The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke: Chaos, murder, and midlist authors on the edge
- genredpodcast
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
We went into this thinking: fun, slightly campy locked-room mystery.
We left with: questions, opinions, and a deep distrust of midlist authors on remote islands.
Let’s get into it.
We have some things to say
Big bookish news: Alchemy of Secrets is being adapted by Julie Plec.
Yes, that Julie Plec.
We said this would make a perfect TV show, and now we feel extremely validated.
Also:
Elyse has entered her full crafting era and built a reading journal so beautiful it got compliments from strangers at a bar. Casual.
Intro to the Book
A group of midlist authors are invited to a secluded Scottish island by legendary mystery writer Arthur Fletch.
When they arrive, they learn he’s dead. And they’ve been chosen to finish his final novel. They have 72 hours. Winner gets a life-changing book deal.
Then people start dying.
What we cover
Genre & Vibes
Classic locked-room mystery
Agatha Christie meets publishing industry commentary
Strong Knives Out / Glass Onion energy
Multi-POV structure with a twist
Characters to Watch
Cate — debut author, youngest in the room
Sienna & Malcolm — messy married writing duo
Millie — bubbly YA author with Girl Scout energy
Jaxson (with an X) — insufferable sci-fi gym bro
Kenzo — horror writer who knows a little too much
Priscilla — romance author with secrets
What It’s Giving
Big “everyone’s trapped together and someone is lying” energy
Literary ambition meets desperation
A little satire, a little chaos, a lot of suspicion
Would Our Mother Read This?
Yes.
It’s not overly graphic, and the tone keeps it from getting too dark. A solid, accessible
mystery pick.
🚨 SPOILERS AHEAD 🚨
When Did We Know?
The book pulls you in immediately with the premise.
The real hook:
The publishing industry commentary
The multi-POV structure
The slow shift from competition → survival
But the tone sits in an in-between space:not fully serious mystery, not fully campy chaos.
The Big Twist
The killer is… Cate.
The youngest, quietest, most “innocent” character in the room.
And yes, even the book acknowledges this should have been too obvious.
Which somehow makes it work and not work at the same time.
What She Was Doing
Cate:
Used AI to mimic Arthur Fletch’s writing
Tricked her way into the competition
Planned to either win or walk away with his rumored gold book
Instead, she starts eliminating the competition.
Literally.
Standout Moments
Malcolm accidentally killing himself by falling off a cliff while trying to read his wife’s notes
Jaxson being taken out by his own resistance band
Kenzo getting impaled (and somehow surviving)
The Chekhov’s gun payoff with the antlers
Unhinged. Creative. Slightly ridiculous in the best way.
The Ending
Cate dies (maybe) after refusing to let go of the gold book and drowning.
But:
We never actually see the body.
So… suspicious.
Meanwhile:
The publishing industry covers everything up
Arthur Fletch’s unfinished book is published anyway
Kenzo gets the deal and writes the “real story”
Big publishing wins. Again.
Final Ratings
Katy: ⭐⭐⭐⭐: Fun, fast, and a great concept. Had a genuinely good time.
Elyse: ⭐⭐⭐.5: Loved the premise and commentary, but wanted it to fully commit to either serious or campy.
Mentions
Knives Out
Glass Onion
Agatha Christie classics
Join the Conversation
Did you guess the killer?
Did the ending work for you or feel a little off?
And most importantly:would you survive this island?
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Fast Facts
Author: Evelyn Clark (pen name for V.E. Schwab + another co-writer)
Structure: Multi-POV, character-based chapters
Setting: Remote Scottish island
Timeline: 72 hours
Mini FAQ
Is The Ending Writes Itself actually scary?
Not really. It’s more suspenseful than horror. There are murders, but the tone stays more mystery/thriller than genuinely terrifying.
Do you need to know publishing industry stuff to enjoy it?
No, but the publishing commentary is one of the best parts. You’ll absolutely learn new terminology by accident.
Is this more Knives Out or Agatha Christie?
Somewhere in between.
It has the classic locked-room setup of Agatha Christie, but the modern publishing world commentary and character dynamics feel very Knives Out.
Is the multi-POV confusing?
A little at first because there are a lot of characters, but once the deaths start happening, the POV structure becomes part of the mystery itself.
Is this a “everyone is awful” type of cast?
Mostly, yes.
Even the more likable characters are messy, ambitious, suspicious, or hiding something.
Would this work as a movie or TV series?
Absolutely. In fact, we spent most of the episode talking about how visual and adaptable the premise feels.
Is the ending satisfying?
Depends on what you wanted from it.
If you like slightly over-the-top mystery reveals and messy publishing drama, probably yes. If you wanted a super tight, grounded mystery payoff, maybe not.
Would you recommend the audiobook?
Yes, but maybe not at 2x speed.
There are a lot of accents and POV shifts, so it’s easier to follow at a slower pace.
What’s Next on Genre’d
We’re reading:
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
Early thoughts:
tradwife social commentary, a little unsettling, and already giving us things to say.
Reading Essentials
Everything we actually use while reading. If we talked about it, it’s probably here.
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