Hello everyone,
The ending of a book is such a key moment. It is the last thing we read, so in those final few sentences or the way in which the plot is resolved, there is a lot at stake and it goes a long way to forming our overall thoughts. A bad ending, and a lot of good work can be undone.
First of all the ending has to make sense, but most of the time it also has to be interesting and dramatic. Some of the more memorable endings involve twists or massive bombshells, even right up to the last line. This is especially the case in series.
So with that in mind, let us look back on the most memorable endings for the books I read in 2024.
The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes by Suzanne Collins
This wonderful prequel to the Hunger Games trilogy is very good throughout, but the final few chapters are absolutely unrivalled, with riveting tension that makes each and every word thoroughly gripping.
The relationship between Coriolanus Snow and Lucy Grey comes to a point of no return and their story ends with ambiguity, and following this we see the clearest sign of the single-minded, calculating dictator he goes on to become.
The Whispering Muse by Laura Purcell
This entire book is stunning, but the final pages are memorable for providing a suitably tragic end to a tragic story. As endings go it is fairly abrupt, but it is fitting as despite the best efforts of the well intentioned main character Jenny, the muse Melpomene takes her ultimate revenge on a dramatic night on the stage.
One Of Us Is Back by Karen M. McManus
This novel marks the end of a trilogy and it delivers drama and twists aplenty. A lot of those come late on during an eventful and climactic showdown between the orchestrators of Bayview’s final deadly game and the main characters we have come to know so well during the series.
It is powerful reading, and the end gives us closure. For once a Karen M. McManus book does not include a final cliffhanger, but she wraps things up really well and does her characters justice.
Belladonna by Adalyn Grace
After a burgeoning romance and an increasingly devilish mystery that span almost the entirety of an extremely atmospheric and gorgeously written book, Adalyn Grace has one final sting in the tale left for us in the shape of the cliffhanger ending.
Everything seems relatively happy and the characters are set to move on, but then in the closing lines of the epilogue we have a shocking event and the introduction of an intriguing new character that sets up the sequel in style.
Murder In The Family by Cara Hunter
This mystery is a total labyrinth, told completely in a mixed media format with six experts forming a panel on a television show that investigates a cold case murder. There are cliffhangers and revelations dotted across the book, but naturally the ending is where the various tangled leads start to unravel.
I must say that I was quite disappointed by the identity of the killer, but the way it plays out is undoubtedly memorable as the show’s producer takes an uncomfortable centre stage.
Let’s Chat
Which of your 2024 reads contained the most memorable ending? Have you read any of the books on my list? Let me know in the comments!
Happy reading and for those of you who celebrate, Happy Christmas 🙂
