"The Ghostwriter" had an intriguing premise that initially drew me in, but unfortunately, I ended up not finishing it. The writing style leaned heavily on telling rather than showing, which made it feel a bit amateur to me. Since thrillers aren’t my go-to genre, I need the writing to really hook me, and this one just didn’t. That said, I can see this being a big hit, especially as a summer read. It has all the makings of a popular beach book, and I imagine plenty of readers will be eager to pick it up. It just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to Julie Clark, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for sending me the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was addictive from the first chapter to the end. The mystery and story unfolded so perfectly. Oliva Dumont is a ghostwriter and has just been tasked to help write a book that will change her life. She is tasked to write the memoir for a famous horror writer who happens to be her father. He is ready tell his story of what happened to his siblings when he was a teenager. The mystery and way the story unfolded kept me so engaged in the story.

Memories, they’re a funny thing. How they change over time, do we change them to protect ourselves, to make the story fit better, does our psyche change them to cover up a lie or a truth? Oliva Dumont nee Taylor is a ghostwriter, having co-authored many books. Her career is a success until she calls out a fellow author very publicly and ends up being sued for libel and damages. When she receives an offer from her agent, she immediately wants to say no but with what she owes to her lawyers and about to lose her house, she has no choice, she must write this story, she must face memories, she must face her father. Her father, Vincent Taylor, is a famous author in his own right, is finally going to reveal the truth about what happened the night, his siblings Poppy and Danny were murdered. What happened that night? Why were Poppy and Danny killed? Did they know a secret and were killed for it?

Told in alternate voices by each Taylor sibling and Olivia herself, the story of the night of the murders comes to light. The author does a masterful telling of this story, flipping between the past and presents, hearing the perspective of the past from each sibling, and revealing just enough from each voice to start building a story, seeing the truth, revealing dark secrets. Well crafted, this is an excellent mystery. Don’t miss it!

Olivia Dumont is the eponymous Ghostwriter in this new novel by Julie Clark. She has lived her whole adult life hiding the fact that Vincent Taylor, a horror novelist and survivor of the tragic double murder of his siblings, is her father. However, as Olivia finds herself on the brink of financial ruin, she receives a request to become the ghostwriter for her father's memoirs about the murder of his siblings. Vincent has never fully revealed what happened to his brother and sister, but there is a large faction of people who are convinced Vincent was the murderer, and it is this offer of finally getting the truth from her father that pulls Olivia back into his life. An unfortunate complicating factor in her quest for truth is that her father is succumbing to dementia and often mistakes Olivia for her mother.
I have previously very much enjoyed Julie Clark's other works, and this book was no exception. Once I got into the plot, I was pulled in and had a hard time putting the book down until the final page. The truth behind the murder of Olivia's aunt and uncle is slowly unraveled and well thought out. The conclusion was logical and not at all rushed, and while I had my suspicions about what exactly happened, I was not exactly correct either, which I enjoyed very much!
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the electronic ARC of this novel for review.

Thank you to the publisher for providing a digital arc via netgalley!

The Ghostwriter is both a murder mystery and a family drama. Two of the three Taylor children were murdered in 1975, the case was never solved, although plenty of guilt was thrown in the direction of the remaining child, Vincent. Vincent goes on to be a renowned author but a trail of trauma is left in the event's wake.

Olivia Taylor, aka Olivia Dumont, is dealing with her own issues when she is requested to be her father's ghostwriter. With mixed feelings and doubts of her own, she navigates this murder mystery.

Julia Clark creates flawed characters that have just enough good qualities that you don't hate them. Although the plot drags in some spots, it's a twisty read that wraps up solidly in the end.

Well written story, primarily of family dynamics and the damaging long term effects of secrets. There is a lot in this story that my students will relate to , not the specifics of the murders, but abuse, substance abuse, abandonment, bullying and assumptions. The characters really came to life in this multilevel story, past and present and the voices of Poppy, before she did in 1975, Vincent her brother then and Olivia, VIncent's daughter who is trying to tell his story. I think my students will find this book interesting, easy to read and get involved in

This has everything I like in a book, strong vivid and believable characters. A story with depth and heart and no easy answers. Olivia estranged from both her parents a mother that abandoned her as a young child and a father who abandoned her as well. He was the surviving middle child of a troubled family where both his siblings were killed. He grew up with suspicion on him and became a famous author. Olivia changed her name and kept her family history a secret. She needs money so she is forced to accept a job writing his memoirs, as he loses his memory, what is truth and what isn't becomes even more distorted.

