3.5/5

Emily was only able to deliver one book of her two book contract. However, as it’s been years, as her second book she is tasked with ghost writing the story of Jack Smyth who has been accused of murdering his wife and setting his house on fire. Well, it’s that or she has to return the £25k advance on book 2 (which she doesn’t have).

Her previous release, The Trap was a tough act to follow. This story has taken some inspiration from OJ Simpson’s book, If I Did It.

I thought that this was a little something different compared to your standard thriller. I loved the plot idea and the setting was interesting!

I did struggle to engage at times with the writing and the ending was a bit of a disappointment. It was too long yet too short at the same time. Some elements of the story dragged, yet there were other things I wanted to know more about!

Thank you Bantam and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you SO much to Catherine Ryan Howard and Random House UK for my copy of Burn After Reading. When I saw that she had a new book out I HAD to have it! This book was about famous cyclist Jack Smyth, a man who lost his beautiful wife in a fire. When it came out that she was dead before the fire started, the nation’s sympathy turned to rage, and though Jack was never charged, he was surrounded by suspicion. The only way out is for him to tell his story.

When Emily is offered a job as his ghostwriter, she needs the money more than she wants to say no. She’s flown to a remote location, holed up with Jack for a week to learn his story in order to write his way into the hearts of the public. But soon she isn’t sure what is right and what is wrong, and Emily is part of a dangerous plot that she never wanted to be a part of.

Thoughts: I loved this book! It had so many similarities to the OJ Simpson/ Nicole Brown case that I actually went back and watched a documentary about it. Did you know that OJ even wrote a book about “if” he did it? I didn’t! Anyway, this story was intriguing, and about Jack wanting to tell the story of how he didn’t kill Kate. He wants to explain his side of the story, in hopes that he can get the public on his side.

I liked that Emily also had a past, and the way it was mixed in with the story. I wish there was more of it that came into play, because I think it would have made the story more interesting. I also think there could have been even more of a build up of tension. I thought the structure of this book was really well done, and it was creatively written like all of Howard’s books. 4-stars for this one!

I really enjoyed this book, I think it was really cleverly written, and I kept waiting to read it!!!!

I haven't read anything previously by this author, but I will now.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When I read a book by Catherine Ryan Howard I always have a nagging feeling at the edge of my mind that I’m reading a true crime book and not a fictional one due to the incredible way she tells her stories. This was no exception, in fact it has me wondering if this author was ‘Roxie’ and wondering which of her books was her ‘The Witness’! Silly I know but her books tell amazing stories which do fire my imagination and keep the pages turning ever faster in my quest to know all she will tell me!
This story is told in two timelines after the flash forward to Emily’s last night in Florida. We have the now where we are hearing Jack’s version of his life and the then where we see what did happen to Kate.. The story is totally engaging and the characters are so well drawn that they felt real as I struggled to figure out who to believe and place my trust in.

A brilliant, tense and exciting concept. I really enjoyed the alternating perspectives which took us closer to finding out what happened to Kate. Gripping story, twists along the way and plenty of secrets - what I love in a thriller.

I heard good things about this book so was excited to get an arc of it but I just was not into the descriptive writing and I was waiting for a twist or something surprising but it never came. Unfortunately it was too slow of a read that I ended up dnfing half way through.

This is the eighth thriller from Catherine Ryan Howard and I’ve had the privilege of being able to follow her career from the start with the excellent Distress Signals. This book isn’t the first time she has dabbled in the world of the writer – the excellent The Nothing Man had a similar idea, but this is a very different book.

I’ll be honest – that’s the idea of reviews after all – this took a while to get going for me. The tension is on a low boil for most of the book and a number of the reveals didn’t catch me out like some of… no, most of Catherine’s books have.

Emily is a strong central character and while the surprises weren’t that surprising, her story – and Jack’s – is still a good read. I suppose the problem here is that I’m inevitably comparing it to the writer’s other books, like the excellent Run Time, and this is “just” a perfectly good thriller (if a tad slow in places).

