WINNER OF THE CRIME FICTION LOVER BEST INDIE NOVEL 2022

NOMINEE 2023 EDGAR AWARDS – MARY HIGGINS CLARK AWARD

‘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.’

Book blurb

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. While crafting this new thriller, Hannah shares each chapter with her biggest fan and aspirational novelist, Leo.

But Leo seems to know a lot about violence, motive, and how exactly to kill someone.

Perhaps he is not all that he seems…

My thoughts

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-LoveBooksReadBooks

Book: Purchased

The Virtual Crime Book Club

Having had a very patchy attendance of the book club in 2024 reading The Woman in the Library is a better start to 2025 even though I couldn’t attend this month. I am very much looking forward to joining next month.

The Virtual Crime Book Club is hosted by Rebecca Bradley, author of the D I Hannah Robbins and D I Claudia Nunn series as well as standalone novels.

Rebecca is a great host and often gets the authors to come along and chat with us. You can find out more on Rebecca’s website.

The Virtual Crime Book Club – recording

Warning!

You can watch the meeting below but please be aware they may contain spoilers so, if you’re planning to read the book, it may be better not to watch until you’ve done so.

Here’s the link to The Virtual Crime Book Club read in Jan 2025, as ever do be aware that there may be spoilers!

Like to join?

Thinking of joining the virtual crime book club. Details of how to sign up can be found HERE.

©️Janet-LoveBooksReadBooks

Information

Published: Ultimo Press (15 Sept. 2022) | 266 pages

Published in 2022 by Ultimo Press, an imprint of Hardie Grant Publishing First published in 2022 by Sourcebooks

Buy: Ultimo Press | AmazonSmileUK | Hive | Bookshop.org (affiliate link) | Your local bookshop | Your local library

Author

Sulari Gentill is the author of the multi- award-winning Rowland Sinclair Mysteries, a series of (currently) ten historical crime novels set in 1930s Australia.  Her widely praised standalone novel, After She Wrote Him, won the Ned Kelly Award for Best Crime Novel and was short-listed for the Davitt Award. Sulari was awarded a Copyright Agency Cultural Fund Fellowship for The Woman in the Library. Most recently, she published the award-winning and USA Today bestselling The Woman in the Library. Sulari lives in a small country town in the Australian Snowy Mountains where she grows French Black Truffles and writes. She remains in love with the art of storytelling.

Sulari Gentill Website | Facebook Page  or on X (formerly twitter) and on instagram at @sularigentill

Books

The Rowland Sinclair WWII Mysteries

A House Divided | A Decline in Prophets | Miles Off Course Paving the New Road | Gentlemen Formerly Dressed | A Murder Unmentioned | Give the Devil His Due | A Dangerous Language Shanghai Secrets | Where There’s a Will

The Hero Trilogy

Chasing Odysseus | Trying War | The Blood of Wolves

Standalone Novel

After She Wrote Him/Crossing the Lines won the Ned Kelly Award for Best Crime Novel, and was shortlisted for the Davitt Award.

Latest

The Mystery Writer (2024) | Five Found Dead (coming Oct 2025)