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Crime Writer
Evie Howland has problems.
Guns. Bombs. Murderers.
And that's just on the page...
In real life she's meant to be planning a wedding to adorable billionaire Daniel Bradley, but Evie is seriously snarled in the sixteenth book of her successful crime series. In fact, her protagonists are becoming almost impossible to wrangle: NYPD detective Carolyn Harding is volatile after a messy divorce, and Detective Jay Ryan has that heated look in his blue eyes again. They're both sick of being written. And frankly they're getting a little...physical. Evie is beginning to wonder if she's ever going to finish Book Sixteen and get them back into fiction where they belong.
But when a disturbingly familiar homicide surfaces in the city papers, it seems as if other, darker characters might have crossed the fiction-frontier too. In which case, Evie is in a lot of real-life trouble.
If she's going to survive it, Evie must face her own worst fears, and learn that real love can be the best way of writing her own story.
But can she change the ending?
*****
Full of high-octane adventure and dry humour, this novel is perfect for readers who love their crime stories set in a world that bends the rules.
If Stephanie Plum was a crime author, or Jack Reacher was a romcom...
This book has:
⭐️ Magical Realism - the FMC can see her characters while she's writing them
⭐️ Good guys + Bad guys - NYPD Detectives + Serial Killer
⭐️ Friends to Lovers
⭐️ Slow Burn - little to no spice
⭐️ HEA
Shortlisted for the 2022 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense, the 2022 Davitt Award for Best Crime Books by Australian Women and the People's Choice Queensland Book of the Year Award.
Guns. Bombs. Murderers.
And that's just on the page...
In real life she's meant to be planning a wedding to adorable billionaire Daniel Bradley, but Evie is seriously snarled in the sixteenth book of her successful crime series. In fact, her protagonists are becoming almost impossible to wrangle: NYPD detective Carolyn Harding is volatile after a messy divorce, and Detective Jay Ryan has that heated look in his blue eyes again. They're both sick of being written. And frankly they're getting a little...physical. Evie is beginning to wonder if she's ever going to finish Book Sixteen and get them back into fiction where they belong.
But when a disturbingly familiar homicide surfaces in the city papers, it seems as if other, darker characters might have crossed the fiction-frontier too. In which case, Evie is in a lot of real-life trouble.
If she's going to survive it, Evie must face her own worst fears, and learn that real love can be the best way of writing her own story.
But can she change the ending?
*****
Full of high-octane adventure and dry humour, this novel is perfect for readers who love their crime stories set in a world that bends the rules.
If Stephanie Plum was a crime author, or Jack Reacher was a romcom...
This book has:
⭐️ Magical Realism - the FMC can see her characters while she's writing them
⭐️ Good guys + Bad guys - NYPD Detectives + Serial Killer
⭐️ Friends to Lovers
⭐️ Slow Burn - little to no spice
⭐️ HEA
Shortlisted for the 2022 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense, the 2022 Davitt Award for Best Crime Books by Australian Women and the People's Choice Queensland Book of the Year Award.
416 pages, ebook
Published December 17, 2025
45 people are currently reading
993 people want to read
About the author
Dime Sheppard
3 books46 followersDime Sheppard is an Australian writer with a degree in English and some unusual life experience, even though she's not in the least adventurous. Her first book, Crime Writer, was nominated for three awards (but didn't win any. And she's fine about it. FINE.). She writes mystery suspense with romcom vibes and magical realism.
Insta: @dimesheppard
Tiktok: @dimesheppard.author
YT: @dimesheppard
Insta: @dimesheppard
Tiktok: @dimesheppard.author
YT: @dimesheppard
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews
December 16, 2022
In a Nutshell: A crime thriller with magical realism thrown in! Amazingly creative! The ending was a bit too farfetched for my liking (don’t forget that I am an over-analytical weirdo!), but otherwise, I enjoyed it. To be read with your logical glasses kept aside.
Story Synopsis:
Where the book worked for me:
😍 I loved the quirky combination of genres: crime thriller, romcom, magical realism, contemporary drama. It’s an unusual blend that works surprisingly well.
😍 What a unique plot! While this isn’t the first book I’ve read with fictional characters crossing over into the real world (Jodi Picoult’s Between the Lines was my first), the approach was totally different. I enjoyed this one far more and simply couldn’t keep it aside.
😍 The book is quite fast-paced, with enough twists and turns to keep most readers happy. The thrills and pace accelerate with every subsequent chapter!
😍 Evie and her two detectives Carolyn and Jay are such brilliant characters – well sketched, realistic and appealing. (Someone please write a Jay Ryan for my life and make him come alive!) Evie’s struggles with writing also are written well. I am sure writers will empathise with her even more than we ordinary readers will. That said, Evie is an introvert who prefers sitting with her book in a room to going out and mingling with people. Boy, how I connected with her on that feeling!
😍 The villain is truly and properly villainous, and with good reason to boot, and to top it all, with a cool name. After a long time have I read an evil character who is worth being called a villain.
😍 There are plenty of fun elements in the book, and plenty of existential questions wrt writing characters into being and the concept of free will. Liked the balance between deep and frivolous.
😍 The romance – just perfect. (My friends: how many times have you seen me praise the romance in a non-romance genre book?)
😍 To a certain extent, there is a book within a book, but thankfully, the secondary book doesn’t pull down the main plot as it does in Stephen King’s Misery. The subplot appears only when needed.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
😒 The last 20% or so goes into hyper mode, with too many action sequences and not enough of explanations. I would have preferred knowing the answers to some of the oddities that occurred.
😒 Some of the secondary characters are quite predictable though they are used properly in the book. (On second thought, there were certain secondary characters whom I considered predictable but they weren’t. I guess that invalidates the severity of this point. Ignore this point!)
All in all, I enjoyed this thrilling book that offered such a novel take on “Words have power”. Definitely recommended, as long as you know that it has magical realism elements and hence is to be read without overthinking every scene. To my Indian friends, I’ll just add: it is a masala entertainer. (You know what I mean.)
4.25 stars, which would easily have been 4.5 if I had loved the final segment of the book as much as the rest of it.
