✨ The Vibes ✨
A twisty family drama with plenty of 1970s California vibes

📖 Read if…
✨ You want a book you won’t be able to put down
✨ You like mysteries that incorporate lots of family drama
✨ You like a book with a 1970s setting

I’ve loved every Julie Clark book I’ve read so I had high expectations going into The Ghostwriter, her latest novel focused on a woman, Olivia, who is hired to ghostwrite her father’s memoir…and solve a decades old mystery along the way.

Like many mystery/thrillers, it’s difficult to discuss WHY a book is so good without spoiling everything, so I’ll try to keep things as spoiler free as possible. I thought the ghostwriting premise was really creative, and gave Olivia a reason to be investigating and digging into the past. Her role as a ghostwriter also provided grounds for several of the key subplots in the story, which kept things moving along.

I also really enjoyed the use of flashbacks, and thought Clark wrote about 1970s Ojai, California in a way that was really evocative. She’s an expert at balancing action and reveals alongside really descriptive language that puts you right in the middle of the action. The book was a bit more of a slow burn than I expected, but I don’t think that is necessarily a bad thing, as the slightly slower pace really allowed you to sit with the more emotional moments of the story. That being said, the slow burn didn’t stop me from reading quickly, as I DEVOURED this book in less than 24 hours because I just had to know how it was going to end.

The Ghostwriter is bound to be one of the buzzy thrillers of the summer, so make sure to pick up a copy when it hits shelves June 3rd. Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The main character of this novel, Olivia, is a ghostwriter who has been estranged from her father for years - to the point that no one in her life even knows she’s related to him. At a difficult spot in her career, she gets a call that he wants her to ghostwrite his new book - which turns out to be a memoir about when he was a teenager and his younger sister and older brother were murdered in a crime that was never solved but he was suspected of. Oh, and he has Lewy Body Dementia - so is he forgetting things, confusing things, or just being evasive? As Olivia works on the book she also tries to solve things herself. And the present day perspective is interspersed with her dad Vince and his sister Poppy’s perspective in the months leading up to the murder.

And wow, this was a great mystery that kept me reading and guessing at a furious pace! And an ending that left me messaging people who had reviewed it recently so we could discuss! I’ve read and enjoyed all of Julie Clark’s books but I think this was her best one yet - so atmospheric and dark and mysterious. It even gave me some Gillian Flynn vibes though not quite as creepy as her books.

I became a fan of Julie Clark's work with her debut and have continued to be amazed by how well she develops a solid slow burn plot into a tension filled suspense story. Her books are not to be missed!

✨ Thank you to @bookmarked for the early review copy—I loved this one so much I had to grab that stunning sprayed edges edition for my shelf. Five stars, no question.

Ghosts of the past, family secrets, and a decades-old murder swirl together in this slow-burn, emotionally rich mystery. Clark nails the pacing, the payoffs, and the depth of her characters—especially Olivia, a ghostwriter pulled into her father’s chilling legacy. 🎬📖

Read if you like:
📚 stories within stories
🎥 family secrets, hidden diaries, and buried truths
👩‍💻 complicated women with complicated fathers
🌪 slow burns that deliver
💀 true crime vibes with a literary twist

a solid mystery with plenty of red herrings and a lot of very flawed characters.

a lot of flash backs with a slow-drip of information. this formula can sometimes be frustrating but was overall successful in this case.

a satisfying beach read.

As someone who doesn’t typically gravitate toward thrillers, I picked this one up because I’ve read and enjoyed some of the author’s previous works. And, while I did enjoy the book overall, I did find some aspects of it to be a bit convoluted, which ultimately affected my experience.

One of the issues I had with the book was the shifting character points of view. While the transitions weren’t frequent, they did cause some confusion at times. I often found myself unsure about what our main character actually knew from other viewpoints and what was information that only the reader was privy to. This lack of clarity made it difficult to follow the narrative at times, and I had to double back and reorient myself.

Another element that took me out of the story a bit was the ending(s). Without giving too much away, the conclusion felt a bit Clue-like, with multiple possible explanations of what happened. The final twists were interesting but left me feeling a bit lost in terms of who actually did what versus who people thought did what. It wasn’t bad in the sense that the ending was unsatisfying, but the complexity of it made it harder for me to follow and appreciate fully.

That said, the writing itself is well done, and the pacing of the book kept me hooked enough to want to see how everything played out. The characters were compelling, and I was invested in their journey, especially as the mystery unraveled. Julie Clark excels at creating complex, multi-dimensional characters who keep you guessing. Though the story felt a little tricky to follow at times, I can still appreciate the emotional depth and tension that the author builds throughout the book.

