The Woman in the Library

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These questions made for kind of an interesting look at inspiration and fiction, but it was sort of flat as a thriller ending. I didn’t feel that, OMG, what a twist, it was Book-Leo the whole time! He got away with it all! But I also didn’t feel like we’d gotten a satisfying ending and full explanation of the crimes, and that now Freddie’s good friend was here to help everyone return to normalcy. I mostly felt like I must have missed something that would have made the ending clear. Leila Mottley’s brilliant debut blazes a path through a dark world, illuminating the dangers that young women of color experience daily and just how close to the precipice many find themselves — even in the daylight. Unforgettable!”— Aaron J. Cance, The Printed Garden, Sandy, UT The Woman in the Library is an unexpectedly twisty literary adventure that examines the complicated nature of friendship – and shows that words can be the most treacherous weapons of all. Filled with family secrets, human frailties, and changes for the better, It All Comes Down to Thisis sure to resonate with anyone who has experienced the messiness of hurting those we care about while finding the way to our own true self.”— Betsy Von Kerens, The Bookworm of Omaha, Omaha, NE Moving along, the first chapter of this novel was awesome! I was immediately hooked and could not wait to see how all this would unravel. I have to say, Gentill’s style of writing is very good as that first chapter set the tone for what I felt was likely to be a solid murder mystery. Wow, it delivered on that aspect and then some!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book within a book, but it does take a bit of work on the reader's part to puzzle out what is going on and how everything fits together. This is a unique read and I'm glad I took the opportunity to experience it. Another sweltering month in Charlotte, another boatload of mysteries past and present for overworked, overstressed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan. I love a smart, well written mystery, especially one with a twist in the tale, so this was definitely my kind of book. I have to admit it took a lot of concentration to stay on top of events but the best books usually require participation on the part of the reader.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. And so Sulari became the author of the Rowland Sinclair Mysteries: thus far, ten historical crime novels chronicling the life and adventures of her 1930s Australian gentleman artist, the Hero Trilogy, based on the myths and epics of the ancient world, and the Ned Kelly Award winning Crossing the Lines (published in the US as After She Wrote Hime). In 2014 she collaborated with National Gallery of Victoria to write a short story which was produced in audio to feature in the Fashion Detective Exhibition, and thereafter published by the NGV. IN 2019 Sulari was part of a 4-member delegation of Australian crime writers sponsored by the Australia Council to tour the US as ambassadors of Australian Crime Writing. In this spicy, triad-romance set in modern-day Olympus, warriors battle for the coveted role of Ares in a gladiator style competition. Will Helen, Achilles, and Patroclus be able to put their feelings aside to defeat the competition and each other? For fans of Greek mythology retellings and enemies to lovers.”— Kari Bingham-Gutierrez, Olathe Public Library, Olathe, KS 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…

The core of this collection is a deposit made in the 1950s by the Josephine Butler Society. They transferred its own library of books, pamphlets, journals, photographs and archives on prostitution and related topics, especially Josephine Butler’s campaigns against the Contagious Diseases Acts and state-registered prostitution. This is a brilliant book about words. The right and the wrong words. How fact can become fiction, fiction fantasy.’ — The Australian Women's Weekly The deposit of books and archives in the early decades bear witness to the activities ofthe London Society and to the interests of its members, both as participants in the campaigns of the women’s movement of their day, and as individuals following their own professional pursuits.

As you understood: you just read two plots at the same time and there’s a smart move from the author who also added Leo as a colleague of Freddie at the library murder story which makes us confused more about the motives of the character.

I did like the progression of character development. At first, the characters seemed like shells named Heroic Chin and Freud Girl, etc., but their personalities became more defined as the novel continued. The Women’s Library has a rare book collection made up of the libraries of various individuals. These include a book collection from Nancy Astor originally bought for Crosby Hall, the headquarters of the British Federation of University Women, who could no longer accommodate them. A vibrant, twisty murder mystery told vividly and with great humour.’ - Kaaron Warren, author of MISTIFACTION and THE GRIEF HOLE Was this a murder mystery? A character study? A meta exploration on being a writer? Honestly, I'm not sure. All I know is, I couldn't get into it no matter how hard I tried.Initially, it’s brilliant to see how Hannah reflects Leo’s comments in each successive chapter. But as the novel progresses, Leo’s meta commentary becomes increasingly disturbing, taking this subplot in a deliciously sinister direction. Four strangers are sitting in the Boston Public Library when they hear a shrill scream. The scream ends up bringing these four twenty to thirty-somethings together. When they learn that a body was found shortly after the shriek of terror, they all inadvertently became entangled in the case. This encounter inspires Freddie, the protagonist, for the novel she is currently writing. 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 Women’s Library is the oldest and largest library in Britain devoted to the history of women’s campaigning and activism. It was officially inaugurated as the Library of the London Society for Women’s Service in 1926 and it had two aims:to preserve the history of the women’s suffrage movement andto provide a resource for newly-enfranchised women to take their part in public life. Hannah Tigone, bestselling Australian crime author, is crafting a new novel that begins in the Boston Public Library: four strangers; Winifred, Cain, Marigold and Whit are sitting at the same table when a bloodcurdling scream breaks the silence. A woman has been murdered. They are all suspects, and, as it turns out, each character has their own secrets and motivations – and one of them is a murderer.

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. It took me a while to get through this one - because of all the sensory interruptions! Apart from the multi-layered story within a story plot, the descriptions of the numerous trips to local coffee houses and the vegetarian meal preps would trigger a hunger response in me and off I'd go to the kitchen! There are several events and situations here that flirt a bit with horror, my favorite reading genre. The main protagonist, Freddie, was my favorite character by far. The way she processed everything through the lens of an author, plotting connections and possibilities as if it were a novel she’s writing was great. I also loved the reference to “Misery” by Stephen King which is one of my all-time favorite horror novels as well as all the awesome coffee references since I’m a coffee maniac as well. Essentially, the author is having fun with all of the "tropes" and writing devices available to a professional story-teller. And to make things even more interesting, the main character (who is a celebrated author) has an Avid Fan. (Or is he really a delusional stalker? Hmmmmm!) I’ve never read anything like this novel before in regards to how it was formatted and let me tell you, it was quite refreshing. Besides that, I loved that the setting does indeed take place in a library with writers, authors, and all the conversations you’d expect them to have as they do what they do best. As a professional sports writer and book reviewer myself, this novel truly hit home for me as it felt pretty real and even creepy to me in some parts.

UNESCO-recognised collection

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? The social commentary on racial equality, pandemics, and homelessness is well-written. Gentill does a nice job introducing these ideas without it becoming too preachy. It also helps to account for the real world issues that we are dealing with in 2022. The Woman in the Library is a story within a story within another story. It should have been one I loved, but I was never fully invested in it. Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected Publication Date: 6/7/22. She observes three of them without giving away too much clue : 23 years old tattooed girl with nose ring : she called her “Freud Girl” and her real name is Marigold Anastas, a vivid, eccentric, energetic girl who studies psychology with stalking tendencies ( unusual trait for the choice of her major).