Review: A Ghostwriter's Guide to Murder

A Ghostwriter's Guide to Murder

A Ghostwriter's Guide to Murder is a charming, well-constructed mystery with colorful characters and a fantastic London backdrop.

• Written by: Melinda Mullet

• Published by: Crooked Lane Books

• Publication date: July 29, 2025

• Mystery type: Traditional mystery/cozy mystery

Plot Overview

Maeve Gardner is a bored ghostwriter for the long-running Simon Hill mystery series. Her life aboard her houseboat, The Writer's Revenge, on London's Regent's Canal is upended when she finds her ex-boyfriend, Gavin, dead in the canal. Maeve becomes the prime suspect and must figure out who actually committed the murder to get herself off the hook.

Spoiler-Free Review

The ghostwriting hook in this book offers a unique twist on the mystery writing amateur sleuth we've seen in lots of books and TV shows. Maeve isn't crazy about her job as a ghostwriter and wishes she could nurture her own creative spark and write her own mysteries rather than someone else's.

But her job could be worse, and on the positive side, it allows her freedom to explore the city and London's waterways where she lives on a 275-square-foot houseboat with her 52-pound dog, Captain Jack.

Maeve also has several eclectic neighbors and friends on the canal who form a found family of sorts. This quartet anchors the story and brings humor and heart to the novel. There's Ash, a quiet ex-cop with a secret crush and a knack for tech; India, a spirited bookseller who runs a floating bookshop; and Paul, the charismatic pub owner.

Each cast member brings distinct strengths to the table, which is nice since the story is told through multiple points of view.

The mystery itself is very well done with a real sense of suspense. Maeve ends up looking quite guilty to the authorities and must solve the mystery of who killed her ex-boyfriend if she wants to avoid being convicted of the crime.

The story is beautifully written throughout. Author Melinda Mullet succeeds in writing vivid descriptions and scenes that make you want to read just one more chapter.

If you like audiobooks, you may want to consider listening to A Ghostwriter's Guide to Murder rather than reading it. The audiobook is read by multiple narrators (Hannah Curtis, Liam Gerrard, Rhys David, Dede Davi), who do a wonderful job of bringing their respective characters to life.

Author Interview

Read an interview with Melinda Mullet, author of A Ghostwriter's Guide to Murder.

Disclaimers

Review disclosure: I received an advanced reader copy of A Ghostwriter’s Guide to Murder from Net Galley and Crooked Lane Books. This did not influence my review.

Affiliate disclosure: This page includes affiliate links. Like other websites, Cozy Crime Reads uses affiliate links. Clicking on a link and making a purchase will not cost you any extra, but it does help to support the operation of this website.