I love Julie Clark, and she can really write a thriller. This one was a little slow for me, still a good slow burn, but I found myself having to read it in pieces. Definitely will recommend - just not as fast-paced as her previous novels.

This was an enjoyable page turning mystery. The storyline kept the reader turning pages to see what happens next. There was good character development as well as a few twists and turns that added to the suspense. This is a book which I would recommend to those who enjoy a good mystery.

It took a bit to get into but once I was in, I was HOOKED. I really had no idea who killed poppy and Danny up until the end- the author did a great job bringing us along the twists and turns and the different directions Olivia’s investigation took her.

I enjoyed the premise of this book, and I liked how the main character was enlisted by her estranged father to be the ghostwriter of his memoir, which was heavily focused on the murder of his 2 siblings (whom people speculated he killed). There were a lot of layers here that needed to unravel, and there were some unexpected twists along the way. I appreciated the writing style, and this book kept my interest the whole time. Thanks NetGalley for early access to this title!

This captivating novel immediately grabbed my attention and kept me engrossed until the very last page—I finished it in just three days. The storytelling is skillfully layered, weaving together a complex narrative centered on Olivia's reflections on her tumultuous relationship with her father. At the heart of the story lies the haunting tragedy of 1975, raising the question: was her father involved in the murder of his siblings?

The characters are beautifully developed, with their intricacies and emotional depth adding richness to the tale. Olivia's voice feels authentic and compelling, drawing readers into her journey as she pieces together the unsettling events of the past. It's a thought-provoking and beautifully written book that lingers long after you've put it down. An absolute must-read!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC through NetGalley!
These thoughts are my own and I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

The Ghostwriter
Julie Clark
Pub: 6/3/25

Ghostwriter Olivia Dumont has spent her entire professional life hiding the fact that she is the only child of legendary horror author Vincent Taylor, famous not only for his novels but for being the prime suspect in the brutal slaying of his siblings. On the brink of financial ruin, Olivia reluctantly agrees to ghostwrite her father's last book, not realising she will be forced to reckon with the ghosts that live at the centre of her family.

This book had me on the hook from the very beginning! It’s a slow-burn but the dual POV and multiple timelines (Clark please don’t stop doing these) kept me fully engaged and the story moving along at just the right pace. This was such a well crafted twist tale and it had me guessing to the very end. Loving Julie Clark’s books and cannot wait to see what’s next.

What I enjoyed:
✍🏻 Atmospheric Setting
✍🏻 Dual POV/Multiple Timelines
✍🏻 Suspenseful Mystery/Thriller
✍🏻 Family Drama
✍🏻 Unexpected Twists

Absolutely would recommend. Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

A woman who earns a living as a ghostwriter confronts her father, a bestselling author with the beginnings of dementia, about terrible family secrets when she agrees to write his memoir. Will he finally reveal the truth about the murder of his brother and sister fifty years ago and his connection to the crime?
The narrative alternates between the present day as told by the daughter and journal entries by the woman’s aunt who was murdered as a teen along with another brother. There are other chapters too, also in the past, recounted by her father as a young man.
The story is well developed as the family conflicts are gradually revealed. Balancing the unreliable memory of the ailing father are chapters which provide incontrovertible. evidence of the unsolved crime. Then there are chapters which tell the story from the prospective of the siblings so long ago. That is a lot to keep straight, but gradually the narrative begins to fill out.
The story held my interest well enough for me to read til the end. However there was a lot of information to fit into this story to reach the climax. I had to pause several times to ask myself if I had missed something or it had not yet been revealed. If you like to read about dysfunctional families, give this a try. Otherwise, I think you can skip this without regret.

This one pulled me in fast. The setup is so strong: a ghostwriter with a hidden past, a horror writer with a decades-old family tragedy, and emotional tension that just keeps building. It’s layered, but still super readable. I never felt lost in the details or bogged down in backstory.

Julie Clark balances suspense with actual depth. This isn’t just about solving a mystery; it’s about reckoning with the stories we tell ourselves and what happens when the truth finally cracks through. It’s tense, personal, and surprisingly moving. It's the kind of thriller that lingers more than shocks.

