Evelyn Clarke’s The Ending Writes Itself is a traditional whodunit, clichés and all

What risks will a group of desperate writers take for publishing prestige? In The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke — the combined pen name of bestselling YA authors and friends V.E. Schwab and Cat Clarke — six writers are invited on a private island to compete for a hefty cashprize and the promise of a bestselling career by writing an ending to an unfinished book. The stakes are high in this character-driven, wryly self-aware mystery thriller, with one question looming: whose ending will it be?

The plot: Six writers from different genres are invited to the opulent Scottish home of Arthur Fletch, a globally renowned bestselling author. Each is hoping to advance a career that has yet to take off, and Fletch’s invitation seems like a promising break. But after they sign mysterious NDAs, they learn the real reason for their invitation: Fletch is secretly dead, and his agents have assembled them for a 72-hour competition to finish his final, unfinished manuscript. As rivalries intensify and twists unfold, the writers race to write the ending — pun intended — in a premise that slightly reminded us of Colleen Hoover’s Verity.

What we liked — and didn’t: The novel takes a playful approach to mystery, with straightforward prose, well-drawn characters, and plenty of dialogue to keep things moving. At its heart, the story is about the struggles of writing and getting published in a fiercely competitive industry. Reflecting this, each writer on the island is clearly defined by their genre, though we felt Clarke falls into the trap of letting these labels dictate their personalities — an easy shortcut that comes at the expense of a more nuanced cast.

The characters, while given plenty of backstory, felt one-dimensional, unlikeable, and, at times, dull. While the plot keeps you guessing, the dialogue-heavy writing sometimes makes the book feel more like a screenplay than an immersive read.

The verdict: At just over 300 pages, The Ending Writes Itself offers an engrossing mystery with a fresh premise, even if its world-building occasionally falls back on clichés. Despite some juvenile characterization and lengthy introductions, it ultimately makes for an easygoing, binge-worthy thriller when you’re in the mood for some classic mystery escapism — particularly if you’re interested in a mix of suspense with a glimpse into the realities of the publishing world.

WHERE TO GET IT- You can get the e-book version on Amazon and Kobo.