If you have ever suffered from writer’s block, you can understand exactly what Evie is going through. Her published novels seem to mock her as she struggles to write her next book. And having the pressure of being overdue for her deadline (all the while juggling a wedding and facing family pressure to take a break from writing) is not helping matters.

She is running on tea and licorice. She recites affirmations for creativity and waits for inspiration to strike during cardio. She is willing to try almost anything to spark her creativity (cardio, meditations, affirmations, coffee…) but nothing seems to help her out of her writing rut. And it seems as if her characters are feeding on her energy; they are as tired as Evie is after 15 books of danger and mysteries.

As the story goes on, we learn more about Evie and her characters. Writing drama is great fun for readers, but, looking at things from the characters’ perspectives, drama is less fun. Evie’s characters are getting out of control. She is finding it harder and harder to control the story: her characters are rebelling, because they have been through a lot of drama.

More than just a fun read, this book suggests that the stories authors write carry over into their real lives. It raises questions on existence: what makes a story real?

“‘But they’re not there,’ he argued. ‘They don’t exist.’ Daniel is very practical.

‘They do exist,’ I argued back. ‘Just not here, exactly.'”

Fiction, no matter how surreal or otherworldly, is a response to reality. So even though the characters Evie writes may not be real in the physical sense, they are real to Evie, and to her readers. A part of Evie exists in her characters, as do the characters live within Evie. They are her creations, they are a part of her story.

“‘But they exist to me, and when people read my books they exist to them, too.’”

And then, one night, the lines between fiction and reality cross. One of her characters comes to life, and is standing right in her kitchen, in the flesh. Soon, a disturbingly familiar homicide surfaces, and it seems as if more of her fictional characters have crossed over into reality. In which case, Evie is in a lot of real-life trouble. If she’s going to survive (or even just get her life back to normal), Evie has some choices to make, and she has to make them fast.

This novel is perfect for crime and mystery fans! Filled with drama and excitement, this book will leave you on the edge of your seat until the very end!

I LOVED this book, it was so much fun! I really haven’t read anything like this before, it was so exciting and unique. My only nitpick is that Evie reacted to things with the word “Holy” like a lot. So much so I was tempted to keep a tally for the fun of it or make it into a drinking game (which might’ve led to my demise.) All jokes aside this really was a great book with a great story and memorable characters. I can’t wait for the next one!

I really adore this book!
I must admit I don't know how I might be able to write a review about this book without spoiling it. I also don't know exactly what category to put this book in genre-wise. Honestly I don't feel like this is a very strong mystery novel, which I thought this book would be based on the name alone. That said, I do think this book packs a lot of suspense and action. And let's not forget a healthy amount of romance.
I've not read many books based on the same concept like this one before so it has been a really refreshing read.
I would definitely recommend this book to others. It's quite fun, action-packed, and pretty hard to put down.

Found the book long after it's publication.

A very witty and captivating book. Read the whole book in a single go.

This is a hard book to talk about and give details about without giving anything away. So here goes… First of all, it’s probably one of the most creative books that I have read in a while. Secondly, it takes a ‘theme’ so to say and really brings it to life (no pun intended). Take daydreaming for example. We all do it at some point. But what if that daydream, however crazy it may be, became reality? What if some of our thoughts suddenly popped into our everyday world?! And finally, I loved loved loved the characters. They were amazing and just perfect. I enjoyed this book so so much. It was such a delight to read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a copy of the awesome book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I don't normally read mystery, but the premise of this book really intrigued me. It's Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series meet the Stranger Than Fiction and Ruby Sparks movies.

MC Evie Howland's characters literally come to life. At first, she's not surprised because she's used to seeing them around, but then she realizes that they are visible to other people and can interact with the real world and all hell breaks loose. I wasn't completely on board with the crime-solving detective thing at the beginning, but once Evie realizes her characters have free will, I quickly came around. I really enjoyed how Sheppard uses the idea of the power of the written word throughout the rest of the book.

Evie's character development and the romance of the book were also compelling, but I'll leave those for readers to discover. Definitely a book worth checking out!

Thank you to Ruby Books for sending me a copy of this novel on NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Dime Sheppard’s novel, CRIME WRITER, certainly has an unusual and entertaining plot. Evie Howland, the main character, is a well-known author struggling to complete the sixteenth novel in her crime fiction series as her wedding is fast approaching. Things go downhill when two of Evie’s characters, Carolyn Harding and Jay Ryan, show up in real life doing things on their own, and can be seen by people in Evie’s life. Yes, this is a novel within a novel, and everything spirals out of control when more of Evie’s characters appear in real life and she cannot contain their dangerous criminal activities or get them back inside her novel. It wasn’t difficult to keep the two stories straight, and felt as if Evie had actually entered the story she was writing.

The only thing I did not like about this novel was the occasional spelling of words in Australian English (or was it British English?), rather than American English. This was odd considering Evie lived in the U.S. for her adult life and the novel was located in New York. However, I really enjoyed CRIME WRITER and especially liked the ending. I look forward to reading Ms. Sheppard’s next novel.

