Sulari Gentil's The Woman in the Library takes the locked room murder trope and inverts it. Four people are brought together by a scream and are torn apart by a shooting. In between, we have subtle hints at race relations, the COVID-19 pandemic, a researcher abroad who becomes increasingly unhinged, new love, fancy donuts and twists and turns at every corner.

Well done! I'm going to pick up Gentill's Rowland Sinclair mystery series.

3.9/5 stars

A murder mystery that starts off in a crowded library full of book lovers? SIGN ME UP!

Harriet is an Australian implant writer who hopes to find inspiration for a novel while staring at the ceiling at the Boston Public Library. Cain, Whit, and Marigold happen to be sitting at the same table when they hear the horrendous noise of a woman’s screams. Shocked, they end up striking up a quick and effortless friendship…only to find out soon after that the screaming woman was murdered. Who murdered her? Could it possibly be someone at the table?

This is a fun whodunnit that is told from Harriet’s POV. Alternating chapters tell a story within a story through Leo, a fan of an author named Hannah, who is writing the story we’re reading. She sends him chapters of her book and he responds to each one, helping with advice. Will his insight be impactful?

This mystery is fun, with a great group of characters to get to know. I suspected quite a few folks at one time or another…and yet, I wasn’t completely blown away when all was revealed. That didn’t deter my engagement.

While I don’t want to say too much more (although other reviews do…beware), I’ll add that this novel serves food for thought on racial equality and pandemics in writing. It does NOT get too heavy though.

Overall, I would recommend this to readers looking for an entertaining and sometimes humorous mystery that balances the right amount of depth without ever taking itself too seriously.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected Publication Date: 6/7/22.

Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com

Meh. This was just not the book for me. I should have read the premise of this book before starting it. After reading the first chapter I kept trying to figure out who Hannah and Leo were... Was Hannah the narrator? Well, no because that person's name was Freddie (I think), who sounded like an 80 year old man, but was actually a young woman. Eventually I went back to the description of this book and realized Hannah is writing a book about these people that met in the library after hearing a woman scream and then ending up dead, but it was too late for me to enjoy. I didn't like the writing style and constantly felt like I was missing something. I ended up at about 25% and DNF.

I am a Librarian so I had to see what this book was about. At the Boston Public Library a woman's body is found. Four complete strangers sitting in the Library's Reading Room begin talking after hearing a scream and it turns out that one of them is most likely a murderer. Definitely an entertaining whodunit mystery with some romance , as well. Wonderfully written and highly recommend!

This is an engaging, twisty story-within-a-story. The two main plot threads are 1) author Hannah exchanges letters and book feedback with a man called Leo, and 2) the actual book Hannah is writing, where a group comes together to try and solve the mystery of a woman's death in a library.

"Hannah"'s book is engaging, but I don't know that it would have held my attention as much on its own. I was most invested to see how the relationship between Hannah and Leo played out. We read Leo's feedback after each chapter, and although Hannah's responses are never shown, we can see her opinions and personality through how she incorporates (or doesn't) Leo's advice into the following chapters. It's a unique format, and I was eager to see how it all played out, but...

The answer was "off-page". That's how the most interesting conflict in the book was resolved, with only minimal hints. The book left me wondering "wtf just happened?", and not in the good way, in a literal I-do-not-understand-how-this-all-played-out way. Yeah, you get the gist of it, but all the best details are missing! This book could have used less details about restaurants and various meals, and more word count on what should have been the true climax of the book.

Overall, I enjoyed the reading experience, but it could have been better.

The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill uses a unique literary device, a book within a book. Initially, this really piqued my interest. That sensibility did not last it seems throughout the book, it's there, but the mystery at hand really took over, perhaps as it should have. Overall, an interesting book with characters who were well described and believable. The plot within a plot device was done well, but I got the sense the author was kind of done with really developing that halfway through. Overall, a good read.