My thanks to Ruby Books and NetGalley for the DRC of “Crime Writer”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
---------------------
PS: This was a buddy read with my friend Srivalli, and as she is a writer, she enjoyed the book a teeny bit more than I did. Do check out her review as well. Both of us had fun motivating each other towards the finish line. Sri, looking forward to a lot more buddy reads with you. 🌹
---------------------
PPS: I know I had added this book to my kitty after a strong review for it from one of my Goodreads friends. But when I look at the book page now, there are no reviews from any of my friends here. So if you are the friend who had read this book and reviewed it here so wonderfully (I wish I remembered who you are!), thank you for bringing the book into my life, holler a 'It was me!' in the comments, and also please check what happened to your review.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
Story Synopsis:
Evie Howland is a crime writer who is dealing with a writer’s block for the sixteenth book of her crime thriller series featuring detectives Carolyn Harding and Jay Ryan. Adding to the trouble is her upcoming wedding to billionaire Daniel Bradley, the public attention of which leaves introverted Evie flustered. The icing on the cake is when her on-page characters start becoming a bit too real. When a too-familiar homicide is reported in the newspapers, it seems like the line between fact and fiction has blurred to a dangerous level. What’s happening, and how will shy Evie save the world from the unforeseen consequences, and herself too?
The book comes to us in the first person perspective of Evie.
Where the book worked for me:
😍 I loved the quirky combination of genres: crime thriller, romcom, magical realism, contemporary drama. It’s an unusual blend that works surprisingly well.
😍 What a unique plot! While this isn’t the first book I’ve read with fictional characters crossing over into the real world (Jodi Picoult’s Between the Lines was my first), the approach was totally different. I enjoyed this one far more and simply couldn’t keep it aside.
😍 The book is quite fast-paced, with enough twists and turns to keep most readers happy. The thrills and pace accelerate with every subsequent chapter!
😍 Evie and her two detectives Carolyn and Jay are such brilliant characters – well sketched, realistic and appealing. (Someone please write a Jay Ryan for my life and make him come alive!) Evie’s struggles with writing also are written well. I am sure writers will empathise with her even more than we ordinary readers will. That said, Evie is an introvert who prefers sitting with her book in a room to going out and mingling with people. Boy, how I connected with her on that feeling!
😍 The villain is truly and properly villainous, and with good reason to boot, and to top it all, with a cool name. After a long time have I read an evil character who is worth being called a villain.
😍 There are plenty of fun elements in the book, and plenty of existential questions wrt writing characters into being and the concept of free will. Liked the balance between deep and frivolous.
😍 The romance – just perfect. (My friends: how many times have you seen me praise the romance in a non-romance genre book?)
😍 To a certain extent, there is a book within a book, but thankfully, the secondary book doesn’t pull down the main plot as it does in Stephen King’s Misery. The subplot appears only when needed.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
😒 The last 20% or so goes into hyper mode, with too many action sequences and not enough of explanations. I would have preferred knowing the answers to some of the oddities that occurred.
😒 Some of the secondary characters are quite predictable though they are used properly in the book. (On second thought, there were certain secondary characters whom I considered predictable but they weren’t. I guess that invalidates the severity of this point. Ignore this point!)
All in all, I enjoyed this thrilling book that offered such a novel take on “Words have power”. Definitely recommended, as long as you know that it has magical realism elements and hence is to be read without overthinking every scene. To my Indian friends, I’ll just add: it is a masala entertainer. (You know what I mean.)
4.25 stars, which would easily have been 4.5 if I had loved the final segment of the book as much as the rest of it.
My thanks to Ruby Books and NetGalley for the DRC of “Crime Writer”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
---------------------
PS: This was a buddy read with my friend Srivalli, and as she is a writer, she enjoyed the book a teeny bit more than I did. Do check out her review as well. Both of us had fun motivating each other towards the finish line. Sri, looking forward to a lot more buddy reads with you. 🌹
---------------------
PPS: I know I had added this book to my kitty after a strong review for it from one of my Goodreads friends. But when I look at the book page now, there are no reviews from any of my friends here. So if you are the friend who had read this book and reviewed it here so wonderfully (I wish I remembered who you are!), thank you for bringing the book into my life, holler a 'It was me!' in the comments, and also please check what happened to your review.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
December 17, 2022
4.5 Stars
One Liner: Love it!
Evie Howland is working on the sixteenth book of her famous police procedural series. She is also trying to overcome writer’s block (shh! don’t even say that word aloud) and planning her wedding with a super-rich and handsome Daniel. She is used to seeing her characters in her house. But when the lead characters Carolyn and Jay become visible to just about everyone, Evie knows she is in trouble.
Things get worse when psychopath killers from her books are also out in the open and going on a killing spree. The only way Evie can control the situation is by facing her biggest fears and overcoming them. Unfortunately, escaping to the fictional world is no longer an option for her.
Can Evie do what it takes to save the day?
The story comes from Evie’s first-person POV and a chapter of her book in the third-person narration.
My Thoughts:
Well, this is a wonderful surprise. I kept pushing the book down my list because of the page count (440 pages!). This is one of those rare instances when I wondered why I didn’t pick it up sooner.
The book is a blend of genres and could pretty much be classified as contemporary/ urban magic realism (I created this subgenre), along with being a thriller and a rom-com. The idea is to go with the flow and enjoy where the author’s imagination takes you.
As a writer, this is even more delightful and a wee bit scary. Imagine writing monsters and Hulders killing people. I sure don’t want them to come alive (so glad that I set my stories in forests). At the same time, I also want to create my perfect guy and make him appear in reality. It’s too tempting!
Back to the book, the plot is whimsical, emotional (without being overwhelming), and action-intensive (especially in the second half). It is easy to visualize the scenes and would make a cool screen adaptation.
Evie’s character starts off as a nerdy writer (even a little annoying, at times), but we see her depth as the story progresses. Jay and Carolyn are my absolute favorites. I mean, how can you not fall in love with Jay Ryan?
Every book has a few clichés, and so does this one. Here, Evie straight out tells us that it is cliché, so it adds to the fun. Evie’s voice is fun to read. She can be dramatic, quirky, silly, stupid, and childish. It makes her a rather sweet and capable MC to carry the book on her fragile shoulders.
As a fan of HEA, I am delighted by the ending. It is just right without being too sweet or sugary. And it also has a piece of advice for writers who want to make their characters appear in real life and keep them there (if you haven’t figured it out already, I am taking this seriously).
My only grouse is that one important scene in the climax is (intentionally?) vague. It increases the anticipation to know what happens, but I had to read it twice to understand what was happening. Also, there are a few missed threads/ connections. I assumed the connections based on guesswork.
To summarize, Crime Writer is a wonderfully quirky book and is a tasty mixed vegetable curry (Indians, you know what I mean). The first 10% is slow. Hang in there, and it’ll pick up the pace.
Thank you, NetGalley and Ruby Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley
***
This was a buddy read (my first ever) with Rosh (Reviews), and we loved gushing about how hard it was to stop reading (and get back to reality). Of course, we also decided to manifest our own Jay Ryan(s), one each. Wish us luck, guys!
One Liner: Love it!
