Jack Smyth tried to save his wife, Kate, from their burning home—but he was too late. Carrying her body to safety, he wept for the woman he’d lost. A tragic, heroic figure.

Or so it seemed.

When it’s later revealed that Kate was dead before the fire started, Jack is no longer a grieving husband—he’s the prime suspect.

A year on, sick of the whispers and accusations, he decides to tell his side of the story the only way he can: by writing a book to clear his name.

Enter Emily. She owes her publishers a second book but has no idea where to start. Desperate, she agrees to take on Jack’s project, flying to a remote location to hear him profess his innocence. But she wasn’t prepared for what he had to say ..

This book was twisty - expertly shifting suspicion between characters, keeping me second-guessing at every turn. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, I’d be proven wrong - but never in a way that felt forced or frustrating.

The characters? Deliciously shady. Manipulation, murder, and a disturbing enjoyment of others’ suffering run rampant. One character, in particular, was so well written, I felt their malevolence through the pages.

Told from dual perspectives - Emily in the present and Kate in the past - the story builds suspense masterfully. The voices are distinct and engaging, so I never had to flip back to remind myself whose perspective I was reading.

The pacing? Perfect. I tore through this in just a few sittings.

If you loved The Nothing Man, this is a must-read. If you haven’t read The Nothing Man, my recommendation still stands. Pick this one up and thank me later :)

A huge thanks to NetGalley, the author, and to Bantam for the ARC - All opinions are my own.

This is a page turning book. I was hooked. I had to know the answers. If you liked her previous books you will like this one.

Rating: 4.0/5

Emily had penned a bestselling debut thriller, "The Witness", but the challenge of producing "Book 2" has been too much. There have been false starts, but ultimately, lack of inspiration has left her with nothing but blank pages and an empty bank balance. She has long since spent the advance she had been given by her publisher, so now she faces the prospect of having to somehow pay back a huge debt to them, should they come knocking - and they do. But they also offer Emily a way out. The publishers have a client, Jack Smyth, who is looking for a ghostwriter. Twelve months earlier, Jack had been hailed as a hero when the former Olympic cyclist carried his wife's body out of their burning home. However, subsequent investigations discovered that his wife, Kate, had been dead well before the fire started and now suspicion is falling upon Jack. He wants to tell his side of the story in a memoir, which is why he needs a ghostwriter. Emily needs the money and feels cornered, but how wise it to agree to to being in a secret, isolated location with a man who may or may not be a murderer?

Somewhat unusually, this book begins with a preamble by the author informing the reader where her inspiration for this novel came from and how fact can sometimes be, quite literally, stranger than fiction. References are made to the factual O.J. Simpson case as well as the fictional movie, "Jagged Edge". Essentially, Catherine Ryan Howard tells her audience, at the very outset, what is going to happen, which should be the biggest spoiler going - and yet it isn't. The author still skilfully manages to construct a story that is gripping throughout and has the reader doubting the accounts of various characters and even their very own assessment of them. The premise is not unfamiliar, as the author herself points out, there have been high profile, real life instances of precisely this plotline. It has to be said that the story does not always rattle along at a galloping pace, so that may not sit well with all readers, but personally, I felt the pacing was ideally suited to the subject matter. Catherine Ryan Howard has produced a captivating thriller with a constant sense of menace and moments of genuinely high tension.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

Burn after Reading by Catherine Ryan Howard

The much awaited eighth novel by Catherine Ryan Howard (‘CRH’) opens with an absolutely terrifying, heart thumping, stuff of nightmares, chapter. Count me in.

In CRH’s usual style, Burn After Reading is another cleverly plotted thriller. This time our main character - Emily - has gone back to an office job after the success of her first novel, The Witness, and is approached by her publisher to ghostwrite a book.

The subject, a famous former cyclist, may or may not have killed his wife. Emily just has to spend a week alone with him to find out. Why would she do such a thing? Well, you’ll have to read the book to find out.

As you might expect, of a crime fiction novel, there are some graphic, violent scenes and quite a few jump scares. Personally, I must read CRH’s novels at night, in the dark, on my own, but you may prefer to leave the lights on.