In The Ghostwriter, Julie Clark once again proves herself a master of psychological suspense, delivering a layered, emotionally charged thriller that grabs hold early and refuses to let go. The story follows a ghostwriter who has built her life around anonymity—crafting bestselling books for someone else, always remaining invisible, always watching from the sidelines. But when a new assignment threatens to expose the truth she's spent years hiding, her carefully controlled world begins to unravel.

Clark skillfully blends suspense with rich character development, allowing the reader to feel the weight of the ghostwriter’s internal conflict as much as the external dangers closing in around her. The plot is full of sharp turns and moral ambiguity, raising questions about power, truth, and who really controls a story. One of the book’s most compelling elements is its exploration of female agency and how women’s voices—both literal and literary—are often manipulated or erased.

Another entertaining read from Clark.

Starting off June with a bang with this one! This was the book I needed in my life. It sucked me in and was such a great escape! BOTM picked this one up and I’ll be adding it onto my shelf even though I already have a digital copy because I will be lending it to friends!

We follow Olivia, an author struggling after being canceled when she made enemies of a prominent public figure. This is her only chance to keep her house, to ghostwrite a book for the famous Vincent Taylor. The catch is that no one knows that Vincent is her father that she purposefully estranged herself from. Vincent is the only surviving siblings after a grizzly murder in the 1970s killed his brother and sister. And he won’t talk about it, to anyone. We go back and forth in time, between Olivia and her father and to what was really going on the 70s, through the eyes of Vincent and his sister Poppy. I really did enjoy this one so much and highly recommend. Go get this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

This was a really satisfying suspense novel that I flew through. Olivia is a successful ghostwriter in a lot of trouble after calling out another author's bad behavior. She reluctantly takes a ghostwriting job to write the memoir of a famous horror writer, who also turns out to be her estranged father. He is ready to expose his own past, where his teenage brother and sister were brutally murdered in the 1970s, with no suspect ever brought to light. There are complications to this process, of course. I enjoyed the multiple points of view, where we hear Olivia's story of her investigation and we see the past through her father and aunt's eyes.

The synopsis of this immediately piqued my interest! I feel like it was a pretty unique storyline compared to a lot of recycled suspense story ideas🖤

Clark did not disappoint, she’s a great writer! She had me invested right from the get go. Between the main present day part of the story where Olivia is hired by her estranged father to ghostwrite the last book he intends to have published (even her agent doesn’t know it’s her Dad!) & then in turn delving into her families past for research it just really kept my interest. I really like how it’s done by alternating both the time periods & the different POV’s from the past & present. I feel that it really took the story up to that next level to where it was at good as it was (I loved Poppy & her pov!!). Having the pov’s from the past helped mess with the readers head & having us question what happened to her family😜. Plus since her father was technically an unreliable character it was necessary to have other characters points of view.

Overall while it did drag a bit for me at times (mostly with Olivia & her father-too much cat & mouse between them), the story definitely kept my interest the entire time. I can’t say I loved the ending but it was satisfying enough & I really didn’t expect it to have gone the direction it did with whodunnit etc..

This is now the second book that I’ve read by Clark & I really enjoy her writing style & cleverness in her stories. She’s now an author that I’ll always be on the lookout for her next book☺️

Thank you to both NetGalley & SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the arc, very appreciative!

I’ve read and enjoyed Clark’s previous novels but this one is her best. The story is engaging, propulsive, and emotionally satisfying. The structure works so well for giving just enough information along the way but keeping the reader guessing. I read it over a few days because I couldn’t stop and wanted to know how it all ended. The whole thing was suspenseful and ultimately satisfying.

4.5/5 ⭐️
Wow. Just wow, I loved everything about this story! The whole thing had my attention and I couldn’t wait to get to the reveal. Also my theory was wrong and that made the ending more emotional and surprising. The last 10 pages had me crying but it am glad it didn’t end any other way.

I love Julie Clark's writing, and was excited to get reading on this one. It is a bit darker to me than her other books I've liked, due to the family estrangement/sick parent plot point.

The mystery that brings Olivia and Victor back together is fascinating, and I changed my prediction on who did it quite regularly. I am sad to say that one point revealed at the end was not a surprise, due to a few little breadcrumbs that were supposed to (I think?) be a red herring but to me screamed the truth. Like it was a red herring in one way, but obvious in another. However, the plot has so many revelations and clues uncovered, and Olivia did an amazing job with finding so many family treasures and/or secrets that I was not disappointed at all. The writing is fantastic and well=paced, and I was invested in figuring out what really did happen in 1975.

