End of Story

In my opinion, this is so much of a better read than The Woman in the Window. Sebastian Trapp, mystery novelist, invites long-time fan (and penpal) Nicky Hunter to visit him in his dying months at his family home in San Francisco. The Trapp family have had plenty of woes, and his second wife and wary daughter await Nicky’s arrival, interested and a bit unnerved at what the detective fiction expert will find out. She’s there to write a memoir of sorts, but finds a community there, of people whose interest in Trapp is both personal and, well, profitable. Will Sebastian talk about the disappearance of his first wife and son? And who is responsible for the body in the koi pond? It’s quite clear that some history prefers not to stay hidden.

A lugubrious taxi driver takes Nicky Hunter, an expert in detective fiction, through the San Francisco fog to Pacific Heights and the spectacular property of reclusive mystery author, Sebastian Trapp. The two have been corresponding old school style for five years, and she is now at his home to help draft his much anticipated memoir. Why now? Well, apart from anything else, Sebastian doesn’t have long to live. However, the big story surrounding him is that 20 years ago on New Year’s Eve 1999, his wife Hope and son Cole vanish from different locations and are never seen again. Nicky becomes obsessed with discovering the truth and then finds herself caught up in yet another dramatic family mystery. This is a novel about the past, inevitably it gets dredged up mostly because it’s unfinished business and therefore the past is far from being done.

I love the way the author has chosen to tell this remarkable story, which cleverly changes as situations become weirder or deteriorate. The start feels old school but in the best possible way as it’s like an updated golden age detective mystery, particularly as Sebastian and Nikki trade literary quotes and titles at each other such as Sherlock Holmes. The tone here is funny, witty, ironic and self-deprecating, and definitely raises a smile or two. There are occasions in the first half where I feel as if I’ve strayed into a play from a bygone era as the dialogues bat back and forth. Then things change, get a little strange and we get a fairytale vibe and I’m not talking Disney, obviously. Towards the end of the book, it becomes pure thriller as things teeter on the brink. This is such an effective way to tell this tale and somehow makes it more compelling.

The characters are obviously centre stage to what unfolds and there right slap bang in the middle with the spotlight fixed firmly on him, is Sebastian. He’s magnetic, mysterious, enigmatic, highly intelligent, and sees much more than he says. His daughter, Madeleine is fascinating, damaged and very much in his thrall. I’ll say little about Nicky as that story is a real journey in itself.

The whole novel is packed full of atmosphere, courtesy of the eccentric Trapp house which feels alive at times, and of course there are San Francisco locations which are used masterfully in the ensuing drama.

You start in one place and finishing another with this book. There’s a building unsettling vibe and as the pace rises and then falls, when you learn something crucial, it seems to pop out at you, almost in neon signs! Things start to fall apart, behaviour is off kilter and becomes alarming. At moments of tension or when exciting revelations are forthcoming, short, sharp sentences heighten the effect. It escalates to an excellent, unpredictable finale, and that an ingenious final sentence… So good.

Overall, this is one smart novel which I enjoy very much indeed. A terrific cover entices you into the contents, too, so appropriate.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins, Harper Fiction for granting my wish for this arc, which is greatly appreciated.

First of all, a massive thank you to Harper Collins UK for granting my wish on NetGalley to read this book. A new AJ Finn book.. how exciting! It might not be out until the end of February but I dove straight in. This book has been a very long time coming and for me, the wait was absolutely worth it

Sebastian Trapp is a famous mystery writer with a mysterious past of his own. And he is dying. He invites his long time penpal and fan, Nicky Hunter, to come stay with him and his family in his San Francisco home and write a personal memoir for him, for only his families eyes. How could she say no? Will he finally talk about his wife and son who disappeared 20 years earlier, never to be seen again? The house holds many secrets, and those who surround Sebastian have plenty of their own.

This was a slower burning thriller, but one with so much atmosphere and promise. There were plenty of twists and turns that I did not see coming and the ending was superb. I found myself turning pages late into the night on a school night so that tells you something. I just had to know how it would end.

A very clever book, with plenty of literary references. So much fun to read. Get your hands on this February 29th. You can thank me later.

I was so excited to see that there was a second book written by A.J. Finn. I loved The Woman In The Window, I remember reading it so clearly, and the details of the book are still so vivid in my mind; therefore I was shocked when I saw that it was six years ago that I read that book, it feels like only a couple of years ago!
I am delighted that End Of Story is as good as, or even better, than Woman In The Window. There are are a real mixed bag of characters, so many twists and turns, I changed my mind about the way I thought the plot would progress so many times, and was still surprised! I would imagine that the author has been working on this for a long time, and it shows; their efforts have paid off, it is a great mystery/ thriller.
Highly recommend for anyone who enjoyed Woman In The Window or is new to the work of A.J. Finn, you’re in for a real treat.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another fun romp from AJ Finn - I found this a touch more confusing than THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW, but once I got the lay of the land about the family, I was hooked!

Utterly unexpected and immensely satisfying. It felt like doing a jigsaw puzzle without the reference picture, at times it was really confusing but I put my trust in the process and this author did not disappoint.
There was so much darkness beneath the surface, which made a great hiding place for the red herrings. There were also lots of references to classic noir fiction, book and film.
If you loved Woman In The Window, you will love this.

I loved this one just as much as The Woman In The Window. It was a touch slow and a little confusing but, once I got into it wow, I was hooked. A really great read a long time coming but, well worth it. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

"Death has come for better men. Death has come for
worse. Now Death has come for me."

Novelist Sebastian Trapp, author of the successful Simon St. John detective series has three months to live when he invites writer Nicky Hunter to write a private memoir of his life. A successful career marred by personal tragedy, the disappearance of his son Cole and his first wife Hope twenty years ago was never solved and has been the subject of much media interest over the years. A long time fan of his work and someone who has corresponded with him over the years, Nicky readily accepts and moves into the San Francisco mansion where he lives with second wife Diana, his daughter Madeline and nephew Freddy.

I loved everything about this novel, I savoured the descriptive scene setting, the atmosphere, the hints to classic noir and the witty dialogue. I relished the slow burn build up, the mansion that seemed to stand still in time and the damaged characters within its walls. Its a book of two halves, the first laying out the groundwork and the second ramping up the tension significantly bringing it to a gripping conclusion.

One of those books that once finished I want to read from start to finish all over again.

An Invitation Not To Refuse..
An invitation, a mystery novelist and a luxurious mansion house. When an invitation from Sebastian Trapp, mystery novelist, arrives for Nicky, she simply cannot refuse. She has been his long time correspondent and, as an expert in detective fiction, she jumps at the opportunity. Arriving at the enigmatic mansion, she wonders whether she has done the right thing. It soon becomes clear that there is more to both Sebastian and the mansion than meets the eye. An intriguing read with a deftly drawn cast and an engaging premise, a slow burn plot populated with red herrings, often witty wordplay, compelling reveals and bubbling with atmospherics as well as more than frequent nods to detective fiction authors and their works - the author’s love of literature, the Golden Age mystery genre and classic film is evident. The writing style is rather marmite - perhaps, the reader will love it or hate it - although this reader loved every word.