It was surely one of the most unique story I ever got to read. Even after completing it, I'm still unsure of where I stand. The plot is intricate, complex but does grasp you within the first pages.
Whether the characters are real or not, I think it's up to the reader to decide. My mind settled quite early on which character was the author and which was the creation - the ending confirmed my theories while leaving some grey areas and mysteries unsolved.

The ending was quite confusing: neither of the main protagonists' stories were clearly wrapped up, it left us hanging and craving for a real closure. That ending, unfortunately, shadowed the read of my reading experience and disappointed me a bit.
Still, this story cannot shy away from being one of the most original mystery ever written.
It takes a certain talent to mess with one's mind completely as Sulari Gentill was able to do!

After She Wrote Him is a great work of meta-fiction. It is so different from other books of ficiton, the author very seamlessly blends the narrative without making it seem awkward. The characters are interesting and although it is a short novel one has to pay attention to understand what is going on. Keeps readers guessing til the end.

I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book has one of the best premises of any I have read recently. To say much is to spoil this fun mystery. The novel revolves around an author’s relationship with the subject of her fictional novel, or is he the true author while she is part of his imagination. This book kept me enthralled and turning the pages. It is my favorite of 2020 so far!

I applaud Sulari Gentill on an out-of-the-box novel with a gutsy writing style. I can only imagine the waves this book will cause and I look forward to watching the splash.

I had a hard time getting into this story at first. It doesn’t read like a typical novel and it was confusing at first. But once you get used to the way the story is written, it reads easy.

Madeleine d’Leon is a crime writer. She has a successful series, a wonderful following, and a crumbling marriage. She throws herself into her novel and is unaware, at first, of her husbands pulling away from her. The more she notices of his absence and distance, and then lies, the more she throws herself into her novel with her main character. Her new main character, Edward McGinnity, is as charming as he is handsome. And the more she submerses herself into her book, the more the edges of her reality blur and she clings to her brooding main character.

Edward McGinnity is a literary novelist with a dark past and few friends. He is in love with Willow Meriwether, who only views his as a best friend and brother. He despises Willows husband as much as the husband despises him. Edward begins his new novel with his exciting new crime writer main character, Madeleine d’Leon. She is smart and sensible, a classic beauty. While at an art galley opening for Willow, a murder is played out. With a crime writer main character and his reputation on the line, Edward clings to his beautiful main character, as the edges of his reality blur and he find himself a suspect.

Who is the writer? Who is the character? A novel about an author, writing about an author, writing about the author. Wow. That alone is a hell of an idea.

This book walked the tight rope between metaphysical and existential, never quite reaching either extreme. The ending was a punch that I didn’t see coming, but I must say, I am not upset about it. It found it to be the perfect ending to a book overflowing with creative genius.

Thank you to the author, Sulari Gentill, the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this title, in exchange for an honest review.

~This ARC has been gently provided in exchange for an honest review~

I chose to read this book, because the premise seemed quite interesting and original, and it didn’t disappoint me.
I’m sure that we all feel like we are able to know, see, and listen so clearly the characters in the book we are reading that it seems like they were real. If we can be so involved in the story we are reading, imagine then, what a writer must feel about their characters. That’s exactly what is depicted in this book.

Edward McGinnity is a “serious writer”, as Madeleine points out, he writes“the kind of worthy, incomprehensible stuff that wins awards”. One day, the inspiration comes to him and Madeleine d’Leon is born. The first thing he knows about her is that she is a writer too, a mystery/crime writer.

Madeleine d’Leon is in a meeting when Edward starts taking shape in her mind. There’s been a murder and he is the main suspect. In order to defend himself, he starts investigating who the murderer is.

Who has created whom? Who is the real author and who is the character? After she wrote him is a page-turner story with an original plot.

What I liked:
- The quirky way in which the book is written. It's "tell" rather than "show" in places, certainly more so than your usual murder mystery, and it's this technique that lends the narrative its slightly literary flavour.
- The book made me think. Really think. About reality versus fiction. About mental health. About love.
- The actual story.

What I struggled with:
- The quirky way in which the book is written (see above). It took a while to train my reading mind to get into the story.

The verdict:
- Definitely give this one a try.

After She Wrote Him is an original, truly unique novel about a writer writing about a writer, and it just gets more complex from here--but in a good way.

