Best selling author, Cara Jenkins is facing that nightmare that all writers must have experienced, the dreaded writer’s block, and as this next novel is her thirtieth so much depends on her pulling another successful novel out of the hat but with no ideas to speak of Cara is feeling more and more anxious. With her anxiety increasing and with strange anonymous letters arriving at her house Cara is worried that someone is watching her but with her head buried in her writing is Cara blurring the boundaries between fact and fiction?

This is a quick fire read that keeps the tension ramped up to high and with a sinister character known only as him telling his part of the story, there is more than enough mystery to keep the pages turning, in my case faster and faster until the whole complicated plot was laid out before me and even then I didn’t see the twists coming. What I love about this author’s writing is her ability to surprise me - so that even though I think I have the conclusion to the story nicely sorted out along she comes and hits me with another surprise ending that I didn’t see coming.

Immersive and page turningly good, The Writer is the perfect summer escapism for a lazy afternoon in the garden or poolside with a long cold drink to hand.

This is an absolute masterpiece, I could barely out it down. As a thriller it is right up there with some of the best I have read and I can’t recommend it enough.

Cara is an author who has been hugely successful. While looking to start her 30th book she seems unable to find a concept and this is the start of self doubt and a descent into a very fragile mental state. Told in a dual timeline between Cara and an unnamed man who believes she slighted him many years ago, the story becomes more twisted and dark as the actions of both become more desperate. Seeing Cara become more unhinged and believing that even her closest friends and family are against her is desperately sad.

The author has written this with great clarity and care, developing character and plot well to keep the reader interested. This was a really different plot for this genre and one which I thoroughly enjoyed and will be recommending.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars!

This is my first book by this author, and let me tell you, I am absolutely not disappointed! In fact, I’m officially a fan and can’t wait for more!

Cara Jenkins, a successful author, faces a creative block while working on her thirtieth novel. As the pressure to deliver mounts, she starts receiving unsettling letters that make her feel watched. Although her husband Artie dismisses the messages as pranks, Cara cannot shake the feeling that they are linked to her past. In an effort to cope, she begins to write, but her grip on reality starts to blur with her fiction.

Our protagonist, Cara, is a delightful whirlwind of chaos, which only enhances the intrigue the author masterfully crafts. She’s relatable, a tad obsessed with her work, and as she writes, she blurs the lines between fiction and reality. Sound familiar? We’ve all been there; lost in something we love—am I right? But hold on tight, because just when you think you’ve got a handle on the story, you’ll find yourself questioning everything.

Cara is a well-developed character, and we meet a few others along the way to keep the plot balanced. The narrative unfolds from two perspectives: Him and Her. Curious about who “Him” is? Well, you’ll just have to dive into the book to find out!

The plot is clever and expertly executed, with twists that left me utterly blindsided. I didn’t see the ending coming, and the main revelation had me dropping everything—yes, even my jaw! It’s a whirlwind of twists that felt like I was watching a tornado unfold on my Kindle!

This book is a beautifully crafted read, and I sincerely hope you get the chance to experience it. If you enjoy eccentric personalities, a plethora of unexpected twists, and an ending that’s as tragic as it is shocking, then this is the book for you! I can hardly believe I devoured it in less than half a day; the fast pace and gripping narrative made it impossible to put down. Bravo to the author!

Thank you, Boldwood Books, for the digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I've been lucky enough to read a few thrillers by this author before so when I was gifted this book I couldn't wait to dive in. Valerie has a way of writing very realistic characters that pull you into their struggles and leave you screaming at the pages as you watch their turmoil unfold. This book just like many of her others has a very strong female lead which I love. This book centers around our main character Cara a struggling writer determined to fight her writer's block and get her latest novel out much to the pressure of a publicist. There was also a main character refered only to as Him. I really enjoyed this dark mystery character because you just knew that he was going to be causing problems for our girl Cara. with so much going on in Cara's life she doesn't notice right away when our mystery character appears and starts to watch her ever move. He unfortunately starts to stalk Cara and is determined to make her lose her mind all because she spited him at a dance twenty five years prior. As dark as our mystery character was he has to be my favourite because he was so delusional yet he thought he was in the right. It was fascinating to read and such a change from Cara's character. I loved the contrast between the two and it really made for a story that left you breathless and screaming at the same time. There was so much happening in this book that I wanted to get to the end to figure it all out but I never wanted it to end at the same time. I loved every minute of this book but the tension I felt through the whole thing made it so much more exciting fantastic job this is one book that all thriller readers will love and I'm so honoured to say that I got to check it out first. You won't be disappointed in this book however you will be disappointed if you skip it. This book has skyrocketed Valerie to a must read author and I can't wait until everyone else has the pleasure of reading this book.

