

Death is such a messy business. All that pain, remorse and expense. Best avoided really. And when the Grim Reaper does finally put in an appearance it’s always at a most inopportune time. You could still be plotting how to finish putting that shelf up. Or plucking up the courage to invite Rita from your whist group out for a fish supper.
Perhaps you were in the middle of writing your magnum opus. The tome that would have floored literary circles the world over. Unfinished novels are such a troublesome business. Just like that death malarkey.
Herewith, 10 great unfinished books. If only they’d tried a bit harder. Procrastinated less. Which, of course, is rich coming from us. We've never started a book, let alone not finished one.
Unfinished novels
- The best final novels: great final books by the best authors
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As Content Director of Shortlist, Marc likes nothing more than to compile endless lists of an evening by candlelight. He started out life as a movie writer for numerous (now defunct) magazines and soon found himself online - editing a gaggle of gadget sites, including TechRadar, Digital Camera World and Tom's Guide UK. At Shortlist you'll find him mostly writing about movies and tech, so no change there then.