Having thoroughly enjoyed *The Lies | Tell*, my favorite Julie Clark mystery, I was excited to request her newest release.
Thanks to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for this ARC!
The fraught dynamic between father and daughter heightened the novel's tension. The narrative shifts between Olivia's present-day interviews with her father, flashbacks from both her father and Poppy, and Olivia's own insider investigating. Olivia's father is suffering from Lewy Body Dementia, and with that the reader is constantly questioning: are his recollections genuine memories, distortions caused by his illness, or deliberate attempts to shape his own story?
This made the story even more compelling.
Reading Poppy's chapters was the highlight for me, making her tragic ending all the more painful. I felt conflicted-part of me needed to know how and why she died, while another part wished I could avoid it.
The overall blend of suspense and raw family emotion is truly exceptional. Julie Clark hits it out of the park again.

4.5 stars, rounded up

It’s another winner from Julie Clark! I’ve loved her two previous books, and this one was so good, too. Thanks so much to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the advance copy!

Olivia was a tremendously successful ghostwriter until her (valid) outspokenness puts her career and her finances in jeopardy. She gets offered a job she desperately wishes she could refuse, but she can’t: ghostwrite the latest book for famed horror writer Vincent Taylor.

No one knows that Vincent is Olivia’s father. She left home in high school and hasn’t seen her father in years. But when she returns to her childhood home in Ojai, California, she learns he doesn’t want her to write a novel for him. He wants her help with a memoir about a family tragedy that occurred 50 years ago.

In 1975, Vincent’s older brother and younger sister were murdered in their home. As the only surviving child, many believed he was the killer—suspicion that he’s never quite been able to shake. But now he’s ready to talk about what happened.

Vincent’s memories don’t quite jibe with written recollections and other memorabilia Olivia finds from 1975. Is he purposely trying to evade the truth, or is he telling what he believes happened back then? There’s a lot of pressure for Olivia to complete the book quickly, but she’s determined to find the real truth.

This is a slow-paced yet tremendously twisty mystery, shifting between 1975 and the present, and narrated by Olivia, Vincent, and his sister, Poppy. It’s one of those books where you don’t know what or whom to believe, but I couldn’t put this down. So good!

The book will publish 6/3/2025.

This rainy Sunday brought to you by a binge read of Julie Clark’s newest. Olivia Dumont’s marriage might not have lasted but she’s thankful for the cover a new last name provides. Her maiden name connects her to a history of family tragedy and its aftermath she’d rather not claim. But when her career as a ghostwriter is threatened by one of the most powerful men in the business, another well known author might be the only way she can crawl out of the hole she’s created. Unfortunately, that also means she’ll have to confront the past she intentionally left behind. Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this unputdownable mystery that reads like a true crime investigation.

I have previously liked this author’s books so I was excited for this ARC but it felt slow to me. A decent storyline idea tho!

****for some book-related illustrations, check out my blog :)****

Reminiscent of the story of the Happy Face Killer (new series just came out - great timing for a book with similar components)

-loved the layered story. it kept me hooked and guessing where things were going, but also very present with the story because there was never a dull moment.
-unpredictable twist upon twist upon twist (yes, you read that right)
-the cycle of trauma was well written
-Clark gives unlikable characters likable qualities during their character arc
-not slow. kept me guessing and wanting more. enjoyable to unfold.
-wraps up very nicely but not all fluffy
-satisfying ending, satisfying twist(s)?!

I appreciate that Clark didn’t take the easy way out with any part of the story line. she didn’t choose to be “predictable” and it paid off.

Thank you NetGalley and sourcebooks landmark for the ARC - I deeply enjoyed this book!
4.2/5 stars

Olivia is a ghostwriter, who took a hit after appearing on a panel, got sued and now owes a ton of money and may lose her house over it. Then a job offer comes through from horror author Vincent Taylor, who also is known for being suspected of murdering his siblings when he was younger. He also happens to be Olivia’s estranged father. Olivia returns home to find a sick father incapable of writing his retelling of what happened to his family.

One of my biggest pet peeves in books is when people find obvious clues or things the cops missed while investigating. That and the fact that I didn’t really like the main character? I found Olivia super frustrating. Regrdless, I found this an enjoyable and quick read. With his diagnosis of lewy-body dementia, Vincent is an unreliable narrator, so it’s hard to tell what is real and what is not which added some suspense.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I am once again here to remind you that I *like* three-star books 🙃

The Ghostwriter has a great premise: Olivia Dumont is a ghostwriter and has been asked to write Vincent Taylor’s last book. Vincent is a horror author who is known for his writing AND for being the main suspect in the 1975 murders of his siblings…and he is also Olivia’s estranged father. She needs the money and accepts the writing job, and for the next like 60% or so we get the slowest build ever in a mystery/thriller.

