This book was so good! When I say I was immediately hooked on this story, I legit lost track of time and was up way too late reading this book!! I immediately really liked Olivia and felt for what she was going through job wise. I loved the twists and the turns - this story was full of secrets and action and suspense and I loved the use of dual timelines.

We get this amazing tension that slowly builds throughout the story. Olivia struggles to figure out what is fact vs fiction (her father is sick and it’s been 50 years since the murders) and as a reader I definitely felt like I was there uncovering new information and secrets right along with Olivia. This story kept me guessing!

✨What To Expect:
🔍Murder Mystery
⁉️Thriller/Suspense
🌪️Twists & Turns
⏰Dual Timeline
📝Family Secrets
🔥Slow Burn
🔪Cold Case/Unsolved Mystery

In The Ghostwriter, Olivia Dumont has spent years keeping her identity a secret—especially the fact that her father is Vincent Taylor, a famous horror author with a dark past tied to a gruesome family tragedy. When she's desperate for money, Olivia agrees to ghostwrite his final book, only to find herself pulled back into the chilling mystery that’s haunted her family for decades. As she digs deeper, the line between fiction and reality starts to blur, forcing her to confront long-buried secrets. Julie Clark never disappoints and this book was no different. I love solving the mystery with Olivia; like we are there helping her see a glimpse into the past. This book is a slow burn but so worth the wait! I loved the different timeframes of past and present with different perspectives from multiple characters. It brought the story to life. There is a lot happening in this book but it is written so well that it is easy to follow. A 5 star read for me!

I did both an ARC and finished it up with the audio! Thank you to Netgalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and the author for a gifted ARC of this book!

A new Julie Clark book is always a must-read for me. The Last Flight is my favorite of her novels, but I enjoyed The Ghostwriter and think it makes for a great summer read. Told in different timelines and from multiple points of view, the story follows Olivia, an author who has recently been disgraced, reuniting with her estranged father (also a famous author) to ghostwrite his memoir. Part mystery, part family drama, Olivia sets out to write the memoir while also trying to figure out who murdered her fathers’ siblings when he was a teenager.

Readers who enjoy books about complicated families and thrillers told in a slow-burn, suspenseful way will enjoy Clark’s book.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for this ARC.

🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️ / 5

THE GHOSTWRITER by Julie Clark

thank you to @netgalley and @bookmarked for early access to the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

quick thoughts:
⭐️ 5/5
🤫 ghostwriter secretly works with her father to write a tell-all about the murder of his siblings
🤯 psychological thriller
✍🏼 multiple POVs/timelines, short-ish chapters
📓 book within a book
👍🏼 would recommend to thriller lovers!

happy belated pub day! i was waiting for my physical copy to arrive, and it’s finally here, so let’s do this 😎

after reading THE LIES I TELL late last year (hey, maybe don’t put off reading a book that @crimebythebook raves about and hand selects for you?) and becoming obsessed with Julie Clark, i immediately requested this ARC because i had to see what she was going to pull out of her hat this time. and wow! proud to say that i’m no longer a fool for waiting to read this author’s work 🥳

🎶 “if i gave you the truth, would it keep you alive?”

i’m convinced that Julie Clark injects her books with addictive substances because i’m now 2/2 in completely devouring her books and not being able to put them down. the synopsis sounded a little too good to be true because i was like there’s no way anyone could pull this off and execute it to perfection 🙅🏻‍♀️ wrong! yeah, Julie Clark did that!

this book was an insane ride, and i was here for all of it. i fell in love with the characters, which i feel is kind of rare in a thriller, and i was thoroughly invested in their stories. though there were a lot of characters to keep up with and events to remember, the author did an amazing job of summarizing and bringing the reader up to speed without slowing down the pace or being too redundant. and holy twists!!! they’re everywhere!!!!

i’m gonna remember this one for a while! luckily, i do still need to read THE LAST FLIGHT by her, so i won’t have to wait too long to read another Julie Clark book 😎

I really enjoyed The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark! It’s a slow-burn mystery with an emotional core and some strong twists that kept me turning the pages—especially in the second half.

This story centers around a decades-old murder involving two siblings who were killed in the 1970s. Their brother, now a world-famous, reclusive author, was once a suspect. Nearly fifty years later, he's terminally ill and wants to finally tell his version of what happened. But instead of just choosing any ghostwriter to help document his truth—he chooses his own estranged daughter.

She agrees to take the job, but not without her own motives and secrets. As she returns to the small town where it all happened, she begins to unravel not only her father's past but her own complicated connection to the events. What follows is a deep dive into family trauma, hidden truths, and how the stories we tell ourselves shape our reality.

The book is told in a dual timeline and dual POV, which added layers to the narrative and kept things engaging even during the slower parts. I’ll admit—it took me a while to get into the story. The first 30–40% is more atmospheric and focused on character development, which might feel slow for readers expecting a fast-paced thriller. But once the suspense kicked in, I could not put it down. I read the last 60% in one sitting.

