Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Cara is a successful author struggling to write her next book. She starts to get letters from an unknown source and she feels that someone is watching her. Is this someone from her past or is her husband having an affair. As her life begins to unravel she starts to confuse reality with the fictional books she writes and starts to become paranoid. She starts to take what is happening to her and uses it as an idea for her next book. I like this story but it is not one that I loved.....maybe it was the characters or maybe something else....Enjoy!!!

This was one of those gasp-out-loud reads where just when you think you know what's happening, the rug gets yanked right out from under you. I was constantly questioning everything—Is Cara losing it? Is someone gaslighting her? Is it in her head or real?

Cara is a bestselling crime writer struggling to start her next novel when she begins receiving creepy, anonymous letters that reference details only someone close to her could know. As the notes escalate, she spirals into paranoia. And I was right there with her—then dizzily spun again when the twist hit. The atmosphere is taut, the pacing perfectly designed to mess with your mind, and the final reveal? Absolutely jaw-dropping. I didn’t see it coming—and loved every bit of the surprise.

If you're into writer-as-protagonist thrillers, psychological suspense, and stories that blur the lines between fiction and reality—this one’s a must-read. 4.5 stars!

I flew through The Writer! The easily read chapters are short and POV identified. There’s enough creepy to keep the suspense up and the intrigue pulling. I’m always amazed how authors are able to create and fuel their stories. The twists in this were surprising but I was a little disappointed in the ending. I like how Valerie Keogh writes and always look forward to reading any titles by her. (3.5/5)
Thank You to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and Valerie Keogh for the invitation to read and enjoy this ARC.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Art imitates life or vice versa in this psychological thriller which was darker than I expected. I found the premise that a small slight could trigger stunning repressions in an a twisted mind (decades later) interesting and unique - and certainly disturbing.

I didn't particularly relate to, or like, the main characters, such as the unsympathetic best friend, or the protagonist who, without strength in her own life, writes of characters who are strong - however they were well written.

Fair warning, this story will have you looking over your shoulder in fear (well, even MORE fear than usual) the next time you are walking down an unpopulated street and you hear footsteps advancing on your own.

An intriguing book about an author ( Cara ) struggling to write her 30th book…..written by the author ( Valerie Keogh ) as she celebrates this being her 30th published book….

You can already see how intriguing comes into it

I am being ultra careful not to say much re the plot as its best to experience this story yourself but will say revenge for a perceived slight carried for 25 years has a long time to ferment and darken into something basically evil and belligerent

It is a rare look into a writers life, deadlines, publishing ‘folk’ and how it ‘all works’ as written by an author for a character and to say the whole things is fascinating seems not to convey just how clever and interesting the book/story is

Congrats to the author on such an achievement of 30 published books and also for writing this twisted twistiest of tales

Loved the acknowledgements 😊

The first I’ve read by Valerie Keogh & there was certainly a lot going on. I liked the pace of the book & the constant question marks within each chapter which kept me guessing all the way through. I think I suspected each and every character along the way. I did find it all became quite surreal though - especially around 50% in. It was like reading a book within a book & it became a little frustrating how often Cara changed her mind/doubted herself/ wasn’t sure what was real. To me it read like a fever dream and the ending a bit of a let down, although I’m not sure how else it could have been wrapped up. It was certainly unpredictable & kept me turning the pages to see how it all panned out. Cara would have been chuffed about that!

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC

There are so many twists to this looping rollercoaster of a thriller I struggled to keep track of them all!

Writer Cara is struggling for inspiration for her 30th book. Life blends with fiction and before she knows it her personal life is in tatters and the bodies are stacking up.

I appreciated how Cara's personal journey was interlaced with her writing, though her character could have been fleshed out more. The ending delivered some surprising turns, but without sufficient context, they came across as implausible rather than impactful.

Cara is a well stablished writer and just about to write her 30th book. But she is struggling to get inspiration for it and her Publishers have high hopes for it. She starts getting threatening letters through the post. Which her husband Artie dismisses them as stupid pranks, but she thinks it maybe someone from her past. Then she gets stalked by a man in a grey hoodie. She incorporates what happening with the letters and the goings on in her personal life into her latest novel. But the stress of it and her being menopausal. Doesn’t know if what’s happening is true life or the work of fiction.
I always get excited for a new Valerie Keogh book. So, I was excited to receive a copy of ‘The writer. The author is a great storyteller, and I liked the premise of the story. But for me this time I thought it lacked a bit of tension and what usually grips me throughout the book. Just wasn’t there. To be honest I struggled a bit with this one. But I am so glad I finished it. It has a satisfying ending. 3.5 stars from me.

I instantly connected with this book although I feel it felt different to Valerie Keogh other books. The writer's block dragged out a little bit but the rest of the storyline is believable and exciting. A writer writing about a writer just makes sense to me. I thought the characters parts were addictive and the narrator of gameplay ultimately disturbing.

I’ll start by saying that I do enjoy Valerie Keogh’s books. This one started off really well, but it seemed to dip quickly in terms of Cara seemed ‘all there’ - the happy, has it all type person, to then suddenly her husband was untrustworthy - yet, she married him only a year ago. For me, that seemed to come from no where. The pages turned quickly though, I wanted to know where it was going. She did a good job of keeping me wanting more. The ending I feel was rushed. I found myself rolling my eyes at the reasoning why Todd was stalking her, then ultimately her - let’s call it, insanity - is due to what? Her own incomprehension that her husband was possibly cheating? Because of the menopause? I’m not sure. She sure did seem crazy throughout the story, but I just felt the ending was a bit ‘meh’.

The Writer is a deliciously twisty tale of literary success, creative burnout, and the kind of creeping dread that makes you unplug your Alexa and double-check the locks. Cara, is a bestselling author staring down the barrel of her thirtieth novel—and the only thing louder than her deadline is the silence in her brain.

