Ghostwriter: A Novel (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This scary page-turner by Thrasher (Isolation) features a Stephen King–like author of bestselling horror novels who, paralyzed by writer's block and hard hit by the recent death of his wife, passes off writing sent by a fan as his own. Said fan gets upset, and all hell breaks loose. There's a deep love story between the author character and his late wife interleaved with lots of cinematically creepy scenes played out at ordinary places in upscale suburbia: a home-improvement store, restaurants, a Victorian house on the river. The deranged fan adds a plausible, ripped-from-the-headlines element that Thrasher mines for tension and depth. Horror is a great genre for examining good and evil; demons need not be metaphoric and salvation can be a natural part of the plot. Some shifting back and forth in time can be confusing, particularly at the beginning before emotional momentum is established, and allusions to Pink Floyd are just sophomoric. But those are quibbles about an emotional wallop of a book. Thrasher just keeps getting better. (May 28)
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Review

"Isolation proved that Thrasher has what it takes to scare the wits out of his audience while challenging them at the same time. Ghostwriter takes Thrasher's writing to a whole new level of terror and heart. . . . Ghostwriter is the kind of gem that comes along far too seldom; displaying the kind of writing that deserves to be devoured by the masses." (Jake Chism, TheChristianManifesto.com )<br /><br />"Thrasher just keeps getting better." (Publishers Weekly )<br /><br />"Thrasher . . . demonstrates a considerable talent for the horror genre. Like Stephen King, Thrasher pits flawed but likable characters against evil forces that at first seem escapable but gradually take on a terrifying ubiquity." (Publishers Weekly on Isolation )<br /><br />"Honest . . . driven by authentic, engaging characters." (Publishers Weekly on The Promise Remains )<br /><br />"Sky Blue entertains, it makes you think, and it makes you feel." (Infuzemag.com )<br /><br />"Powerful and impacting. Thrasher has done it again." (IntheLibraryReviews.net on Sky Blue )<br /><br />"Give Thrasher credit: his debut novel, The Promise Remains, was one of the nicest surprises in CBA fiction last year, and this second offering is a notch above the first." --(Publishers Weekly on The Watermark ) --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: FaithWords; 1 edition (May 28, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446505587
• ISBN-13: 978-0446505581
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #217,582 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Do You Believe in Ghosts?, June 8, 2009

By	Frank Redman "www.FictionAddict.com" (Texas) - See all my reviews

Dennis Shore is a successful horror novelist but has suffered one of life's greatest tragedies in the past year, the death of his wife. "When stricken by a paralyzing case of writer's block and a looming deadline, Dennis becomes desperate." He plagiarizes an unstable fan's manuscript, setting off a chain of events and the pursuit of violent revenge that threatens his sanity and the lives of his daughter and friends.

This was a difficult review for me to write. I'm a fan of the horror genre, but loathe the excessive profanity, sexual content, and gratuitous gore that so many writers in the genre depend on to make an impact with the reader. I had not previously read a Travis Thrasher novel, so I was excited to see what he had to offer.

It would be an injustice to the readers of this review, to myself, and ultimately to the author if I merely stated "This book is great--read it," and was negligent in revealing some disappointment. The fan in me loved this story. The critic in me found some minor negatives.

I was concerned a few pages in whether I would truly enjoy it. The story took a while to develop and incidents occurred that seemed disjointed from the plot. The dialog felt forced. There are some editing errors, for example, the wrong pronoun used (p.17 "Did you threaten you?" The first "you" should be "she."). To the author's defense, it is tricky starting a novel, establishing the plot and characters, and simultaneously hooking the reader. If you stop reading this book because of these flaws, you'll miss out on what simply can be defined as an extraordinarily good story. I'm incredibly grateful I stuck with it.

Yet there was still one more thing that frustrated me--I couldn't wait to see what happened next! This... was a good feeling. For thrill-seekers, GHOSTWRITER is very much like the beginning of a monster rollercoaster. After climbing that first big hill (having time to look around, check your watch, shift around in your seat...), the rest flies at you in an eye-watering rush and your focus is dominated by what's coming in the next stage of the ride. Kudos, Mr. Thrasher.

When you read a scary story and you're not really sure what's going on, but just when you think you've nailed it, something unexpected happens and your perception is shattered, that is the outline of a great horror story. That's a great story, period. That is what GHOSTWRITER is.

It's easy to develop compassion for Dennis Shore and identify with his grief, lack of faith, and his struggles with what's real and what's not. While it's a remarkably frightening story, it is also an emotional love story. The reader feels Shore's nightmarish fears and also his gut-wrenching sorrow.

