✨Thriller lovers, add this twisty gem to your TBR! I BINGED this on my flight to Greece.✨
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Ghostwriter by Julie Clark is part chilling mystery, part emotional family drama—and completely unputdownable.
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Olivia’s career as a ghostwriter is in shambles after a public scandal… so when her estranged, famous horror-author father asks her to ghostwrite his final book, she says yes—even though no one knows she’s his daughter. The catch? It’s about the unsolved murders of his siblings in the ‘70s, and he’s been the suspected killer for decades.
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As Olivia returns home and starts digging into the past, through her father’s fading memories (thanks to Lewy body dementia), she starts to wonder: is he finally telling the truth… or rewriting history?
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This one hooked me with its dual timelines, unreliable narrators, and slowly unraveling secrets. It reads like a true crime doc, but with heart.
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The shifting POVs from the ’70s were especially atmospheric, and I loved the raw exploration of Olivia and Vincent’s broken bond. Yes, there are twists—but it’s the layered characters and emotional payoff that really make this shine. A smart, haunting story that lingers.
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📚 Perfect for fans of character-driven thrillers, complicated families, and stories that keep you guessing. 4.5 stars from me!
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Thank you @bookmarked and @netgalley for the ARC!
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#Ghostwriter #JulieClark #ThrillerReads #MysteryBook #UnreliableNarrator #BookRecs #CurrentlyReading #BookReview #NetGalleyReads #FamilySecrets #TrueCrimeVibes #TBRAlert #BookTokMadeMeReadIt #ReadMoreBooks #FallReads #CrimeFiction #BookishThoughts #DualTimeline #DysfunctionalFamily #SuspenseReads #Whodunnit #ReadersOfInstagram #PlotTwist #BookClubPick #MustRead2025

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark is a twisty thriller that had me hooked from the start! This isn’t just a murder mystery, but also a character driven story about family secrets and trauma. The story centers around the complicated bond between a daughter and her infamous father. Olivia Dumont is a struggling ghostwriter who has been reluctantly hired to write her estranged father’s final book. She ends up finding out it’s not fiction, but a confession! I loved the use of dual timelines, which slowly unravel the truth in such a suspenseful and satisfying way. This book kept me guessing and emotionally invested the whole time. Hands down, one of the best thrillers I’ve read this year!

When I finished The Ghostwriter, I stayed in that world for quite a while due to being so immersed into the story. I felt as if I lived the story with Olivia and her family. This is a fantastic, well written book by Julie Clark. The Ghostwriter incorporates murder, mystery and psychological suspense to tell the story of a very damaged family. I really don’t want to say more except if you like these genres, read the book!
Thank you to NetGalley and SourceBooks Landmark for this advanced e-book. I would gladly read any other books by Julie Clark!

#SourceBooks Landmark #Julie Clark

This book was a perfect way to kick off my summer reading!
Olivia Dumont is a ghostwriter who is deeply in debt due to a lawsuit stemming from another author who she spoke out about and legal fees. So when the chance to write a memoir of a famous horror author, the choice was simple. However, the author turns out to be her estranged father who has Lewy Body Dementia and about 20 legal pads on which he has scrawled his story about the murders of his two siblings 50 years ago.
The story is told from her father's writing (Vincent), his sister Poppy's diary and films, and the research that Olivia undertakes. It also served as a vehicle to reconnect with her father as his memory failed.
Throughout the book, the reader understands Olivia's complicated past with a mother who walked out on the family, being sent to a Swiss boarding school at 14, and the possibility of selling her home to pay off the author and lawyer.
I loved the way Olivia used her journalism background to delve into 1975 newspapers, and to meet with people in Ojai who knew her father's family in 1975 - including the man next door. She found 10 of Poppy's films which she had digitalized and reviewed to "get to know" her aunt and uncle.
I thought the story was well crafted, intriguing, and suspenseful The mystery was unraveled in a clever believable way. The author definitely picked up California in the mid 70's noting songs and typical 70s activities.
I flew through this book in 2 days. I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and I am leaving my opinions voluntarily.

