The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark is the best book I’ve read in a long time! Julie is at the top of her game and kept me guessing throughout the story. I loved the chapters showing Poppy’s point of view, and it was fun to glimpse into 1975. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

I LOVED the Last Flight and was incredibly excited to read this!!

A slow burn family secrets book with a past present timeline that goes back to 1970s Ojai California, The Ghostwriter is an atmospheric book about truth and lies. It's a father-daughter story as the daughter of a famous crime writer (and a ghostwriter herself) gets hired by her father to write a memoir about a terrible crime he was suspected of committing in the 1970s.

With historical elements, lots of 1970s nostalgia, interesting characters, and an absorbing mystery, this book is a perfect summer read!

With her career suffering and huge debts, Olivia Dumont is relieved to receive an offer for a ghostwriting gig--until she learns the details. Her estranged father, Vincent Taylor, wants her help writing his memoir. Her financial need and curiosity make her accept the contract, only to learn her father is dying and is ready to tell the truth about what happened 50 years ago, when both his teenaged siblings were murdered in their home. Suspicion has haunted Taylor since that night and informed the trajectory of Olivia's own life.

But Olivia soon realizes her father might not be a reliable source, so she begins investigating what really happened. Told from multiple points of view with flashbacks to 1975, this suspense novel explores the complexities of family relationships and inherited trauma. Once I got into it, I couldn't put it down. #TheGhostwriter #NetGalley

Family is complicated and hard to deal with on the best of days. Add in fifty years of secrets, layered with trauma, addiction, and suspicion and you have a heck of a storm. Olivia is a ghostwriter in need of money. She’s approached by her author father’s publisher to write his memoir. She’s done this many times for others, but it’s much more difficult when your own life is wrapped up in the story…and so many questions. A great read!

Take an unsolved murder, family trauma, and a dysfunctional family, and you have this book.

I was drawn in from the beginning, following Olivia as she navigated her life after a situation that financially landed her in hot water and reconnecting with her father. The latter was not by choice, but out of need. Despite the past, Olivia is drawn into the truth about what happened to her aunt and uncle fifty years ago. Only a few people know the truth; it takes persistence to uncover what happened that day. When the whole story is revealed, it is quite a surprise!

The story is primarily told in the present, but there are chapters from 1975 from Poppy and Vincent's point of view. These chapters help fill in the gaps of what happened that fateful day. We don't get all of the pieces until the end, but these snippets fill in the pieces until the whole picture is revealed.

This book has quite a bit of drama, from family to personal issues for Olivia. However, the tension between Olivia and her father adds to the story. Olivia has to reconcile her past relationship with her father with the man he is today. I found it interesting to learn about Lewy Body Dementia, which her father suffered from, and it added a little twist to the story.

I enjoyed this novel, even with the unreliable narrators. I think that added extra drama because I didn't know what they might do next.

We give this book 5 paws up.

This one had me hooked from page one—cold case meets potential comeback novel as a ghostwriter digs into a decades-old family mystery.

Told through dual timelines and multiple POVs (1975 - Vincent & Poppy, siblings / 2024–25 - Olivia, Vincent’s estranged daughter & the ghostwriter), this story unravels a notorious crime that shattered a family. The suspense builds slowly but steadily, as secrets blur the line between truth and memory. Julie Clark puts a clever twist on the unreliable narrator trope, and it works!!

Poppy was my favorite character. Her hidden diary and old home videos made the past so vivid—I could feel the atmosphere of 1975. Poppy is fierce, with a strong moral compass, and her determination mirrors Olivia’s present-day quest to uncover a dark legacy. The emotional depth really hit, especially as Olivia begins to understand how deeply her family's trauma has shaped her.

To call this story captivating is an understatement. Any spare moment meant picking up the book or putting in my earbuds. I've enjoyed three of Julie Clark's novels, but The Ghostwriter is my favorite. Her storytelling is razor-sharp, the twists feel both unexpected and believable, and her female characters are always rich with depth and complexity.

🎧 Narration Note: The audiobook is excellent! All three narrators brought their characters to life, especially in the past timeline—Poppy and Vincent’s voices added so much depth and tension.

👍 Final Verdict: If you love a smart, emotional mystery with family secrets, don’t miss this one.

