In one of the exciting fall 2023 book releases, Olivia Fitzgerald, a struggling writer, lands a lucrative ghostwriting gig for a reclusive billionaire, Henry Asherwood. Tasked with uncovering a dark secret about his grandmother and Daphne du Maurier, Olivia becomes entangled in a gothic mystery that challenges her notions of creative freedom and whose stories should be told.

I got swept into the book and finished it in one sitting. It’s got Rebecca Easter eggs, Du Maurier fun facts, a hunky billionaire recluse with a cryptic mission, and a book within a book. It’s one of the most unique novels about writers I’ve ever read.

This is the first book I’ve read by Jillian Cantor and, since it had great pre-publication press, I was looking forward to reading The Fiction Writer. But, I was a little disappointed or maybe I expected too much.

On the one hand, I loved the idea of incorporating Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca (one of my favorite books) into a modern-day version of her story. However, it just didn’t come together for me. The pace of the story was quite sluggish at times, the characters weren’t very appealing or sympathetic (except for Noah), the story itself seemed out of sync, and the popping back and forth between different generations’ stories made the plot feel disjointed.

Only the ending provided some redemption but even then, I can only give The Fiction Writer three stars at the very most. I wish I would have enjoyed it more. NetGalley provided an advance copy

I normally love Jillian Cantor’s books, but I was disappointed in “The Fiction Writer.” I thought it was confusing, the plot dragged on, and the characters were mostly unlikable. (I didn’t like Olivia at all. Ash gave me the creeps, but I adored Noah.)

The novel is a contemporary retelling of Daphne du Maurier's "Rebecca," with a mix of psychological twists and a focus on the intricacies of storytelling. The protagonist, Olivia Fitzgerald, is a struggling author who takes on a ghostwriting opportunity that leads her into a complex web of obsession, secrets, and stolen manuscripts.

Even with its many twists and turns, I found the story awkward with characters that were not relatable. Those who enjoy books within books and stories about authors would probably enjoy this book.

I received an advance copy of the book. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

3.5 stars. As a fan of Rebecca, the opening line “Last night I dreamt I went to Malibu again” was a pretty strong hook. In general, I’m not a fan of movies about Hollywood, actors, or the acting industry (too meta and self-serving), and I was a little skeptical about a book written about writing, writers, and the publishing industry, especially one trying to live up to such a classic novel, but Jillian Cantor pulls it off. I did think it was a bit slow-paced the majority of the book, but it accelerated significantly in the final chapters with all the payoff and tying up of loose ends I was looking for. When I finished Daisy Jones and the Six, I found myself wishing I could listen to the fictional band’s album. When I finished The Fiction Writer, I found myself wishing I could read The Wife and whatever book Olivia Fitzgerald was writing about her time in Malibu. Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked the idea of this novel. However the execution was disjointed as characters and theories went back and forth. I liked the takeaway regarding who a story belongs to. The ending was the best writing and mystery of the whole story but not enough to make up for the erratic sequences.

Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley

The Fiction Writer is the story of Olivia, a down-on-her-luck writer who gets an offer to write a story for an eccentric and very private celebrity. She goes out to the West coast to meet with this celebrity, and he turns out to be much weirder than she thought. It seems there's more of a mystery to unravel than his connection to the famous novel, Rebecca.

I gave The Fiction Writer a one-star rating because I just couldn't get myself to finish the book. I liked the premise of the story, but didn't think the writing was the right style for me.

This book had me at the title and then as I opened it up, I was thrust into a world that fans of Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier will love. This book is for all those fans who wish they could read a modern-day take on the Rebecca story. It was just as twisted and then it also weaved in facts from the real story with Daphne Du Maurier and how she was accused of plagiarism of the story and then touched on the book set in the islands - Wide Saragossa Sea by Jean Rhys. The book starts with our main character during a writer's block when she is approached to ghostwrite a story for a reclusive actor. Olivia accepts the invitation to meet him and is soon thrust into the crazy world of Henry Asherwood as she starts to learn about the females and the males in the lineage line and discovers that the females were all successful at one point, but slowly faded as the men rose and then the females were tossed aside and it looked like the only way to escape was death or to fake their death and disappear. Can Olivia be saved when she starts unraveling the pieces and learns that her story Becky and her past are closer to Henry's world than she ever realised as she learns that back in university, she crossed paths with the former Mrs. Henry Asherwood. The Fiction Writer also touched on a topic about writing what you know and that fiction is a mixture of make-believe with a few hidden truths and facts sprinkled into the story. If you love twists on classic novels, then Jillian Cantor's The Fiction Writer is the read for you.

