I was so excited to receive a copy of Ghostwriter, a new thriller by Julie Clark!

A struggling ghostwriter is pitched an opportunity to ghostwrite a book for a famous horror writer…who is her estranged father.

I was immediately sucked in and couldn’t put Ghostwriter down! I found this book fun and loved the twists and turns. Not many can’t write a great thriller like Julie Clark!

I’ve loved all of Julie Clark’s books and Ghostwriter maybe my new favorite of hers! I will be recommending this to anyone looking for a fun thriller this summer! I can’t wait to read what Julie writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advanced copy of this book!

Thank you you Netgalley and Sourcebook Landmark for this ARC. Written from different perspectives and different times, you slowly learn what happened back in 1975 to 3 siblings and how 2 lost their lives. I thought I had it figured it out but there was a twist I did not see coming! The Ghostwriter was a great read.

2.5 stars
It pains me to have to write this review. I was so excited to get an advance copy of Julie Clark’s upcoming release. I’ve loved her other books! This one, however, was a hot mess for me. Olivia is hiding her identity and connection to a famous author. Amid personal struggles, she’s hired to help write about the deaths of the author’s brother and sister. Everyone has suspected he got away with murder. He has a terminal illness so it’s time to set the record straight before it’s too late. The almost 50yr old mystery set up was decent but the unraveling of the story wasn’t compelling enough to keep it all together at the end. I suspect most people will like the book but I doubt it will be anyone’s favorite by comparison. That said, I’m still looking forward to reading what she writes next!
*Thanks to Sourcebooks and NetGalley

There is a saying that secrets have long shadows. This book is ultimately about childhood secrets. In this case, some of the secrets are terrible ones. It is also about the sacrifices people will make for those they love. Olivia is a ghostwriter who loves to lose herself in other people’s stories because she does not want to deal with her family’s past. However, circumstances dictate that she ends up doing just that.

Olivia Dumont is a ghostwriter living under a new name to distance herself from her father, Vincent Taylor—a famous horror author accused of murdering his siblings in 1975. On the verge of being canceled after an incident with another author, Olivia gets an unexpected call: Vince wants her to write his final book, a memoir. Hesitantly, she returns to Ojai to face the past and uncover the truth.

This book was masterfully executed. The plot was twisty yet realistic, and the character development was top-notch—I felt like I truly knew every character, which isn’t easy to pull off. The depiction of 1975 added a nostalgic feel I loved, with vivid references to music, current events, and the way the world worked back then. I’ve read four of Clark’s novels, and this is my favorite so far.

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark is a story about going home. It tells the story of a ghostwriter, Olivia Dumont, who has come from a broken past through no fault of her own. Her father is the famous horror writer, Vincent Taylor, and her mother, Lydia, left when she was only five with no real explanation as to why.

Olivia also learns why people do not seem to like her when she is about ten. The kids in school are eager to explain that her father is a murderer, He was once accused of killing is brother, Danny and his sister, Poppy, but had an alibi. This did not seem to matter to the people of the town. They knew what they knew, and no one could talk them down.

Olivia and Vincent often play mystery games, usually resulting in gifts at the end for Olivia. To heck with the rest of the world and what they say, they have each other. Only as time goes on, Vincent drinks more and more, becoming quite volatile or was he always this way?

Vincent makes Olivia go to school overseas when she is fourteen with no explanation. She feels rejected so she never returns. After college, Olivia refuses to return home even though Vincent wants her to. She goes so far as to change her name in hopes of never being found.

Twenty years later, after some financial and legal failures, Olivia finally has a writing job after being shunned from the writing community. Her father commissions her to write his final memoir about the final night when her aunt and uncle are killed. But how do they solve it and what is the truth? Are ethical lines blurred and memories failing? You will have to read the book and go on with all the twists and turns that Clark has created.

I can not praise Clark enough in storytelling ability. She made me like the characters of Poppy and Olivia. I was not a fan of the ERA or feminism. It was just a crock to busy and confuse us, I cannot throw a sledgehammer as good as a man, you cannot make me want to. But through the eyes of Olivia and Poppy, I could see that they had a vision, one that I can at least respect and understand.

I loved the memories of the eighties that Clark brought back to life. It was like I was sitting at my house with all my friends at a bonfire without one worry about police or parents to speak about. Just at a party having fun.

Thank you to Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for giving me the Advanced Readers Copy of the book. Of course, all the opinions are proudly my own, why does that even need to be said, I have freedom of speech!