Evie Howland is working on the sixteenth book of her famous police procedural series. She is also trying to overcome writer’s block (shh! don’t even say that word aloud) and planning her wedding with a super-rich and handsome Daniel. She is used to seeing her characters in her house. But when the lead characters Carolyn and Jay become visible to just about everyone, Evie knows she is in trouble.
Things get worse when psychopath killers from her books are also out in the open and going on a killing spree. The only way Evie can control the situation is by facing her biggest fears and overcoming them. Unfortunately, escaping to the fictional world is no longer an option for her.
Can Evie do what it takes to save the day?
The story comes from Evie’s first-person POV and a chapter of her book in the third-person narration.
My Thoughts:
Well, this is a wonderful surprise. I kept pushing the book down my list because of the page count (440 pages!). This is one of those rare instances when I wondered why I didn’t pick it up sooner.
The book is a blend of genres and could pretty much be classified as contemporary/ urban magic realism (I created this subgenre), along with being a thriller and a rom-com. The idea is to go with the flow and enjoy where the author’s imagination takes you.
As a writer, this is even more delightful and a wee bit scary. Imagine writing monsters and Hulders killing people. I sure don’t want them to come alive (so glad that I set my stories in forests). At the same time, I also want to create my perfect guy and make him appear in reality. It’s too tempting!
Back to the book, the plot is whimsical, emotional (without being overwhelming), and action-intensive (especially in the second half). It is easy to visualize the scenes and would make a cool screen adaptation.
Evie’s character starts off as a nerdy writer (even a little annoying, at times), but we see her depth as the story progresses. Jay and Carolyn are my absolute favorites. I mean, how can you not fall in love with Jay Ryan?
Every book has a few clichés, and so does this one. Here, Evie straight out tells us that it is cliché, so it adds to the fun. Evie’s voice is fun to read. She can be dramatic, quirky, silly, stupid, and childish. It makes her a rather sweet and capable MC to carry the book on her fragile shoulders.
As a fan of HEA, I am delighted by the ending. It is just right without being too sweet or sugary. And it also has a piece of advice for writers who want to make their characters appear in real life and keep them there (if you haven’t figured it out already, I am taking this seriously).
My only grouse is that one important scene in the climax is (intentionally?) vague. It increases the anticipation to know what happens, but I had to read it twice to understand what was happening. Also, there are a few missed threads/ connections. I assumed the connections based on guesswork.
To summarize, Crime Writer is a wonderfully quirky book and is a tasty mixed vegetable curry (Indians, you know what I mean). The first 10% is slow. Hang in there, and it’ll pick up the pace.
Thank you, NetGalley and Ruby Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley
***
This was a buddy read (my first ever) with Rosh (Reviews), and we loved gushing about how hard it was to stop reading (and get back to reality). Of course, we also decided to manifest our own Jay Ryan(s), one each. Wish us luck, guys!
Read
December 17, 2025This book was incredibly fun to write. And yeah, it's a crime/romcom/action-thriller. It's a little bit funny, a little bit dark, and quite a bit mystery-romantic suspense. Too many genres?? I thought so too! But this story (and especially all the characters) gripped me from the first moment it poured into my brain, and I just can't let it go. I hope you feel the same!
TW: alcohol consumption, violence.
Perfect for: Females 16-60 (but hey, no judgement!)
If you want to get in touch shoot me a message (https://www.dimesheppard.com/contact) or follow me on insta (https://www.instagram.com/dimesheppard/) - and Goodreads - I love meeting people!
Buy it here:
https://www.amazon.com.au/Crime-Write...
https://www.bookdepository.com/Crime-...
https://books.apple.com/au/book/crime...
https://play.google.com/store/books/d...
https://www.kobo.com/au/en/ebook/crim...
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crim...
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crim...
And loads more places!
TW: alcohol consumption, violence.
Perfect for: Females 16-60 (but hey, no judgement!)
If you want to get in touch shoot me a message (https://www.dimesheppard.com/contact) or follow me on insta (https://www.instagram.com/dimesheppard/) - and Goodreads - I love meeting people!
Buy it here:
https://www.amazon.com.au/Crime-Write...
https://www.bookdepository.com/Crime-...
https://books.apple.com/au/book/crime...
https://play.google.com/store/books/d...
https://www.kobo.com/au/en/ebook/crim...
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crim...
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crim...
And loads more places!
August 4, 2022
Ok I excepted a completely normal crime story from this book but it‘s so much more than that. This has some kind of fantasy, romance and crime aspect to it. Honestly at first I thought I wouldn‘t like it but after like the first 20 pages I knew this was going to be good and it didn‘t disappoint at all. I‘m so happy that I recieved this one as an ARC and am so excited for everyone else to read it too. It‘s just so good.
April 26, 2022
Evie Howland is an author that is stuck at the third chapter of her 16th crime book, until her main characters become more real than she expects and they start to help her. Unfortunately with the good guys came the bad ones, will our author be able to write in order to save her own life?
Crime Writer is an interesting and intriguing story.
The writing,the mystery and the surprising storyline are well executed, the pressing rhythm kept me on my toes throughout the book. The only drawback for me is that the end felt a little rushed.
Our heroine, Evie, is a good character, we see her growth, she little by little comes out of her safe place, she breaks her shell of solitude anf fear coming out as a whole new person. I also liked the fictional characters, Carolyn feisty attitude is so entertaining and Ryan calm is so powerful. Their journey was really enjoyable, they slowly gain more personality and when they start to acting up they don't make their creator life easy.
This was my first time reading this author but I would definitely read another book written by Dime Sheppard.
August 10, 2022
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
This was so intriguing and also confusing but it was really good. I have a hard time to decipher them but the pace are fast and make me really invested in them
This was so intriguing and also confusing but it was really good. I have a hard time to decipher them but the pace are fast and make me really invested in them
September 30, 2021
Expected a 'typical' crime novel but it took a couple of chapters to realise that the book revolves around a writer and the development of characters within a storyline. Very original and an enjoyable read.
July 8, 2025
I've owned a copy of "crime writer" for a short while, even accidentally buying the signed copy.
The first thing I noticed when I started this book is it starts on "Page 7", it made me feel like i was missing pages. I probably wasn't but the formatting of page numbers had me questioning which meant I couldn't grab onto the story as much as I should've.
Pages 33/34 threw me off. It states the characters are on a helicopter, I've seen enough of those to know what it looks like BUT when they describe the interior of the helicopter, it reads as a plane; a privately owned airplane. I never imagined that a helicopter would have enough space for someone to comfortably use their laptop. Also didn't help that it doesn't describe a helicopter pilot, so I assumed the husband was flying until it was revealed he was on his laptop. So..whose flying the plane?
