A well-paced and creatively told yarn. There are several characters we get to know well and aren’t there just to keep the story afloat. The mystery is engaging and kept me guessing. The premise was solid. I’d definitely recommend this to any mystery or thriller fans.

Thank you Netgalley & publisher for this e arc of The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill.
This is a murder mystery fiction novel. 4*.
Synopsis: " mystery-within-a-mystery; But fair reader, in every person's story, there is something to hide... an unexpectedly twisty literary adventure that examines the complicated nature of friendship and shows us that words can be the most treacherous weapons of all."
3 things I liked:
1. The ending
2. Twists
3. The pace of the last half of the book and a bonus one the cover/title
3 things I disliked:
1. I do not like murder mystery style book with who dun-it vibes...
2. I do love suspense/thriller, but this was more a murder mystery to me.
3. The last half of the book was fast paced and felt more like the speed of a suspense.
I was glad to read this one.

This was a definitely different murder mystery. Four young adults find friendship in a Reading Room at the public library when a scream is a conversation starter. The narrator is an Australian and the story is set in Boston. The characters gradually become more than just described cutouts and the reader becomes invested in them. The situations seem to be ordinary ones that lead us more and more into the characters' lives. The story is offset with a letter at the end of each chapter from an admiring reader of the narrator's work. This admirer gives suggestions about the way something is expressed in America as well as making suggestions on the way this story is going. At first the letters at the end of the chapters were distracting, but they became more and more interesting. An interesting and outstandingly good mystery!! Enjoyable!

Inspiration can strike at the oddest times. Take Freddie for example. A visit to the Boston library turns dark when a scream echoes throughout the building, yet from the darkness an unlikely friendship blossoms. Yet friendship can only grow so far when dark secrets of past start to come to light. Can Freddie survive when violent acts start to occur all around her?
This is such a fun book. I have never read anything by this author previously, however I truly enjoyed the dual stories that she had going on throughout this book. I honestly was not expecting the huge twist that she throws in right in the middle of the book. It is honestly just beautifully crafted. Both stories flow so seamlessly. I do leave wondering though how the initial friendship is struck between the letter writer and the author. I would love to know how or why she was sending chapters to her reader. Regardless of the answer to that question though I truly enjoyed this book and will look forward to reading this author again and recommending this book to patrons over the summer.
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

A great mystery book, I loved it! The premise itself was appealing to me, so I'm glad the story didn't disappoint. The story follows four strangers who are in the same room of a library when they hear a woman scream. The next day, they find out a body was discovered in the library and thus, the question of who did it begins. I thought the mystery was great because it leaves the reader pretty indecise on who really committed this crime. I appreciate the fact that the author made all the characters suspicious enough that the reader would doubt them all at times, but also innocent enough that we'd doubt that same doubt. The killer wasn't obvious until 60-70% of the book which is great, because other books can be pretty obvious before we even hit the 50% mark. Something I found really good and original is the letters subplot, it added more thrill to the story and made this whodunit unique.

Even though I loved the book, I did have some minor issues. One of these is that I felt the characters became friends a little too fast. They basically knew each other for three days and already hanging out together and confiding in each other. Another small issue was that I felt Marigold and Whit didn't really have a good reason to hang out with Cain and Freddie at first (but I honestly got past this after a couple of chapters, so it really wasn't something I found annoying). I did think Freddie was *too* trusting of Cain, but I feel like that was the author's goal so I'm not really complaining about that.

All in all, the story was great, the characters were interesting and the resolution of the murders was satisfactory at the end. Great book! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC

This standalone mystery is noteworthy for its format, which alternates between chapters of an author’s work-in-progress and email commentary from a beta reader. There is a mystery in both sections, and they build off each other up to the denouement. The question of whether current novels need to address the pandemic is both-sidesed in a clever way. Unusual and enjoyable.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

This is my favorite ARC of the year. I absolutely loved reading this book and I am a new fan to Sulari Gentill. I am not going to share any spoilers because I don't want you to miss any fun. The writing is amazing and I love the structure of chapters. This book is a must read for anyone who enjoys reading thrillers.