Jillian Cantor is the queen of retellings with a twist for me! REBECCA is the ultimate haunted house mystery for me and this modern retelling of it gave it a nice updated feel. Instead of a gothic mansion in Cornwall, this one is set in Malibu. Last night I dreamt I went to Malibu again…I loved over all the details~ guessing who the narrator was, the portrait in the bedroom, the creepy vibes in the mansion. Olivia did kind of annoy me at times and all of it did feel a bit repetitive... overall a strong read!

I Literally Read This Book In One Sitting. Yes, the book is just over 300 pages. I said what I said. This is one of those books that just traps you in and you *need to know what will happen next*. There's enough creep/ ick factor, yes - but there is also several strong mysteries here. Including some that seem to touch on real-life issues. The twists and turns are well done, if some of them at least are somewhat expected given the overall genre and even plot to that point.

For those that prefer clear cut endings with every question definitively answered... eh, read the book for yourself... but *I* didn't get as many answers as I had questions. But maybe I missed some answers?

Overall a solid, well paced book that fits well within its genre. Very much recommended.

I love me a book about books!

This was a fun and entertaining read, inspired by Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. The author in the book is also inspired by her, so it is ironic that she finds herself in a Rebecca-esque situation herself with the "sexiest man alive."

As a side note, I got very annoyed with how many times she referred to Henry Asherwood as the "sexiest man alive."

Olivia is the main character and her re-telling of Rebecca just failed miserably. Now she can't even get anyone to publish her third novel. So when Henry Asherwood comes knocking offering her a writing job, she can't turn it down. Even as things get weird...

As the title hints, this book is a book for people who love reading about writers and classic novels. However, even if that's not your thing, this book was entertaining as a thriller as well. Solid 4 stars.

This is my second book by Jillian Cantor, and she has cemented herself as a must read author for me!

Short Synopsis:
Olivia Fitzgerald is an author. Her second book entitled “Becky” is a retelling of the classic book “Rebecca” by Daphne du Maurier. Her book fails, but a billionaire heir hires her to tell his grandmother’s story - who he thinks is the original author of Rebecca.

My Thoughts:
I have NOT read Rebecca and was hesitant going in because of it. But it’s definitely not a must to enjoy this story. It’s full of suspense, and secrets, and nothing is as it seems. I loved reading about Olivia’s journey (and her poor choices.) It was a fun bingey, suspenseful read.

This book was a must-read for me. First of all, I love books about books and writers writing books. But since this was a reimagining of 𝙍𝙚𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙘𝙖 (which happens to be one of my favorite gothic tales) the bar was set pretty high.

Olivia is a struggling novelist who takes a ghostwriting job for Henry “Ash” Asherwood, a reclusive, but sexy billionaire. Olivia’s last novel had been a retelling of 𝙍𝙚𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙘𝙖, but it flopped. Ash makes a claim that the original Rebecca is really his grandmother’s story.

As you can see, this book becomes meta-meta fiction (Is that a real term?), especially when Ash’s life starts mirroring that of the characters in the book 𝙍𝙚𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙘𝙖; he is a recluse, his wife died under shady circumstances and he has mysterious help in his Malibu Mansion.

While it did get a bit confusing at times and the layers of 𝙍𝙚𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙘𝙖 may have been spread on a bit too thick, I still really enjoyed this. I applaud the author for this creative plot and for taking on such an iconic classic. I also appreciate that in her own retelling, she approaches the topic of who really owns the story, the ideas, and how they are told. Very clever indeed.


Thank you @htpbooks @parkrowbooks and @jilliancantor for a spot on tour and a gifted ebook.

It’s been many years since I last read Rebecca, but I couldn’t resist a retelling set in Malibu featuring a writer.

Olivia’s long term boyfriend just moved out, her second novel crashed and burned, and she’s barely written anything on her third book over the past several months despite telling her agent things are going well with it. When she’s offered a well-paying ghostwriting job for a billionaire in Malibu, she has no other option but to take it.

