And Catherine does it again! The twists and turns in this book were unreal, I got to the point where I was doubting all the characters and could trust nothing. They were so well written and I could not get enough of it!

A writer with no inspiration is forced into ghost writing a story where nothing is black or white, the innocent are guilty and the guilty are innocent. Will she get out alive?

"Burn After Reading" by Catherine Ryan Howard is a psychological thriller that grips the reader from the first page to the last.

Emily has long struggled to come up with an idea for her second book and the publishers advance she was given has long been spent. When she is called to the office of her publishers, she fears that they will ask for the return of the £25,000 advance. To her surprise, she is offered the role of a ghostwriter. Not keen on the idea until the publishers offer to clear her debt to them Emily takes up the challenge. NDAs signed and sealed Emily then finds out that her subject is a former cyclist (Jack Smyth) who is suspected of killing his wife in a house fire.

The author creates characters that are believable and relatable. Emily is complex and her motivations are sometimes skewed as the secret she is hiding slowly comes to the surface. The atmosphere and tension is increased by the 2 POVs (Emily and Kate) and 2 timelines (present day and a few days before the fire).

The pacing of the novel is excellent and maintains a steady momentum, ensuring that the reader remains engrossed throughout.
This 4-star review highlights the strengths of "Burn After Reading," making it a recommended read for anyone seeking an engaging thriller. With the allure of the introduction siting OJ Simpson’s case as inspiration, Catherine Ryan Howard has once again proven her ability to captivate.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley UK for the ARC.

Five years on from her best-selling debut novel, writer Emily Joyce is struggling to even get started on her second book. When her publishers approach her to ghostwrite a memoir as a means of paying back her debut it looks like all of her problems have been solved until she discovers that Jack Smyth is the subject, the man everyone is convinced is guilty of murdering his wife.

Catherine Ryan Howard is one of those writers who ties your mind in knots, to the extent that once you've finished a book you want to go back to the beginning and spot all the little clues you missed the first time around. Burn After Reading didn't give me quite the same urge as the narrative reveals the hidden story bit by bit as we approach the conclusion.

The book opens with a foreword from the author, giving a brief explanation of how she comes up with some of her ideas. She then explains that O. J. Simpson had a book deal to write a confession, the story of how he committed the murders if he'd actually carried them out. All hypothetical obviously. Such a tantalising opening for a story.

As if the foreword wasn't enough to grab your attention, the terrifying first chapter grips you and doesn't let go. Things slow down a little then, just to give your heart a chance to return to normal, as we meet Emily. Given a two-book deal and a hefty advance on the basis of her first novel, she's struggled to even start the second book. A call from her publishers requesting a meeting fills her with apprehension as she's sure they'll ask for the advance to be returned, money she simply no longer has.

The publishers, however, suggest something different, they'd like her to ghostwrite a memoir of retired athlete Jack Smyth. Jack became famous as a professional cyclist and infamous following the suspicious death of his wife in a house fire eleven months earlier. Everyone is convinced Jack murdered his wife but he's never been charged. Jack wants to give his side of the story, even explain how he hypothetically carried out the murder, and then reveal it's all a work of fiction. Emily is nervous about the whole endeavor but understands it's her only way of clearing the debt she owes the publishers.

What follows is a multi-layered story that fills you with unease, unsure of who can be trusted, who is telling the truth, and what secrets are being hidden. The setting, a new town being constructed on the Florida coast, adds to the creepiness as it is isolated and has no residents, meaning that for a lot of the time Emily is alone with Jack. You constantly get a feeling of being watched, that someone is lurking and not knowing if they are friend or foe. As the tension builds, layers are peeled away and we slowly begin to glimpse the true, horrifying story.

Quietly impressive thriller, where is "is he, isn't he the killer" angle isn't over-egged allowing you to form your own view as the story builds.

The preface sets-up the book brilliantly and the plot is original, interesting and plausible given what we now know about people in the public eye such as O J Simpson... I loved that the ghostwriter feels out of her depth but must complete the job or end up owing thousands.

