Stephen Fry audiobook frustrates listeners with abrupt ending

The clue lies in the title, however, with the new release telling the story of Marcus, who goes missing after being coerced into working with a county lines drugs gang. The next eight chapters are filled with nothing but an eerie silence, leaving the reader on an indefinite cliffhanger.

The deliberate frustration is all for a good cause, though, the project being a publicity stunt for the UK charity Missing People. It reflects the real-life experiences of thousands of people whose loved ones go missing every year.

Fry has been a long-time patron of the charity and recalls the time he himself went missing: “I myself went missing at a time of crisis in my life, but I was fortunate enough to be reunited with my loved ones. Not everyone gets that reunion.”

He continued: “When a person goes missing in real life, their loved ones are left with unimaginable loss. It could be your child, it could be someone in your family, a friend or a colleague battling a crisis in silence. Or, it could be you.”

Creative agency House 337 came up with the idea, working on the campaign – which also includes out-of-home activations that feature the front cover of the fictional book – pro bono.

“The chance to work with Stephen Fry doesn’t come along often, so to use that opportunity to record a story that doesn’t even have an ending may seem odd,” said Steve Hawthorne, creative director at House 337.

“But we needed to do something a bit unusual to even begin getting across how it feels for the families and loved ones of people who go missing. And we were only able to do that thanks to an army of talented people donating their time and talent, from the vocal skills of Stephen Fry to the audio wizardry of Wave, the podcast expertise of Adelicious and Listen and the generosity of Ocean Outdoor, JCDecaux and GoodStuff. So, thanks to all involved.”

Over 170,000 people in the UK are reported missing each year and Missing People offers a lifeline for those who go missing, as well as providing support for family and friends.

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