As always, there are some Easter eggs for the die hard CRH fans - one of which I spotted immediately and was thrilled by and another I have yet to confirm, so if / when you read it, please slide into my DMs.

Burn after Reading will be published on 10 April 2025 and is available to pre-order now from all the usual places. Eason have an exclusive edition with bonus content and sprayed edges and Kenny’s have signed, first edition, hardbacks.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#TiredMammyBookClub #TiredMammy30minutes #TiredMammyRecommends #BurnAfterReading #CatherineRyanHoward

Do not miss this one! I received a proof copy of Burn After Reading and I’m thrilled to tell you all that you’re in for a massive treat when it hits the shelves.

Catherine Ryan Howard is the master of twists. I was fully invested — my phone was full of photographs of pages/lines I thought would be particularly relevant and I had a entry in my notes app that I kept plying with thoughts, theories and even more quotes whilst reading. Despite that I only managed to spot one of the twists — but I’m proud of it! There’s another particular one later on that is so dark. It's brilliant.

In Burn After Reading meet Emily. She’s a writer who is struggling with second book syndrome. But her publisher has a plan: Emily will ghostwrite a memoir for former professional cyclist Jack. Almost a year ago Jack returned home one night to find his house in flames — and his wife Kate tragically dead inside. But the autopsy reveals something chilling: Kate inhaled no smoke. She was already dead before the fire started. Now Jack is desperate to tell his side of the story and prove his innocence. But what’s the truth? And what secrets is Emily hiding?

I couldn’t sleep until like 3 am after finishing the book as I just couldn’t stop thinking about it. This book has firmly claimed the title of my new favourite book by CRH.

One of the joys of Catherine’s books is their high concept plotting – just when you think you’ve got a handle on what’s happening, and who is responsible for dodgy deeds – the story is flipped and you’re back wondering if what you wonder is right. From a reader’s point of view, that’s brilliant. In her latest book, Jack Smyth, former Irish athlete turned businessman, tries valiantly to save his wife as their home is on fire. Though too late, he’s commended for his bravery, only for the truth about Kate’s death – that she was dead long before the fire began – to surface. Fast forward 12 months and he’s signed a book deal to tell everyone his side of the story… but he needs a ghostwriter. Step forward Emily, who has understandable reasons for agreeing to interview Jack and putting his words to paper. Writing and words are at the heart of this twisty read: who says what and when (and why), coupled with the importance of books in telling a story – because there’s no smoke without fire.

I absolutely loved this book. I really liked the concept of this book so I was keen to get stuck in and the author has delivered a tightly woven, gripping read. The prologue really sets the pace for this book and we spend the rest of the book knowing Emily is going to face danger, which was an incredibly electric way to start a book and really draw the reader in. From there, the pace never lets up and I was hooked as we face more twists and turns.
The characters are great, very human and relatable whilst also offering plenty of secrets and drama. I cannot recommend this book enough. Be warned that once you start this you will not be able to put it down.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK for an advance copy.

A compelling mystery thriller that keeps you guessing until the very last page. The dual timelines—one following Emily, the ghostwriter, and the other Kate, the woman whose death in a house fire sparks the story—add depth and intrigue. Hints of a dark secret weighing on Emily build suspense throughout, and while I had a sense of what it might be, it didn’t spoil the twists and turns. The alternating perspectives between Emily and Kate unravel the complexities of the past few years and shed light on the true events surrounding Kate's death. This book is a perfect example of a mystery that makes you think you know what's happening, only to shift your perspective by the end of each chapter. I couldn’t put it down and finished it in just a couple of sittings. The pacing is smooth, and the ending ties everything up satisfyingly. Highly recommended for anyone who loves a well-crafted, twisty thriller.

A big thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK, and Transworld Publishers for providing the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Admittedly unsure at first, but then I couldn't put it down. I have since purchased other books by Catherine, and this was definitely a great introduction to her work.

