I really enjoyed this. It didn’t grip me and blow me away in the way that The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle did, but it was still a really good read full of suspense, mystery and murder.

I really enjoyed the setting of this book. Even though it was post-apocalyptic, it wasn’t depressing. There was a nice rustic village vibe with a nice community. It was nice to see a book that had a bit more hope in it than some of the post-apocalyptic stuff that’s written at the moment.

The mystery was really good. There were plenty of good reveals and I really liked the main character, Emory. She felt almost neurodiverse-coded as she asked a lot more questions than the other villagers and was seen as odd/ different because of it. It made me relate to her a lot.

Honestly it was just a solid four star. It was a joy to read but didn’t wow me in the way Evelyn Hardcastle did.

As the story begins, tensions run high among the islanders. Suspicions and paranoia grip the small community as they grapple with the reality that a murderer walks among them. The victim, Dr. Elena Martinez, was a respected scientist known for her work on finding a solution to the deadly fog that enveloped the world.

The island's leader, Mayor Thomas Hughes, calls for an emergency meeting in the town hall to address the crisis. He appoints a small group of volunteers to investigate the murder, led by Sarah Reynolds, a former detective from the mainland who happened to be stranded on the island when the fog descended.

Sarah and her team quickly begin their investigation, interviewing witnesses and gathering evidence. They discover that Dr. Martinez has been working on a breakthrough that could potentially neutralize the fog and save humanity. This revelation leads them to suspect that the murderer may have been someone who stood to benefit from her silence.

As time ticks away, tensions escalate on the island. Accusations fly, alliances form and dissolve, and secrets come to light. Sarah and her team race against the clock, piecing together the puzzle before it's too late.

Meanwhile, the fog creeps ever closer, a constant reminder of the impending doom facing the islanders. With each passing hour, the pressure mounts, and the stakes grow higher.

In a thrilling climax, Sarah uncovers the identity of the murderer and the motive behind the crime. But as she prepares to reveal the truth to the islanders, she realizes that the solution to their salvation may come at a heartbreaking cost.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

Stuart Turton is, in my opinion, one of the most original and imaginative authors writing today; I loved his first book, The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, which was unlike anything else I’ve ever read. His second novel, The Devil and the Dark Water, a mystery set aboard a 17th century Dutch trading ship, disappointed me, but I recently read his short story, The Master of the House and loved that one too, so I was curious to see what this, his newest novel, would be like.

The Last Murder at the End of the World combines a murder mystery with a post-apocalyptic setting. The world as we know it has been destroyed by a black toxic fog that has swept across the planet, killing everyone it touches. The only place the fog hasn’t reached is a small Greek island, home to the Blackheath scientific research facility. The island is inhabited by one hundred and twenty-two villagers and three scientists from Blackheath, who have become known as the Elders. While the scientists continue their research into the fog and the security system that is holding it back from the island, the villagers farm the land and obey the rules set out for them by the scientists, while being discouraged from thinking too deeply for themselves.

Disaster strikes when one of the scientists is murdered and the barrier keeping the fog at bay is broken down. If the islanders can solve the murder within ninety-two hours, the barrier will be restored – if not, the fog will envelop the entire island. One of the villagers, Emory, is more resourceful than the others; rather than just accepting the situation and her place in society, she has always been curious and eager to learn. The task of investigating the crime, then, falls mainly to Emory – but to make her job even more difficult, the security system has also wiped the memories of the villagers, so someone could be a murderer without even knowing it.

The Last Murder at the End of the World is a difficult book to write about without spoiling too much. From the beginning, we are faced with lots of intriguing questions. Why do none of the villagers live past the age of sixty? Who or what is ‘Abi’, the omniscient voice who is present in everyone’s mind? Are the three Elders working with the villagers or against them? Everything is explained eventually but I won’t discuss the plot in any more depth here. I think if you’ve read other dystopian/post-apocalyptic novels you’ll already have an idea of the sort of things being explored, such as why some people survived and not others and whether society can be rebuilt to make the new world a better place than the last one.

The murder mystery element is interesting mainly because of the limitations that are placed upon it – the short period of time in which Emory has in which to solve the mystery and the fact that nobody can remember anything they may have done or witnessed on the night of the crime. There are also some surprising plot twists and revelations that meant I was constantly questioning and re-evaluating everything I thought I had figured out. However, this is definitely a book where the characters take second place to the plot; the three scientists are particularly difficult to like and, apart from Emory, the villagers are bland and not easily distinguished from each other. For this reason, The Last Murder at the End of the World is a novel I enjoyed from an intellectual perspective but not from an emotional one.

