Dual timelines and some of it appears as a podcast, this gripping book about Leonora’s disappearance will keep you captive until the end.

There are many twists in this book, and I would say the majority of them hit really well. I was desperate to find out the answers and felt the different types of writing intense.

You’ll need a whole weekend for this one so definitely book it off!

A griping suspenseful read. The disappearance of a crime writers wife is mysterious. Leona Walsh disappeared in 2019 . The story is told in timeliness between 2019 and five years later. . I was sure I knew who had done it until doubt crept in.. A clever suspenseful plot.

From what seems a straightforward plot at first, so many twists and turns then follow that by the end you still can’t be 100% sure what truly happened. A clever and fitting way to end the story.

This was ok as far as the story goes, it’s told partly in the present through a podcast but refers to events that happened five years previously. A woman is missing, the usual investigations are undertaken but the woman is never found. Five years later her body is dug up by people who are having a new kitchen extension. The husband- an ex policeman and crime novelist is arrested and charged. There is a twist in the tale, but his unreliability as a liar and narrator leaves you with doubt. I did at times find it heavy going and it never really gripped me that much I couldn’t put it down.

Firstly a big thank you for the early access in exchange for a review.
This was a fantastic gripping read which has you guessing what really happened .
Written in alternate timelines and narratives this enables the reader a in-depth look at the events and people involved .
Fast paced, riveting , unpredictable and a page turner .

4.5 stars rounded up to 5

This book kept me interested from start to finish. It messed with my head and I wasn't able to make my mind up about the characters and their innocence. I like an unreliable narrator, and this was done brilliantly. I just wish there was a bit more clarity at the end... I like open ended stoyris, but I was so invested I needed to know!
Overall, a grea thriller I will recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and HQ digital for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Leona Walsh goes out for her evening run but never returns. Her husband, Matthew, a crime writer of mediocre success, is frantic and distraught. The police start an investigation but after 5 years the case has gone cold.

Now bones have been exhumed from Rose Cottage. The home of Matthews mother and the house he grew up in.

After years of trying to find a link between Matthew and the *now* murder of his wife the police have again turned their gaze on him.

Journalist Gabi Conti had interviewed Matthew long ago hoping that covering the case would be her big break but after it went cold so did her career. Now with her podcast, Missing Presumed Murdered, she dives back into the investigation hoping to get answers once and for all.

Did he do it? You'll need to read this to find out.

A missing woman and a true crime podcast have become a common theme of psychological thrillers these days and, admittedly, I've grown a bit weary of the material. That said this was pretty darn good and I'm thrilled to tell you that Jeffrey's captured and kept my attention through out. Matthew was perfectly unreliable and Gabi proved to be both intelligent and relentless in her pursuit for answers. It took me until about 75% for me to start slotting the puzzle pieces together and I was correct in my conclusion. This is a thoughtful and well-crafted mystery that I think many mystery readers will enjoy. 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ Digital for my complimentary copy.

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

This was an ok read, but a bit of a disappointment for me. It did not maintain my interest throughout, it got bogged down about half way, when not much was happening and the story stuttered almost to a boring halt.
It did get going again with the help of Gabi’s podcast, and being mostly in the present day, after Leona’s disappearance. The storyline throughout was a bit weak, as was the characterisation. The only convincing characters were Lexie and Gabi, up to a point. Matt was not remotely convincing, unfortunately. There just was no depth to this story, and there were several gaping plot holes.
The ending was very disappointing, as if the author didn’t really know how best to finish her story. A huge let-down.
Unless of course she is planning a sequel?
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this book.

This is my first read by Diane Jeffrey, and I was drawn in by the high reviews so far, but something just wasn’t clicking for me!

The plot itself was a good one – 5 years ago, wife and mum-of-two, Leona, goes missing whilst out for a run. Naturally, the husband, Matthew, is the prime suspect. But the police can’t find any trace of what has happened to her.

