The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke is a clever, haunting novel that blurs the line between storytelling and reality. With a premise that feels both unsettling and original, Clarke plays with narrative structure while pulling the reader into a world where endings carry as much weight as the lives that lead to them. The prose is lyrical yet sharp, wrapping an eerie concept in a deeply human core.

The pacing is tight, and the twists feel both surprising and inevitable, making the final chapters land with real impact. Clarke balances atmosphere, character, and theme beautifully, creating a story that lingers long after the last page. A striking and inventive read—4.5 stars well earned.

Like everyone else I was so caught up in the hype of this book and the mystery behind who 'Evelyn Clarke' was! I absolutely love VE Schwab so was even more excited to read this after I found out!

The book is a locked room whodunnit set on a remote Scottish Island and the atmosphere and house are so eerily written, it almost feels like the house is a character in itself. I didn't find it very twisty but I saw someone say that it would be good for The Thursday Murder Club readers and I totally agree with that!

I'll definitely recommend it.

A tongue in cheek and at times completely unhinged thriller with the occasional wry take on the publishing industry through the lens of the characters. I absolutely loved it.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved it even more when I found out that one of my favourite authors is one of the duo behind the pen name.

I love the locked-room on an island trope but I loved that this came with a twist - authors tasked with finishing a book whilst trapped on an island for 3 days.

I had a weird feeling of déjà vu for the first half of this book - I am still convinced that I've read another book with a similar storyline and with the same specific secret details about the house.

I liked that each character had a section with their backstory - though I did find most of them to be annoying. However, I quite liked how it ended. It was different and not at all how I expected it to go.

If you love a good murder mystery...this is the book for you.
Absolutely brilliantly written and so many twists and turns that kept going until the end of the book.

Six struggling authors are invited to a private island after the death of famous author Arthur Fletch.
Arthur lived....and died on the island, leaving an unfinished book .
The idea is that one of the invited authors will win a competition to finish the book but before long, a murder takes place.....followed by another....and another.

Who is the murderer and what is the reason behind the murders?

Such a read......highly recommended!!!!

Six writers are invited to a remote Scottish island to complete the final, unfinished manuscript of bestselling author Arthur Fletch. The rules? They’re cut off from the outside world, armed only with typewriters and their egos - and it soon becomes clear they’re part of a much darker story than the one they came to write.

This is a true closed-room mystery in the best Christie tradition: an isolated setting, a cast of sharply drawn suspects, secrets bubbling under the surface, and a pace that tightens like a noose as the hours tick down. The shifting perspectives mean you’re never quite sure who to trust. While some characters are given more space than others, that uncertainty only adds to the tension.

What really stood out was the commentary throughout the book about the publishing world itself. There are sharp observations about the pressures midlist authors face, the politics of success, and the desperate scramble to stay relevant. It’s clever, biting and layered into the narrative without ever slowing down the thrills.

Then there’s the delicious extra mystery: @evelynclarkewrites isn’t one author but two, writing together under a pen name. The marketing around this has been phenomenal and I have been well and truly swept up in the excitement! It adds an almost theatrical layer to the experience, like the story has spilled over into real life.

I have been hard at work trying to figure out who they are and I’m fairly sure I know one of them. I think they’re both female and at least one is American. I don’t think either of them are best known for writing thrillers. But who knows?! I’m VEry excited to see if I’m right 🤭 Thankfully I don’t have much longer to wait as their true identity is being revealed TONIGHT!

Dark, clever and smartly satirical, this was a really fun classic mystery thriller read. 4.5 stars ✨

The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke is out on 7th April 2026. Huge thanks to NetGalley and HQ for gifting me an advanced copy of this book. All views are my own.

Update: The authors have been revealed as V.E. Schwab and Cat Clarke! What a fantastic collaboration. I guessed V.E. Schwab (did you spot my little clue in the review above?!) and had a lot of fun trying to figure out the other.

Wow - what a book! From the premise I was already sold but absolutely loved this! The characters, the setting, the twists! Jaw dropping moments and a great ending.

At the time of reading this it’s not been announced who the writers are but my money is on Janice Hallet being one of them!

I was very excited to read this book as I had heard a rumour about who one if the authors were, and if correct, they are one of my favourites. Although not a genre I read as often as some others, crime thrillers are something I really enjoy as a change of pace.

Writing duos are always an interesting concept, as some authors seem to work really well together. The prospect of an experienced writer of bestsellers collaborating with a much newer writer is particularly interesting, and I liked the idea that they would be supporting each other and bringing their own experiences to the writing process.

I enjoyed the book being told from different perspectives, ad that each was written with a distinct voice. The complex character dynamics and relationships were fascinating. I could definitely see glimpses of the writing style I have enjoyed so much in the past.

There were many twists and turns, some more predictable than others. Overall, I did enjoy the reading experience, although maybe not quite as much as I had hoped. I found the ending and explanation a little underwhelming and found the book to read more like a YA thriller along the lines of Holly Jackson, although the characters are older.

I would probably read another book by this duo, but I didn’t find it as gripping as I had hoped to.

A brilliantly twisted locked-room thriller and sharp satire on publishing. Six midlist authors trapped on a Scottish island have 72 hours to finish a bestselling, yet unfinished novel. What begins as competition turns eerily sinister. Clever, fast-paced, and full of unexpected twists, this one had me hooked from page one.

Arthur Fletch is a successful crime writer and when he dies without finishing his book, an idea for a competition comes into play.

