The Writer

by Valerie Keogh

The BRAND NEW utterly heart-pounding thriller from NUMBER ONE BESTSELLING author of The Wives, Valerie Keogh 💥 Must-read for fans of Freida McFadden and Lisa Jewell! Cara Jenkins is a successful author about to embark on her thirtieth novel. But as she sits at her desk to write, she realizes that she has no ideas left. And as the pressure mounts for her to deliver, she begins to fear that her career is over.

Then the letters start.

At first, they seem harmless. But as the messages grow darker, Cara becomes convinced that someone is watching her, waiting for their moment to strike.

Her husband, Artie, dismisses the notes as stupid pranks, but Cara feels them pulling her back to a past she can't escape. With no easy answers, Cara does what she does best and begins to write. But the more words that come, the more fantasy and reality begin to blur and soon her imagination, and her accusations, begin to run wild.

With reality blurring into fiction, Cara struggles to see the truth. Is someone really watching her, or is her unravelling mind feeding her paranoia? And how will this story - her story – end?

This time her deadline has never felt more deadly….

Praise for Valerie

‘Keogh is the queen of compelling narratives and twisty plots’ Jenny O'Brien

'A wonderful book, I can’t rate this one highly enough. If only there were ten stars, it’s that good. Valerie Keogh is a master story-teller, and this is a masterful performance.' Bestselling author Anita Waller

'Keogh is no. 1 for a reason, and this is another perfect slice of domestic noir. A definite 5 stars.' Bestselling author, Keri Beevis

'I was blown away with this book!' ★★★★★ Reader Review

'I didn't see the twist coming at all!' ★★★★★ Reader Review

'A rollercoaster of a story!' ★★★★★ Reader Review

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Audiobook, Psychological Thriller, Fiction

298 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 15, 2025

About the author

Valerie started to write several years ago. She self-published eight crime novels and one psychological thriller before signing a two book contract with Bookouture in March 2018. The first of these, Secrets Between Us, is available now and the second is due in Feb 2019. She is a registered nurse with a degree in English and a Masters in American Literature. Recently she has given up nursing to concentrate on her writing career.

Reviews

[Tonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was addictive! I was immediately hooked! This is the rare type of thriller that brings on all the emotions from happiness to frustration. There were times I felt relief and others that made me anxious and concerned. I will always applaud a thriller that triggers the range of emotions this one delivered. The plot is fast-paced, original, and unpredictable. The final shocking twist I never saw coming. I have enjoyed all of Valerie Keogh’s books and highly recommend her latest mind-blowing creation. Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my ARC.

[Ceecee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rounded down

Him - his life has always been on the fringes, school days a misery and much of life’s many disappointments he blames on her – The Writer, Cara.

Her - she’s a successful author with 29 books published and a 30th due but she’s devoid of ideas. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

Him - it’s the 25th anniversary and so it’s time for justice. Wait for the destructive fireworks as it’s time to face the consequences.

Although it’s fair to say I enjoy much of this, equally I have some issues with it. First of all, the positives. It’s extremely easy to read, it’s one of those glide through reads which are perfect for holidays. I like the two points of view and there’s a growing sense of despair, frustration and menace which comes across well. Cara becomes increasingly suspicious at what unfolds a lot of her suspicions are irrational but understandable. I really like the premise as the author aims to explore the blurred lines between what is fiction and what is real with Cara being on uncertain ground. At times she’s full of paranoia and is certainly unravelling. However, by the same token she’s very gullible, she changes her thought processes as easily as flicking on a light switch and at times there’s as a lack of coherent thinking.

I think it’s pretty good up to around 8% and then for me it starts to go off a cliff. There are a couple of scenes that I think are totally unrealistic and yes, I know it’s fiction but it needs some grounding in reality. The reasons for everything seem very spurious to me and there’s a lot of unnecessary repetition especially from Him. I have grasped he blames her for it all!

There is a good final twist and the author does have a clever idea here but I’m not 100% convinced she pulls it off although I can say it’s enjoyable overall.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Boldwod Books for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

An intriguing book about an author ( Cara ) struggling to write her 30th book…..written by the author ( Valerie Keogh ) as she celebrates this being her 30th published book….

