I’m a big Julie Clark fan, so was excited to receive an advanced copy. This book did not disappoint. She weaves a very complicated family relationship with unraveling a 50 year old mystery that keeps you wondering until the very end. Vince has spent his whole life as a man who people think killed his younger siblings. His last act is to ask his estranged daughter to ghostwrite his story. She has also believed her father killed her uncle and aunt but the mystery that she starts to unravel, will surprise you! This book kept my attention from start to finish, and every few chapters I changed my mind on how this would end. Pick this one up when it comes out! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I know i’m late to the game but boy was this book good! I love the unreliable narration, the multi-pov, and felt the ending was superb

Family drama, atmospheric settings, twists galore, and Julie Clark's incredible storytelling make The Ghostwriter a must read.

After surviving the murder of his family in the 70s, Victor became a successful horror novelist, but he's ready to finally talk about what happened with his ghostwriter- his daughter Olivia.

Absolutely loved this, and there's a reason this novel is being recommended repeatedly and being spotted all over social media. Must read of the summer.

Ghostwriter Olivia Dumont has spent her entire professional life hiding the fact that she is the only child of famous horror author Vincent Taylor. Now on the brink of financial ruin, she’s offered a job to ghostwriter 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.

Thriller lovers, get this one on your radar immediately! From the author of THE LIES I TELL & THE LAST FLIGHT, THE GHOSTWRITER hits shelves in early June and I can tell it will be a buzzy book this summer.

First off, I loved the overall premise of a daughter who escaped her famous family’s haunting story but then gravitates back to them years later through her professional career. Having the main character be a ghostwriter and unlocking secrets along the way felt so original for a thriller novel!

The back and forth timeline between past and present leads the reader on a fun intertwining web of lies, deception, and revealing the truth of a decades old mystery.

This was soooooo close 🤏🏼 to being a 5 star read for me (which as you know is few and far between nowadays) but there were a few loose ends that took my overall total down to a 4.5ish… but for a thriller book that’s still pretty fantastic!

So many tidbits of information gets thrown at you by the end, so I plan on going back and writing them down in my notes on Goodreads to refer back to since I’m already forgetting some of the little (but important to the story) things!!

I also think this makes for a good book club read due to the twisty gaslighting and deception that could take readers by surprise!

🏆This book now takes the coveted number one spot in regards to books by this author! I can’t wait to hear how this one ends up ranking for you!!

A bingeworthy new thriller from Julie Clark! I flew through THE GHOSTWRITER on vacation. It was a very interesting premise- a daughter reconnects with her dad who is a possible murderer to ghost write his memoir. I was completely hooked trying to figure out what happened to Vincent's sibling, Poppy and Danny, back in the 1970's and if Vincent played a role in their murder. I like how the story alternated between present day when Olivia is ghost writing for her dad, Vincent, and the past when Poppy and Danny were murdered. Every time I put it down, I was excited to pick it back up again. This was a very suspenseful read with wild family dynamics from Clark and I can see why it's becoming a bookstagram favorite!

Despite being the daughter of best selling horror writer Vincent Taylor , Olivia has spend her entire career hiding behind a different name and making ghostwriting her profession. Vincent himself is the only survivor of a a bloody incident in his teens when his two siblings were murdered. For decades he has refused to speak of it and rumors have shadowed his life. When diagnosed with a debilitating disease he contacts Olivia asking her to write his memoirs ready to talk about that fateful night in 1975. Despite the long estrangement and with her career at a low point Olivia agrees hoping for resolution and answers to why her mother left years ago. This twisty psychological novel addresses family dynamics and the impact that violence and abandonment has on society. Told through dual timelines with layered plot threads the narrative was poignant and engrossing. Olivia is a well developed character and the reader feels her emotional turmoil. As she struggles to work with her father's difficult personality and failing health she also learns about the historic crime and her father's fractured family. A turning point comes when Olivia finds her father's sister Poppy's journal and her voice comes alive for her. My theories changed every few chapters and the smoothly unfolding suspense held my attention. A good choice for a reader who enjoys a complex emotional family drama paired with a cold case investigation.

I really enjoyed this thriller! The reader spends the book primarily with Olivia, a down-on-her-luck ghostwriter. She’s been estranged from her parents for years, but she can’t pass up the opportunity to ghostwrite her father’s memoir. Her father is the presumed killer of his brother and sister, who were burdened in 1975, so the memoir is sure to contain some interesting topics (but more importantly, Olivia really needs the money). This is also complicated by the fact that her father has Lewy Body Dementia, and his memory is failing him.

A really strong part of this book is the flashbacks. We got to relive the events of 1975 through the points-of-view of Vincent (Olivia’s father, for whom she’s ghostwriting the book) and his deceased siblings, Poppy and Danny. I loved Poppy’s spark! And I loved the complex relationship between Vincent and Danny. In fact, that’s a theme of this book: we also see the complicated relationship between Olivia and her father.

