Book Review: The Writer by James Patterson and J.D. Barker

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The Writer by James Patterson and J.D. Barker  was published on March 17, 2025. It opens with Detective Declan Shaw at a closed subway station trying to work up the nerve to commit suicide when he receives a call from his partner about a break in and homicide at the home of a true crime author. Shaw makes his way to the crime scene to work the case, and in a turn of events, Declan comes under scrutiny in another case loosely connected to this new case. I received an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of The Writer  from NetGalley and Little , Brown, and Company for free in exchange for my honest review. I'm appreciative that my request for this book was approved. With this story opening with the main character trying to commit suicide, I almost didn't go any further with the book. However, I am glad I stuck with it as it took me on a fantastic ride and had my emotions all over the place. There were so many twists and turns that just when I thought I had it all figured out, there was ...
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Book Review: The Family Upstairs (The Family Upstairs, #1) by Lisa Jewell

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book review the family upstairs lisa jewell

The Family Upstairs (The Family Upstairs, #1) by Lisa Jewell is told from different characters with the main storyline being told by the character Libby Jones, who receives a letter on her twenty-fifth birthday, one that she's been waiting for her entire life. This letter reveals the identity of Libby's biological parents and that she has inherited their mansion, but others have been waiting for this day as well.

This novel was exceptionally well written and kept me intrigued from page one until the very end. It had a similar vibe that many of V.C. Andrews' early books have but written for an adult audience, and I loved that about Lisa Jewell's The Family Upstairs.

Another thing I enjoyed about The Family Upstairs is it's told from the point of view of three different characters. At first, I was a bit confused from the different viewpoints, but my confusion didn't last too long. I also relished the fact that it alternated from the present and the past. Not all authors can do this well, but Lisa Jewell knocked it out of the park.

I do have to give you a trigger warning . . . there is one scene that deals with one of the characters being raped. Another scene deals with a cat being killed and mutilated, which upset me terribly being a cat lover. If you find these subject areas difficult to read about, this may not be the book for you.

All in all, I enjoyed The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell. This was the first book I read by Lisa Jewell, and it definitely won't be the last. I gave it five out of five stars. If you liked this book, I recommend Flowers in the Attic (Dollanganger, #1) by V.C. Andrews.


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