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  • Published: 25 April 2023
  • ISBN: 9781529158618
  • Imprint: Penguin
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 544
  • RRP: $22.99

Tell Me an Ending

A New York Times sci-fi book of the year




'Pure pleasure' THE TIMES

'Compelling' GUARDIAN
'Incredibly well written . . . I really enjoyed it' MARIAN KEYES
'One of the most sophisticated works of science fiction I've read recently' NEW YORK TIMES

The promise at Nepenthe is simple: they will erase the memories you cannot live with.

After the procedure, psychologist Noor will assess you for two things: your mental wellbeing, and the successful erasure of the memory. But there is no assessment if you choose to delete the memory of the Nepenthe procedure itself. If you do that, you're on your own.

And what if one day, out of the blue, your memory is offered back to you - would you want to remember what you've chosen to forget?

'Extraordinary' EMMA STONEX
'Riveting' KAREN THOMPSON WALKER
'Utterly captivating' LUCY CLARKE
Thought-provoking. I loved it' MARCEL THEROUX

  • Published: 25 April 2023
  • ISBN: 9781529158618
  • Imprint: Penguin
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 544
  • RRP: $22.99

About the author

Jo Harkin

Jo Harkin studied English literature at university. She daydreamed her way through various jobs in her twenties before giving in and becoming a full-time writer. She published four real-world literary fiction novels under a pseudonym, before deciding to follow her passion and move into speculative fiction. Her focus is 'what if' stories with an emphasis on human lives. She lives in Berkshire.

Praise for Tell Me an Ending

A cautionary tale about technology making its way into the very depths of our personal lives, Tell Me an Ending is thought-provoking and utterly compulsive

Tahmima Anam, author of The Startup Wife

A triumph! Original, compelling, and utterly captivating. Told through a cast of sharply observed, complex characters, Tell Me An Ending takes us on a fascinating journey into the depths of human memory

Lucy Clarke

Suspenseful, richly imagined, and brimming with compassion, Jo Harkin's Tell Me an Ending poses tantalizing questions about technology, ethics, capitalism, memory, trauma, and fate. How far would we go to live a happier life? Who are we without the memories that have shaped us? A feat of ingenious, intricate world-building. I finished the last page desperate to discuss this brilliant novel with everyone I know

Jessamine Chan, author of The School For Good Mothers

Tell Me An Ending is a triumph of a novel . . . it asks searching questions about our relationship with memory, and each other. I loved it

Emylia Hall

Original, morally complex, heartbreakingly human. Dares to pose the question: how much do our traumas define us, and who are we without them?

Tammy Cohen

TELL ME AN ENDING is that rare bird: a page-turner that not only makes you think but forces you to question your perception of the world. It will stay with me for a long time

Jessica Barry

An extraordinary novel-- intelligent and searching, with deep questions about humanity, history and self. Expansive in its scope and themes, but never losing touch with its characters' hearts and minds, Tell Me an Ending is gripping, inventive, and a memory I'll never forget

Emma Stonex

Clever and imaginative, Tell Me an Ending is a riveting and thought-provoking exploration of one of our most precious and fragile powers: the ability to remember the moments of our lives

Karen Thompson Walker

Beautifully drawn, sympathetic and with complex characters. I stayed up all night - I literally couldn't put it down

Carys Bray

A smart, thought-provoking page-turner. I loved it

Marcel Theroux

A compelling page-turner rendered in exquisite prose

Shelley Harris

Whip-smart and thoughtful with a dark vein of humour. Compulsively readable. I loved it

Christina Sweeney-Baird

An important novel . . . Jo Harkin does a masterful job . . . this mind-bending debut will certainly make you think

Book Reporter

Tell Me an Ending is a cleverly conceived and wonderfully executed ensemble piece: intriguing, frightening, witty and humane

Wall Street Journal

Sharply, beautifully written and punctuated with wry, slanted asides, Tell Me an Ending is one of the most sophisticated works of science fiction I've read recently

New York Times

Harkin's characters are drawn with wit and economy, and watching their stories dovetail is pure pleasure

The Times

A narrative that is as page-turning as a thriller, and as thought-provoking as an inquiry into the human mind should be

i Paper

This compelling cautionary tale is set in an alternative present where it's possible to have painful memories removed . . . Interconnecting narratives by multiple character . . . weave into an ensemble piece that raises fascinating questions about how we use memory both to create and dismantle ourselves, and the ultimate mystery of who, or possibly what, "myself" actually is

Guardian

A terrific read - I enjoyed it tremendously

The Ryan Tubridy Show, RTÉ Radio 1

Jo Harkin has created a speculative novel which digs into our instinctual curiosity and our need to know everything

Irish Examiner

Incredibly nicely written . . . [Jo Harkin] writes really well about human beings. I really enjoyed it

Marian Keyes

Perfect for fans of David Mitchell, it's a twisty and compelling exploration of what might happen if humans were able to erase painful memories

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