‘The Woman in the Library’ by Sulari Gentill is a wonderfully unique mystery.

The main story is told as if it is a manuscript from a renowned author who is sending chapters to her beta reader for feedback. It’s here we find the mystery of The Woman in the Library and our four main characters: Freddie, Cain, Whit and Marigold. All found themselves in the Reading Room at the Boston Public Library when a terrifying scream was heard - fast friendships were formed amongst the four during the initial search for the cause of the scream.

The mystery grows further as, page by page, we learn each of our four friends has a secret to hide… blurring the lines between innocent coincidence and premeditated events. The eagerness to read the next chapter never ceased as the suspense grew towards the big reveal.

Even more exciting, at the end of each chapter, an intriguing sun-plot is told between Hannah (the author) and Leo (her beta reader) solely from Leo’s email correspondence. Only ever seeing one side of the conversation, the reader is left to fill in the blanks. I found these sections to be the most enrapturing as I pondered what Hannah’s response was and would be. A wonderful concept built beautifully into an already thrilling mystery!

I really enjoyed this book and will certainly be recommending others read it. A wonderful new book!

This is a fun one. You’re going to want to read it.

It opens with a letter from a fan to a writer. Dear Hannah, what are you writing? he asks. They agree that the writer will send chapters to the fan, who will respond with his thoughts. The writer’s Australian, and the fan is actually in Boston where the book is set, so he provides some much-needed local color and information. The first chapter quickly pulls you in, as you read about four random people writing in the Boston Library, all drawn together by a ear-shattering scream, then a body found in a nearby room. The four agree to stay in touch, and become friends.

The breaks between chapters with the fan’s responses pull you out of the story in a way that’s self-reflexive, like a breaking of the fourth wall. There are essentially two stories going on, the world of the book, and the world within a world of the storyline. It’s fascinating. The character of the fan as revealed through his letters is masterfully done, as he inadvertently reveals more and more of himself, all in response to the developing story. Even fans have things to hide, after all. It’s also fascinating to see the author incorporate ideas from the fan–or choose not to follow his suggestions–and then see his responses to that as well.

The story itself is a really good read! The four people team together to solve the case of the murder in the library, and as they discover clues, things keep happening that keep them guessing about one another. Are they all what they seem? Almost certainly not. There are hidden secrets, past choices, things to beware of. At least one of them is a murderer. (Not a spoiler: you learn that early on) But does that have to do with the current case?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Woman in the Library. The characters are well developed, the pacing is masterful, and the clues are tightly held and slowly revealed, in ways that validate one’s reading. I highly recommend it.

HUGE fan of this book. I've loved Sulari's writing of the Rowland Sinclair series, and was excited by this departure from those period books. And I'm there for any book set partially or wholly in a library. I loved her character development, and the additions of the letters kept me on my toes, and guessing throughout. AND I was pleasantly surprised by the reveal; I guessed incorrectly. Highly recommend.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Woman in the Library was an interesting mystery thriller that kept me constantly guessing every little thing that popped up. At first, things were moving a bit slowly and then the letters were starting to confuse me. I'll admit that it was definitely interesting to try and figure out who the actual murderer was. Even if the alibis were trying to persuade me in other directions.

Each character had their pros and cons. It doesn't help that I was completely suspicious of every person I met either. Still, I tried to take everything said and done in hope to potentially put the puzzle together before the big reveal. Spoiler alert: I didn't suspect the person who actually did it. So, yes, my mind is kind of blown right now and I'm trying to figure out what I missed.

In the end, the whole murder mystery definitely gave me vibes of other murder mystery books and movies. If I had to pick one, maybe Death of the Nile, but that's because I recently watched the movie. Unlike this book, that one had an easy suspect to spot from the first few chapters. Still. I really enjoyed this one and look forward to next book Sulari writes! Hopefully another murder mystery!

A chilling story of friendship and murder. While I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, the plot twisted and turned a bit too much for my liking. In many cases, ends felt loose and I sought more closure. Overall, enjoyable but a bit lacking.