You really need to stay very alert when reading this story especially as it progresses as the writer, Cara, begins to meld her own life with the main character of the book and fact blends into fiction and vice versa. It begins slowly building up to a massive crescendo with an ending that I most certainly did not see coming or even guess !!

Thanks to Netgalley / Boldwood books for the ARC to review.

This book is a tense, twisty dive into creative burnout, past trauma, and how far your mind can stretch before it snaps. Creepy, compulsive, and satisfyingly unhinged.

PUBLISHING THIS WEEK! For book lovers who love books and the writers that write them ...

★★★

Cara Jenkins needs to write her much anticipated 30th novel. Problem is, she doesn't have any idea of what to write. Which isn't normal for her.

As if by fate ... 'things' start happening. She's never written a book about her real life, but once she puts it down on paper she can't stop.

I think any book lover will love any book about books and the writers who write them. So it’s easy to say the title alone pulled me in.

This is overall a really good book. It was a perfect plot. A writer that needs to figure out their next story.  What better way to do that than to base it off of their life? Especially when creepy and thrilling scenarios start happening to a thriller writer.

I’m bursting to say what I thought the book would be about after reading the first 5 to 10% of the book, but I don’t want to ruin it for others who may have had the same thought as me. 

Now after that first 10% the book started to fall flat the more I read. 

I wanted to adore this book so much. I was set up to be addicted. I know you don’t have to love all of the characters in a book, but I really wanted to like Cara. Cara is someone I want to be. I wanted her to be witty, smart, and as successful as we, the readers were told she was. Yet her actions and her thoughts came off so naive, that as a reader I had a hard time respecting her. Therefore, it was hard to root for her or like her as a character. It was hard to relate.

The plot that Valerie tried to accomplish was very clever. I just don’t think it was executed to perfection. 

I did really enjoy the author‘s writing style. As I did a bit more research, I am surprised I haven’t read any of her previous novels. Even though this novel didn’t blow me away, I’m going to add some of her popular books to my TBR.

I would recommend The Writer to all my thriller junkies out there. 

P.S. I looked up how many books Valerie Keogh wrote herself to see if it was also 30 books, it is! (And also a detail about 2 (?) self published books were added to the story, which is the same as Valerie as well...) I hope this isn’t all a true story 😉

Amazon Link - The Writer By: Valerie Keogh

Stats: 296 pages - Expected publication July 15, 2025

**Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the authors 30th book and it’s about an author who is writing her 30th book. So how much of it is factual and how much is fantasy! You decide. Cara Jenkins is happily married to Artie, doing very well with her books and has a good relationship with her agent and publisher. But for some reason she is suffering from writers block and has no idea what her next novel will be about until an anonymous note comes through the letterbox… Written from dual POV - him and her - Cara is her and him is someone she met fleetingly 25 years ago, but he never forgot her.

Briefly, with deadlines looming Cara is under pressure to write her book and the anonymous note is the trigger that gets her started. She starts to write her book based on events taking place in her own life changing the names of everyone concerned. But reality and fiction are becoming blurred and her best friend is the only person she can talk to about it…until she can’t!

The more Cara’s reality began to impact on her the more she sees everyone as ‘the enemy’ trusting no one, even her closest friends and family. Continually questioning herself, as was I. It’s impossible to know who to trust. This felt quite different to the authors other books, in a good way. A twisty and compelling psychological thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this ARC
There was a lot happening in this book. There were twists and turns as Cara, a best selling writer, faces threatening messages As she faces writer’s block, she turns to her own life for inspiration with the line between reality and fiction blurring.
The book was well written with intriguing characters I am not a big fan of unreliable narratives but this book kept me interested

This is a story about an author who has a deadline for her thirtieth psychological thriller and is unable to come up with anything. Then a letter arrives with what sounds like a threat and asks for an apology. Her husband thinks it's a prank, but she is disturbed and when a second and third letter arrive her paranoia takes over. She decides to use the threats as a theme for her book, but she is having trouble separating fact from fiction. Twenty-five years ago, at an end of school dance a boy builds up his courage and asks her to dance. She says no and rushes from the room. His fragile ego is crushed, and he vows to one day ruin her life. However, he makes a fatal mistake and is arrested. He's questioned about the letters, and he denies having written them. He does explain where his hatred for her began, and she recalls the embarrassing situation causing her to run away. There are twists and turns that cause her to become unhinged but once she realizes she's no longer a threat she does something to regain her sanity and her life. It was an easy read but somewhat unrealistic. Thank you Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this and give an honest review. This is not my favorite of Valerie Keogh's, but it is also her thirtieth. Yes, I would recommend it