While I do wish the pacing was a bit tighter in the beginning, I also appreciated that it leaned more into mystery and emotional unraveling than straight-up thriller. Julie Clark's writing is thoughtful, and the way she handled the twists and emotional reveals made the payoff worth it.

Overall, if you enjoy layered mysteries with a focus on family secrets, identity, and redemption—this one is definitely worth the read. Just know going in that it’s a simmer before the storm.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for this ARC.

"This particular job is personal. I try to stay objective, open to the stories my father is slowly unraveling for me—three siblings who loved each other and what happened when one of them suddenly became dangerous."

Happy publication week to Julie Clark and The Ghostwriter!

This story follows author Olivia Dumont, who has been hired by her estranged father, Vincent Taylor, to ghostwrite his memoir. Vincent, too, is a celebrated author, but he's also suspected of murdering both of his siblings as a teenager, and he plans to use his memoir (and Olivia) to reveal the truth about what really happened all those years ago.

This was definitely a change of pace in terms of what I've come to expect from Julie Clark. It wasn't a suspenseful, edge-of-your-seat, what's-going-to-happen-next thriller; instead, this was more of a slow-burn mystery, simmering with built-up tension as the MC works to unravel a secret that's been buried for decades. Her writing style in this one reminded me of Lisa Jewell or Simone St. James (minus the supernatural element).

And while the story is indeed a slow burn, the payoff of a sharp, stunning conclusion made it so worth it!

——

A huge thank you to Julie Clark, Sourcebooks, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Olivia changed her name to hide the fact a legendary horror writer, who was a suspect of the brutal slayings of his siblings, was her father. When she is asked to ghostwrite his memoir, old secrets will come out. Did he really kill his brother and sister or was he as innocent as he claims? Olivia starts to do her own investigation as research for the memoir.

4/5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of Julie Clark’s The Ghostwriter, out this week!

Olivia is a ghostwriter who is between jobs after a public meltdown, and forced to take a position ghostwriting a memoir for her (in)famous father, horror novelist and potential murderer Vincent Taylor. As she gets to work, she’s plagued with confusion as to what to believe when it comes to her father and his role in the death of his siblings.

This book was a quick read! I finished a majority of it in a day, and it kept me hooked and guessing through its entirety. I appreciated the flashbacks and multiple POVs, as they were easy to keep track of and really helped develop the story. Definitely check this one out for a good mystery that will keep you on your toes until the end!

This one started as such a slow burn, but once it picked up I flew through it! It was so twisty, mysterious, and full of secrets. I was so curious to know what happened to Poppy and Danny back in 1975! I had a lot of guesses, but none were right!

Thank you, @Netgalley, @bookmarked for the #giftedarc!

This was an incredibly interesting book. The characters, timelines, diagnosis, the 70s setting... all of it was fascinating to me as a middle-aged reader.

As a child who grew up in the 70s there were so many references I remembered like hitch hiking - people actually did this routinely and now we would never think of doing that. The easiness of life, in general, as opposed to now - lives filled with stress and exhaustion.

I thought all of the characters were unreliable and that kept me reading. There were a few things I guessed ahead of time, but I still enjoyed the plot.

I did think the patriarchy topics were a bit heavy-handed at times and that may turn some people off.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an e-copy of THE GHOSTWRITER to review.

I rate THE GHOSTWRITER four out of five stars.

Julie Clark has written a very suspenseful tale that will have you seeking to solve a cold case murder of siblings from the 1970s.

Olivia is struggling with her ghostwriting career and is given the chance to have a comeback; except the offer comes from her estranged father who supposedly murdered his brother and sister so many years ago. She has spent most of her life hiding from her true identity, and now she is faced with confronting fact versus fiction and the fragile state of her father's health as she assists him in writing his memoir.

Readers will jump between two timelines and several POVs and will be immersed in mystery, nostalgia, and revelations that will take you on an emotional rollercoaster ride. The story delves into the health topic of Lewy Body Dementia, and it is heartbreaking to learn about this horrible disease. Clark has nailed mystery thrilling writing which will leave you wanting more!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the ARC. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark was a fantastic read! There was suspense, emotion, and heart-break. As the big reveal comes, your hear just breaks for the Taylor family, and all the futures that were ruined.
I would highly recommend this for anyone who loves a good suspense, domestic thriller.

If you need a summer thriller that will keep you guessing The Ghostwriter is it! This book sucked me in from the start. When Oliva is hired to ghostwrite a tell all book by her estranged father, she takes the job and hopes to learn the truth about what happened to her aunt and uncle when they were murdered in the 70s.

I loved the dual timeline between now and in the 70's. There were so many twists and turns and for once I did not guess the ending!

