Thank you so much to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.

Expected publication date: June 3, 2025.

This is the third book I've read by Julie Clark, and she hasn't let me down yet! She always knows how to hook me in the beginning and then keep me engrossed until the end. If I had started this on a Saturday morning instead of a Monday night, then I probably would have read this in one sitting.

This book is about Olivia, who is a Ghostwriter. She is the daughter of a legendary horror author, who also happens to be suspected of murdering his brother and sister almost 50 year ago. She is estranged from him and has spent her professional life hiding her relation to him, but due to her stalled career, she accepts an offer from him that she can't refuse. His health is failing (along with his memory), so he hires her to ghostwrite his final book: a memoir about the murders. As she works with him to finally tell his side of the story, she has to determine if what he's telling her - whether a result of his failing mental health or due to him intentionally deceiving her - is actually true.

This one had me guessing the whole way through, and I enjoyed every minute of it! 4.5 stars rounded up!

Julie Clark can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned. I was completely hooked by this thriller from page one and I could not put it down until I knew what was going on. My favorite part of Julie's books is that she takes the tradtional thriller formula and then seemlessly weaves in deeper themes. In this book, Julie portrayed the dynamic of a complicated father-daughter relationship so well. Her writing is also so descriptive to me that it feels like a movie playing out in my mind. I loved every second of this and cannot wait to recommend it to people.

The best Julie Clark book yet! I flew through this book, and it definitely kept me guessing! I appreciated the true crime nature of the plot, and found the entire premise to be engaging and fresh. Perfect summer thriller beach read!

A masterful novel of suspense full of emotional depth.

After a faux pas that threatened her entire career and is about to ruin her financially, ghostwriter Olivia Dumont is desperate for work - even when it comes in the form of her father, prolific horror author Vincent Taylor, the relation to whom she has kept a secret her entire life. After reluctantly agreeing to help her ailing father write his latest book, Olivia soon realizes the project she signed up for is not another horror novel. Her father - accused of murdering his own older brother and younger sister fifty years ago, in the summer of 1975, a crime which is still unsolved - is planning on publishing all tell-all memoir about the murders.

"The Ghostwriter" alternates between Olivia's point of view in the present-day timeline and flashbacks to 1975, which are told both from Vincent's and from his sister Poppy's perspective. While Olivia, distrustful of her father's recollections, starts her own investigation into the dark secrets at the heart of her family, the events simultaneously unfold int 1975's timeline, often offering a different take on Olivia's discoveries and interpretations. What really happened that summer - and who murdered Danny and Poppy - is a mystery that is unraveled masterfully and slowly until the novel's heartbreaking conclusion.

Admittedly, the story of how Olivia comes to work with Vincent in the first place felt inorganic (she does, in effect, exactly what she accused another writer of doing - to the detriment of her career - and even acknowledges this hypocrisy). However, once father and daughter start working together, the novel is nearly flawless in its execution. What makes "The Ghostwriter" stand out is not only its excellent writing and its complex and multi-layered storyline, maneuvered with expertise by the author, but also its characters, most of all Poppy, for whom the reader cannot help but desperately want another fate, despite knowing all along how her story will end.

"When Poppy was born, she was beauty and grace and light. And she continues to be that, all her beautiful days."

"The Ghostwriter" is a suspenseful and heartbreaking mystery full of emotional depth.

TW: murder, domestic abuse, parental neglect, grooming, rape, abortion.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"The Ghostwriter" is slated to be released on June 3, 2025.

this was a really good book! It did remind me a bit of "First Lie Wins" in a good way!! I think it was an interesting concept and the themes of family, past trauma and guild all played well together in this book. I was a fan!!

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

I'm a big fan of Julie Clark's books, but this one was different from her others. It's not a psychological thriller but more of a mystery. I read it quickly and was very engaged in the mystery and finding out what happened. I did guess one of the twists but there were still enough surprises for the ending to be satisfying. Clark is a must read for me!

This book is a masterfully crafted thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The suspense and pacing were impeccable, making it nearly impossible to put down. I loved Olivia, who is dragged into her father’s enigmatic world. Her journey from hiding her true identity to facing her family's demons is both harrowing and compelling. The plot twists were unexpected and thrilling. Just when you think you have it all figured out, the author throws in another curveball that will leave you reeling. The revelation of what truly happened that fateful night in 1975 is both shocking and satisfying, tying together every loose end with expert precision. The author’s ability to weave such a gripping narrative, filled with deep character development and a richly atmospheric setting, is truly commendable.

If you enjoy a suspenseful, well-paced thriller that keeps you guessing until the very end, "The Ghostwriter" is an absolute must-read.

So I wanted to love this book and give it a 5 star but the pacing was just a bit slow for me. I was expecting im not sure maybe just a few twists earlier to keep attention but its fine. I did love the development and "the answers" explained everything for me

I’ve been a fan of Julie Clark since The Last Flight.

The Ghostwriter is an amazing, tragic story, a story I thought I could predict the outcome of while I was reading it only to find that I hadn’t predicted any of the twists and turns the author created.

I’ve never been a fan of multiple points of view, but Ms. Clark does an amazing job: it’s easy to follow many different points of view, all taking place at different times in history. I was a young teen during the mid 70s and I can remember and recognize the feeling of 1975.

This is one of those stories where you think you know what’s going to happen, you think you know who did what, but I can almost promise you you’ll be wrong. The plot, although easy to follow, was so complex and so full of misdirection and hints, it was like participating in one of the scavenger hunts that played a part in the storyline.

