The Ending Writes Itself ARC Review

Happy Release Day to The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke! This mystery thriller explores the events following the death of a prolific author––think Stephen King, who says this novel is pretty great. Honestly, that should tell you all you need to know. But I'm still writing this review because I absolutely love this book about one dead author, six dying careers, and a chance at new life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the e-arc!

Genre: Mystery

Category: Emotional Read (verging on Hilarious Read)

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Rating: 5/5 Stars

Plot: 5/5 stars

Characters: 5/5 stars

World: 5/5 stars

Pairing: Scotch broth + Drambuie cocktail OR shortbread cookies + your favorite coffee or tea

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PLOT

The Ending Writes Itself is the brain child of writing duo V.E. Schwab and Cat Clarke. It follows six writers who've recived an invitation to a private Scottish island owned by Arthur Fletch, a reknown mystery novelist.

Upon arrival they learn Fletch tragically died before finishing his Magnum Opus––his final novel, concluding his most iconic series. Rather than announce his death and leave the series incomplete, Fletch's agent and editor decide to host a secret competition. Everyone has seventy-two hours to read Fletch's manuscript and write an ending for submission. The winner will be the ghost writer and seal their own lucrative publishing deal that guarantees their escape from the midlist.

Seventy-two hours, in this house, on this island,with no way to access the outside world. No way to check email, or socials, or google a synonym, or doomscroll between writing sessions. Seventy-two hours to finish a book.

Not just a book, but the book, the most anticipated one in modern history. Seventy-two hours to earn two million dollars. And turn her life around.

V.E. Scwab's lucious prose and Cat Clarke's screenwriting expertise blend to create a cinematic story that I could not put down––even at public events. Their commentary on writers and publishing lends a satricial element that provides levity without discounting the gravity of the situation the characters find themselves in.

Although there are plenty of twists, I found the narrative to be very character-focused as multiple POVs explore each writer's past and motive to win––and silence their competitors. I'll warn you now: don't get too attached to anyone.

"Because this house of novelists, not murderes. You dream up crimes. You don't commit them."

But a writer has. And so, who better than a writer to catch them?

CHARACTERS

Schwab is known for writing exceptional character depth, and despite the large cast, she still delivers. Here you'll find six imperfect characters from various genres, including YA romantasy, horror, sci-fi, adult romance, and mystery. There's even a writing duo, like Schwab and Clarke (a detail that made my inner geek happy).

I also loved that each character's POV reflects their genre, and how snippets from documents, texts, and blog posts are woven into the narrative, giving us insight to their motives, relationship to writing, and lives outside the competition. This, paired with flashbacks, rounds out the characters and challenges readers' feelings about them at each turn.

People forget that, don't they? That the stories on paper aren't the only ones we tell. That novelists can spin fiction well beyond their books.

Everyone lies, of course, but writes lie well.

Their bickering speaks volumes to the hostility and superiority between genres, social media snobbery, and the harsh realities of the publishing industry––like gender inequality and expectations, flooding the market with trends, recent shifts to prioritizing quantity over quality, and how these things can drown out talented writers who deserve to be in the spotlight. It even touches on AI slop, and how it threatens real writers and creative integrity.

But it's not all doom and gloom. This story also serves as an encouragement to writers at all stages to find their voice, keep writing when it gets tough, stop making excuses, and to remember they’re not alone— not in the self-doubt, the creative blocks, or the publishing hurtles.

WORLD

Since the story takes place almost entirely in a manor perched atop a windswept Scottish island, there isn't much to say about the world-building. The scene sets itself.

The setting is a perfect illustration of the story's mood. Fletch's home is a writer's dream, built from his writing royalties, but becomes part of a nightmarish story as the characters find secrets behind hidden doors and contained within puzzles. Here, no one is safe, and someone will gain everything while others lose everything.

"There are no heroes in horror. Only people who get out alive."

TL;RD

The Ending Writes Itself is a locked room mystery that comments on the literary world at large while taking readers on a thrill ride as six writers discover they're being pitted against each other in a competition that turns deadly. It's dark, yet hopeful and comedic, with beautiful prose and poignant quotes––there are so many good ones I'd love to add to this review, but it would get too long.

This whodunit may not be for everyone, but it was certainly for me. I had to force myself to not speed through it and miss clues, but I was still shocked more than once and look forward to rereading it. I highly recommend it to fans of Knives Out, And Then There Were None, Yellowface, and readers who are in the market for lighter mystery thriller with literary elements, a splash of horror, and a heaping serving of satire.