You can already see how intriguing comes into it

I am being ultra careful not to say much re the plot as its best to experience this story yourself but will say revenge for a perceived slight carried for 25 years has a long time to ferment and darken into something basically evil and belligerent

It is a rare look into a writers life, deadlines, publishing ‘folk’ and how it ‘all works’ as written by an author for a character and to say the whole things is fascinating seems not to convey just how clever and interesting the book/story is

Congrats to the author on such an achievement of 30 published books and also for writing this twisted twistiest of tales

Loved the acknowledgements 😊

[Zoe Anne M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.



I had a love-hate relationship with this book. The plot, for one, had an interesting concept. Here, readers could get hints of an unreliable narrator or be wrong as soon as the major curveball grabs them by the throat. I love how every time I came up with theories, almost instantly, the author would debunk them by laying the obvious out.



The problem, however, began when the writing didn't quite keep up with how a thriller is supposed to be written. There were dialogue lines that didn't reflect the urgency and tension the genre required. Still, I was surprised I lasted as long as I did, considering that none of the characters were endearing.



But what drove the knife in deeper was how amateurish the red herrings were structured. The thriller elements felt forced. Some dialogue scenes were even outrageously farcical. Despite its ending with so much potential, had its overall execution been guided by a dark, grim atmosphere and superb writing, the book would have been a blast. It was a struggle to finish. I badly wanted to euphemize my criticisms, but this book sits on a foundation with an interesting plot brewing, yet it never gains enough tension to launch—it just sits in the catapult, weighed down by poor execution.



Towards the end, there was a line that could have been misconstrued as breaking the fourth wall—one that addresses the guilt of how the readers see the ridiculous writing and unlikeable characters. If the farce was intentional, it still didn't make up for how dull and far-fetched the writing is, even within the realm of fiction.

[Bex E · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a Valerie Keogh book, and this one was no exception! A proper good, 'mess with your mind' psychological thriller. The characters were depicted so perfectly. I really liked the chapters dedicated to the background for 'him'. It was perfect to understand his motivation, thoughts and feelings. I think without this, the motive would have seemed a bit far fetched but you really got a really good understanding of the character and how he had got to where it was. Similarly, the evolution of Cara slowly going insane was portrayed really well, you could really see her brain working on overdrive and getting lost on fact and fiction.

There were so many twists and turns at the end it was like watching a tennis match! You didn't know who or what to believe! Highly recommend this one to all those psychological thriller fans out there, a great read!

[Michele Wacek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm always a sucker for unreliable narrators and stories where you really can't tell if the main character is going crazy or not. This one is like that on steroids, so if you like those stories, I would highly recommend checking this book out.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic psychological thriller by Valerie. Had me gripped. Loved the plot and the ending was unexpected.

[Shelby · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️

“Cara Jenkins is a successful author about to embark on her thirtieth novel. But she’s struggling with writer’s block. Then the letters start. At first, they seem harmless. But as the messages grow darker, Cara becomes convinced that someone is watching her, waiting for their moment to strike. Her husband, Artie, dismisses the notes as stupid pranks, but Cara feels them pulling her back to a past she can't escape. With no easy answers, Cara does what she does best and begins to write. But the more words that come, the more fantasy and reality begin to blur and soon her imagination, and her accusations, begin to run wild. With reality blurring into fiction, Cara struggles to see the truth. Is someone really watching her, or is her unravelling mind feeding her paranoia?”

I think this is the last Valerie Keogh book for me. The very first one I read was great but it just went downhill from there. I found a lot of moments in this book I had my eyebrow raised. And not in a good way. It just wasn’t doing it for me. I didn’t really like the characters, the plot twists weren’t as twisty, and the ending…what the heck was that ending?

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for a DRC. The Writer is available now.

[Diane Merritt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Valerie Keogh always knows how to tell a story. This book hot a little repetitive in some parts for me. But other than that was a perfect rainy day read. Characters spot on in real and fiction..I loved the ending but mo spoilers.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an early release of this book

[Lyndsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

so what was that??!!

This book went from being a slow burner to being a fast paced, very cleverly written twisty book.
I am so impressed by this book! There are parts in it that weren’t so great, a little depraved but they were needed to paint the picture all the same.

