We often question the memory of our aging loved ones, especially those in the throes of dementia. But what about our own memories? Can we trust them? Or have we subtly and unconsciously rewritten them, as our own ghostwriters, to portray ourselves in a better light?Julie Clark's "The Ghostwriter" is a masterful exploration of memory, family secrets, and the stories we tell ourselves to survive.

The novel weaves a complex narrative that spans two timelines: the traumatic summer of 1975 when the Taylor family was torn apart by a devastating tragedy, and the present day, where Vincent Taylor's daughter Olivia reluctantly agrees to ghostwrite what she believes will be her father's final horror novel. Clark skillfully alternates between perspectives, creating a multi-layered narrative that keeps readers constantly reassessing what they thought they knew.

What makes this book compelling is its nuanced examination of memory and narrative. Clark brilliantly demonstrates how time can distort our recollections, and how we unconsciously reshape our memories to cast ourselves in a more favorable light. The characters are deeply drawn, particularly Olivia and Vincent, whose complicated relationship forms the emotional core of the novel. The multiple plot twists are genuinely surprising—just when I thought I had unraveled the mystery, the story would take another unexpected turn, challenging my assumptions.

The book was a little slow to start with, but once it gets going it blooms into a richly layered narrative that is part family drama, part psychological thriller. The book poses profound questions about truth and the stories we construct to make sense of our lives. Clark has crafted a thought-provoking novel that lingers long after the final page, inviting readers to consider the malleability of memory and the sometimes devastating consequences of long-held secrets.

A big thank you to Landmark and NetGalley for providing an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Julie Clark knows how to draw readers into her stories. Ghostwriter follows Olivia, the only daughter of Vincent, as she agrees to help her estranged father write his last horror novel. She soon realizes that it's not a horror novel, but his memoir of his teenaged years when his siblings were murdered and he's always been the suspect. He is ready to set the world straight and admit what happened that fateful night so many years ago. Olivia must decide if she is ready to hear the truth about her father and make amends or continue her estrangement.

Clark weaves the past with the present and I was quickly turning pages to see how the story played out. Such a great job of keeping the reader guessing. Definitely add to your list when this title is released in June.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read and review THE GHOSTWRITER.

I enjoyed Julie Clark’s The Lies I Tell and The Last Flight, but her latest is by far my favorite. Main character Olivia Dumont is a ghostwriter who has spent her life hiding from the spotlight as the daughter of a notorious horror writer suspected by many to be the prime suspect in the unsolved murder of his brother and sister in 1975. After decades of estrangement, Olivia’s father wants her to ghostwrite his last book - a memoir of what really happened that night fifty years ago. This was the most page turning, unputdownable book I have read in recent memory. Absolutely loved it!

I absolutely loved Ghostwriter! The premise pulled me in right away, and the story kept me hooked the whole time. The mix of family secrets, mystery, and the behind-the-scenes look at ghostwriting made for such an interesting read. Olivia’s struggle to uncover the truth while dealing with her complicated relationship with her father added so much depth. The twists were great, and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I’d definitely recommend this one to anyone who loves a good, suspenseful story!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I was confused for a lot of this book. That isn’t bad, that is how twisty this was!
To say this was a dysfunctional family would be an understatement.

The murder of Olivia’s paternal aunt and uncle, as children, has hung over her head since childhood, when a nasty little boy in her class informed her that everyone knew her daddy had killed them. Harsh.

Her father is a famous horror writer, and it seems as if he doesn’t mind if people think he is a killer. It’s good for his reputation and book sales.

Olivia is a mess and hasn’t spoken to her father in a lifetime, when her agent calls with a ghostwriting job. Writing her father’s next book. Of course, no one knows she is his daughter in her current life and she likes that.

Since Olivia is in a real financial mess, due to not being able to control her mouth. Now she owes half a million to the someone she blasted. So, she takes the job and things get weird from there.

The twists and turns were sharp and left me hurriedly turning the pages!

Well Done!


NetGalley/ June 03, 2025 Sourcebooks Landmark

The Ghostwriter is the first book I have read by Julie Clark. I really enjoyed it. It started out slowly, but still managed to keep my attention to the end. The second half of the book is paced much better than the first. I did not see the twist coming until a few pages before it was revealed. Overall it was a very enjoyable read. I give it 4 out of 5 stars due to the slow start. However, I would read another book by this author and recommend it.

3.5 stars

Having rated Julie Clark’s previous two books 5 stars, I was hopeful for another fantastic read. However, this one didn’t pack as much of a punch as her others. While the mystery surrounding the murders at the heart of the story is intriguing, it’s not particularly thrilling or suspenseful. I enjoyed the dual timeline and multiple POV but wish several characters had been fleshed out more.

Well done murder mystery and family history investigation into it. The first part of the book is a little slow going but it sets things up well, then the second half takes off really well.

I liked how the story unfolded, having you second guess who did what and put the clues together little by little. It felt very puzzle-esq and I enjoyed picking up the little bits of information and making conclusions from them.

It was also a good look at how grey people are - not a simple black and white, good or bad all the time, but so much of who we are is made up of other circumstances out of our control and how we respond to them, as well as the things we allow to stay hidden that can eat us up. It was a sad book for sure, but a great mystery.

Overall, well done and I enjoyed it. Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.

