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Editorial Reviews Review "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 About the Author It was a dark and stormy night (well, it was actually an unusually warm evening in Edinburgh, Scotland) when New York Times bestselling author V.E. Schwab proposed an absurd idea to longtime friend and screenwriter Cat Clarke : that they should write a book together. V had made quite a name for herself, with more than twenty books, including the Shades of Magic series, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, and Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil , but had sworn she'd never co-write a novel, let alone one without fantasy. While Cat, following a tumultuous career as an editor and the author of several YA novels, including Girlhood and Entangled , had fled the publishing industry to work in the even more tumultuous film industry, swearing she'd never return to books. And yet, fate―and an irresistible idea―made liars of them both. That night, as they switched from tea to something stronger, Evelyn Clarke was born.