While slow, the world that Clark builds for us is vibrant and you can easily visualize the various locations we travel to, especially in the 1975s timeframe. I especially loved Poppy’s perspectives and getting to “watch” her recordings. Things eventually pick up and while I thought things ended up being fairly predictable that is not a dealbreaker for me and I enjoyed the back half of the book!

I think if you enjoyed Julie Clark’s other books you’ll like this one! (Or if you adjust your expectations and know you’re going in for a slow-build mystery as opposed to a fast-paced thriller.)

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I received a digital advance copy of The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark via NetGalley. The Ghostwriter is scheduled for release on June 3, 2025.

Olivia is a ghostwriter, making her living by telling other people’s stories. Her father is a famous horror author, also known as the prime suspect in the murders of his siblings when they were teens. Olivia has distanced herself from her father, using a different last name, and separating her life from his. Olivia has found herself on the wrong side of a lawsuit, and desperately in need of money agrees to ghostwrite her father’s last book. Forced to stay in his guesthouse and dig through memories they would both rather forget, Olivia will be forced to face the truths of both their lives.

For me, this was a very successful mystery/thriller. The present day story is told via Olivia’s point of view as she works to unravel the mystery of how her aunt and uncle died and her father’s role in their deaths. Interspersed are fragments of the past through her father’s and aunt’s points of view. These fragments manage to deliver tension and suspense that deliver the thriller vibes of the novel. Throughout, Olivia is an intelligent investigator, not overlooking obvious clues or making choices that feel in service of the plot. This allows the reader to believe in her investigation and go along on the journey of discovery. In the end, there are still questions remaining. Neither the reader nor Olivia get to know the entire truth, which I felt worked well for this story.

Most of our time is spent with Olivia, allowing us to get to know her, and explore her relationships with both her family and her boyfriend who she has left behind to take this job. There was a good balance of exploring all of these relationships, which made Olivia feel well-rounded and complete. While we get to know characters around her less well, they are still believable as people with complicated pasts and motives of their own.

Overall, The Ghostwriter is a well written mystery that manages to deliver tension pulled from the past. It will appeal to readers of mystery/thriller novels who want a story that feels bigger than the mystery it seeks to solve.

The Ghostwriter - Julie Clark
Pub Date - 6/3/25
Rating - 3.5/5 rounded to 3
Thoughts - Thank you to Netgalley, Julie Clark, and Sourcebooks Landmark for this gifted advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. The premise of this book is really interesting. It follows Olivia, the daughter of Vincent Taylor, the man who the town suspected killed his siblings in a brutal murder at their house in 1975. Olivia is called to her father's house to ghostwrite his final book outlining the story of what really happened to Vincent's siblings Poppy and Danny. The reader is taken between past and present in this thrilling new novel.

This one took me a bit to finish - maybe it was slower for me than others or I may have just been in a slump. Because of that, getting into the story took some time and I felt kinda stuck. Eventually, the build up of the book was well executed with an unexpected grand reveal. It didn't wow me, but still very entertaining and a good book to pick up. Definitely liked this one more than The Lies I Tell and The Last Flight.

3.5 stars

I was surprised by the overall positive reviews for this one, because I found this slow burn, unreliable narrator story to be underwhelming and at no point did it ever capture my interest. Olivia Dumont is a ghostwriter, who after a scandal in her field, finds herself mostly out of work. Her agent comes to her with an offer from the horror writer Vincent Taylor, who is as infamous for his role as the sibling of two murdered teens in the 1970s as for his novels. What her agent and the rest of the world doesn't know is that Olivia is the estranged daughter of Vincent, and that his request for her was no coincidence. Suffering from Lewy Body Dementia and knowing time is running out to tell the story of what truly happened that night in June 1975, he sends Olivia on one last treasure hunt to try to piece together the clues. Adding in the memory loss factor, you're never quite sure what actually happened and what was made up, but the reveals were so drawn out I started not to care either way. All the Taylor kids were messed up in their own way, and for various reasons, though none of them meant that they deserved to die (except for Danny - trauma or not, he had it coming). In the modern world, Olivia gave off poor little rich girl vibes, resenting her elite Swiss boarding school education that her father sent her away to so he wouldn't be reminded that she was aging past his dead sister. This wasn't a bad book, but it struggled with pacing and none of the characters inspired me to care about their outcomes.

I really liked this book! It started out kind of slow, but intriguing. The more the story unraveled, the more hooked I became. I found the premise to be unique and I really like how all of Clark’s books are so different from each other, I find her to be a really solid story teller. There was one part toward the end that seemed sort of rushed through and maybe a bit out of left field, but I find it easy for me to overlook because the rest was so engaging. 4.5 rounded up.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for my eArc in exchange for an honest review.

A absolutely captivating thriller from Julie Clark. The story intertwines past and present, in multiple perspectives, slowly unraveling the mysteries of unsolved murders from years ago. I enjoyed how engaging the story was and found the characters powerful enough to draw me in and want to know more.

