I really enjoyed The Ghost Writer. Julie Clark sucked me right into the story and didn’t let me go until I finished it. I read it in one sitting because I needed to know what happened that night in June 1975. At one point, near the end, I guessed part of it - but it in no way took away from the secrets unveiled.

Clark not only gives us a solid mystery, but throws in family dysfunction and what happens when a devastating illness affects one of the major players. How we evolve during the illness, sometimes without even meaning to. I have gone through this myself and it’s a rough road. It’s harder for those that know they are losing their minds. My dad had Alzheimer's and he had been a medical doctor. He knew what was coming, what was happening, and the lack of control and time was frustrating for him. It doesn’t matter whether you like Vincent Taylor or not, it’s not an ending I would want for anyone.

The Ghost Writer also tackles misogyny, the cutthroat world of publishing, and perception. How we see ourselves, how others see us, and who we really are. Olivia has taken on a persona to escape her childhood and the person she was there and everything associated with that person. She also thinks that she’s well-respected today and can say anything she wants without repercussions. She is sure about how the past happened and her response to it. Nothing is as it seems. We all perceive events and knowledge through our own lens. Then someone says something about their viewpoint and everything changes. That’s this story in its entirety, everyone sees one view but you have to be able to step back and consider all of the views possible to maybe be able to see the truth.

The Ghost Writer is full of layers and we get to hear the voices within those layers which I appreciate. I liked the mystery and the revealing of everyone’s stories. Julie Clark takes us back in time and it’s not all rainbows and flowers. Secrets, lies, betrayals, and murder wait for us and it is a trip worth taking.

I really enjoyed this book! I've been hearing a lot about it and I must say it's worth the hype. I wasn't too sure how it was going to turn out, and I was engaged the whole time. The characters in both timelines are interesting and engaging, and I was interested in what happened to them. Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley, author Julie Clark, and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

This was...fine? I think my expectations for this read were a bit too high. The premise of The Ghostwriter is extremely interesting, with an estranged daughter coming back to ghostwrite her (potential murderer) father's memoir. The story felt really original, and I enjoyed watching the story unfold/seeing how Olivia and her father navigated through this endeavor. My biggest issue with the novel is that Vince is portrayed as a very unreliable narrator while Olivia is having to rewrite his memoir, and the story is told between present day and flashbacks to the past. Maybe this was a me issue, but I was confused pretty much the entire book whether the flashback chapters were what was ACTUALLY happening back in the day or if they were what Olivia was writing to control the narrative. It turns out it was what was actually happening, but again, this was not clear to me until literally around 90% of the book. This made reading a bit frustrating for me because I didn't know if what I was reading was "reliable"/if I was supposed to be using those chapters to follow the crime. I also thought the characters were a bit weak, such as the story line between Tom and Olivia, and didn't always advance the story properly. I was intrigued enough to finish it and find out what happened, but I wasn't fully enmeshed in the mystery at any point and ultimately wasn't super surprised by the ending. The premise is there, and I think this book will work for many readers, but it was a miss for me personally.

Thank you, NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark | Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC for review. Not my first Julia Clark mystery and definitely not my last. This author is on my must-read list as she always delivers a solid thriller! I read this book in two days as it is a good one. Family drama plus a cold case mystery. Vincent Taylor was the only family survivor of the killings in 1975 that took the lives of Vincent’s brother and sister. Of course, everyone thinks Vincent killed his siblings. Olivia is Vincent’s daughter, but has moved away and changed her name to get away from the scandal that plagued her and her family. She is drawn back in now as she works as a ghostwriter and ii is now 50 years later and Vincent is finally ready to talk about what really happened that night in 1975. But is it really the truth or just more lies??

This is the third book that I have read by this author. I have enjoyed each one and will continue to read whatever she publishes. This book was well written with interesting characters and unexpected twists.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC to review!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Julie Clark does it again! The Ghostwriter is a fast-paced, cleverly layered thriller with all the juicy elements you want in a suspense novel—secrets, identity swaps, and just enough moral gray area to keep you flipping pages late into the night.

The story follows a struggling writer who’s offered a chance to ghostwrite a memoir for a mysterious, high-profile woman with a seriously shady past. As she digs into the story, things get... twisty (to say the least), and she quickly realizes that writing this book could cost her a lot more than her reputation.

I loved the dual perspectives and how the layers of the characters slowly peeled back. Clark’s writing is sharp and cinematic.

Why not 5 stars? The ending wrapped up a little too neatly for me, and a couple of the twists felt slightly telegraphed. But overall, it was a super satisfying ride with strong female leads and a killer premise. Definitely recommend for thriller lovers looking for a smart, engaging escape!

My first interaction with a book written by this author, and it did not disappoint! It definitely kept me guessing throughout the whole thing.

This review has been posted to Goodreads and Storygraph on May 31st, 2025. Links provided.
As they say, there are three sides to every story: yours, mine, and the truth.

