The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke is a murder mystery with 7 writers on a secluded island, dying to write an ending to an unfinished book. The novel is more like the comedy movie Clue than Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. The story is a deep satire about the publishing industry with a lot of winks to the audience.
The Ending Writes Itself is by Evelyn Clarke, which is really two authors V.E. Schwab and Cat Clarke. This is V.E. Schwab’s first collaborative novel and her first book outside of the fantasy genre.
I was not prepared for how funny this book was. The tone is set early. All of these writers have ego, but are really scared, sad little boys and girls underneath. The funniest reveal is what the killer actually writes. I laughed out loud, and it was perfect.
The writing style was unique. Each writer works in a different genre like horror, romance, mystery, YA fantasy, and science fiction. When the story shifts perspective, the writing subtly shifts with it. It’s not over the top, but it helped me easily identify the characters and remember what they write.
The novel hooked me right away with the premise. The characters are all unique and you can see their egos from a mile away. You know this is not going to end well.
The twists and turns are fun. It plays with mystery tropes just enough without overdoing it. There are a lot of character reveals that kept me entertained. You can see some of the misunderstandings coming, but watching the consequences play out is part of the fun. There was one big reveal that I really liked. I didn’t fully guess the killer, but I had a feeling they would be involved in the end.
I wanted the book to feel more like an ensemble. It clearly has its favorites, and that doesn’t always work. Sienna and Malcolm overstay their welcome, especially Malcolm. His chapters really drag the pacing down. I don’t think I would have minded as much if his sections were broken up more, but getting long stretches of just Malcolm was rough.
The ending worked for me overall, but it happens way too fast. One character is taken off the board off page and it’s only explained in a bonus chapter exclusive to the Barnes and Noble edition. I had to go find that separately. It was a good chapter and helped explain things, but it felt like it should have been in the main story.
I did really like what the ending was going for and how it ties into the title. That part was clever. I just wanted more time with it.
The Ending Writes Itself was first published on April 7, 2026 by Harper Books.
Why did I read The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke?
The marketing for this one got me. It was a mystery for a while who the authors were, and once I heard V.E. Schwab was involved I knew I had to read it.
V.E. Schwab is an auto-buy author for me. I’ve only rated her books 4 and 5 stars.
I was able to attend a signing event at Parnassus Books where both V.E. Schwab and Cat Clarke were interviewed by J.T. Ellison. They also announced they are working on another book together, which I’m excited for.
Plot Summary:
Seven mostly mid-tier writers are invited to an island by a massively successful author, Arthur Fletch. When they arrive, they are greeted by his agent and told he is dead and his final book is unfinished. They are offered a million dollars to finish the book and a publishing contract for their next novel.
All of the writers come from different genres and are desperate in their own ways. They would do anything for this opportunity. When a body is found, everyone becomes a suspect.
What I Liked:
The book has a lot of fun with mystery tropes. It will acknowledge them and still use them.
I liked the idea of the golden book and the mystery around whether it actually exists.
The first 25% hooked me. The character introductions were strong and easy to follow.
The satire of the publishing industry was sharp throughout.
The reveal of what the killer writes was perfect.
Kenzo and Millie were my favorite characters. Millie is fun and energetic, and Kenzo is more layered and interesting.
I liked how the ending ties back into the title, and who came up with the ending.
What I Disliked:
Kenzo was underused and sidelined toward the end.
Sienna and Malcolm took up too much of the story. and Malcolm’s chapters hurt the pacing.
The ending felt rushed.
A major moment happening off page and being explained in a bonus chapter didn’t work for me.
Recommendation:
The Ending Writes Itself is a fun mystery with strong satire about the publishing industry. It feels like Clue with more bite. I think it pairs really well with Yellowface in terms of what it says about publishing.
I’m definitely interested in what this writing duo does next.
Rating:
The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke
4 out of 5 stars
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