I really enjoyed the novel within a novel aspect. I love reading about authors and things involving the publishing world. I liked the author’s writing style and the plot was so unique. However, it took forever for me to get through and there were times that I had to push myself to read it. I’ve never been into slow-burn mysteries and that is why I gave it a 3 star rating.

Harriet, Marigold, Caine, and Whit are all sitting in the reading room at the Boston Public Library when they hear a woman scream. The security guards secure the area and tell them to sit tight until they figure out what is going on.

This group of individuals once strangers quickly begin talking and exchanging theories about who it was that screamed and what happened. What they don’t consider is that one of them is the murderer.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

The unusual format was a little jarring at first, it took me a couple of chapters to get into the rhythm of it. But then I couldn't put it down! It was like reading three stories rolled into one--each one building on the other. There were plenty of "I did NOT see that coming" moments, and others where I thought I had it figured out but then another potential suspect was introduced. I'm definitely keeping Sulari Gentill on my "to read" list! I've also included "The Woman in the Library" on our next book order for the high school library.

It begins with the subplot containing emails from Leo Johnson a fan of Hannah Tigone, an Australian celebrated author. They exchange emails, and Leo is looking forward to helping and giving feedback on her current project.

Hannah was in the middle of writing a novel set at the Boston Public Library. Four strangers sitting in the Reading Room until suddenly, there's a scream. The body of Caroline Palfrey wasn't found right away. It's a bit like a locked room mystery in reverse. There's layer after layer, suspicion rest upon every character. Freddie, the narrator, thinks she may have been sharing a table with a killer.

I might say that I love Gentill right away. She's so brilliant. She is incredible at building characters and creating depth within them that left me guessing, but adding Leo and his observations could be also added back and forth as I was reading. Leo, himself is so mysterious and has some issues.

My personal rating 4.5 ⭐

Thank you to @netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this exciting ARC. All opinions are my own. This book will be published on June 7, 2022.

#donereading #thewomaninthelibrary #sularigentill #emabaca #malaysiamembaca #igreads #ebookstagram #goodreads

I have never read a book quite like this one.

It's hard to talk about without spoiling the premise but I'll do my best.

We start with four strangers seated around a table in the Boston Public Library. The silence is broken by a scream. . A woman's scream. But when the library is searched, no-one can be found. The group of four turn out to be Australian writing grant winner and our narrator, Freddie. Psychology student Marigold. The student who doesn't really care about graduating, Whit; and fellow writer and heartthrob Cain.

The scream brings them together and with the final sentence of the chapter we discover that one of them is a murderer.

Then comes the fun part. We get an email reply to this first chapter from someone called Leo.

So what we have here is a book being written by Hannah, about an author (Freddie), writing a book based on the scream in the library. Inception, right.

Hannah is an author from Australia, who is sending each chapter of her latest book to a friend for feedback. At the end of each chapter we get an email from the authors fan/critique partner. Leo gives his opinion on the most recent chapter, helping with details about the Boston area.

So as our mystery continues within the story of the book, we are also given a glimpse into the mysterious Leo. He and Hannah have never met in person and it becomes evident that while he is a fan of her work, he carries a lot of envy over her success. He speaks about his own unpublished book as "The Opus"

I loved this book. Like, could not put it down and would have finished it in one sitting if I didn't have to adult. The whodunnit of the book within a book was masterfully done. With just the right amount of suspicious characters and many secrets revealed throughout to keep the reader second guessing everything.

But where this book absolutely shines is with those emails at the end of each chapter. Allowing the reader to watch Leo devolve and twist throughout the narrative was sufficiently creepy to the point where I was worried for this fictional author Hannah.

The emails push to the forefront that the story of Freddie, Whit, Marigold and Cain is a work of fiction. Which in turn makes your concern for the also made up Hannah more visceral.

10/10 the level of skill to pull something like this off is remarkable and I am absolutely blown away.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, the publisher and especially the author for allowing me to read this one early. Can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy when it comes out in June.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I had high hopes for this book, but it turned out to be rather disappointing. The book-within-a book sounded intriguing but the concept just dragged on. I’m sure other readers will enjoy this, but it didn’t play out for me.

