Review of The Ghost Writer

Shirley Ann Riddern Labzentis · 29 May 2025, 17:06

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Ghost Writer" by Brian Warner.]

4 out of 5 stars

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Do you believe in werewolves, vampires, witches, and magical powers? If you do, you will enjoy The Ghost Writer by Brian Warner. The story is about a family: Jack, Kari, Patrick, and Jenny. Jack is a writer and also teaches English. Kari is mainly a stay-at-home mom nowadays. Patrick is the oldest child, and he is on the autism spectrum. Jenny is the youngest and is frustrated because she cannot do many things, as they would upset her brother. Patrick gets upset easily and throws tantrums; getting him to calm down afterward is very hard. One of Jack’s idols is a horror story writer, Martin Knight, who is very famous. One day, Jack gets introduced to Martin, and Martin asks Jack to be his ghostwriter for his upcoming novel.

The Ghost Writer is a very unique novel. Martin Knight writes each chapter, and the book contains all sorts of werewolves, vampires, witches, and people who possess certain powers. There are gruesome murders, violence, profanity, transformations, and a Nightmare Verse. This universe connects all of Martin Knight’s characters and stories.

I enjoyed the book, even though at times I had a hard time following along. People are not who they appear to be; the characters travel back and forth through this KnightmareVerse, and the werewolves change in and out of their animalistic forms. Jack was sometimes called John, Johnny, or Jon.

The author keeps the characters straight as they intertwine through the different stories and become other people. I just had a hard time remembering who was what character. I am going to rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. I deducted one star because the story was a little confusing at times. The book was a great read that kept you on your toes and your mind active. The book was well edited, with no grammatical or spelling errors. I did find one section of the book that differed from the rest. There is a mime who has a black beret at first, but then the beret is suddenly described as a red beret. The only part I disliked was towards the end when all the characters were changing back and forth.

For those of you who like horror and fantasy novels, you will enjoy reading this book.

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The Ghost Writer
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Post by **Sarah Zain** » 31 May 2025, 23:58

You attracted me to the book from the first lines. I now lean more towards fiction stories and the story seems to hold a lot of it.
The book will be on my list.
Thank you for the recommendation and the great review.

Gerry Steen · Post by **Gerry Steen** » 01 Jun 2025, 09:30

Kudos to the author for creating the world in this story and the multi-dimensional characters. I am curious how Patrick fared through this story. His perception of things would be interesting. I hope that Jenny finds her own space to get things accomplished. You piqued my interest in this story. Thanks for another great review.

Post by **Kibet Hillary** » 01 Jun 2025, 12:42

Indeed, it would like sound a bit confusing and boring when all the characters are often changing back and forth. The story sounds great and thrilling, though, and hence I would definitely like to read this book. Many thanks for the well-balanced, informative review, @Shirley Ann Riddern Labzentis.

Laney K · Post by **Laney K** » 02 Jun 2025, 09:24

This sounds as though it covers a lot of horror tropes with all the different monsters. Thank you for the informative review as always!

Post by **Seetha E** » 03 Jun 2025, 04:26

I have read one book involving vampires. It had 6 short stories and I did like it. I haven't read a full-fledged one from this genre since then. You have piqued my interest with the characters. I'll add this one to my reading list. Thank you for an informative review!

Oly Ifu · Post by **Oly Ifu** » 03 Jun 2025, 10:57

"The Ghost Writer" by Brian Warner is a horror novel that follows John Sterling, an English professor who becomes a ghostwriter for the famous horror author, Martin Knight. John's dream of becoming a writer seems hopeless until he gets this opportunity, but he soon discovers that the story has a life of its own ¹.

As John delves deeper into the writing process, he must confront an inhuman evil that threatens him and his family. The story takes a dark and terrifying turn, blurring the lines between reality and fiction. Reviewers have praised the book for its slow-burn tension, supernatural elements, and homages to Stephen King's style ².

Warner's debut novel has received rave reviews, with readers calling it "freaky creepy," "mind-melting," and "impossible to put down" ² ³. If you're a fan of horror and suspense, "The Ghost Writer" might be the perfect read for you.

Nabilla Kansha Azzahra · Post by **Nabilla Kansha Azzahra** » 04 Jun 2025, 10:43

I don't really like reading books, but after seeing this, I became more interested in fantasy stories and the more I read, the more interesting it became, even though it was a bit difficult to understand at first.

Onyemuwa-dave · Post by **Onyemuwa-dave** » 21 Jun 2025, 01:47

This is a fantastic review of The Ghost Writer! You've clearly highlighted its unique premise with the Nightmare Verse and dynamic transformations. It's helpful to know about the occasional confusion with character identities (Jack/John) and the beret detail. Thanks for sharing your insightful take on this horror/fantasy novel!

NetMassimo · Post by **NetMassimo** » 29 Jun 2025, 15:05

This seems like an unusual horror book with the story of the writer, the ghost writer, and the various supernatural characters. Despite being a bit confusing, sometimes, my impressions is that its merits outweigh this flaw, making it engaging. Thank you for your great review!

Helen Waziri · Post by **Helen Waziri** » 15 Jul 2025, 07:52

Another compelling aspect of The Ghost Writer is how it explores the idea of storytelling itself. By having Jack ghostwrite for his literary idol and literally become part of the NightmareVerse, the novel blurs the line between creator and creation. This meta element adds a layer of depth for readers who enjoy thinking about the power and consequences of fiction.

Etimbuk Eshiet · Post by **Etimbuk Eshiet** » 16 Jul 2025, 06:25

This sounds like a complex but fascinating read. I like how the reviewer explained the mix of horror and fantasy, especially the concept of the Nightmare Verse. It's good to know the book was well edited, even if the character switching got confusing. I think fans of supernatural thrillers would enjoy this one!