I feel like an utter wanker typing this, cause even i think saying this is stupid..but reading Crime Writer kinda reminds me of my upcoming story "Author's nightmare", both stories having the author inject themselves into their fictional world and having the fictional characters help the author work through their trauma. Though unlike Crime Writer,my story is a psychological drama. So, if you like Crime Writer, you might like my story..see..this is why it makes me feel like a major tosser.
Adimitedly I took a short break from reading, so when I returned to this story, i had forgotten everything I had read up until the last 30 pages. So the ending felt a bit "uh...?" To me. Which didn't help cause I ended up quite confused the closer to the ending I got.
The first thing I noticed when I started this book is it starts on "Page 7", it made me feel like i was missing pages. I probably wasn't but the formatting of page numbers had me questioning which meant I couldn't grab onto the story as much as I should've.
Pages 33/34 threw me off. It states the characters are on a helicopter, I've seen enough of those to know what it looks like BUT when they describe the interior of the helicopter, it reads as a plane; a privately owned airplane. I never imagined that a helicopter would have enough space for someone to comfortably use their laptop. Also didn't help that it doesn't describe a helicopter pilot, so I assumed the husband was flying until it was revealed he was on his laptop. So..whose flying the plane?
I feel like an utter wanker typing this, cause even i think saying this is stupid..but reading Crime Writer kinda reminds me of my upcoming story "Author's nightmare", both stories having the author inject themselves into their fictional world and having the fictional characters help the author work through their trauma. Though unlike Crime Writer,my story is a psychological drama. So, if you like Crime Writer, you might like my story..see..this is why it makes me feel like a major tosser.
Adimitedly I took a short break from reading, so when I returned to this story, i had forgotten everything I had read up until the last 30 pages. So the ending felt a bit "uh...?" To me. Which didn't help cause I ended up quite confused the closer to the ending I got.
May 10, 2025
Ok.. after meeting Dime at the markets and having her give me a brief rundown of Crime Writer, I had no clue what to expect but it was not that!?
Took me a bit to get in to it due to my own silly brain, however.. just smashed it out and after finalising realising what was going on, I couldn’t stop!
It really has the mystery, thriller/crime yet with a “magical” twist? But not the fairy kind of magical.. more so “imagination come to life”
5/5!
Took me a bit to get in to it due to my own silly brain, however.. just smashed it out and after finalising realising what was going on, I couldn’t stop!
It really has the mystery, thriller/crime yet with a “magical” twist? But not the fairy kind of magical.. more so “imagination come to life”
5/5!
July 31, 2022
Creatively unique! Creatively witty! Creatively charming! Creatively memorable! Creatively unexpected!
The novel begins with writer Evie Howland frustrated by the clichés she’s written to begin Chapter 3 of the 16th book in her crime series. Is that what writer’s block does to an author? Thankfully Evie’s agent Jenna places a reminder telephone call as Evie has forgotten there is a party at the home of her future in-laws to attend with her billionaire fiancé Daniel Bradley.
A page-turning delight from the opening sentence to the end. Dime Sheppard’s author debut is bold and magically different. I simply loved it!
My sincere thanks to Dime Sheppard, and Ruby Books for my complimentary digital copy of this title, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.
#CrimeWriter #NetGalley
The novel begins with writer Evie Howland frustrated by the clichés she’s written to begin Chapter 3 of the 16th book in her crime series. Is that what writer’s block does to an author? Thankfully Evie’s agent Jenna places a reminder telephone call as Evie has forgotten there is a party at the home of her future in-laws to attend with her billionaire fiancé Daniel Bradley.
A page-turning delight from the opening sentence to the end. Dime Sheppard’s author debut is bold and magically different. I simply loved it!
My sincere thanks to Dime Sheppard, and Ruby Books for my complimentary digital copy of this title, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.
#CrimeWriter #NetGalley
September 28, 2021
No spoilers here, apart from the fact this book is amazing!
I couldn’t put it down and seriously can’t wait for the next one. If you’re like me and you’re into true crime with witty repartee you’ll love this book.
Dime Sheppard, Clever, captivating and beautiful
I couldn’t put it down and seriously can’t wait for the next one. If you’re like me and you’re into true crime with witty repartee you’ll love this book.
Dime Sheppard, Clever, captivating and beautiful
September 30, 2022
Crime Writer is an incredible read! It’s gumshoe, romance, action-packed and funny!
Evie Howland is your average introverted best-selling crime writer. In real life she lives in New York and is engaged to a handsome billionaire named Daniel Bradley. Although she must go to some fancy events, which in truth she hates because she would rather be at home in her sweats eating licorice and writing, she adores her soon to be (in two weeks) husband-to-be so she tolerates the inconvenience.
She also treasures her two main characters in her crime series, Detectives Carolyn Harding and Jack Ryan. But for some reason she is finding it very hard to sit and concentrate and write. You see this is book sixteen and it will be the last in the series. While writing she usually talks to her characters and they talk back (in her head), or so she thought. But for some crazy reason this time is different.
She could always envision them in her mind’s eye, but now they can be seen by everyone! She has no idea why, and neither do they, but they are very excited! Carolyn and Jack now have free will and don’t have to listen to Evie’s boring written instructions. While the story Evie is writing plays in real life, she not only becomes embroiled in it, but she realizes the bad guys have also somehow crossed over to reality.
As Carolyn and Jack enjoy their new freedom, Evie finds it hard to reel them back in. And while the three of them try to avoid being killed by a psycho she created in a past book, she begins to feel the excitement her characters must have felt for all these years. She even realizes they have given themselves their own backstories which she finds bewildering.
She soon discovers as they are being hunted and shot at that she starts to look at Jack in a very inappropriate way which is kind of crazy as he is not real, right? When she figures out she can write their way out of the chaos and killing, she’s not sure she wants to. You see, she knows the ending. She’s not ready to let them go. But unfortunately for Evie, New York City depends on her solving this case before it gets blown up!
But how can she say good-bye to these lovable, crazy, uncouth hero’s, one of which she may love?
Crime writer has everything in a story you could ask for. Funny, witty quick dialogue, bombs, explosions, romance quirky characters and many surprises.
One last thing, there is a music video from the 1980’s called Take On Me by a group called Aha. Watch it. Enough said.
Thank you #NetGalley #RubyBooks #DimeSheppard #CrimeWriter for the
Evie Howland is your average introverted best-selling crime writer. In real life she lives in New York and is engaged to a handsome billionaire named Daniel Bradley. Although she must go to some fancy events, which in truth she hates because she would rather be at home in her sweats eating licorice and writing, she adores her soon to be (in two weeks) husband-to-be so she tolerates the inconvenience.