This is a book with a very engaging plot. Despite my hectic schedule, I was hooked and the author provided me with ample twists to want to keep going. I didn't know I would enjoy reading this so much.. Go ahead, read the book, now! Thank You for the review copy and all the best.

First off this book was super original and unlike any mystery I have read recently! This is a story with in a story. Which may sounds crazy or confusing but it isn’t at all! The first chapter had me intrigued and before I knew it I was sucked in.

Now back to the fact that this is a story with in a story. The book opens with a letter to the author Hannah from a fan who is reading her manuscript chapter by chapter. The author (Hannah) sends one chapter at a time to Leo. Leo in turn gives feedback to the author about each chapter. The author (Hannah) lives in Australia, and Leo is in Boston, MA. As the story she is writing progresses, so do the intensity of the letters. You will absolutely be intrigued by both stories as they progress!

Now the story that is being written is absolutely intriguing. The story covers friendship, murder, and the city of Boston. Freddie the Australian, 27 year old writer is our POV of that story. In the strangest way she strikes up a friendship with Cain (also a writer), Whit (a law student), and Marigold (a psych student). You see they were all at the same public library when a scream is heard. First comes a murder, then comes a friendship, and then comes a crazy mystery to figure out!

What I loved:
- the double story premise! I was equally interested in both parts. I also felt like it was fun having a letter in between each chapter. You will want to keep reading to get to the next chapter!
- The friendships that develop between Cain, Whit, Marigold, and Freddie.
- The world building in story one is great! I really felt like I was in Boston.
- Both stories and plots intertwine very well. I never was bored, and I always wanting to read more.

Now I wish I could say more but I don’t want to spoil this wonderful book for anyone. In my opinion the ending was perfection . I highly recommend this story for any mystery fan!

4.5 stars out of 5! Rounded up to 5

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

ARC book provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

“The Woman in the Library” is a twisty, original whodunit that features a story within a story. The format is not only original; it is also engaging. The main story is narrated by Freddie, an Australian woman studying in Boston, Massachusetts. The story begins with Freddie spending time in the Reading Room of the Boston Public Library in an effort to awaken her muse as she writes a novel. Instead, Freddie’s reverie is broken by a woman’s scream echoing throughout the library.

Following the scream, Freddie engages in conversation with the three people sitting around her: Cain, Marigold, and Whit. Soon enough, it is discovered that a woman has been murdered in the library. Joined by their mutual experience of bearing witness to the scream, the group quickly becomes friends. Their story becomes a whodunit in which the group is embroiled and seeks to solve the mystery and find out the truth.

At the same time, an original secondary takes place. The group’s story above is referenced in this secondary story as a novel in progress in correspondence from an apparent beta reader, Leo, to the author, Hannah. As Leo’s correspondence continues at the end of each chapter about Freddie, Cain, Marigold, and Whit, it begins to change in tone. Without giving away too much, Leo’s correspondence devolves, bringing about an interesting sub-plot and story that also piques the reader’s interest.

This story was a breath of fresh air. The idea and format behind the story were original, interesting and engaging. I found myself easily involved in both the main story and the sub-plot. While this format could have easily led to confusion, the author instead provides a smart format that easily keeps the two stories independent while also tied together in certain respects. It was quite a smart way to tell these stories and immediately drew me in.

The narrator of the main story, Freddie, is likeable, and I found myself rooting for her the whole way despite a perceived lack in judgment at times. Freddie and friends start off like the Scooby Doo gang, acting as private investigators determined to solve the mystery of the woman in the library. However, it’s not long until the group finds themselves embroiled right in the middle of the mystery, fighting to find out the truth before it is too late. The story was full of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the surprise ending. Even though the ending was a surprise, it fully made sense in hindsight when looking back upon the novel. The only criticism I have is that the ending seemed a bit too short, as if it was condensed from a more detailed ending. Despite this, I loved it.

