The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark was one thousand percent up my alley. If you think it sounds good, too, you’ll be right. I wished I had it on audio, so I could switch back and forth between reading and listening and never put it down. Clark was good about steadily doling out information, but it did get a little slow in the middle. That's when I would have popped in my earbuds and let it play while I ran some errands. Instead I thought about it! (Maybe I was frustrated because I was literally not making progress.)

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark.
I have anxiously been awaiting another book by this author and she did not disappoint. Just WOW. Could not put it down.
Olivia Dumont is a ghostwriter who finds herself summoned to ghost write her estranged and recently diagnosed with Lewy Dementia father’s memoir. Not only is he a famous author but he is also the long ago suspect in the killings of his teenaged brother and sister. A mystery that has long since haunted him and then eventually even his daughter, Olivia. After a somewhat chaotic and less than ideal upbringing Olivia isolates herself from that past and her father only to be thrown right back into it when she cautiously agrees to help him with this book. Now she has to figure out what’s really true as her father sometimes weaves a story she questions. “Then you need to ask yourself why this is the story he wants to tell”
This story will keep you hooked till the very end.

Julie Clark’s The Ghostwriter is an engrossing thriller that expertly blends suspense with deep emotional layers. The story follows a ghostwriter tasked with penning a memoir for a secretive and controversial subject. As she digs deeper, she uncovers hidden truths that blur the line between fiction and reality.

Clark’s writing is immersive, pulling the reader into the protagonist’s tense, morally complex journey. The novel thrives on psychological depth, exploring themes of truth, identity, and redemption. The pacing is solid, with enough twists to keep the intrigue high without feeling overdone.

However, some plot developments feel slightly predictable, and certain character choices may stretch believability. Despite this, the emotional weight and engaging prose make up for these minor flaws.

Overall, The Ghostwriter is a compelling read—perfect for fans of intelligent, character-driven thrillers. It’s not just about suspense; it’s about the scars we carry and the stories we tell to survive.

Having read all of Julie Clark’s work, and loved each one. This book is no exception. The story begins in June 1975, when the Taylor family is shattered by a devastating tragedy. Danny and Poppy, are found brutally murdered in their home. The sole survivor is 17-year-old Vincent, the middle child. Vincent is a person of interest,, but he had an airtight alibi. He married Lydia and had a daughter, Olivia Olivia cuts all ties with her dad ,and changed her last name. Olivia becomes a ghostwriter and finding a start of a book her father starts, she contacts him to finish it. Determined to uncover the truth, Olivia embarks on a journey that could uncover darker revelations than she ever imagined. This book is a masterclass in suspense and emotional depth. It blends family drama, a unique mystery, and a shocking tragedy.

Thanks to netgalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy

Ghostwriter by Julie Clark is a novel about a ghostwriter Olivia Dumont who has been hired to write the last memoir of Vincent Taylor, a famous horror novelist. The twist- Vincent is Olivia’s estranged father. Vincent’s family history is like a horror story. His two siblings were murdered in their home as teens, and no one was ever tried for it. Rumors swirled that Vincent was the murderer but no evidence against him was ever found. Olivia hasn’t spoken to her father in many years, but she takes the writing job because she is desperate for work. She is brought back into her father’s world and sets about researching and writing his story- the story of what really happened the night of the murders. But is his story the truth or just another story?
Ghostwriter is definitely a slow burn thriller, chapters alternating with present and past, and multiple POV’s. I liked how believable a story it was, without any outlandish,far fetched storylines to have to suspend disbelief with.
I was engaged the whole time, and was second guessing the outcome as the clues were unearthed. I REALLY liked the “unfinished ending” where morality sometimes is a grey space. And I’m happy where Olivia lands at the end.
Thanks to Net Galley and Sourcebooks Landmark for my ARC.

A mystery that keeps you guessing.
I liked the character development and the way the unreliable narrator was portrayed in order to not be extremely frustrating for the reader. The multiple POV format in the context of the story was not my favorite. Overall an intriguing read and I will definitely be reading more from the author.
Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC.
3.5/5 stars

A slow start but an engaging mystery about family secrets. Nothing revolutionary but an enjoyable read

Julie Clark does it again!!! I love everything she’s written. This book kept me in suspense until the very last moment… what a true masterpiece. The story was woven so perfectly together, I did not guess any of the twists which is the best! The character development is excellent and it’s soooo well written.

3.75 stars Publishes June 3rd and follows a Ghostwriter named Olivia who is hired to write a book for a famous horror author named Vincent Taylor. The problem is, Vincent is Olivia’s estranged father and his newest book is a tell all about a crime he was suspected of many years ago - the murder of his own brother and sister.

This book gripped me immediately. I am a sucker for a cold case or dark past being brought back up and this one did a great job of piquing my interest.

This story is told in past and present timelines, past timeline being the lead up to the murders and present timeline is Olivia doing her own research into the case.

This book unravels a story of drama, betrayal, deception, devotion, and revenge.

I will say, I had my theory at about 30% and as I read my confidence in my theory grew. Then I got thrown for a loop and started questioning everything I believed just to ultimately find my original theory was mostly correct.

Overall, this book was hard to put down and I had a great time reading it.

Another great story by Julie Clark - this one has more twists than a licorice stick! A ghostwriter with financial problems reluctantly agrees to write her estranged father's autobiography. Despite the fact that he is a bestselling author, he is an unreliable source of his own life, between his unwillingness to tell the truth about who killed his two siblings when they were all teens, and his rapidly advancing dementia. The clues were dribbled out bit by bit about his dysfunctional family, with the best source being his dead sister's videos. I thought I had it figured it out several different times, but was still surprised at the ending. I stayed up late to finish this one!

