Title: A TIDY ENDING
Author: JOANNA CANNON
ISBN: 9780008255039
Publisher: Harper Collins
Pages: 410
Source: Private Copy
A NICE, NORMAL HOUSE
Linda has lived around here ever since she fled the dark events of her childhood in Wales. Now she sits in her kitchen, wondering if this is all there is – pushing the Hoover round and cooking fish fingers for tea is a far cry from the glamorous lifestyle she sees in the glossy catalogues coming through the door for the house’s previous occupant.
A NICE, NORMAL HUSBAND
Terry isn’t perfect – he picks his teeth, tracks dirt through the house and spends most of his time in front of the TV. But that seems fairly standard – until he starts keeping odd hours at work, at around the same time young women start to go missing in the neighbourhood.
A NICE, NORMAL LIFE…
If Linda could just track down Rebecca, who lived in the house before them, maybe some of that perfection would rub off on her. But the grass isn’t always greener: you can’t change who you really are, and there’s something nasty lurking behind the net curtains on Cavendish Avenue…
Official Summary
12 May 2026
Joanna Cannon’s A Tidy Ending is an intriguing psychological drama that ultimately lands at a respectable three stars—compelling in premise and atmosphere, but uneven in execution.
At the heart of the novel is Linda, a woman striving for the illusion of a “nice, normal life” while quietly struggling with the shadows of her past. Her voice is distinctive—often naive, sometimes unsettling—and Cannon uses this perspective to create a slow-building sense of unease. Linda’s fixation on the previous occupant, Rebecca, and her desire to emulate a life she believes is more glamorous add an interesting layer to her character, highlighting themes of identity, insecurity, and quiet desperation.
The domestic setting is one of the book’s strongest elements. The seemingly ordinary street, the routines of daily life, and the small, claustrophobic details of Linda’s world all contribute to a creeping tension. There’s a subtle but persistent suggestion that something is not quite right—particularly as Terry’s suspicious behaviour begins to intersect with the disturbing disappearances of young women in the area.
However, while the novel excels at atmosphere, the pacing can feel sluggish at times. Much of the story unfolds through Linda’s internal monologue, which, although effective in establishing her mindset, occasionally becomes repetitive and slows the narrative momentum. Readers looking for a more plot-driven thriller may find themselves waiting a bit too long for significant developments.
The mystery itself is intriguing, but it doesn’t always deliver the level of tension or surprise you might expect. Some twists feel understated rather than shocking, and the resolution, while thematically consistent, may leave certain readers wanting a stronger payoff.
That said, A Tidy Ending is less about dramatic reveals and more about character study. Cannon explores the psychology of ordinary lives with care, peeling back the layers of what appears “normal” to reveal something far more complicated—and unsettling—beneath the surface.
This is a quietly disturbing, character-driven novel that will appeal most to readers who enjoy slow-burn psychological fiction. While it doesn’t fully capitalise on its gripping premise, it offers enough depth and atmosphere to make it a worthwhile, if slightly uneven, read.
About the Author
Author bio from the author’s site
Joanna Cannon is the author of the Sunday Times bestselling debut novel The Trouble with Goats and Sheep, which has sold over 250,000 copies in the UK alone and has been published in 15 countries. The novel was longlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize, shortlisted for The Bookseller Industry Awards 2017 and won the 2016 BAMB Reader Award. Joanna has been interviewed in The Guardian, The Observer, The Sunday Times, The Times, and Good Housekeeping magazine, and her writing has appeared in the Sunday Telegraph, Daily Mail, and the Guardian, amongst others. She has appeared on BBC Breakfast, BBC News Channel’s Meet the Author, interviewed on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 5, and is a regular at literary festivals across the country including Edinburgh and Cheltenham. Joanna left school at fifteen with one O-level and worked her way through many different jobs – barmaid, kennel maid, pizza delivery expert – before returning to school in her thirties and qualifying as a doctor. Her work as a psychiatrist and interest in people on the fringes of society continue to inspire her writing, and Joanna currently volunteers for Arts for Health, an organisation bringing creative arts to NHS staff and patients. Joanna Cannon’s second novel Three Things About Elsie was published in January 2018 and explores memory, friendship and old age. She lives in the Peak District with her family and her dog.
I am new to this author. Are you a fan? Which is your favourite book? Leave a comment below, and I will try to add it to my TBR. Until next time… Happy Reading.
