The Ghostwriter

From tragedy unexpected story of an unlikely friendship. Great characters, kept me interested from the very beginning of the book.

When I first heard about THE GHOSTWRITER by Alessandra Torre, I was ecstatic to get to read this book. Why? For one simple reason. The book is not a romance nor does to have an erotic element to it. I wanted to see what one of my favorite authors could do without the "sexy times". Even though I love her fun romantic comedies and the dark romances she has given her readers in the past, there is something so great about seeing an author push themselves to create a different type of story. I will say this. For a mystery or suspense novel, I think that the ending was great. It gave a reveal that I was craving for the entire book. The mystery of who her husband was comes out and the reader finally gets the whole story that dangled just out of reach for most of the book. However, while I was reading the bulk of the book I wanted more. I would have loved to get more of the dark and twisty that I was hoping for when I first started this book. Maybe this is because I have been reading more gritty suspense novels lately and I am more tuned into this, but I did feel like there were some missed opportunities to tease and possible misdirect the reader. Now, with all that said, I still really enjoyed book. Torre's characters are amazingly well-developed and I craved more time with them. The relationships forged and expanded on, pulled me in just as much as the real, gritty, and intense emotions that filled the page. The story on its own is solid and I would be remiss if I didn't mention the level of craft that the author brings to this story. Torre proved that she can push the boundaries of her writing. This is another must read from the author. PS. The paperback book is classified as supernatural/ghosts, so if you are buying the book for that, don't. There is definitely a mystery and psychological element to the book, but this book is real and grounded in honest emotion.

One might think while reading this story that the author had something to reveal about herself. After all, the book is about a writer … a very gifted and accomplished writer. The entire time I was absorbing this story, I secretly wondered if the author was revealing something very personal about herself. Characters are not necessarily created. I’m of the idea that they are extracted. Each character that the writer/author creates is an extraction of what is within that is brought to the light and given life and the opportunity of the fullest expression. Some people have personality disorders (if it’s fair to even label it that way), where there are multiple personalities within and in any given moment, they can surface and play their part or act out what they are dying to express. They demand a presence and they will surface when they are needed for the individual to process a space in their life. Perhaps characters in a story are demanding the same opportunity to express and share what they have never been given permission to do before. I deeply admire the writer who is fearless enough to bring their characters to the surface and give them life, expression and to tell their story. I know this is a little philosophical, and yet as a writer myself, writing is the purest form of expression I know. Some paint, some play music and sing and some … write. I absolutely adored this book. I saw myself clearly in the lead character Helena, the part of myself that I wish to hide from my world; the one who has a set of rules to keep herself safe and the one who is too afraid of acknowledging her own fears and expressing them because she just may break apart if they are acknowledged and brought out of hiding. Helena did that for me. Helena made signs with a list of rules for onlookers to follow. I make internal folders. Nobody can see them but me and if the truth be known, I’m not always aware the rules are there. They silently get checked off every time I feel uncomfortable but they never blatantly shout, “Rule #1 – Don’t expect anything from me!” Helena showed me that they are there and now I find myself recognizing them. They are coming to the light. Perhaps this book was a touch of therapy for me … maybe all books are in a way. This book was brilliantly written. The characters were pure and believable. I sat in the room with them, rode in the car with them, spent time outdoors with them and sat in with their conversations taking in every detail and giving it permission to nourish me. Every time I put the book down to resume my life, I felt a lift and a charge. I felt creative and nourished and looked forward to my next moment where I could pick the book back up and carry on. I’m not sure I wanted this story to end and yet, it was the ending that gave me peace, closure, satisfaction and a deep sense of awe at the author’s ability to draw me in and suspend time. I’ve read the reviews that the book got off to a slow start. Perhaps that was a negative or a strike against the story and yet, I found the slow pace comfortable and soothing. Pieces of the puzzle were being laid down with every page and I enjoyed piecing them together. A satisfying book doesn’t always have to clip at a fast pace in order to be gratifying. Things don’t have to happen quickly to keep the reader entertained. Sometimes, the gentle current of a lazy stream, is enough to bring the reader to a place of solace, peace and entertainment. Don’t worry, the author will keep you moving along. There is no dead space in this story. Every page offers up bits and pieces to keep you moving along … kind of like bread crumbs. They nourish the reader a little piece at a time and keep the seeker moving in the direction of the story. How delicious! As the story begins to wrap up, I invite the reader to grab their seat belt, strap themselves in and grab a box of tissues. The ending is so, darn epic, delicious and satisfying! I promise, you won’t see it coming and when it finally arrives, if you’re like me, you may want to clear your calendar for the day so you can finish it up because if you put the book down, it will call to you in your sleep, in the hours of the day when you find yourself wanting something juicy to chew on. Read this book and then go tell all your friends about it. It’s that good!