She also treasures her two main characters in her crime series, Detectives Carolyn Harding and Jack Ryan. But for some reason she is finding it very hard to sit and concentrate and write. You see this is book sixteen and it will be the last in the series. While writing she usually talks to her characters and they talk back (in her head), or so she thought. But for some crazy reason this time is different.
She could always envision them in her mind’s eye, but now they can be seen by everyone! She has no idea why, and neither do they, but they are very excited! Carolyn and Jack now have free will and don’t have to listen to Evie’s boring written instructions. While the story Evie is writing plays in real life, she not only becomes embroiled in it, but she realizes the bad guys have also somehow crossed over to reality.
As Carolyn and Jack enjoy their new freedom, Evie finds it hard to reel them back in. And while the three of them try to avoid being killed by a psycho she created in a past book, she begins to feel the excitement her characters must have felt for all these years. She even realizes they have given themselves their own backstories which she finds bewildering.
She soon discovers as they are being hunted and shot at that she starts to look at Jack in a very inappropriate way which is kind of crazy as he is not real, right? When she figures out she can write their way out of the chaos and killing, she’s not sure she wants to. You see, she knows the ending. She’s not ready to let them go. But unfortunately for Evie, New York City depends on her solving this case before it gets blown up!
But how can she say good-bye to these lovable, crazy, uncouth hero’s, one of which she may love?
Crime writer has everything in a story you could ask for. Funny, witty quick dialogue, bombs, explosions, romance quirky characters and many surprises.
One last thing, there is a music video from the 1980’s called Take On Me by a group called Aha. Watch it. Enough said.
Thank you #NetGalley #RubyBooks #DimeSheppard #CrimeWriter for the
Read
June 4, 2022If you have ever suffered from writer’s block, you will understand exactly what Evie is going through. Her published novels seem to mock her as she struggles to write her next book. And having the pressure of being overdue for her deadline (all the while juggling a wedding and facing family pressure to take a break from writing) is not helping matters.
She is running on tea and licorice. She recites affirmations for creativity and waits for inspiration to strike during cardio. She is willing to try almost anything to spark her creativity (cardio, meditations, affirmations, coffee…) but nothing seems to help her out of her writing rut. And it seems as if her characters are feeding on her energy; they are as tired as Evie is after 15 books of danger and mysteries.
As the story goes on, we learn more about Evie and her characters. Writing drama is great fun for readers, but, looking at things from the characters’ perspectives, drama is less fun. Evie’s characters are getting out of control. She is finding it harder and harder to control the story: her characters are rebelling, because they have been through a lot of drama.
And then, one night, the lines between fiction and reality cross. One of her characters comes to life, and is standing right in her kitchen, in the flesh. Soon, a disturbingly familiar homicide surfaces, and it seems as if more of her fictional characters have crossed over into reality. In which case, Evie is in a lot of real-life trouble. If she’s going to survive (or even just get her life back to normal), Evie has some choices to make, and she has to make them fast.
More than just a fun read, this book suggests that the stories authors write carry over into their real lives. It raises questions on existence: what makes a story real?
“‘But they’re not there,’ he argued. ‘They don’t exist.’ Daniel is very practical.
‘They do exist,’ I argued back. ‘Just not here, exactly.'”
Fiction, no matter how surreal or otherworldly, is a response to reality. So even though the characters Evie writes may not be real in the physical sense, they are real to Evie, and to her readers. A part of Evie exists in her characters, as do the characters live within Evie. They are her creations, they are a part of her story.
“‘But they exist to me, and when people read my books they exist to them, too.’”
This novel is perfect for crime and mystery fans. Filled with drama and excitement, this book will leave you on the edge of your seat until the very end!
Crime Writer is available now at all major book retailers.
Thank you to Dime Sheppard for sending me an early copy of Crime Writer! All opinions are my own.
She is running on tea and licorice. She recites affirmations for creativity and waits for inspiration to strike during cardio. She is willing to try almost anything to spark her creativity (cardio, meditations, affirmations, coffee…) but nothing seems to help her out of her writing rut. And it seems as if her characters are feeding on her energy; they are as tired as Evie is after 15 books of danger and mysteries.
As the story goes on, we learn more about Evie and her characters. Writing drama is great fun for readers, but, looking at things from the characters’ perspectives, drama is less fun. Evie’s characters are getting out of control. She is finding it harder and harder to control the story: her characters are rebelling, because they have been through a lot of drama.
And then, one night, the lines between fiction and reality cross. One of her characters comes to life, and is standing right in her kitchen, in the flesh. Soon, a disturbingly familiar homicide surfaces, and it seems as if more of her fictional characters have crossed over into reality. In which case, Evie is in a lot of real-life trouble. If she’s going to survive (or even just get her life back to normal), Evie has some choices to make, and she has to make them fast.
More than just a fun read, this book suggests that the stories authors write carry over into their real lives. It raises questions on existence: what makes a story real?
“‘But they’re not there,’ he argued. ‘They don’t exist.’ Daniel is very practical.
‘They do exist,’ I argued back. ‘Just not here, exactly.'”
Fiction, no matter how surreal or otherworldly, is a response to reality. So even though the characters Evie writes may not be real in the physical sense, they are real to Evie, and to her readers. A part of Evie exists in her characters, as do the characters live within Evie. They are her creations, they are a part of her story.
“‘But they exist to me, and when people read my books they exist to them, too.’”
This novel is perfect for crime and mystery fans. Filled with drama and excitement, this book will leave you on the edge of your seat until the very end!
Crime Writer is available now at all major book retailers.
Thank you to Dime Sheppard for sending me an early copy of Crime Writer! All opinions are my own.
April 18, 2022
Crime Writer by Dime Sheppard is a massively unique mystery novel that’s full of thrilling action & romance along with mind-bending reality.
I’ve heard that life imitates art, but what happens when your art is writing mystery novels & your two favorite detectives & main characters of said novels are in your life & too close for comfort. Read Crime Writer to find out!
If you can suspend belief of the typical mystery novel & logic & just go along for an interesting ride, it’s an amusing & fascinating mystery book.
Even though this book bends reality in questionable & confusing ways, it surprisingly was able to bring out emotions from me through the depth of characters’ & their relationships. I really enjoyed the adventurous trip that was this book & gave it 4 stars!
Crime Writer impressively pushes the boundaries of storytelling in a way that’s mind-boggling & displays true intelligence.
Crime Writer is out now & I would recommend it to anyone looking for an intriguing mystery!