Ninety years after a deadly fog envelopes the world, the last remaining humans survive on a Greek Island. Through science they have discovered a way to hold off the fog, and are working on ways to defeat it. As ‘Elders’ of the island, with knowledge of the old world, they are supported by villagers, artificial beings known as crums; and Abi, an omnipresence that can read everyone’s thoughts. When one of the villagers is murdered and the barrier to the fog falls, a villager called Emory is tasked with solving the murder to save the island.

I think the concept of this book is so clever. Stuart Turton’s depiction of the island, its inhabitants and the technology is extraordinary. Behind the imagery, the parallels between humanity and the use of AI and science is uncanny.

I enjoyed the story but found how the narrative jumped quite confusing. Add in Abi as an all-seeing character that just randomly pops up sometimes, made it even more so. I found myself having to re-read bits constantly. I also found it quite long and got quite frustrated towards the end. I sympathised with the villagers, and whilst I think the author did try to gain sympathy with the elders, I found it quite difficult.

I’m really stuck on rating this book. Do I think it is worth recommending? Yes, it is definitely unique and I can imagine people having strong opinions on it. Would I read it again, myself? Probably not as it was hard work. Though I do find myself wondering if I would enjoy it more the second time around now I know the ending.

Hooked yet again. There were so many twists and turns, no-one could rely on anyone or anything, you never see what's coming. There are lots of short chapters Which I love. I can't wait to see what Turton comes up with next.

I am yet to read a Stuart Turton book that I haven't liked! The Last Murder at the End of the World started off a little slowly as it took me a while to get used to Abi as the narrator, but I was absolutely gripped from about two thirds of the way through, I did not want to put it down. It had lots of twists I didn't see coming which had me second guessing myself up until the end. As well as the thriller element of it, the characters felt really well developed and I found myself much more emotional than I was anticipating for an apocalyptic sci-fi book. I adored Evelyn Hardcastle and have been looking for a book as engaging since, I think this comes very close!

I quite enjoyed my first dip into the Stuart Turton literary pool, I would recommend it to my bookish friends who appreciate a tightly wound and complex storyline with a larger cast of deeply layered characters, but for me I felt that there was too much going on. That was completely my attention spans fault. Stuart's writing is very atmospheric and intoxicating.

Strange and Beautiful

Well I was not expecting that!
Stuart Turton is a master world creator and The Last Murder at the End of the World was a fascinating ride through a post apocalyptic mystery with twists and turns at every corner.

An small island community who have 92 hours to solve a murder to survive.

Although it took me a little while to fully immerse myself and get to grips with all the characters, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.

This book was, thought provoking, strange and beautiful all rolled into one.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for this ARC.

This is definitely well written and very clever - but too clever for me. The story is a countdown to the extinction of humanity and yet there are only 3 human beings on this island that has survived the end of time. The rest of the community are villagers who have been grown rather than born! This dystopian story was a step too far for me. For a non-person to be responsible for solving the death of one of the few human beings seemed unlikely. Yes, there was a crime to be solved but it felt quite contrived for me. Obviously not my genre.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Stuart Turton/Bloomsbury Publishing plc for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

I have read and loved Stuart Turton's previous two novels so I was really excited to finally read this one. I don't think the blurb really does this book justice because I really had no clue what I was getting into and the book got weirder and weirder the further I read.
It is the end of the world with just over a 100 people surviving on a Greek Island that managed to get some barriers up before the fog came. The island wakes up to a murder and everyone's memory of the night before is wiped with the barriers down and they have around 2 days to find the murder before they all die.
Everyone on the island is connected to Abi, a mitochondrial network that can read their thoughts and even control the people when necessary and I was very intrigued about the plot of this story.
This is quite a fast paced story that is very complex as the main character, Emory, is tasked with becoming the investigator to try and solve the murder before everyone dies. There is lots of science involved and interesting twists that make for a fascinating read that I didn't want to put down.