The plot of Burn After Reading centres around Jack, a former competitive cyclist whose wife perished in a fire at their house, and Emily, a writer who had one big hit and is now unable to write her second book. The public first sympathises with Jack, until it is shockingly revealed that he is the primary suspect and that his wife died of horrifying injuries before the fire. In order to give his version of events, Jack has persuaded Emily to ghostwrite a book. What follows is a masterful, page-turning novel that examines the public's preoccupation with true crime and offers insights into the publishing industry.

Jack Smyth was hailed a hero the night he ran into his burning house to save his wife until they found out she was dead long before the fire started. Under suspicion Jack decides to sign a book deal to tell his side of the story. Emily's never ghostwritten anything before but she knows how it feels to live with a secret. She's about to find out that some secrets should never be shared.

This had me gripped right from the start. This was so well written I could really feel how Emily felt from the situation she'd gotten into. There were so many twists and turns that I wasn't sure how this was going to end or who to believe. I enjoyed that we got to hear Jack's wife's perspective and how things really were in her life too. I will definitely be picking up more of Catherine's work.

I was looking forward to this novel as I have read and enjoyed the authors previous work. However, the arc was formatted incorrectly and I was unable to read it without a struggle.

Unfortunately this book isn’t formatted correctly for Kindle and I’ve left it too late to read on the NewGalley app., so won’t be able to give a review,

I have heard so many raves about this author but this book really missed the mark for me. I found it to be very slow and drawn out. I also found it to be kinda choppy and unlikely.

Another assured, sharp and entertaining read from CRH. I love how her books are so different from each other and guaranteed to be a good read.
Burn After Reading is a novel about a writer, who due to circumstances she has brought upon herself, has agreed to ghostwrite a novel for a man who has been accused of murdering his wife. Emily travels to a remote , newly built town in Florida to meet the potential murderer and capture his story but all is not as it seems, nobody is telling the truth and the web of lies begins to disintegrate.

Loved the ominous setting of this one , enjoyed the unreliability of the characters and the plot and pacing. A decent, well written thriller. Recommend.

Emily has been asked to ghostwrite a book on behalf of a murderer. Jack Smyth was accused of murdering his wife when she was already dead after being pulled out from a fire in their home.
Jack wants to prove hun innocence and Emily is under pressure to fulfil her contract. Is Jack guilty or innocent?
This is a great psychological read, it is gripping, scary, tense based on a very clever plot. The characters are believable and comes with an unexpected twist.

The opening chapter/scene for this book had me literally gasping for breath.... I love a good 'did he, didn't he do it' and this one definitely had me going back and forth for a while.

The storyline was good, but we had a few characters that went to strange lengths to insert themselves into Emily's peripheral vision.... Was it necessary ? I don't know.

This wasn't as thrilling or suspenseful as The Trap...I LOVED The Trap, so I expected a bit more from the author, but the book itself was entertaining. If you're not into hardcore, gory and graphic thrillers, you'd enjoy this one.

3.5 stars

Emily is a writer who had one best seller with her debut novel and then slipped ingo obscurity when she couldn't write anything else. Her publisher tracks her down and in order to fulfil her contract she is to be a ghost writer for Jack Smyth who was accused of killing his wife but hasn't been charged. Is he guilty by public opinion or is there someone else who is plotting his downfall?

I am a massive Catherine Ryan Howard fan and although I really liked this novel I think after The Trap nothing can quite top it. The story was still full of the twists and turns which kept me on the edge of my seat and are never simply used as a device to trick the audience. I always feel that I'm genuinely surprised so although my rating is a little lower for this novel I will still eagerly await the next one. 3.5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review..

Catherine Ryan Howard never disappoints!

This story - about a writer who has failed to deliver her second novel and has to accept a peculiar ghost writing assignment from her publishers in order to meet her obligations with them - keeps the reader wondering what is actually going on throughout the book.

Why does she have to work in a closed interview room with an alleged murderer? Did he really kill his wife? Who is the stranger she spots following her around?

The suspense is maintained right until the end, and this is a really intriguing read. I enjoyed it very much.

Another great book by Catherine Ryan Howard. This book had me hooked from start to finish. I will definitely be recommending this in store.