Two writers, each writing a book in which the other in the main character. *insert surprised emoji here* I can only imagine how thoroughly author Sulari Gentill worked to properly outline this masterpiece! The only major downside to this novel is that it requires your full concentration. If not, you will be properly confused, unable to keep up with both sides of the story. But if you take your time and enjoy this book, you'll realize you've discovered a smartly written, perfectly executed story.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. This is my honest, unbiased opinion.

After She Wrote Him starts with Madeleine. She is a lawyer, but she wants te be a writer. One day during a board meeting, she starts writing about a character named Edward McGinnity. When Madeleine comes home after the meeting, she talks to her husband Hugh Lamond about Edward.

Edward is also a writer. He is writing a story about a crime fiction writer names Madeleine d’Leon. When Edwards visits a gallery with an exhibition of his beautiful friend Willow’s paintings, he has a conversation with Geoffrey Vogel. Vogel is a flamboyant man who edited Edward's latest novel. Edward hated the editing and both Willow and Edward hate Vogel.

A few moments after the conversation has ended, Vogel's dead body is discovered. He fell of the stairwell and the police think someone pushed him.
When Willow is being questioned by the police, Edwards starts thinking about what Madeleine would think of the murder of Vogel. She is a crime fiction writer after all.

Writer-ception.
Maddie's reality gets mixed with Edward's fictional life. She works her real friends into Edward's story, he works his friends into Madeleine's story and their stories blur into each other more and more. Maddie makes up a very detailed life for Edward and Edward does the same for Madeleine. They even start talking to each other.

As a reader, you get a look into the mind of a writer. It is only fitting to use the author's own words: “It’s an exploration of an author’s relationship with her protagonist, an examination of the tenuous line between belief and reality, imagination and self, and what happens when that line is crossed.”

Madeleine and Edward think about each other all the time. Edwards wonders what Madeleine would think about the circumstances under which Geoffrey Vogel was killed. Madeleine rather spends time writing about Edward than going out with her friends or spending time with her husband.

As a reader, you begin to wonder which character is real?

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

I loved the suspense. This is a whole new kind of mystery novel. There are so many questions. Who is writing about who? Who killed Vogel? Are Edward’s friends to be trusted? Can Madeleine trust her husband? Is she losing her mind? Is she even real..?

Very original and fascinating to read. The ending was put together so wonderfully. This is a must read for everyone who loves a good mystery.
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Thank you to NetGalley and Poisened Pen Press for sending me an e-ARC.

After She Wrote him started out really well and coherent, but the story slowly spirals into confusion even for the reader. While the book is ambitious, the execution is is messy. I read it because the premise is interesting. After all, some stores are character based. But as the story continues, I wonder if the real author had lost track of her inital aim or just lost control of story, making it more and more like an uncontrollable train wreck that isn't going to end well.
The ending was as expected: disappointment in my case. This is probably not a good way to describe/ talk about Chuang- Tzu's Butterfly dream parable.

A little mind boggling concept but in a good way. Who is the writer, who is the character? Enjoyed this for the most part but a tad disappointed in the ending. Still, all in all, a good read.

After She Wrote Him is like grownup Inkheart. The lines become blurred between writer and character. Characters become a massive part of the writers lives, and start to come to life. It's an interesting concept, but I was left wanting more.

This book keeps you guessing. Who is the writer? Who is the character? Definitely a complex story that keeps you interested. Great intriguing read! Thank you netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

After She Wrote Him (also titled Crossing The Lines) is a stand-alone novel by award-winning Australian author, Sulari Gentill. Madeleine d’Leon is a crime writer whose very successful cosy Veronica Killwilly series might even go to TV. But she is suddenly inspired to write something quite different: Edward McGinnity is a character who has popped into her head and she just has to write him. She’s tickled because he’s an author, the serious type of writer who would never read her genre, giving it an especially delicious irony.

Edward McGinnity writes literary fiction and is quite surprised when his muse sends him a crime writer as his next protagonist. And yet, he’s so enthusiastic to write about Madeleine d’Leon (crime writers are an interesting breed), he is even thinking about her as he attends the gallery opening for his beautiful friend, Willow Meriwether. The presence of published critic (and his one-time editor) Geoffrey Vogel at the show is not appreciated, but Edward is thoroughly shocked when Vogel is murdered, right there, at the gallery.

