Publisher: Lake Union Press
Publication Date: May 1, 2019
Number of Pages: 348
Every writer has a story. Some are deadlier than others.
Aspiring author Graye Templeton will do anything to escape the horrific childhood crime that haunts her. After a life lived in shadows, she’s accepted a new job as protégé to Laura West, influential book blogger and wife of an acclaimed novelist. Laura’s connections could make Graye’s publishing dreams a reality. But there’s more to Laura than meets the eye.
Behind the veneer of a charmed life, Laura’s marriage is collapsing. Her once-lauded husband is descending into alcoholism and ruin and bringing Laura nearer to the edge.
As the two women form a bond that seems meant to be, long-buried secrets claw their way into the present, and the line between friendship and obsession begins to blur, forcing each to decide where her loyalties lie. Running from the past is a dangerous game, and the loser could end up dead.
Clueless Gent’s Rating
Author Eliza Maxwell spun such an ingeniously complex web of mystery in The Shadow Writer that it took the last third of the book to unravel it in the climax!
This story takes the phrase “nothing is at it seems” to an entirely new level. Practically every character has a unique backstory and a closet full of secrets. Some secrets are revealed as we go along, but the most secretive secrets are saved (or should I say savored?) for later in the story.
Much like the other Eliza Maxwell novels I’ve read, this is a dark story. The further we get into the meat of the story, the darker it becomes. And just when you think things could not possibly get any darker – they do!
The Characters of The Shadow Writer
Graye Templeton and Laura West are the two protagonists. Graye is an aspiring novelist with a dark and secretive past. Laura is a very successful book blogger. The only thing they seem to have in common is Laura’s husband – a successful novelist, who is also Graye’s idol and mentor.
Each woman has her own supply of ambitions and problems. However, when Graye accepts a position as Laura’s assistant, a string of events is put in motion that could not possibly be predicted (or stopped), culminating in murder.
Eliza Maxwell gives us some very brief looks into Graye’s earlier life, but that did not prepare me for what comes later. (That’s a good thing.)
Audio and Technical Aspects
I’ve heard that you should never go to Alaska on your first cruise because it’s one of the better cruises. That’s how I feel about this audiobook. This was my first audiobook, but I have a hard time imagining anyone doing it better than narrator Karissa Vacker did in this story.
The audio was amazing!
Technically, the audio was well-balanced. It was free of any background noise. Further, the narrator’s enunciation was perfect. And then there were the voices! Oh – the voices!
Not only did Vacker change the pitch to differentiate characters, she also gave each character a unique voice. I very much enjoyed that!
The pacing of this novel is noteworthy. I think it takes a real talent to draw out a climax as long as Maxwell did here. But it doesn’t get boring! Just when things seem to die down, there’s another reveal to keep the reader FULLY engaged.
This is one of those stories where I didn’t see what was coming. I wasn’t even looking in the right direction! But once I finished and looked back, I saw the events of the story in an entirely new and original light.
I enjoyed this story very much!
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4/30/19
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4/30/19
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5/1/19
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5/2/19
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5/3/19
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5/3/19
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BONUS Post
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5/4/19
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5/4/19
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5/5/19
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5/6/19
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5/7/19
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5/7/19
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5/8/19
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5/9/19
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5/9/19
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3 thoughts on “The Shadow Writer”
You nailed it with this review! And welcome to the world of reading with your ears. I agree that it will be a tough act to follow. Thanks for the post!
Fantastic review! Thanks for posting. Karissa Vacker is amazing! I’m so glad you enjoyed the book.
Fantastic review. I’ll be adding this to my audiobook list.