Massive thanks to NetGalley & Dime Sheppard for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
For some reason, it reminds me of Avengers Endgame, Castle the TV show, Sims the game & Chuck the TV show. Maybe I just have watched too much TV but I fondly thought of all those things whilst reading & had to share.
Trigger warnings: This book mentions &/or contains, murder, gore, violence, shootings, explosions, fire, kidnapping, death & injury.
I’ve heard that life imitates art, but what happens when your art is writing mystery novels & your two favorite detectives & main characters of said novels are in your life & too close for comfort. Read Crime Writer to find out!
If you can suspend belief of the typical mystery novel & logic & just go along for an interesting ride, it’s an amusing & fascinating mystery book.
Even though this book bends reality in questionable & confusing ways, it surprisingly was able to bring out emotions from me through the depth of characters’ & their relationships. I really enjoyed the adventurous trip that was this book & gave it 4 stars!
Crime Writer impressively pushes the boundaries of storytelling in a way that’s mind-boggling & displays true intelligence.
Crime Writer is out now & I would recommend it to anyone looking for an intriguing mystery!
Massive thanks to NetGalley & Dime Sheppard for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
For some reason, it reminds me of Avengers Endgame, Castle the TV show, Sims the game & Chuck the TV show. Maybe I just have watched too much TV but I fondly thought of all those things whilst reading & had to share.
Trigger warnings: This book mentions &/or contains, murder, gore, violence, shootings, explosions, fire, kidnapping, death & injury.
April 1, 2022
"Daniel doesn't quite get the whole writer's thing. I tried explaining how it is for me, why I talk about Carolyn and Jay as if they're real people. Writers have less control than people think, I told him. Writing characters often feels like sitting back and watching something happen, rather than creating or deciding. The story appears, either wholly or in its elements, like it came out of the ether..."
Oh, how LITERAL this quote came to be within the context of this book. Evie, a fictional crime novelist, is trapped in the gauntlet of her writer's block. She communicates with her characters in her mind and is aware of their fictional nature and the comfort she finds in them, until the moment she realizes that other people in her REAL life can see them too.
As to not give much away, if you're into something a little different than your average crime novel, you've come to the right place. I was about 30% of the way through, and I was confused, but in an intrigued way and I wanted to know more. Reality was blending with the fictional world Evie had created in her series and I was determined to understand how and why. It took me a little time to get into the swing of the book and become invested, but once I was, I was all in.
Oh, how LITERAL this quote came to be within the context of this book. Evie, a fictional crime novelist, is trapped in the gauntlet of her writer's block. She communicates with her characters in her mind and is aware of their fictional nature and the comfort she finds in them, until the moment she realizes that other people in her REAL life can see them too.
As to not give much away, if you're into something a little different than your average crime novel, you've come to the right place. I was about 30% of the way through, and I was confused, but in an intrigued way and I wanted to know more. Reality was blending with the fictional world Evie had created in her series and I was determined to understand how and why. It took me a little time to get into the swing of the book and become invested, but once I was, I was all in.
May 19, 2022
“Characters are people,'and the only way to fig-
ure out who they are and how they behave is to spend time with them. Otherwise they do things that surprise the pants off you.' And potentially derail the story in a big way. But they're not there,' he argued. 'They don't exist.' They do exist,' I argued back. 'Just not here, exactly.
Like another dimension?' He was smiling by then, humoring me. 'No,' I smiled back. 'But they exist to me, and when people read my books they exist to them, too. Sort of. They have existence, just maybe not substance.Well. It's hard to explain at the best”
I enjoyed the concept of the novel but sometimes I got lost in “the other dimension” on what was her real world and fictional world as they didn’t blend seamlessly. However, the ending was able to explain everything. Special thanks to NetGalley and publisher for a copy of the E-book in exchange my pure honesty.
ure out who they are and how they behave is to spend time with them. Otherwise they do things that surprise the pants off you.' And potentially derail the story in a big way. But they're not there,' he argued. 'They don't exist.' They do exist,' I argued back. 'Just not here, exactly.
Like another dimension?' He was smiling by then, humoring me. 'No,' I smiled back. 'But they exist to me, and when people read my books they exist to them, too. Sort of. They have existence, just maybe not substance.Well. It's hard to explain at the best”
I enjoyed the concept of the novel but sometimes I got lost in “the other dimension” on what was her real world and fictional world as they didn’t blend seamlessly. However, the ending was able to explain everything. Special thanks to NetGalley and publisher for a copy of the E-book in exchange my pure honesty.
October 1, 2022
Evie Howland is New York Times best-selling author. Currently, she's working on her sixteenth book and final instalment in one of the most successful crime series ever written. The truth is, this has never happened to her before. She was past her deadline and deep down didn't want to finish it. She loses her touch and spends so much time with people who aren't real. It's like the whole scene, all the characters in her book coming to life. Along with Detective Carolyn Harding and Detective Jay Ryan save the world from a serial killer! Hah.
Yes. I think it's worth having writer's block. For the mystery thriller and romance genre, I give 4 ⭐️. Thanks to @netgalley and Ruby Books for providing an earc.
Yes. I think it's worth having writer's block. For the mystery thriller and romance genre, I give 4 ⭐️. Thanks to @netgalley and Ruby Books for providing an earc.
May 27, 2022
Found the book long after it's publication.
A very witty and captivating book. Read the whole book in a single go.
A very witty and captivating book. Read the whole book in a single go.
June 19, 2022
This was such a fun and unique mystery novel. We find our main character, Evie Howland, stuck at Chapter Three of her 16th mystery novel. We follow along, following both the real world and the fictional world of Evie’s book until the two ultimately collide. Suddenly, Evie finds her fictional characters in the real world and they’re causing real havoc.
There’s good character development and witty dialogue. This was a fast paced mystery with action, suspense, and romance. I’d never heard of Dime Shepard before reading this book, but I will definitely look for her other titles!
I received an e-ARC from NetGalley/Ruby Books.
There’s good character development and witty dialogue. This was a fast paced mystery with action, suspense, and romance. I’d never heard of Dime Shepard before reading this book, but I will definitely look for her other titles!
I received an e-ARC from NetGalley/Ruby Books.
January 14, 2025
A really fun read 😊
August 28, 2022
What a quirky and original crime mystery that doesn't fit neatly into any particular genre! What happens when an author with writer's block finds her characters have come to real life? Well, a whole wild ride is what is in store! The reader has to just accept the reality that Dime Sheppard creates as its own sort of bookish reality. Those who have difficulty with changing rules or deviance from strict realism would probably not enjoy this story, but those who enjoy magical realism will like the application to a crime/thriller plot. This pharmacist reviewer also gives an extra star for actually getting the pharmacology right throughout the story, important details sadly often missed by many popular thriller authors. Kudos, kudos, kudos!
