Thank to netgalley for the arc of The Writer by Valerie Keogh is a tense and edge of your seat thriller.
Cara is a writer and she is about to start her 30th book , her world starts to read like one of her books she writes about, strange letters start appearing in her letter box quite timid at first but as time goes on more menacing in nature, Cara can’t think what she has done to merit this but could her husband Artie could be the recipient of these letters as he has a chequered past . Really good thriller was eagerly turning pages to find out the heading

Uniquely mind-bending, jarring, and unhinged!

Cara is a writer and has successfully written and published twenty nine books. Many were published on her own before she got an agent and publishing deal. And now, the pressure is on as everyone is excited to celebrate, and promote, Cara’s 30th book! Cara should be excited too but…she can’t think of anything to write. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

To make things more stressful, Cara and her husband get an eerie note in the mail stating they’d pay for past bad deeds. Knowing Cara’s husband, Artie, was on a three-month suspension from work when they met, she can’t help but think the note is aimed toward him.

But then Cara begins to feel as though she’s being watched and followed. And another note then another shows up making it clear it was intended for her.

To channel her nervous energy and to try to make sense of what was happening, Cara starts typing the events out as they happened. And before she knows it, the events start to take on the form of a pretty solid plot!
Knowing she’d have to change the names if she’s to write about real events, she names her character Bronwyn and starts to wonder “what would Bronwyn do in this situation?”
Feeling relieved at the thought of finally having something to show as her thirtieth book she begins to anxiously await a new note in the mail to write the next exciting chapter.

Has Cara fallen too deeply into her plot and her female protagonist, Bronwyn? She does have a history of doing that. Or does Cara have a reason to be afraid? Is someone threatening and following her? The longer this plays out, the more Cara questions her sanity. And the people around her.

I ALWAYS look forward to a new book from Valerie Keogh! I’m guaranteed to be thrilled, engaged, and completely surprised and this certainly hit all three!

Thank you NetGalley, Valerie Keogh, and Boldwood Books for gifting me the ARC in exchange for a review ahead of the proposed release date of July 15th!

I really enjoy books/stories that involve writers. This takes this a step further. The blurred lines between the story that the main character is writing and the things going on in her life are creepy and confusing. The longer the story goes on the harder it is to know where the writer ends and her characters begin. As a thriller this is pretty well done. It is creepy and atmospheric. The author does a great job building that tension that is so necessary in a thriller.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange to my honest opinion.

I was expecting a different ending but man did it pack a punch. The Writer was basically getting a front row seat to someone’s downward spiral into madness. I feel like I get caught in spirals of second guessing myself but I’m gonna stop now! lol this was a great read and I would definitely recommend.

The Writer by Valerie Keogh is a tense and psychologically thriller.

Cara is a writer, quiet, observant, and used to spinning stories from the corners of her mind. But when she begins receiving anonymous messages that shift from innocuous to sinister, her carefully ordered world begins to fray. Her husband Artie brushes them off as nothing more than a prank, but Cara feels something more disturbing at play, something rooted in a past she’s tried desperately to forget.

The story she is writing and her real life start to get very blurred and Cara begins to question everything around her. Is someone truly stalking her creative mind turning against her.

The story is fast paced and full of tension.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Boldwood Books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I’m not sure about this one.

I enjoyed buts of it and I loved the writing style - but the story felt a but done, beyond tropes. I love a trope. There was some good suspense and I finished jt wanting to see what would happen.

I enjoyed the very last line, but not really the ending.

I like this author usually and this wont stop me readinf other books of hers!

I usually love all the books this author writes but I didn’t think this was one of her best . The writing of the book and reality became a little bit silly at times and I found the story a bit slow . It did turn up the heat towards the end and had some twists but parts of it didn’t work for me . 4 stars from me

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.

This is yet another book by Valerie Keogh that I love. I was gripped from page 1 and became totally engrossed in the story. The twists took me by surprise and the ending was fabulous! It is definitely worthy of 5 stars.

My thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Writer’ written by Valerie Keogh in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Cara Jenkins has been writing novels for ten years and about to begin her thirtieth but has no idea what to type. As she sits at her desk trying to think of something/anything to put on a page, threatening letters are put through her letter box and she’s convinced a person is watching her. With a deadline looming for the completion of her book’s first draft, Cara decides to write about what’s happening to her, her husband Artie and best friend Trinny.

A book within a book is an apt description for ‘The Writer’ as Cara who’s an author about to embark on her thirtieth thriller transfers what’s happening in real life to her new book. The story is told in alternate chapters by Cara and an unknown person called HIM whose identity isn’t revealed until the latter part of the story. I’ve been so involved that I’ve feared for Cara’s well-being as her fictional story is getting interwoven with what’s happening to her. If she wanted to confront the person supposedly posting the letters, I’m surprised she didn’t wait to get her door camera fitted before knocking on doors and accusing people. This thriller has been a rollercoaster of twists, turns and drama from the moment I opened my Kindle as I’ve become engrossed in Cara’s story. The final conclusion came as a surprise and was totally unexpected and had the feeling of having been cobbled together in a hurry, but despite this it’s been a tense and exciting read that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed.