It's pacy and literate without being stilted and great not to have a central character where the love interest doesn't finish with her other half being a white knight rescuer.

There's very little negative to say about Burn After Reading, save for a couple of scenes with Jack's confessions being a little confusing as to what is the "truth", but perhaps that was just me reading too fast!

Jack is a professional cyclist and when his wife dies in a house fire everyone sympathisers with him but then the police find out she was killed before the fire, Jack is never charged but people don`t know what to think so he employs Emily to be a ghost writer to tell his story.
Things turn the wrong way and is not what she expected.
Emily`s first and only book she had written was very interesting to find out.
It did keep you in suspense.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC and I give my honest review.

What a read, what a goodie! I was engrossed from the first word. It’s told in 2 different timelines of past and present. This could be confusing at times as there is no warning of when switching from one timeline to the other which I did find annoying. Other than that it’s a very cleverly written, quick paced read that keeps you engaged and builds the suspense. The characters are both likeable and unlikeable. Really enjoyed this one but be warned you’ll be hooked from start to finish.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK for the opportunity to read and review #BurnAfterReading

Burn After Reading begins when Emily Joyce, who completed one book of a two-book publishing deal, is coerced into being the ghost writer for suspected murderer Jack Smyth. You see, one fatal night, Jack ran into a fire to pull his wife to safety. He was momentarily considered a hero until it turned out that his wife was dead, had clearly been killed before the fire started... He hopes telling his story will save him and prove his innocence. But what will it do to Emily?

Emily flies out to a newly built and creepy community in the US, where she's to be alone with Jack and his assistant until she's heard his tale. But then she starts getting creepy, anonymous messages. Who can she trust?

There's enough intrigue here to keep the pages turning. It also begins with a really great intro/foreword that explains the inspiration behind the story. I was keen to find out whether Jack really did do it or not. And I quite liked the exploration of the cycling aspect.

In places it's a little shallow. You wonder why Emily lacks the agency to take action when there are red flags. Her own secret is a little bit of a damp squib. And I felt like there was something missing from the wife's point-of-view story - but maybe that was just me. Nevertheless, I polished it off in a day!

Twists and turns from the start made this a gripping thriller. Well worth a read.
Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read this ARC which I thoroughly recommend

Catherine Ryan Howard delivers another masterfully crafted thriller with Burn After Reading, a gripping and atmospheric read that keeps you second-guessing everything until the very last page.

With a cleverly woven plot, intriguing characters and a strong sense of unease running throughout, this is a book that crime and thriller fans will find hard to put down.

The story follows Jack Smyth, a former professional cyclist whose life fell apart after his wife died in a fire at their home a year ago.

Initially, the tragedy sparked national sympathy, but everything changed when the truth emerged. She had died before the fire even started, the victim of a violent attack. Though Jack has never been charged with her murder, suspicion clings to him, turning him into a recluse. Convinced that the only way to clear his name is to tell his side of the story, he hires a ghostwriter to document his truth.

Emily Joyce is not particularly interested in Jack’s innocence or guilt. For her, this is just another job and the generous payday is all the motivation she needs. She travels to Sanctuary, Florida, a strange, eerie and almost deserted town, to spend a week interviewing Jack and writing his book.

But as she listens to his account, it quickly becomes apparent that there is more to the story than she expected.

The deeper she digs, the more unsettling the situation becomes and soon Emily finds herself trapped in a dangerous game where the truth could cost her more than just her reputation.

Howard’s writing is sharp and immersive, drawing the reader into an intricately layered mystery where nothing is as it seems. The setting adds an extra dimension to the suspense, with Sanctuary’s unsettling emptiness heightening the tension.

The plot is full of unexpected twists, keeping the reader engaged and constantly re-evaluating what they think they know.