[Hayley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been lucky enough to read a few thrillers by this author before so when I was gifted this book I couldn't wait to dive in. Valerie has a way of writing very realistic characters that pull you into their struggles and leave you screaming at the pages as you watch their turmoil unfold. This book just like many of her others has a very strong female lead which I love. This book centers around our main character Cara a struggling writer determined to fight her writer's block and get her latest novel out much to the pressure of a publicist. There was also a main character refered only to as Him. I really enjoyed this dark mystery character because you just knew that he was going to be causing problems for our girl Cara. with so much going on in Cara's life she doesn't notice right away when our mystery character appears and starts to watch her ever move. He unfortunately starts to stalk Cara and is determined to make her lose her mind all because she spited him at a dance twenty five years prior. As dark as our mystery character was he has to be my favourite because he was so delusional yet he thought he was in the right. It was fascinating to read and such a change from Cara's character. I loved the contrast between the two and it really made for a story that left you breathless and screaming at the same time. There was so much happening in this book that I wanted to get to the end to figure it all out but I never wanted it to end at the same time. I loved every minute of this book but the tension I felt through the whole thing made it so much more exciting fantastic job this is one book that all thriller readers will love and I'm so honoured to say that I got to check it out first. You won't be disappointed in this book however you will be disappointed if you skip it. This book has skyrocketed Valerie to a must read author and I can't wait until everyone else has the pleasure of reading this book.

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thriller, so eerie.
This time her deadline has never felt so deadly.
Author Cara Jenkins is running out of ideas, is this the end of her story?
Letters start coming and her husband Artie call them a stupid prank.
But seriously the paranoia strikes.
Someone wants to finish her.
Someone is watching.
Someone wants her story to end. Someone is stalking.
Someone wants payback.
It's been twenty fives years,
For the last ten she has been a successful writer with her thirtieth psychological thriller book,with glaring blank pages waiting to be filled.
Oh my this is so different from this author.
Mind-blowing gripping unputdownable.
Right through to THE END.
Loved it.

[Suesyn Zellmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cara is an author having trouble coming up with an idea for her newest book, her thirtieth. It’s a milestone that everyone is making a big deal about, unknowingly putting pressure on her, as she’s never had writer’s block before, and this is the worst time to get it. She’s distracted by some threatening notes she starts to receive, and with no better ideas, she begins writing about them. But then she starts getting confused about what’s real and what’s fiction, and she begins doubting her sanity.

And this is my issue with the story – there’s no reason for her to suddenly get so confused and mixed up about reality versus what she wrote. And later in the book, it’s pages upon pages of her rambling, incoherent thoughts. The most the readers are given as an explanation is stress, but she gets completely delusional and literally confuses her created characters with the real people in her life. She goes to extremes, and I did appreciate the crazy ending, but it was just way too unbelievable.

[Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have always been a huge fan of Valerie Keogh’s books. Unfortunately, for me this was not the case with The Writer.

The plot did not have the depth of her usual work, and I found the characters hard to warm to. Usually with this author’s work I am turning the pages at a rapid speed but with this book I found it was the opposite; I did not feel the story was very imaginative
I was quite disappointed with the book. I will continue to read future books
as she has always provided me with excellent stories in the past and maybe this one was just not for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book, all opinions expressed are my own.

[oohlalabooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cara a published writer of psychological thrillers is drawing a blank on her next novel until she receives threatening notes in her mailbox. She uses it as her premise. Then things got weird and scary, Cara was attacked and is being stalked at home. Is this related, is she crossing the lines between fiction and real life? This was a suspenseful, quick read! Thank you to Boldwood and NetGalley for a copy.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Valerie Keogh book read, another one that doesn't disappoint ! At one point, I thought it was the end, but what ?? No, it got better and more twisted than it already was.. I went through different emotions throughout reading this book, while reading the ''book'' the writer was writing.. and i wanted to cry at some point as well.. Can't say more without spoiling, but i really LOVED this book.

[Sarah Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐️
Promising premise; a man whose entire life revolves around a perceived slight he endured in his teens decides to take revenge on the woman who “wronged” him.
That woman, Cara, also happens to be a writer experiencing writers block; who draws inspiration from life events to help create her stories.
Calling Cara an unreliable narrator would be an understatement.
I wanted to like this more than I did. None of the characters were likable or easy to identify with; and the tone of the story felt off. It could have been darker/more tense/more “thrilling” but it felt flat until the very end.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Jody Reads Smut · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is filled with unexpected twists and turns, making it an incredibly captivating read. It's been a while since I last read a book by Valerie, but she has reminded me of her exceptional talent as an author. I found myself gasping at the surprising twists as they unfolded. I strongly encourage you to grab this book as soon as possible.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

[Dun's · Rating 2 out of 5]

Probably the most unreliable main character/narrator I have ever encountered. She was supposed to be an experienced author, yet often mixed up people in her real life with the characters she created for her novels. Huh??? I kept wondering if there was going to be a reveal about a neurological condition diagnosis.

