This was a great historical mystery, combined with a tough love family. I did guess the twist , but it didn't matter over the character growth. It is a slow burn book, so don't give up!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

“This book was absolutely riveting —I couldn’t put it down and devoured it in one sitting! The story is packed with secrets, each one unraveling at just the right moment. The author masterfully keeps readers in suspense, slowly pulling us toward the truth while keeping us guessing until the very end

My rating 4.5 💫

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark was a spirited “whodunit” full of interesting characters and spotty memories. Olivia has been hired to ghostwrite her estranged father’s memoir that will encompass the murders of his siblings fifty years ago in the summer of 1975. What unfolds is a fraught family drama, a tale of teenage angst, and the story of a predator. The pacing was fine; however, the chapters detailing Olivia’s thoughts and experiences in the present are by far the weakest parts of this book. Overall, it was compelling and kept me interested throughout. I would recommend this one to those who enjoy thrillers. My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advance copy in return for my unbiased review.

The Ghostwriter had me absolutely hooked from start to finish.

The suspense was twisty, the family drama juicy, and the chaotic notes (you’ll see when you read) Perfectly eerie. I’m a sucker for a dual timeline, and this one delivered in the best way and kept me on my toes.

But this book wasn’t just about the mystery. It went deeper, exploring the boundaries between truth and fiction, family secrets, and the cost of uncovering the past. I loved that this story didn’t just keep me guessing it kept me thinking about the full picture long after the last page was read.

I highly recommend this book if you’re into stories that keep you guessing but also have a heart that stays with you!

This book releases June 3rd and you are going to want to grab a copy!

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an arc of this book. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for this ARC. Who doesn't love some good old fashioned dark family history woven into a suspense novel? I've enjoyed other Julie Clark novels so I was happy to receive this. As usual, Clark does not fail to provide a good thriller. With the excellent use of flashbacks and multiple POV's the story moved along at a fast pace. You will think you have it figured out, and then voila, you don't! I highly recommend adding The Ghostwriter to your reading list.

This was my first novel written by Julie Clark. I have to say it won't be my last. I absolutely loved it and was so engrossed I couldn't put it down.

Julie Clark has yet to disappoint, and I especially loved her newest thriller The Ghostwriter.
Olivia Dumont, formerly Olivia Taylor, has been given an offer she can’t refuse to ghostwrite her father’s memoir, who is an accomplished novelist himself. The catch—- Olivia has had no contact with her father in ages and has no desire to do so. Even better? He is rumored to have violently murdered his siblings almost 50 years ago, and so the family name has been forever tainted.
I thoroughly enjoyed the complexities of the family dynamics and sibling relationships in this murder mystery thriller. Already looking forward to Clark’s next novel!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of The Ghostwriter.

Olivia is a ghostwriter who has been shunned by her publisher and the entire writing community. She receives an unexpected offer from her estranged father to ghostwrite his story. He’s a famous author himself, and also notoriously known for being the prime suspect in his brother and sister’s unsolved murders. Olivia hopes to uncover what really happened that day.

I have read Julie Clark’s other novels and enjoyed them all, but this is my new favorite. It was dark, and twisted, and filled with unreliable characters and memories that couldn’t always be trusted. I enjoyed the multiple perspectives and alternating past and present timelines. It really added depth to the story. I thought I’d uncovered the truth only to be proven wrong in the end. It really wraps up with a powerful ending and a surprise that you won’t see coming.

Thank you to Julie Clark and Sourcebooks Landmark for the arc and chance to be an early reader and reviewer.

The Ghostwriter is the third book I’ve read from Julie Clark and it has solidified her as an autobuy author for me. We follow Olivia Dumont, a ghostwriter in financial trouble who takes on the job of ghostwriting her estranged father’s final book — a memoir focused on the murder of her father’s siblings and the suspicion that has haunted their family for 50 years.

The story is told in multiple POVs, with the present focusing on Olivia learning about the events that lead up to the murders and navigating what is fact and what is clouded by faulty memories. The other POVs are from Vincent and his sister, Poppy, in the time frame leading up to the murders in 1975. I really enjoyed the way Clark weaved in past POVs with the present by using diary entries and home movies. It added a layer of nostalgia and made it even more heartbreaking because we knew what would end up happening to Poppy.

The only thing that took me out of the story was the side quest with the boyfriend drama. We never even meet Tom on the page, so dedicating pages upon pages to Olivia stressing about how she was lying to him was kind of small potatoes, in my opinion.

3.75 stars rounded up!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review <3

Julie Clark's The Ghostwriter is a gripping, twist-filled thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The complex characters, particularly the compelling and morally grey characters, add depth to an already captivating plot. Clark masterfully weaves suspense, intrigue, and emotional tension, making this book impossible to put down. With unpredictable twists and an unforgettable conclusion, The Ghostwriter is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers. Highly recommend!

I don't usually enjoy cold cases, but this one sucked me in. The movement between the past and present timelines throughout built up the suspense of figuring out what happened. While not completely new in storyline, it kept me engaged and i enjoyed it thoroughly.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I really enjoyed The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark. The story follows Olivia Dumont, a ghostwriter grappling with her identity as the daughter of famed horror author Vincent Taylor, who was infamously suspected of murdering his own siblings. Facing financial difficulties, Olivia reluctantly agrees to ghostwrite her estranged father’s final book, leading her to confront long-buried family secrets. The narrative kept me guessing throughout, and I definitely didn’t see the ending coming. Clark’s engaging writing and well-paced suspense made this book unputdownable. I’ll always be keen to read anything by this author.