Wow, Wow, Wow!!!!! This book was so intense, dysfunctional, and simply stunning and brilliant!! It was also a very moving story about siblings and the lives they lead thru thick and thin! A love story too about the secrets we keep for the ones we love! So brilliant! This book has everything you can imagine!! Run to the bookstore when this one comes out!! A book that you don't want to miss for 2025!!!!

Olivia’s career is ghostwriting. She’s being sued so financially has to take a job writing a memoir for her estranged dad who is an author. In 1975 her dad’s siblings were killed in the home and the murder was never solved. The book is written from 3 perspectives, Olivia, her dad Vincent, and Poppy who was Vincent’s sister. Once Olivia finds out the truth of the deaths, she and her dad decide not to reveal the truth in the book. Very unexpected ending.

As the title suggests, our protagonist Olivia is a ghostwriter, and one who has been recently canceled and now cannot find work. Successful horror writer Vincent Taylor has specifically requested Olivia come and work on his final book, an offer she is hesitant to accept, event though no one else is hiring.

In 1975 Vincent was the presumed perpetrator of a horrific double murder but he was never convicted. The victims were his brother and sister and Olivia presumes he committed the crime. She reluctantly accepts his offer. But Olivia has kept a secret most of her life, Vincent Taylor is her father. Now she must work to figure out who killed her aunt and uncle, before it’s too late.

I found The Ghostwriter to be absolutely gripping and an enthralling read. So many good twists and turns and interesting, nuanced characters. Five stars.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and feedback.

The Ghostwriter was an interesting concept of a best-selling author reaching out to his estranged daughter to write his memoir. A mix of a mystery, a thriller, and family drama - it unfortunately took me a while to finish this one. I felt like parts dragged on and I wasn't really satisfied by the ending (having guessed the twist about halfway through the book).

The Ghostwriter
By Julie Clark

Masterfully written! This book was propulsive!
I simultaneously didn’t want it to end (because I loved the characters) and was racing to the finish to find out what happens.
This is the first I’ve read by Julie Clark, and I didn’t know what I was missing! (BRB, now I have to go read everything she’s ever written).
Clark can really weave a compelling mystery, while infusing it with thoughtful insights into human nature.

Best book I’ve read in a while.

My thanks to NetGalley, Julie Clark, and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read and review this book.

As a fan of Julie Clark's other books, I was eager to start her newest. The storyline was intriguing from the start; Olivia is summoned to ghostwrite her estranged father's memoir. We then learn of the family history and the pieces slowly come together from there. The dual timeline is interesting, and the 1975 chapters filled the memories and discoveries of the current day storyline. This was a great read. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read the ARC.

I really enjoyed The Last Flight and The Lies I Tell, so was super excited to have gotten this ARC. Thanks so much to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing this.

I thought the premise felt unique and fresh, which is especially hard to come by these days in thrillers. I also liked the dual timelines, and was glad that we got Poppy’s POV.

The pacing felt a bit slow but the story still held my interest. However it really started to drag at around the 60% mark and I had to just power through it until things picked back up past the 80% mark. This could’ve been 30-50 pages shorter, as I felt like a couple of storylines were unnecessary and only made the story more convoluted. Though I’m happy I wasn’t able to figure out all the twists, I still didn’t find them mind-blowing or satisfying.

I flew through this book in less than 2 days, so overall I’d still recommend it to anyone who enjoys thrillers and wants a unique premise.

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!

📖 Book Review 📖 Olivia Dumont has spent most of her life trying to escape her past. She grew up in the shadow of the lingering accusations that her father murdered his siblings in the summer of 1975. As soon as she could, she left the country and changed her name but her generational trauma has been like a darkness lurking behind her, threatening to catch up. While her father ironically catapulted into the throes of the public image writing as a horror author, Olivia has quietly kept herself behind the curtain as a ghostwriter, but even that backfired in scandal. When she is hired to ghostwrite her own father’s memoir, she must finally face the demons of her family’s past. Julie Clark writes a story that is filled with intrigue and dual timelines back to the seventies, piecing together a mystery that is flawless. The Ghostwritter is a hauntingly beautiful tale of reconciling the past and trying to find peace in the complex and inherently challenging dynamics of family and human relationships.

When you approach a new Julie Clark mystery, you must accept that you will do little else until you finish it. You will ignore your work, put down your phone, and forget to make dinner, all in service of ripping through another well told, smart story. Clark specializes in strong women facing difficult choices and The Ghostwriter offers several such examples. Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for the DRC.