Thank you #NetGalley and Ruby Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
Thank you #NetGalley and Ruby Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
January 15, 2022
Have you heard of “The Fourth Wall,” an imaginary barrier separating the audience from the fictional characters? In Crime Story, the characters don’t break the 4th wall. They walk through the front door. Of the author’s house.
Crime Story was a fun and UNIQUE read! Think Ten Thousand Doors of January meets Castle. (I’ll give that a second to sink in. We’re talking crime fiction combined with hilarious banter and a heaping helping of surrealism. Or is it Magical Realism?)
I tabbed so many great lines. Dime Shepherd is funny IRL, and let me tell you, that comes through loud and clear in her writing.
Meet Evie, best-selling author of 15 crime novels, who is seriously STUCK trying to write the 16th:
“A cliche isn’t the worst thing to be, is it? Cliches are part of the human experience. They’re safe and familiar. I love safe and familiar things!”
“I”m afraid of going to Australia too, with its plethora of bitey, toxic wildlife.”
“HIs apartment…is the kind of stately jewel that makes ordinary people like me self-consciously brush lint from their clothing as they enter.”
I loved Evie. I identified with her fear of change and risk. I admired how she pushed herself out of her boundaries. I loved how mind-bendingly creative the book’s concept was.
Write faster, Dime! I need to spend more time with these witty and engaging characters!
Crime Story was a fun and UNIQUE read! Think Ten Thousand Doors of January meets Castle. (I’ll give that a second to sink in. We’re talking crime fiction combined with hilarious banter and a heaping helping of surrealism. Or is it Magical Realism?)
I tabbed so many great lines. Dime Shepherd is funny IRL, and let me tell you, that comes through loud and clear in her writing.
Meet Evie, best-selling author of 15 crime novels, who is seriously STUCK trying to write the 16th:
“A cliche isn’t the worst thing to be, is it? Cliches are part of the human experience. They’re safe and familiar. I love safe and familiar things!”
“I”m afraid of going to Australia too, with its plethora of bitey, toxic wildlife.”
“HIs apartment…is the kind of stately jewel that makes ordinary people like me self-consciously brush lint from their clothing as they enter.”
I loved Evie. I identified with her fear of change and risk. I admired how she pushed herself out of her boundaries. I loved how mind-bendingly creative the book’s concept was.
Write faster, Dime! I need to spend more time with these witty and engaging characters!
October 5, 2021
Such a fun read. It's kind of a mash up of crime/ comedy/ romance, which makes it enough of a page turner to finish in one or two sittings, but also an easy enough read to do a chapter each night and not lose track of what's happening. At times it skirts close to being cheesy, but with does so with such a delightful self-awareness of this fact that it just adds to the books' charm. Reminds me of Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series.
May 11, 2022
I received an advanced copy from NetGalley, but the review is my own. “Crime Writer” was not what I expected but so much fun. The genre is a mash-up of mystery/thriller and light romance and some comedic elements. The premise of characters coming to life in the ‘real’ world of a book is not new, but worked so well in the plot of a successful, introverted crime writer whose detectives and criminals come to life. I liked how Dime Sheppard had lots of sly references to writing clichés and tropes but did them anyway. As the reader, I bought in to an author who interacted with her characters as though they were real, but were imaginary; however, I started to get uncomfortable when the writer was questioning if her character were actually real or if she was going crazy. I pushed through, and once the fictional characters truly became real and the chase was on, I couldn’t wait to finish and get to the happily ever after. 4.5/5
April 7, 2022
Thanks NetGalley and Ruby Books for the Advanced Review Copy!
Evie Howland is a crime author who is struggling with writer's block and her sixteenth novel. She talks to her character to understand them better but this time, her characters are being as difficult as the plot. To top it all, she has a grand wedding to plan for herself and her fiance. Which is why all hell broke loose when a familiar homicide is reported on the city papers.
The language was good but I didn't particularly enjoy it. The real and the fictional world didn't blend seamlessly and the timeline confused me. This book might appeal to readers who would like a quirky mystery. But I prefer old-school mystery.
Evie Howland is a crime author who is struggling with writer's block and her sixteenth novel. She talks to her character to understand them better but this time, her characters are being as difficult as the plot. To top it all, she has a grand wedding to plan for herself and her fiance. Which is why all hell broke loose when a familiar homicide is reported on the city papers.
The language was good but I didn't particularly enjoy it. The real and the fictional world didn't blend seamlessly and the timeline confused me. This book might appeal to readers who would like a quirky mystery. But I prefer old-school mystery.
March 29, 2022
Thanks to Ruby Books, Netgalley and the author for an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily and have received no compensation for it.
I don't think I have read anything quite like this book before. The novel starts inside another novel and then builds out into the author's world from there. It's a promising start to a great story.
Evie is a successful crime writer whose characters occasionally show up in her house and interact with her independently, which isn't a big deal as only she can see them. When these characters, including some of the unsavoury ones, start to inhabit the real world and mess with her actual life, Evie must face up to reality ... whatever that is! Has she been living a half-life where her characters seem more real to her than her actual relationships? Why is her fiance acting so suspiciously?
Evie's character is interesting - her combination of intelligence but lack of self-awareness can be frustrating to read, but when she begins to take charge of her story she becomes more appealing. The other characters like Carolyn and Mrs Andrews are fabulous.
I wouldn't call this a romance, though there are romantic elements. It's more of a mystery/thriller and a lot of fun to read, especially towards the end.
I don't think I have read anything quite like this book before. The novel starts inside another novel and then builds out into the author's world from there. It's a promising start to a great story.
Evie is a successful crime writer whose characters occasionally show up in her house and interact with her independently, which isn't a big deal as only she can see them. When these characters, including some of the unsavoury ones, start to inhabit the real world and mess with her actual life, Evie must face up to reality ... whatever that is! Has she been living a half-life where her characters seem more real to her than her actual relationships? Why is her fiance acting so suspiciously?
Evie's character is interesting - her combination of intelligence but lack of self-awareness can be frustrating to read, but when she begins to take charge of her story she becomes more appealing. The other characters like Carolyn and Mrs Andrews are fabulous.
I wouldn't call this a romance, though there are romantic elements. It's more of a mystery/thriller and a lot of fun to read, especially towards the end.