Catherine Ryan Howard is an auto buy author for me and I have read and enjoyed most of her books, so when she has a new release it immediately becomes one of my most anticipated reads of the year.
I had the same excitement going in to this one and I purposely went into it blind.
Unfortunately I found this to be not one of her best books.
For a start nothing really happens for the first half of the book. I found the pacing and plot to be actually really dull and slow. However I was intrigued by where the plot would go so I kept on going.
My main issue on finishing the book was that I thought it to be so unbearably dull, flat and lacking any tension, mystery or thrills.
I thought that both of the main characters Emily and Jack lacked any depth or personality and were really boring 2D characters to follow. I just never cared about them.
I feel like the story could have benefitted from chapters from Jack's perspective as this would have added some depth to the plot and character.
This could have been so much better than it was and I ended it feeling really disappointed. It's not that the writing was bad, just how dull the story was.
This wasn't my favourite by this author but I would read from her again.
But the cover is great though!

Catherine Ryan Howard is always an auto read author for me. Her book, The Nothing Man is still one of my favourite thriller books. If you haven’t read it then what are you doing? You are seriously missing out. Anyway, Burn After Reading has such an intriguing plot, I dare you to pick this up and not be hooked. I had so many ideas and theories going around in my head it was crazy. Her books are always a wild ride and this one was no different.

We have 2 main characters in Burn After Reading.. first we have Jack. He is an Olympic cycling champion, a businessman and a very charismatic man . But is he also a killer? His wife died less than a year ago in a tragic house fire, but the autopsy revealed that she was already dead before the fire started. The guards haven’t been able to charge him yet but the public opinion is that he is guilty. Enter Emily, the writer of a very successful book who is struggling to get that second book written. Her publishers offer her the chance to wipe her debt with them by ghostwriting Jacks story.

Tell me that doesn’t make you want run out and get this book now! There is a lot more to it but that is all you need for now. We find out that Jack isn’t the only one with secrets as we get further into the book, we learn why Emily is struggling with another novel.

It is a dark and very cleverly written story that will keep you in the edge of your seat and turning pages well past your bedtime.

Thank you so much to Random House UK, Transworld Publishing on NetGalley for my advanced copy of this fantastic book to read. Publishes on April 10th,

Not going to lie, I struggled with this one quite a bit. I even thought about DNFing but I really wanted to know what happened since the starting chapter got me hooked.

The premise and the setting of this book is interesting in itself. Writing a book wuth a murderer confesion? I foubd this quite mysterious and the suspense made me keep going.

However, the execution did fail me a bit. Some bits of the storyline related to cycling made me skip those parts. And definitely the characters drove me mad and I felt no sympathy for anyone. Despite the subplot of the main character in relation to her own book.

Entertaining enough. I did finish it but the ending was as well a bit all over the place.

I am Catherine Ryan Howard’s biggest fan!!

After reading every book Howard has put out I freaked out when I got the email about this so a huge thank you!!

This isn’t like your typical Howard book she’s definitely known for her huge twists although there is twists in this it’s nothing ground breaking which I can see being abit controversial but me personally loved that it wasn’t anyone so crazy to take away from the story!

Always expect the unexpected when it comes to Howard’s books!!

This book kept my attention throughout and I didn't know which characters to trust. The plot does veer into the unbelievable and the end became predictable around halfway through, but I read it all so that's a good sign! Thanks for the ARC. 4.5 rounded up.

Sinister, Compelling..
Jack Smyth is haunted by suspicion. Losing his wife in a house fire, unable to save her, he was initially branded a hero but when it was found that she was dead before the fire Jack then fell under suspicion. When he signs a book deal to tell his side of the story, he knows that he needs a ghostwriter. Enter Emily, who has her own secrets. A suspenseful and immersive thriller, claustrophobic and compelling, with a well crafted and credible cast of characters populating a propulsive and menacing plot. Wholly atmospheric, sinister and engaging.

"Burn After Reading" by Catherine Ryan Howard is a thriller that promises a lot of intrigue with its "book within a book" narrative structure. The plot revolves around Jack Smyth, who is perceived as a hero after trying to save his wife from their burning home, only for it to be revealed that she was already dead before the fire started. Suspicion has haunted him since, and he decides to write a book to clear his name, with the help of Emily, a first-time ghost-writer with her own guilty secrets.

The story offers a tantalizing mix of mystery and suspense, drawing readers into the complexities of the characters' lives and secrets. However, while the premise is engaging, the execution sometimes teeters on the edge of credibility. The characters, didn't fully capture my empathy, leaving me somewhat detached from their struggles and experiences.

