The Beginning and End of Everything: with a foreword by Davina McCall

by Sarah Hiscox, Davina McCall (Foreword)

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Addiction

271 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 2, 2026

Reviews

[Shawn Nelson]

It’s difficult to find words to describe how powerful this book is. I’ve never read such a raw and vulnerable account of somebody’s fall to and below rock bottom followed by the happiest ending I can remember. Sarah gives you a horrifying look inside the mind of someone who is not only addicted, but who truly felt miserable being themselves. It shows the depth that people will sink in order to try to silence their pain and numb their feelings.

This is truly my favorite book I have ever read.

[Erin]

A good read but properly aggravating

[Charity]

I got this after hearing Sarah on Davina's Begin Again podcast. Addiction is such a terrible illness that affects so many and I really admire Sarah for sharing her story so openly and honestly.

[Megan Medrano]

Wow. What a raw view into what Sarah experienced as an addict.
The intense emotions of shame, desperation and hope gripped me from the beginning of her story.

I listened to this from several different points of view, as a mother, as a spouse, a friend and at the end of the day it shed so much light to the fact that at the end of it all we are human and not immune to the stress that emotional turmoil causes regardless of how perfect life may be.

I’m going to sit with this one for a while.

Thank you Sarah for sharing your story.

[David]

A honest memoirs about addiction and recovery. I appreciated the author's sincerity. She writes about the darkest moments of her life without filters, without self-aggrandisement, and without trying to protect her image. Addiction has a way of stripping away ego and exposing the parts of ourselves we'd rather keep hidden, and it takes real courage to write about those moments with such openness.

Beneath the addiction story lies something much more universal. We all carry wounds, many of us feel inadequate, life breaks us in different ways, and we often search for something to fill those emptinesses. The book is a reminder that healing often begins not by fixing ourselves, but by accepting ourselves with compassion. As the saying goes, it's the cracks that let the light through. It's brave to write about your lowest moments and allow others to see you as you really were.

While I enjoyed the memoir overall, the romantic sections occasionally felt a bit too much like a rom-com for my taste. Nevertheless, this is a moving, compassionate, and profoundly human memoir. More than a story about addiction, it's a story about self-acceptance, forgiveness, and learning how to live with yourself.

[Lucy Allen]

A brave,heart wrenching book!

What a brave woman you are Sarah. After watching your podcast with Davina I immediately bought your book. A strong story with no holes barred. You are a brave woman and tell your story openly and I am in awe of you. It is also a story of resilience and true love that has me sobbing. I recommend this book to all women, mothers, sisters out there

[Margherita dG]

Sarah’s story is powerful and moving. She tells it with such honesty and grit in a way very few people can and do.

[Lucy]

For a short while, in the late ‘90s, I knew Sarah so this was especially poignant.

A difficult, emotional, raw, brave and honest account of the utter madness of addiction.

I remember Sarah as a smiler, even in the darkest of times. I’m so glad she’s found love and peace.

[Sierra Larason]

What a captivating life story! I wish the author wrote a little more about her final success, she put in so much work to get her happy ending. A great read about the challenges of addiction and how important it is to have good support systems around you.

[Cara Reynolds]

I don't really spend much time reviewing what I read but I found this book to be beautifully raw, insightful, and a hopeful read!!

I first discovered The Beginning and End of Everything by accident while watching Sarah Hiscocks and Davina McCall on the Lorraine programme. Hearing them speak so openly about their decades-long friendship and the shared traumas they navigated immediately intrigued me.

As the child of a father who gradually became an alcoholic following the death of my little brother, this story hit incredibly close to home. Growing up with the impacts of addiction is a deeply isolating experience, I found this book immensely insight. It helped me process the complexities of addiction, and why I was never enough for him to stop!!

Sarah’s writing is beautifully honest, and completely raw. She does not shy away from the painful realities of trauma, yet the narrative is ultimately filled with an overwhelming sense of hope and strength.

A must read for anyone who has been affected by addiction, or anyone simply looking for a powerful story of resilience.

