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thebakerbookworm's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a fun little mystery and a decent audiobook. It's a book-within-a-book story, and story A kept me guessing and intrigued while story B was honestly cracking me up.
Story A is the main one, the one from the book summary, and I was expecting more of a locked-room mystery, but the library part is only at the beginning and then they quickly move on. There are a lot of red flags that distracted me from the obvious culprit, so I stayed on my toes the whole time, never really sure who the big bad was. I liked the characters, though the plot is definitely the main focus.
But what really set this book apart was story B, where we discover that story A is actually a book being written, and the author is corresponding with a beta reader about her work. Through these letters, we learn about the Australian author and the beta reader, who lives in Boston where story A takes place. These letters were mostly at the end of each chapter, with the beta reader giving commentary on the previous chapter. Like I said, they just cracked me up and the twists and turns that story B takes really made this murder mystery unique.
Give this one a listen if you like libraries or a story-within-a-story plot or books about writers or a classic whodunnit mystery.
Thanks to Libro.fm, Dreamscape Media, and the author for my ALC!
Story A is the main one, the one from the book summary, and I was expecting more of a locked-room mystery, but the library part is only at the beginning and then they quickly move on. There are a lot of red flags that distracted me from the obvious culprit, so I stayed on my toes the whole time, never really sure who the big bad was. I liked the characters, though the plot is definitely the main focus.
But what really set this book apart was story B, where we discover that story A is actually a book being written, and the author is corresponding with a beta reader about her work. Through these letters, we learn about the Australian author and the beta reader, who lives in Boston where story A takes place. These letters were mostly at the end of each chapter, with the beta reader giving commentary on the previous chapter. Like I said, they just cracked me up and the twists and turns that story B takes really made this murder mystery unique.
Give this one a listen if you like libraries or a story-within-a-story plot or books about writers or a classic whodunnit mystery.
Thanks to Libro.fm, Dreamscape Media, and the author for my ALC!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Gun violence and Stalking
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
motleybooksandtea's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Violence and Stalking
leandrathetbrzero's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
↓ Other Mystery/Thriller Hybrids ↓
- Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew Sullivan
- The Playground by Jane Shemilt
- The Guest List by Lucy Foley
Thank you so much to Poisoned Pen Press and #Netgalley for gifting me an ARC of The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill in exchange for this honest review!
Freddie Kincaid visits the Boston Public Library in the hopes of making good progress on her current mystery manuscript. She finds inspiration in the table’s three other inhabitants, nicknaming them Freud Girl, Heroic Chin, and Handsome Man. As she creates their personalities and backstories in her head, a woman’s scream breaks the library’s silence. This mysterious scream acts as a bonding experience, and the four strangers forge an unexpected friendship. They become almost inseparable when a body is found.
The novel’s first few chapters had me on the edge of my seat. I found myself immediately invested in Gentill’s first-person protagonist, Freddie. Her thoughts and dialogue were authentic and very believable, although she did read older than 27 years old (imo). On that note, I also found characters like Marigold and Whit to act younger than they are meant to be. I was 100% on board for the brilliant chemistry between Freddie and Cain (aka Handsome Man). As thrilling as the narrative, was with each new clue and the ever-rising tensions between the four main characters, there are a few aspects to this novel that made it a less than satisfying read for me.
At the end of each chapter, the reader experiences an extra layer of metafiction with a letter from Leo (beta reader/pen pal) to Hannah (the “author” of Freddie’s storyline). The reader learns quickly that Leo is responding to Hannah’s most recent additions to an ongoing manuscript. To recap: Gentill is writing about Hannah as she writes about Freddie. While the correspondence intrigued me at first, it soon grew tiresome. The red flags and creepy intimacy of Leo did give me goosebumps, but then I just found myself annoyed by Leo. For instance his insistence on including COVID into the novel, and his obviously wrong assumptions about the culprit(s) and the characters’ relationships had me yelling at him aloud in frustration. The psycho pen pal is a fun idea, for sure, but I felt it was forced into this novel, and I would have preferred to simply read The Woman in the Library without the epistolary commentary.
I was most disappointed with the ending. I correctly identified the person(s) responsible for the crimes committed, but the actual motive was surprisingly less complicated and sinister than I imagined it would be. In fact, this is a rare moment in which I believe my imagination came up with a better motive to match the narrative’s tone. My only additional critique focuses on Gentill’s tendency to rush things. The relationship between Freddie and Cain is measured in weeks, yet they have fallen in love with each other already. Furthermore, the story ends a bit abruptly, and at a strange moment. I assume the final scene shines a light on Gentill’s dark humor which I would not have minded, but I wish it was grounded in more substantial past clues/scenes that support such an ending.
I do not regret reading this novel in the least. The blend of thriller and mystery ingredients kept me on edge for most of the novel. I enjoyed the “frame-up job” angle, as it added to the tension and feelings of distrust among the characters. I believe this book could be a good match for those who enjoy metafiction, multiple storylines, and mysteries that are thriller-leaning.
