I have enjoyed every one of Catherine Ryan Howard's books that I've read so far and I've just discovered that one of my personal favourites, 56 days, is being adapted for TV ready for 2026 which makes me very happy. I've left writing this review a week or so to allow me time to order my thoughts and I'm still not sure I have done. I did enjoy the book however not quite as much as I have done with the books I've previously read by this author. I've been left feeling like I have a jigsaw piece missing but I can't say why.
Former world class cyclist Jack Smyth is looking for a ghostwriter to put into words the events which have significantly affected his life. Emily has been approached by her publishers with the task of talking through with Jack what he needs to put on paper, and writing for him in a way which will form a best selling book. She's never ghost written before, but has a two book deal with the publishers which she still needs to complete the final fifty per cent of, else she will have to return half of the advance which she was paid. So basically, write Jack's book for him or pay back thousands of euros to her publisher. Sadly, Emily can see no other options as she does not have the money available to be able to choose.

The place Emily finds herself in to meet with Jack and work on the book is deserted. It's a whole new town still under construction, but apparently the place they are staying is owned by Jack's best friend and former cycling team mate, Ben. Emily feels there's something very "off" about the whole place and she's pretty sure there was a woman on her flight to the US that she's seen again since she got here. Is she being followed? A feeling which recurs as she takes a walk around the area surrounding the complex they are staying in. Surely she's imagining things, way out here?

The whole vibe of something being off seemed to rub off onto me as a reader - the reasons for Jack wanting to write this book in the first place make for a feeling of mistrust among the characters and in what Jack is reporting as "his side of the story". He feels very much like an unreliable narrator, but why would that be if the whole point of the book is to put the record straight? Catherine Ryan Howard's writing skills certainly portray the discomfort being felt by Emily so in that respect this is a successful novel but whether I can use the word "enjoyable" I'm not sure. I found it to be quite a strange reading experience from start to finish. That said, I didn't dislike the book although I did feel like I blinked and missed a bit near the end and had to go back and reread a section in case I had flicked over a couple of pages by mistake. I hadn't.

I personally found this to be my least favourite of this author's books, but I won't let that put me off reading the rest of her back list. 3.5 stars out of 5 for this one, rounded up to 4 for goodreads as they don't allow fractions.

This is my first book by Catherine Ryan Howard (I already have more lined up!) so I had no idea what to expect, I really enjoyed it! This has all the elements I enjoy, secrets, mysteries, tension, along with completely realistic characters.

The reader meets Emily first, an author with writer’s block, persuaded (practically forced by her publisher) into being a ghost writer for an ex- professional cyclist, suspected of murdering his wife.

Through the use of dual timelines, we go back in time to meet Kate, the dead wife, hearing about the curious events leading up to the tragedy.

This is where the story gets very clever, the reader is rapidly whisked off to a new town being developed in Florida, a desolate place isolated from everyone, perfect for layering in the tension. Now add in the intrigue of Jack, telling a very convincing side of the story, with compelling tales about a variety of cleverly developed characters, has you questioning everyone, some of whom appear, (family members and former colleagues) telling different stories. I was becoming distrustful (but very curious) of everyone.

The effect of parallel stories creates enormous intrigue:
Did he do it?
What is she hiding?
Why is he telling this story?
Who are these people?

It becomes clear that there are many secrets being kept hidden. There are mysterious happenings creating tension, why are they happening and who is behind them.

Although this was initially a slow burn, I loved following the plot as the layers peeled back to reveal a powerful story, with hugely manipulative players.

First, this title. it's taunting, you have to read the book. You just have to grab it and devour it. And then... burn it.

Creative, punchy, thrilling, the author does it again. I had flashes of the OJ Simpson case in mind while reading and it gave me shivers. I love being in the dark about characters, wanting to trust the words on the page but not knowing if I should. My favorite game.

Enjoyed the new book by the author but can't say I enjoyed it as much as her previous books.
Good mystery and new setting added a new angle but not for me.
Looking forward to next by Catherine.

Burn After Reading
Catherine Ryan Howard
Read and Reviewed: May 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Burn After Reading is Catherine Ryan Howard's much awaited 8th novel and I was so excited for this release having thoroughly enjoyed 4 of her other books.

As expected, this one didn't let me down. It was as good as I knew it would be.

Burn After Reading is so cleverly plotted and well thought out. I love her writing style ~ she's fast becoming one of my go to authors.

I was engrossed in this one from the very start. It is told in two different timelines ~ past and present. I really enjoy a dual timeline in books but I know there's quite a lot of you guys that are the opposite - I know it's not for everyone and the constant hopping back and forth can get a bit confusing or annoying at times
(I don't think this multi timelime setting is too confusing in this particular story so you should be fine with it but just an FYI for you guys that dont like that style of read - incase you wanna skip out on this one).

Burn After Reading was fast paced and so well written. It kept me engaged the whole way through. It has such an intriguing plot - lots of similarities to the OJ Simpson/Nicole Brown Simpson Case (I went down a rabbit hole for hours googling that particular case after finishing this one 🫢😂😂)

We have 2 main characters in Burn After Reading ~ Emily and Jack.

