Reviews with content warning for Addiction - The Woman in the Library

A nesting doll of mystery plot lines.

I loved the unique way this book told multiple unrelated yet related stories.

The main focus of the book is on Freddie, an exchange student studying in Boston on a writers scholarship, and the three friends she meets in the Boston Public Library.

Freddie is an aspiring author looking for inspiration when three interesting individuals sit down at the same table. In enters Freud Girl, Heroic Chin and Handom Man. This begins the second story, being the ongoing project Freddie is inspired to write staring her new acquaintances and the chilling scream they hear in real life, which echos through out the silent halls of the historic library.

The third story being told is discovered when the reader sees that the chapters about Freddie & Co are actually the manuscript of an author who is corrisponding via email with an associate.

Soon the reader is hit with the knowledge that the murder mystery within Freddie's world is not going to be solved easily. And the goings on outside of the manuscript is a wonderful example of live mirrors art (or vice versa?).

Although it's challenging to explain to people (I have several times) this story is fun and easy to follow between plot lines.

The characters and writing style were so interesting and I can't stop (trying to) tell people about this book. A great thriller/mystery.

Content Warnings

greatexpectations77's review

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This book wasn't really my thing. I didn't love the formatting of the one-sided letters, and I really didn't prefer the mansplaining coming from Lee and the weird mentions of the social justice movements. And I didn't really wanted to be reminded of the pandemic. The plot felt kind of like a video game - the points a little clunky. Just not really my cup of tea.

Content Warnings

caseythereader's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Content Warnings

pollyhall's review

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

Content Warnings

insatiablewanderlust's review

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adventurous dark inspiring mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was a great book! It kept me guessing right up until the murderer was revealed. Sadly, I had pegged the wrong killer, but it was still fun! The letters in between chapters were a little confusing at first and then, as an editor, they just irritated me because I felt like Leo was giving her horrible advice, but then it all kind of started to fall in place and the light bulb slowly started to turn on. The story within a story within a story was a bit confusing at times, but it works. It was hard sometimes to remember that the entire work was fictional.

Content Warnings

amandas_bookshelf's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Content Warnings

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