Welcome to Litsy!

2.5⭐
• psychological thriller • mystery suspense • wanna be true crime • teeny, tiny splash of romance •
The first half reads like true crime non-fiction—more instructional than entertaining. It goes off on tangents about crime-solving techniques rather than solving the crime. Once it refocuses on the story, it improves, but only marginally. Although it wasn‘t for me, it might work for someone who is just dipping their toes into this genre.

This is my first read by Julie Clark, and I loved it. A ghostwriter is hired by her father to write about the killings of his siblings. Did he murder them? Twists and turns that make you second guess yourself.

4 Stars • The Ghostwriter is a total page-turner that dives into some seriously messed-up family drama. Olivia, a ghostwriter down on her luck, gets roped into writing her dad Vincent‘s memoir. He‘s a creepy horror author who might‘ve killed his siblings back in ‘75, and now he‘s ready to spill the beans. Flipping between now and the ‘70s, you get hit with shady narrators, dark secrets, and a wild ride through their toxic family vibes. ⬇️

3.75⭐
•I wanted to love this like I have previous works by this author, but unfortunately, I didn‘t. It had a hella slow-burn going on, and I found it difficult to stay in the story. In the end, I feel like I was missing something because of this. The writing was there, but the plot was definitely lacking something.
•The narration was good.

I loved this author's book THE LIES I TELL, and this one is even better. I devoured it.
This one had me guessing all the way through every time I thought I had it figured out something else happened and I WAS SO WRONG. I didn't know until the end. Or know as much as it allowed us to know.

Full review: https://lsmoore49.blogspot.com/2025/06/the-ghostwriter-by-julie-clark.html

@julieclarkauthor
@sourcebooks @bookmarked

Ghostwriter Olivia Dumont has spent her entire life trying to distance herself from her famous father who is suspected of killing his siblings. When she finds herself on the brink bankruptcy she is forced to accept an assignment to ghostwrite his last book. This was terrific. I was hooked from the beginning and it kept getting better. Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC.

What a book! You have an estranged daughter, a dad losing his mind to Lewy body dementia, and if that's not enough, a cold case! Clark writes in a way that drags you into the book right beside her characters.

#Bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

It was easy to get sucked right into this slow-burning mystery. While it was engaging, it didn‘t “wow” me - I liked “The Lies I Tell” by Julie Clark better. Still worth a read! 🎧

This book was incredible. Multiple POVs exploring how trauma can shape a family for generations to come. Loved the mystery aspects and it kept me guessing to the very end. #botm
Book 17 of 2025

I really enjoyed 'The Ghostwriter.' It has a captivating storyline. Olivia returns to her father's home of Ojai. Her career in tatters. This book might be what brings her back to her life, professionally and personally. All she has to do is write whether her father killed his sister and brother like many believe. The catch is he has Lewy Body Dementia, and fact and fiction are intertwined. 5 stars.