Emily is an author of one very successful book but who is struggling alot and has severe writers block when it comes to writing her contracted second novel. Her publishers are on her back to get it written ASAP but she's really struggling.

Jack is an olympic cycling champ whos wife died a year ago in a house fire and although he hasnt been charged yet, public opinion is that he is guilty and suspicion surrounds him regarding how his wife really died.

Emily's publishers contact her and tell her they want her to be a Ghost writer for Jack to allow him tell his side of the story in the hope that he can get the public on his side.
Emily cant really refuse as her publishers are already fairly annoyed with her for not producing her promised second novel, so she agrees to be Jack's Ghostwriter.

.... The story follows on from there but I'll say no more - Read it if you wanna find out if Jack is guilty??? And just why is Emily struggling so much to write her second novel???

This one defo kept me on the edge of my seat while reading parts of it guys and I stayed up way later than I should have to finish it because I just couldnt put it down - my 7am alarm the following morn was not a bit nice I tell ya but I just couldnt go to sleep until I finished it! I was hooked! (this is why I shouldnt read on weeknights haha)

Like all of Howards previous books, this one was really creatively executed and deserves a solid 4 stars from me.

PS 'The Nothing Man' is still my fav of hers guys - add that one to your 'to be read' lists to read if you havn't already - its brilliant!!

Burn After Reading, while not my favourite of C.R.H's - is still a really enjoyable read and I recommend it.

Thanks so much to Netgalley for an ARC of this one in exchange for my honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

First of all thank you for approving my request!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The authors writing style had me hooked throughout this book.

I didn't want it to end, a book I really couldn't put down.

"Taking this job was the worst mistake she had ever made ... Well, Emily thought, at least the book will have an ending."

When thriller writer Emily Joyce is offered the chance to be the ghostwriter for a former professional cyclist's memoir, she's not keen. Except, she owes her publisher the large advance they paid her for the second book she hasn't written. So off she flies to an empty town in Florida where Jack Smyth is holed up.

A year ago, Jack's wife died in a house fire. But an autopsy showed she was violently murdered before the fire started, turning the hero into a villain. Jack has never been charged with a crime, but he wants his memoir written to regain sympathy and make people understand that a killer remains at large.
But when Emily arrives, she discovers that the book she thought she'd be writing is something else entirely. It could be a confession, putting her in immense danger.

Catherine Ryan Howard is an auto-read author for me. Her thrillers are top-notch, often inspired by real events, in this case, O.J. Simpson's book in which he 'confesses' to killing his ex-wife, hypothetically, of course.

The book is tense, and the author builds layer upon layer of suspense as the plot progresses. Right from the start, it's clear that something isn't right and that Emily hasn't been told everything about what the publishers and Jack want from the book, and the mystery only deepens when she believes she's being followed as she explores the sinister seaside town. I was hooked and seriously creeped out.

Jack is such an intriguing subject, and the author does a superb job of making the reader doubt his motivations. I oscillated between believing and doubting his version, and desperately tried to figure out what had really happened.

There are some excellent twists and reveals – not only is the reader given Emily's perspective, but the story is interspersed with Kate Smyth's memories of the days leading up to the fire, which makes the plot even meatier.

This is a thriller that is sharp, smart and utterly compelling.

My review for this title is late due to issues with the ARC, however I borrowed a copy from my local library so that I could finish the story and give it an honest review.

What I expected to be a tense thriller turned into a damp squib due to characters that never really had much depth to them. Emily felt too flat and stilted to be truly rooting for. Her backstory with her debut novel was cumbersome and just added to the clutter in the book. The twists, when they came, didn’t give the wow factor that I expected from this type of story. It left me very underwhelmed, and I think that was mostly due to my lack of empathy for any of the characters.

I can see that my opinion is not following the trend of the majority of reviewers on NetGalley, maybe Howard’s next novel will make more of an impact on me.

This was another clever thriller by Catherine Ryan Howard. Having read and enjoyed a few of her previous books I can say that her books are a step above many in this genre. The writing was engaging but I felt the characters in this story were a little wooden. While the overall main plot (did he or didn't he do it) in this book was not actually very thrilling and I didn't feel much in the way of suspense as the story plodded along over 2 different timelines the author did employ a very clever device to tell this story which plays with truth and fiction. I am a sucker for this in books and while other authors do this a lot better I felt the final few pages really elevated this read and you are left wondering if any of this could possibly be true - a wonderful feeling for a reader to have when turning the final page. The introduction was also really interesting as she describes how she gets her ideas for books. This is a very readable page-turner which would be a 3 star read from me but the really clever spin on the narrative earns it an extra star.

Thanks to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Burn after Reading was great! It shares themes and feel with CRH's previous novel, Run Time: solo creative grasps exciting career opportunity and finds herself isolated in a web, under threat from an unknown enemy. So much suspense here, and great settings too. Recommended!