A great read that totally sucks you in! I did not see the ending coming, and was on the edge of my seat.

This is a heavy, heavy book. It has a lot of weight and sadness and anger and vengeance and remorse and conflict... and forgiveness. This was so beautifully written. Heartbreakingly honest and brutally transparent. When we are first introduced to Helena, we see a successful, controlling, assertive woman who is used to getting what she wants and who does not hesitate to keep every ounce of human interaction at arms length. She is purposefully cruel enough that people don’t want to get to know or spend time with her. Helena is such a dynamic, complicated, complex and sincerely brave character. She is smart; alarmingly so. She has a razor sharp wit that will cut you to the core and an ability to make even the slightest comments hurt. She is fiercely protective, loyal and scared. The transformation her character takes across these pages is so incredible. She takes herself from victim to hero, she takes the power back for those who didn’t get the opportunity. She is an advocate, a force to be reckoned with. Mark was such a necessary and appropriate character, and he was just what Helena needed in her final novel. Their unconventional friendship starts out as competing authors and ends with the two of them having such a powerful understanding of each other’s pain. The support they give to each other, and the amount of weight they remove from each other is tragically beautiful. The last few chapters of Helena (and Mark’s) final novel contain a massive revelation and a twist that I did not see coming... and that nothing could have prepared me for. The last several chapters of this book will make you angry, sad, and they will make you cry. Helena is humanized to us in the final pages of this book... which is something you will find yourself yearning for throughout majority of this novel... but when it finally happens, when we finally get Helena to take down her walls... your heart will break. Again, and again, and again. Beautifully written, dynamically put together, and a truly wonderful story. Alessandra Torre writes about very heavy and hard topics with such a delicate touch, but she gives the respect to those who deserve it. I absolutely recommend this book. This is my first Alessandra Torre novel, and I can assure you that it will not be my last. This book came to me via a recommendation from Tarryn Fisher through her Instagram stories, and I am so glad I chose to read this novel. These words, this journey, the ups and downs, the twists and turns... the emotions creates are truly wonderful.

I found this novel to be lacking and a disappointment considering the hype within its reviews. There was nothing spectacular about 'The Ghostwriter'. The narration was rather dull and dreary with a pessimism and cynicism detracting from what I assumed should have been dry humor. Torre did well with her range of characterization, the main character being easily dislikeable with and without good reason, but highly undeserving of sympathy, despite her one measly act of heroism toward the end. Many could argue she got what she deserved. The two major plot twists carried the heavy weight of this novel, making it worth completing. Also, the only portion of this book easy to speed through is the last 75%. If a fraction of a book is entertaining, then it's a good *portion*, not a good *book*. The title itself is a bit misleading, for no purpose that I could understand. The book has little to do with the Ghostwriter themself. Furthermore, the subject matter that the Ghostwriter is supposed to cover is repeatedly dangled in front of the reader, supposedly to create mystery or suspense (?), but dragged on and on and on and on so painfully that it subtracted impact from revelation and climax. Helena's journey during her last few days had moments that were heartwarming, with little life lessons everyone can carry away with them. The book also has a (fairly predictably) happy ending. Ultimately, 'The Ghostwriter' was good in its themes, characterization, climax and ending. But I found it to be neither spectacular nor memorable enough for a high rating.

I guess I needed a good cry because wow. The Ghostwriter is nothing you would ever expect from Alessandra Torre. It's not a romance. It's full of despair, regret, and grief. It's got one heck of a twist. The Ghostwriter is good. It tackles emotional albeit uncomfortable topics related to grief, life, death, dying, secrets, marriage, parenting, authorship, mental health, and criminal behavior. Despite the reader's comfort level, these are important topics, even the authorship element. I guarantee you’ll have a new appreciation for all the writers out there that break off a piece of their soul for our entertainment. The majority of this book is the story of an unlikely companionship with frequent (and annoying IMO) reminders that the meat of this story is being intentionally withheld. This is the suspense element. But when Alessandra Torre gives up the goods starting at the 78% mark... yeah. It made me forget my near eye rolls at the dangling carrots intended to keep me reading. Everything in my life was on pause until I finished this book and then I was blubbering mess. I've enjoyed many of Alessandra's books but none of them come close to this level of storytelling. Check out The Ghostwriter. It doesn't matter if you've ever read Alessandra Torre before or not because it'll be a new experience regardless. I can't wait to see what she writes next!