Crime Writer by Dime Sheppard was an amazing read. Full of mystery, suspense, and a touch a romance, this novel has a winning combination of genres. From the get go I was taken by the main character Evie Howland. Sheppard wrote an engaging, humorous, and relatable character that I love. If you are a fan of Sue Grafton's Alphabet Mystery series, Crime Writer, will be the perfect modern day take on the solo female crime fighter.

A nice read that has mystery with a humor & a splash romance. It was a good break from the heavy-crime thrillers!

This was unexpectedly great. The beginning did not grip me - I have a pet peeve for reading about other writers describing their process- but soon the plot took off and I realised that there was a point to it all! The protagonist, Evie, is adorable and watching her imaginary world come to life around her was an interesting twist! I really enjoyed the mix of fantasy, thriller and romance! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Rather A Joy…
Evie has problems. Many of them. Those problems are both on and off the page for Evie, a crime writer with potentially a case of writers block. Fast paced, action packed, amusing and sometimes emotional this is a unique and heartfelt crime romp where fiction writing blurs into reality. Well crafted and rather a joy.

Mystery, action, humor and some romance. A delightful over the top read that doesn't take itself too seriously. A nice temporary escape from the real world.

This book has a little bit of everything! mystery, romance, action! It took me a little bit to get into and really figure out the story. It is a super unique way of story telling and I have not read a book like it! If you enjoy cop/crime mystery this may be for you!

Evie Howland is an author that is stuck at the third chapter of her 16th crime book, until her main characters become more real than she expects and they start to help her. Unfortunately with the good guys came the bad ones, will our author be able to write in order to save her own life?

Crime Writer is an interesting and intriguing story.
The writing,the mystery and the surprising storyline are well executed, the pressing rhythm kept me on my toes throughout the book. The only drawback for me is that the end felt a little rushed.

Our heroine, Evie, is a good character, we see her growth, she little by little comes out of her safe place, she breaks her shell of solitude anf fear coming out as a whole new person. I also liked the fictional characters, Carolyn feisty attitude is so entertaining and Ryan calm is so powerful. Their journey was really enjoyable, they slowly gain more personality and when they start to acting up they don't make their creator life easy.

This was my first time reading this author but I would definitely read another book written by Dime Sheppard.

I honestly don’t know how I feel about this book. I really wanted to love it, but I didn’t, I thought I might end up hating it after the first few chapters, but I also didn’t. The best I can say is that this was very different than what I’ve read and I did enjoy this more and more as it rolled along towards the conclusion.

I wanted to love this book, as I loved the idea of the story. It was a fast read with a unique spin. I found some of the characters likable and others I skimmed over. Overall a satisfying read.

OH MY GOD !!!! This book was honestly a surprise.
Whatever my expectation was, it was blown out of the park.
It took me back to my childhood obsession with 90s rom-com crime shows. If you were a fan of castle or the mentalist, this book is a MUST READ.
It was everything I wanted in a book and SO MUCH more.
It is funny, it is action-packed, it is emotional when it needs to be, also weirdly motivational.
This book takes you on a journey of a writer who is stuck, and is trying to figure out how to write her own story. It talks about love, grief, and what's it like to take control of your own narrative. It talks about how scary it can be but also how rewarding. I finished this book in ONE sitting because I couldn't put it down!!!
I can't say more about my feelings - cause spoilers ;), but I can't wait to read more from this author.

I really enjoyed this book! It started out a bit slow, but picked up pretty quickly and once it did I was hooked. Highly recommend, and I look forward to adding a physical copy to my library soon!

Crime Writer by Dime Sheppard is a massively unique mystery novel that’s full of thrilling action & romance along with mind-bending reality.
I’ve heard that life imitates art, but what happens when your art is writing mystery novels & your two favorite detectives & main characters of said novels are in your life & too close for comfort. Read Crime Writer to find out!
If you can suspend belief of the typical mystery novel & logic & just go along for an interesting ride, it’s an amusing & fascinating mystery book.
Even though this book bends reality in questionable & confusing ways, it surprisingly was able to bring out emotions from me through the depth of characters’ & their relationships. I really enjoyed the adventurous trip that was this book & gave it 4 stars!
Crime Writer impressively pushes the boundaries of storytelling in a way that’s mind-boggling & displays true intelligence.
Crime Writer is out now & I would recommend it to anyone looking for an intriguing mystery!
Massive thanks to NetGalley & Dime Sheppard for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

For some reason, it reminds me of Avengers Endgame, Castle the TV show, Sims the game & Chuck the TV show. Maybe I just have watched too much TV but I fondly thought of all those things whilst reading & had to share.

Trigger warnings: This book mentions &/or contains, murder, gore, violence, shootings, explosions, fire, kidnapping, death & injury.

I plan to post this review to my Bookstagram soon & will add a link once I do.

Prepare yourself for a fast paced adventure! Dime Sheppard wastes zero time jumping right into it and introducing a shit ton of characters within the first chapter. The story is heavily detailed and very creative. I’ve never read anything like this before. It’s packed with thrilling action scenes, a little love story, and plot twists.

Evie is a best selling crime writer working on her sixteenth book in a series starring detectives Harding and Ryan of the NYPD. When a series of homicides happen in life -exactly as they were written in her books- she calls on her fictional characters to hunt down the killer. Evie struggles to find the line between real life and fiction while trying to stay alive and plan her wedding to mega-rich Daniel.