I really enjoyed this mystery by Stuart Turton, the loss of everyone’s memory means that absolutely everyone is a suspect, even those trying to solve the murder. The isolated island setting also made it reminiscent of a closed room mystery, but with the scope for far more suspects, meaning that as a mystery it felt very fresh and different from the average detective novel.
The mystery kept me guessing until the end while also making sense, being difficult to work out but not so far-fetched to make it unbelievable or unsatisfying.
The sci-fi and dystopian elements in the story were a lot of fun, and I enjoyed the melding of genres. That said, if you’re dubious about reading sci-fi I would say this is more of a mystery in a lightly sci-fi world, so if that isn’t your genre you may still really enjoy the book.
I enjoyed the perspective of Abi as another thing to set this apart from a normal mystery novel, but I think she could have done with a better introduction, I especially found the prologue quite confusing for that reason.
My main critique is that the first third of the novel was quite slow. Although I understand the need to introduce us to the characters and see their relationships before the murder occurs, I feel that this could have been achieved in a shorter space of time. For example, we get a few chapters from Magdalena’s perspective at the start and then her character is seemingly forgotten until near the end. Similarly, the tension in Emory and Clara's relationship is built up a lot only to be fairly inconsequential as soon as the murder happens and they start to work together. From the synopsis it sounds like we would start the book with the murder and wiped minds, and although I liked that we got to see them before this it definitely could have been shorter.
Overall I would rate this 3.75 stars, rounded up to 4 here. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

Highly atmospheric and fiendishly clever. 4/5 stars.

Having been impressed with Stuart Turton’s previous books (The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and The Devil and the Deep Water) I was delighted to get an advance copy of The Last Murder at the End of the World. But would I enjoy it more than The Devil and the Deep Water, which I found to be overly long and rather confusing in places?

In short: yes. This is a leaner story with far fewer central characters. That said, some readers may find it rather annoying at first as the set-up is shrouded in its own mystery. Who are the villagers? How did they get to the island? And we are faced with many more unanswered questions, even before the murder mystery element of the plot kicks in. If you don’t enjoy being kept in the dark or would find it too stressful not to know what the heck is going on, you may struggle to get into this story.

I liked the main investigator character, Emory, and her daughter, Clara. The scientists were also an interesting group. However, I’d argue this story isn’t really about character. Like a classic Christie mystery, the plot is the star of the show. I didn’t feel there was much heart in the book and it is more of a fun, entertaining puzzle than an emotional read. I wasn’t that bothered by the thought that everyone on the island was close to being wiped out. But, even so, I found the final chapters to be a tense experience as the seconds tick down to the satisfying conclusion.

And speaking of tension, the pace throughout the book is cracking with short chapters keeping things moving along. I thought the revelations were well-timed and the reader is told just enough to keep them hooked. The countdown to the arrival of the deadly fog keeps the pressure high from the moment the murder is discovered.

Readers may struggle with the main narrative voice. It’s a disembodied consciousness which resides in the minds of all the island inhabitants, reading their thoughts and talking to them. It is narrating the action in third person but then also speaks to us using first person. This can be a little jarring until you’re fully immersed in the story and used to it.

Overall: mystery readers and fans of Stuart Turton’s previous books are highly likely to enjoy The Last Murder at the End of the World.

Turton's ability to write completely unique mysteries, almost, in fact completely reinventing the genre is impressive. His imagination seems to be boundless and make for a thoroughly entertaining reading experience.

In this novel his latest helping of dystopic intrigue leads the reader through a maze of clues and revelation examining themes of what is at the heart of humanity and the idea of good and evil.

This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

I recommend this to any mystery fans that also like their books a little weird. Full of twists you can't predict.

I’m a fan of the author and loved The Last Murder at the End of the World. What I enjoy about the author’s work is his originality. His books are all very different and you never know what to expect. I love it when an author takes me by surprise. This book is exactly what I’ve come to expect – original, starling, engrossing and full of surprises. I read a lot of dystopian / end-of-the-world novels. It’s one of my go-to genre’s. The Last Murder at the End of the World offers something a little bit different, in a good way. The plot is original and inventive. I loved this book and would recommend it.

one again a fast paced, imaginative dystopian read which is so entertaining and absorbing it doesn’t really matter that nothing quite adds up.
3.5 rounded up to 4 because it was such fun

I have read several fantasy murder mysteries this year and have found that I thoroughly enjoy them. Now it is the turn of the science fiction murder mystery. Usually these focus on murders on space stations turning around far away stars. We usually see corrupt politicians and sleazy street gangs fighting over something precious leading to a murder or two. We have cyborgs, high tech weapons, spaceships and the rest of the usual paraphernalia associated with this genre. However, The Last Murder at the End of the World follows none of those standards.

