I had very high hopes – but at the same time, did not know what to expect – of the new story by Stuart Turton, having absolutely loved The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. I knew that this would be something completely different and unique, and it truly is! However, I just didn’t enjoy it as much. At times, I found it a bit slow, at others, confusing. But, overall, it will stay in my mind as being very unique.

The setting is in an unspecified time in the future, where humanity has become so violent and unpleasant that a fog has ended up covering the planet, killing almost all humans. Three scientists were able to commandeer a Greek island and put up a barrier that somehow holds back the fog and keeps the small village of just over 100 people living there safe. Here they have created a peaceful village life, where everyone works together according to their strengths and all respect the three scientist ‘elders’ as higher beings.

Everyone has a voice inside their head belonging to an omnipresent A.I being called Abi. Abi can see everything and hear everyone’s thoughts – which helps to avoid violence or anything unpleasant from escalating. And everyone goes to sleep every night at exactly the same time, whether they’re ready or not.. and dies on their 60th birthday.

At the start of the novel, we learn that Elder Niema is going to do something that will result in her murder. She is particularly highly revered by all the islanders – so when this happens, and everyone’s memory of the night it occurred is subsequently wiped – no can believe that she has been murdered. But her murder has triggered the lowering of the barriers to the fog. And only by solving her murder can Abi put them back up again and save everyone from being killed.

Sadly, for me, the murder investigation element became very watered down by a bit too much bickering between the characters, a very complicated back story that emerges with a lot of imaginary future technology etc that was brilliant but did become a bit of a slog to read and keep up with! That said, when we did get towards the end, it was clever and really very thought-provoking about what manmade disasters could befall humanity, the benefits and dangers of AI and manipulating people’s thoughts, etc… really very intriguing concepts to think about!

The Last Murder at the End of the World is a post-apocalyptic murder mystery. Set in the near future, humanity has ruined the planet and created a fog that kills everything it touches. An island with 122 villagers and 3 elders (scientists) are all that is left, but when one of the elders is murdered the fog begins to approach to destroy them all. They have just a matter of hours before everyone dies.

I absolutely loved this book, as I did Stuart Turton’s previous two. The murder mystery element wasn’t easy to solve, and the voice of Abi that connects them all in their heads whilst being able to hear their thoughts is a clever plot device that helps the story along. The fact that they’ve all had their memory wiped, so they’re solving the murder with you, adds an element of intrigue and suspense.

All in all, a clever twist on the murder mystery genre, with a bit of sci fi thrown into the mix. Thanks to NetGalley for a free arc in return for an honest review.

I honestly don't know how Turton manages to write banger after banger. This book is INSANE, in my humble opinion it's his best one yet. He writes humanity in all its good an its evil, and the apocalyptic setting here is inspired. It's full of tension from the first page – I absolutely devoured this book, I couldn't put it down. Turton is a genius.

Following in the footsteps of Turton's other mysteries, Last Murder... has yet another high-concept premise - that of the last band of human survivors on a remote island fending off both a poisonous plague and also a murderer in their midst. Turton is never shy of adding layers of twists and turns into his writing and it shows here with the classic whodunnit formula now sporting themes about human nature, the lingering threat of global extinction, as well as artificial intelligence all proving to be important plot points over the course of the narrative.

With a ticking timebomb (literally), Last Murder... sometimes threatens to collapse under the weight of its ambitious plot, but succeeds largely due to some root-worthy characters and an affecting finale.

You are a strange man, Mr. Turton, and I really want to have a look inside that strange brain of yours that keeps coming up with these fantastical, futuristic, thrilling Sherlock Holmesian narratives that are responsible for some of my tensest, most breath-stealing, giggle-inducing, gasping-out-loud hours spent reading your books.

If there’s anything my goodreads friends know about me, it’s my willingness to push “The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle” on about every person I have ever met. His debut novel turned me into a fan, believer, and firm follower of the church of Turton who, alongside Chloe Michelle Howarth, might be my only auto-buy author. Naturally, I jumped at the chance to review an early copy of his latest brain f*ck product, and it did not disappoint.

The Last Murder at the End of the World is Turton’s third impossible murder thriller and his most sci-fi one to date. As in his previous two novels, its characters are concerned with bigger questions than just finding out whodunit. Set on an island sometime in an undefined but not completely unlikely apocalyptic future in which a ravenous black fog has covered the entire world and killed every living thing in it, save for the 125 souls living on a small Greek island, Turton’s latest set of characters not only deal with the murder of one of their beloved elders and an island-wide case of wiped out memories of the night it happened, but they also have to deal with the question of what makes us human, of what is to be done in a world ravished by consumerism and natural disasters caused by man-made climate change, of how science is to be handled, by whom and for the good of what people.

