This was quite a mystery. Actually several mysteries are going on in this family's story. As Olivia is trying to learn the truth from her aging father, there is definitely something/someone he is trying to protect. Is it himself? Everyone's version of the truth is different. That is why Poppy thinks that what is on her camera will actually tell the story. But it really only tells the story if you know what you are looking for. I am not sure if Olivia ever figures out that what happens in the past definitely changes who you are and how you react to events in the future, but she definitely gets some answers from her father. It might not be the ones that she expected though. She made her own version of the truth a long time ago and she has to reconcile that with what she knows and wants to believe about the kids they were and the adults they became. GREAT READ!

Murder. A writer. And a highly unreliable narrator.

Julie Clark’s new book is very different from her previous work, but still gripping and unpredictable. I read it in one sitting because I was dying to know star happened. While this was not my favorite book of hers, I was still on the edge of my seat to know the ending.

THE GHOSTWRITER is an outstanding read! I knew she would create an incredible book, but this one had my mouth agape!

I loved the characters, the plot, and the twists. The book had me in a chokehold! I stayed up reading until the wee hours of the morning! What I enjoy about THE GHOSTWRITER is the twists and turns and figuring out the mystery. The final twist took me completely out, screaming aloud as the characters in the book could hear me!

Julie Clark has a beautiful way of telling a story and keeping her readers invested. This book is her best yet! I rate this one five stars, and it’s highly recommended!

For those looking for a great book to grab you immediately, add THE GHOSTWRITER to your “To Read List!” Thank you, Netgalley and Sourcebooks, for the opportunity to read and review THE GHOSTWRITER.

The Ghostwriter was the type of muder-mystery that you can honestly read in one day. I love a dual timeline novel, and I love stories told from multiple characters' persepctives. The Ghostwriter had both of these elements, which made it a huge success in my opinion. Once I made it about two-thirds of the way through, I truly did not want to put the book down, and I was dying to find out what really happened and who really killed Poppy and Danny. I also loved that the main character, Olivia, was a ghostwriter, as I think it gave the story a really unique persepctive and twist. There were really so many things the just worked in The Ghostwriter to make it a very solid 5 stars.

Julie Clark doesn’t disappoint! This book had me intrigued and eager to turn the page throughout the whole story.

I found the flashbacks to be so insightful for this decades old mystery that Olivia was trying to sort through. The dynamic between her & her father was tense but reasonable, and I was glad to see their journey. The reveals were well spaced out and I would recommend this read!

I felt the ending wrapped up just a bit quickly, I would’ve liked just a little more insight into the epilogue. But overall, a great read!

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC

DNF at 21%. THE LAST FLIGHT is one of my favorite thrillers but this book just fell super flat for me. It was incredibly slow and boring and I couldn't bring myself one bit to care about the deaths of Poppy and Danny. It was just dull and annoying and the throwback chapters were especially lazy - seemed like AI could have written it if you said "write two vague paragraphs about a murder mystery." So disappointed this one didn't hit like Clark's others!

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Olivia Dumont is a ghostwriter but nothing can prepare her for the next book she has been asked to write, the memoir of her estranged father, Vincent Taylor. Olivia has spent her entire adult life distancing herself from him. Vincent, a horror author, was the prime suspect in the slaying of his siblings in 1975. Shunned by his town as a murderer, he now wants to tell his story, but is he ready to tell the truth, or can he?
Julie Clark is a go-to author for me! I love the way she can spin a storyline and this one is deep and intriguing. There were so many times I just didn’t know what to believe. I just couldn’t turn the pages fast enough and then towards the end, I just wanted it to slow down and last. I felt so deeply pulled in to the storyline. Really, don’t pass this one up if you love a good suspense thriller!
#julieclark #julieclarkauthor #suspense #suspensethriller #julieclarktheghostwriter #julieclarkghostwriter
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fun, twisty, and well-written thriller with a lot of tension throughout. the protag is interesting and other chars are too. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

Ahhhh! What a great book! I absolutely love Julie Clark and her clever plot twists! Story development and character development!

The Last Flight threw me for a loop and her second book, I found just okay, but the thought process behind Clark’s writing is superb. I find myself wondering how does she come up with these clever twists?!

