4.0 out of 5 stars 3n1 mystery

M. · August 25, 2025

though confusing, I enjoyed this book. It starts out as a murder mystery occurring a library. Then you find out it's a manuscript being shared between two authors, one successful and one not. In the library mystery, one of charactors begins to right a murder mystery about the scream the four main witnessed in the library using te people she just met as her novel's charactors. There's a lot going on and a bit of a cliff hanger ending, IMO

5.0 out of 5 stars a great twisty novel!

H. · October 21, 2025

I really enjoyed this book, and its story within a story complexity. Well written, well edited and well executed. It was a fun read and hard to put down. Definitely recommend.

3.0 out of 5 stars This book within a book will keep you guessing

S.R. · June 25, 2025

This book is made up of the chapters of a book that a mystery writer is writing (very meta). At the end of every chapter there is an email from a fan/fellow writer who is beta reading the work and offering suggestions. I found this concept confusing and off-putting for probably the first 30 pages or so, but then as the emails become more unhinged, I began to enjoy the strangeness of trying to solve multiple mysteries. If you are looking for a mystery novel that explores how to write a mystery novel, this is a great read with fun characters, red herrings and locked room tropes.

4.0 out of 5 stars Mind Blown!! (Library Loan)

T.R. · July 11, 2022

This was well worth being on the waiting list for it, until it became available. The characters, the environment, the plot, each one comprehensively elaborated upon. You pick up on every nuance and quirk of the 4 main characters, and are able to put forth a strong image in your mind as to what they look like, and who and what their dispositions and temperaments are made up of. As well as their surroundings, living quarters, eateries, etc. The embedded, seemingly tiny, daily trivialities, immerses the reader into gratfylingly experiencing it all.The Who-Dunnit element had me going back and forth quite a few times. The innocence of one "suspect" I never really emphatically questioned. I had the same faith in him the main character did. The rest of the possible persons of interest, I did capitulate, quite frequently, from side to side a number of times.Just when you thought substantial rationale has been presented to solidify who you were locked in on, the distrust and uncertainty began to surface, and you were no longer looking at X person, but rather now at person Y, only to wonder if maybe it was Z after all.One of the most enticing parts of the book, at least for myself, is there's actually 2 stories, or plot lines, going on at the time. You don't realize it until it explodes forth in a way which you never see advancing and it extremely, without warning, accelerates. It's only addressed for a couple of pages at the beginning and /or end of the chapters, so you don't comprehend what's about to sneak up on you, until it's well into the novel. Remarkably ingenious style of weaving this entirely self-contained plot, abtrusely inside the central plot.Very enjoyable read, and would highly recommend to anyone looking for an immersive storyline, which is light-hearted enough to read through in a sitting or two, but cryptic and obscure enough to hold your attention.The only thing which caught me off a bit, was the proofreading. For this being professionally released with a publisher, editor, agent, etc., it was quite jarring when almost 3/4's of the way through the book, it was suddenly laden with typographical and grammatical errors. It seemed as if the last section was just entirely skipped over. It's very jarring as a reader when there's errors. It pulls you out of the storyline and shifts the focus. Seems more and more the excepted norm in today's e-book world, and mass flooding of self-published. Not so much in a professional release, so I'm just curious as to what happened.

5.0 out of 5 stars Two stories in one

J. · September 22, 2025

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved how there are two stories intertwined around one another. Each story is easily separate from each other. One is the story the main character is writing, and one is correspondence with another person who may or may not be crazy.As each escalates you can't put it down. I have recommended this book to others, and they have loved it too.. I will be looking for more books by this author.

4.0 out of 5 stars unique storytelling,

A. · July 24, 2025

Better than the average detective fiction of this genre. Lots of twists and interesting characters, well described. I would read this author again.

5.0 out of 5 stars The Sarah Lee of mysteries

K.M. · July 13, 2025

This book has layers of stories like a Sarah Lee cake. So many of the genre follow the same tired path but the author has managed to write something original and she has written it so well. Each of the main four characters are familiar. You want to sit down and have a meal with them. The fifth character's arc is absorbing. I don't want to give anything away, but Sulari is a master at her craft. Really worth reading. Her description of writing is just perfect.

