The way a novel's ending makes you cry (4)
I believe the answer is:
howl
'cry' is the definition.
(to howl is to cry out)
'the way a novel's ending' is the wordplay.
'the way' becomes 'how' (how something is done).
'ending' suggests the final letters (the letter at the end of the word).
The last letter of 'novel' is 'l'.
'how'+'l'='HOWL'
'makes you' is the link.
(Other definitions for howl that I've seen before include "Shout" , "Long, loud, emotional utterance" , "Lazy person" , "Bay - cry" , "Wolf sound" .)