[Alina M]

My favorite book this year so far. Incredible, raw, painful. In so many points I thought she would finally hit rock bottom and no, it wasn't.
Im grateful I haven't had any close family member or friends who has struggled with some sort of addiction. With this book it gives you a window to see the pain and suffering she went through as well as her family.
I sort of resonate with her in the part where she is just tired of relapsing and not able to just get rid of heroin for good. Im overweight and have struggled with my weight my whole life and you get tired of trying different diets and being like this is the one that will finally help me. I know these are completely different things, and this is the closest I am to understanding her frustration.
Im so thankful for her writing her story and sharing it with the world.
Incredible book, definitely 5/5 stars and would recommend to anyone.

[yagmur]

I related to her in ways I didn’t expect, and I loved how honest she was about everything. What stayed with me most was how she showed that addiction isn’t always just about drugs, but can come from something much deeper within you the need to escape, to numb yourself, or to fill something that feels missing. It was sad and frustrating at times, but that’s what made it feel so real. I also loved that recovery wasn’t shown as this perfect transformation, but as something messy and difficult. It made me think a lot about the different ways we try to escape ourselves.

[Rebecca Poulter]

This book is a hard read and there are no soft edges to it but it is so honest that you find yourself really rooting for Sarah. It is a story of true love and the belief that you never give up on those you love. It made me cry at times and angry at others. It is very well written and makes you see how much heroine takes from a person from the first moment. I really recommend it to anyone whose knows someone with addiction problems as it makes you see things in a different way and I think will be a huge help to many people.

[AttackGirl]

what low self esteem will do to young people coupled with addiction DNA whether mothers Alcoholism or Heroin its addiction and the body's demand for what it needs outside of everything social. Is there any real help for changing the DNA or perhaps recognize the addictive DNA can be molded to run, swim, work, read, bike, think, write and know the very instant you take your first drink, first smoke, first drug your life will never be the same. Play Russian Roulette or just educate and say NO THANK YOU, I want to keep my life and become successful.

[Maura]

Sarah's honesty and vulnerability are admirable. Sarah uses her voice to advocate for the vulnerable and particularly vulnerable women.

This book gives incredible insight into how addiction could happen to anyone, particularly those who have difficult upbringings and family experiences. Many of us take our families for granted, so this book reminded me of how lucky I am!

I listened to the audiobook read by the author and I'd highly recommend Sarah's reading of the book.

[Leslie]

I thought this was a very honest and open book about what it's like to go through drug addiction. The introduction by the authors best friend was a great inclusion. However, almost 95% of the book is about drug addiction and only about 5% was dedicated to the recovery. It would've been nice for her to go a little deeper into the recovery and what really worked for her.

[Marta Lia]

In equal measure heartbreaking and hopeful, this is an incredible story of survival against addiction.

It’s a story of finding the strength to begin again after losing everything—her marriage, her children, and almost herself. A powerful reminder that recovery is possible.

[Clare Pooley]

Sarah Hiscox is searingly honest, hilariously funny and a bloody good writer. A gripping and inspiring story of burning your life down and rising from the ashes.

[Ophelie]

Such a special book - so matter of fact and yet so moving.

[Linda Dinsey]

My god. Touched a few nerves for sure. Hit me deep and will stay within.

[Teagan G]

literally read this in a dayyyy so raw and captivating and heartbreaking and yahhh would HIGHLY recommend!!

[Christina Boarman]

3.5 stars. Drugs are something else, man. Victorious ending.

[Melissa Hayes-Norskog]

Such a painful look at a mom struggling with addiction, and how it impacts her husband and children.
A good audible listen!

[Joseph Davies]

Thank you to Sarah. This is a really important account of addiction and has helped me and I know it will help many others who will be lucky enough to come across it.

[Meriel]

Couldn’t put it down. Such a raw and upsetting book, felt incredibly brave and inspiring to share the darkest parts of herself.

[Anna Marcol]

Raw and harrowing, powerful personal story, bravely honest and impactful.

[Hilary Cockshaw]

Audiobook