Thanks to Sourcebooks/Landmark for the E-ARC. All opinions are my own. #HighlyRecommend.

This is an early contender for my favorite book of 2025. The Ghostwriter is incredibly well written and has everything I could ask for in a thriller. Each character is carefully crafted and beautifully developed through the entire story. I loved the way Julie Clark showed us both modern day along with flashbacks of what lead up to her aunt and uncles tragic death. This is an excellent thriller that really shows the complexities of family dynamics in an almost beautiful way. The twist was really interesting and I never guessed it which is always a great thing to me, as I love to be shocked.

This page-turner throws the reader into a unique plot construction: a woman, whose professional life has been shattered due to speaking out against a powerful, yet ethically questionable colleague, reluctantly returns home to ghostwrite a final book for her father--who just happens to be a bestselling horror writer. And who also happens to have been present during the terrible double murder of his siblings when he was a teenager. Oh, and who might have been the murderer himself, as the world has speculated about for 50 years. You're hooked, right?

We spend the narrative following Olivia as she tries to figure out what really happened all those years ago--because that's what the book her father wants to write is about. But can she trust him? And can he trust himself? The reason he can't write the book himself is because he has been diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia, which is destroying his physical and mental health.

All in all, a wonderfully submersive tale that keeps you on your toes trying to find the truth. You might suspect the resolution a bit early, but because the journey is interesting, it won't matter one bit.

This was only my first time reading a book by this author, and I'm still undecided if I really liked it or not.
I certainly enjoyed the setting, the ambiance and the initla mystery. The characters were alright, for my taste. So was the writing.
A little too slow but the conclusion was decent, I'd say.
I might try other books by this author in the future, take a look at her backlist.
Thank you, NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark, for providing me with a free eARC of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.

Another great by Julie Clark! There is nothing that truly sets the stage like a 17year old who is accused of killing his siblings and in his later years wanting to write a tell all book! Talk about riveting and jaw dropping!

Vincent Taylor a writer himself shooting to the top as a horror writer himself has gone into hiding from illness and calls on his daughter for a favor.

His daughter Olivia the only living child, who is a ghost writer on the verge of a financial crisis gets an offer to write a tell all book about her father’s sordid past!

Whew

Just when you think the crazy has hit you. This book really revs up!

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this Arc. I will continue to be amazed by Julie Clark’s crazy tales!

~Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS landmark publishing for giving me the opportunity to read & review this book.~

First off, I loved the writing style of this book. The author did a wonderful job, and made it easy to visualize the scenes that played out. There was never a dull moment in this book. There were lots of details but nothing overpowering. All the characters were extremely like-able. I also enjoyed how the past & present were both involved so we could see multiple POVs. The plot twist towards the end was quite shocking but I really enjoyed the whole story. 5/5 stars for sure.

This was a very suspenseful book! I enjoyed it very much as it had a fascinating and gripping plot. Twists and turns kept me reading late into the night!

I was excited to see a new book from Julie Clark and Ghostwriter did not disappoint! I loved the setting and multiple POVs. Normally I shy away from unreliable narrators but the medical angle made the story more compelling.

I LOVED this book!! The writing style and fast-moving plot kept me at the edge of my seat. Hired to ghostwrite her infamous father;s memoir leads, Olivia returns home after a long absence to find her father very ill and failing mentally. She sets out to find the truth about who killed her aunt and uncle when her father was in his teens. The killer had never been found and her father has lived under the shadow of suspicion his whole life. The lies and secrecy had driven both her mother and Olivia from the small town, but now she is back and feels the truth will help heal her and father and even her faltering career. Who else could be responsible for the gruesome murders of two teenagers? Some say a drifter, but most feel the answer lies closer to home. Olivia starts to piece together the mystery with clues from her father's confused recollections and a search of the house where the murders occurred leads to a startling piece of information on the journey to find a killer.

Thank you so much to Julie Clark, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, and NetGalley for this ARC of The Ghostwriter. When I saw this book I immediately added it to my TBR because I loved The Last Flight so much!

If you like a dysfunctional family, this book is for you! This book is so much more than a surface-level thriller. It explores some real family dynamics like the father-daughter relationship. This book is very emotional and thought-provoking. There are so many twists and turns in this book and, surprisingly, these were hard to predict! This book kept me on the edge of my seat and really had me rooting for Olivia to face all that she needs and to uncover the truths that she has been searching for. This book will be a must read of 2025! 5/5 stars!

What a ride! I read this book in one sitting, could not put it down. The story dives into the current issue of a daughter ghostwriting for her estranged father. Then delves into the past which is a murder in her family from 50 years ago. This book kept my attention right from the start.

You are kept guessing who the murder could be as you gain more information little by little. In the current timeline, the dad gives his side of the story, the information he thinks needs to be shared. There are also flashback memories from the deceased that give hints as well.
Excellent mystery that keeps you turning the page and changing your guess of who did it.

What a stellar read! I was hooked from page 1! This is such an engrossing story. There’s many layers that are slowly peeled back. This 50 year old mystery had me at the edge of my seat. I literally turned the pages so quick because I was so captivated and needed to know WHAT HAPPENED. I got more than I bargained for. I didn’t anticipate the turn of events.

I loved following along our main character as she suspects her father and struggles with her own demons. All throughout your left with questions about what happened that fateful night where two teens were murdered. I think toward the end I had my suspicions but the full scope was surprising. I really loved how this played out.