End of Story

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What to expect

Too much imagination can be a dangerous thing


It's the year 2035 and fiction has been banned by the government for five years. Writing novels is a crime. Reading fairytales to children is punishable by law.

Fern Dostoy is a criminal. Officially, she has retrained in a new job outside of the arts but she still scrawls in a secret notepad in an effort to capture what her life has become: her work on a banned phone line, reading bedtime stories to sleep-starved children; Hunter, the young boy who calls her and has captured her heart; and the dreaded visits from government officials.

But as Fern begins to learn more about Hunter, doubts begin to surface. What are they both hiding? And who can be trusted?

(P) 2023 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Critics Review

As much a ride as a read, this tense, paranoid thriller expands into something absolutely show-stopping. End of Story is a rare find indeed! Louise Swanson takes every expectation and defies it - to tell a breath-taking tale of humanity and redemption.
Janice Hallett
Wow. Swanson gives us what few writers can- a thriller with heart. END OF STORY will undoubtedly be the hit of 2023!
Christina Dalcher
A vast, playful, ingenious piece of literary legerdemain . . . It's a book as much about writing as about loss and hope . . . but Louise Swanson takes that idea to audacious extremes, finding real soul amongst the dream logic and textural trickery . . . Read it and make your own mind up, because the ride is certainly fun
SFX
An unforgettable tour-de-force. Imaginative, terrifying, beautiful. Do not miss this one
Chris Whitaker
Absolutely enthralling, incredibly clever, brutal and heartbreaking. This deserves to be the book everyone is talking about in 2023. I loved it.
C.J. Tudor
This dystopia is as disturbing as it is fascinating
Best
This richly imagined dystopian novel is an unsettling read
Woman's Own
A compelling slice of chilling dystopia
Heat
Unsettling, twisty, emotional, and so expertly written that you live every dark, discomforting moment with its protagonist. Not just a highlight of March, expect this book to be a highlight of the year.
Culturefly
Compelling
Crime Monthly
This is a book about the importance of storytelling, and it's little bit magic, a little bit dark, and a lot emotional. I adored it
Amanda Prowse
Inventive, original, moving. END OF STORY has a unique premise and a heart-wrenching drop-the-book twist.
Tammy Cohen
This beautifully-written book blew my mind. Takes 'What if' to a new level.
Jane Corry
A sensually startling dystopia . . . unsettling - in the best possible sense! - the novel had me hooked from start to finish. Wonderfully original.
Susannah Wise
Haunting, intriguing and dazzlingly original. This book will break your heart.
Emma Haughton
Shocking, powerful, topical, and utterly compelling.
John Marrs
A chilling and moving tale that will strike fear into the heart of every book lover. The ending blew me away.
Mark Edwards
A shocking portrayal of a world undone. Swanson's writing is powerful and thought-provoking. A compelling read.
Lauren North
A compelling novel with an intriguing premise and a genuine didn't-see-it-coming twist. It made me think about how we tell stories, how we occupy them and how stories can ultimately change us.
Araminta Hall
A propulsive and incredibly creepy dystopian premise - I was hooked from the outset, and every twist was perfectly executed. A fantastic thriller
Heather Darwent
Absolutely engrossing from the first page, END OF STORY pulled me in and held me there like the best stories do. Utterly compelling, chilling, and heartbreaking, Louise Swanson has achieved something very rare and very special with this book, it'll stay with me for a long time. I loved it.
Beth Lewis
A masterpiece of storytelling, with a plot that relentlessly draws you in, and then twists and evolves into something utterly unexpected. Wrapped in one of the most original and deeply-realised storylines I have read in a long time, this genre-blending book hits breathtaking new heights in contemporary fiction
Philippa East
Just finished this and oh wow... I could not put it down! Intriguing, captivating and utterly heartbreaking - such a brilliant book.
Susi Holliday
End of Story is an infusion of dystopia and very real magic. It reaches straight for your heart, cast in a velvet glove and tears it out in an iron fist. Thunderous devastating. I loved every minute of it.
Matt Wesolowski
Simply devastatingly good - I may need some time to recover
Claire Allan
A story that shocks, enchants and terrifies, End of Story lures you in to its darkly captivating world then rips the rug out from under you and breaks your heart. Loved it.
Eve Smith
Powerful and thought-provoking and quite unlike anything I've read before. Louise Beech is a fearless writer
Laura Pearson
Compelling and engrossing dystopian fiction, with much food for thought
S.E. Lynes
A terrifying portrait of a near future . . . Both thought-provoking and heartfelt, END OF STORY is a unique dystopian mystery about human connection amidst automation, renewal amidst defeat, and the power of writing
Winnie M Li
A beautifully written dystopian tale which had me enthralled from the start with its terrifying vision of a world without fiction. Hugely imaginative, original, and ultimately incredibly moving, End of Story is a wonderful book with a cast of fascinating characters. Loved it.
Amanda Jennings
A taut thriller with characters that are both heartbreakingly, and in some instances frighteningly real, and the twist at the end left me bereft, if not a little relieved. A remarkable, thought-provoking story that will stay with me for a long time.
Eva Jordan
A bewitching and heartbreaking story about the power of fiction and redemption. Unlike anything else I've read - utterly breathtaking.
Catherine Cooper
Will sear itself into your heart . . . A brilliant, original idea, powerfully executed and terrifyingly plausible. Prepare to be left speechless!

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