4.5 rounded up!!

i was immediately hooked on this book, the story itself and the writing just had me in a chokehold from the start. this was one of the first thrillers were the multi POV was done so well, each character that got their own POV had their own unique voice and characterization which i find to be lacking a lot of the time when i read thrillers with more than one pov.

this book was so frustrating to read but in the best way because of the unreliable narration, i found myself getting so annoyed with how i would think one thing occurred when it was something totally different and in my head was just screaming “enough, tell me what happened!!!”

the only issue i had when reading this book was feeling like the end was a bit rushed. there was such a beautiful build up to what really happened the night danny and poppy died and while the ending was good, it felt rushed.

this is one of those books that i would really love to see get some kind of screen adaptation because it truly has you sitting on the edge of your seat the entire time. im very much looking forward to giving julie’s other works a read after loving this one so much!!

This is a slow read, but I did enjoy it. The story goes back and forth between two time periods, narrated by three characters. All of the characters are well-developed and the story is more interesting than the typical old crime story. I did guess the twist, but I still enjoyed it. The writing was excellent and I would recommend this!

Julie Clark is the queen of the fast-paced thriller that hooks you from the jump and her newest fits that bill. “The Ghostwriter” is the perfect escapist thriller to cozy up with; I devoured it in less than 24 hours. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

A captivating read with multiple layers. I enjoyed this book just as much as the author's previous work. Thank you to netgalley for an advanced copy. My opinions are my own.

Olivia Dumont is a professional, highly sought after ghostwriter who has made a living peeling back the layers of the writers she works, exposing all the nuances of their voice and intertwining it with her own. Unfortunately, a costly mistake has left her both crippled with debt and professionally blacklisted, so when she gets a call for a project, she's interested--until she finds out that her father, renowned horror author Vincent Taylor, is the one requesting her services. Vincent's books are only one thing that's made him famous--the other is the murder of his older brother and younger sister a half a century before. The rumor mill insisted that Vincent was responsible, and he's finally ready to tell his story. The only problem is, did anything every really happen the way we remember it? I usually don't have much patience for slow burns, but I was SO invested in how this mystery would unravel. I love how the author's writing style would often mimic the 'scavenger hunts' that Vincent and Olivia would have when she was a child, with every word in the cryptic clue being of utmost importance. I also appreciated the themes of grief, nostalgia, and the unwavering faith we put into memories, however flawed they may be. Many thanks to Sourcebooks/Bookmarked for this early copy. At the time this review was written, this title was expected to publish June 3, 2025.

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I could not put this book down! As each present day chapter and each throwback chapter unraveled a new detail of the story, I needed to know more. There was one point in the story where everything seemed wrapped up with a bow, but my first thought was, “wait that actually doesn’t make sense?” And then the next sentence came, which revealed it all.

The only character I didn’t like was Tom, why couldn’t he just be a liiiiittle more supportive of Olivia?! I get that trust is a big deal breaker, but did she *really* need to be treated like that?!

Thank you Tandem Literary for this arc! Pre-order your copy or grab your copy in stores on June 3, 2025.

Thank you Netgalley & Sourcebook Landmark for the arc, but unfortunately I had to DNF THE GHOSTWRITER around 20% due to the talk of animal killing. That is something that I just cannot look past when reading. I’m bummed because I was very intrigued up until that point 🤷🏼‍♀️

The writing style was so good!! It was amazing narration, kept me wanting more and more. I really enjoyed the plot, but I loved the style! Truly incredibly well written. If you like mysteries and true crime, this is a good book for you!

What an unputdownable thriller from Julie Clark! Any extra second I had throughout the day, I was picking up this book! A ghostwriting daughter who scores a contract with her estranged father. Who, might I add, people think he killed his siblings when they were teenagers. This ghostwriter returns to her father's hometown to hopefully uncover some dark secrets about their familys dark and secretive past. My theories changed so many times throughout the entirety of this thriller and that definitely kept me on my toes. A father who loves riddles and a daughter who has tried to keep her lineage a secret....what could go wrong?

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Wow! This was not what I expected! If you’ve read Disclaimer—this is not like that. It’s better and done in a way that makes sense for the characters and the story.

This book is about family secrets and the lengths that people go to protect their loved ones.

This is not necessarily a thriller, but more of a mystery. Nothing feels forced or overdone.

Well done!

Julie Clark’s The Ghostwriter is a five-star thriller that masterfully weaves together dueling timelines—present day and 1975—into a gripping, twist-filled mystery. As a ghostwriter takes on a new project, she uncovers secrets buried for decades, forcing her to confront dangerous truths about her own family history. The past and present collide in shocking ways, keeping the suspense razor-sharp and the pages turning. With compelling characters, rich atmosphere, and stunning twists, this is a must-read for fans of dual-timeline, and multiple POV thrillers that pack an emotional punch.
I wasn't sure what I was walking into, as Julie Clark is a new author for me, but I was blown away and could not walk away from this story. You're going to want this book in your hands as soon as it comes out on June 3rd, 2025.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark | Sourcebooks Landmark for allowing me to download an arc in exchange for my honest review.

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark , A good read that had an interesting premise. The story had a slow pacing, unlikable characters and a disappointing ending. Not a favorite book by this author.

Thank you to the author, Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.