Thank you to NetGalley and HarperFiction for the opportunity to review this digital ARC.

I had been excited to read this book but sadly found that it did not live up to my expectations. It was very slow with confusing character dialogues. There was a brilliant story in there somewhere but I found it difficult to wade through the excessive wordiness! I’ve never had to look up so many words and it felt the author was simply choosing them to convey how clever he is rather than add anything to the story. I was determined to finish it and I’m glad I did as the ending was clever and tied the story lines up well - it just felt like far too much hard work than a novel really should.

This is a fascinating story as it's a modern thriller but there's some element that brought me back to 40s noir and thriller.
It kept me on the edge and reading. I was surprised and kept guessing.
Found it a bit slow at the beginning but it always kept my attention
Excellent storytelling and plot/character development
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I was thrilled to nab a spot on the blog tour for A.J. Finn’s second novel, End Of Story. (I absolutely loved The Woman in The Window!)⁣
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We begin the story with the discovery of a body and not much else in terms of context. We then travel backwards with our protagonist Nicky on the doorstep of the esteemed mystery writer Sebastian Trapp, following a personal invitation to his estate to help draft his biography. ⁣
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I found the story to be quite a slow start and a slow-burn novel overall but the pace definitely picked up the further into the book I got. I found the inclusion of Trapp’s missing ex-wife and son an interesting situation and it definitely ramped up the mystery factor. I kept thinking I had the culprit of Hope and Cole’s disappearance ~possible murder~ sussed but my mind changed several times throughout the course of the story.⁣
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I think it would be unwise to compare this novel to the author’s debut as they are completely different. End Of Story is a complex mystery with several different strands interwoven into the story. I can’t deny that the ending was the absolute definition of a twist although I don’t know if I was wholly satisfied with the conclusion!

I pride myself on being able to second-guess twists long before the reveal, and any writer who manages to get one over on me - as AJ Finn did with Woman In the Window - becomes a must-read. End Of Story didn't disappoint - it's quite meta and self-aware in a way that will appeal to booklovers; Wonderfully manipulative, and a joy to surrender to.

I thoroughly enjoyed my experience with this book. While some may find the pace slow, I found it to be a deliberate choice that allowed me to truly immerse myself in the characters and the atmospheric setting of the San Francisco area. Reading it on my Kindle added to the experience, allowing me to easily navigate through the pages and savor each moment.

One aspect that intrigued me was the presence of two timelines that seemed disconnected at first but gradually revealed their interconnectedness as the story unfolded. It kept me engaged and guessing until the very end, when everything finally fell into place.

The ending, though lengthy and featuring a multitude of characters, felt uniquely satisfying, tying up loose ends in a way that stayed true to the story's essence. Overall, while it may not be for everyone, I found the deliberate pacing and intricate narrative structure to be strengths, allowing for a deeper connection with the story and its world.

A book full of suspense. Kept me guessing right till the very end. A great read.
5 ⭐️ review

Loved the setting of this book and the style of the writing. A true murder mystery that o couldn’t put down to find out who done it. Lots of plot twists to keep you on the edge of your seat which meant I couldn’t wait to finish reading it.
Highly recommend!

The cover of this book drew my attention and I was intrigued by the blurb. This author also wrote The Woman in the Window which I’ve heard of but never read.

Sebastian Trapp is a mystery writer with months left to live. He invites his long term penpal Nicky to his San Fransisco mansion to write his story. Sebastian’s first wife and son disappeared in mysterious circumstances twenty years earlier and Sebastian was suspected of murder. He's never revealed what happened.

I started this book with enthusiasm but I just couldn’t get into it at all, I didn’t want to pick it up to read it and after almost a month of attempting to get through it I’ve only managed to read 1/4. I found the plot soooo slow and the way it jumped between characters confusing. I didn’t find the characters fleshed out enough to easily remember who was who and I felt totally disconnected and disinterested in the story. I didn’t like any of the characters and I found Nicky strangely obsessed with Sebastian. The constant Sherlock Holmes references were cringeworthy and I was just fed up with the book. Unfortunately this one was a DNF for me, life’s too short!

