Veep meets Agatha Christie in this wickedly funny murder mystery for fans of Richard Osman and Nita Prose
Meet our narrator: witty, nosy, professional weaver of lies – aka ghostwriter for the rich and famous – and now, lander of The Dream Assignment (that is, a politician’s tell-all memoir).
Enter Dorothy Gibson: recently toppled Presidential Candidate, aka that woman, the most talked-about person in the country right now (for the wrong reasons).
Add: an invitation to the middle of nowhere, one well-heeled neighbour dying under Suspicious Circumstances, a secret investigation and an unreasonably beautiful man.
This is a story even our ghostwriter wasn’t expecting. And for once, it’s all hers.
Read some great reviews from our Preview readers here:
Sooooooo good. It had me hooked from the start. Twists and turns at every corner and surprisingly funny. A great main character. Samara, QLD, 5 Stars
I wish I had received this witty and amusing novel before the end-of-year rush, as it is a book that you cannot put down. It is a fun crime-solving page-turner, full of interesting characters. I highly recommend this book! Julie, VIC, 5 Stars
The best part of reading an early copy of Kemper Donovan’s novel, The Busy Body, was the chance to read from a genre I don’t often reach for! This book was so original compared to what I have read in the past, with characters well-established and easily relatable. Kemper has intelligent and quick-witted writing and drew me into the story by the first few pages. The humour is laugh-out-loud funny but there is also an urgent need to keep reading to see the mystery through and discover who is the killer. This book was a mix between a locked room thriller and a game of Cluedo that has been artfully written. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be looking out for a sequel! Julie, VIC, 5 Stars
Delightful story about a ghostwriter who lands to story of a lifetime, the warts and all biography of a presidential candidate. Even though Dorothy Gibson did not become president, there is still a fascinating story to be told. Our ghostwriter gets drawn into the lives of those she is writing about and becomes embroiled in a mysterious death. She meets many interesting and unusual characters, making this an eventful assignment. This is going to one fantastic biography… Lisa, QLD, 5 Stars
The Busy Body is a thriller with lots of interesting twists and turns. It follows a ghostwriter who is writing a biography of a presidential candidate, Dorothy Gibson, who is a fascinating character. Her revelations at the end and the solving of the murders caught me by surprise. It would be a fantastic book for book clubs as there would be lots to discuss. The ghostwriter was a complex character and I would like to read more books in the series. Julie, NSW, 5 Stars
The Busy Body is a great read, highly entertaining and hard to put down. If you love fast-paced whodunnits, with a little twist at the end, then this book is for you. Throughly enjoyable, escapism in a book. I look forward to the next instalment of Kemper Donovan’s Ghostwriter Series. Chrissie, WA, 5 Stars
The Busy Body by Kemper Donovan is an engaging read, very much a classic whodunnit. I enjoyed the book from start to finish and loved the way the story built. Information and misinformation was provided throughout and it kept me guessing until the very end. I was a big fan of the characters in this story, and really appreciated the clever way their personalities were built without much of their appearance, keeping focus on the plot as opposed to the action. The setting was an interesting choice and very hard to picture as a whole, although broken into its components it definitely worked. I can’t wait for the next ghostwriting mystery to come out, I’m already on board. Jodie, WA, 5 Stars
Wow. What a good who-dun-it!!! So hard to put down as every step in solving the crime/crimes had me wanting to keep reading the book. The characters of Dorothy, Denny, the Bodyguard… in fact all the characters added to the intrigue and puzzle. The plot was not so complicated that you had to re-read pages. They were characters that you could meet in everyday life. Congratulations! Looking forward to reading more books by the author. Cheryl, VIC, 5 Stars
WOW! An absolutely brilliant read from the first page to the last. A nameless protagonist ghostwriter, an unsuccessful female presidential candidate, bodyguards, hapless police and a murder thrown in! What an exciting read with well-developed characters, humour, twisty plot and great settings. The Busy Body by Kemper Donovan is a thoroughly enjoyable read! I look forward to reading his next book. Ilona, VIC, 5 Stars