Enter: anonymous letters. Ominous vibes. A husband who’s a little too chill. And a past that refuses to stay shelved.

As Cara’s grip on reality begins to fray, Valerie blurs the line between fiction and madness with the precision of a scalpel. Is someone really watching her? Or is her imagination staging a hostile takeover?

Each chapter tightens the noose of paranoia, twisting your expectations and leaving you gasping at every reveal.
And just when you think you’ve figured it out, Valerie hits you with the twist!

So if you’re looking for a read that toys with your mind and leaves you suspicious of every creak in the floorboards—congrats, you’ve found your next read!!

A successful author on the brink of burnout starts receiving disturbing letters that blur the line between fiction and reality. As the pressure builds, so does her paranoia, but is it all in her head, or is someone really watching her?

There were moments I enjoyed and the premise had real potential. It didn’t quite land for me as a whole, but I’m glad I gave it a try. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for letting me read an advance copy.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from Netgalley. The premise was excellent, but unfortunately the story fell flat. I would have liked to see more backstory to 'Him' and more explanation as to his motivations - I felt the concept of incels and the Manosphere could have been explored much more. I liked the weaving of Cara's experiences into her book, but I also felt she could have been developed more. The final chapters were twisty and intriguing, but again, they lacked explanation so felt far-fetched.

I really enjoyed this — in fact, I think it’s the fastest I’ve devoured a book in quite some time. From the very first page, The Writer gripped me with its quiet intensity and deeply atmospheric tone. Valerie Keogh has crafted something quite unique here — a slow-burning psychological spiral that manages to feel urgent, even when, on the surface, not a huge amount is happening.
The most striking part of the book for me was how it portrayed Cara’s gradual descent into confusion and paranoia. There’s something hypnotic about the way her world begins to narrow, how her certainty starts to crack. It’s claustrophobic in the best way — you’re inside her mind, watching as reality shifts and bends, unsure whether to trust what you’re reading. The plot is deceptively simple but psychologically layered, which makes for a compelling reading experience.
At times, I did find myself having to pause and take stock — the whole ‘writer writing about a writer writing about a writer’ concept is cleverly done but definitely dizzying. Still, I think that confusion is entirely intentional. If I, as a reader, was feeling unmoored, just imagine how disoriented Cara must have felt living it. It’s a brilliant device that blurs the line between fiction and reality, adding to the novel’s eerie undertone.
I was a little nervous about how it would all wrap up. Books with this kind of buildup sometimes struggle to deliver a satisfying payoff, and I was really hoping it wouldn’t just end abruptly or take an easy route out. For a moment, I did think we’d hit an abrupt ending… and then came the twist. And then another. And then yet another. Just when I thought I had a handle on what was going on, Keogh pulled the rug out from under me again. The final chapters left me stunned — in the best possible way. It’s rare for an ending to surprise me more than once, but this one kept me guessing right to the very last page.
Overall, this was a brilliantly crafted psychological thriller that plays with structure, identity, and the creative mind in ways I didn’t expect. It’s dark, clever, and completely absorbing. If you enjoy books that leave you a little shaken and a lot impressed, definitely give this one a go.

The Writer just wasn’t my thing. It felt too confusing, too long yet too fast paced, and overall not as exciting as I wanted it to be. This in combination with an unlikable main character and a dramatic element/crime motive that doesn’t make sense at all is a recipe for a little disaster. For me, the plot line and the characters lacked depth that would’ve been crucial for the development of the male MC specifically.
In the beginning I was super interested to discover what his motives for his revenge were; the short chapters from his point of view were the ones I was waiting impatiently. This only contributed to the disappointment when the truth was revealed - and turned out to be something way too insignificant.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the much appreciated advanced copy of the novel!

A rollercoaster read that cleverly blurs the lines between fact and fiction.

Successful author Cara Jenkins is expected to be writing her thirtieth novel, although she finds herself fresh out of ideas. Then the letters start, and each letter is more and more threatening. Soon enough Cara is using her fear and suspicions to assist her writing her next novel.

If you enjoy a tense and twisty read, give this one a read.

Having read all the previous books I was not really sure about this one. I found it a little slow going at the start, then I had trouble coming to terms with Cara’s flaky character. It was a series of incidents, some of which were difficult to believe. The last 20% got better, but I found the ending weak. Not her best. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.

The second half of this book really upped the rating for me. Initially I found the book to be slow and quite repetitive but the second half of the book really makes up for it. I love a cat and mouse thriller and the tension it creates. The whole concept is deliciously far fetched & I love that in a book. I’ve read a few books with authors as the main character but found this storyline to be quite unique. Cara is a total mess & Todd is vile but both needed to be for the plot to work. I tore through the second half of the book and couldn’t wait to see what twists and turns lay ahead. The ending was completely unexpected and left my jaw on the floor.

If you like unreliable narrators, this one is for you. Having said that, it takes a while to realise that Cara, the protagonist, is not to be trusted. Cara, a successful author, is under pressure to write her 30th book and when she receives a threatening note, she decides to turn fact into fiction. This is a suspenseful novel although I struggled a little with the believability of the vendetta from her adolescence. Valerie writes great psychological thrillers, and whilst this isn’t my favourite of her novels, you’ll definitely be in for a breathless, twisty read.

Thank you to Valerie Keogh, Boldwood Books and Netgalley for my advance copy.

What a twisty tale this was when writer Cara can't work out what is fact and what is fiction as she tries to work out who is sending her threatening notes.

Worked it out for myself straight away, couldn't warm to this particular character at all, turns out my spidey senses were right.

Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to review this book, this is my honest opinion