The twist in this book is no different, but I do feel this story was a little different than her others. The writing evolved. The themes evolved. The characters made me feel intense emotions. And that, my friends, is worth the trip of this book. A must-buy!

Wow this is the first book that I have read by this author and it does not disappoint. I really enjoyed it more and more as the story continued. Such a very original story and so many layers, just when I thought I had figured it out it took me in a totally different direction. It stuck with me long after I finished it.

Wow, this was such a thrilling read. There were so many twists and turns I did not expect throughout the book, which kept me guessing all the way until the end. I did find the story to start off slow but around the 20% mark it really took off and I could not flip the pages fast enough. The book is told in multiple POV's which gives us an inside look into the past and what happened to Poppy and Danny. Overall, this was an excellent read for anyone looking for a thriller with characters that are full of secrets.

In The Ghostwriter, Olivia is asked to ghostwrite her fathers last book. She does not have a good relationship with him and hasn't spoken to him in years. She reluctantly agrees and when she arrives at her fathers house, she finds out he is sick with Lewy bodies. It turns out, he wants to finally reveal what happened back in 1975 to his brother and sister in his final book. They were murdered but no one was convicted but rumors swirled that Olivia's Dad Vincent was the murdered. He is ready to set the record straight.

Julie Clark’s The Ghostwriter is a captivating thriller that explores the complexities of family secrets and the pursuit of truth. The story follows Olivia Dumont, a ghostwriter who has spent years avoiding her father, Vincent Taylor—a famous horror author with a troubled past. In 1975, Vincent’s teenage siblings died under mysterious circumstances. Although he had an alibi, suspicion has always surrounded him. Years later, struggling financially, Olivia agrees to ghostwrite her father’s final book, only to learn that he plans to reveal the truth about that tragic night.

Clark crafts a compelling narrative that shifts between past and present, slowly unraveling layers of mystery and emotion. The characters are richly developed, with Olivia’s internal conflict and Vincent’s mysterious nature adding emotional depth. The story maintains a steady sense of suspense, drawing readers in with its twists and turns as it builds toward a dramatic conclusion.

While the novel effectively balances psychological tension with character-driven storytelling, the pacing occasionally falters. Some sections delve deeply into backstory, which can slow the narrative’s momentum. Additionally, while the ending is satisfying, a few plot points could have been explored in greater detail for a more thorough resolution.

Overall, The Ghostwriter is a compelling and thought-provoking novel that blends psychological suspense with an emotional exploration of family relationships and the lingering effects of past trauma.

I was thrilled with a chance to read and review Julie Clark’s latest thriller, “Ghost Writer.”

Olivia grew up in the shadow of rumors that her father, horror writer Vincent Taylor, killed his two siblings when he was a teen. While evidence never substantiated such an accusation, the killer of Olivia’s aunt and uncle was never found. As soon as she could, Olivia left Ojai, never to look back.

Years later, Olivia is contacted by her agent about her ghost writing job—to write Vincent Taylor’s memoir. Olivia could say no—but her own career has been derailed—and she desperately needs the money. She reluctantly agrees, but when she reunites with her father, she is shocked to discover her dad is suffering from Lewey body dementia and does not have much time left to tell his story.

This story gives the reader flashes of the past as Olivia discovers information (but is it reliable) in the present. Julia Clark is a smart writer who creates captivating characters. In fact, what I enjoyed about this book as it spent time exploring Olivia’s relationship with her dad. Unlike Clark’s previous work, this story moves more slowly but for good reason.

Thank you Julia Clark, Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to give this an early read.

This is my first Julie Clark book and I can’t wait to read it more by her I found it a true page turner with many twists and turns kept me reading late into the night. #netgalley#sourcebooks

I’ve been impressed by Julie Clark’s novels over the years, and this one did not disappoint.

Olivia Dumont is a ghostwriter down on her luck. She has to pay a court settlement to her nemesis, and she can’t score any work. But when the ideal, lucrative job lands in her lap, she takes it despite it being to ghostwrite her estranged father Vincent’s memoir. He was finally going to write about the pivotal time in 1975 when his older brother Danny and younger sister Poppy were murdered in his family home.

Olivia is an interesting, secretive character. It makes some sense since she is the child of two secretive parents. I really enjoyed the multiple POVs and the time jumps back to 1975. I felt like I got a good sense of Vincent’s family back in 1975.