The pacing worked for me too. It’s steady and sharp, with just enough twistiness to keep me leaning in. A smart, emotionally driven thriller with teeth.

The plot was unique but plausible. I enjoyed the character development as well as the twist. It was not completely out of left field, but it was still surprising enough that I didn't guess it. I felt that the author wrapped the story up nicely, without rushing it or leaving any cliffhangers. Overall, I truly enjoyed it.

This book had me hooked from the very first page! Talk about family drama! Olivia, a ghostwriter, has been asked to help write the memoir of her estranged father, who is also a famous writer. There have always been dark rumors surrounding her father about a traumatic incident that happened when he was a teenager!. His brother and sister were murdered and there has always been the suspicion that he may have been the killer. What??! Ok, I'm in!!

The book then rotates between past and present with multiple POVs. I especially loved the chapters in the past with Poppy's entries! As Olivia sets out to write the memoir, she starts digging into her Dad's life, wanting to learn more about her Aunt and Uncle and in doing so, discovers clues to what actually happened all those years ago.

Very twist and suspenseful and packed with lots of family drama! I really enjoyed this book and look forward to see what the author comes up with next!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read and review this book! 4 stars!

📹 Book Review 📹

Shewwwwww 🥵 This was so damn good! This book kept me intrigued the entire time. I flew through the pages because I needed to know what was going to happen next!

Our MC is a ghostwriter and has been hired to write the memoir of her estranged father, who also is a famous writer. Not only is he famous for his penmanship, he’s also famous for being accused years ago of murdering his brother and his sister. 😱

Set in Ojai, CA in 1975 this a story of truth, trust, and betrayal. I love that the author gives us glimpses into the past through the eyes of two very important characters. You are adding in snippets of valuable information but being told the story in different eras by different characters.

Dropping June 3rd, 2025! Don’t miss this one!

Thank you so much for @netgalley , @sourcebooks and @julieclarkauthor for the review copy! I will definitely be adding a physical copy upon publication!

Summary:

June, 1975.

The Taylor family shatters in a single night when two teenage siblings are found dead in their own home. The only surviving sibling, Vincent, never shakes the whispers and accusations that he was the one who killed them. Decades later, the legend only grows as his career as a horror writer skyrockets.

Ghostwriter Olivia Dumont has spent her entire professional life hiding the fact that she is the only child of Vincent Taylor. Now on the brink of financial ruin, she’s offered a job to ghostwrite her father’s last book. What she doesn’t know, though, is that this project is another one of his lies. Because it’s not another horror novel he wants her to write.

After fifty years of silence, Vincent Taylor is finally ready to talk about what really happened that night in 1975.

#booksta #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #thrillerbooks #thrillerbookstagram #bookreview #bookrecommendation #comingsoon #readmore #readmorebooks

This was the third book by Julie Clark I’ve read and I’m convinced she cannot write a bad book! This was twisty with family drama and I couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait to see what comes next from her.

Julie Clarks' the Ghostwriter was interesting. We are taken between the present day with an unreliable narrator and the past where the past and the truth is revealed bit by bit. Learning about the Taylor family was interesting, and I didn't guess what actually happened at the end. It was truly a puzzle that we figured out along with the MC Olivia.

The Ghostwriter! Mid-career ghostwriter Olivia with a troubling and somewhat estranged father reluctantly returns to her hometown in Ojai after being unexpected called upon to write his most recent book. He is famous—both as a novelist and for the suspected murder of his two siblings.

So twisty and suspenseful! It *did* take a moment to get going, once it did...wow! This thriller was thought-provoking and clever, more so than most in its genre. Would absolutely recommend if you love a good puzzle...

Someone cook me some crow, because I am about to eat it. I thought I had this book figured out and I was so wrong. The twists were plentiful, the character development was perfect, and the plot was refreshing.

Go in blind. The less you know, the better.