I liked the way this starts out – Ash’s claims that Daphne du Maurier stole his late grandmother’s story, a nosy housekeeper with questionable motives, and excerpts from a novel written by a mystery author that sound eerily familiar. I never knew du Maurier was actually accused of plagiarism, but this novel brings a couple of cases to light (she was never found guilty). It was shaping up to be a twist-filled mystery.

Then I quickly grew frustrated with Olivia. Almost immediately after meeting Ash, the majority of her thoughts are consumed with him and how hot he is. She also drinks excessively then suffers from hangovers, pushing work to the backburner. Ash waves red flags on nearly every page, and she misses all of them. But it’s clear to the reader things aren’t adding up. I admit to skimming through slower parts because the mystery engaged me, and I wanted to know what really happened with Ash and his deceased wife. He’s an immature narcissist, but is he also a murderer?

The Fiction Writer is a sort of book within a book, which has to be a challenge to write. The ending reveals satisfying twists, and the puzzle pieces fall nicely into place. If you’re a fan of slow-burn mysteries and retellings, check out The Fiction Writer.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I think that the author did a good job in writing this book inspired by Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. I don't think it's a retelling as Rebecca is a different plot and the characters inspire those in this book but are also quite different.
Thas said is a good dark novel with gothic element, an entertaining and gripping story that I enjoyed
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row for the copy of this book!

After reading Beautiful Little Fools for Book Club this year, I knew I wanted to read Jillian Cantor’s next book, The Fiction Writer. What I didn’t realize is that this book is also a retelling! While I never read Rebecca, I remember it sitting on the shelf at my grandma’s house and her telling me to read it multiple times. Lol.

Regardless, I really enjoyed The Fiction Writer and don’t think that you need any familiarity with Rebecca to be able to enjoy it. It’s full of rich person and writer drama, has some twists and turns, and is a very bingeable read! Perfect if you like sinister feelings, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING GET OUT OF THERE NOW” moments, and thinking about how similar one story can be to another and still be considered “new.”

This book was amazing, the kind you want to pick up when you don't have much going on so you can get lost in it until you finish it. It's fast-paced, intriguing and shocking. I loved the writing, Cantor was a new author for me and now I'm excitied to read her past and future books.

Olivia is technically living her dream of being a writer, but lately she's been struggling to write a book that sells and ultimately, pays her bills. She is suffering a deep writer's block when one day her agent calls her with an offer: a rich businessman wants her to ghostwrite a book. She is so desperate to save her career that she immediately accepts to meet the guy to talk more about the project. When she gets to LA and into the huge mansion overlooking the Pacific ocean, everything begins to feel off. Almost like she's reliving the retelling of her second failed book.

The Fiction Writer is so creepy and I loved every second of it. Go get it!

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publishers for the early galley.

I have got to say I loved this book!! Did the characters make questionable decisions that I would never?! Or decisions that made me want to throw my kindle across the room while reading?! …WHY YES, THEY DID! But overall I loved every second of it!!

The setting, the mystery behind the secluded billionaire, the “quirks” of Both the FMC and the MMC…CHEF’S KISS!

The vibes were very Misery (by Stephen King)
-esque meets Verity (by Colleen Hoover). But more kitschy and fun, BUT less scary but almost the same level of manipulation and nefarious intentions😂

⭐️HITS SHELVES: NOV 28TH⭐️

4.5⭐️

Special thanks to NetGalley, @parkrowbooks and @htpbooks for the review copy.

I was unable to finish this. The story moved too slow for me and didn't keep my interest. The idea of a Rebecca retelling just didn't appeal to me.

Well written and complex, the author succeeds in another retelling of a classic in a unique way. I loved Jillian Cantor’s earlier books of historical fiction, so thought I would try this one. After her last book flops, Olivia accepts a ghostwriting gig for a rich, handsome man, Ash. Ash hires Olivia under the pretense of claims his grandmother wrote Rebecca first, and Daphne Du Maurier plagiarized. Olivia becomes entwined in a web of lies. There are some twists and surprises. I guess I am just not a fan of the Gothic style, but the story was absorbing.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I went into this book with no expectations because the author is new to me. What I found was an intriguing story about a writer trying to find her way when her novels are floundering. I loved trying to figure out the twists and who to trust. I enjoyed the writing style and the setting. I could picture myself in the story. A great book!