This book took me for a trip and I loved every twisty minute of it. This is one of the most complex and dynamic thrillers I’ve read in a long time, and everything about how it was constructed worked for me.

While it unfolds slowly at first, I flew through the last 50% and stayed up way past my bed time needing to finish “just one more chapter.” The pacing was perfect, and the dual timeline and different POVs added so much depth to the story.

Every time I thought I knew where the story was going, I was wrong. I also really enjoyed the deeper themes, including family/sibling relationships, trauma, and the power that secrets can have over us.

Definitely check triggers for this one, but will absolutely be recommending to everyone!

I really love thrillers set in the 70s and all but this one was just okay for me. I've been reading a lot of thrillers lately so maybe it was my mood at the time. Overall I would recommend it because I did enjoy it and it's perfect for summer reading

Thanks to NetGallery and Sourcebook Landmarks for an ARC of this book!

I love everything Julie Clark has written, and this book did not disappoint!

The dual timelines and multiple POVs fit perfectly with the storyline by uncovering information as the main character, Olivia, learned the truth of her father’s past. There were lots of twists with unreliable narrators, which is something I love in a book. While it was a slow burn, pieces of the story were revealed throughout the book which kept me hooked to find out what would happen next. The story was also emotional at times with experiences the characters went through, which added depth to the book.

Overall, it was a well-plotted mystery with twists and drama!

Kids. They only come home when they need money or to do laundry. That’s what my mom has always said. Olivia Dumont shows up at her estranged father’s house nominally for the money, but she ends up staying for answers about the family that was gone before she was even born and whose tragedy overshadowed her entire life.

I’m a huge fan of books about writers or other books, and The Ghostwriter is no exception. Ghostwriting is a fascinating profession, one that takes a certain type of writing talent that can often be maligned. When this book begins we meet Olivia in the aftermath of the most dreaded thing a woman can do when in the company of a huge panel of other authors: tell off a white male writer. Cue lack of work. Cue basically being blackballed. It’s this financial despondency that leads her to accept a job ghostwriting what will likely be her dad’s last novel, no matter how much she doesn’t want to lower herself to work with him.

Clark makes no pretense of comparing Olivia to her deceased aunt, Poppy, and even though it’s a rather trite thing I also loved the parallel because of how it showed how little women’s rights have progressed since 1975 (when about half of the book takes place). The Equal Rights Amendment had been proposed in 1972 and by 1975 had several states signed onto it, but momentum was beginning to slow. Maybe it’s just me, but I see a certain corresponding sadness that connects Poppy’s tragic death with the coming downfall of the ERA and it makes later revelations in the novel even more poignant.

There’s also a sad connection between Olivia’s dad in the present and his older brother, Danny, who was the other murder victim in the past. Painful memories and things that have happened to them that were out of their control result in explosive tempers and unreliable behavior.

It was a great thriller all around and a terrific summer read. 4⭐️


I was provided a copy of this title by the author and publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: Disability Rep/Murder Thriller/Suspense Thriller/Thriller

Julie Clark never disappoints! I’ve really enjoyed all 3 books I’ve read from this author.

In this one, we follow Olivia, a ghostwriter who is tasked with helping to write her estranged father’s memoir.Her father who is widely believed to have killed his siblings in the 70s. There a multiple POVs in both the present day and in 1975. It was really fun to slowly put the pieces together of the days and weeks leading up to the murder as well as seeing the relationship between Olivia and her father develop.

It’s a thriller so I don’t want to give anything away, but I will say this kept my attention and I would have read this in one sitting if life would have allowed.

I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this twisty mystery! Olivia Dumont is a ghostwriter who's tried to separate herself from her unstable father, a famous author. She starts a new project ghostwriting for her father, who's also notorious for being a suspect in the decades-old stabbing murder of his siblings. The story moves at just the right pace, unfolding in a way that lets the reader put the pieces together as Olivia does. Every character, every story, has many layers and I was guessing whodunit right up until the end.

I've read a lot of "buzz" about this book, and it's all true. The plotline features a ghostwriter, Olivia Dumont, who is offered a contract to write the memoir of a famous horror author, Vincent Taylor. This author has Lewy body syndrome, which affects his abilities to read and write, along with instances of dementia that can turn violent. Did I mention that this horror author is her father, with whom she has spent more than half of her life trying to put distance between them? No one outside her hometown of Ojai, California, knows their connection, and Olivia wants to keep it that way. If she were not in such financial straits, she would not accept the job.
The publishing industry is interested and excited about this book because when Taylor was a teenager, his brother and sister were murdered. The case has never been solved, but most people believe Vincent killed them both to hide secrets. Olivia is determined to discover the truth and solve the cold case. This is the central thread of the book, with many lesser story threads weaving in and out to build tension and keep readers guessing. Julie Clark has several thrillers in her back library, but this one is her best yet. She pulls readers along as Olivia finds clues to the killer's identity, only to have them play out differently. There are chapters written in the voice of young Vincent and his murdered sister, Poppy, that show the buildup to the murders. The reveal and the "after" are perfect. Only one question.....Will we meet Olivia in another book? A ghostwriter could land anywhere.

