The Ghostwriter is a masterfully plotted, slow burn thriller following Olivia Dumont, who has begrudgingly accepted her estranged father's request to ghostwrite his memoir.

Roughly five decades prior, Vincent Taylor's two siblings were brutally murdered in their home. As the only surviving sibling, he quickly fell under suspicion. Although he had an alibi, many people in his hometown of Ojai, California, felt sure that Vincent's volatile behavior and constant fights with his brother were proof that he was responsible for Danny and Poppy's deaths. Olivia, Vincent's only daughter, was just a child when she first caught wind of the rumors surrounding her father and his siblings, and she has spent the rest of her life trying to distance herself from their consequences.

When she finds herself in a financial bind, unlikely to find work after speaking out against a misogynistic fellow writer, she feels she has no choice but to go back to Ojai and work with her father. Upon her arrival, she learns Vincent has Lewy body dementia, which makes it difficult for her to distinguish which of her father's stories are true. As she delves into the work, she uncovers Poppy's diary and home videos, helping her piece together the reality—or at least something close to it—of that fateful night in 1975 that changed her family forever.

I had a great time with this book and found it extremely well-written. It was a slow burn but a quick read, impossible to put down and easily devoured in one day. Every time I thought I'd figured out the truth behind Danny and Poppy's murders, the next piece of uncovered information proved me wrong. As someone who notoriously always sees the twists before they come, I was delighted to be left questioning the "why" of this story until the very end. The flashbacks to the days leading up to the murders added a compelling nuance and perspective to the book by illuminating the dynamics and secrets hiding within the Taylor family.

The Ghostwriter was my first Julie Clark novel, but it certainly won't be my last.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

(3.5 rounded down) My feelings about this one are mostly positive. A woman, estranged from her father, returns to her hometown to ghostwrite his memoir looking back at the murder of his siblings, for which he has long been suspected. I did like a lot about this. The pacing is great. Although it’s rather a slow burn story, it reads incredibly quickly, and Julie Clark is excellent at compelling writing. People who like true crime subplots in their fiction with also be happy with the true crime storyline. I found the characters to be engaging, if annoying at times (like real people!). The use of different perspectives, of diary entries, of home movies was also a good one that added to the storytelling. I personally am over the…trope? Story choice? Character choice?…of a main character, in dealing with trauma, hiding a lot of their past selves in their present relationships. The relationship between our main character and her partner, who is introduced with the note that he won’t tolerate lying in relationships, is built on a false version of who our main character is. I do think the author takes this in a more interesting direction, but I’m also just tired of that being a part of so many mystery/thrillers. Overall, I read this one quickly, and although I don’t think I’ll be thinking about it a year from now, I enjoyed my time with it.

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up

Ghostwriter Olivia Dumont, is the only child of the famous horror author Vincent Taylor, a man known not only for his novels, but also for being the prime suspect in the brutal slaying of his siblings when he was just seventeen.

She once had a promising career but a faux pas has her in financial ruin and unable to secure a job until her father asks for her to ghostwrite his last book. Neither has ever revealed that they are related so their respective agents are quite surprised by his choice.

FACT OR FICTION?

After fifty years of silence, Vincent Taylor wants to publish a TELL ALL about what really happened on the night that his younger sister Poppy and his older brother, Danny died. But is he telling the truth?

Olivia arrives to find the handwritten scribblings of a dying man which make little sense.

MEMORY OR MADNESS?

Fortunately, Poppy loved to document everything, through both film and a diary, which will help Olivia revisit the past through a second POV, as she works to learn the truth about what actually happened.

This book was more of a slow 🔥 burn, than the sizzling fast paced thrillers that we are used to from this author but I was still captivated by the FIRST HALF of the book.

The story stalled a bit for me in the SECOND HALF when we spend more time in the PAST with the dysfunctional teenaged siblings and their secrets, which never seems to hold MY interest for long even when penned by a favorite author!

I felt like the secrets could’ve been spilled sooner.

