THE GHOSTWRITER (2025) - Review

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
On Sale: June 3, 2025

What first caught my eye was the book title. Then I wondered if ghostwriter was one word or two words, ghost writer. One word is the correct answer. A while later, I started thinking I had read something by Julie Clark before. I had and it was a book I really loved called "The Lies I Tell". You can read that review by clicking on the title.

FIRST LINE: "I know what your Dad did."

THE STORY: What would you do if your brother and sister were killed in your own home? It's June 1975 and surviving brother Vincent, always suspected of the crime, has become a famous author writing best-selling horror stories. 

On the other hand, Olivia Dumont has spent her life hiding the fact that she is the only child of the infamous Vincent Taylor. When she is suddenly offered the chance to ghost write her father's last book, she reluctantly accepts, needing the money. But it's not a horror novel he wants her to write. After 50 years of silence, Vincent Taylor is ready to talk about what really happened that night in 1975. 

WHAT I THOUGHT: "The Ghostwriter" was just the psychological puzzle with aspects of genealogy and family history that make me a happy reader. The story is told from Olivia's point of view in present day while interspersed with historical chapters from Vincent and his sister, Poppy. I occasionally found it confusing trying to keep the parents and the children separate, but the writing is smooth and the plotting good enough to keep a reader up past their bedtime. Even though there's violence in this family  that's a bit unsettling, I'll still be watching for New York Times bestselling author Julie Clark's next book. 

BOTTOM LINE: RECOMMENDED for mystery/thriller readers. Also available on Audible, Inc.

DISCLAIMER: A copy of "The Ghostwriter" was provided to me by SOURCEBOOKS Landmark/NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Two Spaces After

I had heard that this rule had changed but didn't know why until I just read about it in the March 2013 Sisters in Crime Newsletter.

Here's the reason. Computers have built in proportional spacing allowing a single space after punctuation. Your work will look better if you follow this guideline.

WRITERS’ CONFERENCES & WORKSHOPS and BOOK FESTIVALS, 2013

Thinking about attending a conference or workshop on writing? Jodie Renner, freelance editor and craft writer has published a list on the Crime Fiction Collective's page. Here's how she describes his list:

I've updated my list of writers' conferences, workshops for writers, conventions for writers and  readers, and book festivals for 2013. I'm still waiting to hear from several groups who've held conferences in the past, so I can list their dates for 2013.

Personally I'm considering attending Malice Domestic May 3-5, 2013. Malice Domestic is the annual traditional mystery fan convention in Bethesda, MD.

2012 Winners - The Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest

Thirty years ago the English Department at San Jose State University started a little contest where people could compose an opening sentence (often quite long and involved but not always) for "the worst of all possible novels."

There are winners in many categories including your favorite genre. Check out this years' winners of the the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest by clicking HERE. (Warning: This site is addictive!)

The Writing Diet: Write Yourself Right-Size by Julia Cameron
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've been thinking about loosing weight for years with the results you would expect. None.

For some reason, Julia Cameron's book and her emphasis on writing resonated with me and I have lost over twenty pounds since last fall. But the most extraordinary thing is that I have become more creative. And I use the book as a reminder reading it over and over again to keep moving forward.

The premise of The Writing Diet stems from the author observing that people in her classes on creative unblocking seemed to lose weight as they became more in touch with themselves through writing morning pages and other exercises.

This book isn't the universal answer those of us who are overweight are seeking; but if you are curious like I was, why not give The Writing Diet a try?

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Advice to Writers (And Readers)

"If you don't have the time to read, you don't have the time or the tools to write."

~ Stephen King, Best Selling Author

Blurb Rules: A guide to the art and artifice of writing blurbs for books.

Thrilling, pertinent, and insightful comments on how to write book blurbs. Too bad I didn't know about these rules sooner. Thank you to the Barnes and Noble Review for Blurb Rules by Daniel Menaker.