I give this book a 3.5/5 stars. I didn't think that the letters from Leo really added to the story and I found them kind of useless and annoying. Other than that, I love the intrigue! Loved the love stories and the mystery behind the woman in the library. Loved how the story unravelled to piece everything together. Overall, I recommend this book if you like more of a cozy mystery and are looking for a quick read.

This story was so meta and it was right up my alley. The book I didn't know I was craving!
We have an author (Hannah) who is writing about an author (Freddie) who is trying to write a book. On one side, we have Hannah receiving e-mails from a fellow writer trying to give her feedback and info about Boston. It was so interesting seeing how Hannah added some modifications after an e-mail pointed something out. And we get to see how this "relationship" evolves.
Then we have Freddie. She meets three people at the Boston Library while a murder has taken place. And from there, this group of new friends get to know each other. BUT, we suspect one is a murderer. And so, you keep suspecting everyone, analyzing every move and sentence until the very end.
Maybe, the thing I liked the least was the ending. Perhaps, my expectations were too high and they played me. Still, I'd say it was an amazing read. I'd recommend it to all mystery fans.
Loved the way Sulari Gentill writes. Will definitely keep reading more of her.

CONTENT WARNING: murder, violence, blood, mention of child abuse, mention of sexual assault, stalking

Rounded to 3.5 stars.

This sounded so intriguing that I couldn’t resist requesting it. And naturally, I’m always down for a good, unique mystery. However, this book wasn’t quite what I expected it to be, and I don’t mean that in a bad way.

This is technically a book within a book. It begins with a letter from Leo, a man in America, who is corresponding via email with Hannah, an Australian author friend of his about her manuscript. So it quickly becomes obvious that the chapters are literally chapters from her manuscript, with him offering feedback as a beta reader. And while I found myself getting caught up within the chapters themselves, I also found myself getting caught up in the interaction between Leo and Hannah, despite the lack of responding letters from Hannah.

This is one of those books that was incredibly easy to read, and I read the majority of it within a single sitting. It flows smoothly and kept me hooked on not just one story unfolding, but two. The characters in the central mystery, four strangers who happened to be sitting at the same table in a library where a murder occurs, kept me reading to find out who they really were and what they were hiding. Because each of them was hiding something. However, the book glosses over a problematic point—one of the characters was actively stalking another, and it’s just brushed off because it’s a female doing the stalking. It made me uncomfortable, and over the course of weeks when this story is taking place, none of the people who knew about it ever confronted her about it. It comes across as being viewed as less dangerous or harmful because it’s a woman doing the stalking.

I found the feedback from the beta reader to be quite interesting, even as I grew to like his character less and less over the course of the book. He brings up important points, or at least, what he views as important points. I’ve read quite a few new books in the last two years that don’t include the effects that the pandemic has on society, so it quickly becomes clear that although the book is set in the present day, the author of the chapters has made it a point to avoid discussing it. And I appreciate that—books are such a good way to escape from the stresses and changes in our lives, and I rarely think to myself, “Hey, let me read a book about the pandemic while I’m actively living through it.” While i’m sure that there have been more, only one really comes to mind that included the pandemic.

The beta reader also brings up a concern about the race of the characters, which isn’t clarified at any point in the book. Is it important to the story itself and how it unfolds? The character arcs? The beta reader seems to think so, but to be honest, I didn’t really think about it until that point came up. The characters are ambiguous enough to let the reader draw their own conclusions, and perhaps if I was more familiar with Boston, I might have picked up on the fact that one character seems to live in an area where more Black people live. But then he offers his suggestions to improve, which honestly weren’t very good. And to be honest, the lack of description allows readers to connect with the characters, no matter what they look like. Although I do understand the importance of being able to see yourself on pages, I also see the value of facilitating connections regardless of what a person looks like, and leaving us to connect with the characters on who they are instead.

This was a fast-moving story, with no pacing issues. It held my attention from the start, and it took me by surprise quite a few times. The plot twists came fast and furious at the end, and despite trying to figure out which of them was behind the murder, I didn’t quite figure it out. It’s a quick read, and the two different storylines worked really well.