If there’s one thing I admire about Turton, it’s his willingness to reinvent himself with every new book he writes. New plot, new characters, new themes to explore, a new setting with every new novel and yet each of his books is always carefully constructed, complex and unconventional, It’s HARD, and Turton makes all of it look so effortless, even when he introduces a sentient AI named Abi who interacts with the villagers as much as with the readers, able to read every villagers thought while simultaneously acting as the novel’s omniscient narrator whose thoughts sometimes escape its own narrative to insert themselves right into the story.

While unique, the narrative device proved a hindrance a couple of times since the story is told through several POVs, but occasionally, Abi would intervene and speak in the first person, and it would take me a minute to realise the “I” talking wasn’t one of the characters but the AI. Given that it only occurred a couple of times, it wasn’t much of a bother, however.

What made this novel so engaging are its short, snappy chapters that had me flying through this book, and, while it’s the shortest of Turton’s three novels, it still manages to present a thoroughly engaging mystery with a couple of “oh, shit” moments strewn in along the way. The 92h deadline given to the island’s inhabitants not only adds urgency to the story, it lends the narrative a structure of break-neck speed that does not let up. Even though I felt a bit of a dull towards the late 50% mark, Turton managed to draw me back in with a couple of structurally well-placed revelations and accusations (oh, the accusations are FLYING around in this one).

The final reveal had me good, but I can’t say that it was my favourite out of all the Turton reveals so far. In that respect, Seven Deaths still claims the top spot, with Devil coming in at a firm second. Story-wise, however, it makes a lot of sense, and while it’s not my favourite reveal + ending combo, it might be the author’s most hopeful and optimistic so far.

While I do sometimes think that his characters could use a little more inner emotional richness that is not often explored, I always know what I’m in for with Turton’s book. He puts a carefully crafted murder mystery that somehow always includes a touch of the paranormal or fantastic, together with an exploration of human depravity and kindness, above all else, and I’m more than okay with that.

The bottom of the line is: ST has a new book out, I’m buying it.

The ultimate question in this book is why murder? There seems no reason for this harmony in this well settled community set in the future on a pleasant calm, agriculturally, lush island.
So why is there this harmony amongst some of the elders? Why are there some things which the villages do not understand? Why our secrets being kept?
To say more, could accidentally lead to spoilers. This book investigates possible future life on earth. The intrigue lies in the mysteries of the community, and how the people work together, and there are signed roles, and barely question anything. Even when there are unexplained events,.
Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book ahead of publication and exchange for an honest review. I found this book, very interesting and enjoyable.

A dystopian murder puzzle is probably how I would describe this read.

Similar to The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, we have to piece together a day to be able to exit some alternative reality. This time we are way in the future rather than way in the past.
The writing's great, some of the characterizations are brilliant, and all in this is a fun journey.

I'll sign off with 5:5.

Thanks NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ), Raven Books for a Review Copy.

When a deadly fog spreads across the globe, killing everyone it touches, one small group of survivors make it to a remote island. Years later and life there is idyllic and harmonious, a real commune working together for the common good. That is, until one of the elders – a venerated scientist – is found brutally stabbed.

But it’s not just a case of tracking down the unlikely criminal in the peaceful group. If the murder is not solved within 92 hours, the technology holding the fog at bay will fail. The countdown to humanity’s extinction is on…

I do love a genre mash-up, and sci-fi murder mystery is such a great mix. The island setting makes for a perfect ‘locked room’, while the stakes couldn’t really be higher. And then slowly the sense that something isn’t quite right about it all start to creep in, and you realise that the mystery is so much bigger than one dead scientist.

This book just clicked with me from the get-go. There’s something incredibly appealing about the island’s mini-society, with days spent in peaceful farming, fishing, etc. The characters are easy to like, generally gentle souls, which just makes the violence and danger all the more acute.

Our main character, Emory, has never quite fitted in with the harmonious whole, but her curiosity and drive for answers is about to come in very handy indeed. It turns out that there are plenty of suspects with myriad reasons for wanting Niema dead, and that in itself is a shock to the locals. Niema’s backstory, plus that of the potential murderers, and more and more revelations about the island – every twist and turn kept me on the edge of my seat. Absolutely kudos for the early pacing that drops tantalising hints of something other going on, but the disclosure feeling so well built up to.

