Where do I even begin...
Wow what a book. What an interesting concept. To have the father reach out to his estranged daughter to ghostwrite for him.
I love a book with complicated pasts, deceit, drama, twists and turns.
It was definitely a slow burn, but in the best possible way. I couldn't put the book down. I wanted to know what Olivia was going to find out next, who she was going to talk to next, what truths would finally unfold.
The ending was very satisfying. I am going to recommend this book to all my thriller/mystery lovers.
I am definitely going to buy a hard copy when it is released o add to my bookshelf!

I love Julie Clark and will read whatever she writes. Once again, she gave us a twisty thriller with some feminist rage sprinkled in and I loved it. The pace was perfect and built up to an explosive ending.

Olivia Dumont makes her living ghostwriting other people's memoirs, but her career has hit a rough patch after she publicly called out a famous man. Estranged from her father, Vincent Taylor—a renowned horror novelist haunted by a dark past—Olivia is at a crossroads. When she was a child, two of Vincent's siblings were murdered in 1975. Though he was never charged, suspicion has long shadowed him in their hometown.

Out of the blue, Olivia's publicist receives a request for her to ghostwrite a book for Vincent, unaware of their familial connection. Desperate for work, Olivia agrees—without revealing the truth—and returns home, only to discover that her father is seriously ill.

What unfolds is a gripping, multi-layered story told from several perspectives—including those of the murdered siblings. Olivia expects to write a horror novel but is shocked when her father asks her to tell the real story of the murders. As she begins to research his version of events, she uncovers troubling inconsistencies that cast doubt on everything she thought she knew.

I simply couldn’t put this book down. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, another twist would throw me off course. The narrative is exquisitely crafted, full of suspense and emotional depth. A must-read for fans of literary thrillers and complex family dramas.

Okay… wow. This book had me HOOKED. It had me turning the pages and fully immersed in the story and finding out the truth.
Olivia Dumont is a ghostwriter who accepts the job of ghostwriting for a once famous horror writer. This author happens to be her father who she hasn’t spoken to in many years. And she’s not writing a novel it will be a memoir of the truth behind a decades old cold case of the murders of his two siblings. As she interviews her father she begins to uncover horrifying truths and is forced to confront the past.
I loved the flashbacks to the 70s leading up to the murders…it really builds up that tension and suspense. And that ending?? I did not see that coming.
A twisty thriller you will definitely want to pick up this summer.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this before publication!
Julie Clark has another hit on her hands with The Ghostwriter. I felt like I actually was in Ojai in the 1970s. The characters were just as compelling as the setting. Clark has a brilliant talent at giving enough crumbs of information along the way to keep the reader engaged without guessing the payoff too soon.

4.5/5 stars

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for the advanced reading copy for our book club!!

Whether I tore through this one because I had to (started it two days before Book Club lol) or because I wanted to, I’m not sure. Either way, this one had me hooked. I was intrigued from the start, and I think the premise was really well done. I think Julie Clark’s writing is overall simple, but the plot is very complex, and it keeps things interesting. This book was extremely well plotted, and you can tell that a lot of thought went into the when, why and how of information being presented, which I always love in a book.

I will say, I predicted almost all of the twists with the biggest twist predicted at like 30%. While it is equal parts vindicating and disappointing to be right about the twists, I liked the way that these were delivered. I didn’t understand the WHY behind these actions, which had me questioning myself, even when I thought that I was right.

This book used time jumps and POV switches really effectively, in ways that added a lot to the story overall. I loved Poppy’s POV, and looked forward to every time it jumped to her 🥹🥹 IYKYK.

This was fun to discuss in book club, and overall super highly rated! I really enjoyed THE LIES I TELL by Julie Clark, too, and I hope to read more by her moving forward!

Olivia Dumont is a ghostwriter that has fallen into a little trouble with a fellow ghostwriter. She is struggling to pay her bills and is on the verge of losing her house. When the perfect job lands in her lap. Her estranged father, Vincent Taylor, wants to write a tell all about what happened to his brother and sister in the 70s. However, Vincent has Lewy Body Dementia and needs his daughter's help. Olivia goes back home for the first time since she left to study abroad in high school to help her dad write his book and figure out what really happened to her aunt and uncle.

I loved this book, the flashbacks to the 1970s and the real time of Olivia trying to solve the murders. This book had me guessing from the beginning. There were a few parts that felt long, but overall I really enjoyed The Ghostwriter.

Thank you Julie Clark and Sourcebooks for an eARC and Advanced Copy for Thrillers By The Book Club Milwaukee to read and enjoy this book!

I enjoyed the story but found the pacing to be a bit slow. It felt like it took a while to get to the root of the story. Once I did, I was intrigued by what was happening, but didn’t feel overly compelled. I do love Julie Clark’s writing and Poppy was my fave character.