Content Warnings
Minor: Stalking, Torture, Racism, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
sleeson's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Happy to receive an ARC digital copy of this book. My first time reading something written by this author. I go back and forth on how I feel with this one. The book is an easy read. It kept me entertained and I wanted to keep reading.
The concept with what the author attempted to create for the storyline was unique. I love new and out of the box ideas. I found the four main characters easy to like . I was constantly rooting for their friendship.
I wasn’t able to figure out the “who done it” in this one, which was fun.
However, the downfall was that the ending needed answers and some pop. There is so much buildup and mystery throughout the story, the ending lacked the “home run out of the park” closure that it deserved. It felt quick ending with questions left unanswered. I would give this author another go.
The concept with what the author attempted to create for the storyline was unique. I love new and out of the box ideas. I found the four main characters easy to like . I was constantly rooting for their friendship.
I wasn’t able to figure out the “who done it” in this one, which was fun.
However, the downfall was that the ending needed answers and some pop. There is so much buildup and mystery throughout the story, the ending lacked the “home run out of the park” closure that it deserved. It felt quick ending with questions left unanswered. I would give this author another go.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Murder, and Stalking
amandas_bookshelf's review against another edition
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
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Drug abuse, Addiction, Blood, Death, Gun violence, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Stalking and Physical abuse
Minor: Sexual assault and Rape
rachelunabridged's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
~~~
This book kicked off in a really compelling way, but sadly, that's all it really had going for it. The plots crawled along at barely a smolder that never managed to build themselves into a burn, slow or otherwise. You may have noticed that I said "plots". It's not a typo; this story has a dual plot situation going on that, while interesting in theory, was just not executed very well, in my opinion.
There was a line in this story, around the point when I was starting to wonder if anything was going to happen in this book, that got me thinking I might have been duped by picking it up.
"We dress our stories up with murders, and discussions about morality and society, but really we just care about relationships."
It kind of speaks for itself. Basically, this book promises you a murder and mystery, but doesn't really deliver on either of those things in a satisfying way because it's more focused on the developing romance between characters.
As someone who doesn't enjoy reading romance, I didn't like being tricked into reading a romance disguised as a murder mystery. I would have been able to tolerate it if it wasn't at the expense of the rest of the plot, but it definitely was. The mystery didn't really feel fleshed out, and the solution was easy to guess, even early on in the book.
To make matters worse, for a book about relationships, the characters were okay at best. They all felt very cookie-cutter to me, and I found it hard to connect with any of them.
If you're looking for a romance novel with some peripheral mystery/murder, this might be for you. However, if you're looking for a who-dun-it that'll leave you guessing until the end, I don't think you'll find this book very satisfying.
~~~
This book kicked off in a really compelling way, but sadly, that's all it really had going for it. The plots crawled along at barely a smolder that never managed to build themselves into a burn, slow or otherwise. You may have noticed that I said "plots". It's not a typo; this story has a dual plot situation going on that, while interesting in theory, was just not executed very well, in my opinion.
There was a line in this story, around the point when I was starting to wonder if anything was going to happen in this book, that got me thinking I might have been duped by picking it up.
"We dress our stories up with murders, and discussions about morality and society, but really we just care about relationships."
It kind of speaks for itself. Basically, this book promises you a murder and mystery, but doesn't really deliver on either of those things in a satisfying way because it's more focused on the developing romance between characters.
As someone who doesn't enjoy reading romance, I didn't like being tricked into reading a romance disguised as a murder mystery. I would have been able to tolerate it if it wasn't at the expense of the rest of the plot, but it definitely was. The mystery didn't really feel fleshed out, and the solution was easy to guess, even early on in the book.
To make matters worse, for a book about relationships, the characters were okay at best. They all felt very cookie-cutter to me, and I found it hard to connect with any of them.
If you're looking for a romance novel with some peripheral mystery/murder, this might be for you. However, if you're looking for a who-dun-it that'll leave you guessing until the end, I don't think you'll find this book very satisfying.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Murder, and Stalking
Minor: Cursing, Blood, and Sexual content
sfbookgirl's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
2.5
A thriller that takes place in a library? Count me in! The Woman in the Library starts off strong with a captivating plot and enjoyable characters. When four individuals sit down at a table at the Boston Public Library, a terrified scream is heard amongst the stacks. While the library’s patrons wait for the all-clear, these four individuals pass the time and develop a friendship of sorts. It just so happens that one of these individuals is a murderer.
There is an additional story-in-story plot which is interesting, but a bit confusing to follow at first. This “story” involves one of the four individuals who chooses to write a book about what happened in the library. In addition to the story-in-a-story plot, a mysterious early reader/fan of the narrator's work named Leo sends feedback in the form of letters that are downright alarming in the best way. These letters definitely kept me turning pages, but the rest of the novel fell a bit flat for me. The main character is naive and the dialogue is a bit cringy. Some elements of the story did not seem believable. There are so many moving parts that I had a difficult time keeping track of what was in the story-in-story and what was real, and I selfishly wish, as a library worker, that more of the novel took place in the Boston Public Library. While unfortunately, the format for The Woman in the Library did not work for me, other readers may enjoy it for its unique plot.
For warning: the storyline mentions the COVID-19 pandemic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Stalking
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