Just when I thought I knew who done it, of course, I was absolutely wrong.. This book takes you back revealing dark secrets of the past that are ready to finally come to light.. This is a must add to your TBR!!!

Thank you Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the gifted copy!!!

Loved this book! I love everything Julie Clark writes, she’s an auto buy author for me. This story had me guessing till the very end. At certain points I thought I knew who had done everything and wow was I not close. The way we are taken through this story and how it flows is really well done. Captivating from beginning to end. Thank you so much Julie Clark, NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this digital arc. Cannot wait to go buy this book.

Loved this! A bit of a slow start but once Olivia’s started investigating it was game on and I flew thru the last 60%. In true Julie fashion, the strong female characters shined. I will read anything she writes.

Rating: 3.75
Mode of Reading: Netgalley Digital ARC Courtesy of Julie Clark & Sourcebooks Landmark in exchange for my honest review... RELEASES June 3 2025!!
How did I pick this up: I love myself a good ARC to find new authors especially with a thriller because I find new great books this way all the time! This book was in the "Read Now" section so I snagged it - and the Cover got me too!

Short Yet Sweet Review: Olivia is a famous Ghostwriter, not just for her ghostwriting capabilities but also because of the drama that has unfolded between her and another writer. Trying to put that all past herself, but dealing with the fallout, Olivia is forced to take one of the only jobs that is existing for her currently... Ghostwriting her famous author of a father's biography. Vincent is unfortunately losing his battle with Lewey Body Dementia and has decided he wants to finally tell his story about what happened years ago when his brother and sister were violently murdered. But Olivia has to navigate her father and decipher what is the truth vs. what is his truth. What really happened that fated night and who really killed Poppy and Danny?

Julie Clark has done a phenomenal job in telling this story between the flashbacks and the different viewpoints, she's able to truly make the story come alive. Personally, I wasn't shocked by the 'twist' and really had a feeling about it all the whole time, but I enjoyed my time and wanting to see what really happened. The story was told thoughtfully and with the different hints throughout the story, I was lead to what I thought would happen and enjoyed the mystery tidbits and hints placed throughout the story. This is the first Julie Clark book I've read but it won't be my last.
P.S. I wouldn't necessarily call this a 'thriller' but closer to a 'mystery' with slight 'thill' tendencies

My first Julie Clark novel but definitely not my last! Told in multiple timelines and alternating POVs. Awesome characters that just captivated me. Packed with secrets, lies and family ties. I had no idea who to trust until the very end. Fantastic writing and storytelling.
Thank you NetGalley, Julie Clark and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read and review this gem of a book.

4.5 - This was a really engaging read, enough clues to figure out what was going on, but enough mystery to keep you hooked! I really liked the concept of the daughter writing her father’s memoir about the day his siblings were murdered (potentially by him!) and would recommend reading!

WOW I enjoyed this so much! Julie Clark's books are always well written with interesting storylines and twists that make sense, which always results in an enjoyable reading experience!

It got a little slow in the middle, but was entertaining. I really liked the ending (won't say why - no spoilers here). would recommend if you like thrillers and especially if you liked this authors previous works.

This is my third novel by Julie Clark, and it is just as twisty and enjoyable as the previous two. Olivia is a ghostwriter who ends up writing for a famous author who is also her father. He is ready to tell the secrets of the death of his siblings when they were teenagers. It is a story within a story and both timelines are compelling. This is not really a thriller but more of a slow burn mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed it and felt as if I were solving the mystery along with Olivia.

3.5⭐️

Olivia a ghostwriter is on the brink of financial ruin she is tasked with writing her father’s memoir. He is a noted horror writer, but has also been the main suspect for the death of his two siblings.

I was intrigued with the premise of the ghostwriter, I’ve read a couple on this theme recently and this seemed a fresh take on the trope.
I liked the mediums used for the storytelling, a diary, home film recordings, as well as personal interviews. The father /daughter relationship is handled well to give interest.

It’s a slow suspense, which isn’t my favourite writing style, I felt it was too slow and drawn out for me to keep my attention. It was satisfying how it wrapped up. It’s one that I wanted to love more than I did.

There were a few things which bothered me, which when eventually revealed were keystones to the story, one was due to the difficult relationship, another an appalling lack of judgment that didn’t sit right with me at the time but is explained at the end.

I really enjoyed this story. I felt that the characters were so realistic and well done. I cared about the story and couldn't wait to find out what truly happened. The author did a great job weaving the timelines together and creating the mystery. I highly recommend! This was a great read.

Sadly The Ghost Writer was a disappointment to me after The Lies I Tell and The Last Flight (two of my all time favorites). IMHO she changed the personalities and actions of the characters in Ghost Writer so frequently that they lost their purpose in the plot. Also with so many characters telling the story and flip flopping the time line, it was difficult for me to appreciate the nuances in her story telling.

Personally, I thought this was a horrible story about horrible, dysfunctional people. However, I later realized that the story was about what happens to everyone involved when the truth is never revealed and people continue to suppress/depress tragic circumstances in their lives in the only way they know how. So, it was actually very deep, but I think she took the long way around to get there and lost me several times with the above mentioned time and narrator changes.