I really enjoyed the ending. I thought I roughly knew what was going to happen, but I was totally wrong! And I found the last chapter really touching.

I'm so glad that I had a chance to read Ghostwriter! Olivia Dumont has been asked to be the ghostwrite for her father, Vincent Taylor, who is a best-selling author and a suspected murderer. This will be Vincent's last book and Olivia, who has avoided her father for years, agrees to help him write his book. What Olivia doesn't know is that this will not be one of his horror stories but a retelling of the tragic death of his 2 siblings in the 1970s.

This was an excellent book with an ending that I did not guess. This is my 3 book by Julie Clark and she has not yet disappointed. Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advance copy.

This was a gripping and layered read that blends family drama with a suspenseful mystery. I really enjoyed following Olivia, a ghostwriter whose once-thriving career has vanished after a very public fallout. When she’s offered a new job, she has no choice but to accept—only to discover it’s for her estranged father’s memoir.

What follows is a haunting look into past secrets, told through alternating timelines and perspectives: Olivia in the present, and her father Vincent and Aunt Poppy in 1975. As Vincent’s health declines, he claims he’s finally ready to tell the truth about the tragedy that shaped his family. But Olivia isn’t sure whether this is a confession, another manipulation, or fiction disguised as fact.

The dual timelines were compelling, especially as the layers of family history unraveled. There’s a slow build of tension, red herrings, and breadcrumb clues that kept me engaged the whole way through. I appreciated how Olivia’s skills as a journalist played into the narrative—she’s sharp and persistent, even when the truth gets uncomfortable.

If you enjoy thrillers with emotional depth, messy family secrets, and a scavenger hunt vibe, this one’s worth picking up.

I was provided an ARC of this book via Sourcebooks and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The Ghostwriter is not only a spellbinding shocking mystery, but also a glimpse at a family whose instability and grief blow up into incomprehensible dysfunction as two of the three children in the family, both young are viciously murdered. Flash forward to the present when the only survivor's daughter, a ghostwriter who has been estranged from her father for years, the only child not killed and decides to come back home to the place the murders occurred to help him ghostwrite the story of his life before it is all forgotten. He leads his daughter on her last treasure hunt, one of the only joys from her childhood, with hints and clues to what happened all those years ago to not only solve the mystery but heal both their souls.

In 1975 Vincent Taylor's young sister Poppy and his brother a teenager at the time, Danny were brutally murdered in their home, leaving him an only child as well as the prime suspect. The case was never solved.

Now in the present, Taylor is an acclaimed writer who needs a ghostwriter to help him with the last book he knows he will every write. He insists on Olivia Dumont who is a ghostwriter who has had a few problems recently. Unbeknownst to all, she is actually Olivia Taylor, Vincent's daughter whom he has not seen in decades.

When she agrees to work with him, she is confused. She discovers this is not a book of fiction, but in fact a confession. But to what? Of course, she knew her family had a tragedy well before she was ever born, but for Olivia, she was a victim as well, of the aftermath of the losses and bullying and grief they all experienced. Her childhood was unpleasant to say the least.

So as Olivia begins to sort through her father's now flawed memory and keep the publisher unaware of not only who she really is but what is really being written, she begins to discover bits and pieces of evidence from that time period. The more she discovers the more she hunts for what really happened all those years ago, at times frightened as to what the ending may really be.

The Ghostwriter is a wonderful, suspenseful look at a tragedy and those who survived and how they became flawed, and guilt ridden. The shocking ending will haunt the reader. But even more important what happens during this process, is forgiveness and love.

Thank you #NetGalley #SourcebooksLandmark #JulieClark #TheGhostwriter for the advanced copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve wanted to read Julie Clark for awhile now, and I own her other books! So when I saw this pop up, I knew I had to read it!

If I could have sat down and read it in one sitting, I definitely would have because this book had me guessing! It felt like each chapter had a purpose and was building and building.

This book was full of so many twists! I’m slightly bummed that it doesn’t seem that the ending is fully resolved, but I do understand why it was left that way.

I’m so excited to read my other Julie Clark books.

Propulsive Suspense..
Ghostwriter Olivia Dumont carries her own secrets, ones that she would prefer be kept that way. She has now been commissioned with the assignment of her life - but the ghosts of the past may well not be sleeping peacefully. A propulsive standalone suspense with a pacy, intricate plot riddled with twists and populated with a well crafted cast of characters. Edgy and tense.