Despite its shortcomings, the book had much to recommend it, not least that the ending of the book is satisfying.

ooh this was a goody. it built tension so well. its also had me flip flapping and 2nd guessing who was innocent or not. i wasnt sure from the get go who i could trust. but i found the stroyline was just so yummy because of that. and it made me more nervous of the plot too. like i was in this maze not knowing which turn would come up with an enemy.
the story is told in dual timelines too, where we get two very different people in this plots point of view. and how slowly the comin together of these give you the actual picture...or does it? i was also worried this would end on a " you decide" kind of vibe. which i dont usually like because i want to know the authors ACTUAL decision and not trust my own, ha.
so firstly we have emily. she is one of the points of view. she has been given the task of ghost writing for someones else after her first and only succces landed her in a funk.
the book will be of Jack. he was hailed a hero for running into the burning building to save his wife. but sadly for him the forensics say his wfie was already dead. so ermmmm whats going on Jack? murder?
the build up of what comes next is superb. and i dont want to reveal any of the little "oh!" moments to come. as each chapter slips in a few.
Catherine is an author you can trust with this type of thriller and its the type of thriller thats when done well, a win win win ding ding ding for me.

Emily Joyce, a struggling writer, is offered the chance to ghostwrite a novel for former professional cyclist Jack Smyth. When Jack’s wife died in a fire, suspicion was pointed towards him and he is hoping the book will be his chance to show his innocence. Emily flies to Florida to get started, only the story Jack tells is not what she expected.

I really liked the sound of this storyline, especially as it was based around ghostwriters and books. I enjoyed all the references towards these subjects and found the mystery intriguing. Having read a few books by this author, I always enjoy the twists and turns. This one seemed much more subtle with these and I didn’t feel I got any major surprises, however it was still a well written story.

The characters were interesting, although I didn’t feel a strong connection with any of them. I also feel like it was quite a slow burn overall and it sometimes felt like it was dragging. Saying that, this was definitely another decent story with some creepy scenes, however not one of my favourites my this author. I will still be looking forward to seeing what she comes up with next. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

"Burn After Reading" is an engaging psychological thriller that takes us on a journey with Emily, a former best-selling author who is currently facing a tough time. After basking in the glory of her first book, she’s now struggling to write her second and dealing with the pressure of her publishers demanding their advance back since the book never materialised. To make matters more interesting, they offer her a ghostwriting job, which she reluctantly accepts.

Her new project involves working with Jack Smyth, a former pro cyclist who has found himself in a very challenging position—he’s been accused of murder and wants to tell his side of the story. It’s a high-stakes situation that adds layers to the narrative.

The story beautifully alternates between Emily’s and Kate’s (Jack’s wife) perspectives, moving between the past and present. This dual narrative enriches the experience as we learn about the characters and their motives. The pacing may be slower at times, but it builds an incredible amount of tension, making you feel like you're sitting on the edge of your seat.

One of the things I really enjoyed was how you could never quite trust any of the characters. It adds an irresistible element of suspense and keeps you guessing about what might happen next. With plenty of unexpected twists that will leave you wanting more, it’s hard to put the book down!

Catherine Ryan Howard has done it again with another fantastic read, and I can’t wait to dive into more of her work. If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers, I strongly recommend "Burn After Reading."

I’d also like to give a big thank you to NetGalley and the publishers—Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, for providing me with a digital review copy of this book. All opinions in this review are completely my own and I am sharing them voluntarily!

I've been a fan of Catherine Ryan Howard's novels for the last couple of years. Overall this book is a good page turner, and keeps the reader guessing up to near the end. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance reader copy.

Emily is forced by her publishers to act as a ghost writer for Jack Smyth, a former celebrity cyclist whose wife died in a fire despite Jack's attempts to rescue her. The forensic evidence contradicts his story, and there are suspicions about him. Emily is told that Jack is writing a book about his account of the incident in an attempt to prove his innocence, and travels to a secluded place in Florida to write the book. It turns out that Emily has been misinformed, and Jack is going to confess to murder. There are a couple of other characters in the area who try to approach Emily and she fears for her safety.
This was well written and fast-paced, but I found some of the plot a bit too much to be believable.
A good beach read.

I absolutely love Catherine Ryan Howard, and to hear this was based on OJ Simpsons book dea that almost came to be, I jumped at the chance to request an ARC for her latest book.
I found it quite hard to get into, and found it lagged for the first 45% or so. Howard has such an amazing skill at descriptions and making you feel you're there yourself, however I found the descriptions not particularly necessary a lot of the time in this, and felt like wasted chapters. I loved the ghostwriter aspect and not knowing if what we hear is the truth, I found this a very interesting take.
I wasn't blown away by this one, but overall it was okay.
Thank you very much for the opportunity to advance read a copy