Six authors are invited to Fletch’s island and are given 72 hours to write an ending of his unfinished book, with the winner rewarded with million dollar three-book contract.

This is a joyous read with drama and humour and lots of fun.

I loved the story and how it unfolded and the characters were great greating to know.

I did not guess, I could not guess and the ending was fabulous.

One of those must reads..

A fiendishly crafted novel, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie. This has definite ‘And Then There Were None’ vibes, but with a more modern, ironic twist.

I enjoyed the way this book incorporated some of the traditional crime tropes, but also offered a quirky and original take on the murder mystery genre.

And the biggest mystery of all? Who is the author? (I’m still trying to work that out).

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Ending Writes Itself is a genuinely entertaining psychological thriller with strong Christie vibes and a page turning quality that makes it a fast, satisfying read.

Plenty of humorous irony here if you happen to walk in publishing circles, for everyone else it's a stonking good story with plenty of engaging characters and an unpredictable feel.

Good writing. I liked it. Who actually wrote it? Well we'll see I guess but I have my ideas.

Recommended.

I was so excited to read The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke - I loved the book’s blurb and really wanted to read it.

Arthur Fletch is one of the most successful crime writers of the twenty-first century. He lives a reclusive life on a remote Scottish island accessible only by boat and has announced that he is writing the final book in his crime series. His publisher and his fans are all waiting for his final book. However, Fletch dies without finishing his book, which sends his publisher and agent into tailspin. They contrive for six mid-list authors from a variety of genres to travel to Fletch’s island and are given 72 hours to write an ending of Fletch’s book, with the winner rewarded with million dollar three-book contract.

The competition itself is high stakes and there can only be one winner. I loved how the story unfolded from the perspectives of the different authors of their time on the island, how they viewed the other writers (their competition) and also their back stories. Adding to the tension is the island itself and its isolated island setting where there’s nowhere for the writers to hide, so there are some Agatha Christie vibes in that respect. I was completely hooked reading this and stayed up all night to finish it.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, HQ, for making this e-ARC available to me in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is a quirky crime read which juggles a brutal assessment of publishing along with a locked room murder mystery. It begins by celebrating a successful and enigmatic author before introducing us to a group of authors from a mix of genres, all of whom have never made it out the mid list (or even been published in the case of one) and all of whom are very different individuals. There’s plenty of secrets in this with not everything is as it seems and I loved the different reactions to the challenge of finishing the book and defensiveness that anyone could do it irrespective of their usual genre. The mansion and island really added well to the overall drama and the awkwardness of living alongside competitors for a few days as well as the lack of contact with the outside world added to the strangeness of the whole situation. Alongside the suspense there’s some good humour in this and I particularly loved the way the book was set out especially in the second half with almost mini books about each different writer. This was a mix of well used tropes yer utterly refreshing in its own way and certainly a fun and enjoyable read.

From the moment I heard about this book I was very keen to read it: the excellent premise of six mid-list authors pitted against each other for a seven figure book deal, a remote island, and of course the question of who Evelyn Clarke is.

It’s an enjoyable and solid book with plenty of twists including a really fun one halfway through. The character dynamics are great, and Arthur Fletch’s home is perfectly atmospheric.

The mystery that unfolds is pacy and satisfying, but it is the satirical sneer at the publishing industry, and writers (their rituals, delusions, tropes and everything inbetween) that is the real power of this story and the aspect I loved most. There will be plenty of nods and wry laughs from the publishing folk - and hopefully, some squirming, too.

Thoroughly enjoyed this rather dark story which doesn’t portray the publishing world in a favourable way. Great characters and twists - would love to see this on TV too

Throughly enjoyable take on the classic Cluedo type whodunnit - handled with great wit - raced through it wanting to know what/who happens next
Great set up

Satirically Scathing..
A famous author dead, an unfinished manuscript, a private island and six mid list authors - who will finish the manuscript first and scoop a million dollars and a further book contract for another million. Seventy two hours doesn’t feel that long to be cut off and get the job completed - but it’s about to feel much longer and who amongst them all is prepared to commit the ultimate crime for the chance of success? Edgy, sharp and satirically scathing, a clever weave of plotting and character development and locked room scenarios with a deftly drawn cast of characters. The other mystery, of course, is who wrote this? :)

This book is full of mystery. It's genius how the authors whoever they may be has created this in they way they have.
I'm not going to give any spoilers because this is one of those books you have to read without any info.
It's fast paced and definitely a page turner, with plenty of twists.
I can't figure out who they are though so I can't wait to find out.

Just finished The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke and I really enjoyed it. Six mid-list authors head to a remote Scottish island after a famous writer dies. Their task is to finish his final, unfinished manuscript, with a huge prize on the line. Put a bunch of competitive writers in one place and things get messy fast.

It’s like a modern Agatha Christie meets The Traitors — locked-room tension, shifting alliances, and plenty of backstabbing, with a mystery at the centre. I loved how it leans into classic mystery tropes too, like the isolated setting, hidden motives, and everyone secretly playing their own game. Plus, it pokes fun at the publishing world, from mid-list struggles to pen names and marketing hype. And I kept trying to guess who Evelyn Clarke actually is, since it’s a pen name, which added an extra layer of fun.

It takes a little while to get going, but once it does it’s clever, sharp and full of twists. Definitely one to pick up if you like your mysteries self-aware, dramatic and just a bit wicked.

Thank you to @hqstories and @netgalley for the ARC - The Ending Writes Itself comes out April 2026…wonder if we will know the authors by then?