Once again, Julie Clark has written a great thriller. I enjoyed her previous books and was delighted to be able to read a advance copy of this one thanks to the publisher and NetGalley. I liked the premise of the book which includes a writer with dementia (who may have been the murderer of his siblings), an estranged daughter who is a ghostwriter, and the publishing industry. The story alternated between current time and when the murders took place. There were lots of twists and turns, and the ending was unexpected. Clark did a great job bringing the characters to life, and she even let the dead sister's story be told from her own point of view. I think this book would be a great choice for book discussion groups. I highly recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this ebook in return for an honest review!
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A daughter returns home to ghostwrite her father’s memoir. The memoir of his two siblings that died in a tragic murder 50 years ago. A murder that the town believed he committed.

This book had me on the edge of my seat from the very beginning! It’s so haunting to me. Tragic murder of family and nobody arrested. Not knowing if it was your own dad or not.

Olivia was an amazingly, strong female character. She had a rough life but she kept pushing. I loved that she was the one to ghostwrite and find out the answers to questions that have been asked for nearly 50 years.

This book also takes you past and present. It’s so beautifully done and really connects you to the characters in 1975 leading up to the murders. It’s heartbreaking to read at times knowing what will happen.

I also didn’t know a lot about ghostwriting and I loved the author explained it so well. Also loved that it was mentioned the difference between men and women. It was mentioned in 1975 and current day. Still the same struggles of females being less than males. Wonderfully done.

The ending and twists were so well done and thought out. I didn’t even catch on until the very end. This book will be with me for a while! Just thinking on it. Wondering what could have happened if things were different. When a fiction book does that to you, you know it was great!

I would recommend this book to anyone needing a fast-paced thriller book full of family dynamics and lies.

The Ghostwriter written by Julie Clark is a story about Olivia, who is originally from small town Ojai, California and raised by a world renowned horror author Vincent Taylor. At the beginning of the book, we learn that Olivia and Vincent have a strained relationship and haven't spoken to each other in decades. Olivia's family has a glooming and devastating history that she spent years lying about and trying to get away from. See, back in 1975, Vincent was accused of killing his teen siblings Danny and Poppy, but was never tried for the case, as his alibi was air tight.

Fast forward to present day, Olivia is a respected and successful Ghostwriter of non fiction books, who find herself in a tight situation. She is being sued and outcasted by the publishing companies after publicly shaming a renowned male Ghostwriter on social media for his rude remarks. Olivia, broke and on the verge of losing everything, was offered an opportunity by her father's publishers to Ghostwrite a novel for him, where he finally speaks about the truth of the night his siblings Danny and Poppy were killed.

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The plot is compelling and I was excited to dive into essentially a "whodunit" cold case. However, this is one of the few books that the author did not include anything suspenseful or thrilling for me as a reader, throughout the book to keep me interested in finding out what actually happened to Danny and Poppy. I enjoyed the way the book was written in past (1975) and present day chapters from the view points of Olivia, Vincent and Poppy. My favorite chapters were from Poppy's point of view. Her character was spunky, brave and really came to life on the pages. However, Vincent's chapters were repetitive, uninteresting and cliché. In all honesty, many points of the book were cliché. But, Olivia's chapters were by far the worse. She was painstakingly boring, dry and uninspiring. I found myself skimming through Olivia and Vincent's chapters because they were so monotonous.
I've read many books, and I can usually get through many of them and rarely have to DNF a book. But, during the first 35% of the Ghostwriter, I put the it down 4 separate times before I finally talked myself into finishing it to give it a fair review.
However, while sludging through this story, I found myself dredding it, constantly checking to see how far I read into it because I just wanted it to be done.
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The twists are fed to the reader on a silver platter throughout the story with every cliché you can possibly think of. By the time I reached the end of the book, nothing was a surprise. Having to read 85% of a book, to get to an ending that was a huge let down was quite annoying. The last few chapters that were in 1975 were fast paced and suspenseful, but in between those chapters, we are propelled to present day with Olivia which interrupted the pacing.
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This is one of those few books I won't recommend to people. My full rating for this novel is 2 1/2 stars. 1 star for Poppy's chapters, 1 star for the open-ended ending of the novel and 1/2 star for the Lewy Body representation.
Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for the gifted ARC provided through Netgalley for my honest and unbiased review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this ARC! The beginning of this read was kind of hard to engage with, but as I’m sticking with it I hope it will pick up. I have a read a couple of chapters so far and it has been difficult to get through overall. The plot seems like an interesting twisty sort of novel, so I’m hoping it will transition into a more engaging segment.