Shore bounces in and out of lucidity so the reader cannot always discern what is real and what is the product of his poor mental health. This element can be difficult to pull off while mitigating reader confusion, but Thrasher makes good use of the technique, effectively keeping the reader guessing.

While this may sound like just a scary love story, do not be deceived. It is a full-on horror novel. Unspeakable supernatural evil tries to destroy the very essence of Shore's life with an unhealthy serving of shocking violence.

GHOSTWRITER is an emotionally intricate masterwork of how evil can destroy us and love can redeem us. Thrasher has proved to me to be an exceptional storyteller.

Do you believe in ghosts?

[Rating: 1-5 Stars]
Plot: 5
Character: 5
Dialog: 4
Setting: 4
Theme: 5

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not My Fave, June 7, 2009

By	L. Germany "mom2tnt" (Ridgeland, MS United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Horror is not my genre. However, when this book showed up on the review list I signed up to read it for the basic fact that I was intriqued on how an author was going to approach this genre considering this is a Christian Fiction Review.

If you enjoy horror, you would not be disappointed. Dennis, the main character, is a best selling author who writes "Stephen King" like novels. Following the death of his wife, he can't seem to write an address on an envelope much less a best selling book. Under the pressure of a deadline, he pulls out and submits the work of another author hoping he will never be discovered. I began to think this would be the sum total of hope in this book and I read gory death scene after gory scene which were recounts of the author's previous bestselling books.

Dennis' haunting in the book is so haphazard and back and forth that it was like riding the tilt a whirl at the fair. It left me feeling dizzy and wondering what the purpose was.

The issue of "heaven" and the possibility of facing redemption was not addressed until the VERY end of the book. It also wasn't addressed very well as his dead wife was the one who came to him to tell him about heaven. She showed it to him as a cabin and brick road. Dead wives aren't the way to heaven. Jesus is.... "I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through ME." That point was skipped over entirely.

So did I like the book? No. But I didn't expect to because I don't like horror. However, I think there can be a place for horror in the Christian market. There is horror in the Bible -- hell is definitely a HUGE jumping off point for this. However, I wanted to read it because I think if you are going to do something in this genre and say it is a Christian book, then you have certain responsibilities.

I believe this book failed.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Who is writing your story?, June 5, 2009

By	Kimfurd "Kimfurd" (Alabama) - See all my reviews

"Sometimes, on some days, horror and misery and suffering find their place and a life to terrorize. And thus, a tale is told, grim and unrepentant, with no happy ending." (p.332)

Travis Thrasher introduced me to the genre of Christian horror stories with his tale, Isolation. Not long after reading that story, I had the chance to talk with Travis, and I learned that part of the inspiration for his horror story was a struggle he was having in his own faith walk - about feeling isolated from God. His second horror tale, Ghostwriter, is even more terrifying, and although I've not had the chance to ask Travis, I suspect that once again he is exploring a truly terrifying place - unbelief.

Ghostwriter is particularly haunting, because the main character is a multi-published author (like Travis Thrasher) named Dennis Shore. Dennis has lost his wife to cancer, and her death seems to have taken everything meaningful from his life including his ability to write. In fact, the horror of death, the fear of not knowing what, if anything, follows death, seems to trump any horror that Dennis can create and place upon the page. Then, amid the struggle to write the next great story, Dennis gives in to desperation and does something he never thought he'd do...and the time has come to pay for that error.

Is Dennis losing his mind? Is he being haunted or hunted? Oh, dear reader, this is not an easy tale to read. It's dark and terrifying and just plain scary. It begins subtly, but the fear and tension build as the story is told, and I promise you this...you will NOT want to read this alone or in a quiet house, or without a lot of bright light...or especially at bedtime. Dennis Shore is caught amid a spiritual battle not of his creation and certainly not within his control. He stands to lose everything - his present life and his eternal soul.

Once again, Travis reveals to the reader that our lives and all that lies within them - from the moment of birth to the moment of death - is not something we control. Horror and fear DO visit our lives, and in those dark moments we will either believe God's promises and find hope, or we will disbelieve God's promises and find terror that is beyond definition. Truth is embedded in this tale. Real truth. And sometimes there is no happy ending. That's real too. But nothing in this world happens that God cannot redeem - even the horror and fear - and Travis gives us a peek at that too. He's good.

*there is mild language throughout, and some scenes contain uncomfortable descriptions of violence