It is widely known that ghostwriter Olivia Dumont's father killed his two siblings, Olivia's aunt and uncle, when they were kids. Her father became famous writer Vincent Taylor, and she's been hiding that fact her entire professional life.

Now, Olivia's career is stalled, and she has the chance to ghostwrite her father's memoir, a tell-all to what really happened in 1975. But is it the real truth?

This book was propulsive and unputdownable!

I gave this 4 out of 5 stars. Was slow until halfway through the book. Interesting storyline, for sure. I enjoyed this book but didn’t love it. Yes, I would still recommend this book to friends. Thanks to Netgalley for letting me read this book.

I really enjoyed this thriller! It was an interesting plot that had a good amount of twists and shocking revelations. I really enjoyed the father/daughter aspect. There were quite a few characters that felt unnecessary and almost took away from the story. I would have liked to have seen more of the main character's story beyond her writing this book, I think it would have helped build her character out more. Overall this was a good read and I'll recommend it!

In The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark, Olivia Dumont is trying to salvage what she can in her career of a ghostwriter after she said inflammatory comments about another (more successful) ghostwriter who ends up suing her. No one will hire her and she’s on the verge of losing her house and passion. Then her editor contacts her about writing the memoir of a man whose siblings were murdered fifty years ago and was considered a possible suspect but never spoke publicly of it. The problem? It’s the one person in her life she’s been trying to escape since she was a teenager: her father.

After the murders, her father drank his demons away and became a bestselling horror novelist. He doesn’t want anyone to know he needed a ghostwriter to tell what he knew about that summer day in 1975 and the reason is a recent diagnosis of lewy body dementia. He knew his daughter needed a pay day, so he asked his editor and publicist to offer her a contract. Too lucrative to turn down, Olivia returns to where she grew up to earn her way out of some of her debt. Now it’s up to Olivia to piece together the truth of what really happened.

Positives: The nostalgia of watching film from her aunt’s childhood made me flashback to my own childhood in the 80s. The chapter where Olivia meets Margot any the emotions described that Margot felt - you feel it too. That lost friendship and what could’ve been.

Struggles: It started a little slow for me. Once I got about 1/3 of the way in, I was hooked.

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the advanced copy. Opinions expressed are my own. This book will be published on June 2, 2025. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#netgalley #arc #bookstagram #SOURCEBOOKSLandmark #TheGhostwriter #JulieClark

Having read Julie Clark’s previous 2 novels, a thoroughly enjoyed them, I was delighted to get an ARC of her new book, “The Ghostwriter” from NetGalley.

Previous books took place in and around the airline industry, which Ms Clark worked in, while this latest book gave us something different in terms of the main characters professions. This was a welcome change, demonstrating Ms Clark’s versatility as an author.

Olivia Dumont was a complicated character, and someone I found relatable. Rising above unspeakable family tragedy and her lifelong quest to leave her past in the past, she embarks on a professional and personal challenge that will make or break her.

The story kept my interest start to finish, and wrapped up all aspects of the drama that had plagued the family for years in a way that felt satisfying.

I look forward to more from this author. Thank you NetGalley.

A ghostwriter who’s about to face her own ghosts from the past.
Olivia Dumont was a successful ghostwriter until she got in a bit of legal trouble. Now with her career in jeopardy, she can’t be too picky about which jobs she’ll accept.

When an offer comes in to ghostwrite for the popular Vincent Taylor, her instincts are screaming to say no and run in the other direction. But she’s desperate for the money.

Oh…did I mention Vincent Taylor is Olivia’s estranged father? A father rumored to have killed his siblings when he was a teen? Dun…dun…dun!

I was captivated by the storyline wanting answers as desperately as Olivia did! (Well almost.) I did change my mind frequently regarding how this was going to play out. I guessed pieces, but not the entire puzzle!

Another suspenseful and exciting read from one of my go to authors!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark

Olivia Dumont, a ghostwriter, is having a rough moment in her career. Her estranged father, Vincent Taylor, offers her an opportunity to ghostwrite his life story before his dementia takes over. The catch? Vincent is suspected of murdering his brother and sister 50 years ago, and he is now ready to break his silence.

I loved this concept and really enjoyed the story. It was great to see the relationship develop between Olivia and Vincent. I thought the narrative started out a little slow, but it was intriguing enough that I wanted to know what happened. The flashbacks were helpful and came at appropriate times. The ending was satisfying. I am always skeptical at how much old witnesses remember and how willing they are to talk to strangers in cold case books like this. I did not care for the animal abuse parts, so be warned.

