Although Ghostwriter Olivia once had a promising career, she's been 'canceled' and unable to secure a job until her father, bestselling horror author, asks for her to ghostwrite his last book.

Olivia has spent the last several decades of her life separating herself from her father's checkered past - no one knows that she is his daughter. So, when his agent reaches out to request her for this book, she is surprised but feels like she has no other option but to take the assignment.

Her father’s siblings, Poppy and Danny, were brutally murdered when they were teens in the 1970s. The crime went unsolved but suspicions have swirled around her father as the suspected perpetrator. Vincent is now ready to tell his side of the story, except he has been diagnosed with Lewey body dementia and Olivia must sift through her father’s memories to determine what is true and what is not.

I really enjoyed this thriller mystery that has a true crime feeling to it. Although there are twists and turns, there is deep exploration of the characters as we get to know them and try to figure out what happened. I was left guessing right up to the end, and unlike with many books in this genre, I wasn't left annoyed at how everything played out. It was enough mystery to keep me on the edge of my seat while still feeling like an authentic narrative (not just a bunch of cheap thrills).

Definitely recommend!

* I received a digital review copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

How Stephen King didn't write this book, I DO NOT KNOW.

Do you really need more to a review? That man loves writing about authors!

But Julie Clark has done an amazing job writing a book that had me worried. That is until I read the first line of the Foreword: "I know what your dad did."
BOOM!

What did her dad do???

Olivia Dumont is a ghostwriter. A successful ghostwriter (but unfortunately with a huge lawsuit hanging over her head where she owes half-a-million $ to a competitive writer.)

She's down to her last penny when she gets an assignment from her agent: a hugely bestselling author - very Stephen-ish - personally requests that she ghostwrite what will be his Final Book.

And who might this author be, but her estranged father, who was accused - and never convicted - of brutally murdering his older brother and younger sister when he was a teen.

Thank you Sourcebooks and NetGalley for letting me read an advanced copy of The Ghostwriter. It was a wonderful book. Twists and turns, flashbacks and just when I thought.. "no, this can't happen, not realistic," Clark uses the right literary tools to make me think otherwise.

This was a really great read. VERY original. Loved it.

This novel kept me guessing. Greatly enjoyed the intriguing characters and slowly unfolding plot. Well written and plotted.

Thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for offering the opportunity to review! Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. I tried to branch out but I just couldn't get into the concept of reading about a man murdering his siblings. Maybe he didn't do it; I didn't let myself get that far but I just couldn't pick up the threads. I'm sure others will love this title, but it just wasn't for me.

This book was 5 stars all the way! Will be back with an updated review!

On a bus tour and bus too bumpy right now to do a decent review

Ghostwriter Olivia Dumont's job opportunities dried up after she criticized a fellow author an dis in danger of losing
her home. She has spent her adult life hiding the fact that she is the daughter of horror author Vincent Taylor,
a prime suspect in his siblings' murders years ago. As Victor's memory fades due to Lewy body dementia, he
waants to tell the story of what actually happened.
Engrossing read.
#TheGhostwriter #SourcebooksLandmark #NetGalley

The Ghostwriter
Julie Clark
06/03/2025
Sourcebooks

I could revamp the blurb and tell you what happens in the story, but I took away so much more than that. When Olivia is asked to ghostwrite her estranged father, Vincent’s, final novel, she begins piecing his story together through a kaleidoscope of perspectives—neighbors, friends, teachers, parents, an old diary, forgotten Super 8 reels, and the vivid, often conflicting memories that both she and her father carry. As she immerses herself in the fragments of his life, a fuller picture begins to emerge—one that’s as much about understanding him as it is about rediscovering herself.

Olivia was born into the aftermath of a story already broken, the daughter of a man who took pain and unknown circumstances from his past and carried it with him. While he successfully wrote novel after novel, the only language of love that he was able to express was through treasure hunts and for her, it was a distraction, something to keep her busy. She never understood the importance. Olivia grew up in the shadow of her father’s brilliance, mistaking neglect for her own unworthiness. To the world, he was a tortured genius; to her, just a father who never saw her. He had buried his siblings and, with them, pieces of himself.

Julie Clark does more than tell us an amazing and suspenseful story that is steeped in a 50-year-old unsolved murder—it’s a deeply emotional journey, rich in character development that lingers long after the final page. Every twist was earned, and every character felt achingly real. It's the kind of story that stays with you. The heart of this story lies in the profound healing that unfolds between Olivia and her father—an emotional journey that transcends the pages. It’s in the raw honesty they finally share, and the way Olivia can be honest with herself and become the woman she wanted to be. The Ghostwriter is an unforgettable story that quietly shifts how you see people, grief, and the hidden battles they carry. It’s a powerful reminder that we rarely know the full story behind someone's silence. This book deserves to be recognized as one of the best of the year—because it truly is.

This was such a treat! This is my first time diving into Julie Clark’s writing and she definitely knows how to craft a gripping and intriguing story. I’ll definitely be giving more of her books a go after how much I enjoyed this!

I have mixed feelings about "The Ghostwriter". The writing is superb. It deserves a 5 star rating. My hesitation is the actual story. If it were true, I think readers would say "much ado about nothing". The plot is okay, but the premise is a bit weak.

