The Shadow Writer

By: Eliza Maxwell

Narrated by: Karissa Vacker

Length: 10 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

©2019 by Amber Carter. (P)2019 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

WOW. one of the best books so far in 2019

First, the summary is doesn’t do it justice. This book is so well written and is executed so perfectly all while weaving stories within the story and keeping it all understandable and easy to follow. There is so much depth and character development. I will come back to this review to elaborate more on this so I can give specifics but for now, I just want it known that this book is legit and I go through several audiobooks weekly and finally after weeks of duds and waiting around for each Tuesday’s new releases, this book takes the cake. Highly recommended!

I neglected my life for a day! Great story. Maxwell has become an absolute favorite!

Smart and enthralling. Didn't want it to end until a just ending blossomed. Hard to explain what I mean, just read it.

Slow moving

This was not her best work. It moved very slow. I almost stopped it several times, but after invested that much time in it, I wanted to see how it ended. The ending of the book was just okay.

Complicated

This was complicated to listen to until I got into the story - lots of different threads to keep track of - which I do like and I thought that was executed well. The different character experiences were woven together and built on each other and made sense. This is worth a read or listen, and I will try other books by this author. I liked the narrator as well. On the flip side, I thought certain elements needed more attention as the story was coming to its conclusion, and I'd been able to predict the ending, so those would be my only negatives.

Unexpectedly Satisfying

My feelings about this book are conflicted. At the beginning, I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to continue because the characters seemed unlikeable. But a few hours in, I was hooked. Despite their somewhat confusing personalities, I found myself rooting for the characters and hoping that they got what they wanted. The plot took an unexpected turn with about 4 hours left. I found myself confused again, but still anxious to hear how it all ended. And I suppose it did have a satisfying ending. I would consider another book by this author. The reader was good and gave each character their own unique voice.

Unnecessarily long

The storyline is wonderful, however; there is so much that is unnecessary in this work. Is it there to confuse the reader? Because of this, the story drags. It's a shame. If the filler parts of the story were removed, this would be an excellent book.

Maxwell Is Brilliant

The Shadow Writer is a gripping tale. I couldn't put it down. Surprising twists and beautiful verse make this a must read.

Several mysteries in this bizarre and compelling

There are several mysteries in this bizarre and compelling title! It's not a conventional mystery, but one built on layers and layers of motivations from the main characters. Told from multiple points of view, we wonder who is telling the truth or lying; who is living in the moment or experiencing a psychotic moment. The desire to find out "the truth" kept me listening, even when the story bogged down for a little in the middle.
I'm not sure I'll pick up another title by this author, but will certainly be mulling over this book for a while. If you're ready for a break from your favorite mystery/thriller authors, give this one a try.

Truly Enjoyed this Book!

I rarely review a book but was so taken with the depth to each character & the many twist & turns that I felt compelled to give this one a 5 star rating.

good

it started out real slow, but than after 4 or 5 chapters it picked up.