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC to read and review.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC of 'The Ghostwriter" by Julie Clark- expected release date of 06/03/2025.

ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The book's premise was that of many others, down-on-her-luck daughter has to return to her childhood hometown and be reunited with an estranged parent...The rest though? Dark, emotionally charged, twisty, deep. The timeline switches between past and present and 3 main character's POV's perfectly. I was on the edge of my seat and guessing until the very end.

Clark's writing is always excellent, polished, completely coherent. I've loved every book of hers so far and look forward to more!

I gobbled this story up in a day, neglecting all responsibilities because I needed to prioritize this book. I was hooked from go and was desperate to know how it would unfold. Julie Clark expertly weaves a tragic story told through multiple POVs and different timelines seamlessly. There wasn’t one timeline or person that I felt lacking. I didn’t feel the need to rush through a certain POV because I favored someone else. Everyone was strong and everyone was a necessary part. Fine, I may have been partial to Poppy, but who wouldn’t be? I loved the strong female characters and the themes woven within seemed timely. I will have nightmares about that hamster though… If you’re looking for a fast paced book with thoughtful characters, strong dual timelines and POV with connections that will tug on your heartstrings AND an open murder investigation… look no further. I highly recommend this story and I met Julie once at a book event and she is funny and a delight, so thrilled to support her latest!

I was initially hesitant going into this one. It piqued my interest, but I felt like it was one of those that I would either love or hate. Thankfully, it turned out to be the former. This had so much going for it between the past and present timelines, a strained, bitter relationship between father and daughter, and pieces of a tragic past finding its way into the present. Everything worked in its favor, and I found myself hooked, grasping onto every hint thrown my way. While the present timeline with our protagonist Olivia held its own, the past perspectives were written so precisely that I felt myself watching every event unfold with my own eyes. The secrets revealed were unpredictable to even the most keen eye. This was an emotional one, focusing on not just the murder of two siblings but of familial relationships and love. Four stars.

Thank you, Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark, for this ARC.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc of The Ghostwriter.
Olivia is on the brink of financial ruin when she is offered a deal to be a ghostwriter for her estranged father. Reluctant to do it she presses forward only to discover he doesn’t want her to write another one of his horror novels but the last word of a dying man of what really happened 50 years ago when his brother and sister were murdered.
I really don’t have anything bad to say about this book. It kept me turning page after page to see what happened. I really liked how Olivia’s father made the answers to what really happened into a treasure hunt. To find the real answers to what happened. If you were writing the truth to a secret would you really believe the answer out of a mouth of a person who had a medical condition resembling Alzheimers.
I was really skeptical about how the story was going to play out. Being that it was playing off that the father was just going to confess to him being the one that murdered his siblings. But it was so much more than that and I loved every minute of it! Last but not least I love how the author brought the more attention to a ghostwriter. A behind the scenes of what a ghostwriter is and does.

Julie Clark crafts a fantastic psychological thriller! This one in particular will have you staying up all night to finish it. Highly recommend!

Absolutely devoured this easy-to-binge-and-get-lost-in mystery thriller. This was my introduction to Julie Clark and I can't wait to check out her other work. Sometimes, multiple timelines and POVs can get a little confusing, but every character remained totally clear and concise throughout the entire journey of unveiling the tragedy, who did it, and the motives behind it all. I love high school flashbacks and this one served them up so well -- along with complicated family and moral dynamics. I have a feeling this will be one of my top thriller recommendations of the year.

This book gave me WHIPLASH trying to figure this one out! I couldn’t for the life of me figure out the direction of this story. I was gripped from the first page and simply couldn’t put it down. I loved this story and the connections and how everything came full circle. Couldn’t have asked for a better thriller!

I don’t know how I’ve never read one of Julie’s books before. This is one of those books I would have read in one day, if I could have. I was hooked from the start.

One minute, Vincent has his two siblings Poppy and Danny and the next minute they are gone. Who killed them? Could it have been Vincent? He spends his life being a horror writer. His daughter Olivia has spent her entire writing career hiding the fact that Vincent is her father. It’s been awhile since she’s been home but she decides to go home to help her father ghostwrite his book. Olivia is about to find out what happened that night in 1975.

I was stressed and shocked while reading this book. Each chapter had me on the edge of my seat. I didn’t know who to trust and each time I thought the story was going one way, it went another way. This was a really addicting thriller! I really enjoy Julie’s writing. I do wish there were trigger warnings at the beginning of the book. Definitely check those out before you read this book.

Thank you NetGalley, Julie and Sourcebooks Landmark for the eARC!

Publication Date: June 3rd 2025
Rating: ✨✨✨✨

When Olivia Dumont's father was a teenager, his brother and sister were found dead in his home. He never quite lived down the whispers accusing him of killing them, but he did go on to become a successful horror writer. Now Olivia is also a writer - she ghostwrites and has spent her entire professional life hiding the fact that she is her father's daughter.

With her finances heavily in the red, Olivia is offered the job of ghostwriting her father's last book. What she doesn't realize until signing on, though, is that this isn't another horror novel. After fifty years of silence, Olivia's father is finally ready to talk about what really happened the night his siblings died.

This story ebbs and flows with some sections I couldn't put down and others that felt a bit drawn out. Overall though, another excellent book from Julie Clark! I love the way she writes and will read everything she publishes.

Loved The Ghostwriter - the twists and turns, unreliable/differing memories, and well developed characters made this a very entertaining read. For me was a slow start, but then the book took off and I could not put it down.

4.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and the author Julie Clark for the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for honest review.

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