And there we are: as suspicions fall, first on Willow, then on Edward, it seems he may have some crime solving to do; meanwhile, all is not idyllic in Madeleine’s marriage, making her life just the intriguing sort of study that populates Edward’s novels.

As the two narratives smoothly mesh or dovetail neatly with each other, there is almost a sensation of looking into mirrors facing each other or, perhaps a more accurate representation is the MC Escher sketch of hands drawing each other. There are delightful little scenes where Madeleine is explaining to her husband what is happening to Edward, while Edward is explaining to Willow what is happening to Madeleine.

But then the waters begin to muddy: they begin appearing in one another’s stories, talking to each other, drawn to spend more time with each other. “How seductive the existential strain between writer and character —almost erotic. Edward was charged with the liminal intimacy of it. Not only would he know her, she would come to know him. And therein would be the danger and the essence of story.”

Gentill’s protagonists talk about themselves, but also discuss writing in general and the genres they inhabit. Some conclude: “Who knows what’s really going on in our poor beleaguered, broken-down intoxicated brains? I’m not sure it’s a good idea to look too closely into the mechanics of what we do; it might break the spell.”

Gentill’s highly original concept is truly entertaining, but also gives the reader insight into the author’s process: the development of characters and plot, how comments and questions from friend, spouse, colleague, editor and agent can affect the story, and how the characters sometimes surprise and stun with their thoughts, feelings and actions. But the author has ultimate control (don’t they?) Very clever!

This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press.

With AFTER SHE WROTE HIM, Sulari Gentil accomplished a powerful, entrancing story that took my breath away time and again with logical, surprising twists, complex and fascinating characters, and a thriller/mystery/women's fiction/romance/I don't know what else mash-up of well-written, fantastically well-paced story. When a novelist specializing in crime fiction starts on a murder mystery, she never expects her writer character to take life, to enter her own -- and the writer character never expects to fall in love with the woman crime novelist he is writing. Each has insights and gifts for the other -- and while I was perplexed trying to figure out who was real and who was the fiction, the story got me past that and into sitting up too late at night reading this amazing book. If I had a top 5 favorite writer list, Gentil would be on it -- in the meantime, I'm hunting down her earlier books with happy anticipation.

Who is Edward McGinnity? A character in Madeleine's book or something more sinister? The lines between fiction and reality blur in this page-turner. A clever murder mystery that will stay with you long after you read the last page. Highly recommend.

The premise of the book captured my interest immediately as something different. In college, I groaned about multi-narrative novels, and different perspectives/writing styles in college, but now, I seem to welcome it! Madeleine writes from one perspective while her character, Ned, writes from a different perspective. It was interesting how the author was able to make them even seem different! It was weird how they engaged with each other at times (because, what?!) but it didn't make me dislike the book. The ending did seem like it could lead to another book, which would be great but I left off feeling like I did after I read Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper" and I don't feel that is an unfair comparison for this book.

What a wonderfully original story line! Sulari Gentill has written a READER'S book. Anyone reading this one will be pulled into the book as you try to figure out which character is the writer and which the figment of the writer's imagination. The story moves quickly, but never in the direction you expect. Characters come to life, but again, which character? I can't wait to see what she follows this story with....

Wowza I adored this. I wasn’t wholly satisfied with the ending and that’s the reason I’m going with 4 instead of 5. Such an interesting and unique plot construct, and just the right amount of absurdity. A great read!

After She Wrote Him tells the story of Madeleine, a crime writer who starts a new book about this male character, Edward. The thing is, Edward is a writer too, and he himself is writing a book about... Madeleine. In a way, none of them is real, but they're writing - and therefore have created - each other. They're both ⁠in charge of each other's destinies, and eventually they meet, and fall in love.

I didn't know what to expect from this, but it was honestly a really fun read (even though the book isn't funny per se). It was interesting to see Madeleine's writing methods, which were inspired by the author's, and the story was really well written and solidly built overall.

I still don't know if I loved or hated the ending, and there was a loose thread I wish had been tied in the end, but other than that, it was a very interesting read.

After She Wrote Him is a really intriguing read. The flow and pace of the plot as it works between Madeline and Edward is very engaging. I'm not sure I've read anything quite like this before.

Thank you to NetGalley for my copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.