"In the running for the best mystery of 2026. With a trove of tropes that mystery lovers will love, it will remind you, in the best way, of Agatha Christie." - Stephen King "This captivating thriller is a must for every library and a great choice for book clubs." -- Library Journal (starred review) "The result is nothing short of dazzling." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) " The Ending Writes Itself is great fun--chilling, thrilling, satisfyingly pulpy and smart--that will appeal to mystery fans, and to anyone who has ever attempted to publish a book." -- The New York Times "High-concept and highly entertaining." -- Kirkus Reviews "Prolific fantasy writer V.E.
Schwab and YA author-turned-screenwriter Cat Clarke teamed up to create the Evelyn Clarke persona. Their first novel under the pseudonym is a mystery--and a send-up of the publishing industry itself--in which six authors are summoned to a private island and tasked with writing the ending to the final book from a bestselling author after his untimely death. As you can expect, this sets up a delightfully twisty locked-room mystery full of quirky characters." -- Marie Claire "Six writers are brought to a remote Scottish island to finish a beloved mystery novelist''s final book--but not all is what it seems! And there''s a ticking clock! The premise alone sounds delightful but when you learn that Evelyn Clarke is the pen-name for the duo of V.E. Schwab and Cat Clarke, you''re more or less guaranteed a page-turning treat." -- Lit Hub "HarperCollins'' highly-hyped The Ending Writes Itself is actually written by a mystery duo under the pen name Evelyn Clarke, and that in itself intrigues me enough to want to read it. It''s also about writers, who are invited to a private island to complete an unfinished book--with just 72 hours to spare--by its deceased author.
Sparing synopses of the book provide a tantalizing glimpse into what promises to be a killer mystery novel." -- Page Six " The Ending Writes Itself is at once a great many things. As satire it is decidedly wicked. As mystery/thriller it never fails to challenge and often to perplex. The glee it takes in skewering predictable literary tropes offers ongoing amusement. Evelyn Clarke''s debut novel is an absolute treasure." -- The Anniston Star "What a ride! Oh, the way I soaked up every single minute of this book!" -- The Gloss "Fans of Agatha Christie''s locked-room mysteries and modern tales like Knives Out will fall for The Ending Writes Itself , which masterfully blends classic mystery elements with genre-bending tropes. Crafted with razor-sharp wit and a meta twist, this satirical take on the publishing world ensures readers will hang on every word, right up to its breathtaking finale.
" -- The Nerd Daily "This is the debut novel from author Evelyn Clarke, and it''s a good thriller, with lots of twists and turns and backstories on most of the characters. More novels like this, and she will be a force in the industry." -- Red Carpet Crash "Smart, original, and completely addictive.The Ending Writes Itself is both a great locked-room thriller and a brilliant satire on the publishing industry. An absolute must-read" - Karin Slaughter, New York Times bestselling author of This Is Why We Lied and After That Night "The most fun I''ve had with a book in a very, very long time." -- A. J. Finn, New York Times bestselling author of End of Story and The Woman in the Window "Fiendishly clever and compulsively readable, The Ending Writes Itself is both a page turning locked room mystery and a gimlet-eyed look at the business of writing books.
An absolute must read." - Ellery Lloyd, New York Times bestselling author of The Club and The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby "Agatha Christie''s And Then There Were None meets Yellowface, this is a quirky murder mystery full of quirky characters and satisfying twists. Great fun!" - Kate Mosse, internationally bestselling author of The Map of Bones and The Ghost Ship "A cracking read." -- Val McDermid, internationally bestselling author of Silent Bones and Past Lying "Full of twists and turns and mystery tropes, The Ending Writes Itself is a wonderful send-up of classic mysteries and a satire on modern publishing. A must-read for any mystery fan!" -- G.T. Karber, internationally bestselling author of Murdle "A hugely entertaining and thrilling locked-room mystery, with a great cast of characters and an ever-evolving plot." -- B.
A. Paris, New York Times bestselling author of The Prisoner and The Therapist "Slick, sharp and wickedly fun, The Ending Writes Itself is a whip-smart addition to the locked room genre. Addictive and thrilling!" -- Lucy Clarke, internationally bestselling author of The Surf House and The Hike.