Set across two timelines, this emotionally charged mystery centers around a family tragedy that occurred in the summer of 1975, when teenage siblings Danny and Poppy Taylor were murdered in their California home. The only surviving sibling, Vincent, was long suspected but never charged, and he went on to become a famous horror novelist—his success haunted by public suspicion. Decades later, his estranged daughter Olivia, a professional ghostwriter in crisis after a career scandal, is drawn back into his orbit when he asks her to ghostwrite his final work, a memoir including the horrific tragedy that befell his brother and sister.

Vincent, now battling Lewy body dementia, claims he's ready to tell the truth about what happened that night. As Olivia sorts through decades of fragmented memories, conflicting stories, and buried family secrets, she’s forced to confront not only the mystery of her aunt and uncle’s deaths but also her own fractured identity and understanding of her father. The novel unfolds in dual timelines and shifting perspectives, blending domestic drama with psychological suspense and examining how memory, trauma, and shame can ripple through generations.

This book really worked for me on several levels and I absolutely loved it. I’m always drawn to stories that combine a strong emotional core with a layered mystery, and this one delivered both in a satisfying way.

What stood out most was the relationship between Olivia and Vincent. It felt honest, complicated, and strained, but not overdone. I appreciated how the book handled the tension between them without turning it into a melodrama. The father-daughter dynamic was one of the most compelling parts of the story, especially as it played out against the backdrop of Vincent’s declining memory and Olivia’s internal conflict.

The mystery itself unfolds in a way that’s more reflective than fast-paced, but I liked that. It gave the story room to explore the psychological side of things—how we interpret events, what we choose to remember, and how we protect ourselves from painful truths. The dual timeline format was well-executed, and I thought Poppy’s perspective added real depth to the narrative. Her sections gave the past a sense of immediacy and helped humanize the tragedy.

It’s also one of those books that would work well for a book club. There’s a lot to unpack—family dynamics, the impact of trauma, and how memory can be both revealing and unreliable. I didn’t guess all the twists, but even the ones I saw coming still landed well because of how invested I was in the characters.

All in all, I really loved this book! It was a thoughtful, well-constructed mystery with a strong emotional thread. I’d absolutely recommend it to anyone who enjoy character-driven suspense and stories that explore the complicated nature of truth and family.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the opportunity to read to an ARC of The Ghostwriter in return for my honest review.

4.5/5



This book had such a compelling and unique premise, an estranged daughter reconnecting with her possibly murderous father after years apart to ghostwrite his final book? Talk about original and intriguing! I was immediately hooked by the setup. The cold case murders of Olivia’s aunt and uncle are shrouded in mystery, and the lingering questions kept me turning the pages, eager to uncover the truth.

While the story unfolds at a slower pace( it’s definitely a slow burn) I found myself invested enough to stick with it. There were a few moments where the plot dragged a bit, but overall, it maintained my interest. What really worked for me was the seamless blend of family drama and true crime style mystery. The emotional tension between Olivia and her father added a personal layer that complemented the investigative aspect of the plot. The writing itself was strong, with well drawn characters and a moody, suspenseful tone that suited the story perfectly.

If you enjoy slow building suspense with complicated family dynamics and a haunting cold case at its core, this one is worth picking up.

I didn’t want to put this book down. My theory of what happened kept changing throughout the book. Really enjoyed this one! Julie Clark never disappoints!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Tales Of A Father 🎥 🔪 📖
I love Julie Clark’s writing, and this was no exception. She always catches me from the beginning and has me fully engrossed in the story she weaves.
Olivia + Poppy + Vincent + Danny
Olivia is desperate for anything to go her way after her career has taken a drastic nose dive and the money she owes people is piling up. Her house now on the line, when the chance to ghostwrite her estranged father’s memoir is presented, she truly can’t pass it up. Little does she know the revelations about her life and everything she’s ever thought about her family that will come to light, and the secrets that won’t stay buried.
Definitely check this one out June 3rd! Thanks @netgalley for the early copy.

My new favorite Julie Clark book! I simply could not put it down!
This book has all the things—love, family, secrets, fame, drama, and suspense!
A well-written thriller, I would recommend to pretty much everyone!

I enjoyed this book but it was a little slow for me!

Vincent Taylor is a famous author who is known for his best selling novels. He has a illness, and wants to write one last book. He wants to write about a terrible crime that occurred in his household. His brother and sister were stabbed to death and the public has always assumed he was the culprit. The case was never solved.

However, Vincent needs a ghostwriter and he hires his daughter, Olivia, who was once a famous ghostwriter for the job. Overall it was a interesting read.

4.5 stars

I think I may have found a new thriller author to binge. The Ghostwriter is exquisite in its slow-burn buildup to the reveal. While I couldn't wait to see how it all played out, I loved every minute spent with Olivia, Vincent, and especially Poppy.

I have been seeing so many gushing reviews for this book that I was worried it was going to be overhyped. Nope. Absolutely deserves the praise, in my humble opinion.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this digital Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark
Rating ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
5 stars

The Ghostwriter was my introduction to Julie Clark and what an introduction!!! It really delivered with all the thought provoking situations, the tragedy, the mystery, multiple POV’s and the shifting timeline from the past to the present was flawless.

