The Ghostwriter

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!

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.

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.

A perrrfectly structured thriller. The author set the conflict quickly and efficiently and kept the dastardly secret (the heart of the story) dangling in front of my nose throughout the book making this a true page turner. The chapters are short as they should be in a thriller structure (verses a mystery construct). The story is kept to three (4) points of view which helps with the Fictive Dream. The story is about two bestselling authors who dislike one another but come together to write an important story, (This might be why I enjoyed it more than other readers). What I found missing was the romantic component which would have greatly enhanced the overall depth of the story. Romance was impossible with the author’s choice of motivation to establish a “ticking clock,” on the story. The protagonist is a well-drawn female character who is both vile and loved at the same time something very difficult to accomplish. Bravo. Since the dastardly deed is kept from us throughout the duration of the story it had to pay off in the end. And it did. I was very satisfied. (Although, the physical way it occurred I couldn’t rectify in my mind but that didn’t matter. Also, that the police would have had to figure it out—a tad bit of suspension of disbelief needed here) I was also surprised this book was self-published, the quality of the writing should’ve easily propelled into one of the big five publishing houses. This book accomplished what all great books strife to do, take the readers emotions on a roller coaster. The letters at the end were particularly emotional and some of the most genuine writing in the book. The letters reminded me of The Lonely Silver Rain by John D. MacDonald. Loved, loved this book and highly recommend it. David Putnam the author of The Bruno Johnson Series.

I just finished this book. I give it a 5...hands down! I was going to write a synopsis of this book, but instead I've decided to put my thoughts and feelings in letter form instead. Read this book and you'll understand why. Helena, I'm sorry you lost your husband and daughter 4 yrs ago. I've lost people in my life too and I know how difficult that can be. Yes, it was your fault...and yet an accident too. God will forgive you. The guilt you felt for 4 yrs have now been lifted from you...go meet up with Bethany now and be the fit Mom you always wanted to be for her. She's waiting for you...with smiles and open arms. I'm sorry you got Cancer...told that you would only have 3-4 months left to live must've scared you and maybe even gave you a sense of peace. I hope those last months of your life gave you the contentment and closure you had been looking for...for all your life really. I pray that you are now in a good and peaceful place. You were able finish your final book with so much help from the Ghostwriter that you and only you picked out. The Ghostwriter turned out to be a bit of a surprise though hey? lol Your story ~ the last story that you felt needed to be told ~ about your married life with Simon and your Daughter Bethany had many happy moments and some not so happy. Simon of course, turned out to be the biggest surprise to us all. I'm sorry about that too. But I have to admit Helena, for a long time I didn't like you. You were so brash with people...you and all your lists or rules you wanted people to follow just so your life could go on like YOU wanted and needed it to go. Was all that really necessary? But now that I know what I know....maybe it was necessary...so that you could keep what you knew to the farthest corner of your mind. And of course, the Ghostwriter helped you so much with that and so much more in those last days too... In the end, you made me cry Helena. Through my tears I now understand that feeling of guilt that you had dumped on your shoulders. Now I understand why you did what you did... But like I said earlier...God will forgive you. You did it out of love for Bethany really...I get it. Btw...Bethany forgives you too. Behind that brash persona that you presented to people, you did have deep feelings underneath all that didn't you? I just wish I would've realized that sooner. Maybe I would've liked you through most of your book rather than toward the end. But don't worry...in the end, you got the final Word and on your terms to boot. Sincerely, A Satisfied Reader

My first thoughts after finishing The Ghostwriter was I really liked this book. It is almost surprising how much I liked this book. It’s not a romance though it is about a romance author. I don’t know if I would call it a suspense thriller either though it has thrilling aspects. I think I would actually say this story is about atonement. It is a story about love. It is a story about hate. But most of all, what make this story so interesting, it is a story about real people and all that entails. Because, people are ugly and beautiful all at the same time. I would definitely classify Helena as the anti-hero. She does not sugar coat who she is. She is judgmental, tyrannical, and I might even go as far as saying she is sexist. She likes things her way. She has reasons for it but she does not trust or even like men. She is also grieving. She is also dying. She is also in her way trying to do the right thing in her last days on earth. At first I didn’t really like her. I was sad she was dying but Helena is such a hard character to like. But, I was curious so very curious about what she did that was so wrong. I devoured the pages of this book. I stayed up all night because I just couldn’t put it down. I just had to find out what terrible thing could have happened that would make Helena do what she did and become the person she is at the beginning of this story. This story is a story of boy meets girl. They fall in love, have a baby and are supposed to live happily ever after, right. Wrong. Because, Helena lets you as the reader know right up front in the first couple of chapters this not a romance because there is no happily ever after. Instead this story of a woman atoning for her sins. I had to know what those sins where. After finishing this book, I am still not sure if I like Helena but I can say one she did end up making feel. Why? Because, Helena is what we humans all are and that is flawed individuals. Humans are not perfect. Humans make mistakes. Sometimes, humans are at the end of the day selfish. Humans do love and need companionship. Nobody should have to die alone. I definitely shed some tears for this tough as nails character that in the end really did feel like a real person to me. I can say this book is one those stories that will stick with me. I highly enjoyed reading it!

This was my first Alessandra Torre novel and it wasn't really what I expected going into it. I had a love/hate relationship with the main character Helena Ross. She was harsh, narcissistic and cruel. Her inner thoughts made me cringe often. Yet, I also felt for what she went through at the end when all was revealed. As a mom, I can not imagine having to live with what happened to her. It just wasn't enough to really make me like her. As she made changes for the better towards those around her - it was minimal and just left me wondering why they put up with her. I think the fact that I didn't care for Helena really affected my overall enjoyment of the book. When you aren't invested in the characters - the feelings just aren't there. I read some reviews where readers mentioned crying at the big reveal. I just didn't have any emotion that came close to that. Yes, it was sad and I felt bad but honestly it didn't bring me close to shedding a tear. The second issue I had was that the book (especially the middle) really dragged for me. For a book that's billed as suspense I simply didn't find it very suspenseful. Maybe my expectations were too high? It lacked any real intensity for me. I feel like there was very little plot. 3/4 of the book was told in bits and pieces of shared memories told through Helena writing with her ghost writer. Even when she tried to paint a picture of their initial happiness and love it was hard for me to believe because her inner dialogue was always so negative and superior. I feel like more time should have been spent on the big reveal and Helena's husband's secret. Honestly, that was the most interesting part of the book and it was over before it was really explored. What made me rate the book 3 stars (& not lower which I thought about) was 2 fold. I ultimately did enjoy Mark, the ghost writer. He was a very likable character and kept me reading. He balanced out some of my irritation with Helena while reading, thankfully. Secondly, I honestly did think the overall idea of the book was interesting. I think it had promise. I just would have liked to see it executed differently. Maybe it has to do with the fact that this was Torre's first foray into suspense and a break away from her usual genre but I wasn't left very impressed with this one.

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.

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.