There was also a lot internal to-ing and fro-ing, questioning herself and decisions, and making up what ifs and scenarios. Then there was a mystery man that I thought was delivering a plot twist, but sadly, no dice.

[Miriam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy reading this author's books so was quite looking forward to this one , it started as a slow burner and while the book was gripping, the pace stayed the same, Cara the main character is an author who towards the middle of the story is finding it difficult to tell what's fictional and what's her real life and there were a few moments when I had the same

[Alayne Emmett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good start, slows in the middle and a sad and fantastic ending. I enjoyed this one. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

[Leanne Fernihough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Boldwood for giving me an ARC for this book so excited to read it Valerie Keogh is one of my fave authors

Absolutely amazing the first half is slow going but the second half got me hooked.
I loved the teasers of some of valeries other books and the fact that this is valeries 30th book aswell as Caras made it even better.
Well done Valerie you have done it again.

[Wendi Flint Rank (WendiReviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

To me not much is better than anything written by Valerie Keogh.
This is the epitome of suspense ~hardcore from beginning to end.
I will come back in a bit with some specifics because I’m still under
the influence of the conclusion!

[Lachlan Finlayson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am grateful to NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. 

‘The Writer’ is a new book by Valerie Keogh. I thoroughly enjoyed ‘The Book Seller’, the last book I read from this author. This, her most recent book, I enjoyed less.

The plot surrounds a youngish woman, who writes psychological-thrillers, so an area in which the author has some knowledge and experience. A long-forgotten incident in the woman’s distant past returns in the form of a stalker; a brief acquaintance from her youth who holds a grudge against her.

The author presents the female protagonist, the ‘Writer’ of the title, not entirely sympathetically. She is accomplished in her career, happily recently-married and has close friends. Nevertheless, she is not entirely engaging to the reader. Married to someone she has never really trusted, wilfully ignorant of household finances, someone who comes across as a bit gullible and naive. She doesn’t really seem the sort of person to write psychological-thrillers !

A confluence of a number of issues causes her life to slowly change. Pressures from her agent to complete a book, a growing uncertainty about her husband’s past and then the unwanted attention of the malevolent person from her youth. Her life begins to unravel as she confuses reality with her fiction and makes unwise assumptions and decisions.

As for the antagonist of the story, the man from her distant past, he oozes toxic-masculinity. Cleary someone with whom the reader will not relate ! In creating such a character, the author has dismissed any nuance she might have employed and made it absolutely crystal-clear who the villain is. Unfortunately this has made him very one-dimensional; essentially a caricature. Many of the other characters are also shallowly portrayed. The gruff blokey husband, the full-of-life best friend, the dour policeman.

The plot is relatively straightforward to follow, with several twists and turns to keep the reader engaged. Chapters are short with most being from the viewpoint of the main protagonist, ‘The Writer’. The chapters from the villain are very short and less frequent.

The setting is modern-day London, but gratingly some things do not seem credible. The atmosphere seems slightly dated. Buying Saturday newspapers, taking the pile (!) of mail to a cafe for the weekly ‘fry-up’ breakfast. Our protagonist, a modern woman, active on social media, (including Bluesky !) uses oddly dated expressions such as ‘damp squib’ and ‘doolally’. It just doesn’t ring true. Neither does ‘The Ivy’ (a very expensive chain of British restaurants) as the default choice when she wants a quick impromptu lunch with a friend. She is neither wealthy, posh nor famous and seems to live in a smallish terrace house. Perhaps too many outings to The Ivy ! And for no particular reason, she shreds routine mail which just seems a little unusual to me.

The dialogue between characters and some scenes seems a little contrived, lacking realism and perhaps even clichéd. ( “…the air crackling with tension…”). I would have preferred something that provided deeper insights into the characters, their thoughts, motivations and actions. One particularly scene in a police interview room is completely outdated given what we know of current procedures involving victims and criminals. Still, without unnecessary distractions the short chapters rapidly drive the plot forward, even if one or two scenes seem barely believable.