Thanks to HarperCollins UK, Harper Fiction and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for a review.

3.5 Stars. This is a slow burn mystery.
20 years ago a successful mystery writer Sebastian Trapps wife and son disappeared on New Year's Eve.
In the present day Sebastian has been corresponding with an up and coming author, Nikky Hunter, who he invites to his home to assist him in writing his memoirs.
This is a well written novel with twists and turns towards its conclusion.
The story is told through 2 POV characters (Nikky and Madeleine), but at times it was not always clear who’s POV you were in.
The plot was good and mostly enjoyable with a very classic crime thriller theme. The San Fransisco setting added to the atmosphere.
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley UK for the ARC.

Unfortunately I had to DNF this. I picked it up a few times but could only get through two chapters at a time as it wasn't grabbing me. It was too unbelievable. Both main characters were insufferable and didn't behave like normal people, so perhaps if it was marketed differently it might do better but it definitely wasn't a thriller as nothing happened in the first half, which is when I realized I should give up. Apologies. As I didn't read the second half I'll give it 3 stars to be fair, as it may have gotten better.

I’m really sorry but I could not finish this book. I loved The Woman in the Window but I just could not get into this at all. It wasnt gripping me and i couldn’t take to any of the characters of which there wer a lot and I was getting confused, which I know is down to me but this just wasn’t for me, maybe just down to the way im feeling right now so thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the chance of this early copy anyway.

AJ Finn is back with his new novel set in the scenic and iconic San Francisco. The main character is a novelist Nicky Hunter who has been invited by the prestiguous thriller writer Sebastian Trapp to write his biography. The compelling invitation is tainted and adds tension by the fact that Sebastian doesn't have long to live. Not only does Trapp have a reputation as a writer, he is also the focus of attention as the man whose wife and son disppeared 20 years previously. Did he kill them? The novel revolves around Nicky attempting to find out what happened to the first wife and son whilst living in the house with Sebastian, his second wife and daughter Maddy. Atmospheric and capturing the crime noir of the 1950s and the classic Hitchcockian setting is not accidental. An intriguing tale that doens't quite live up to his first novel but does not disappoint.

Not for me, sorry. I tried but wasn't able to finish this, found it slow and convoluted despite being attracted to the premise.

I really enjoyed the author's previous book so I was excited about this one. Unfortunately, I gave up a few chapters in. The writing style seemed scattered and the dialogue just felt convuluted. I didn't really care about any of the characters and there were too many names introduced at the beginning so became very confusing.

Six years ago, New York author AJ Finn caught lightning in a bottle with The Woman in the Window, a contemporary take on Hitchcockian tropes as an agoraphobic, self-medicating woman spies on her neighbours. Instant #1 New York Times bestseller; sold into 40+ countries, big-money film deal.Then, the bottle shattered as a New Yorker profile exposed a litany of lies: an author more unreliable than his narrator. The star-studded film adaptation fizzled on release. Would Finn ever return?

End of Story fittingly features an author whose life is rife with rumour and internet gossip (of a far more serious kind). Nicky Hunter is invited to renowned mystery writer Sebastian Trapp’s San Francisco mansion, where he lives with his second wife and adult daughter, to tell his life story and perhaps unravel a mystery or two. Trapp is dying, his first wife and son vanished years before, he was the prime suspect. Everyone has secrets, but who is playing who?

Finn once again nods aplenty to giants of the genre, while creating an intriguing narrative drive and setting us up well for a fascinating denouement. There's plenty to like about this book, though also some that may frustrate other readers. I veered myself throughout between thinking it was a 4-5 star read or a 3-star one. But I couldn't stop reading, and in the end I think Finn pulls things together well - whether you suspected various reveals or not - and has crafted a fine story that is a nice homage to California crime and the classics.

In a twist worthy of his forebears, Finn’s far-less-marketed second novel reads better than his massively hyped debut.