December 18, 2021
This book! I won this book from Goodreads and honestly didn’t pay much attention to what it was about when I entered the giveaway. I went in thinking it was similar to the tv show Castle but I had the concept all wrong. It was clever and unique and I was immediately pulled into this page turner! It has a lot of cop/ crime mystery elements and the subplot was pretty predictable but the overall novel had a unique take. It’s about a writer and her character development process but also a love story and of course a crime story. It has it all! It was self aware and witty and I loved the characters, especially Jay. It did seem a bit too long and I found myself not caring toward the end when it gets a bit preposterous and over the top, but the ending was well done. Also I believe the word “cliche” was used about 200 times and it drove me bonkers. I definitely enjoyed reading this one and I wouldn’t mind seeing more of Evie, Carolyn, and Jay.
April 12, 2022
Thanks NetGalley and Ruby Books for the ARC!
I LOOOOOOVE THIS BOOK A LOT!
It's a little bit hard for me to get into it in some early chapters as I'm trying to figure out what happened, but once I get into it I really can't stop! This combination of crime/thriller/supernatural with comedy and slight-romance of forbidden-love trope, filled with suspense scenes took my attention away! This is so intense that I can't put it down.
Crime Writer is a book about a fifteen-books crime series writer, Evie, is working on her sixteen books yet seems to have a block-writer. While her wedding day is getting closer, she's getting lost trying to finish her book. As an author, Evie always interact and treat her characters like real person, though they are only visible to her. Until one day, her characters becoming more vivid and everybody can see them too. When her real world and fictional world collide, turning her life into some crazy adventurous crime thriller series, will she be able to save her wedding and put the fictional characters back to the book where it is supposed to be while facing her fears?
The whole concept of this book is so refreshing and intriguing. It's not like any books I've read before! I'm so immersed in the story, trying to figure out what happened in Evie's world, which one is real and not, how are the characters existed and such. It's mind-blowing! It's been such an exciting read for me, it took 2 days for me to recover from this book and be able to write this. Apart from that, I really love Evie's character development, the connections with her books characters and some insight from the books characters
Dare I say, Crime Writer is one of the best book I've ever read!
I LOOOOOOVE THIS BOOK A LOT!
It's a little bit hard for me to get into it in some early chapters as I'm trying to figure out what happened, but once I get into it I really can't stop! This combination of crime/thriller/supernatural with comedy and slight-romance of forbidden-love trope, filled with suspense scenes took my attention away! This is so intense that I can't put it down.
Crime Writer is a book about a fifteen-books crime series writer, Evie, is working on her sixteen books yet seems to have a block-writer. While her wedding day is getting closer, she's getting lost trying to finish her book. As an author, Evie always interact and treat her characters like real person, though they are only visible to her. Until one day, her characters becoming more vivid and everybody can see them too. When her real world and fictional world collide, turning her life into some crazy adventurous crime thriller series, will she be able to save her wedding and put the fictional characters back to the book where it is supposed to be while facing her fears?
The whole concept of this book is so refreshing and intriguing. It's not like any books I've read before! I'm so immersed in the story, trying to figure out what happened in Evie's world, which one is real and not, how are the characters existed and such. It's mind-blowing! It's been such an exciting read for me, it took 2 days for me to recover from this book and be able to write this. Apart from that, I really love Evie's character development, the connections with her books characters and some insight from the books characters
Dare I say, Crime Writer is one of the best book I've ever read!
September 9, 2022
I received a complimentary ARC copy of Crime Writer by Dime Sheppard from Net Galley and Ruby Books in order to read and give an honest review.
…Quirky, charming, and all-encompassing in “the feels” department, you will laugh, and cry as you take a ride on an emotional and lively rollercoaster ride…
When I first began reading Crime Writer by Dime Sheppard, I was expecting a mainstream mystery novel, but I was so pleasantly surprised. Brilliantly unique, fun, and completely unexpected, this mixture of mystery, thriller and romantic comedy has such a unique and engaging plot, that although I had my reservations in the first chapter, I was completely hooked minutes later.
When Crime writer Evie Howland gets a brutal case of writer’s block on the overdue sixteenth book in her bestselling series, her confidence takes a nose-dive. Although introverted her social life has become incredibly busy, especially since she is in the midst of planning her wedding to billionaire Daniel Bradley and she wonders why she is struggling so. Desperate to finish her book Evie tries everything to get her characters NYPD detectives Carolyn Harding and Jay Ryan to speak to her, but maybe she tries a little too hard getting more than she bargained for. This is one of those books that is difficult to give a detailed review without giving away any of those plot gems that are scattered throughout the book.
Quirky, charming, and all-encompassing in “the feels” department, you will laugh, and cry as you take a ride on an emotional and lively rollercoaster ride of a read. I highly recommend it!
…Quirky, charming, and all-encompassing in “the feels” department, you will laugh, and cry as you take a ride on an emotional and lively rollercoaster ride…
When I first began reading Crime Writer by Dime Sheppard, I was expecting a mainstream mystery novel, but I was so pleasantly surprised. Brilliantly unique, fun, and completely unexpected, this mixture of mystery, thriller and romantic comedy has such a unique and engaging plot, that although I had my reservations in the first chapter, I was completely hooked minutes later.
When Crime writer Evie Howland gets a brutal case of writer’s block on the overdue sixteenth book in her bestselling series, her confidence takes a nose-dive. Although introverted her social life has become incredibly busy, especially since she is in the midst of planning her wedding to billionaire Daniel Bradley and she wonders why she is struggling so. Desperate to finish her book Evie tries everything to get her characters NYPD detectives Carolyn Harding and Jay Ryan to speak to her, but maybe she tries a little too hard getting more than she bargained for. This is one of those books that is difficult to give a detailed review without giving away any of those plot gems that are scattered throughout the book.
Quirky, charming, and all-encompassing in “the feels” department, you will laugh, and cry as you take a ride on an emotional and lively rollercoaster ride of a read. I highly recommend it!
June 15, 2022
A quirky thriller that was definitely a unique concept! In the book, Evie Howland is a best selling author of a famous crime series. Through a series of events, Evie finds that somehow, her characters have come to life and started to get involved with her plot lines- somehow becoming part of her real life. She thought she had the perfect life with her bestselling series, handsome fiancée, and wonderful characters to keep her company, but she Was having a hard time getting the next book written. She finds her own life turned upside down while ending up discovering and having to solve her own mystery! This book was action packed and played like a movie in my head. The characters were enjoyable and the dialogue was funny. My only critique is that the mystery unfolded with new pieces of information being thrown into the storyline constantly. There is no way to guess or anticipate what would or should happen next since the story breaks with reality and the plot line is fluid and invented along the way. I think this book would make a really fun action movie and should likely be classified as an action/thriller rather than a mystery novel. Overall an enjoyable read, but I got slightly tired of some of the action-packed scenes dragging on.
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