I LOVED this book! It was so different from others I have read and was so entertained from beginning to end! I loved the ghost writer storyline and the dual timeline. Just when I thought I had this one figured out another big plot twist knocked me off my feet!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review. A few of my thoughts below:

Julie Clark has become like an auto-read author for me thanks to her witty characters and quick-moving plots. The Ghostwriter is definitely different than the novels she has released before, but I enjoyed the way this one broke into the familial drama angle and used alternating timelines/narrators to enhance the story. The changing perspectives kept the book moving forward at a good clip.

It was also intriguing to learn about each of the main characters through each other's alternating points of view. You really understand their history and what brought them together to try and write Vincent's book while his health is failing. I found myself rooting for Olivia and hopeful she would overcome some of the other elements haunting her from her own past.

I didn't necessarily see the ending coming, while it made complete sense, it surprised me and pulled all of the seemingly innocuous parts in the book together.

Thank you again for the advanced copy, and I already look forward to reading the next Clark novel.

This was such a fun and engaging read! I don’t know if I would call it fast paced exactly, it felt like a bit more of a slow burn thriller to me. But the tension remained high throughout and I loved having the 3 different POVs! Now granted I’m really terrible at guessing the endings to thrillers, but I truly never once figured out where this was going😅 I loved it! I thought it wrapped up so nicely too.

This slow-burn psychological suspense completely pulled me in and didn’t let go. Olivia is a ghostwriter hired for the job of a lifetime—writing her estranged father’s final book. But as his mind slips due to Lewy body dementia, long-buried truths begin to surface. What starts as a professional project turns into a personal reckoning as she uncovers a decades-old family murder and the chilling secrets surrounding it.

🧠 Dementia & memory
📖 Mixed media format
👀 Slow-burn suspense
🕵️‍♀️ Ghostwriting meets true crime
💔 Family secrets & emotional depth

Told through mixed media, dual timelines, and multiple POVs, the story unfolds like a puzzle—each piece more revealing than the last. The emotional tension, unreliable memories, and quiet unraveling of the past had me furiously flipping pages. If you love layered mysteries with heart, hidden family trauma, and twisty truths, this one’s a must-read.

Julie Clark drops clues like breadcrumbs and I can’t stop turning the pages!
I liked Olivia. She did some things I thought were dumb, but who knows how a childhood like hers would shape you. Her sleuthing and writing plans were good. I wanted to like Vincent but had to wait until the end to find out if he was telling the truth. Poppy—she saved the day. I wish Lydia had been more prominent in the modern day setting.
I really appreciated the author’s notes at the beginning that explained some of the Ojai preserve history.
Advanced reader copy courtesy of the publishers at NetGalley for review.

What a book! You have an estranged daughter, a dad losing his mind to Lewy body dementia, and if that's not enough, a cold case! Clark writes in a way that drags you into the book right beside her characters.

Olivia Dumont, a professional ghostwriter, has a secret. She's really Olivia Taylor, the daughter of the famous horror writer Vincent Taylor. In 1975, two siblings were killed in their home. Their brother, the middle child, survives because he wasn't at home. The brother is Olivia's dad, Vincent Taylor.

Julie Clark had so many twists and turns in this book. You think you know what happened, then boom, she adds a twist. She has a way with her prose of doing this in all.her books. There are multiple POVs in the book, so if you don't care for those beware, even if you don't like them, you need to read The Ghostwriter. You won't be sorry.

Published June 3, 2025

Thanks to Netgalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and Julie Clark for the E-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#Netgalley #Sourcebooks #Landmark #JulieClark #TheGhostwriter #ARC

When your father is a horror writer and his siblings are murdered when he was a child, many questions and speculation are imminent when it is never solved. His daughter Olivia is a ghostwriter and has found herself in a tough situation. She hasn't been able to get a job because she spoke her mind in public, and now her agent has put her in touch with the famous horror writer, Vincent Taylor, who has asked for her specifically. No one in her current life, including those she is closest to, knows that he is her father. She hasn't spoken to him or seen him for decades and doesn't want to, but she doesn't have a choice. When she arrives, she finds out a lot about his current state of health and the murders from so long ago.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (rounded up to 5) — Gripping, Layered, and Emotionally Rich

The Ghostwriter completely pulled me in. The writing is sharp, the pacing is spot-on (even if the beginning starts a little slow—just trust it), and the story is messy in the best way.

