The Woman in the Library

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I simply did not care for the characters, the plot is just written in a bland manner, the characters are flat. Story within a story? KMN. Y'all made it seem like such an interesting read, but am sorry it just did not work for me. I found myself skimming through it and I just had to stop. But Gentill has thrown in extra layers, weaving in a second, equally entertaining narrative, creating a story within the story in which she explores the art of writing itself. I just finished this book (as a audiobook) tonight and had to find somewhere to talk about this. The very end could be taken as sweet, if you don’t pay any attention and want to see the best in people. But it didn’t come off that way to me. Book-Leo had already been a little stalkery. He took inspiration from an act Cain did- send groceries to replenish used items- and did it more and more extravagantly to prove he was “better”. And, like Letters-Leo, he showed overt interest in Freddie/Hannah. And he tried to shoehorn himself into her relationship, declaring Cain no good and trying to sow seeds of doubt.

The Woman in the Library Character Analysis | SuperSummary

anyway. this has the pacing of a cozy mystery with the darkness and goriness of a thriller, derogatory. it's a combination that absolutely won't work for me, and the amount of ham-handed social commentary from immigration to US politics to the pandemic that's thrown in doesn't help. The Woman in the Library introduces us to Hannah Tigone, a Sydney based author of mysteries. She is writing a book set in Boston and has a beta reader called Leo who lives there and provides suggestions when the text needs adjusting for local atmosphere. Her characters, Freddie, Whit, Marigold and Cain, meet in the library when a young woman is murdered.Outside of Freddie’s head, Freud Girl is actually Marigold, a heavily tattooed psychology grad student who seems to be developing a crush on Heroic Chin, or Whit as he’s more commonly known. Whit is doing his best to flunk out of Harvard Law so that he won’t have to follow in his parents’ footsteps and join their law firm. Finally, Handsome Man is Cain, who is also a writer researching his next novel, depicting the life and death of a homeless man surviving on the cold Boston streets. As the foursome begin to build stronger relationships based on their initial rapport, they’re each excited to have found genuine new friends. Trouble is, one of them is a murderer. The Woman in the Library" by Sulari Gentill is the fictional story of Hannah, a mystery writer, penning a murder mystery crafted by fictional mystery writer Winifred Kincaid. Freddie is trying to solve the case of who killed Caroline Palfrey, leaving her body hidden under the buffet table in the library gallery. "So recently strangers, Freddie is surprised by how comfortable she is with these people...a demonstration of trust in each other."" Foursome" Freddie, Marigold, Cain and Whit, go to the Map Room Tea Lounge for friendship and Freddie states, 'my first coffee with a killer.'" Who killed Caroline Palfrey? On the surface, this appears to be everything I'd enjoy. Four strangers are sharing the same table at the library when a scream rends the air. A woman has been murdered. The scream bonds the four strangers and they become fast friends. But as sinister events continue to dog them and they're unable to shake the shadow of the murder, it's clear one of them is hiding secrets. But which one is it? Set in 1933, Gentill’s entertaining fifth mystery featuring wealthy Australian artist Rowland Sinclair finds Rowland in London, ensconced in a penthouse suite at Claridge’s, after being left for dead Continue reading » This has the format of a story within a story, which I usually love. But it didn't work here. The outer story, with Hannah authoring the murder mystery, doesn't mesh with the actual inner story itself, and her correspondences with Leo are by far the weakest parts of the whole thing. Every time we get to Leo's letters, which is at the end of every single chapter, I dreaded reading it. Not only was it obnoxious and irrelevant, but it took away from the little forward momentum of an already slow story.

The Woman In The Library. Reviewed by Emma SULARI GENTILL The Woman In The Library. Reviewed by Emma

The Woman In The Library, Gentill’s fifteenth novel since her 2010 debut, A Few Right Thinking Men, adds to her growing reputation among Australia’s crime fiction writing elite, while bringing a welcome blast of fun to the genre, playing to her signature witty strength. The pleasure of The Woman in the Library is that clever structure; a layered, literary hall of mirrors that’s great fun to get lost in." — Seattle Times

The Woman in the Library” by Sulari Gentill is the first novel I’ve ever read by this author as I was excited to see what kind of murder mystery I was jumping into. Now, before I get into my review, I want to let you all know about the trigger warnings I found while reading. In this novel, there are moments of parental abuse, both physical and sexual. If either of these triggers you, please don’t read this novel.

The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill | Waterstones The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill | Waterstones

There was a lot of mention of including COVID in the story and explicitly mentioning the race and color of the characters. To be honest I’m not really sure what was the aim here? Was it to explore some issues or raise some interesting book club questions, I’m not sure especially when they came from such a character… Overall, the story within a story is not as successful as I would have hoped. Although, she did have me pointed in the wrong direction due to my presumptions. Those who are new to her writing may have a very different experience. A murder at the library, people bonded by a scream, another murder or two, a manuscript, lots of book talk, someone playing Nancy Drew, interesting turns that had me double guessing myself and swaying my opinion of the murderers identity. Which one is a murderer?!!Set in late 1932, Gentill’s lively second mystery featuring dashing Australian millionaire Rowland “Rowly” Sinclair (after A Few Right Thinking Men) takes place initially aboard the luxury Continue reading » THE AUTHOR: Once upon a time, Sulari Gentill was a corporate lawyer serving as a director on public boards, with only a vague disquiet that there was something else she was meant to do. That feeling did not go away until she began to write. Six teenagers play a high-stakes game of tag through Chicago in this engrossing standalone from the pseudonymous Lane (Leave Tomorrow Behind and five other Stella Crown mysteries as Judy Continue reading »