There are some concepts that might just jar, depending on the reader. It’s very convenient that the AI inside everyone’s head – there’s just one added mystery! – was commanded to wipe everyone’s memory (and that it could do that – ?!) over the time of the murder. And with such a terrible and tight deadline, I did feel there was a little too much ambling off on side-quests even as the chapters were labelled “3 hours to humanity’s extinction” – ! I could also name a half-dozen books or movies this reminded me of, parts from each – although I won’t name any here as they do start to feel like possible spoilers.

But, overall, this was a stonkingly good read imo. It kept me gripped and needing to find out what was happening in all the different layers of enigma. And like the best murder mysteries, this will also make for a good reread as I’m already keen to go back and see how the clues are laid out along the way.

So yup: big recommendation from me! Now I really must go back to the author’s earlier work, such as The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle – I hear great things, and if this is anything to go by I’m in for a treat.

Turton always puts together a satisfying puzzle. You know you can solve it if you just concentrate - much like the lead character and amateur sleuth, Emory. This story is set on a Greek island after a fog has wiped out humanity. Thanks to the early work of scientists generations ago, it is protected by a barrier that keeps it at bay. The inhabitants are rebuilding a more sustainable, peaceful world. Until someone is killed for the first time in their new world, setting off a chain of events that puts everything at risk. Their island can be saved if Emory can figure out who is responsible. We explore the island, learning its history and how it operates as Emory does. Plenty of red herrings, murder mystery troupes and clues sprinkled throughout to keep a fan of the genre engaged. It's a classic whodunit in a post-apocalyptic world.

There's an island. Surrounded by a strange fog. A dangerous fog, one which has swept the planet with devastating effects, basically killing everything coming in contact with it. So far the 122 villagers and 3 scientists are safe. As long as everyone plays by the rules, and keeps the curfew.
Things tick along nicely, there are deaths (planned) and new life comes too, the details I will leave you to discover yourself. But it would be a pretty boring book if that status quo was to last the whole 400 odd pages... No, one day, to their abject horror, the villagers wake up to find that one of the scientists has been brutally stabbed to death... And, if this wasn't bad enough, this event also triggers the end of days. A lowering of the security system that keeps the fog at bay... The fog will descend and engulf them all in 92 hours. They have just under 4 days to bring the perpetrator to justice. But they have another problem - I know! - the system has also wiped everyone's memories of that night. Yes, even the murderer's...
Well this one way way different from this author's previous books. But just as intriguing. He has taken the post-apocalypse genre and served up a rather nifty amnesia led murder mystery with extremely high stakes. We have Emory who is our main protagonist, aided by Abi who is an AI and our narrator. The two together try and muddle through the scant clues to work out what in the heck is happening.
The world building is excellent. I was especially taken by the "before". The set up of how everything works and the parts each have to play in the whole to keep it all going. And then there's the mystery which, due to the memory wipe thing, is a bit of a tricky one all told.
Plotting was excellent - it'd have to be to pull it all off. Characters also well drawn and act according to their remits. Pacing was a little hit and miss for me but I guess it reflected the narrative along the way. I did get a bit bogged down in things a couple of times though. But I got on with it and was well rewarded at the end.
All in all, a good solid read that adds more depth to an already impressive back catalogue. I do wonder what the author will serve up for next time. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Fog and flying insects disgorge from the ground, and people die everywhere – except on a small island: it’s the “Hephaestus Plague” versus “Dr Moreau”! The Fog and the insects are presumed to be man-made but that is never proved because of the speed of spread and the number of sites. The island was a refuge for scientist paid for by the super-rich. The former had devised a barrier which kept the Fog at bay, the latter mostly died on the way but some made it. However, the island is not big enough to sustain this population, so most of the these “upper-class” people are being held in stasis in a huge underground laboratory. Above ground there are just three scientists, researching ways of dealing with the Fog, and 122 workers, who share-crop the land and maintain their village and the machinery which sustains the stasis clients. All of these ‘awake’ people are telepathically in touch with Abi, the artificial intelligence which keeps everything running smoothly. The villagers get most of their knowledge, and all of their docility, from Abi and can only carry out the technological activities by operating as ‘tools’ for the AI. Because the island has a finite resource the villagers all voluntarily die at 60. The three scientists are also in telepathic communication with Abi, but are nor ruled or guided by “her”. In the main the villagers are not inquisitive and accept the hegemony of the three scientists, but there are always a few who are more intellectually aware and who can carry out simple science on their own, but always at the request, directly or indirectly, of the scientists. The exception to the generality is Emory, who never accepts an order or request without questioning the rationale. But not a troublemaker, because all the villagers have the desire to be of service. Her particular skill set comes into service when dissent breaks out among the scientists, followed by an unexplained death which looks awfully like murder, and then the barrier breaks down . Suddenly it's Emory’s job to solve the murder and save humanity.
This is a post-apocalyptic story, science fiction but light on actual science; it is also a murder-mystery of the trapped- in- a- confined- space sub-genre; it is also a bit of an allegory about Man’s ability to wreck everything; but, at its heart, it’s a psychological thriller. It is very well written and heavy on detail. The pace dictated by the race to prevent extinction means it moves quickly, but it is also a bit of a bumpy ride as Emory has to deal with the conflicting personality types, the tricky terrain of the island, and the helpful hinderance of Abi. I review murder/mystery/thriller stories but have extensive experience with Scifi. Wearing the first hat I think it’s a well-constructed plot, there are relatively few suspects but the strangeness of the background means that twist and red-herrings are hard to discern in advance. That might be a problem for conventional readers of the genre. Wearing the second hat I think it is not hard Scifi, the science is a bit too broadbrush. However, overall its quite a novel premise, the construction of the island is very detailed, and the writing is good. Juggling the stars I can make it be 4.5 which rounds to 5.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