Olivia Dumont is a successful ghostwriter who has taken pains to separate herself from her horror novelist father, Vincent. Vincent's brother and sister were brutally murdered when they were all teenagers, and rumors have always floated around that perhaps Vincent was the culprit. Now Vincent wants to write a memoir, and he asks Olivia to write it. He has recently been diagnosed with Lewy Body dementia, which complicates matters. The Ghostwriter fell a little short for me. It was an easy read, but I felt it moved too slowly and wasn't compelling enough. Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC.

This one took me a bit to get through but once I did, the ending paid off! The concept pulled me in from the start. I felt the characters and plot lines expertly worked together beautifully and tied up nicely.

THE GHOSTWRITER by Julie Clark

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC ebook.

Can ghostwriting bring you closure? That’s what Olivia Dumont, a ghostwriter is asking herself.

June, 1975, two teenage siblings are found dead in their home. Vincent, the only surviving sibling has never been able to shake the whispers and accusations. Decades later Vincent has a great career of being a horror writer and his estranged daughter, Olivia, has reluctantly agreed to ghostwrite her father’s last book. Is Vincent ready to talk and tell the truth after fifty years of silence? Is Olivia ready to face the disfunction and trauma at the core of her family?

Another riveting read by Julie Clark. The characters are relatable and well developed in this dysfunctional family drama thriller. Poppy was my favorite character in this story, as I found her to be true to herself at such a young age. The deadly secrets from Vincent’s childhood will keep you turning the pages. I look forward to what this skilled author does next.

This was not a memorable thriller for me. I guessed some of the twists. Another seemed to be shoehorned in and just didn't gel for me. That said, as far as the world of the book, that was very well done. Description seems to be easy when you read it, but truly it's difficult to do. Some of the characters seemed a little wooden to me, but I loved the character of the feminist just finding her footing in life. Olivia was not a particularly compelling protagonist. I think it would have added a lot if she really said something inflammatory about the rival ghostwriter. To have made her both right and regretful. There's downtrodden and then there's unnecessary victimhood.

4.5 stars for another thriller by Julie Clark! This one opens with a dark family secret immediately pulling you into the story. Two children are brutally murdered, and the middle child survives. The murders were never solved with thoughts that perhaps the middle child, Vincent, did it. Now coming up on the 50th anniversary of the unsolved murders, Vincent is now a horror author and decides he wants his memoir written. By his estranged daughter, a ghost writer.

The reader is pulled into this mystery by multiple different POV's all coalescing to a great conclusion. What actually happened the night of the carnival? Who was there?

Another excellent read by Julie Clark. Thank you to NetGalley, Julie Clark and Sourcebook Landmark for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have really enjoyed Julie Clarke’s first two novels because 1) I love me a good thriller and 2) she has included some great themes, particularly when it comes to being a women.

Her upcoming novel is about a women who is tasked with ghostwriting the memoir of her father, Vincent Taylor, a famous author. However, before his rise to fame, he was in the news as a teenager after both his siblings were murdered leaving people to question him, the middle child, and wonder what happened that fateful night. Now, after finding herself involved in her own issues (including a lawsuit), Olivia begrudgingly returns home to write the memoir only to reveal many family secrets from 50 years ago.

This story was told in alternating timelines and POVs. The present was all Olivia as she writes and digs, trying to figure out what is fact vs fiction. Then there is the timeline from 50 years ago in the months, days, and hours leading up to the murder of Vincent’s siblings, Danny and Poppy. Those past perspectives shifted between Vincent himself as well as the younger Poppy and both give interesting insight to the family dynamics and what was going on in everyone’s lives then.

The beginning of this felt a bit like slow burn, however I did enjoy how I was constantly left wondering whether Vincent truly was guilty to the murders or not. I also did enjoy reading about how Olivia too was also torn between wanting to get to the truth and understanding her father more and the type of man he was. As things eventually began to reveal themselves, you begin to see the complexity and layers to the story and realize that things weren’t as simple as you may imagine.

There did seem to be a lot of tension in this book which made for a satisfying ending once it was revealed what truly transpired on the night of the murders. Thought the themes could come off as quite dark, I think the execution was nicely done to make a big impact at the end of the story.

Overall, I was pleased with this story and think that fans of Julie Clark or slower burn/ suspenseful thrillers will enjoy!