3.0 out of 5 stars Not my cup of tea

B. · July 16, 2025

I did finish this story, but did not like the Leo comments idea at all, skimmed through or paged through completely. Got the impression he had an ulterior motive.

worth the read

P. · April 25, 2025

A different approach which was most interesting. Kept my attention right up to the last page. Will try some more of her books

Enjoyed this

J.-.l.b.r.b. · February 18, 2025

The Woman in the Library is a story about a writer, Hannah Tigone, writing a novel. Hannah lives and writes in Australia. She is writing a story whose main character, Winifred, is a writer in residence having won a scholarship which sees her moving from Australia to Boston in the USA. Hannah Tigone has a beta reader in the USA, Leo, as he reads Hannah’s work we have his emails/letters to Hannah which follow chapters of Hannah’s book.Winifred is writing a book. One day, whilst she is the Boston Public Library (BPL) making notes about her lead character, she observes other readers sitting at the same table. She gives them nicknames as she may incorporate them into her writing, when a scream is heard!‘And then there is a scream. Ragged and terrified. A beat of silence even after it stops, until we all seem to realise that the Reading Room Rules no longer apply.This brings Winifred’s lead character together with ‘Freud Girl’, ‘Hero Chin’ and ‘Handsome Man’ the characters she has been modelling on the other readers. It is where Winifred meets Cain (‘Handsome Man’), Marigold (Freud Girl) and Whit (Hero Chin), the other readers she has been considering as characters in her novel, who begin to bond over this strange incident. They go for coffee together and decide to find out what happened.When they hear that a young woman has died, been killed, they decide to investigate. This part of the book I enjoyed reading and liked the characters although they had their flaws or darker sides.So, a seemingly complex and complicated story within a story (indeed stories in stories in stories as Sulari Gentill is, of course, actually writing The Woman in the Library which is about Hannah writing a story about Winifred writing a story about..!) yet when reading it didn’t feel difficult to understand and keep straight each of the storylines once you wrap your head around the premise. However, when trying to describe it all to you, my readers, then it does become somewhat convoluted!There are some interesting questions that arise from these different layers. Leo is Hannah’s beta reader so he points out the differences in speech between the USA and Australia, he does some research on and describes buildings and/or attaches pictures so Hannah can confidently write about Boston itself. Boston is well written in the book I have not been there but it seemed to be brought alive’ almost a character in itself. He also proffers advice on what should be included in the book such as the pandemic, which was quite a clever way for Sulari Gentill to make the point without it taking over the narrative, or that one of the characters must be black because they live in a particular area of Boston. Is Boston really this segregated? I don’t know. Perhaps the author wanted to imply something about that character without actually stating it, leaving it to the reader’s interpretation. I suppose my default is to read characters as white unless I pick up on the author’s implication(s), clues if you like, it allows for my imagination to bring another layer of commitment to the story I’m reading, I don’t necessarily need a direct statement. Leo also takes pictures of crime scenes, which gives the book a darker tone.The Woman in the Library has a unique style and storyline which I enjoyed although I could see that some readers might not like. As ever I think the only way to find out if you like it is to read the book, perhaps you already have, either way I would love to hear what you think.I would certainly recommend reading The Woman in the Library and hopefully you will enjoy it too!©️Janet-LoveBooksReadBooksBook: Purchased

A fresh narrative of a tantalizing mystery

A. · June 2, 2023

As an editor, I was smitten with this book from the start. The different style of writing, the way the narratives bounced off each other, the red herrings, the progression of relationships, and the overall arc of the story held me captive within the pages. When the plot twist hit, I was left reeling and desperate for more. While the book isn't your typical read, it was a refreshing narrative that kept me guessing throughout the whole book. There was once near the middle where my attention flagged, but that was remedied all of two pages later. I definitely recommend reading The Woman in the Library.

Postmodern thriller with twist of humor

J. · September 16, 2022

The plot is intriguing, melding the characters in an unusual framing of the text. And the ending made me laugh!

Great!

G.K. · July 19, 2025

I was invested the whole way through with a surprise ending I did not expect