As for the secondary story, I found it was an interesting character study with overtones that reminded me of Stephen King’s “Misery” in its examination of one fan’s obsession with an author. Despite this similarity, it was also original and absorbing. It picked up speed as the story evolved and the narrator seemed to begin to spiral out of control.

Overall, I was very impressed by this novel. I read a lot, and I found myself spellbound by the original format of this book, as well as the storyline contained in both stories therein. I found myself sucked into the stories, reading faster and faster, unable to put down the book until I reached the very end. The ending of the main story was a surprise to me, and it was well done. The other storyline was also attention-grabbing until the very end. I would highly recommend this book to any fans of thrillers, mysteries and general fiction. The original format and engrossing premise are sure to please most readers. This is definitely a book I would read again, and I will be picking up a hard copy when the book publishes. I recommend that you do the same!

Hannah is an Australian author writing a novel about Winifred, an Australian novelist writing a book based on a murder committed in the library where she was procrastinating. Freddie's new best friends Whit, Cain, and Marigold were in the library with her, and are shamelessly inserted into her novel as characters. Dizzy yet? It gets worse: Hannah' manuscript is being critiqued by an American fan, Leo, whose helpful advice takes a dark turn. Freddie alternates between wrestling with her muse and the murder, which keeps growing more complex. A delightfully twisty meta mystery.

The woman in the library
By Sulari Gentill

Wow wow wow❗
I loved this book, so intelligent, buckling and addictive.

Special thanks to Netgalley and the poisoned pen press for sharing this digital reviewer copy in exchange for an honest review.

Freddie, Whit , cain and Marigold are sitting at a table in the library when they hear the blood-curdling scream of a woman in other room..
Security guards immediately appear and instruct everyone inside to stay put.


This is a novel within the novel and both are hugely compelling.
The story is brilliant, hats off to the author.
4.5 /5 🌟🌟🌟🌟.5
Recommended

Honestly, I was drawn to this book because of the title! I love reading; libraries/bookstores are one of my favorite places even though I don't go in person much anymore. But I can honestly spend hours browsing books. So I was in love the setting before I even read the description.

The book is pretty cool because it is sort of a book within a book. At some points I was wondering which of these stories is the actual book. Is The Woman in the Library referring to the woman who screamed or is it the woman who is writing the book? But as the stories unfold, there is a twists (which I did not see coming) and you start to under what is actually going on.

Something that irritated me how the main female characters were way too naive and lovestruck. I had to roll my eyes quite a few times while reading. I know the story needed to progress quickly to make it interesting but they fell in love way too fast with practical strangers and had strong convictions about people's innocence and/or guilt.

There are many things I liked about this book other than the fact that it is a great mystery and thriller. I liked the social aspect of it. It makes you question yourself. Does it matter what race the characters you reading about are? Do you think someone that has been in prison can be truly rehabilitated? Is leaving out information the same as lying?

Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

What an fresh take on a frame story! The Woman in the Library tells a tale of 4 people united by bearing witness to a mysterious scream and subsequent murder in the Boston Public Library. Sulari Gentill takes the story one level further, embedding this main mystery within the correspondence of 2 authors sharing their work. All the while, the true danger is realized through the one-sided email correspondence we see at the conclusion of each chapter.

While some of the twists in the main story were not shocking to me, the freshness of the frame story surrounding the fictional novel kept me racing to the end. Overall a very cool concept.

Review crossposted to goodreads at: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4684941410

It took a few pages to get into the flow of this book with the jumping between the emails, the story within a story and the events as they unfolded. Bits and pieces of the characters were revealed as the plot made its twists and turns. It all came together logically in the end but it was a wild ride.

I liked it, there is an author who is corresponding with a murderer writing about an author who "hears" a murder in the reading room at Boston Public Library. Interesting premise and some good suspense. I definitely can recommend.
Thank you Net Galley for a chance to read and review.