What to expect:
First things first:
- Verity is a psychological thriller by Colleen Hoover that was initially self-published in 2018 and later became an international bestseller.
- The story centers on writer Lowen Ashleigh, who is hired to complete the successful book series of the seriously injured author Verity Crawford.
- During her research, Lowen discovers an unpublished autobiographical manuscript that paints a disturbing picture of Verity and her family.
- As the story progresses, it becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish between truth, fiction, and manipulation.
- The film adaptation, “Verity”, will be released in cinemas in October 2026. Dakota Johnson, Anne Hathaway, and Josh Hartnett star in the leading roles.
- Spoiler warning: The first sections are spoiler-free. We discuss the ending of the novel later in a clearly marked section.
What Is “Verity” About?
Colleen Hoover is best known for romance novels such as “It Ends with Us”. With “Verity”, however, the author takes a much darker turn. The psychological thriller combines a complicated love story with secrets, mistrust, and the question of how much truth a story actually contains.
Lowen Ashleigh is a writer struggling financially. Then an unusual offer arrives at exactly the right time: Jeremy Crawford, the husband of successful author Verity Crawford, hires Lowen to complete the remaining books in his wife’s series. Verity herself can no longer write after suffering a serious accident.
To familiarize herself with Verity’s work, Lowen temporarily moves into the Crawford family home. There, she is supposed to go through notes and manuscripts and find enough material to continue the series. But among the documents, she discovers something that nobody was supposed to find: Verity’s unfinished autobiography. In it, Verity describes disturbing thoughts and events from her family life.
At first, Lowen decides not to tell Jeremy about what she has found. At the same time, she spends more and more time with him, and the two grow closer. This increasingly puts her in a difficult position: Can she believe what Verity has written? And what would happen if Jeremy read the manuscript? Much of Verity tension develops from precisely this uncertainty. The more Lowen discovers, the harder it becomes to distinguish between truth, fiction, and manipulation.
Between Truth and Manipulation: What Makes “Verity” So Compelling?
Verity relies less on an especially complex plot than on the question of whom we can actually trust – and to what extent.. Lowen initially gets to know Verity primarily through her manuscript. What she reads increasingly influences the way she perceives the woman she encounters in the Crawfords’ home. At the same time, we as readers see Verity largely through Lowen’s eyes.
The novel therefore deliberately plays with perspective and perception.. The manuscript appears to provide answers to many questions, but at the same time raises new ones. Lowen also begins observing Verity’s behavior more closely, looking for possible meaning behind seemingly insignificant situations. As the story progresses, it becomes increasingly difficult to separate observation, interpretation, and supposed truth.
The relationship between Lowen and Jeremy adds another layer. Lowen becomes increasingly attracted to him while simultaneously learning more about his marriage and the family’s past. Her feelings do not necessarily make her a neutral observer. This, too, leaves open the question of how reliable her assessment of the situation really is.
Colleen Hoover uses this uncertainty to steadily build tension. Rather than clearly establishing which character can be trusted, the novel provides information that can be interpreted in different ways. This becomes crucial later in the story – and is one of the reasons readers continue discussing Verity even after reaching the final page.
Spoiler Alert: The Ending of “Verity” Explained
Spoiler warning: From this point on, we reveal the ending of Verity.. If you still want to read the book, skip directly to the next section.
Toward the end of the novel, the situation in the Crawfords’ house comes to a head. By this point, Lowen is convinced that Verity is only pretending to be incapacitated and is far more aware of her surroundings than she lets on. Eventually, Lowen confronts Verity – and Jeremy learns about the manuscript Lowen discovered.
The descriptions in the manuscript portray Verity as a woman who rejects her own children and is responsible for the deaths of her daughters. Jeremy reacts violently and attempts to kill Verity. Lowen intervenes – not to save Verity, but to help Jeremy make her death look like a natural consequence of her injuries. At first, this seems to establish which version of the story Lowen and Jeremy believe.
Some time later, however, Lowen finds a letter from Verity that calls this supposed certainty into question. In it, Verity claims that the autobiographical manuscript was not a confession, but a writing exercise: She had tried to write from the perspective of an evil character and had used her own life as the basis. The letter also presents a different picture of Jeremy and explains why Verity had hidden her condition from him.
This changes the entire story in retrospect. Was the manuscript actually Verity’s confession – or was the letter the truth? Lowen cannot answer the question definitively, and neither can the readers. She destroys the letter and tells Jeremy nothing about it.
That is the novel’s crucial twist. There is no reliable resolution at the end confirming which version is true.Both the manuscript and the letter were written by Verity and could represent truth, fiction, or deliberate manipulation. Lowen, meanwhile, has her own interests: She loves Jeremy and has herself contributed to removing Verity from his life. The uncertainty that runs throughout the novel therefore remains until the final page.
And what about the additional chapter?
In 2022, a hardcover special edition of Verity was published that includes, among other things, an exclusive additional chapter. The twist at the end does not simply add another surprise. It forces readers to reconsider much of what they have previously read and believed to be true.
From Self-Publishing to Bestseller: How “Verity” Began
The success story of Verity did not begin with a major traditional publisher: Colleen Hoover initially self-published the novel in 2018. According to Publishers Weekly, the book recorded relatively steady sales during its first two years. The major breakthrough came in 2021.