Well, that was a fun and highly entertaining ride! The Busy Body by Kemper Donovan is described as a cross between the deliciously narcissistic television series Veep and the famous novels of crime-mystery legend, Agatha Christie. From the opening pages I found myself chortling at our unnamed narrator’s inner monologue and often snarky commentary on the world around her. I enjoyed how cleverly Donovan kept her identity a secret throughout the story – after all, that’s what a ghostwriter is – a silent author whose purpose is to interview, interpret and create a written narrative around their client’s story. And in this case, the client is Dorothy Gibson, a well-known and respected politician who’s recently lost a presidential election. What our ghostwriter isn’t expecting is to stumble onto a murder at Dorothy’s neighbour’s house. Nor does she anticipate Dorothy taking it upon herself to play amateur sleuth. Told from the ghostwriter’s perspective, The Busy Body is fast-paced and absorbing. I adored the witty banter between the delightfully plucky Dorothy and the ghostwriter and loved their camaraderie over their obsession to crack the case. A modern take on a classic storytelling style, The Busy Body is a twisty mystery with an edgy vibe. Linda, QLD, 4 Stars
Loved all the twists and turns in this book and the quirky characters. It was witty, compelling and just an all round great read. Kim, NSW, 4 Stars
Humorous, clever and entertaining – a great read for a rainy weekend. It certainly kept me hooked from the beginning, and I loved the interesting personalities of all the different characters, and Dorothy and the ghostwriter working together. I feel like there’s much more to the story of the ghostwriter, and hopefully there’s another book to come! A fun read. Bianca, NSW, 4 Stars
Quite intriguing, with lots of plot twists and turns. It is a book that I would like to read again soon, just to ensure that I had not missed any clues earlier than I had picked up on. The characters are quite a mix up of personalities. Definitely would consider a re-read, as I am wont to do with a lot of books. Jan, VIC, 4 Stars
The Busy Body by Kemper Donovan – what a treat! I thoroughly enjoyed this Agatha Christie like murder mystery and I’m excited that it is the first in a series! Our ghostwriter is chosen to write the memoir of Dorothy Gibson, a presidential candidate, who has fallen from grace after being defeated in the latest election. The adventure concludes with an unexpected and clever ending which I didn’t foresee. A very enjoyable, clever, humorous whodunnit. Bring on the next! Sue, VIC, 4 Stars
A murder mystery, Agatha Christie style. Quirky characters. Bumbling detectives. Clever sleuth and sidekick. For a while I was unsure if the Ghostwriter was male or female – I hadn’t read the blurb and some of the dialogue had a ‘male’ feel to it. The Ghostwriter remains unnamed throughout the novel and is an enigma – estranged from her family, prefers her own company and has relationship commitment issues. I found it hard to warm to her – although she has some funny inner dialogue. Maybe more backstory will be revealed in future novels. I loved Dorothy – intelligent, empathetic, sassy, loves stirring the pot and observing what bubbles to the surface. The setting is both beautiful and eerie. An isolated forest in snow season, a monstrous glass holiday house, where you wonder who’s watching who? I was at a loss with some references as I’m unfamiliar with American TV/comedy. After the medical fraud reference I did Google Elizabeth Holmes. An easy read – unless you’re staying in a glass house. I’m hoping Donovan teams the Ghostwriter with Dorothy for future novels. Thank you to Better Reading and Hachette for a review copy. Pamela, QLD, 4 Stars
Thoroughly enjoyable and engaging read! Looking forward to reading the next book in the Ghostwriter series. Elizabeth, NSW, 4 Stars
Took me a little while to become engrossed in this book but am glad that I preserved as the story and characters definitely came to life. Twists and turns in the plot of this crime story held me captive. Loved that I wasn’t able to pick the suspect and this story was a great read. Would definitely recommend reading it. Christine, QLD, 4 Stars
The Busy Body is a fun, locked room mystery that gives us an unusual protagonist in the unnamed “Ghostwriter”. She teams up with the also unlikely Senator Dorothy Gibson to solve the mystery of the murdered neighbour. This is a fun, light-hearted addition to the mystery genre. The book was a quick, easy read with a pacey plot and short chapters and it kept my attention. The mystery was interesting, and the solution was satisfying. I saw some of the clues, but not all, so while I wasn’t surprised by the end I also did not have the full solution. I look forward to reading further into this series. Lisa, QLD, 4 Stars
A ghostwriter has just landed her next job of writing a memoir for Dorothy Gibson. Invited to stay at the house for the duration of writing and completion of the book to get a feel for Dorothy and to take notes on her daily life also. A random photo taken at a bottle shop of Dorothy with a woman called Vivian, who the next day ends up dead. And so begins the chain of events to who it may be. Everyone seemed to have motive, and be unable to tell the truth. A very easy read, light and entertaining. I guessed early on in the book about the murder and who had the most motive to do it. Well worth the read and I look forward to the next book in the series. Annette, NSW, 4 Stars