"The ornate reading room at the Boston Public Library is quiet, until the tranquility is shattered by a woman's terrified scream. Security guards take charge immediately, instructing everyone inside to stay put until the threat is identified and contained. While they wait for the all-clear, four strangers, who'd happened to sit at the same table, pass the time in conversation and friendships are struck. Each has his or her own reasons for being in the reading room that morning—it just happens that one is a murderer."

The description of this book gave me all the right vibes and I was very excited to start it! However, it doesn't give you a thorough synopsis of the book and leaves out the most intriguing element. What you are reading is actually a book being written by an author communicating with an acquiantance who is seemingly assisting the author along her writing journey. The relationship starts to sour and suspicions arise the further we get into the story.

As other reviewers have described, this book is like "Inception" for readers! I was enthralled from the get go. It's funny, because the compliments Leo had for the author of the book were also compliments I was thinking. As his thoughts got darker, however, I found myself questioning what type of person her was. It got creepier and I loved it.

The story moves quickly with suspicions moving from person to person during each chapter. I thought for sure Gentill would break my heart with the reveal of the true murderer, but I was pleasantly surprised. With that being said, the ending was swift and pointed. I was shocked and expected a bit more of an explanation or epilogue to help me cope with the reveal and see how the lives of the characters of the story ended up and what more happened to Leo! That's why I gave this book only 4 stars... I just wanted more from the ending.

Read this book if you have a dangerous curiosity, an interest in true crime, and believe in second chances.

Picture this: you are studying in a room in the library accompanies by 3 strangers and you all hear a scream. Unsettled, you ask those around you what it could be? Then you find out that it's from a murder that happened feet away from you and you were potentially sitting by a killer. This story follows the plotline of four newly acquired friends trying to find out who the murderer is and correspondences between the author of this mysterious murder and a fan turned consultant who aids in feedback to the developing story. However what appears to be an innocent conversation turns darker as the fan, Leo, starts to provide the author with gory pictures and accounts of murders going on in Boston. Which story will pull you in more?

This was a fun detective plotline that had you guessing at every turn but it lost a few stars from me because we never get the view point of the author writing the story of the four friends. All correspondences are from Leo to the author. I really wanted her point of view with all the ups and downs we had. Overall the characters and environment were great and I would recommend if you wanted to read.

This book will be out June 7th! Thank you to NetGalley, Sulari Gentill, and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads review link: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4680389200?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

I really tried to enjoy this book. However, this book was a book about ANOTHER book.
Two people wrote back and forth about the book. One gave ideas but it was brutal to read.
This story just wasn't for me.

TW: murder

The silence of the Boston Public Library is pierced by a scream. As the police investigate its source, four strangers - three writers and a student psychologist - strike up conversation and eventually, leave for coffee. But when it is revealed that a woman was murdered in the library, clouds of questions and secrets gather to reveal an even bigger web.

Relayed in a frame story narrative, The Woman in the Library engages readers in a conversation about fiction and reality. At the end of each chapter, the fictional hand of the author, Hannah Tigore, comes to live with letters from an overly enthusiastic pen pal and struggling writer, Leo Johnson. Leo’s detailed comments, while thoughtful at first, begin to take on a less than friendly shade - one that casts a shadows over both narrative threads.

I’ve never played Cluedo, but I imagine that it would parallel the experience of reading this murder mystery novel ans trying to crack a somewhat exciting and occasionally, frustrating whodunit. The short chapters propelled me forward, and maintained the tight momentum required of a mystery novel. I was kept on my toes, and some scenes unnerved me (in a good way).

However, I must admit that there were a couple of moments when I had to really suspend my disbelief. The four main characters were not always believable and I couldn’t make more sense of the frame story with Leo’s emails. I had also hoped that there would be more intertextual references to other mystery texts or famous literary detectives since the library was foregrounded in the title of the book, but it was a pretty self-contained story.

Overall, this was a relatively quick and enjoyable read. Recommended for those who are looking for a plausible mystery.

Thank you @netgalley and @poisonedpenpress for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. The Woman in the Library will be out on 7 June 2022.

(🔪🔪🔪.5/5)

Wow. I have a librarian friend who also got an ARC of this title and I can't wait until she finishes to compare notes. I have a whole group of readers who will love this title. It was twisted in all the right ways!