(Rounded rating up from a 3.5)

This was a wonderful thriller that includes family drama, mystery, and twists and turns. I was able to guess some of the book, but there were plenty of parts I did not guess correctly. This book was more of a slow burn, which I usually can’t sit through but, I didn’t have a problem getting through this one. The characters are well developed, there’s great twists and turns, suspenseful and just overall a great read.

Julie Clark’s books are hit or miss for me. This one was fantastic!! Fast-paced, unique plot, and I like the two different timelines and multiple POV..

Oh this SLAPPED!!!

Olivia is a ghost writer and her estranged father asks her to write his memoir. AND when he was in high school (~1975) he was the prime suspect for the murder of his two siblings that was never solved. The book switches POVs and kept me guessing until the last bit. 10/10 recommend.

Thanks NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is family drama at its best. This is a deeply layered murder mystery 50 years in the making. Clark gives us an intense lesson on just how much the past can truly affect the present and future with this dysfunctional and heart-breaking family tragedy. When Olivia reunites with her estranged father to ghostwrite his memoir, she is forced to face the ghosts in her past, as well as the murder in her father’s past. A murder that happened before she was born, but has defined her whole life. Told through multiple POVs, Clark gives the reader a full picture of the past and present. With some perfectly executed twists and misdirections, this story keeps you on your toes and fully invested in solving the case. This was excellently written and really highlight some thought provoking themes that linger with you well after reading this book. Overall this was an excellent read that will keep you invested and leave you shocked.

Don't be fooled by the middle of this book, because just when you feel like the book is heading no where , lace up your Hokas and get ready to sprint to the finish, when I hit the 77% mark I knew I wasn't going to stop until I got to the last page, and that I did. Now also don't be fooled by my last sentence, this was not an amazing book, but it was not bad either. Julie Clark is a very solid writer, and held my attention from start to finish. Written in dual timelines, Clark teetered back and forth between past and present. The present is Olivia who is ghostwriting for her fathers final book as he is on his death bed, which is his lifestory.
In the past Vincent (Olivia's father) was all but prosecuted for murdering his brother and sister. There was never quite enough evidence to convict him, however that shadow has lingered over Oliva her whole life. Now with his death eminent she sets out to figure out what happened all those years ago.
The whole time I was reading I was so interested in what would happen, and just when things would pick up Clark would switch to the alternate timeline..she did this in a masterful way, this book was really hard to put down.
At the end it did become a little frustrating with the chase Olivia had to go on to obtain the truth....I wanted to just scream at her dad, "JUST TELL HER WHAT HAPPENED" But I guess if that happened we wouldn't have a book to read.
There were a few obvious reveals I was able to call early, but one was a total shocker that I totally did not catch--You got me Julie.

**Okaay** Let's Address the Elephant in the Room: Kamala and AOC get a shout out....seriously? Why would anyone put these two in a book? I cannot wrap my head around one positive thing about this. First not only does it date the book but also shows me that Julie Clark is possibly deranged. Obviously she wrote this book pre November 2024...But the best part, guess who is laughing all the way to the White House? TRUMP! And I love it! In 20 years people will not even know who Kamala is let alone AOC. Enough politics, but honestly that one sentence is not going to age well....


Glad I read this book because it introduced me to a new author that I will for sure want to read more by.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy of The Ghostwriter.
I was not influenced or paid in exchange for my review.

A very interesting read that had me hooked from the start! 🙌

While not super twisty, it had me trying to figure out who murdered Poppy and Danny. The pacing did feel a bit sluggish at times, but it still kept my interest. Definitely recommend checking this one out!! 👏

Thank you NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and Julie Clark for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️

SYNOPSIS
-In 1975, two teenage siblings were murdered. Their brother, Vincent, was the only one left standing—and people have never stopped whispering about him.
-Decades later, Vincent is a famous horror author…and his estranged daughter Olivia, a struggling ghostwriter, gets offered a job she can’t refuse: write his final book.
-Only it’s not fiction—Vincent wants to finally tell the truth about what happened that night.
-But with a failing memory and a lifetime of buried secrets, Olivia has to figure out what’s real, what’s revision, and whether she ever truly knew her family at all.
⸻
MY THOUGHTS
-This was a masterclass in storytelling. Julie Clark nailed the pacing, structure, and every little twist.
-I love a dual timeline when it’s done right, and this one really is. Seamless transitions, layered tension, and super satisfying to read.
-The murder mystery + dysfunctional family angle? So good. And the cold case element gives it that eerie, page-turner vibe.
-The exploration of memory and truth was brilliant. Vincent’s dementia adds this extra layer of suspense; you never fully know if what you’re being told is fact or fiction.
-Olivia is such a compelling character. Flawed, honest, smart; her emotional arc is deeply satisfying.
-The plot never drags. I flew through it. There’s always something happening, but it never feels chaotic.
-The ending lands perfectly. No loose threads, no eye rolls.
⸻
TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Twisty, fast-paced, and emotionally smart. Ghostwriter is the kind of book you’ll cancel plans to finish. It’s got everything: cold case murder, messy family secrets, unreliable memories, and characters who feel like real people.
⸻
THANKS: Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published on June 3, 2025.