Our main characters is Olivia, a disgraced ghostwriter who has been struggling with her career after some controversy with a famous author. She is the daughter of a successful thriller author who has been at the hub of his own controversy for 50 years.

In June of 1975 two siblings were found murdered in their home. Vincent (the third and middle sibling,) is the one who finds them. The two deceased siblings were well known and liked in the community whereas Vincent was always considered the outsider, the weird one. Many people in the community suspected Vincent of committing the murders but he had an alibi with his girlfriend and the neighbor. Vincent eventually marries Lydia but ultimately she leaves him and Olivia and Vincent ends up more focused on his career than raising his daughter and they’ve been estranged for decades.

In Vincent’s senior years he becomes ill, his memory and sense of reality are diminishing and while he still has moments and periods of time with clarity he decides he wants to write his final book. A memoir of sorts that tells what really happened that June day of 1975. He has his agent reach out to Olivia’s agent with an offer to be the ghostwriter and Olivia, struggling with her career and on the verge of losing her home, reluctantly agrees to take the job. It is now up to her to piece together the events of the family tragedy that happened so many years ago.

This novel is well paced and action packed. The timeline flip, back and forth between past and present is done so well that the flow of the story is not affected. I felt like I was right there in the story doing the research and interviews with Olivia, having to determine fact from fiction from the unreliable narrators whether it be due to illness, deception or the colossal amount of time that has passed. There were many times that I thought were predictable only to continuously flip flop on what I thought had happened.

In the end (literally a few chapters before the end,) I did figure out who the culprit was but the ride there was exhilarating.

Thank you to NetGalley and SourceBooks Landmark for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

3.5-4

setting: California
Rep: n/a

this kept me engaged the whole time I was reading, mostly because it's a short book with short chapters and enough going on between past and present chapters to hold my interest. it's more of a slow burn family mystery than a thriller, and it doesn't go anywhere particularly unexpected - if you're used to books like this, you'll see the reveals coming from a mile away - but I enjoyed it. the side characters are a letdown though - there's very little development of any (in particular, Tom, the protagonist's boyfriend, who gets maybe two lines of dialogue and a couple of texts). also, the situation with Olivia's mother was very weird. literally no contact for 40+ years but when Olivia tracks her down, it's only for a quick chat about things that happened before Olivia was even born and that's it. weird.

Reading 2025
Book 115: The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark

I received an advanced copy of this book on Kindle from #NetGalley in exchange for my review. This book will be published June 3. This is also the selection for my IRL book club in July. I have read and enjoyed two of Clark’s other books: The Lies I Tell and The Last Flight.

Synopsis: Ghostwriter Olivia Dumont has spent her entire professional life hiding the fact that she is the only child of legendary horror author Vincent Taylor, famous not only for his novels but for being the prime suspect in the brutal slaying of his siblings.

Review: This book was dark and haunting, tinged with bunches of family drama both past and present. I enjoyed the way the book was set up with first person glimpses of the past in addition to the present day telling. The father daughter relationship in the present telling was the center of the story, despite the daughter wanting anything but. Another good thriller from the author, my rating 4.25⭐️.

4.5* rounded up

Wow, this book kept me guessing nearly the whole time. I loved Julie Clark's previous novels and this one didn't disappoint. Olivia Dumont is a ghostwriter who is currently struggling in her career and financially after a conflict with another famous ghostwriter. Against her better judgement, to try to salvage her life, she accepts the job to ghostwrite a memoir for her dying, estranged father, who everyone thinks murdered his siblings nearly 50 years ago. But the murders were never solved. Olivia is tasked with telling her father's story the way he wants it to be told, but she's determined to discover the truth of what really happened to her aunt and uncle that night.

This novel was a clever and twisty ride. The pace slowed a bit in the second half, but I thoroughly enjoyed the story.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was about a down on her luck Ghostwriter. Olivia Dumont gets an opportunity to ghostwrite for a prolific author, which just happens to be her estranged father. I enjoyed this book. It kept me turning the pages until late in the night. I gave this one 4 stars and will recommend.

This one sucked me in, and I couldn't stop reading! Absolutely loved it!

We meet Olivia, a ghostwriter, on the brink of a financial collapse. All of her writing opportunities have vanished, and she's not sure what she's going to do.

Finally, someone has requested her to ghostwrite their next novel, but it turns out to be the last person she even wants to talk to, her own father, Vincent.

As a teenager, both of Vincent's siblings were murdered and it was never solved, but the community always treated Vincent as the perpetrator even though he had an alibi.

Olivia agrees to work with her father only to find out he wants to write a memoir and finally share what happened the night his siblings were murdered.

As Olivia listens to her father recount his past, she realizes everything he is telling her is a lie. She becomes determined to figure out what truly happened that horrific night in June of 1975.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC in an exchange for an honest review.