The Writer
- Judith D Collins
- Jul 20
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 21
By: Valerie Keogh
Narrator: Rose Robinson
ISBN: 9781804157152
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Publication Date: 07/15/2025
Format: e-book
My Rating: 4 Stars (ARC)
Preorder the BRAND NEW utterly heart-pounding thriller from NUMBER ONE BESTELLING author of The Wives, Valerie Keogh.
Cara Jenkins is a successful author about to embark on her thirtieth novel. But as she sits at her desk to write, she realizes that she has no ideas left. And as the pressure mounts for her to deliver, she begins to fear that her career is over.
Then the letters start.
At first, they seem harmless. But as the messages grow darker, Cara becomes convinced that someone is watching her, waiting for their moment to strike.
Her husband, Artie, dismisses the notes as stupid pranks, but Cara feels them pulling her back to a past she can't escape. With no easy answers, Cara does what she does best and begins to write. But the more words that come, the more fantasy and reality begin to blur and soon her imagination, and her accusations, begin to run wild.
With reality blurring into fiction, Cara struggles to see the truth. Is someone really watching her, or is her unravelling mind feeding her paranoia? And how will this story - her story – end?
This time her deadline has never felt more deadly….
My Review
Valerie Keogh returns with another twisty thriller, THE WRITER, keeping you cleverly glued to the pages to see how all will unfold, told from HER (author), HIM (stalker), Then and Now.
This one will keep you up all night with its intriguing premise and gasp-worthy twists.
Who will win in this wicked, twisted game of cat and mouse?
About...
Cara Jenkins, a successful author, is working on her thirtieth novel. As the pressure to deliver the next bestseller intensifies, she begins to receive unsettling letters, giving her the sense that she is being watched.
Her husband dismisses the messages as probably pranks, but she is concerned that it is linked to her past.
What happened twenty-five years ago? Is someone playing with her?
My thoughts...
THE WRITER exudes all the psychological vibes, as Cara's writing becomes blurred between fact and fiction.
The author cleverly creates an atmospheric setting, layered with an unsettling and lurking sense of unease, paranoia, and confusion, with every page turn. This psychological tension and threatening letters will keep you guessing and second-guessing every character's motives.
The HIM, psychotic stalker voice adds to the tension and uncertainty, making THE WRITER A spine-chilling and compelling read!
The author skillfully showcases a writer’s anxieties, pressure, deadlines, and obsessions, transforming them into a pulse-pounding, impossible-to-put-down thriller.
Cara is a well-developed character and the alternating POV of HIm and Her, then and now, keeps you hooked and in suspense as all the pieces unfold with unexpected twists, leaving you on the edge of your seat, eager to uncover the story's secrets.
I enjoy this author's unique writing style and her mind-bending literary twists, which are sure to leave you appreciative and excited about the reading experience!
Recs...
THE WRITER is a must-read for fans of the author and cat-and-mouse suspense, as well as readers who enjoy works by Julia Bartz, Robyn Harding, A.R. Torre, Keri Beevis, and Freida McFadden. Join this community of readers and immerse yourself in this thrilling journey!
Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for providing a gifted advance reading copy for my honest thoughts.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: July 15, 2025
Praise for Valerie Keogh:
‘Keogh is the queen of compelling narratives and twisty plots’
—Jenny O'Brien
'A wonderful book, I can’t rate this one highly enough. If only there were ten stars, it’s that good. Valerie Keogh is a master story-teller, and this is a masterful performance.'
—Bestselling author Anita Waller
'Keogh is no. 1 for a reason, and this is another perfect slice of domestic noir. A definite 5 stars.'
—Bestselling author, Keri Beevis
About the Author
Valerie Keogh is the best-selling author of The Nurse. She lives in Wiltshire with her husband and a huge black cat, Fatty Arbuckle. She grew up reading Agatha Christie and initially wrote crime novels - she now writes psychological thrillers.
The Little Lies was shortlisted for the Crime Fiction Lovers Award 2021
Valerie has a BA in English and an MA in American Literature.
She is currently published with Boldwood Books.
Order of publication:
Deadly Sleep (2016)
Twisted Power (2016)
Bitter Business (2017)
Wicked Secret (2018)
Secrets Between Us (2018)
The Housewife 2019
The Dublin Murder Mysteries (2020)
The Three Women (2020)
The Perfect Life (2020)
The Little Lies (2020)
The Lies He Told (2021)
The Couple in the Photograph (2021)
A Taste of Deceit (2022)
The Lodger (2022)
The Widow (2022)
The Trophy Wife (2023) (previously published as Exit Five from Charing Cross)
The Librarian (2023)
The Nurse (2023)
The Lawyer (2023) (previously published as The Deadly Truth)
The Housekeeper (2023)
The Mistress (2024)
The Mother (2024)
The Wives (2024)
The Bookseller (2025)
The Writer (2025)