This book held my interest right from the start. Olivia, a ghostwriter, is hired to write a memoir for her father who is suffering from dementia and is thought to be the killer of his two siblings more than 50 years ago. It’s an interesting premise as Olivia has to weed through multiple clues and information from unreliable people. I enjoyed the way the author wrote the story using two timelines with multiple voices. At each turn, Olivia had to determine what was true and where is the proof. Good sleuthing by Olivia and excellent writing kept the story moving with many twists and turns.
#TheGhostwriter #NetGalley #JulieClark
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for an advanced eGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Strong beginning and strong ending, but I found the pacing in between to drag on a bit.

Olivia Dumont is a successful ghostwriter who has recently found herself in a tough spot financially. However, her agent informs her that a famous horror fiction writer has asked for her by name to pen his recent novel. But wait, the author is her estranged father, Vincent Taylor! Nobody is aware of the connection because she’s changed her name and lied about his death. Olivia keeps this a secret because when her father was a teenager, both his brother and sister were murdered in their home. Oh, and he might have done it. Wait there’s more, the case was never solved. Oh, and it’s not a fiction book he has in mind, he actually wants her to write his memoir which might lead to the truth of who actually murdered his siblings. Dun dun duuuuun!

I was constantly going back and forth on who the killer might be. So I call that a success. Strong murder mystery plot set in the 70’s.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Queen Julie continues to reign supreme!

What a fun ride. Olivia was a royal dumbass but I’m going to let that slide.

The pacing was done so well, it builds up and keeps you invested with the multiple POV and past/present timelines.

I’m Team Villain always and Vince had my heart from the start, I was really rooting for him. Will not confirm or deny if that panned out for me 😜😂

3.5 Stars 🌟

Another "new to me" author. This was a new psychological thriller that introduces us to Ghostwriter Olivia Dumont, who has been estranged from her father for the last 20 years. Her father was prolific Horror Writer Vincent Taylor- as famous as Stephen King - who has long been suspected in the murder of his 2 siblings. The murder occurs in June of 1975 in Ojai, California when he was 16 years old (his siblings were 17 and 14) and while the police accepted his alibi, the public has long murmured suspicions. The rumors followed Vincent his entire life and he refused to ever address them.

Olivia suffered a very traumatic childhood growing up in her fathers hometown. After being sent away to boarding school in Switzerland at age 14, she stayed abroad until after college, returning back to the states with a new name and plans to stay as far away from her father as possible. Unfortunately, at age 44 she ended up in legal trouble, owing more money than she has when she receives a job offer from Vincent Taylor to help him finish his "book". Of course, no one knows they are related, and she has no other offers, so she finds herself back in her father's house.

It is there that she realizes that her father is sick. He has a form of dementia and is quickly losing his faculties. He has decided to finally write his memoir and to tell the world what really happened that night nearly 50 years ago. Unfortunately, Olivia can't figure out whether he is telling the truth or selling her a story.

So, we spend the entire book going back and forth from the present to the past as Olivia tries to figure out what actually happened. The book definitely tries to steer the narrative a certain way right from the start as we bounce between different POV's and you just know that things are not going to be what they seem.

I enjoyed the premise and definitely had my own ideas from the start. To me though, the book took a while to gather momentum and felt liked it lagged quite a bit in the middle. I was eager to get the information and felt like too much time was spent on things that felt like filler. All in all, the ending felt like a good payoff, it just took too long to get there.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. The opinions above are mine and mine alone. This book will be out for publication on June 03, 2025.

This book had me hooked from the very first page! Julie Clark absolutely nailed it with this one — The Ghost Writer was a fantastic, twisty ride that I couldn’t put down. I especially loved the dual timelines and multiple POVs, which added so much depth and intrigue to the story.

The use of different media to reveal the plot — like Poppy’s diary entries and her film clips — was such a clever touch. It made the story feel immersive and gave it a unique, layered feel. And just when I thought I had everything figured out… another twist would hit me out of nowhere!

If you love thrillers with smart structure, compelling characters, and surprises around every corner, this one’s a must-read.