I was really looking forward to this book after completely devouring The Lies I Tell, but it wasn’t quite as gripping, and I know this is an unpopular opinion.

This story was intriguing and unique, but it wasn’t quite a very slow burn, which isn’t something I was ready for after Clark’s last book. I enjoyed how Olivia unraveled things, but I wish it had been quicker with far more twists. This one wasn’t as unputadownable as I was wanting. I also saw the twists from the very beginning. The foreshadowing was pretty blatant.

Rating: 3.5 rounded to 4

Olivia is a ghostwriter commissioned to write her estranged father's memoir (he’s a horror author). She has to uncover the truth behind the murders of her aunt and uncle, which occurred nearly 50 years ago. The narrative unfolds through dual timelines; Vincent's perspective and Poppy's voice which also includes her diary entries and old video footage.
This novel is emotional as well suspenseful with an intricate plot and complex characters. It’s the kind of book that you can’t put down until the murderer is revealed.
Thank you to the publisher/author for the opportunity to read this complimentary advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I enjoyed reading Clark’s The Lies I Tell, so I was excited about the opportunity to read this newest novel. The premise intrigued me: not only must the ghostwriter protagonist uncover the mystery of a 50-year old murder, but she is also the estranged daughter of her latest client– a job she is only taking out of desperation and not a genuine desire for reconciliation.

The narrative shifts between the present day and 1975, the latter of which sheds light on the mystery surrounding the Taylor siblings’ brutal murder. Vincent Taylor proves to be somewhat of an unreliable narrator, which raises the question: is he being deliberately misleading or are his recollections affected by his recent diagnosis of Lewy body dementia?

Protagonist Olivia must balance her non-existent relationship with her father and the truth about who murdered her aunt and uncle fifty years ago. Her father has always been suspected of the crime, but there was never enough evidence to charge him. Is his book supposed to be the Actual Truth or one last attempt to avoid taking responsibility for the slayings?

I’m usually pretty good at figuring out mysteries but this book kept me guessing the whole time. My theories were constantly shifting as new evidence appeared, rendering old evidence moot or obsolete.

I would absolutely recommend The Ghostwriter. This is an engaging novel from start to finish. Every new revelation led to three new questions, pushing both Olivia and the reader farther away from the truth rather than closer to it.


I received a digital ARC of this book from Sourcebooks/NetGalley.

Julie Clark's The Ghostwriter is one great read! This twisty psychological thriller hooked me from the beginning and kept me engrossed through the last page. With an intricate and wonderfully executed plot, multiple POVs, dual timelines, memorable characters, and a ticking clock that no one can stop, this is a story that gets in your head and stays there. I love the many layers in this complex novel. I didn't want it to end!

My sincere thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for allowing me to access a DRC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.

For Fans Of: Lisa Jewell, Ruth Ware
Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌘
Genre: 🔪 Thriller
Violence: 🪓🪓🪓
Triggers: Death of child, family estrangement, assault

Synopsis: After ghostwriter Olivia gets cancelled for her intemperate—if true—comments about another writer, she reluctantly accepts a commission for an aging horror novelist. The twist: the client is her estranged father, Vincent, & the book is a memoir about his siblings’ murder. Which locals believe he committed.

Thoughts: This novel is a page-turner from its 1st sentence. A family drama in 2 parts, it intermingles the story of Vincent and his siblings with that of present-day Olivia, as she attempts to write a memoir for a father who has never been forthcoming about his past. Clark skillfully interweaves past and present through revelations about the 50-year-old murders as well as the tumultuous backstory between Olivia and father Vincent. While this makes for complex storytelling, the author avoids bogging the reader down in details through judicious unveiling of clues and introduction of characters. Olivia is a well-developed protagonist with Vincent as a solid 2nd chair. But all the characters in this book take on life without stealing focus. Overall, I found The Ghostwriter a satisfyingly twisty mystery, an evocative exploration of childhood and memory, and a poignant look at the imperfections of parenthood. Julie Clark definitely has a new fan in me.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark & NetGalley for a gifted book in exchange for an honest review.