This was a fun ride, as all of Clark’s books are. At times, you don’t want to think too hard because a few pieces don’t make the most sense (Olivia wouldn’t talk to either of her parents for decades?). I felt that sometimes this novel circled the drain a bit too long before coming to a conclusion. Ultimately, though, I thought many elements of this were well done, and I had a great time immersing myself in the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

It publishes June 3, 2025.

The plot got a little confusing at times, but overall I found it to be an interesting and unique story of a woman trying to learn the truth of her family. In the end, I just felt sorry for everyone (except that one person we know who you are); I liked that it didn’t all tie up nicely but instead stayed messy and without exact answers.

Wow, another amazing mystery from Julie Clark! Each of her books I have read are different in content but are the same, I can't stop reading, want to see what will happen next, and just great twists and turns. Julie Clark has grabbed my attention and anything she writes I will read.
This book takes place in Ojai California a city I know of and have visited but never really thought much about. It takes place in 1975 and present day. The characters are close to my age and the events that are mentioned going on in the world I remember well. The Taylor family both in 1975 and in the present time are dysfunctional at best. Yet they are very relatable. I usually connect with at least one of the characters but for me, this story didn't have that and I didn't need it. I found. myself early on Googleing different things in the book to learn more. Like I knew what a ghostwriter was but I wanted to know more. There was much I learned from this book, that I had never even thought about before. Would I recommend this book "Absolutely yes!!" .?
Thank you to Julie Clark, Sourcebooks Landmark, and Netgalley for the ARC. This review is my personal opinion

This book grabbed me from the very first page. I knew it was going to be amazing and I was right. I read, then turned back a few pages and reread them as every scene pulled me into the lives of the characters outlined in this story. I was soaking in every word and refused to be rushed despite the urge to get to the solution. This dark, twisted journey was wonderfully written and executed in a manner I found to be highly addictive. I loved everything about this story. Ms. Clark effortlessly pulled me and kept me engaged all the way to its most satisfying conclusion. I’m on my way to check out her backlist!

I was overjoyed to receive an ARC of Julie Clark’s latest novel, “the Ghostwriter,” since I thoroughly enjoyed her previous books which tended to be fast paced thrillers with interesting settings. The summary of “the Ghostwriter” also sounded intriguing as it described a down on her luck ghostwriter, Olivia, being asked by her estranged father, a horror novelist, to help him write his memoir which would finally delve into the secrets surrounding the murder of his brother and sister in the summer of 1975.

Despite the promising premise, the book was somewhat of a disappointment. First, within the first 20% of the book, it detailed the narrator finding a dead hamster, which had suffocated to death in a box with insufficient ventilation and then went on to describe a cat being tortured and buried. The cat’s death was a significant part of the story and not done just for sensationalism, but I’m not generally in favor of novels where a cat’s violent death is a central thread of the book. For this reason alone I almost DNFd the book, but since I had agreed to write a review in exchange for an ARC of the novel, I felt obligated to continue reading.

The second aspect of the book I found disappointing was the glacial pace of the narration and the somewhat claustrophobic setting of a dilapidated guest house above a garage and a couple of rooms in her father’s house, where the narrator spent most of her time. Others who are not as sensitive about the subject of dead cats and who don’t mind a slower paced book might find this mystery entertaining.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for providing me an ARC of the novel in exchange for my honest review.

I don’t remember the last time a book gripped me so completely that I lost track of time, but The Ghostwriter did just that. I started it in the evening, thinking I’d just read a few chapters before bed—and the next thing I knew, the sun was rising. I simply had to know the truth.

The story is utterly mesmerizing, blending past and present in a way that keeps the tension simmering. Vincent Taylor is an enigma—was he a victim, or a murderer who got away with it? And Olivia? Her struggles, both with her career and her fractured relationship with her father, felt so raw and real. Watching her unravel his secrets had me holding my breath.

There were moments when I literally gasped out loud, and I couldn’t stop flipping the pages. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, Clark hit me with another twist that left me questioning everything. The eerie, atmospheric storytelling made me feel like I was right there, sifting through the darkness of the past alongside Olivia.

This is one of those rare books that lingers in your mind long after you’ve turned the last page. If you love psychological thrillers with deep emotional stakes, The Ghostwriter is an absolute must-read. Just be warned—you won’t be getting much sleep once you start!