Julie Clark does an amazing job weaving the past and present together, dropping breadcrumbs that keep you guessing while slowly digging into deeper, emotional layers. It’s a mystery, yes—but it’s also a powerful story about grief, identity, family, and redemption. The characters are complex, flawed, and so emotionally rich that I couldn’t stop thinking about them.

If you’re into smart thrillers with unexpected turns and real emotional depth, this is a must-read. Just go in blind and enjoy the ride. Just know it’s a powerful, haunting story that stays with you. Highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!

WOW WOW WOW! Julie Clark truly never dissapoints. I think this book was my favorite of hers so far. I could NOT put this book down! When I wasn't engrossed by this book, it was on my mind. I loved all the characters and just when I thought I had this book figured out , the HUGE twist at the end that I didn't see coming. Gotta love it. Keep these awesome books coming Julie Clark, your forever fan:)

O-M-G! This book is soooo good! I was intrigued by the premise. I dove right in and didn’t come up for air until I was done. Not quite but I didn’t want to put the book down! The secrets made it a real page turner for me plus I really felt for Olivia and Vince, Daughter/Father relationship! I highly recommend this book and this author! The printed book is also gorgeous with the sprayed edges of fire! Pick it up now! Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity to review with my honest opinion!

I’ve read many other books but this author and really enjoyed them. Unfortunately, this book was a slow burn and dragged on for me a bit. I felt like nothing was really happening in the first half. The ending was good.

First off, I would like to thank #SOURCEBOOKSLandmark and author #JulieClark for allowing me to read this novel, #TheGhostwriter via #netgalley. The opinions following are my own.

This story follows Olivia Dumont, a famous, turned infamous, ghostwriter. While she was very good, she got herself into trouble with a writer and owed him a lot of money after being sued. This caused her to be blackballed in the writing community, and she was so down on her luck that she was about to lose her house. She had one good thing going for her, the love of her life, Tom.

The problem is that as much as she loved Tom, Olivia didn't tell him, or anyone the entire truth about her life. As far as everyone knew, both her parents had passed away. Her lie is tested, though, when a famous horror author, Vince Taylor, requests her, and only her, to write his memoir. The reason? He's her estranged father, and he wants her to tell his story, especially the story of what truly happened when his only siblings were murdered in 1975, and he was accused of being the murderer.

Since she has no choice, she decides to go back to Ojai, CA to see her father and get the answers that eluded her forever. Will she be able to get those answers, and will her current life implode from all the lies?

I really enjoyed this book. I ended up giving it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. I think the ending was a little rushed, which is why I didn't give it 5 stars. This book just dropped on June 3. Go read it now!

#BrenBreathesBooks #BrenReviewsBooks #netgalleyreviewer #arc #arcreader #junereads #junerelease #NewReads #bookreader #kindlereads #4starreads #thrillerbooks #thriller #thrilleraddict #Bookstagramcommunity #booksofinstagram #bookworm #booknerd #booklover

This is an addictive thriller with believable characters that will keep you guessing until the last page! I have really liked a couple of Julie Clark’s other books “The Last Flight” and “The Lies I Tell” but this one was my favorite.

I have to give a shoutout to @netgalley and @bookmarked for sending me the eARC and including me in the roll out of this book last week. @julieclarkauthor is ICONIC and I was so proud to be a part of this book’s release.

I held off posting this review because it seemed fitting to post it on June 13…if you know you know. 🔥

What a journey this was. The storytelling is top notch and the plot is unique, which as a thriller reader you grow to appreciate diverse storylines. The meshing of family trauma, small town drama, and a father and daughter relationship on the rocks, leads to layers and depth that you don’t usually expect from a thriller. Julie Clark does this beautifully while keeping the suspense and guessing going up until almost the very end.

The climax and twist came just at the right time. The inclusion of multiple perspectives as the plot reaches its peak was so well done. Once you hit that peak, it unravel, with no sign of stopping. And by unravel, I mean literally, the reveal had me page flipping because I swore I missed something and I had to keep telling myself, “GIRL, JUST KEEP READING.” Thank god I listened to myself for once.

Julie Clark was the author that got me back into reading in my 30s with her book The Last Flight and she does it again with this suspenseful release. Add it to your TBR if it isn’t already there and buy the stunning edition with the sprayed edges (I swear they’re even prettier in person!). Bravo, Ms. Clark, you’ve done it again.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️