This woman sure can tell a tale!! I love Julie Clark and was SO excited to read this ARC! I loved this book! It is a bit different from her previous two. We have Olivia who has been asked by her father to ghostwrite his memoir. Well, turns out Dear Ol' Dad may have slaughtered his brother and sister some 50 years back. Oops. He may or may not set the record straight or confess. What follows is an atmospheric tale filled with family secrets, twists and turns and great characterization as Olivia tries to dig her way to the truth. I can't recommend this book, and her previous two, enough!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Julie Clark and Sourcebooks/Landmark for this much appreciated ARC. All opinions are my own.

I will post my review to Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other retail and social media sites upon publication day of June 3rd.

Ghostwriter Olivia Dumont has long lived in the shadow of her estranged father, Vincent Taylor, a successful horror author. When she accepts a new job, she is shocked to find herself reunited with her dad and being tasked to finally help him tell the true story of what happened when his brother and sister were brutally murdered in their home as teenagers.

It's a clever set-up, and the failing mental health of Vincent only makes it less clear how accurate the story is that Olivia is being asked to write. Overall, this was an enjoyable read, and there are enough clever twists and turns in this book to keep even the seasoned thriller reader entertained. Definitely a great option for a satisfying summer read.

Olivia is a ghostwriter and is deep in debt with a reputation that needs to be salvaged. These are the reasons she reluctantly takes on a new assignment, to ghostwrite the memoir of a controversial horror author. Who happens to be her father. From whom she happens to be actively estranged. Who has always been suspected in the deaths of his siblings when they were teenagers. It's complicated! [This is all in the blurb!]

The setup was intriguing, the setting evocative. The vibe of 1970s Ojai (up in the mountains above Ventura in Southern California) felt genuine.

As Olivia goes to work, the layered mystery reveals itself. Part shocking, part confusing (now where is this information coming from?!?), a whole lot of digging up the past from a myriad of perspectives and sources. It did take her a frustratingly long time to put the pieces together though and this could have been a little tighter.

My thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the Advance Reader Copy. (pub date 6/3/2025)

Olivia is a ghostwriter, who has gotten into some trouble for speaking the truth about another author, and is now on the verge of financial ruin. Then a request comes from her father, famous horror author Vincent, to ghostwrite his last book. Olivia left her father and her old life behind long ago, not wanting to deal with a father accused of murdering his sister and brother back in the 70s, and a mother who walked out on her. When she realizes her father wants to write about the past, all of the old ghosts come rushing back, and Olivia has to figure out what really happened on the day both her aunt and uncle were killed. This was so dark, twisted, suspenseful, and just really good! Julie Clark is quickly rising to the top of today's suspense writer's and I am here for it!

Olivia is a Ghostwriter and has a family secret that she has been trying to hide all her life. Her life is suffering some roadblocks in her life. She is given the opportunity to ghostwrite a book. The problem is that the book is her father's last book. For years she tried hide the fact that she is her father's daughter. Her father is a famous horror writer that has a dark past. He was the only survivor of the elimination of his family. He used that notoriety to help him become successful. Soon Olivia will discover her family's secret and find out the truth. A brilliantly clever suspenseful book. An engrossing plot and witty writing. The author does a great job at grabbing the reader's attention and keep the reader immersed in the story.

Disclaimer: Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for a review copy of this book and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 359 / Genre: Murder Mystery
Release Date: June 3, 2025
🥳#HappyPubDay!🎉

In 1975, the unspeakable happened. Fourteen-year-old Poppy and her seventeen-year-old brother were found stabbed to death in their home. Everyone suspected their sixteen-year-old brother Vince, who was known for his erratic and volatile temper. Fifty years later, Vince is a famous novelist and is battling Lewy body dementia. He’s finally ready to reveal what really happened, but due to his illness, he’s unable to write his own story so he hires his estranged daughter to ghostwrite his memoir.

The unreliable narrative led to so many twists and the haunting dread of what you know is to come made this such a deliciously creepy murder mystery. So good!

