murder of an art critic. Maddie becomes obsessed with her writing, and Edward, to the point that her marriage is threatened. But wait, one of those situations must be real and not written, mustn’t it?

I won’t pretend that this book wasn’t confusing at times. Ultimately, it’s up to the reader to figure out which of these people is real and which is imagined. And of course they are both imagined by Sulari Gentill. All very meta and very unique and creative. It was fun reading this book and I would read more by this author, although it looks like this isn’t her usual style.

I thought I had downloaded this, but now it won't load on my Kindle. Probably because I'm 18 months behind. Ha. My apologies, normally I enjoy Sulari Gentill's books but obviously March 2020 was ... a lot... and this one got lost in the shuffle for me.

I found this to be an enjoyable read, keeping me on my toes throughout. The storyline was written well and flowed seamlessly. I look forward to reading more by this author!

Madeline is writing about Edward, who is writing about Madeline....and they're each convinced that the other is a character they created. Madeline is a mystery writer who's decided to branch away from her successful series about a maid in the early 1900s to write about Edward, a literary writer who is trying something different by writing about a mystery writer. Have I given you an idea how confusing this all is? The point of view shifts seamlessly mid scene so I was never quite sure if what I was reading was real life or the story being written. Which is the whole point of the thing. This one is a doozy of a murder mystery, unlike anything I've read before.

The creator becomes the creature in the continuous change of points of view in this book, in which two writers narrate each other's story, studying each other, putting obstacles in their way, inventing twists and turns and interpenetrating. It is clearly an exercise in style, and as such proceeds quite well until almost the end. The author's evident desire not to take the story to extremes, making the two characters real to each other, however, leads to a somewhat rushed ending. The reading guide section at the end of the book is a scholastic affectation that is hard to bear.

This book was fantastic! The mystery kept me turning pages and I couldn't anticipate the next step. He was her book character, why was she seeing him everywhere? Read this, you won't be sorry

What an extraordinarily written book! This author is new to me and reading a new author is like opening a present at Christmas. You don’t know what you are getting until you open the package! Well this package is a wonderful surprise. I will definitely be getting more books from this author. Thank you for writing such a great book!

I really enjoy thrillers! This was a good one...I would read this author again...especially if another thriller!

I was hooked when reading this novel. As a writer myself I love to read books about other writers. One of the things I love about After She Wrote Him is the way Sulari Gentill seamlessly goes from one point of view to the other. The cover also grabbed my attention with the ink spilled from an ink pen creating the silhouette of the protagonist. The reason why I rate this book four out of five stars is because the ending is somewhat predictable and a little bit of a let down. I do love the journey I took as a reader to figure out all the clues and to try and put the puzzle pieces together. I will most likely be reading this book again in the future as the characters and storyline was unique and it was something I truly enjoyed. Also thank you Netgalley for giving me a review copy of After She Wrote Him by Sulari Gentill in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of this book was so interesting. As I read, the lines of reality were blurred and I think the author did a great job. I had a hard time putting this book down and thought it was really well done.

This was a very interesting, unique book. If you're seeking answers neatly tied up in a bow, you won't get that. Sometimes that frustrates me, but in this instance I found it very fun and refreshing. I didn't feel like I was left hanging at the end, but the author did leave plenty of room for speculation. I liked it a lot!

"What if you wrote of someone writing you? In the end which of you would be real?"

Madeleine dLeon is a crime fiction writer who is taking a break from her successful series of mystery novels to write a whodunit with a brand new character named Edward McGinnity, a literary author who has found himself embroiled in the murder of art critic Geoffrey Vogel. In Edward she creates her "perfect man" that is everything she is missing in her own marriage.

Edward McGinnity is writing a story about Madeleine dLeon, lawyer turned crime fiction writer whose marriage to physician Hugh Lamond is troubled due to fertility issues.

They soon discover they can converse with one another, discussing their writing styles and comparing the two. Their relationship progresses past the imaginary (or....??) and soon Maddie prefers Edward's company over her husband Hugh's.

As others have stated, this book was so original and inventive in its storytelling!! I thoroughly enjoyed the story, but the ending was left a little too open ended for me. I prefer an author to TELL me what happens in the end rather than allowing the reader to make their own observation. Overall, a great unique book!

Thanks to Sulari Gentill, Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

Reality And Fiction Blur....
Taut, literary psychological suspense where lines between reality and fiction become seriously blurred. Credible characters together with a tightly woven, clever plot line. An engaging and tense read which may well stay with you well after closing the final page.

One of the most interesting, unique books I’ve ever read. It took me a while to get into it, but when I did, it was so worth it. Brilliantly written and just a total work of art.

Honestly, I wasn't the right audience for this book and I wasn't aware of what I was getting into. I thought this was a going to be a regular domestic thriller with some *literary spice* but instead I got a whole bucket load of weird and confusing psychological thrillers within each other. Almost everyone who has reviewed this so far seems to love it and I imagine they knew what they were getting into, so I'm going to give this three stars because it was mainly my fault for not making sure this was what I thought it would be.

One of the most unique books I've read. It takes a little bit of time to figure out who is talking, and the way this book is set up, but once you do, I promise you it is brilliant. Keep an open mind and stick with it. I absolutely loved it, 4.5 stars.

Loved this book. It was so interesting, a really entertaining story.

I'd like to thank to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Such a unique and twisty mystery!
After She Wrote Him by Sulari Gentill is a great exploration about the blurred lines between fiction and reality.
Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the advance copy.

I absolutely loved this book, especially as an avid reader and a writer myself. This book was cleverly written and the characters so well fleshed out. I thought it might be confusing, but it wasn't -- the author blended the 2 stories seamlessly. I enjoyed the writing so much that the mystery was an added bonus. I used this book in my subscription box and my subscribers seemed to love it as well. A real book lovers book.