The latter parts of the book are more enjoyable. Putting aside the quibbles described above the reader will begin to wonder how the author will wrap up this story. Murder ? Mayhem ? A dramatic plot twist ? All of the above ? The ending is sudden, unexpected and somewhat dark. Quite a surprise ! Unfortunately it was also slightly unbelievable and ultimately unsatisfying.

I cannot recommend this book highly. But for a long flight, a train journey or on the beach it is an ideal read. Not overly long or complicated. There are sufficient twists and turns in the plot to keep the reader engaged. And an ending that is quite something.

[Diane Merritt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Valerie Keogh always knows how to tell a story. This book hot a little repetitive in some parts for me. But other than that was a perfect rainy day read. Characters spot on in real and fiction..I loved the ending but mo spoilers.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an early release of this book

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook. 3.8 stars. Probably would’ve enjoyed it more if I read it rather than listened. Hated the voices of the secondary characters

[Helen Leecy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this — in fact, I think it’s the fastest I’ve devoured a book in quite some time. From the very first page, The Writer gripped me with its quiet intensity and deeply atmospheric tone. Valerie Keogh has crafted something quite unique here — a slow-burning psychological spiral that manages to feel urgent, even when, on the surface, not a huge amount is happening.
The most striking part of the book for me was how it portrayed Cara’s gradual descent into confusion and paranoia. There’s something hypnotic about the way her world begins to narrow, how her certainty starts to crack. It’s claustrophobic in the best way — you’re inside her mind, watching as reality shifts and bends, unsure whether to trust what you’re reading. The plot is deceptively simple but psychologically layered, which makes for a compelling reading experience.
At times, I did find myself having to pause and take stock — the whole ‘writer writing about a writer writing about a writer’ concept is cleverly done but definitely dizzying. Still, I think that confusion is entirely intentional. If I, as a reader, was feeling unmoored, just imagine how disoriented Cara must have felt living it. It’s a brilliant device that blurs the line between fiction and reality, adding to the novel’s eerie undertone.
I was a little nervous about how it would all wrap up. Books with this kind of buildup sometimes struggle to deliver a satisfying payoff, and I was really hoping it wouldn’t just end abruptly or take an easy route out. For a moment, I did think we’d hit an abrupt ending… and then came the twist. And then another. And then yet another. Just when I thought I had a handle on what was going on, Keogh pulled the rug out from under me again. The final chapters left me stunned — in the best possible way. It’s rare for an ending to surprise me more than once, but this one kept me guessing right to the very last page.
Overall, this was a brilliantly crafted psychological thriller that plays with structure, identity, and the creative mind in ways I didn’t expect. It’s dark, clever, and completely absorbing. If you enjoy books that leave you a little shaken and a lot impressed, definitely give this one a go.

[CMAC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Please enjoy additional book reviews & adventures on my blog: CMAC's Paperbacks

Click here to read my full review. For now, enjoy a snippet below.

-Cara Jenkins needs to write her much anticipated 30th novel. Problem is, she doesn't have any idea of what to write. Which isn't normal for her.

As if by fate ... 'things' start happening. She's never written a book about her real life, but once she puts it down on paper she can't stop.

I think any book lover will love any book about books and the writers who write them. So it’s easy to say the title alone pulled me in.

This is overall a really good book. It was a perfect plot. A writer that needs to figure out their next story.  What better way to do that than to base it off of their life? Especially when creepy and thrilling scenarios start happening to a thriller writer.

I’m bursting to say what I thought the book would be about after reading the first 5 to 10% of the book, but I don’t want to ruin it for others who may have had the same thought as me. 

Now after that first 10% the book started to fall flat the more I read. 

I wanted to adore this book so much. I was set up to be addicted. I know you don’t have to love all of the characters in a book, but I really wanted to like Cara. Cara is someone I want to be. I wanted her to be witty, smart, and as successful as we, the readers were told she was. Yet her actions and her thoughts came off so naive, that as a reader I had a hard time respecting her. Therefore, it was hard to root for her or like her as a character. It was hard to relate.

The plot that Valerie tried to accomplish was very clever. I just don’t think it was executed to perfection. 

I did really enjoy the author‘s writing style. As I did a bit more research, I am surprised I haven’t read any of her previous novels. Even though this novel didn’t blow me away, I’m going to add some of her popular books to my TBR.

I would recommend The Writer to all my thriller junkies out there. 