If I could give this book ten stars, I would. It is truly a MATERPIECE and the best book I have read all year. This suspenseful tale is gripping, compelling, heartfelt, and so very painful. The character development, per usual for this author, is absolute perfection. The writing is poetic and seamless, and you quickly find yourself engulfed in the story, unable to stop yourself from turning page after page no matter what the time of day. The underlying bond of friendship between an extremely sick woman, desperate to tell her secret through an unlikely adversary was warming to the soul. The emotional roller coaster that this story's twists and turns force upon the reader, while difficult at times, was just awesome. Even if you have never been a parent before, the visceral pain that you felt for Helena and the loss of her child was palpable and raw. The way in which she is lost will sicken you but you'll also feel an enormous amount of empathy. I don't want to say any more and risk spoiling this amazing novel. Just trust that you will not be wasting time getting this book. $4 is a steal, well worth the experience. Because this read is an experience. It is time well spent, and phenomenally written. You can't possibly be disappointed. You will be thrown around, ripped from your comfort zone, and your jaw is sure to drop. You may even shed a few tears. But then, you will be healed. Redemption will be had and you will walk away feeling improved and whole again. I already want to re-read it. Bravo, Alessandra Torre. You are truly a gifted, talented writer and I can't wait for every single future work of art that you give us.

Um livro que você ri, chora, odeia e ama! Foi uma leitura diferente, ao mesmo tempo que você está lendo os dias atuais você está lendo memórias que fazem parte do livro que ela está escrevendo em parceria com o sua maior inimiga! Simplesmente perfeito!

This book wrecked me. It's devastating, heart-wrenching. Simple, I just finished, sobbing over a book like a crazy woman. The Ghost Writer is not your typical mystery/thriller book. It is so much more than that. It will take you on a journey of loss, guilt, and acceptance. Amd beyond that, friendship. Love. I wouldn't wish upon my greatest enemy the life of Helena, the heroine. Anyhow, as strange as it may sound, I contacted with Helena.in a way I rarely did in my reader life. I felt I was there with her, and Mark, and was holding her hand (she would have hated that, by the way). The emotions and feelings I got out of this story are vivid and visceral. I think each woman will be as deeply moved as I am right now. It's not easy, bit it's worth it. And right now I just want to hug my kids and tell them how proud I am of them and how strongly and I love them. The end.

It gave me a completely different perspective as a reader, it’s a tough book to read but in it’s way therapeutic

I have never read a book like this and rarely write a review. Alessandra's writing is incredible. Her imagination is not on the same level as any other author I have read. Her plots are completely out of the box and leave me astonished and marvelling at her mind. This book is very different, at the beginning I didn't like Helen but the more I read, I understood her and by the end I wanted to scoop her in my arms and comfort her. I felt emotional, raw and grieving for her tragic and misunderstood life. Most of all I felt in awe of the writer. This is no common format psychological thriller.

From the very first two words of this novel, we know our main character is dying. Helena’s terminal diagnosis of cancer gives her three months to write a book unlike her usually best-selling romance fare. It is not enough time considering her normal writing pace, yet it must go to print. She needs to tell the truth, to tell her story. So, she employs a ghost writer, choosing an unlikely candidate—her nemesis. After exchanging barbs for seven years while vying for the top spot on every best-selling list, Helena decides Marka Vantley is the only author who could mirror her own style. But when they meet, Marka is not the woman Helena imagined and a most unexpected friendship blossoms. As the pair work together to document Helena’s memoir, a mystery unravels, revealing the truth of what happened to her absent husband and daughter. This book left me gutted in the best possible way. I love it when an author can reach deep inside my soul and tug on every heart string. While this story was not my typical pick—without a romance plot to be found anywhere amongst the pages—it still captured my sense of mystery while evoking a range of emotions. The banter between the characters is entertaining and the friendship that forms is truly inspiring. I highly recommend this book for one and all! Just keep the tissues handy.