Loved this one. I really enjoy books with different points of view, and this one was done so well. The way the past and present are woven together kept me hooked the whole time.

My heart broke for Danny and Poppy. Their story was emotional, powerful, and stayed with me long after I finished the book. I also kept wishing that Olivia was younger, so she had some time to have a family of her own after everything that had come out. I felt like she had such a troubling life.. but I am happy of the outcome.

Julie Clark’s The Ghostwriter is a suspense novel that absolutely delivers. It follows a disgraced journalist who takes on a new assignment: ghostwriting the memoir of a famously reclusive author. She quickly discovers that the author is her estranged father, a man she hasn’t seen in years and whose past holds dark, long-buried secrets. What begins as a writing project soon spirals into truths that become harder to outrun.

I got my hands on an ARC of this novel and this is one I feel so lucky to have been given. From the very first sentence: “I know what your dad did.” the book had me engrossed, engaged, and locked-in. I simply could not step away from this story.

Completely propulsive, suspense-filled and intricately woven, the story is my favorite kind of writing where the author knows their reader is intelligent and they give us what we deserve. A book that’s worth a turn of every page.

By about the halfway point, I knew that I would be giving it at least four stars and it just had to deliver a satisfying ending to hold on to that rating. But by the final pages, when all of my questions had been answered more than satisfactorily and every hole had been neatly filled, I knew I had to give this one five stars. With writing this interesting and intriguing and intelligent, it would be completely unfair not to give it the flowers it deserves. This will be one that EVERYONE will talk about and I honestly will accept no criticism of this book. A flawlessly delivered thriller for readers who love being honored with a story like this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All raving is my own.

“I wish I could freeze time. To live inside this moment forever. My family, its best version of itself.”

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC! It’s always an honor to read books before they are published, especially ones as highly anticipated as Clark’s newest novel coming out this summer. This one was a fascinating tale about what can happen when a family is torn apart by secrets, lies, and hidden trauma that bubbles to the surface when two siblings are found dead and the third remaining sibling is the only one left… and accused of their murders. Told as a slow burn, the pacing dragged at times, but the payoff was well worth it as everything unraveled. It was captivating to watch the events of that horrendous night slowly come together through Vincent’s recollections to his estranged daughter, who is ghostwriting his memoir on his deathbed. The twists and turns kept me guessing, and the ending was incredibly satisfying. Make sure you grab a copy of this thriller this summer!

I just finished “The Ghostwriter” by Julie Clark, and I enjoyed it very much!

It’s the story of a woman, Olivia Dumont, who grows up hiding her true identity; the daughter of a famous horror writer, Vincent Taylor, who is suspected of killing his siblings when they were kids.

Olivia had a successful career as a ghostwriter before her career was derailed. She’s then offered the opportunity to write her estranged father’s memoir, which she takes, and the story takes off from there.

The story will draw you in pretty quickly and will keep you guessing for sure. It’s an excellent thriller with really well developed characters! What I loved about it was not just the who done it aspect, but also the strong family dynamics that play such a vital role in what happens to Poppy and Danny, Vincent’s sister and brother.

This book earned a solid 4 stars from me! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this complimentary copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

This book publishes on June 3rd, 2025. Now go read it! Let me know in the comments if you’re intrigued!

#TheGhostwriter
#NetGalley
#bookstagram

My first by the author but definitely will not be my last, thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for this e-gift.

Olivia has spent a good portion of her life trying to hide from her past….. until that past pulls her back in with one phone call. A ghostwriter by trade, Olivia was held in high regard by her peers and publishers. One course of action took away everything: speaking her own mind against a misogynistic male author. Well now she’s literally paying for it (court ordered that is) and needs a new writing job to help gain the funds.

If Olivia had any other offers, she would take them. But if she can just get through this one request, she’ll get paid quite handsomely and be on her way. All she has to do is ghostwrite for her ridiculously famous father.

After all this time, the world renowned author Vince Taylor (also known as Olivia’s father), wants to branch out of his usual horror genre to write one last novel. This one will be his memoir, giving his readers and haters the answers they so desperately want and put all of the rumors to rest. For being the only surviving brother in a small town leaves a legacy that is not easily shaken, and horrible rumors as well.

Olivia is now tasked with the job of ghostwriting her father’s memoir while also discovering the long buried truth behind her aunt and uncle’s murder. Does the truth really set you free though?

This book is so eloquently written, I thoroughly enjoyed it! The twists and character development kept me on the edge of my seat. I promise you, you will not be able to figure this out in its entirety. Hard topics are delicately discussed and are weaved very well throughout the story. I will definitely be recommending this novel to all that will listen!