Julie Clark is an auto-buy author for me, so I moved this book straight to the top of the TBR list when I had the opportunity to read an early ARC- and I will continue to do so with future titles!

This book will be available on June 3, 2025.

Thank You to Sourcebooks Landmark for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts!

Wow what an amazing read! Thank you net galley for an early arc. This story follows Oliva a ghostwriter who moves back to her hometown where her newly sick father lives ,to write his memoir and finally share what happened to his siblings who were murdered back in the 70s. This was truly thrilling and even though I kind of guessed who the killer was I was still shocked by the reasons for the murders! Definitely a book I will be recommending when it releases!!!

Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy of this thriller by an author I have enjoyed in the past. Olivia is a writer but she is stalled in her writing. She gets an opportunity to become a ghostwriter for someone's memoir..but it's her father. Who she hasn't seen in years...and who she isn't sure if he is a killer or not of his brother and sister who were murdered years earlier. I liked how this story slowly reveals the secrets of the past, as Olivia starts digging into her father's past. Great character development and some good twists as well. Very well written. I think people will be talking about this book! 4.5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Julie Clark is one of my favorite authors and this latest did not disappoint. Atmospheric with great character development for a great domestic suspense. Highly recommend.

I was drawn into this one immediately. It definitely kept a great pace and had me wanting to read it all immediately! This was a twisty, crazy story and I really liked it! So many lies and secrets and endless red herrings! I loved The Last Flight by this author and this one was another HIT!!!! Absolutely recommend for a binge-worthy thriller!!!

This book starts out with a bang! Olivia is a ghostwriter whose father wrote a book, and when he writes his second, her agent wants her to ghostwrite it for him. But they haven't spoken in 20 years as it's rumored he killed his brother and sister. And although she doesn't believe this, he now has Lewy body dementia so he drifts in and out of lucid thoughts. Vacillating in time between the present and 1975, the novel details her search through home movies, diary entries, and crazy theories that of course circulate through town. It's a crazy story with an ending I didn't see coming!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

I’ve not read a Julie Clark book before but really enjoyed this mystery/thriller. Looking forward to reading her previous books now! Interesting use of flashbacks to tell the story from different points of view whilst still keeping everything moving nicely.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing this complementary advance review copy. All opinions are my own.

Olivia is the daughter of Vincent Taylor, the surviving sibling of a horrible crime. His brother and sister were killed almost 50 years ago and he's never spoken about that night. As typically happens, some people believe he was involved because he lived, even though he had a solid alibi. Olivia and her father never spoke about that night and don't speak at all anymore until she's contacted to ghostwrite a story for him. Initially wary, she decides she can't miss this opportunity, as she desperately needs the income and publicity that she needs.

There wouldn't be much of a story here if the events unfolded like everyone thought, so we know there are going to be surprises and twists, and we're not disappointed. Many characters make believable suspects and you may find yourself racing through the story to figure out what really happened and how. There's a great vintage and nostalgic feel to the story, as parts of it are told in the past leading up to the murders. By seeing through the eyes of the teenagers themselves, you get a glimpse into every part of their lives, hidden from their parents, and never known to outsiders of the family who couldn't believe such a terrible tragedy occurred. One aspect I enjoyed most was that it wasn't simply an unknown perpetrator that got away with it, but a more complex series of events that led to the murders.

The only thing that didn't sit well with me was the whole 'no more lies, the truth needs to be told' rhetoric that Olivia continually spouts but then ultimately ignores as she too doesn't illuminate the entire truth upon discovery. Wasn't that the whole point of what she was doing? She ends up telling just enough of the truth, choosing which parts to keep secret to protect her family.

Immediately after I finished the book, I looked up other works by this author to start reading. I can't wait for her next one as I explore more of her books - finding a new author to binge is the best!

A question has haunted Olivia her entire life, who killed her aunt and uncle in 1975? She has been hired to ghostwrite her father’s memoir and hopefully get answers she’s always wanted. The Ghostwriter is a slow burn thriller that really shows how one night can rip a family apart. Julie Clark gives her great twists and turns throughout that keep you guessing until the end.

