(Reviewed by JD Jung)
#CommissionsEarned
Four strangers sit in a reading room at the Boston Public Library when they hear a bloodcurdling scream. It appears that a murder has taken place and the four are forced to remain there until security authorizes them to leave.
Winifred “Freddie” Kincaid, an Australian writer in residence in Boston, finds characters for her novel in these three people: Cain (Handsome Man) who is a published author, Marigold (Freud Girl), who is a psychology student, and Whit (Heroic Chin) who is trying to flunk out of law school, but to no avail.
Even though the others realize that Freddie is writing a novel based on them, they all develop a deep friendship. As days pass, more assaults and murders take place that seem related and each of the four are questioned by police. Worse, it appears that there are more to their pasts than meet the eye.
Even worse than that, some are blind sighted by love and friendship, and at times they’re even aware that they’re ignoring all rational thought.
But wait…there’s more to it! We know from the beginning that we’re reading the plot of a novel written by published Australian author Hannah Tigon. Hannah emails each chapter draft to a fellow writer, Leo, who not only corrects her American vernacular, but also gives his feedback on how the story should proceed.
This original plot structure contributes to the tension, and it works well with the related stories. It may sound complicated, but it’s easy to follow. Additionally, the characters are unpredictable, and their motives make sense. There’s even the right amount of dark humor sprinkled in for variation.
The Woman in the Library is a modern twist on the traditional whodunit that will keep readers captivated from beginning to end.