Having enjoyed several other Stuart Turtonbooks, I was excited to try this one. I was totally shocked as this is totally different to any of his other books – however I loved it. Brilliant, original, well written, just so clever.
The Islanders are stranded on a small Island surrounded by ‘The Fog’ which would kill them if it wasn’t kept at bay. There are 3 Scientists on the Island too, and they are charged with keeping the fog at bay. However when one of the scientists is murdered, one of the Islanders is charged with solving the murder – and if the murder isn’t solved within 92 hours, the fog will smother the island and kill all the inhabitants. Unfortunately, none of the Islanders remember what happened that night, as their memories have been wiped – even the murderer doesn’t remember.
This book is so exciting, full of twists and turns. You are drip fed astounding new information all through the book. I couldn’t put it down.

First read of a Stuart Turton book.

The story of a wold enveloped by fog, destoying all life, and of an island with the last of humanity living a simple life of survival. Then one of the elders is killed, and the protection keeping the fog at bay is no more, leaving a limited time to solve the case and restore the barriers.

It won't come as a surprise that things are not what they seem with the world, an inventive and well-formed backdrop with characters who are also well-formed in their life, character and behaviour particularly as events and information unfolds. The crime itself and it's solution is engaging with many twists and turns and the fantastical elements of the world slowly revealed to a great conclusion.

I am grateful to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed this book; an excellent mix of dystopian fiction and murder mystery. Set in a future world where much of the world has been enveloped by fog, we are told that the only remnants of humanity live on the island. Now, however, following the murder of the island's leader, the barrier holding back the fog has been lifted, and seemingly the only way for it to be re-established is to find the murderer. Some surprising twists and thought-provoking ideas. A book I'll be thinking about for a while.

Like many readers, I have very much enjoyed Turton’s twisty mysteries — The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and The Devil and the Dark Water. I was a little late to the author’s work, but when I received this for review, I didn’t wait. It’s another twisty and engaging novel, and I enjoyed it.

The post-apocalyptic world that Turton has created for this novel is quite interesting. It’s a small, closed society, with an AI security system (the narrator) watching over the villagers and scientists — helping out when she can, yet also withholding an incredible amount of information.

When the idyllic existence of the villagers is shattered, as they wake to the death of one of the scientists, a series of events unfolds that brings their world to its knees. Who are the scientists? Why are they so different to the villagers? What happened to the world, before the fog descended upon it? Where do they go from here…? And who, if the villagers are constitutionally incapable of violence, could have murdered the scientist? All of these questions and more are answered as the plot progresses, in this twisty and engaging novel.

If I’m honest, I found The Last Murder at the End of the World a little slow — I had a similar experience with the author’s debut, but not with The Devil and the Dark Sea, which remains my favourite of the author’s novels. The pacing wasn’t as smooth as I would have liked in a mystery, and there were a few dips in momentum. Turton’s imagination and writing nevertheless pulled me through, and I was never bored (just not as-gripped, perhaps).

