Sulari Gentill’s metafictional novel The Woman in the Library features a pair of satisfyingly twisty mysteries

THE WOMAN IN THE LIBRARY Sulari Gentill (Ultimo, $32.99) The latest novel by Australian crime author Sulari Gentill begins with a premise worthy of a classic murder-mystery: four strangers sit unobtrusively observing one another amid the hushed magnificence of the Boston Public Library’s reading room when a “ragged and terrified” scream ruptures the silence. The moment is the spark for new friendships as the quartet team up for an investigation whose dangers will test their nascent bond. However, this set-up is only half the picture when it comes to The Woman in the Library. Indeed, the tale of the four sleuthing friends — among them, narrator Winifred “Freddie” Kincaid, an Australian crime writer living temporarily in the US on a literary fellowship — is the story within the story in Gentill’s enjoyable, cleverly metafictional novel, whose framing narrative takes the form of a series of emails to (another) Australian crime novelist, Hannah Tigone, from an American fan and quasi-friend named Leo. We quickly understand that Leo’s correspondence is written in response to his reading of successive chapters of Hannah’s latest work in progress — the story of Freddie and company. As Leo offers feedback on Hannah’s drafts, providing advice on authentic Americanisms and the like, he also shares news of his attempts to get his own unpublished novel noticed by agents. The Woman in the Library’s dual strands thus unfold in tandem, each of them wittily commenting on the other as Leo’s initially deferential missives start to take on a more sinister tone and Freddie begins to uncover secrets about her new friends. The book’s appeal, however, goes beyond its pair of satisfyingly twisty mysteries. Indeed, although the characters (particularly Freddie) can feel a touch thin at times, Gentill creates in the novel’s Boston thread an authentically enticing world of fast friendships and creative collaboration which — despite the plot points involving murder — invites readers to linger. PLATYPUS MATTERS Jack Ashby (William Collins, $34.99) “Truly, platypuses are things of pure wonder,” writes Jack Ashby in this engaging appreciation of “the marvels of all Australian mammals”, including not only the platypus but also echidnas, marsupials, bats and rodents. The assistant director of the University of Cambridge Museum of Zoology, Ashby has an infectious enthusiasm for Aussie marsupials and monotremes in particular — which, he says, have often been unfairly derided as “lesser” or “primitive” in scientific and broader circles. He makes the case that such biases matter: “The way I see it, the fates of both the people and animals that live in Australia have in large part been determined by the way its wildlife has been presented in the West.” WILDFLOWER Monique Mulligan (Pilyara Press, $29.99) Two female characters connected across time are at the heart of the second novel by WA author Monique Mulligan, a sensitive exploration of family violence. Told in connected dual timelines set 20 years apart in suburban Sydney, the story begins in 1999 with an unnamed woman leaving an abusive partner for a refuge, where she encounters someone unexpected from her past. The novel’s second strand starts in the late 70s, and follows 10-year-old Jane Kelly, who is being bullied at school and longs for a playground ally. When Acacia Miller moves in next door, Jane’s wishes appear to have been granted, but she soon senses her new friend is keeping something from her. WHEN JOKERS WERE KINGS John Tesarsch (Affirm Press, $29.99) Some years ago, Melbourne author John Tesarsch found himself at a bar in Vienna — “the sort with sawdust on the floor” — watching an Elvis Presley impersonator singing his heart out “in front of no more than half a dozen heavy drinkers and a sausage dog”. It was, he says, “a tragicomic scene” that “has stayed with me ever since”, and one that inspired his latest novel. It’s a rom-com centred on Bertie Jones, an unassuming mail clerk at a large bank whose surprising star turn on the karaoke machine at the company Christmas party reveals his hidden musical talent and convinces him to have a crack at becoming an Elvis tribute artist.