I would have given this 5 stars but I hated the ending. This was a very fast and entertaining read. It had me rooting for the characters and I loved the way the book was written. Such an interesting story about a writer writing about another writer writing about him. Confusing? No not at all, I really loved the characters and the story itself. I only wish the ending was different. I would definitely recommend this book. You might feel differently about the ending then I did.

What happens when a writer is immersed so much in her own story that she fails to differentiate between what is real and what is fiction? This story answers just that. I received this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This story is about a crime novelist named Madeliene who is also a lawyer. She creates a character named Edward who is a fictional writer. This book reflects on the connection between a writer and his character and what really happens when the two worlds merges and it becomes difficult to differentiate what is real.

It throws light on the consequences of immersing oneself in a fictional world to escape from reality. The writing is fabulous and it caught me from the first chapter itself. I loved the setting of the story but when I got to the end, I was a bit devastated. I didn't expect it to end that way. I wanted to know what became of Edward. I wanted a proper closure of his story which unfortunately I didn't get.

The characterisation is very well done. It was wonderful to know the inner thoughts of both Edward and Madeliene and how they interacted throughout the story. They both shared similarities upto some extent. I loved the fact that each minor detail has been given a thought in defining the character. It made the story realistic.

Still I didn't like the ending which was a bit disappointing for me. I read it too quickly upto 50% but after that I felt like the story was getting a little detrimental for both the characters. I wanted to have some positive outcome for the characters which didn't do it for me.

The story was good and if you want to experience something new, you should read it.

Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press, Sulari Gentill, and Netgalley for providing me with a digital advance copy of After She Wrote Him. This was such an interesting concept, and the writing was very vivid. I immediately felt pulled into each scene, and the characters seemed fully-formed and believable. Having said that, I found this novel increasingly confusing — to the point that it took away from my enjoyment of the book.

OOO yessss definitely read this one! Y'all I truly was hooked by the first chapter. I wasn't sure if this was the type of book that was going to be up my alley but then I started reading it and I loved it! I think Sulari Gentill did absolutely phenomenal and I cannot wait to read more from this excellent author.

"After She Wrote Him" was a refreshing and original novel with a unique premise -  I haven't read anything quite like this before, and I loved it. 

Madeleine, our protagonist, is a successful author who becomes a little too fixated on one of her newly-created characters. The character in question is Edward, also an author, and in love with a married woman. Madeleine, suffering from the physical and emotional trauma of a series of miscarriages, finds herself retreating further from her own husband, and becoming increasingly enamoured with Edward. but Edward is just a fictional character...isn't he?

The twists and turns were brilliantly executed, and although I found myself confused at times, the author pulled things together in the end. This is a complex novel requiring the reader's full attention - definitely not one to read when you're tired or distracted. But I felt that the effort required by the reader was more than worth it, and even made the book more enjoyable - I  had a real sense of working with the author to unpick what was going on. 

Highly recommended, and I look forward to reading more from this author. 

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. It took me a minute to get into the flow of the 2 stories. I love the relationship between author and subject (if you can figure out which one is which). Lots of suspense and surprises.

Very creative original idea executed perfectly. I was surprised at the ending. Lots of suspense and well worth the read.

I really wanted to enjoy this story only to find a convoluted guessing game which in the end left me wondering what was that all about. It was more akin to a cryptic crossword on speed.
An independent review NetGalley

After she wrote him is a story about a former lawyer turned crime writer who is writing her current novel about an author writing his latest novel about a lawyer who becomes a crime writer writing about an author… confused yet? I earmarked this book to be my lunch time read and I mistakenly started it on a Friday. After putting it down over the weekend I had no clue what was going on come Monday. Once I committed to the book and gave it my full attention and focus it was an interesting albeit weird read. You go from Madeline (the lawyer turned writer) narrating one sentence and the next sentence has switched to her character, Edward (who may not be her character??) I thought I would have preferred if the switching between the two main characters had of been separated into their own chapters, but having it switch mid paragraph like one became the thought of the other made me question who the “real” author actually was and which one was the one being written about. That was the interesting part, the weird part comes about halfway through when the two leads, who up until now have been only part of each other’s imaginations seem to cross over and are able to become physical with each other. I found the plot to be a little flat until the last couple of chapters when things really went off the rails. Overall it was a solid read and I think that Sulari Gentill did an excellent job with this work of meta fiction.

