This is How It Ends by Eva Dolan - republished review

This is How it Ends
By Eva Dolan
Published by Raven Books (25 January 2018)
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher

Publisher's description

This is how it begins.

With a near-empty building, the inhabitants forced out of their homes by property developers.

With two women: idealistic, impassioned blogger Ella and seasoned campaigner, Molly

With a body hidden in a lift shaft.

But how will it end?

My verdict
When I finished This is How it Ends, I sat for a while gazing into nothing, surrounded by silence. I wanted to shout about the issues it raised and share my enjoyment of the book and my admiration for the author. Yet first of all I needed some time to think and process everything I had read.

While this is a psychological thriller, it's also so much more than this. I can't say much about the plot without giving anything away. But it is complex and intelligent, filled with social and political conscience and some highly topical and ethical contemporary themes. It is bang up to date, focusing on the plight of the underdog against the big property developers. The writing is stunning, drawing the reader in. This is a masterclass with its multi-layered plotting, realistic characters and twists that actually work.

I don't think I've ever been so invested in a book's characters before, shaken and shocked by events as they unfolded right until the bitter end. This is a powerful twisty thought-provoking read and one I won't forget easily - if at all. It's also a book that people will be talking about for a long time, as anger, compassion and frustration ooze off every page.

Eva Dolan is a force to be reckoned with. This is How it Ends is her best novel yet - a book that will challenge you and leave you reeling.