I appreciate a book that has multiple perspectives and a dual timeline. This book has both so that was an automatic plus for me.

This book follows a ghostwriter, Olivia, who is offered a job ghostwriting for her estranged father. Everyone thinks her father killed his siblings when they were all teens. He's finally ready to tell the whole story and he wants Olivia to write it.

Throughout the book we learn more about the relationship between Olivia and her father, as well as her father's relationship with his siblings and Olivia's mother when they were all younger.

I always enjoy Julie Clark's books and this was no exception. There are a lot of twists throughout the book, as well as emotional topics. This was an exceptional read and I highly recommend it. thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read the arc

4.5

thanks to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

julie clark has done it again! she’s a master at storytelling and weaving a great mystery.

this book was so twisty, it kept me on my toes until the very end. the characters were flawed and that’s what made this book great, they felt real and relatable.

using the father’s ailing mind as a way to prolong the mystery was such a wonderful narrative tool and goes to show just how subjective memory can be!

this book should definitely be on the list of anyone who loves a good mystery filled with substantive characters.

The Ghostwriter
Julie Clark
June 03, 2025

Olivia Taylor grew up in Ojai, California. She was the only child of Lydia and Vincent Taylor. He was a prestigious author. Her childhood was filled with unusual fun and games with her father. Her mother was at times controlling and needy. Her aunt and uncle grew up there as well however a horrific situation transpired when Poppy and Danny were murdered in the home. The manslaughter was never solved. Oliva spent most of her teen years in a prep school in Paris. Her mother left when she was young, never spending time with her daughter. Olivia went on through college never speaking to either of her parents again. She became a journalist and ghostwriter for several authors.
The Ghostwriter will be published by Sourcebooks Landmark on June 03, 2025. I was able to read Clark’s latest novel via NetGalley. The journey began with Olivia accepting a position writing for Vincent Taylor. He wanted his life story published but insisted that only Olivia be offered the position. As she was published and hired under the name Olivia Dumont none were aware that she was Vincent’s daughter. He was recently diagnosed with a neurological disease that affected his memory and reading skills. The plot focused not only on her returning to Ojai to begin the novel, but also gave a historical account of Vincent and his family. The Ghostwriter was well written. Her descriptions kept the reader perceptive as the memoir was a necessity to comprehend the book. Excellent!

Slow and boring. I kept reading hoping to get more interested. But this story fell flat for Mrs it went on and on. It had potential!

This was such a fun read! I was sucked in from chapter one. I love a thriller with a dark past and this gave me all those vibes.

I loved that the author did a duel timeline. The current timeline is from Olivia’s POV as she tries to figure out what happened all those years ago. And the other timeline was from before the murders. It definitely built up the tension.

I thought I figured out what happened, but the author pulled the rug out from under me. I was shocked by what actually happened.

I loved how anxiety inducing the book became towards the end. When you finally have all the pieces. The author did such an amazing job with the plot and the built up tension! The pacing was perfect.

If you love a good thriller with secrets, deceit, family rivalry, and revenge, you should definitely add this to your tbr!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC digital copy. I was not compensated for this review and all opinions are my own.

Extremely fast read. I enjoy multiple timelines and unreliable narrators!! Thought I had figured it all out several times and was always mistaken in some manner.

I don’t want to give anything away, so I’ll just state that there are potential triggers. If you are looking for a cute and cozy book about the happiness of family, this is not it. But if you prefer messy and dysfunctional, I highly recommend!

Adding more books by Julie Clark to my TBR list.

4 out of 5 stars and my respect to the author.

4.5 stars

Don’t miss The Ghostwriter!
This was my first book by Julie Clark, and I was seriously impressed. I was hooked from beginning to end. It’s a bit on the longer side, but it doesn’t feel drawn out—every part adds to the story.

I liked how the past and present were blended together; it was done in a way that felt natural and kept me engaged. The story touches on family dynamics, lost time, reconnecting, and the challenges of aging parents—all wrapped up in a suspenseful plot that totally delivers.

The Ghostwriter gets it right in all the best ways.

Publication day June 3rd 2025

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for this ARC copy.

I think I went into this with expectations that maybe were a little too high. I LOVED The Last Flight and could not wait to read the newest Julie Clark!

The beginning of the story seemed to open up so much potential, but for me, it just fell kind of flat. While the story was engaging and kept me turning pages, I just didn’t feel like it was very thriller-like or exciting.

The book revolves around a murder that occurred decades before, so it was basically an amateur sleuth story mixed with a dysfunctional family. The clues are given in journals, videos, and some snippets of memories from people who were there. There are plenty red herrings and faulty memories from unreliable characters, as well.

For me, it was very predictable. I kept thinking, “It can’t be this glaringly obvious” hoping that Clark would blow me away with something crazy near the end. But… it really was that obvious.

I have seen the great reviews this book is getting from other readers, so I know that it will be instant best-seller.