The premise of this was very exciting. I felt that the layers to the story truly added an experience for the reader. The structure and set up of the novel was great. I would say I was heavily invested until we reach the last pieces of the book. It just kind of fell apart for me by then.

This was a different spin on the murder mystery genre. I loved the meta feel of a mystery writer writing a book about about a mystery writer writing a mystery book. It was easy to read and captured my attention right away. I liked the characters because they were relatable, but also the creepiness of other characters and how the reader could jump from one to another trying to figure out who the bad guy was within each mystery, I will definitely recommend this to other murder mystery, whodunit fans.

Frankly, this is the oddest book I’ve ever read and I’m not quite sure what to think about it. It’s the blandest thriller I’ve ever encountered, and the plot was rather tired if I’m being honest. And then there’s the bi-story that was pointless and I’m still trying to wrap my head around. Not greatest read ever.

I don’t really love locked room mysteries. I read them- but they just seem so unrealistic. I know that’s the point of books- an escape. But this wasn’t for me.

"The Woman in the Library" is an engrossing and thought-provoking mystery that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. Set in the hallowed halls of a grand library, the story follows an enigmatic woman who becomes the center of attention when a crime is committed. With meticulous attention to detail and a skillful blend of suspense and intrigue, the author weaves a complex tapestry of secrets, lies, and hidden motives. The atmospheric setting adds depth and enhances the sense of tension, while the well-drawn characters and clever plot twists ensure that readers will be guessing until the final page. "The Woman in the Library" is a must-read for fans of the mystery genre, offering a thrilling and immersive reading experience.

This was an incredible thrilling and mysterious novel and any book that takes place in a library surrounded by books is a win for me!!

The Woman in the Library
Sulari Gentill
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4)

spoiler free

summary/plot: A story within a story. There were 2 parts to the book. One being the "manuscript" of this author (that we're reading). The other being this authors beta reader for said manuscript and you see emails from him after each chapter. It was definitely different, but it was a fun read.

characters: I actually quite loved the dynamic between of the 4 friends. I liked the idea that they all met because of a scream. It really kept me guessing who the killer was till really, the end.

what i liked: I really just love little whodunit mysteries, and this was a nice short one that kept my guessing.

what i didn't like: I hated the beta reader, Leo. He was really weird honestly, and it made me uncomfortable reading some of his emails. He would get obsessed with certain details, and just like not for me.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

This was a great read! Checked off some many boxes for me, with twists and turns throughout. Great characters with a good mystery told in a fun and interesting way.

I received an e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley.

This book was great. I loved trying to figure out what would happen next, but I actually was surprised. The characters were interesting and I liked the concept.

A story within a story, within another story (in a way). This is a cleverly constructed murder mystery with many overlapping elements that make you think.
Our main POV is quite relatable and realistic; although I’d argue that the others are missing something. But remember I’m a fantasy reader at heart and so expect a lot out of characters that murder mystery stories don’t tend to have. That said this story predicates on the characters personalities and motives quite heavily; so I’d have liked them to feel a bit more ‘real’.
All that to say that the characters lack of realness may also be intentional… confused yet? Yeah me too. Lol. I don’t want to give much away but let’s just say our characters are very fictional.

I enjoyed this and really was taken for the ride up to the last page. The last page irritates me and brings this down to a four-star book. It was completely unnecessary to add in the last couple lines like the author did. I don’t really understand the motive or thought behind it except to create more to talk about in a book club…?
It feels messy, unnecessary, and (for me) took away from the brilliance of the storytelling up to that final moment.
Now again I’m not a big murder mystery, thriller reader. So this is outside my wheelhouse and comfort zone. I liked it; but can’t understand the ending. If the ending was meant to be like the movie Inception, where everyone argues what the final moment is or says; then I suppose I could maybe accept it. For me it didn’t really feel that way. Maybe it’s supposed to take us full circle? I didn’t get that from it personally; but if others do then I can respect that.

If you rarely pickup mysteries I’d say this one is unique enough to be worth reading. If your a lover of the genre this is a must read. Not only for its unique set-up and style; but because it really is a great example of taking a typical genre and stepping it up. Poor last line or not, I cannot deny this is quite the little story and yes I will be recommending it to almost everyone I talk to. But I still refuse to give it five stars… I’ll be mulling this ending for some time I think…

I was finally (FINALLY!) able to get around to this one after practically EONS. It was. SO. GOOD. My local library has a copy and I had to be put on the holds list but it was WORTH IT!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

Unfortunately, this was not for me. I was unable to get past the first few chapters. I believe this is just an issue of my taste not aligning with the story. I recommend others try it!

A 3.5/5 stars for me. I really wanted to love this unfortunately I just felt like this book wasn’t sure what it was. Crime? Fiction? A judgement on being a writer? A character study? A murder mystery? There was a lot happening.

I really liked the writing style, it was like nothing I’ve read before but unfortunately that was both a blessing and a curse. This book is a lot which makes it feel murky at times. Highly intelligent but just trying to do too many things. I look forward to their next novel as they clearly have creative talent but this just didn’t quite work for me.

This was a good mystery but at times I found it far fetched. There were parts where I really felt that you had to suspend disbelief in order to reach the conclusion of the book.

This book has a story within the story.

The main plot, where we follow Freddie was intriguing, even though the number of suspects for the murder is very limited I got to suspect all of them at some point. It was a very interesting ride, but the ending felt a little flat for me, I didn't love the way everything was explained and the motive for the murder was not that great. Also, I didn't think it was very convincing how fast all four of them got so close.

On the other hand, the Hannah and Leo story turned out to interest me more than I thought. I definitely did not see where it was going. I just expected it to be less rushed in the end.

What is better than a bookish murder mystery? The answer is nothing! THE WOMAN IN THE LIBRARY is an amazing read. The plot, the twists, and the pace were perfection.

I enjoyed this book. It is a book within a book. The author of the book lives in Australia and is writing a murder mystery book that takes place in Boston. The murder occurs at the Boston Public Library. I loved trying to figure out who the murderer in the story was. I also enjoyed the story about the author and the man she is corresponding with who is giving her feedback on her book. I would have liked to have read more about this storyline. It wasn't as in-depth as I would have liked. Still I enjoyed the book within a book and figuring out who the murderer was.

This is a book about a book, but also about a murder? I did find this book very difficult to follow, however it did leave me up late trying to understand the plot. Whilst the idea of this book was great and the characters where strong. Unfortunately I did end up not finishing it as it was becoming to confusing for me.

The letter storyline didn’t connect and really took me out of it. It made the story confusing and too long. I stopped caring and ended up Dnf’ing at 65%.

This is a book about a book, about someone who is writing a book but there’s also a murder?

The book starts out with a letter to Hannah from a man named Leo asking about the book she is writing. The reader soon learns that the story that follow after is the book that Hannah is writing.
The whole idea of reading a book about a book was super interesting and the fact that there were 2 mysteries unfolding…Hannah’s and her story’s characters (Freddie, Cain, Marigold and Whit). Figuring out who done it in Freddie’s story was a little drawn out, especially towards the end but I really wish we got more of the story told through the letters from Leo to Hannah. The ending was kind of disappointing but other then that I enjoyed the story overall.

Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for the digital copy!

*I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*