Nicky Hunter has a bit of an obsession with author Sebastian Trapp and has been writing to him for five years
Sebastian invites Nicky to his San Francisco mansion to help him write the story of his life before he dies
His wife and son disappeared years ago, did he murder them? The bodies were never found.
Intriguing mystery develops with another murder/suicide at a house party

Many thanks to Net Galley and Harper Collins UK for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
I was really looking forward to this read, sadly I did not even finish, 200 pages read but I had to give up.
What can I say about it, slow, slow, slow read, the characters were all the same and difficult to keep track of who everyone was.
I wasn’t interested in any of the characters and found myself repeatedly reading a page over again as I had no idea what was going on.
Sorry this one was not for me.

When Nicky befriends the now infamous author Sebastian Trapp by being pen pals she never would’ve thought she would get to meet him in person. Never mind stay at his home with his wife Diana and daughter Madeline. However Sebastian is terminally ill and has asked Nicky to document his life as a gift to leave behind for his loved ones.

Nicky is also curious about his 1st wife and son who mysteriously disappeared. Are they alive or dead? Is Sebastian responsible for their disappearance and will Nicky get the truth out of him. Everyone in the family seems to have secrets so who can Nicky trust?

The story is fairly slow paced but I enjoyed that as there are a lot of characters so it gives you a chance to get to know each one. The use of famous authors quotes between the two is a great addition to the story as they try to outsmart each other. A story full of twists and turns with an unexpected big reveal. This felt like a classic mystery/crime novel which I really enjoyed.

Nicky travels to San Francisco at the invitation of famous mystery writer, Sebastian Trapp, who is diagnosed with terminal kidney failure, and wants Nicky to document his life for his loved ones. He is not just an author of fictional mysteries - many years ago his wife and child disappeared on New Years Eve and were never seen again. This quote describes the situation best: “a very popular novelist who suffered a devastating misfortune. Or a very popular novelist who committed the perfect crime.”

The main character Nicky is an expert herself in the mystery genre and often spars with Sebastian with an arsenal of quotes from famous writers. She is a great character and her role in the book as the author of Sebastian’s memoir sets her up nicely to be the confidant of age old secrets that will help solve the disappearance of his wife and child.

The plot progresses at a good pace and doesn’t get bogged down with lots of extraneous detail. Despite the small number of suspects, the reveals at the end were a complete surprise - bravo. But I was a bit disappointed with the reveal. In my opinion I thought it was a bit of a lazy cop out.

Overall, another enjoyable and gripping mystery book!

2.5 stars

If you’re going into this book expecting something similar to Woman in the Window - prepare to….. not get that. Looking at the other reviews it seems mixed as to how people feel about this being so different but I am in the disappointed/struggled to finish camp.

End of Story is told from two women’s perspectives - Nicky and Madeleine. Nicky Hunter has been corresponding with leading crime writer Sebastian Trapp for years, ever since she spotted an error in one of his books and wrote to point it out to him. Now he is in his final years of life, he has asked her to come and stay at his San Francisco mansion and write some sort of memoirs for him for his family. Meanwhile, his daughter Madeleine is on the hunt for some answers about the past.

20 years earlier, Sebastian’s wife and son disappeared in the middle of the night on New Year’s Eve and no one knows what happened to them.

Very, very, painfully slowly, Nicky and Madeleine dig into what happened that night by doing very little other than musing and talking in riddles until the last 15% of the lengthy tale.

It was just such a slog to get through. I appreciated the style being old school detective style and all the references to Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie and the traditional who-dunnit but this wasn’t really much like that genre because it was far too slow paced and not gripping. None of the characters were likeable and I frequently found myself going “gah who is this again?”

It felt like nothing really happened in between Nicky arrives, someone dies in koi pond, here’s what happened that night 20 years ago, and end. The frequent attempts to drum up intrigue were just a bit annoying because they didn’t lead anywhere for such a long time. And when we finally found out the truth it was a bit “oh right”, for me anyway!

A frustrating book that I may not have finished if I wasn’t sent it to review.

I wanted to love this book as it’s very well written and the plot is unique. However. I found it a bit of a struggle to engage with.