The characters are well-drawn, but due to the nature of the villagers I sometimes got them mixed up (their personalities and emotions are medically and genetically modulated to a semi-docile state), but there are a couple with distinct personalities that set them apart from the others and they added some welcome variety.

The plot unfolds quite nicely, with some surprising reveals, as various factions investigate what happened, trying to piece together a period of time that nobody seems to remember. The ultimate “solution” to the mystery was well-done, and I think Turton stuck the landing.

If you’re a fan of Turton’s novels already, then I have no doubt that you’ve already pencilled this one in to be read. It’s definitely worth reading, too, and I think many fans of mysteries will enjoy it. Recommended.
(3.5*)

The Last Murder at the End of the World is a futuristic, post-apocalyptic mystery set on an island where what might be the last people alive in the whole world have been living peacefully for years, until a shocking murder. Although this is a post-apocalyptic story, we actually don't know much the world beyond the wall of safety surrounding this island. The focus is on the seemingly perfect and peaceful lives of the unusual inhabitants, and what happens when they realise their idyllic life may not be what it seems.

It is a gripping, intriguing mystery with lots of tension, that is about so much more than the murder that triggers it all. The story slowly unravels the mysteries of the people living at the end of the world, the AI inside their head, and the secrets hiding underneath the island. It has enough hints to make it fun to guess what's really going on, but enough misleading clues and twists to keep it interesting.

Recommended to mystery thriller fans, especially those who enjoyed a speculative twist.

The Seven Death of Evelyn Hardcastle is one of my favourite books but Stuart Turton’s second book The Devil and The Dark Water wasn’t really my cup of tea, so I was intrigued to read his third – The Last Murder at the End of the World.

I really enjoy that although the theme of crime persists throughout his novels – all 3 books have been very different in style. The Last Murder at the End of the World is an intelligent sci-fi whodunnit – there’s been a murder on an island at the end of the world and the villagers have 92 hours to figure out the culprit before the shield around their island fails and the killer fog spreads.

I really like the style of book which holds its cards to its chest throughout – slowly drip-feeding information to the reader and allowing those theories to develop and the twists to land with impact. Turton gives us a masterclass in this, and the book kept me hooked throughout. There were some parts I guessed as we went along but I was also left guessing and second guessing myself throughout at the conclusion. The characters all felt realistic – there’s an amount of naivety which is a little frustrating, but this is realistic for villagers who have never seen the outside world.

Overall, The Murder at the End of the World is a fantastic sci-fi crime thriller, intelligently written and kept me hooked throughout. Thank you to NetGalley & Bloomsbury Publishing – Raven for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a very fun, novel twist on a whodunit. Set in an apocalyptic future where a killer fog surrounds one remaining habitable island, the lives of the 122 islanders – who have never encountered violence before – are rocked when one of their three Elders are murdered. With the defences against the fog lowered as a result of the death, the community has 92 hours in which to solve the murder in order to restore the defences. The major problem with this, aside from never having had any crimes to solve before, is that the memories of each villager from the evening of the murder have also been erased.

What follows is the investigations of one particularly tenacious villager and her estranged daughter as they try to uncover both who committed the murder, and why. As they slowly piece together the events of the night in question, they end up uncovering more than they could ever have anticipated, not just in relation to the killing, but also to life on the island itself.

This is a really clever bit of storytelling, and I loved the emotional depths that it managed to reach. This author has their own very clear, unique style, and I would recommend this book to any fans of his earlier works.

My thanks to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for the arc to review.

Stuart Turton can be relied upon to think outside the box.
This is another strange science fiction , who-dunnit, psychological thriller.
Whenever I start Stuart's books I always wonder what's happening and why I am reading this.
Again I have finished one of his books awe-struck, totally believing that it happened, or that it certainly could.
I loved it.
Thanks to the author for a wonderful book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

As a huge Stu Turton fan, I was really looking forward to reading this. Set in the near distant future, 122 villagers are left in the world along with scientists. They are living on an island and surrounded by a protective zone with a murderous fog beyond it. A scientists is murdered and the clock starts ticking with 92 hours left to solve the murder or otherwise they will cease existing. A high concept novel that is dystopian with some references to mythology. As with Turton’s novels, there is a lot of detail but for me, it was just too convoluted.