I had not previously read any works by this author, but this experience has encouraged me to read more of her books in the future. The book was a quick read that kept me engaged throughout. Midway through, I thought, “This seems a bit predictable,” and I had anticipated the twist. However, the twist exceeded my expectations and proved worth my time.
"The Ghostwriter" is a rich narrative centered on a 1975 tragedy. The main character, Olivia, finds herself entangled in a complex situation nearly 50 years later. She takes on the challenging job of ghostwriting a book for her father, a well-known horror author with whom she has been estranged for about 30 years.
The story is layered with unreliable accountings of the 1975 tragedy, and complex characters, involving themes of murder, abuse, small-town secrets, and personal trauma. Olivia is a relatively reliable character, though she carries a significant secret. Her determination to navigate the moral complexities around her is admirable. Meanwhile, her father, who is experiencing the advanced stages of Lewy body disease, presents an unpredictable and volatile presence. Despite their challenges, the narrative beautifully explores the reconnection between father and daughter amid significant adversity.

This one is a little bit of a slow burn - the beginning was hard to get into, but the ending ramped up. I enjoyed the dual timelines and the juicy family drama.

It was okay. Ghostwriter Olivia accepts a job reluctantly when her career takes a nosedive. The job involves her estranged father, who has been suspected but never proven of the murder of his siblings 50 years ago, Olivia's aunt and uncle.
Her father, who has early onset dementia, proceeds to create a treasure hunt just like he used to do with his sister and Olivia as a child to make Olivia solve the mystery. It became tedious and annoying.

Wow! Julie Clark is officially promoted to “one-click” status! Olivia Dumont is a ghostwriter with a floundering career after some comments made about another author. She gets thrown a lifeline to write her famous estranged father’s memoir…. Her father is a famous horror novelist living in his hometown where his siblings were brutally murdered. Most believe he murdered his brother and sister. I loved the alternating storylines, they really work here! Olivia was just okay as a MC but her father’s character was really well written. I really enjoyed this just as much or more than Clark’s other novels.

Olivia Dumont is a ghostwriter who has experienced some professional turmoil. When the opportunity presents itself to ghostwrite for a famous author, it seems that Olivia would jump at the chance to ease some of her financial worries by taking the job. The only issue, is that the famous author is Olivia’s father.

Olivia’s father has been rumored to have killed his siblings back in 1975. He has largely remained silent about what happened the night of the murders, but he is finally ready to write a memoir about what occurred with his daughter’s help.

Julie Clark once again crafts an intriguing plot that kept me engaged throughout this novel. The Ghostwriter pulled me out of a book slump and kept me guessing the entire time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

Thanks to NetGalley for my ARC

This one was a mostly solid thriller. It was fast-paced. The characters were well developed and interesting. My only real complaint is that it felt a little too long/overdone.

I really enjoyed this thriller about a daughter looking for answers about her family’s past. Olivia, a ghostwriter, takes on a job to ghostwrite her estranged father’s autobiography. Not only must Julia forge a reconciliation with her father and his neglect during her childhood, but she also try and solve the double-murder of what would have been her aunt and uncle. While unearthing her families’ troubled history, she better understands herself and her difficult childhood. Julie Clark does a great job of telling a story within a story, without it becoming complicated and hard to follow. The story has thriller-elements and is a page-turner, but won’t keep you up at night.

I’ll read anything Julie Clark writes, and The Ghostwriter certainly did not disappoint. Her books always feel fresh and layered, with thoughtful plots, strong women, and just enough emotional punch to keep me invested. The Ghostwriter is part family drama, part mystery, part quiet tragedy, and I devoured it in just a few sittings (which is always the sign of a really great read).

The story is told through multiple POVs and moves between two timelines: present-day Olivia as she reconnects with her estranged father to ghostwrite his final book, and the days leading up to the infamous murders of his siblings. These past chapters give us alternating perspectives from both Vincent and Olivia’s 14-year-old aunt Poppy. Clark has a real talent for crafting feminist characters in subtle but powerful ways, and Olivia definitely carries that torch, but the true MVP here is her aunt Poppy. Fierce, feminist, and full of conviction, she’s hitchhiking to equal rights rallies, quoting Gloria Steinem, and being a total badass in the face of deep family dysfunction.

A lot of the mystery unfolds through Poppy's diary entries and her hidden home movies that Olivia discovers, and that was such a neat storytelling element. The unreliable narrator trope is often hit-or-miss, but I appreciated how it was handled here. Vincent’s unreliability isn’t due to addiction or manipulation but rather a degenerative disease (Lewy Body dementia, which added a poignant, personal layer and reminded me of Robin Williams’ story).

At its core, this is a book about reckoning—with family, with legacy, with the stories we tell ourselves to survive. It’s beautifully written, and the ending left me both satisfied and gutted in the best way.

This is a solid 4.5 for me, rounded up because it’s stuck with me in a way few thrillers do. Highly recommend if you like character-driven suspense with real heart and smart structure.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.