Not sure this one was for me. Well written and engaging enough, I just found the story to be unbelievable and it kept taking me out of the story instead of staying immersed in it. Butt that is my personal opinion and I see lots of 5 star reviews.
Jack is an Olympian, whose sport was cycling. He is recovering from the tragedy of losing his wife in a fire. But rumours of murder seem to follow him with little or no evidence.
Emily has agreed to be his ghostwriter. After her successful first novel she has hit a blank for her second, and her publishers suggest this as a stop gap and also to take care of the advance she has already been paid.
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in return for my honest review

Another clever, fast-paced thriller from Catherine Ryan Howard. I loved the unique structure and the way the book plays with narrative and truth—it felt fresh and really kept me on my toes. The tone is sharp and satirical, with just the right amount of dark humor. The characters are flawed in believable ways, and I appreciated how the story challenged the typical crime/thriller format. A thoroughly enjoyable and thought-provoking read, perfect for fans of meta-crime and stories that mess with your head a little.

I read this a couple of weeks ago, but did not have any time to post my review immediately, which I normally do.
I did find this book somewhat underwhelming and as a consequence I find it rather hard to review in a positive note.

I enjoyed this book but not as much as I have enjoyed others from this author.
I was instantly attracted when I heard this was inspired by OJ Simpson cause let’s be honest who doesn’t!
This book had all the components you want from a thriller
Twists and turns and making you guess throughout
However for me personally I just found it a little slow and harder to get into

This was my first book by this author and I was keen to read it as I’ve heard good things about her other books. Told from two POV over dual timelines it did keep me turning the pages and it had good tension and twists, but for me I felt the ending was lacking something. Overall though a good thriller set in a different kind of location. I look forward to reading more from this author. Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam for letting me read and review this book.

Burn after reading is another thrilling story from Catherine Ryan Howard. Deeply layered and twisty, this story keeps you guessing while staying entertaining for the duration. Written with a well defined talent, Burn After Reading is yet another heavy hitting mystery that is reminiscent of the genre as a whole.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.


Burn After Reading by Catherine Ryan Howard is a Mystery thriller which is based around Irish sport star Jack Smyth, whose wife died in a fire which many people believe he started.

To combat the bad publicity Smyth is writing his personal story of the events surrounding the fire with a ghost writer Emily Joyce, a writer who had a bestseller a few years ago but has been suffering from writer's block.

If Burn After Reading sounds familiar,then that is because it is loosely based on the O.J. Simpson, who was found not guilty in a criminal court and liable in a civil court (less burden of proof in a civil court), who subsequently wrote a book.

While the stories are similar Catherine Ryan Howard does turn the story in to more of a mystery thriller novel by having characters interacting with Emily whose perspective we get through most of the story, Although there are flashbacks through Jack’s deceased wife to add context to the events before the novel is set.

As a reader the premise of Burn after Reading, did attract me to the story as someone who is old enough to remember the OJ case from the very beginning,

However, the downside that comes from having such high expectations from a novel is that it can let you down, which this does.

While the writing and the characters were done well with each having their own flaws and while you only got one aspect of each individual due to the style of the novel, Emily seemed a fair narrator.

Having said that Burn after Reading was let down by its execution, yes there were twists and turns so you were unsure of the ending. The problem was there was never one event which took this novel to a must read book of its genre.

Ultimately Burn After Reading by Catherine Ryan Howard is a competent novel which readers who are aware of the story that this novel is based on will get something from it, It just will not make many best of the year list.

Burn After Reading is Catherine Ryan Howard’s latest standalone thriller and this one was inspired by the OJ Simpson case.

A dead wife in suspicious circumstances, the husband, Jack Smyth, is a professional athlete and all the evidence seems to point at his guilt, but he’s determined to prove his innocence.

The main character is Emily. She is struggling to write her second novel after the huge success of her debut book. As she’s already spent the advance and her publishers are losing patience she has no option other than to fly out to Florida to be the ghost writer for Jack Smyth. This means spending time with a suspected murderer in an isolated and deserted new town.

There are a couple of storylines running throughout this book. Emily has a secret that could destroy her career which she is determined to keep hidden at any cost. Jack may also be guilty of murdering his wife, so why would he choose to publicly reveal his secrets. Is he dangerous and is Emily risking her life to write this book?

The story has dual timelines so the reader slowly learns more about the events that led up to the wife’s death.

Overall I found this a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining book. If you enjoy books with twists and turns then you should love this too.

I’ve not read anything by Catherine Ryan Howard before and the bio had me intrigued, I was not disappointed this is a cleverly written thriller set in a new town in Florida still under construction giving it an eerie feel, I shall definitely be checking out other books by this Author.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Burn After Reading by Catherine Ryan Howard in return for my honest review.

I’ve read all this authors books and this was a highly anticipated read for me after I heard her talk about it at Theakstons Crime Festival last year. Unfortunately it fell rather flat for me and didn’t live up to my expectations. I wasn’t engaged in either of the timelines and so didn’t feel that exciting feeling when you switch from one to another and the narrative felt messy. Definitely not as good as her previous books but an ok read.