The Writer
Valerie Keogh
July 15, 2025

Embarking on her 30th novel, Cara Jenkins is struggling to get past the first words. Her publisher’s group has emailed her several times asking about her progress. Frustrated, she lies to her husband, Artie and bestfriend, Trinny. As the days went on they received an envelope in their post box. It was unmarked so she and Artie both thought the message about their Indian Bean tree and its leaves was quite odd. He called to suggest discussing it at the nearby pizza restaurant within walking distance. Cara could walk and join him after work. Unfortunately on her walk she was wrestled to the ground by someone behind her. After the incident he ran away in a hurry but not quick enough for her not to notice his grey sweat suit that he wore.
The Writer will be published by BoldWood Books on July 15, 2025. I was able to read Keogh’s latest novel via NetGalley. It’s the first of her books that I have read. Rather an odd plot and not too suspenseful but interesting in the couple’s journey. Fans of hers will be looking forward to its publication. I relished the day to day trek through the couple’s arduous lifestyle wondering how it would play out. Very interesting.

5 ⭐️ all the way! This one gripped me from page 1 and did not let go until the very end! I could not read fast enough to figure out how the book would end! 🤯
There has not been a book by this author that I have not loved from page 1!

Cara is a writer. With writer's block. She's under serious pressure to complete her 30th novel and perhaps get her publisher rewarded with a "Nibbie" (This made me giggle!) But there aren't too many laughs in this book.
It's dark, edgy and tense as we are early on introduced to "Him" a stalker determined to make Cara go crazy for humiliating him at school. You may think this is far-fetched. How could someone be targeted for a seemingly "innocent" rejection 25 years ago? But then
"Him" is not rational. He's psychotic. You will not know who to trust in this book and you certainly will not predict the ultimately tragic finale. Cara's thoughts in her head blurred fiction and reality at times (midway through) I had to concentrate to figure out just what was happening at these times but I understand it was just the author ramping up how frightened and delusional "Him" was making her. Truly sinister but compelling book. Oh Cara! Thanks to the author, NetGalley and Boldwood books for the eARC in return for an honest review. Denise x

This is a good psychological thriller.
Cara is struggling to start her thirtieth novel and when some threatening letters are sent to her, she’s even more stressed.
When her agent visits and reminds Cara of her deadline, she really doesn’t know what to do. But when she gets another letter and thinks she’s being stalked, she starts to write about this.
The only problem with using her current experience is that reality and fiction soon become hard to separate. Her husband is worried about her but soon Cara starts to suspect him of lying to her, so she feels like she’s on her own.
There’s also chapters from the person who has been watching Cara and it’s someone who holds a grudge against her.
This is a good read but it’s not as fast paced or gripping as the authors previous books.
Thanks to Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this book.

I really like Valerie Keogh's books, but unfortunately this one did not hold my attention. I just could not get into the Cara character as she just wasn't real to me. Too much of her premonitions and just overall an unrealistic plot. I will read her future books as up to now, I have enjoyed them.
I thank the author,publisher and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review

Wow this author has done it again. This was an incredible fast paced psychological thriller that really keeps the reader on their toes while reading. I was addicted from the very first page and was an intriguing and interesting plot with an author writing about an author. This book has you doubting what is real and what isn’t and really messes with your head but this adds to the excitement and the desire to keep turning the page to find out what happens next.

Can’t wait for this authors next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Cara is a successful author struggling to write her next book. She starts to get letters from an unknown source and she feels that someone is watching her. Is this someone from her past or is her husband having an affair. As her life begins to unravel she starts to confuse reality with the fictional books she writes and starts to become paranoid. She starts to take what is happening to her and uses it as an idea for her next book. I like this story but it is not one that I loved.....maybe it was the characters or maybe something else....Enjoy!!!

This was one of those gasp-out-loud reads where just when you think you know what's happening, the rug gets yanked right out from under you. I was constantly questioning everything—Is Cara losing it? Is someone gaslighting her? Is it in her head or real?

Cara is a bestselling crime writer struggling to start her next novel when she begins receiving creepy, anonymous letters that reference details only someone close to her could know. As the notes escalate, she spirals into paranoia. And I was right there with her—then dizzily spun again when the twist hit. The atmosphere is taut, the pacing perfectly designed to mess with your mind, and the final reveal? Absolutely jaw-dropping. I didn’t see it coming—and loved every bit of the surprise.

If you're into writer-as-protagonist thrillers, psychological suspense, and stories that blur the lines between fiction and reality—this one’s a must-read. 4.5 stars!

I flew through The Writer! The easily read chapters are short and POV identified. There’s enough creepy to keep the suspense up and the intrigue pulling. I’m always amazed how authors are able to create and fuel their stories. The twists in this were surprising but I was a little disappointed in the ending. I like how Valerie Keogh writes and always look forward to reading any titles by her. (3.5/5)
Thank You to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and Valerie Keogh for the invitation to read and enjoy this ARC.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Art imitates life or vice versa in this psychological thriller which was darker than I expected. I found the premise that a small slight could trigger stunning repressions in an a twisted mind (decades later) interesting and unique - and certainly disturbing.

I didn't particularly relate to, or like, the main characters, such as the unsympathetic best friend, or the protagonist who, without strength in her own life, writes of characters who are strong - however they were well written.

Fair warning, this story will have you looking over your shoulder in fear (well, even MORE fear than usual) the next time you are walking down an unpopulated street and you hear footsteps advancing on your own.