I've read other books by Julie Clark and can say her other stories had stronger plot lines, but the writing here was so good that I can still recommend the book.

Julie Clark knows how to keep her readers reading. Not only a mystery from the past but great father-daughter conflict make this book compelling.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s a story about redemption and finding the truth. I couldn’t wait to get to the end to see how it turned out. Highly recommend!!

Wow this book was phenomenal. I was pulled by this family dynamic between a girl and her two brothers. The two story lines between 1975 and present day between the brother and his daughter really was great. The mystery was well thought out and kept me interested until the very end.

From the author of The Last Flight and The Lies I Tell.

Olivia's past is complicated. Her aunt and uncle were killed before she was born and though no one was ever charged, her father was a suspect in their deaths. Small towns have long memories and Olivia's childhood was riddled with speculation about her father's involvement.

Olivia went to college abroad and enjoyed the freedom of anonymity. When she came back to the States, she kept her ex husband's last name, made a home far enough away from where she grew up that she no longer had to acknowledge her childhood or her dysfunctional family.

For awhile that works. She has a successful career as a ghostwriter, a loving boyfriend and a gorgeous house. But after running her mouth against an adversary, she finds herself at the losing end of a civil lawsuit with troublesome financial consequences.

As if that's not enough on her shoulders, her past comes knocking when her father's declining health motivates him to finally shed light on secrets he's been holding onto for years. The catch - he'll only agree to working with Olivia as his ghostwriter. The bigger catch - part of his failing health includes a mental decline.

WHAT I LIKED
*The suspense!
*Dual timelines giving us the opportunity to go back in time through chapters from both Poppy and Vincent's POVs
*Olivia's growth. She had several challenges to work through personally and professionally and I think she handled it brilliantly
*Twists I didn't see coming
*The Ending. And the one secret that stayed buried.

WHAT I COULD HAVE DONE WITHOUT
*Off screen animal death. I can tolerate off screen as opposed to details, but I just don't like it.

Overall a great book. Recommend adding to your TBR. Pub Date: 6/3.

Engrossing story combining ghostwriting with family relationships. Will tug at your heartstrings and keep you reading long after your plan to stop.

Thank you NetGalley for a digital copy of this book. The opinions expressed are my own and freely given.
Olivia hasn't returned home in years. She is a ghostwriter that has had a big hiccup recently, ishas been sued and can't find a job. Her father Vincent is a well knownn author whose brother and sister were murdered when he was a teenager and the world thinks he is guilty of the crime, even though he was never charged. Now he is dying and would like to tell his story. He wrote the draft but needs Olivia to write it so that it is not just ramblings of sick a man. Olivia goes to great lengths to investigate the deaths of her aunt (Poppy) and uncle (Danny), without her father's knowing.
I really liked this book because you can't tell if Vincent really killed Poppy and Danny or not. But of course you find out at the end.
I do recommend this book.

I greatly enjoyed this mystery, with a father and daughter looking into the past to try to solve the mystery of the murders of her aunt and uncle. I was pulled into this and couldn't put it down. I read it in one day.

This Julie Clark book, like a couple others I’ve read by her is a compulsive thriller.
Olivia Dumont (Olivia Taylor) is recruited to Ghostwrite for another infamous writer. It turns out the person requesting her is her father. Olivia has a long history of success, until she wasn’t successful and has debts she must repay.

What I liked about the story it has several points of view, going back to the 1970’s.
It’s not simple back and forth chapters through the points of view, but information to help you figure out the “who dunnit” part of the book, using voices of those no longer present.
I also enjoyed Olivia using her ingrained journalistic skills to help her father, even against his request to not do so.

Poppy, was one of my favorite characters because of her activism and love to the end. Poppy’s voice is the voice of women today. 1975 Poppy would look at today and wonder what happened to this world and push again for freedoms she fought for.

In the end, this was also a story of redemption and love, among families, lovers and, friends. Poppy’s voice portrays this beautifully towards the end of the book.

I would recommend this for a fast paced thriller, in case you need a quick read.

Thank you NetGalley NetGalley Reviewers and Sourcebooks for the ARC, in return for my review

This was a very interesting book that kept me guessing until the end. And even after the mystery was solved I was still questioning myself on whether I read it correctly. I also sympathized with the main character Olivia. Despite her talent as a writer life was not going according to plan which reminds me of the struggle of so many. I also relished the outcome for the true villain of the story. Karma really can be very sweet! All in all I really enjoyed this book and I’m looking forward to reading more by this author.

A woman is hired to ghost-write her father's life story, which will focus on a murder that happened in his home when he was a teen that he was a witness to. Suspenseful.

Thank you to Net Galley and Sourcebook Landmark for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.
In June 1975 a life changing tragedy occurs at the Taylor house. Siblings Poppy and Danny are murdered. The middle brother Vincent is the number one suspect. Now fifty years later Olivia Dumont, the daughter of Vincent, has been offered a job ghostwriting his memoir. She wants to solve the murders, and she needs the money, so she takes the job. This book kept my attention right from the beginning. I enjoyed the chapters where the family was all together. It was fun to revisit the 70's. I liked the author's style of writing, especially the ending chapters. I recommend this book if you like story about twisty, unsolved murders.