Although I do not often read crime, I found Burn After Reading thoroughly entertaining. The pacing is spot on, with moments of creeping tension balanced perfectly with heart-racing developments. The characters are well drawn, particularly Emily, whose growing unease mirrors the reader’s own as the mystery unfolds. This book has piqued my interest in Catherine Ryan Howard’s work and I will be looking forward to exploring more of her books in the future.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

The night Jack Smyth ran into flames in a desperate attempt to save his wife from their burning home, he was, tragically, too late - but hailed a hero. Until it emerged that Kate was dead long before the fire began. Suspicion has stalked him ever since. After all, there's no smoke without fire.

A great read. Well paced with good three-dimensional characters. Lots of twists and turns along the way to a very satisfactory ending. I particularly enjoyed the way the backstory and plot comes together at the end.

This is a psychological thriller set in a weird, empty man made Florida town, based on the idea that truth is stranger than fiction. Fantastic setting, totally under-utilised. I loved the author's note about OJs "I didn't kill my wife, but if I had, here's how i would have done it" however the reality was the 2nd half was very slow moving, and I found myself skimming. There was also a 'secret' of the 'I know what you did' anonymous notes variety, which i felt wasn't as shocking or life threatening as it sounded, so ended with a bit of a whimper. Sadly, I didn't enjoy this book.

Burn After Reading is another twisty thriller by Catherine Ryan Howard that will keep your interest from the beginning to the end.

As you would expect from this author not everything is as you think with the twists and turns occurring on a regular basis.

An enjoyable read.

Another well written twisty turny thriller from Catherine Ryan Howard. It's a fast paced page turner that will keep you reading just one more chapter... I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you to the publisher, netgalley and the author for an early read. Highly recommend!

Burn After Reading seemed to take an awful long time to get going but my goodness when it does it goes at 100 miles an hour all the way to it's amazing crescendo of an ending. I have to admit I didn't really warm to any of the characters. The author did a wonderful job of making them all flawed. Even poor victim Kate who was a bit of a wet lettuce and a willing punch bag. For readers who like their books twisty there are twists and turns round every corner, especially in the second half of the book. A great thriller. Well worth reading as is the case with all of Catherine Ryan Howard's novels.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

Absolutely brilliant! It's outstanding, suspenseful and intriguing. I loved the opening note from the author which reveals her inspiration for this thriller and this gives it credence. I liked how the mystery slowly unfolds and nothing is what it first seems. There is so much drama with twists and surprises galore. Highly recommended.

Gripping, twisting, enjoyable. A good read.
My thanks to NetGalley and Randon House UK for this arc in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House UK for this eCopy to review

I recently read Burn After Reading by Catherine Ryan Howard, this gripping thriller follows Emily Joyce, a struggling author who is offered a lifeline by her publisher: ghostwriting a memoir for Jack Smyth, a former professional cyclist whose wife died in a suspicious fire.

A year ago, Jack's wife died in a fire at their home, but it was later revealed that she had been violently attacked before the fire started. Although Jack was never charged, suspicion has clouded his life. Desperate to clear his name, Jack hires Emily to help him tell his side of the story. Emily travels to the eerie, empty town of Sanctuary, Florida, to work with Jack, but the story he tells is far from what she expected. As Emily delves deeper, she finds herself entangled in a dangerous plot that threatens her own life.

The novel's strengths lie in its tense, immersive atmosphere and the smart, twisty plot. The characters are well-developed, and the pacing keeps you on the edge of your seat. Howard's writing is sharp and engaging, making it hard to put the book down. The unexpected twists and turns kept me guessing until the very end. Even now I'm unsure who the real murderer is!

Overall, Burn After Reading is an addictive and thrilling read that I would highly recommend to fans of mystery and crime novels.

A good read. I like the premise of how she got roped into being the ghostwriter. Clever plot. The boyfriend was very annoying but interesting how it all pans out. Worth a read.

Wow what a read!… I was up all night reading this… An absolutely gripping psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the last page… Full of mystery and suspense with twists and turns to keep you on your toes, I was completely hooked… Gives you goosebumps