This Is How It Ends by Eva Dolan

THIS IS HOW IT ENDS

by Eva Dolan

*My thanks to the publisher for an advance copy of this novel via NetGalley*

Ella Riordan is a community activist who became famous when she was beaten by police during a social protest. Now Ella is a squatter in a building where the owners are evicting tenants so they can convert it into luxury condos, and she’s determined to stay and defend the few holdout tenants, despite death threats.

One night after a rooftop party with her fellow holdouts, Ella finds a horrible scene awaiting her in her apartment. In a panic, she calls her neighbor Molly, who convinces her that the police won’t believe she’s innocent. Together the two women concoct a gruesome plan to hide the body down the building’s elevator shaft.

But the secret won’t stay buried for long. As truth hangs in the balance, a neighbor tells Molly he had heard Ella arguing with a man in the hallway and mistrust grows between Ella and Molly, as repercussions of that night threaten to change both women’s lives forever.

What an intriguing premise for a novel! Dolan has chosen two unusual protagonists who are more unconventional than those that often take centre stage in a mystery, and used them to create a story which blends topical news issues with murder. This is a story that begins with a 'what if' question, an attempt to bury a secret and a plot that then develops in depth, substance and complications. As the layers are peeled back and more secrets revealed, the relationship between Ella and Molly becomes more fraught and under pressure, it drives the characters towards an ending that leaves the reader reeling. 

I haven't any Eva Dolan before, but immediately I was struck not only by her choice of topic and themes, but also how well delivered, well executed and timely this novel is. Told with alternating narratives from Ella and Molly's point of view and with a dual timeline as well, this book is a jigsaw puzzle where the reader enjoys piecing not only the events that have lead to this present situation, but also what it gradually reveals about the characters. Both Ella and Molly - and all the characters for that matter - feel authentic and convincing. They have been carefully crafted and well developed.

I think what is appealing about this story is the relationship between the women. I enjoyed reading a story where the two main female characters are not related yet have a strong bond which becomes more intense following the events in the opening of the story. I enjoyed the lies, mistrust, shocking twist and complications between them and it was refreshing to have this relationship at the centre of the novel rather than one between a man and a woman or a mother and a daughter. This definitely passes the Bechdel test! I think I preferred Molly's character over Ella but through the structure of alternate voices and time lines, Dolan keeps the story moving and the emotional tension high. Ella remains a fascinating character which ensures the reader remains intrigued until the end.

I found reading about a political activist a good hook and this story felt fresh and original. It is gritty and dark and it is full of grey areas which can prove thought provoking for the reader. 

This is a psychological thriller unlike many other psychological thrillers. It's intriguing and it's full of complex characters but the pace is different and the bleak realism makes it a more challenging read. This is a story that resonates, that tackles contemporary issues, that explores characters that will get under your skin and leave you lost in pensive thought between any breaks you take while reading. 

This is How it Ends is published by Raven Books on 25th January 2018.