Wow! I just loved this book! It was like a classic mystery, mixed with literary fiction, mixed with a psychological thriller.

Madeleine and Edward are both authors and they are writing about each other. Madeleine is a murder mystery writer and Edward is an author of literary fiction. This book explores their writing process - which was a lot of fun! Edward is at an art gallery when a man he despises is murdered. He begins investigating to clear his own and his friend's name. Madeleine is a successful writer with a marriage that's on the rocks.

This book was so original and interesting! It was a page-turner, but I was highly-invested in the characters. It keeps you guessing about what is real and what isn't, which I love! I loved everything about this book - highly recommend!

5 inside-the-writer's-head stars!

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!</i>

I absolutely loved this book, such a cleverly written story with plenty of twists that kept me guessing right up until the end! The characters were vivid, each plot so believable it was impossible to guess who was the fiction. The ending left me questioning what was real, who was telling the truth...truly outstanding.

What a great premise for a book! The writer and her character interact. I was anxious to read this one, yet was confused during the first half of the book. I continued to read the story, and fell into the rhythm after a while.

Madeline is a lawyer and writer. Her husband, Hugh, is the small town's only doctor. He is also a bit controlling. Madeline (Maddie) writes a new story, unlike her famous series. The main character, Edward,. becomes an obsession of . He becomes real to her......

Meanwhile, Edward is writing about Maddie. His unrequited love for the married Willow inspires him.

There is a murder at Willow's art gallery - what happens to Edward?

And even more important, What happens to Maddie? ...

The idea behind this book is to be applauded. Although confusing at times, it will be a hit for some of the readers.

Many Thanks to Sourcebooks/Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for a different kind of read.

I wasn’t impressed with this book. I kept reading hoping it would get better but it didn’t. It was very confusing. Maddie is a lawyer who also has made a name for herself by writing a series of books. She decides that she wants to write something new and ends up immersing herself
in her newest novel especially the main character Edward. Maddie’s husband Hugh, is a doctor and is away from home most of the time as he is the only doctor in their small town. She also believes that he is lying to her and keeping secrets. Her character, Edward attends the art gallery opening of his best friend Willow where a man Vogel was murdered. Edward becomes a suspect in the murder and os determined to find out the true killer.
The book is confusing where Maddie is writing about Edward and Edward is writing about Maddie. Some of the scenes in the book seem very awkward and at times it is hard to follow what is real.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

This book started off pretty good, it was a very interesting idea and the two characters stories switched back and forth seamlessly. I feel that maybe a third of the way through i started to slightly lose interest, and it got a little weird when the two authors started interacting with each other, especially when they kissed and so on! I feel like it dragged on a bit and then just ended. I kept waiting for something more, a twist maybe (multiple personalities, I dont know), but it was just over....

Thank you to NetGalley for a Kindle ARC of After She Wrote Him.

This is an immersive, meta story about a female crime writer, Madeleine, who becomes enamored of the male lead, Edward, she is writing about.

Or is he in love with her?

Both Madeleine and Edward are going through a tumultuous time in their lives; she is still struggling with the aftermath of yet another miscarriage and suspects her physician husband, Hugh, is stepping out on her; a colleague of Edward's has been murdered at a gallery opening and he is the prime suspect.

The meta structure of the novel was a bit confusing, at first, but the author writes with a fluidity that matches the dual narratives happening at the same time.

Generally, I only like meta-moments when Deadpool is speaking to the audience, but it works here.

But, the novel isn't about Madeleine or Edward, or the strange connection they have for one another.

After She Wrote Him is about seeking solace in words and story, in finding some kind of peace in your own head, so to speak, especially after a tragedy and you fear that grief will overwhelm you.