Suspenseful. This book was not what I expected, but I was drawn in and it is definitely a book to read.

“This isn’t just a memoir. It’s a treasure hunt—our last one—and every story is a clue.“

Blurb: After a messy social media battle, Olivia Dumont’s Ghostwriting career is left in shambles. An offer comes that could revive her career, the only catch- it’s a tell all memoir about her estranged father, Vincent Taylor. Vincent Taylor, the top selling horror novelist who is chased by the constant whispers regarding the deaths of his siblings, Danny and Poppy. Vincent is finally ready to talk about that fateful night in 1975 but he insists on his daughter telling his story once and for all. Once Olivia accepts the offer and begins to interview her father, she realizes memory is a fickle and unreliable narrator. The deeper she digs, the more questions she uncovers. But one question drives her forward - who really killed Danny and Poppy?

Ghostwriter embodies the ideal thriller-full of twists, turns, and surprises that captivate the reader. The author integrated each element seamlessly, gradually unraveling a compelling narrative. The diary and film excerpts offering glimpses into Poppy's character were particularly effective. It was tragically beautiful the way she haunted the narrative and helped Olivia tell her story. Olivia wasn’t the only one on a treasure hunt for the truth, we as the audience were too.

3.5 stars rounded down!

Overall, this was a good, fast-paced thriller! I like how the story wrapped up and some elements surprised me, however, I think when it comes to books that are more plot driven, I need to be really shocked or caught off guard by the ending for it to wow me.

I really liked Poppy's character and was glad we got some chapters from her perspective!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced digital copy!*

I really enjoyed this one. The storyline with the main character and her father and how it had shaped her life choices was really good. It all wrapped around a 40 year old mystery that the daughter ultimately solved. Highly recommend.

I enjoyed this book! The writing was really good and I liked the ending. There were multiple twists/reveals and I didn’t see them coming. They also were totally outlandish which I appreciate. I don’t think this is a book that will necessarily stick with me for a long time but I enjoyed it while I read it.

I ABSOLUTELY DEVOURED THIS BOOK! I cannot wait to read more by Julie Clark.

This just isn’t your normal thriller, it’s a dual timeline and multi point of view story that really focuses on solving a mystery and discovering history. The storyline alternates between the 70’s and current time. One of the narrator’s isn’t the most reliable because they have been diagnosed with Lou Body Dementia. The second narrator is very credible and helps the reader decipher what is and isn’t true.

Vincent Taylor, a famous author was once accused of killing his brother and sister. In turn, labeled a monster. He married and had a child. He made the decision to send her to boarding school at a young age and she decided never to return to her hometown or her father’s home again. Vincent has finally made the brave decision to share the full and accurate story about the death of his siblings but has decided to hire a ghostwriter to do so. But, not any ghostwriter will do. He is dead set on having Olivia Dumont write the story. Olivia has been out of work for a while and eagerly wants to take the job until she finds out that her father is the author that would like to hire her. She is reluctant but takes the job. She and her dad start working together to create his next masterpiece and best seller.

This was such a great book. A slow burn unraveling of a decades old double murder filled with secrets, family drama, and super 8 film. You won’t want to miss this one!

Olivia Dumont is trying to put the pieces of her ghostwriting career back together when she is commissioned by the very well known and controversial novelist Vincent Taylor. Not only is Olivia not a novelist, but Taylor is her own estranged father. He wants her to help him complete his memoir which will be a final tell all of the horrific night in 1975 when his brother and sister were murdered when they were all teenagers. Will Olivia find out the truth or is her father too far gone in his dementia?

I liked this one but didn't quite loooooove it like I did with other Julie Clark books. I sat with my thoughts after reading the last page and wondered why some plot points never wrapped up, if I had gotten the details straight, or if the author even wanted me to. The plot was fantastic, her writing is phenomenal, characters were just...ok. I didn't really LIKE or connect with any of them (except for Poppy) which definitely made it easy to put down. I honestly feel like I need to re-read it to ensure that I didn't miss any key details and because certain things seemed to not make sense. For one....why didn't Olivia have a relationship with her mom? It didn't seem to fit why that might have happened. And, on that same token, what happened with Vince and Lydia that made her run off after they had a child? Maybe the problem here was me and I missed some explanations! I do still love this author and she will be an automatic buy for me no matter what. This one just didn't knock it out of the park for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read in exchange for my honest review!