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an ARC of The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark for an honest review.

This is a GREAT novel. Twisty, creepy, atmospheric and nostalgic. The twists are some of the best I've ever read! I can fully see this that being optioned into a movie. I couldn't put it down and I absolutely loved the pace of this one. You have to read it!

I really enjoyed The Lies I Tell and The Last Flight, so I was eager to read this new novel from Julie Clark. It definitely did not disappoint. The story focuses on Olivia, a ghostwriter, who is hired to write the last work — a memoir — of a famous horror novelist, Vincent Taylor, who is seriously ill with dementia. Unknown to Olivia’s agent and others, Vincent is actually Olivia’s estranged father, one whose two siblings were murdered decades ago and who for years has been the suspected murderer, even though no motive or murder weapon was ever established. The novel is told through different timelines and POVs and is replete with twists, turns and red herrings. Just when the reader thinks he/she may have everything figured out, something occurs to change that thinking. All in all, this was an enjoyable read and a great page turner, but I would have to rank it #3 behind the other two books by Julie Clark that I have read.

The Ghostwriter is a well-written, compelling mystery with lots of surprises along the way! Olivia Dumont is a ghostwriter paying the price (literally) for speaking her mind about a colleague, finding herself on the brink of bankruptcy and basically blacklisted. So when her agent calls with a job, Olivia feels obliged to accept it even though it means facing her estranged father, Vince Taylor, a successful horror novelist that she cut all ties with decades ago. Vince has been diagnosed with Lewy Body Disease and can no longer write, his memory is failing, and he has decided it is time to write a memoir telling what he knows about the brutal 1975 murders of his brother and sister, a crime of which many of the locals have always thought Vince was guilty. Olivia must navigate her relationship with her father, his decline, and the restrictions in her contract that keep her from doing her own investigation into what happened, but as the truth starts to emerge, even Vince is shocked by what really happened. The story alternates between Olivia's perspective in the present and that of Vince and his sister, Poppy, in 1975. Clark's pacing of the story and development of the characters were spot-on, and she does a great job of setting the mood of Ojai, California, in 1975. As the suspense builds, clues are interspersed with red herrings, making me constantly revise my ideas about who killed Vince's siblings, and why.

The Ghostwriter is a solid thriller with an interesting premise, characters, and a setting that feels uniquely alive. 70s Oija is captivating, especially as it contradicts with Olivia's father's account of what actually happened. Further, her relationship with her father and the puzzles that permeate that relationship from an early age are a creative detail that helps sustain the tone of the story. My only critique is that Olivia feels like a see-through or glass protagonist. Despite her complex background, I feel like I see right through her when she's actually on the page. Regardless, this is an enjoyable read for anyone--even if this isn't your genre! (Bonus: Poppy is my girl, love her.)

A masterfully woven tale that will have you second-guessing yourself until the very last page.

While the story had some slow spots, the dark twists, the multilayered and dysfunctional family drama, and the dual timelines kept my attention.

This book had me hooked from the very beginning. The setting was so atmospheric and jumped between the present day and the 1970s, and those flashback scenes were incredibly immersive. I felt like I was walking through that time period right alongside the characters, complete with all the vintage vibes and eerie undertones.

The main storyline followed a woman working as a ghostwriter for her father’s memoir, only the memoir was about his two siblings who were murdered when he was young. That concept alone intrigued me, but the way the story unfolded really kept me on my toes. I spent most of the book wondering if her dad might’ve actually committed the murders. The author did such a great job weaving in twists and subtle clues that I kept changing my mind about what really happened. I love a mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end, and this one definitely delivered.

One of my favorite aspects was the smaller mysteries layered throughout the story. There were treasure-hunt moments, hidden journals, secret compartments, items tucked away from the past and it made me feel like a kid again, discovering secret hiding places. It added such a fun, adventurous layer to an otherwise dark and emotional story.

The complicated relationship between the main character and her father, who’s a famous horror author, added a lot of emotional depth. They didn’t have a close bond, and her struggle to trust him, especially while helping him write a story that might expose dark truths, really pulled me in. On top of that, her father was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, which added a whole new level of complexity. Was he remembering the truth? Or was he rewriting history? That question lingered throughout the book, and I appreciated how it blurred the lines between memory, guilt, and reality.

“The Ghostwriter” was a beautifully layered mystery with strong emotional undercurrents and just the right amount of intrigue. It had everything I love in a suspense novel: family secrets, unreliable narrators, buried clues, and a haunting past that refuses to stay hidden. Highly recommend!

Julie Clark is the master of slow-burn suspense! She feeds the reader breadcrumbs of information, a bit at a time, until everything comes together, and I love that.
While the pacing felt a bit slow at times, this was a solid read that I enjoyed! I didn't love one aspect of the ending, but I will be recommending this to my followers.