It is about that side inside each of us that seeks someone who is not quite there, who understands every little thing about you, and vice versa, so words don't ever need to be exchanged because sometimes, words aren't enough.

After She Wrote Him isn't for everyone if you're looking for a straightforward mystery or thriller.

It's strange, odd, contemplative, bizarre and uncomfortable at times, but I'd recommend giving it a try, especially if you want to read something different.

This is going to be one of those books that I loved but that I have a hard time writing about, largely because so much of the magic I found in this one has to do with the way I feel personally about writers and writing. That's a personal experience, and not one that necessarily lends itself well to explanation or explication. But trust me when I say that this is a marvelous book and one of my favorite finds this year!

I love meta-fiction and books that explore the relationship between author/character or art/artist. Anthony Horowitz and Gordon McAlpine are two of my very favorite authors who are masters at this type of story telling. And now I can say without a doubt that Sulari Gentill has entered their pantheon...

This is a book about an author writing a book. But who is the author and who is the book? Gentill has done a brilliant job exploring themes of identity, ownership, madness, creativity, and self. The opening back-and-forth in story lines is engaging. But when things start to overlap, that's when the magic really happens. The story is engaging and both well-written and well-crafted. I loved the way the perspective shifts flowed seamlessly between Madeleine and Edward; it reinforced the interrelationship between the two and really added depth to the narrative.

I imagine there are some who won't like the ending. I found it spot-on perfect for the story, a reinforcement of the themes teased out through the narrative. I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this one, and am definitely going to look for more from Gentill!

After She Wrote Him was a wonderful piece. It featured great writing overall, as well as an intriguing premise. It was such a trippy experience overall, and the ending was left quite open-ended, which leaves the readers wondering.

The characters were nicely constructed and you definitely get more invested in them as the story JG les on. Although rather abrupt, the ending completely broke my heart. I have to say, it was great to see some Sri Lankan representation!!

I wish the pacing either held steady or picked up as time went on, but it felt like it was slowing down the closer the reader got to the end. This made it a little difficult to finish this piece.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review this piece! A more comprehensive review will be shared on social media closer to the date of release.

#AfterSheWroteHim #NetGalley
I read it a night because it was so twisty, i couldn't put it down. Great storyline with great execution. Its my first book from this author. Highly recommended.

The premise was much more intriguing than the execution. I was a little let down. I guess I was hoping for something a bit more. It wasn't as interesting as I hope it would have been.

Deliciously creepy! Any reader will find this book mesmerizing: the notion that a writer would dive down the rabbit hole to literally embrace characters they've created is soo far-fetched. But any writer of fiction wiill fully understand the fascination with and seduction of loving what they've created...just a bit too much. Madeline writes popular genre mysteries, but her latest manuscript is something quite different: she's created Edward, who amounts to her dream man. Almost at once, Madeline embroils the warm, handsome, wealthy character in a murder.
Edward, a writer with one failed novel (revised into garbage by a self-important editor) is creating a novel starring a successful author mired in a failing marriage. Her name is Madeline. Quickly, the two stories intertwine, each author - who is real? who is a seductive figment of an author's imagination? - imagining increasingly real conversations and encounters. At first, it is dizzying, but once the stories mesh the pacing grabs on and won't let go.
As the stakes grow with incident upon incident in Edward's suddenly out-of-control life, Madeline's doctor-husband Hugh is increasingly insistent that she seek help for what he terms her depression and distance. The denouements are shattering, but the "wrap-up" for me was hurried and unsatisfying., with loose ends merely hinted. I had to check to see if a few more pages had gotten misplaced.
Even with the tepid ending, this is an pretty good read.

What a multi-layered book! Don't try and read this one if you're tired, because you need to pay attention to keep it all straight. I had to read the first few chapters a couple of times to keep the threads of the plot untangled. It's a brilliant premise, and I can well imagine all the notes the author must have used in the writing of it.

It's complex, cranial, absolutely psychologically twisty. A very, very different read!