Erin's Reviews > The Ghostwriter
The Ghostwriter
by
by
ARC for review. To be published June 3, 2025.
2 stars.
On June 13, 1975 young siblings Danny and Poppy Taylor are murdered at their home in Ojai, California. Their brother, Vincent, is rumored to be the killer but there is never any clear evidence. However, the suspicions remain even as he becomes an adult then a best selling horror writer.
Vincent has a daughter, Olivia. Her mother leaves her and Vincent when she is young and he sends her overseas to boarding school at 14. They become estranged.
Olivia is now 44 and a ghostwriter. She has recently been cancelled for her part in a feud with another writer, has a large financial judgment against her and is desperate for a job and money. Her agent approaches her with the offer to ghostwriter Vincent’s new book (shocking, I know), but this one isn’t a horror novel, but, rather, what he claims is the true story of the murders in 1975.
The story is told by present day Olivia and 1975 Poppy (sweet, teenage Poppy, bravely headed off to ERA rallies. I loved her.). I found myself drifting a lot while reading this and not much interested in the mystery. And the complete, unquestioned absence of Olivia’s mother in her life just seems odd to me. I did not love it.
2 stars.
On June 13, 1975 young siblings Danny and Poppy Taylor are murdered at their home in Ojai, California. Their brother, Vincent, is rumored to be the killer but there is never any clear evidence. However, the suspicions remain even as he becomes an adult then a best selling horror writer.
Vincent has a daughter, Olivia. Her mother leaves her and Vincent when she is young and he sends her overseas to boarding school at 14. They become estranged.
Olivia is now 44 and a ghostwriter. She has recently been cancelled for her part in a feud with another writer, has a large financial judgment against her and is desperate for a job and money. Her agent approaches her with the offer to ghostwriter Vincent’s new book (shocking, I know), but this one isn’t a horror novel, but, rather, what he claims is the true story of the murders in 1975.
The story is told by present day Olivia and 1975 Poppy (sweet, teenage Poppy, bravely headed off to ERA rallies. I loved her.). I found myself drifting a lot while reading this and not much interested in the mystery. And the complete, unquestioned absence of Olivia’s mother in her life just seems odd to me. I did not love it.
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Reading Progress
November 27, 2024
–
Started Reading
November 27, 2024
– Shelved as:
arc-review
November 27, 2024
– Shelved
November 30, 2024
–
Finished Reading