Now, 5 years on, the story of Leona’s disappearance is back in the news as human bones are discovered in a garden. Journalist Gabi is back on the case, and manages to get close enough to Matthew for him to confide in her.

But Matthew’s story keeps changing and is so inconsistent that even Gabi is unsure of his innocence. As a crime writer himself, he is good at telling stories and it’s hard to know what is real and what is a performance.

For me, this was let down by a lack of suspense and pace. I found myself getting bored during the first half before it picked up a little. The hook of Matthew being a crime writer seemed to get a little lost – I kept waiting for some clear link but it almost felt irrelevant that that was his job. It could’ve been The Loss Adjustor or The Business Development Manager.

I hoped it would all come good with a great ending but I was just left a bit confused!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book! It was fast-paced, gripping, and the podcast elements added an engaging layer to the storytelling. The plot kept me hooked, and I enjoyed how the mystery unfolded over the dual timelines.

⚠️ SPOILER ALERT ⚠️
My only criticism is that, while we hear the full aftermath of Leona’s death from Matthew’s perspective, we never truly find out what led to her death. The epilogue felt incomplete—I wanted to know definitively whether it was at Matthew’s hands or his youngest daughter's. I understand that the author likely left it ambiguous on purpose, but I personally don’t enjoy open-ended conclusions. I don’t want to assume—I want to know!

Overall, this was a fantastic thriller, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a well-crafted mystery with compelling characters and a dark, twisty plot.

Diane Jeffrey is a new author to me and before I had finished reading this novel I had already bought more of her books. The Crime Writer is a very good thriller full of mystery, obsession, and deception. An intriguing plot, interesting characters set at a fast pace.

The novel has two timelines 2019 and 2024. In 2019, Leona Walsh while out jogging disappears without trace. A police investigation takes place and Leona’s husband Matthew is under the microscope. Matthew is a bestselling crime writer who is known for plotting the perfect crime, but could he be involved with Leona’s disappearance. Sustained searches are made but Leona is never found, and Matthew has to father his two daughters alone under a shadow of suspicion.

Moving forward to 2024, human bones are uncovered in a garden and it revives the case under the scrutiny of journalist Gabriela Conti. She covered Leona’s disappearance five years ago and is determined to uncover the truth. Gabriela ;looks into the case and risks getting closer to a killer putting her life in danger.

This is a fast paced novel, well written, great characters and kept me guessing. Lots of twists and turns add to the excitement.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and HQ Digital for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

When Matt's wife Leona goes missing in 2019 after going for a run he is the main suspect, after all he's a crime writer but would he be get away with murder?
With Leona still missing and no body found has he got away with a perfect crime? Then some bones are unearthed in 2004, could it be Leona and if so what happened to her? Will the truth ever come out?

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this novel. Highly recommend especially if you love crime thrillers.

Rating: 3.4/5

"The Crime Writer" is an entertaining, if not entirely unique, psychological thriller. Matthew Walsh writes murder mysteries, but when his wife, Leanne, goes missing there is considerable speculation that events bear an uncanny similarity to the events described in one of Matthew's murder mysteries. Is he as innocent as he claims, or has he put his crime writer's mind to nefarious use?

Diane Jeffrey isn't the first author to play with the idea of a crime writer potentially executing the perfect crime, but she creates an engaging story around that premise. Whilst reading I also sensed echoes of the real life Nicola Bulley case from a couple of years ago, as well as the movie, "Jagged Edge" and the most recent series of the television drama, "Unforgotten". The plot works well enough and there ample twists and turns in the narrative. The author follows the current trend for incorporating other media into the storyline by featuring excerpts from a true crime podcast hosted by an investigative journalist with a keen personal interest in the case. On the whole, this mechanism works well, but some of the featured guests fail to come across as entirely credible. This is a pity as the characterisation in "The Crime Witer" is generally good.