Valerie Keogh locks you in with the first chapter. This is a fast-paced thriller with twists and turns, and it ends shockingly. Cara is a writer tasked to finish her thirtieth book. The problem is she has run out of ideas. Unbeknownst to her, there is a man who has been following her for decades and is looking to enact his revenge. I warn readers that there are some triggers. This book will appeal to fans of the thriller genre with interesting dialogue, although it could be explicit at times. We are put inside the heads of the characters using their inner dialogue to flesh them out. This book is not predictable, which keeps the reader's interest even though the main character often confuses themselves. I thoroughly enjoyed this book

Cara Jenkins is a successful author about to embark on her thirtieth novel. But as she sits at her desk to write, she realizes that she has no ideas left. And as the pressure mounts for her to deliver, she begins to fear that her career is over. Then the letters start

I loved this book though I needed to suspend a bit of disbelief and just go with it

4 stars

Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for this arc

Valerie Keogh delivers a chilling and psychologically layered tale in The Writer, blurring the lines between fiction and reality in a way that keeps the reader constantly questioning what is real. At the heart of the novel is Cara, whose narrative feels unsettlingly entangled with the story she’s writing — a clever device that injects a persistent sense of unease throughout the book.

One of the novel’s greatest strengths lies in its ability to create an atmosphere where nothing feels certain. The disorienting overlap between Cara’s reality and her fictional world creates a suspenseful reading experience that is both creepy and compelling. This deliberate ambiguity appears to be a calculated move by Keogh, immersing the reader in the same confusion and paranoia experienced by the protagonist.

The Writer thrives on tension and subtle psychological twists, making it an engrossing read for those who appreciate thrillers that play with perception. Keogh crafts a narrative that lingers, drawing readers deep into a shadowy space between fiction and truth.

Cara Jenkins is a successful author about to embark on her thirtieth novel. But as she sits at her desk to write, she realizes that she has no ideas left. And as the pressure mounts for her to deliver, she begins to fear that her career is over.
Then the letters start.
At first, they seem harmless. But as the messages grow darker, Cara becomes convinced that someone is watching her, waiting for their moment to strike.

Another enjoyable novel from Valerie Keogh. Well paced with great characters and a few twists along the way. It's an easy read and would be perfect for the beach or holiday. I enjoy the short chapters, which keep you wanting for me. The different points of view get a little confusing at times, but it doesn't detract from the enjoyment.

I enjoyed this book, it was fast paced and up and down.
I liked the story and it kept my interest.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Writer is a psychological thriller that has the reader continuously questioning what is reality and what is imagined. Cara is an author who is struggling to write and complete her thirtieth novel (This is also author Valerie Keogh’s thirtieth novel). The pressure is on! But when Cara attempts to come up with book ideas, she draws a blank. But then she starts writing about people and strange things that are happening in her actual life. But are these things really happening? The lines are getting blurred. Is she in danger or are these perceived threats only in her book? Can she trust her closest friends, spouse, work colleagues, neighbors??? I thought I knew what was going on, but then I wasn’t sure. I enjoyed the storyline which had me questioning what I thought I knew - just like the main character! The Writer is a quick, easy, entertaining read! Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the digital ARC.

romising premise; a man whose entire life revolves around a perceived slight he endured in his teens decides to take revenge on the woman who “wronged” him.
That woman, Cara, also happens to be a writer experiencing writers block; who draws inspiration from life events to help create her stories.
Calling Cara an unreliable narrator would be an understatement.
I wanted to like this more than I did. None of the characters were likable or easy to identify with; and the tone of the story felt off. It could have been darker/more tense/more “thrilling” but it felt flat until the very end.

Revenge is a dish best served cold.
For the first time in her writing career, as she approaches her 30th book, Cara has writer's block. She also has a stalker who's leaving her threatening letters and messing with her mind.
A twisty turny read that keeps you hooked and at times as confused about what's real or not as she is.
Brilliantly executed this psychological thriller is a great read with an unbelievably tragic final twist.

Great read! The writer a book about a writer who has run out of ideas, now where is this one going? Well let’s say it goes it to many place delicious dark twisted places! I love how this story evolved and never let up on itself. Poor Cara has no idea if she is coming or going, she can’t seem to keep fact from fiction in her her brain and is quite confused a lot of the time, which makes for a great story!

OMG! What have I just read! This book is amazing!!! I loved the storyline, I loved the characters, the good ones & the bad ones. There's so many twists and turns, this book will have you staying up reading well into the night. I read this in one sitting. Definitely 5 stars from me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️