The End

Ellie Marston has to deal with a lot. In the novel, “The End,” the heroin must overcome the tragic loss of her husband, a stagnating career as an Assistant District Attorney in NYC, and a series of puzzling occurrences that put her in the crosshairs of a person who wishes to keep their secrets hidden. The discovery of her husband’s unpublished manuscript is the first of these strange happenings that drastically impact her ho-hum existence. Questions come to light about what she believed in and felt for her husband leaving her wondering if she ever really knew the man she swore to spend the rest of her life with. Unsure who she could rely on or trust, Ellie must learn to believe in herself and the choices she has made in order to survive and solve the mystery of husband’s death.

Moncrief’s novel has all of the markings of a great suspense novel – mysterious deaths, messages encrypted in something mundane and obvious, a heroin torn between her present and past, not to mention clandestine meetings. All of that being said, one is woefully disappointed when they are made to slog through tedious stretches of narrative. As a reader, it became necessary to focus mainly on the dialogue in order to advance through the story. There were also a few formatting issues that made the novel difficult to read.   Still, one will appreciate the author’s efforts in bringing this tale to fruition.

Amy Willis