P.S. I looked up how many books Valerie Keogh wrote herself to see if it was also 30 books, it is! (And also a detail about 2 (?) self published books were added to the story, which is the same as Valerie as well...) I hope this isn’t all a true story 😉-

Follow along on my Bookstagram/Instagram.
Read along with me by joining Book Of The Month Club - discount code linked!

**Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Steve Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled to finish this one. Most of the book is the paranoid ramblings of a writer having a mental breakdown.

Cara is supposed to be writing her thirtieth book, a much-hyped milestone which has put unbearable pressure on her. She comes up empty for new ideas and her life unravels.

This setup feels too farfetched. If a writer has enough drive and dedication to write twenty-nine books, it's doubtful they would have that much trouble writing one more.

Cara is too weak and gullible to be likeable and her ramblings grow more tedious and disturbing with each passing page. Not much happens until about the halfway point and what does happen is repetitive and not that interesting.

The story of Todd, the villain, is mixed in with Cara's story. He's an even more pathetic and less likable character than Cara, which is no small achievement and which might be considered a desirable quality for a villain.

Todd stalks Cara for years after a perceived snub dating back to their high school years. Years after the perceived snub, he sets out to punish her. High school years can be a troubling time for many, but it's doubtful anyone would become so traumatized by such a minor incident so as to allow it to ruin their life.

Supporting characters Artie and Trinny lend their much-needed help to the story. Artie, the husband of Cara, is a mysterious character with a shady past. Cara becomes suspicious of more wrongdoing on his part. Trinny, best friend of Cara, is little more than a sounding board, someone for Cara to bounce her crazy ideas off of.

I thought about giving this book an even lower rating but after more thought decided to rate it toward the middle. Although I didn't find it very interesting or entertaining, I realize it would take a certain level of talent on the author's part to write something so disturbing, so bleak and hopeless.

The unraveling of Cara's mind feels so real and so intense that is at times truly disturbing. The author channels all of this so successfully that it raises the question as to whether this book is partly autobiographical. I hope this isn't the case. However, I noticed in the aftermatter that this is indeed the author's thirtieth novel. I hope that she fares better than Cara after that accomplishment.

I have tried to give an honest assessment of this book without being overly critical. I realize that some readers might like books that are short on action and heavy on paranoid ramblings, which is common for this genre.

On a positive side, the part I liked best about this book is how Cara struggles to distinguish between fiction and reality. Here's hoping that the rest if us can avoid that problem because truth really can be stranger than fiction.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Valerie Keogh, The Writer, Boldwood Books, July 2025.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

Valerie Keogh never disappoints, and as I began The Writer, I knew that a treat was to follow. Cara is working, or trying to, on her thirtieth novel – a psychological thriller like her previous successful works. As Arty, her husband leaves for work, Tillie her friend variously supports her or tries tough love to get her over her vacillation and morbid speculations about the notes she has begun to receive, and her agent and editor variously encourage her to bring this thirtieth novel to fruition, Cara sits at her word processor bereft of words, or the means to process the few that she drags up. Cara is not going to succeed in writing the thirtieth novel, until her speculations about the notes become an integral part of her life and her writing.

The interplay of Cara’s fiction and her life become enmeshed in her failure to separate fact and fiction. The notes become an unwieldy part of Cara’s life, encouraging her to reach implausible, to the reader, but all too plausible to Cara, decisions about her friend, husband, and her reality. Interspersed with Cara’s reactions to the notes, her insecurities about herself and suspicions about her husband’s past are the ruminations of a man who wishes her ill. His resentment of her success in contrast with his failures, lead him into punishing her for what he sees as a past unforgivable slight.

The interplay between Cara’s novel, which eventually begins to take shape, and her reality are skilful. What is fact? What is fiction? How are Cara’s reactions to events helping shape those events and those following? These questions plague the reader at the same time as they undermine Cara’s faith in her surrounds, friends, and colleagues. Cara’s link to Keogh through her using Keogh’s last novel as her own, adeptly draws upon reality to further confuse Cara, the world of the writer, and the reader. As Cara behoves herself to be sensible, not to go out into the darkened garden, not to react to events without thinking, reflecting her reactions to foolish fictional heroines, she does all these things, and more. The wall between the writer and her life crumbles with tumultuous consequences. The Writer, in contrast, comes to a satisfying conclusion. Its success lies not only in Keogh’s capability with the elements that define this genre, but in her capacity to draw together these elements with sensitivity to the writer, those close to her, and even her persecutor.
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