This narrative plunges into the turbulent consequences arising from strained family dynamics, betrayal, and the dangerous strategies linked to hidden truths. The storyline fosters an environment of tension, urging readers to maintain their focus as mysteries are gradually disclosed and motives are examined. The tale sustains its grip with unpredictable twists, astonishing disclosures, and deep emotional impact, making it challenging to cease reading.

The author has another great story to share. When the protagonist, Olivia, finds herself deep in debt, she is forced to accept a commission to ghostwrite her estranged father’s biography. His failing memory and a variety of stories, notes, films, and newspaper articles provide so many detours as we try to discover who killed Olivia’s aunt and uncle. A complicated plot worth trying to untangle.

I read all of Clark's books. She's that good! I like how thrilling her stories are. The Ghostwriter was enjoyable and mysterious. It captured my attention immediately. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I went into this book completely blind, as I have loved everything else Clark has written. And guess what? I loved this one too. The story centers on Olivia, who is a ghostwriter with not a lot of work options. When she is asked to work with her estranged father, she doesn't want to be pulled back into a family dynamic she has tried to escape, but she just doesn't have too many other options. Her father lives under a cloud of suspicion regarding the murders of his siblings decades before, and he finally wants to set the record straight. The story is told in alternating timelines between present time and the time leading up to the murders.

Olivia is a believable character with whom I could empathize, even when I didn't agree with her decision. Clark created a very believable dynamic between family members, both in the former and recent timeline. The story was part mystery and part coming-of-age, and there were parts that were poignant, while other parts felt hopeful. The mystery is great, and I enjoyed uncovering clues right along with Olivia as she searches for the answers that her family has kept close for so long. I really liked the way it ended, and felt like loose ends were tied up and the characters moved forward in ways I expected, based on their personalities.

Overall, this is another winner from Clark and now I just have to wait patiently for her next book to come out. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Masterfully plotted completely draws the reader in. Captivating narrative voice. Complicated characters & relationships.
Have liked all of the author’s works but this may be her best yet.
One of those rare books you can't wait to keep reading but never want to end!

With thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this e-ARC.

When a ghostwriter is given the job of writing her estranged father’s memoir, this very compelling book happens. Vince Taylor, a renowned writer has been surrounded by rumors of the murder of his siblings. As he moves toward serious illness and death, he wants to clear the record, but the problem is that he doesn’t know the truth! Olivia, who has tremendous financial issues, agrees to be his ghostwriter.

She takes on the tasks of writing and attempting to uncover the truth about the killing of her aunt and uncle, as teenagers. So, as with all of Clark’s novels, I was totally involved in this one. I was rooting for both Olivia and her father. I found this a very engaging book.

Thank you Netgalley for this opportunity.

I've been in a bit of a book slump, but The Ghostwriter yanked me right out of it. I loved the characters, the setting, and the different relationships. There were a lot of well-worn tropes this plot could have easily used, but the author very deftly swerved away from them.

Normally, I struggle with multiple POVs and time jumps, but this is an example of where it works really, really well. The flashback chapters were just enough to further the mystery without taking over as the primary plot line. Additionally, they did a great job of adding intrigue and intentional confusion, obscuring the reveals until the end.

Oh my goodness- how can I actually describe this book in the right words! It was totally absorbing and I could not put it down. It was atmospheric and haunting and kept me guessing right to the end. I listened to a soundtrack of music from 1975 to give me a real feel for the life of the main family and it just added to the experience. There was such a build up of suspense, with so many twists and turns written so beautifully it just flowed. I would highly recommend getting hold of this book as soon as it is released and will be seeking out more of Julie Clark’s work as soon as possible!

This weekend, I binged @julieclarkauthor upcoming release, #TheGhostwriter. I’ve been a fan of Julie’s books since her debut and I have to say, I think this is her best yet. Shifting timelines and multiple POVs, with family drama, The Ghostwriter had me rapt from page 1. This doesn’t release until June, but I highly suggest you put it on your radar now, this is one you won’t want to miss! An easy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ !