Ghostwriter by Travis Thrasher

Reviewed by Cory Clubb

"Thrasher’s writing is off the cuff, gritty, and authentic, giving a sense of realism in the characters and the events they go through."

Ever have that sinking feeling that you are being haunted? Best-selling author Dennis Shore can easily relate considering his struggle with writer’s block since the death of his wife, seeing his daughter off to college states away, and the personal torment from a crazed fan. This is the premise of Travis Thrasher’s eleventh novel Ghostwriter. Yet, the real question is, what is Dennis Shore hiding? Is he slowly going insane or truly being stalked by a killer? Thrasher does an excellent job of building characters and intertwining haunts into the life of a big shot writer.

The novel starts out slow and builds like a giant wave crashing on you, with a final twist that soaks with astonishment. Thrasher’s writing is off the cuff, gritty, and authentic, giving a sense of realism in the characters and the events they go through. Although the time line gets somewhat blotchy at times, the author keeps turning up the chills along the way, making you second-guess what is in fact going on. His flawed characters transverse through situations that make them think as they act keeping the tension high and ready to snap. Thrasher is like the mutant child of Ted Dekker, Frank Peretti, and Stephen King, a justly underrated writer.

I am one of those readers who try to figure out the twist before the author reveals it, but with Ghostwriter it snuck up on me like a snake. Thrasher has crafted a story that powers the themes of love, relationships, and personal struggle---themes that dive deep into the thoughts and actions we take in our daily lives and pull at the burdens of those that we have lost. I look forward to Thrasher’s next release, and even previous releases, ready to take another ride into the unknown and enjoy it immensely.

Ghostwriter will have you checking in closets and underneath beds before you read another chapter and try to starve off thoughts of things that go bump in the night.

Cory Clubb is author of the novel Saved by Grace and currently working on his first thriller. He holds a degree in Graphic Design and is always seeking to advance his talent as a writer. He is an avid reader, movie buff, and music enthusiast, tools he uses to infuse his imagination. He lives in central Illinois with his wife and three sons. You can find out more about his projects at his blog.