After She Wrote Him (originally published as Crossing the Lines) by Sulari Gentill

Review by Julia

Best consumed with?

Something confusing and intriguing…the only answer is a Pornstar Martini. Is it one cocktail? Is it two cocktails in one? Do you take the shot straight, or do you pour it in the drink? Why is it called “pornstar martini”? Is it acceptable to order at a work event?!...The questions never cease, much like with this novel.

What's it all about? 

It's about two authors, Madeleine d’Leon and Edward McGinnity, who are each writing a novel. Madeleine is writing a murder mystery in which Edward is the protagonist, and Edward is penning a literary novel about Madeleine. And therein lies the mystery - who is the author, and who is the subject? And what happens when the lines blur and Madeleine and Edward start interacting with each other?

Why did I choose to read this book? 

If you’ve read my The Woman in the Library review (see here: The Woman in the Library - by Sulari Gentill (sisterssitsip.wixsite.com)), you know that I loved that book and Sulari’s writing. I found out that Sulari won the Ned Kelly award for Best Crime Fiction for this novel, so I knew I had to read it! 

What did I love? 

It's a well written book exploring a fascinating concept. Unlike The Woman in the Library which demarcates the two stories by different chapters, Edward and Madeleine’s tales are interwoven throughout the novel. So, Madeleine may decide to sit down and work on her crime novel about Edward, and then we shift into Edward’s story. But then, Edward is writing about Madeleine, which means when we were reading Madeleine’s story, that was Edward writing… is that correct?

The transition between Edward and Madeliene is deliciously clever. I would often think there’s no way this can be pulled off, but Sulari weaves her magic. For example, Madeleine is described to begin her writing as “Madeleine closed her eyes, and waited for Edward McGinnity, called him from the part of her soul where stories were held awaiting release”, and then later it seamlessly shifts to “Edward wrote the manner in which she [Madeleine] tidied aimlessly while the pies warmed…”. Magic! 

I also liked the exploration of whether fictional characters live beyond the pages of a story. I first encountered this in Sophie’s World, a book about a 14 year old girl who is asked the following questions: “Who are you?” and “Where does the world come from?”. Sophie then learns about different philosophical concepts relating to fictional characters. I think this is really interesting, because haven’t we all read a novel in which we have become so invested, and felt incredibly sad when it finished? This is expertly explored through Madeleine and Edward’s story, and what makes it even more absoring is that we don’t know who the real author is - although maybe it doesn't even matter, when the real puppet master is Sulari!

What did I not love? 

This book has been described as ‘meta’ (which, as I learned, means a creative work that is self-referential, or something that refers to itself), and I think it was too meta for me. I didn’t love how self-referential it was - it took me out of the plot too many times.

I also don’t think this novel is a real murder mystery. On the cover, there is a sketch of an ink bottle with “A Mystery” written on it - which made me think this would be a classic ‘whodunnit’. However, it's not quite that. Yes, Madeleine is a crime fiction author and there is a murder in Edward’s story, but figuring out who is guilty isn’t really a key plot point. We also see Madeline trying to work out who the culprit is (as she is the author of Edward’s story) which takes some of the suspense away.

Book club recommended? 

Yes, if you want a book that divides opinions. Just like The Woman in the Library, the Ultimo Press, 2023 edition includes a Reading Group Guide and an interview with Sulari at the end, which is great for book clubs.