I sincerely hope that future plots from her will be less convoluted.

I received this book as an ARC from Net Galley and the publisher, Sourcebooks Landmark, in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! Amazing storyline! A constant hunt for answers! I could not put it down.

Olivia's family story was heartbreaking and I was on the edge of my seat to find what really happened to this family. I loved the say the story came together. This has been one of my best reads this year!

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC for my review!

#NetGalley #TheGhostwriter #JulieClark

Olivia Dumont has had problems in her career, when she has to take the only job offered to her it will change her life. As the only child of famous horror author Vincent Taylor did not make her childhood easy. She left that life behind and has not been in touch with her father. When he plans on writing his last book he wants her as the ghostwriter. As she tries to decipher the notes on his life she also sets out to learn the truth of the killing of Vincent's sister and brother. This read combines just the right amount of mystery, family secrets, angst and drama. I was back and forth on who I thought killed Danny and Poppy but oh what a surprise at the end. I also loved how Olivia came to terms with her childhood and in the end found peace with it. This is the first book I have read by Julie Clark and loved her world building and character development.

The Ghostwriter is an intriguing, sometimes gritty, deep dive into one family’s dark past and the secrets they've kept locked up for decades. I found it easy to race through the pages, wondering if it was fated to be a second-chance story of family redemption, or become a manifestation of a woman's worst fears instead.

Olivia Dumont has spent years tuning out the whispers in the community that blame her father for the violent deaths of his brother and sister, who were brutally murdered when they were just teens. Olivia left town and changed her name as soon as she could, determined never to revisit the shadow that plagues her family. But years later, her father, now a famous horror writer, is sick with dementia and has asked for her help in penning his memoir. Will Olivia be able to unearth the truth from his muddled mind, or will the identity of the killer die along with him?

Clark’s sharp and lean prose hooked me immediately and never let up. I correctly guessed the culprit, but not the motive. The estranged father‑daughter arc lands with satisfying emotional weight, with believable growth for both characters. While some secondary players could have benefited from a bit more depth, there are plenty of potent family dynamics to go around.

Bottom line: Even if veteran mystery fans outpace the whodunit, The Ghostwriter still rewards readers with tight pacing, layered secrets, and a twisty finale.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and Julie Clark for an advance copy for honest review. 4.5 stars rounded up.

The Ghostwriter is a gripping, emotionally charged thriller that keeps you guessing. It follows a professional ghostwriter who gets caught up in the dangerous secrets of her latest client, a reclusive author with a hidden past.

Clark is a master at building tension as she slowly drops hints and clues to the hidden layers of truths. The characters are complex, flawed and make questionable choices but as more details are uncovered you begin to understand and relate to their actions. I’m not usually a fan of multiple POVs but this was so beautifully done it was seamless.

If you're a fan of psychological thrillers with a literary twist, this book is a must-read. Clark's storytelling is top-notch, and she creates characters that you can't help but be drawn to.

What a great mystery. This story is told with dual timelines one being the 1970's. So that was a bit nostalgic. We have siblings Danny, Poppy and Vincent. Who fight just like everyone else does with their siblings when they were early teens. But the boy's fights get to be very intense and that is where the story takes its turn. The story centers around the killings of Danny and Poppy and everyone believes Vince is guilty of the crime, but he has an alibi and goes on to live his life as a successful author. It was not an easy breezy life with this behind him and everyone thinking he is the guy that got away with murder. Now in his elder years, he is very ill and wants to write about what really happened on that horrible day and he wants his estranged daughter to write the story.

His daughter Olivia gets an offer that she really can't refuse due to her circumstances in her life at the moment. So, we get to the bottom of that relationship as well as her relationship with her estranges mother who left her when she was five to be raised by her father as well as the true story of what happened that day. I honestly had about five different ways this story could have gone, and she got me. I did not guess the ending. This was a great thriller and to be honest, I was worried it was just going to be another domestic drama, nope! I truly enjoyed this and will definitely look forward to more from this author.

A complimentary copy was provided by Sourcebooks Landmark via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have read Julie Clark's other books, and this one is my favorite by far!
The story had so many twists and turns, I couldn't put it down! I loved how the story was told in alternating POVs of timelines and characters. The characters were well written and developed. The twist at the end was brilliant.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Julie Clark knocked this one out of the park! The Ghostwriter shows how years of family secrets and tragedy can muddle the waters of what actually happened. Ghostwriter Olivia is hired to finish an autobiography of her long estranged father. Through his story of twists and turns, Olivia has to decide which is fact and which is fiction. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

Absolutely loved this book! The unfolding of each level helped moved the story in a satisfying slow-burn. The way Ms. Clark developed each character and their perspective within the overall story was nothing short of amazing. There are many "Easter Eggs" sprinkled throughout and perfectly place. The POV of each character made the tangled, complex relationships very realistic. You can understand the how and why of that moment. As an avid reader I know not every writer has this talent.

I am very appreciative to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and Julie Clark for the opportunity to read this ARC. The above review I offer freely and honestly. Thank you for such a well-written story! I will search out other titles from Ms. Clark.