The social media community played an important role.. On TikTok, readers shared videos discussing the novel’s surprising twists and controversial ending. In the summer of 2021, a TikTok about Verity , among others, went viral. In August of the same year, the originally self-published novel finally reached the New York Times
bestseller list.
The success did not go unnoticed by the publishing industry. In October 2021, Grand Central Publishing acquired the rights to Verity. Publisher Karen Kosztolnyik later explained that the success of the self-published title and growing demand had helped attract the publisher’s interest.
For self-publishing authors, this development is particularly interesting. It shows that a book’s success does not necessarily have to be determined immediately after publication. In the case of Verity, several years passed between the original publication and its major breakthrough. Reader recommendations and discussions on social media helped an already published book reach a completely new audience.
The story of “Verity” therefore also demonstrates the opportunities self-publishing can offer authors. Colleen Hoover was initially able to publish her novel independently and reach readers directly. Its later success eventually attracted the attention of a major traditional publisher. Naturally, such a development is an exception and cannot be planned. However, it shows that self-publishing does not necessarily have to be merely an alternative to traditional publishing; it can also be the starting point for a book’s further development.
Authors can also publish their books through GRIN’s self-publishing program and have them distributed through the book trade. If you have completed a manuscript yourself and are considering publication, you can find all information about our self-publishing services here.
“Verity”: What We Know About the Film
Following the novel’s success, the story is now making its way to the big screen. “Verity” will be released in cinemas in October 2026. The film is directed by Michael Showalter, with a screenplay by Nick Antosca. Colleen Hoover herself is also involved as a producer.
The three central characters have been cast with prominent actors: Dakota Johnson plays Lowen Ashleigh, Anne Hathaway portrays Verity Crawford, and Josh Hartnett plays Jeremy Crawford. The supporting cast includes Ismael Cruz Cordova and Brady Wagner, among others.
Sony’s official description initially stays close to the novel’s premise. Lowen arrives at the Crawfords’ secluded estate as a ghostwriter and discovers Verity’s autobiographical writings. The uncertainty surrounding what is truth, fiction, or manipulation is also at the heart of the announced film adaptation. This aspect is particularly interesting for the adaptation. In the book, we experience much of the story from Lowen’s perspective and read Verity’s writings alongside her. How this uncertainty will be translated to the screen without giving viewers clear answers too early is therefore one of the most interesting questions surrounding the film adaptation. Whether and where the film differs from the novel can only be meaningfully assessed after its theatrical release.
What Authors Can Learn from “Verity”
Verity is also interesting from a writing perspective. Above all, the novel demonstrates how strongly suspense can depend on which information readers receive and when they receive it.. Colleen Hoover does not reveal all connections immediately. Instead, new information repeatedly calls into question what previously seemed certain.
An important element is perspective.. We experience events primarily through Lowen and therefore depend on her observations and interpretations. At the same time, we learn about Verity through her own writings from a completely different perspective. Both layers influence each other and continually change our perception of the characters. For your own writing, this interplay between different perspectives can be an effective way to create suspense.
Verity also shows that a twist does not merely need to be surprising. Ideally, it should make the story so far appear in a new light.. The letter at the end does not simply add another plot twist. It forces readers to reconsider much of what they have previously read and believed to be true.
Not every question needs to be answered conclusively. The open ending has helped readers discuss Verity and develop different theories. This can also provide an interesting writing lesson: Sometimes a story stays in readers’ minds precisely because it does not resolve every uncertainty.
Conclusion: Why “Verity” Leaves Questions Unanswered Until the End
Verity combines psychological thriller, romance, and family drama with a simple but powerful question: Whom can we actually believe? The novel deliberately provides no definitive answer. Instead, every new piece of information changes the way we perceive the characters and their story.
The fact that this particular novel made its way from self-publishing to becoming an international bestseller and eventually to the big screen makes its development particularly interesting. With Verity, the story is now receiving a new interpretation – and presumably new fuel for discussion about Verity, Lowen, and the question of which version of the truth is actually true in the end.
Sources:
- Colleen Hoover: Verity – official book page
- Sony Pictures Germany: Verity – Dark Secrets
- Publishers Weekly: „Grand Central Partners with Colleen Hoover“
- Hoover, Colleen: Verity. – book edition used as the primary source for the plot and ending.
Frequently asked questions:
Verity follows writer Lowen Ashleigh, who is hired to complete the successful book series of injured bestselling author Verity Crawford. While researching at the Crawford family home, she discovers an unpublished autobiographical manuscript containing disturbing insights into Verity's thoughts and past. At the same time, Lowen develops feelings for Verity's husband, Jeremy.
Spoiler: Verity dies after Jeremy confronts her based on the revelations in her manuscript. Lowen later discovers a letter in which Verity claims that the manuscript was not a confession, but merely a writing exercise. This leaves the question of which version is actually true unresolved.
The ending deliberately allows for multiple interpretations. Both the manuscript and the later letter could be true – or lies. Readers therefore have to decide for themselves which version they find more credible. This uncertainty is one of the novel's central themes.
The three leading roles are played by Dakota Johnson as Lowen Ashleigh, Anne Hathaway as Verity Crawford, and Josh Hartnett as Jeremy Crawford.. The cast also includes Ismael Cruz Cordova and Brady Wagner.
The original ending of the novel has not been replaced. However, a later hardcover edition contains an exclusive additional chapter, meaning that not all editions of Verity have exactly the same content.
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