For a start, the action is based on Earth but is a much reduced Earth. Humanity has been doing it's usual relentless thing when a fog containing insects comes and destroys much of all life present. So we find ourselves on an island with less than 200 souls living on it, protected by a forcefield that can keep the fog out. The loss of so much leads to little technology in use and a very limited way of life. So this is very much a dystopian murder mystery. Sort of. The atmosphere at the start of the book kind of gives off idyllic Mediterranean village live vibes to begin with. Most people are kind of satisfied with the life they have, even if they do all die at 60. Considering they are living with only a forcefield keeping them safe and what seems to be a fairly dangerous island, it seems a bit strange. But, then again, they are the last survivors of a planet-wide catastrophe, so why not enjoy yourselves while you can!

The characters are quite a varied bunch. The story, unusually, is told in the first person by an AI, Abi, who can speak in the thoughts of the people on the island. This is unusual, as the narrator is possibly the most reliable narrator due to their AI nature. Usually we get very unreliable narrators in these kind of stories so that was nicely done. The main protagonist, Emory, was probably the most frustrating character - the unconventional outsider who didn't fit into the rest of village life. Fairly argumentative with some fairly major life issues, it wasn't easy to root for her until much later in the book. But then it all begins to make sense and it all clicks together. The elders were a bunch of narcissist overachievers but, considering their history, it was very believable. I wouldn't say I had someone that I particularly cared for but it all followed in the line of the plot. Even the fairly bland villagers were like that for as reason.

There are probably things that some people won't like. The fog and it's origins are never fully explained. However, I feel this is a completely plausible situation in a post-apocalyptic environment with a limited population and lost knowledge. Most of the main characters are not nice people but, again, it is plausible in its setting. My opinion is that I found The Last Murder at the End of the World to be a very clever mystery in a great setting. I thought the main twist (the twist in the twist) was extremely well done and kept me guessing all the way through. There was some foreshadowing, know that I think about it knowing the answer, but I wasn't clever enough to see it. All in all, a great book that I had an excellent time reading.

I am not keen on dystopian or sci-fi books but I also like to challenge my preconceptions. Piranesi proved to be a good book so why not try again? Unfortunately, as good as the writing was it just wasn’t enough for me to like this book or genre.

This book was a slow start for me as I was confused with the many characters we are introduced to across the island and the POV of Abi threw me off. However the story was well told, complex, and it was a fantastic exploration into humanity, it was very thought-provoking to read.
This is heavily marketed as a murder mystery, even on Goodreads the genres are "Mystery / Mystery Thriller / Thriller / Fiction" before "Science Fiction" and for me, I really see this as a sci-fi novel first and foremost. Had it been advertised as such, I would have had different expectations going into the book and probably been more inclined to rate it higher. But as for a murder mystery, the whodunnit was quite dissatisfying with the end reveal. The sci-fi aspects, interesting setting and landscape, and overarching plot are what make this book successful in my eyes rather than the mystery.
Overall I enjoyed my experience reading The Last Murder at the End of the World and I am glad to have had the chance to read it. I would recommend this widely, I can see it being a popular release, and I'm going to buy a final copy on release date to gift to my mum who I think would definitely enjoy this book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

Thank you to NetGalley, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc UK and Stuart Turton for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy.

Review posted to Goodreads.

3.75 stars
🌕🌕🌕🌖

Thanks NetGalley, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) publisher, and the authors for a great advance copy of the book in exchange for my honest review!

🧠 My thoughts
I really wanted to like this book. I understood the deep messages that the author tried to deliver. Yes, the messages were deep, profound, and contemporary. That’s why I wanted to give a better rating than this but this is the max I can give. I couldn’t really pinpoint all of the reasons but I can try to tell my overall opinions below. I think the biggest issue of this book for me was the writing style.

The first ~50% of the book was long enough for the author to build the world nicely, but I felt that the world-building was neglected somehow. The characters had personalities but it was also not enough. I liked Emory but there was not enough building to lead me to believe her character later on. From there, up until ~70% the book got a bit better and it hooked me in a bit more. Here, all of the layers of mystery started to show up on the surface. And the last ~30% of the book it was pretty much a whodunnit classic murder mystery with a modern technology element.

I could see the murderer's identity coming as well as the last twist but I had to give credit to the author for hiding pretty well the clues underneath the layers of lies. However, it was quite messy to follow. It felt like at the end, the author was so eager to disclose the ending. In the same chapter, the characters’ actions and thoughts overlap each other without any warning or transition.

👍 What I like
- Deeply meaningful messages
- Lies and mystery intertwine with each other

👎 What I don't like
- Writing style isn’t my cup of tea. Ideas, characters’ actions, and thoughts overlap each other without warning or transition making everything quite messy and hard to follow
- World-building is rather weak
- Character-building is also pretty weak
- The story is pretty flat without the layers of mystery in the last 30% of the book.