I thoroughly enjoyed this classic whodunnit with a twist, from the first page to the last. I particularly liked the chatty, witty writing style with lots of pop culture and book culture references. The story takes place in a remote setting in Maine with our narrator, an unnamed ghostwriter, and her subject, a recently failed presidential candidate, setting out to solve the mystery of how their neighbour died. Their sleuthing has some predictable and some surprising consequences. Highly recommended if you like a story that keeps you both guessing and chuckling. Marlies, VIC, 4 Stars
If you like your whodunnit murder mysteries to be flavoured with a touch of sass, The Busy Body is for you. It takes all the elements of a cracking mystery, and serves them up with a generous helping of contemporary humour and wit. The book is narrated by the thoroughly modern Ghostwriter, who lands her dream assignment – ghostwriting the autobiography of a famous politician, in this case Dorothy Gibson, a thinly veiled Hillary Clintonesque presidential nominee. The Ghostwriter, Dorothy and Dorothy’s entourage – including the impossibly handsome and charismatic Bodyguard – find themselves at the centre of a murder and, rather than sit back and watch, Dorothy and the Ghostwriter quickly put their love of crime-solving to good use. Working as a team, but with Dorothy clearly at the helm, they set about uncovering the identity of the murderer before the bumbling police do. The book is intriguing, with enough twists, turns and red herrings to keep even Agatha Christie guessing. The final revelation is highly satisfying, as is the fact that the book leaves itself open to a sequel. Kate, VIC, 4 Stars
I read The Busy Body quite quickly because the more you get into it the more of a page-turner it is. A murder takes place next door to a recently deposed politician who has just employed a ghost writer to assist in her autobiography. They both try to take over the investigation into the murder. I didn’t find it hilariously funny as the blurb indicates but found myself smiling several times after certain passages. A little bit of romance never goes amiss and a little bit of mystery is always a page-turner. A satisfactory ending. Gloria, SA, 4 Stars
An entertaining holiday read. The writing is fresh and funny and the whodunnit clever and concealed to the very end. Kemper Donovan’s love of all things Agatha Christie is illustrated brilliantly in the final chapters with a “denouement” that would have made Poirot proud. The setting of the novel in a quirky and interesting architectural space adds another level of interest and thrusts this Agatha Christie-esque page turner from the 1920’s into the 2020’s. As so many Christie plots have been revealed to us on the silver screen, this story feels cinematographic – the characters are larger than life and at times over-the-top theatrical, and our narrator, The Ghostwriter, sets up an intimacy with the audience with numerous asides and stage whispers. This book was fun and light, just what we need sometimes, and as the first in the Ghostwriter series, we are left wondering where to next for Kemper Donovan’s Ghostwriter. Michelle, VIC, 4 Stars
I enjoyed this book. A light read with a bit of humour. Great descriptive writing, I had a clear vision of people and places and could easily picture it in my mind. Would recommend. Karlie, SA, 3 Stars
My first Donovan novel and already this is advertised as the first in a Ghostwriter series. Thanks to Hachette & Better Reading for an advance copy to read. As Donovan has an All About Agatha podcast, it came as no surprise that the style of the book is a small setting, not quite the locked room, many characters, most with motive and a murder or two to solve. I found the introduction of the ghostwriter character a bit long before the crime investigation started and it just jumped into a character, retired politician, running an investigation. Hence the title. For non-United States readers some references need skipping over or looking up – Andrew Wyeth, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, I did learn some new words – like prepandial; I’ll try to work it in to my conversation in future. I enjoyed the action solving the murder and following clues but when tension is built it is then broken with a detailed description before resuming, I found this was a little too descriptive, for my liking and just wanted to get back to the solving/action. My preference is for the Australian cover and I would shelve this in light popular fiction. Ann, WA, 3 Stars
Not my usual book I would choose but was pleasantly surprised. A great cast of characters and an engaging story make for an enjoyable afternoon read. Plus kept me guessing whodunit the whole way through and was surprised at the end how it all fit together. Engaging, witty and a little out of the ordinary. Tracy, WA, 3 Stars
An American murder mystery with a twist. There is a lot of American references that I actually didn’t understand. Once the murder was revealed then the mystery really begins, with many side steps along the way. I did work out the murderer early on but there was a twist at the end when the murder was revealed that put a different spin to the story. I would not compare to Richard Osman but can see some comparisons to Agatha Christie in the character development. Nice twist at the end. Ainsley, QLD, 3 Stars
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