Thanks to NetGalley for the early release copy in exchange for an honest review.

Olivia is the daughter of Vincent Taylor, renowned horror author. Growing up with Vincent as her father was never easy because in his youth, he’s been labeled the murderer of his brother and sister, although never charged, just convicted in the court of popular opinion. Estranged from her father for 20 years Olivia’s surprised to receive a request to ghostwrite his next novel, something she can’t refuse to do, although no one knows they’re related. He’s ready for the real story of their murders to come out.
Swept away by the first sentence this is a suspenseful ride.

The Ghostwriter is a fantastically twisty mystery! A heavy dose of dysfunctional family, long buried secrets, and a brutal murder kept me turning the pages and staying up past my bedtime to inhale this book. After falling on hard financial times, Olivia agrees to ghost write her famous father's final book, which is a tell all of what really happened the night his siblings were brutally murdered. She's not convinced her father's account of events is truthful, though, and sets out to find out what really happened 50 years ago.

Told in dual timelines through flashbacks, the book explores the fraught relationship between Olivia and her father and the long buried secrets that have plagued every moment of his life. The story is suspenseful and the emotional depth makes the characters come alive with a little something extra for a thriller. The pacing is good, although it lags slightly in the second half. The resolution is a slow burn and the path there is paved with red herrings that will have you reading just one more chapter.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with a digital copy of this book prior to its publication in exchange for my honest review.

Ghostwriter Olivia Dumont’s lack of recent work finds her writing her estranged father’s memoir. Her father Vincent Taylor was a bestselling horror writer with a suspicious past that he is finally ready to talk about but his failing memory complicates matters.

This mystery had me guessing throughout - I was sure I had figured it out only to question myself the next chapter. There was unreliable narration, dual timelines, found footage, and multiple POV to keep this story interesting.
4.5⭐️

This was my first time reading Julia Clark and I ate this book up. It first caught my attention because of the amazing cover. So shout out to the designer because it’s awesome. Anyways I was very intrigued by the story and it absolutely held up to my expectations! Olivia is just searching for answers about what happened to her family in 1975. 50 years after, the answers are finally spilled. I speculated the twists but I’m glad I didn’t say them out loud because I would have been wrong!!!

Definitely check this book out and see if you can figure out what happened to Danny & Poppy in 1975!!!


Thank you NetGalley & Julia for the early copy of this book!

*The Ghostwriter* by Julie Clark tells the story of Olivia Dumont, a ghostwriter facing financial problems, who is asked to write her estranged father Vincent Taylor’s memoir. Vincent, a horror novelist, survived the murder of his siblings 50 years ago and is now ready to share his side of the story. Although he’s been suspected of the murders, he’s never revealed the truth. Olivia sees this as a chance to uncover what really happened, but her father’s dementia makes things difficult as he often mistakes her for her mother.

The story starts off a bit slow, but it gets more interesting as Olivia’s relationship with her father grows. The flashbacks are helpful, and the ending is satisfying. I had some guesses about the mystery, but I wasn’t fully right, which I enjoyed. There are some uncomfortable parts involving animal abuse, so be aware of that. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and couldn’t put it down by the end.

This is my first time reading from this author and it won't be the last! I enjoyed the writing style and pacing of this story. I liked the family dynamics and twists. The only reason it gets a 3 instead of 4☆ is because I was left a bit unsatisfied at the ending.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

Holy bananas did this one keep me on my toes! If you like unreliable narrators, then this one is for you!

Olivia is a ghostwriter and is tasked with helping her estranged father in writing his memoir. A book that will finally reveal the full tragedy of the murders of Vincent’s siblings. Everyone assumes Vincent is guilty even though he had an alibi…

I loved all the different ways we obtained information as Olivia started digging into the past to figure out the truth. Different POVs from the siblings in the past, diary entires, movie reel clips, Vincent’s creepy notes…BUT WHAT WAS THE TRUTH?!!

I had several theories while reading, and I kept changing my mind and second guessing myself due to the excellent writing. I was never really sure until it was being revealed to us…and the execution was flawless. My mind was reeling when I finished the book! Andrea and I were both pretty shocked at the end! I highly recommend!

3.75 stars rounded to 4

Ghostwriter Olivia Dumont has tried to hide the fact that she is the daughter of famous author Vincent Taylor. Back in 1975, Vince became the prime suspect in the violent murders of his brother and sister. Trying to raise Olivia on his own became difficult, and he shipped her off to an international boarding school, leading to their lifelong estranged relationship.

Now, her father is sick and writing his memoir. Faced with few other options, Olivia has agreed to be the ghostwriter for the book. Back in her hometown, she is trying to figure out who is actually telling the truth about what happened that fateful day.

I enjoyed this. It kept me interested and I finished it quickly. The chapters switch between Olivia's current POV and the different siblings in 1975. It's hard to tell where things will go and if her dad is actually telling the truth, which made me want to know more. I would definitely read another book by Julie Clark again.

Recommended for those who love alternating POVs/timelines, mysteries, and family drama.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.