Thank you, @JulieClarkAuthor and @Bookmarked for my free advanced copy.

I really enjoyed the mystery in this one and the way the story unfolded, through first person point of view, along with flashbacks from two other characters. There’s also an unreliable narrator, which added plenty of red herrings. As I read, I kept forming theories, but none of them turned out to be right.

The story also explores dysfunctional families, especially the dynamics of sibling rivalry, jealousy, and absentee parents. These elements added depth to the plot and showed how these relationships influenced the perception of certain details.

Olivia Dumont is a previously successful ghostwriter facing cancellation after publicly confronting a powerful colleague. When the only job she can get is the one she doesn’t want, she faces a vexing proposition—Ghostwrite the last book of legendary horror writer, Vincent Taylor, or face financial ruin. The problem? Taylor is her long estranged father who is believed to have murdered his teenage siblings in 1975.

This begins the unraveling of closely held family secrets. The process is complicated by Taylor’s recent diagnosis which affects his cognitive abilities. Olivia must differentiate between the ramblings of a diminished man and clues to the truth.

Julie Clark’s latest novel is a slow burn told across dual timelines. While I found Olivia’s journey through her family’s past to be interesting, it was Poppy’s voice that was most compelling. Clark builds the tension bit by bit until the final section of the book when the dominoes fall in quick succession and the payoff is worth the wait.

If you like your thrillers twisty until the very end. THE GHOSTWRITER should be on your radar.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

THE GHOSTWRITER is a story about a family with secrets and a cold case that has stumped police for fifty years. One summer evening, Poppy and Danny Taylor were found dead in their childhood home, and their volatile brother seems like the obvious suspect, but it is never proven. Now, years later, Vincent, the surviving brother and an acclaimed horror writer, has rapidly advancing dementia. He hires his estranged daughter, Olivia, a ghostwriter, to help him tell the story of what really happened.

The unreliable narrator piece of this story was so compelling. Vincent has his reasons to keep what happened in the past a secret, and that level of reticence is compounded by his deteriorating mind. The pacing of this novel is excellent, revealing one tantalizing detail at a time until I found myself discarding my responsibilities to race towards the end.

You don't have to be a writer to enjoy THE GHOSTWRITER, but I found the literary atmosphere a definite plus. Working on deadline, dealing with publishers, and the added pressure Olivia faces of working within the parameters of the ghostwriting contract were a fascinating peek into the literary world that kept me engaged.

This would be a great vacation read--it moves quickly and keeps the reader engaged without sacrificing tight, propulsive writing.

This was fine and entertaining enough but I can’t say it was an unputdownable mystery/thriller for me. By the time I got to the reveal, I had figured out a lot of the pieces of what actually happened but not necessarily how everything was connected. It was an interesting set up with the estranged daughter reconnecting with her father to ghostwrite a memoir about his childhood and the murder of his siblings. However, I just always have a hard time with these mysteries where somehow the crime is never solved by the police through multiple investigations but an amateur just magically stumbles on every piece of the story. I get that she had access to the truth through her father but I feel like a lot of this could have been solved in a thorough police investigation. So, it was an easy, light read but not one I adored.

For Olivia, family secrets run deeper, and darker, than she was prepared for. But when her estranged father, long shrouded in mystery, reaches out with a final request for her to ghostwrite his last book, she must decide whether unearthing his secrets is worth exposing her own.
While I understand the premise of Olivia being a ghostwriter was meant to emphasize her need for anonymity, it ended up feeling a bit disconnected from the rest of the story. I think the narrative might have been stronger if she had simply been portrayed as a writer, without the vague explanations about why her identity had to remain hidden.
That said, I really enjoyed the concept that Olivia had to unravel the mystery that has haunted her to finally move on in her personal life. And through her process of writing her father’s book, Olivia is forced to confront the truth about her family and what really happened to the aunt and uncle she never knew, and whether her father is the killer everyone believes him to be.

*Thank you to Julie Clark, Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for the ARC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.