Wow! This book hooked me from the get go. I was completely invested in this story and couldn't want to find out what had happened. This story was twisty and suspenseful with juicy family drama that I was eating up. I love a good dual timeline, especially when it is masterfully crafted to bring you to the edge of your seat. I went back and forth multiple times who I thought was did it and I never guessed right. If it weren't for everyday life, I would have binged this book in one day. I was engrossed in this story from start to finish. This was a bit of a slow burn, but it really paid off in the end.

If you are in the mood for a fun mystery and have time to kill on the weekend, please pick this one up. It was so good!

This was a fantastic thriller. !
So many twists and turns !
Characters are well developed and fleshed out.

This is a novel where a contemporary writing project reveals secrets from decades ago. I have read police procedural novels investigating cold cases. This novel has a unique way of revealing truth from long ago, such as finding long lost movie film. The narrative jumps from contemporary events to those in the past as secrets come to light. The point of view changes at times as well. It is a complex way to write the resolution of a cold case but it did read well.

This is a novel for readers who like reviewing personal experiences in solving a murder from decades ago.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent review.

Julie Clark is a new author for me, and after reading this I just want to see what else she's written. I love this book and was impressed at the depth and intelligence of the story.

Description:
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.

My Thoughts:
The characters are fully fleshed out and relatable. The story is told in two timelines - what happened while Poppy was living at home and growing up, and the present. This is not a fast-paced book, but yet I was fully captivated and loved the story. I didn't want to put it down. Poppy made a lot of discoveries about her family and about herself. There's a mystery here as well as relationship drama. Secrets come to light and they are not what is expected. I found the book very thoughtful and I loved the time I spent with it. I think any mystery lover will enjoy this one.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark through Netgalley for an advance copy.

Another ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read from Julie Clark.

This multi-perspective novel jumps between the 1970s when the murders occurred and today as Olivia tries to unravel the truth.

This was a page-turner for me, as each detail revealed made me want to read faster.

So many hard topics were broached and the author did a great job of handling the nuance of how we’d view them today vs how they might have been handled in the 1970s.

I really enjoyed Poppy’s character and I wasn’t surprised that Julie mentioned Poppy being her favorite to write.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so good! When I say I was immediately hooked on this story, I legit lost track of time and was up way too late reading this book!! I immediately really liked Olivia and felt for what she was going through job wise. I loved the twists and the turns - this story was full of secrets and action and suspense and I loved the use of dual timelines.

We get this amazing tension that slowly builds throughout the story. Olivia struggles to figure out what is fact vs fiction (her father is sick and it’s been 50 years since the murders) and as a reader I definitely felt like I was there uncovering new information and secrets right along with Olivia. This story kept me guessing!

✨What To Expect:
🔍Murder Mystery
⁉️Thriller/Suspense
🌪️Twists & Turns
⏰Dual Timeline
📝Family Secrets
🔥Slow Burn
🔪Cold Case/Unsolved Mystery

In The Ghostwriter, Olivia Dumont has spent years keeping her identity a secret—especially the fact that her father is Vincent Taylor, a famous horror author with a dark past tied to a gruesome family tragedy. When she's desperate for money, Olivia agrees to ghostwrite his final book, only to find herself pulled back into the chilling mystery that’s haunted her family for decades. As she digs deeper, the line between fiction and reality starts to blur, forcing her to confront long-buried secrets. Julie Clark never disappoints and this book was no different. I love solving the mystery with Olivia; like we are there helping her see a glimpse into the past. This book is a slow burn but so worth the wait! I loved the different timeframes of past and present with different perspectives from multiple characters. It brought the story to life. There is a lot happening in this book but it is written so well that it is easy to follow. A 5 star read for me!

I did both an ARC and finished it up with the audio! Thank you to Netgalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and the author for a gifted ARC of this book!

A new Julie Clark book is always a must-read for me. The Last Flight is my favorite of her novels, but I enjoyed The Ghostwriter and think it makes for a great summer read. Told in different timelines and from multiple points of view, the story follows Olivia, an author who has recently been disgraced, reuniting with her estranged father (also a famous author) to ghostwrite his memoir. Part mystery, part family drama, Olivia sets out to write the memoir while also trying to figure out who murdered her fathers’ siblings when he was a teenager.

Readers who enjoy books about complicated families and thrillers told in a slow-burn, suspenseful way will enjoy Clark’s book.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for this ARC.

🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️ / 5

THE GHOSTWRITER by Julie Clark

thank you to @netgalley and @bookmarked for early access to the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

quick thoughts:
⭐️ 5/5
🤫 ghostwriter secretly works with her father to write a tell-all about the murder of his siblings
🤯 psychological thriller
✍🏼 multiple POVs/timelines, short-ish chapters
📓 book within a book
👍🏼 would recommend to thriller lovers!

happy belated pub day! i was waiting for my physical copy to arrive, and it’s finally here, so let’s do this 😎

after reading THE LIES I TELL late last year (hey, maybe don’t put off reading a book that @crimebythebook raves about and hand selects for you?) and becoming obsessed with Julie Clark, i immediately requested this ARC because i had to see what she was going to pull out of her hat this time. and wow! proud to say that i’m no longer a fool for waiting to read this author’s work 🥳

🎶 “if i gave you the truth, would it keep you alive?”

i’m convinced that Julie Clark injects her books with addictive substances because i’m now 2/2 in completely devouring her books and not being able to put them down. the synopsis sounded a little too good to be true because i was like there’s no way anyone could pull this off and execute it to perfection 🙅🏻‍♀️ wrong! yeah, Julie Clark did that!

this book was an insane ride, and i was here for all of it. i fell in love with the characters, which i feel is kind of rare in a thriller, and i was thoroughly invested in their stories. though there were a lot of characters to keep up with and events to remember, the author did an amazing job of summarizing and bringing the reader up to speed without slowing down the pace or being too redundant. and holy twists!!! they’re everywhere!!!!

i’m gonna remember this one for a while! luckily, i do still need to read THE LAST FLIGHT by her, so i won’t have to wait too long to read another Julie Clark book 😎

I really enjoyed The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark! It’s a slow-burn mystery with an emotional core and some strong twists that kept me turning the pages—especially in the second half.

This story centers around a decades-old murder involving two siblings who were killed in the 1970s. Their brother, now a world-famous, reclusive author, was once a suspect. Nearly fifty years later, he's terminally ill and wants to finally tell his version of what happened. But instead of just choosing any ghostwriter to help document his truth—he chooses his own estranged daughter.

She agrees to take the job, but not without her own motives and secrets. As she returns to the small town where it all happened, she begins to unravel not only her father's past but her own complicated connection to the events. What follows is a deep dive into family trauma, hidden truths, and how the stories we tell ourselves shape our reality.

The book is told in a dual timeline and dual POV, which added layers to the narrative and kept things engaging even during the slower parts. I’ll admit—it took me a while to get into the story. The first 30–40% is more atmospheric and focused on character development, which might feel slow for readers expecting a fast-paced thriller. But once the suspense kicked in, I could not put it down. I read the last 60% in one sitting.

While I do wish the pacing was a bit tighter in the beginning, I also appreciated that it leaned more into mystery and emotional unraveling than straight-up thriller. Julie Clark's writing is thoughtful, and the way she handled the twists and emotional reveals made the payoff worth it.

Overall, if you enjoy layered mysteries with a focus on family secrets, identity, and redemption—this one is definitely worth the read. Just know going in that it’s a simmer before the storm.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for this ARC.

"This particular job is personal. I try to stay objective, open to the stories my father is slowly unraveling for me—three siblings who loved each other and what happened when one of them suddenly became dangerous."

Happy publication week to Julie Clark and The Ghostwriter!

This story follows author Olivia Dumont, who has been hired by her estranged father, Vincent Taylor, to ghostwrite his memoir. Vincent, too, is a celebrated author, but he's also suspected of murdering both of his siblings as a teenager, and he plans to use his memoir (and Olivia) to reveal the truth about what really happened all those years ago.

This was definitely a change of pace in terms of what I've come to expect from Julie Clark. It wasn't a suspenseful, edge-of-your-seat, what's-going-to-happen-next thriller; instead, this was more of a slow-burn mystery, simmering with built-up tension as the MC works to unravel a secret that's been buried for decades. Her writing style in this one reminded me of Lisa Jewell or Simone St. James (minus the supernatural element).

And while the story is indeed a slow burn, the payoff of a sharp, stunning conclusion made it so worth it!

——

A huge thank you to Julie Clark, Sourcebooks, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Olivia changed her name to hide the fact a legendary horror writer, who was a suspect of the brutal slayings of his siblings, was her father. When she is asked to ghostwrite his memoir, old secrets will come out. Did he really kill his brother and sister or was he as innocent as he claims? Olivia starts to do her own investigation as research for the memoir.

4/5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of Julie Clark’s The Ghostwriter, out this week!

Olivia is a ghostwriter who is between jobs after a public meltdown, and forced to take a position ghostwriting a memoir for her (in)famous father, horror novelist and potential murderer Vincent Taylor. As she gets to work, she’s plagued with confusion as to what to believe when it comes to her father and his role in the death of his siblings.

This book was a quick read! I finished a majority of it in a day, and it kept me hooked and guessing through its entirety. I appreciated the flashbacks and multiple POVs, as they were easy to keep track of and really helped develop the story. Definitely check this one out for a good mystery that will keep you on your toes until the end!