On the whole, this is well worth a read and I dare say I will return for more from Diane Jeffrey.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

Thank you to Net galley and HQ Digital for this ARC

Gripping thriller kept guessing throughout.
Ending felt a little rushed and i would have preferred more clarity. I really liked the journalist Gabi and the writers daughter Trixie.

I would like to read more by this author.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

I did enjoy reading this story about Leona who while out jogging goes missing. The police suspect her husband, an ex policeman and now a crime writer, Full of twists this is an enjoyable thriller and one to be recommended.

The Crime Writer is a twisted thriller/mystery that had me hooked and guessing until the final page.

It is a very stormy night and Lenora has been reported missing by her infamous crime writer husband Matthew.

The police are quick to respond and Matt knows that being the husband he will be prime suspect.

Enter Gabi a reporter/podcaster. I just loved her tenacity, her fairness, her ability to go one step further for the family.

This podcast can make or break her career but something just tells you that Gabi will succeed.

Matt is desperatly trying to protect his daughters , his wife's reptutation as her secrets come to light and his home.

There arent many suspects but something about Matt' story resonates with the reader .

Then I found myself doubting everyone.

Twists and turns, red herrings an atmospheric read keep those pages turning quickly to the surprising conclusion.

Clear your calendar because The Crime Writer is a hard book to put down.

Thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital for the privilege of reading and reviewing The Crime Writer.

A did he didn't he mystery.
I enjoyed Diane Jeffrey's earlier book "The Other Couple" and so was looking forward to this one, which lived up to and indeed exceeded my expectations.
Writer of crime thrillers, Matthew Walsh, reports that his wife Leona has not returned from jogging near a local reservoir. Subsequent searches by the police, assisted by a large public presence and even a team of divers, only find a shoe and a bag. Suspicion falls on Matt, but there is little or no evidence of his guilt.
Four years later a freak event breaks the case wide open. The story switches between the two timelines chapter by chapter.
Diane Jeffrey has done it again. She's produces a book packed with twists and turns that is also a police procedural and a court procedural.
This is well worth a read and I'm looking forward to her next book.

This is very readable book but it is not an original story line by any means. Matthew and leona Walsh with two daughters appear to be a happy family. Then Leona disappears. I had read another book and watched two television programmes with exactly the same theme just before reading this! Matt was a policeman who resigned after his partner was knifed beside him. He is now a fairly successful crime writer but his sales rocket when his wife disappears! Five years later she has not been found and as ever in these cases the husband is assumed to be the culprit. A local,journalist gets involved in trying to solve the crime and her role is an important contribution to the story. Eventually of course all is solved unfortunately not with any surprises! It is fairly obvious all along who is going to be found guilty. This is a good read and all the various strands are brought together carefully! I recommend it.

2019, early December, and Leona Walsh, wife of ex policeman and crime writer Matt, goes off on her daily run with family dog Sydney. Nothing at all unusual about this, but when Leona doesn’t return and Sydney comes home by himself, Matt is a little concerned. Not overly perturbed as the couple had a row just before Leona left and Matt is convinced she is just cooling off. When there is still no sign of his wife the next day, Matt does the call round of family and friends, before notifying the police. When the police do arrive, the usual questions are asked and, as Leona is judged to be vulnerable due to her mental health, it becomes a major search. After initially supporting Matt and his story, the police become more interested in the background of the couple and the family, particularly Matt, are soon ostracised by the locals. After all, isn’t it always the husband?

2024 and a rare gold coin is discovered in a young couples garden. The archeologists descend in the hope of revealing more treasures. Sadly, no further Roman artefacts are found, just something far more recent.

An interesting and twisty tale, not dissimilar to a recent true life misper case. Well paced with well written characters. I liked the podcast chapters and the involvement of journalist Gabriela

I enjoyed this book, though thought it obvious what had happened on the night in question from very early on. It didn’t spoil the story as I was hoping I was wrong and continued to be invested in the plot.

A good read, but a rushed ending.

3.5*

Thank you NetGalley and HQ.