A murder on an island is one of my favorite thriller plot lines. Stuart Turton has given us another amazing novel, couldn’t put it down until the last page.

A dystopian thriller that was hard to put down. It's rare that I pick up a book that is this thought provoking, entertaining, and well developed. As the story unfolds, you get more vested in the characters, and the outcome.

I loved the fact that there was more focus on the current setting than what brought us to this isolated island. Each character was developed so well that I could identify with all of them, regardless of the ultimate outcome. Written from the perspective of the AI was brilliant for this book because it allowed us to 'connect' better with the characters.

This is definitely worth picking up. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

[3.5]

I loved The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read Turton's newest novel. I'm not the biggest fantasy/dystopian fan, but the vibes of this one are close to TJ Klune - and I LOOOOOOOOVED Under the Whispering Door (and his others of course). The novel follows a group of villagers and their scientist "elders" as they attempt to live peacefully just beyond the end of the world. Literally; the end of the world can be seen from the edge of their island. When their beloved leader is brutally killed, their time on the island, and within the world as a whole, is quickly diminishing. However, due to security measures in place, nobody knows who did it. Their memories are wiped clean and the killer could be any one of them. In order to survive, they must find who did this and punish them. Otherwise, their time is up in 72 hours.

This dystopian murder-mystery will leave you guessing until the very last page! I had no idea where this was going. You know something is wrong with the way the village interacts, but you can't really put your finger on it until some truths are revealed. Overall, I really liked the premise of the story and it really kept my attention at the end. My one complaint is that it was often hard to keep track of who was who and what their role was within the village. There were some characters introduced in the beginning that I thought would play a major role, but then were only mentioned once or twice. Some parts of the story also seemed a bit too long in places and short in others (without giving spoilers). If you're a fan of TJ Klune or are looking for a sci-fi who-dun-it, this book is for you!

⭐️: 3.5/5

After a deadly mist has overtaken most of the world, 122 villagers and 3 scientists live peacefully on an island protected by the mist. The villagers are happy to do what they’re told by the scientists, until one day, one of the scientists is found dead, triggering the mechanism protecting the island from the fog to fail. Now they have 92 hours to find the murderer or the island and everyone on it will be immersed in fog, but to complicate things, the security system has wiped everyone’s memories of what happened the night before, so even the murderer may not know who did it.

This was a pretty confusing concept for a post apocalyptic book, but I honestly shouldn’t have expected anything less from the author of The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. There was a lot of scene-setting, so that the reader could truly understand what was happening in the book and appreciate some of the plot twists and big reveals. It’s a really interesting take on a post-apocalyptic story, since it’s so rooted in fictional technologies that honestly add nicely to the sci-fi element. It’s close enough to our version of humanity, but the addition of technologies we don’t have yet makes it feel far enough away to enjoy. I also however found the descriptions of how the technologies worked to be a little half thought out, which kind of felt like it led to a lot of loose ends at the end of the story. I was entertained throughout the majority of the book, and really was interested in seeing how it all played out, but found the conclusion to be a bit of a let down, so that was disappointing. I still recommend the book though, since it’s a pretty fun read.

Thank you to @netgalley and @bookmarked for this free eARC for my review!!

Thank you to Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I have been reading books by Stuart Turton for years, and this year was no different. I was ecstatic to receive an advanced copy, and boy this book did not disappoint. This book was wild from start to finish and is sure to entertain.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.

This was such a great read. The end of the world concept was so intriguing. I loved how the chapters were really short, making this a fast paced read. I enjoyed following the characters try to solve the murder. There were many thrilling twists and turns making this such an exciting read.

The Last Murder at the End of the World is a unique and fascinating story. There's a bit of of the standard post-apocalyptic build up, but this one holds so much more! One of the best books of 2024.

3.5⭐️
It was a smart mystery and was well written. This book felt like a cross between Lost and West World. It is a post apocalyptic, dystopian, sci-fi murder mystery. While the premise is well constructed and intricate and the story is well written, this was a little slow. There were too many characters so I found it hard to connect with any one character. I was expecting a different story so this was not really my type of novel. I think fans of dystopian sci-fi novels will find this enjoyable.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for an advanced reader’s copy.

I liked the second half significantly more than I liked the first half (setting the scene took way too long and honestly wasn’t as relevant as I would have expected) but what kept me from truly enjoying it was that the timeline made absolutely no sense whatsoever.

I got so wrapped around the axel trying to puzzle through the 90-40-20 years ago events when almost every character is old enough that the 20 years ago events should have been at least in living memory but that go completely unacknowledged? Plus in the 91-hours timeline, I don’t think everything that happened would be feasible.

So as great as the Emory/Clara/Seth dynamic ended up being (and as awesome and complicated and messy as Thea’s whole character was), I couldn’t resolve enough of the framework of the story to buy into everything that was built on it.

I don’t even know where to start gathering my thoughts on this. It is multi-faceted, as is to be expected from Turton. I LOVE the idea behind this and was really drawn in by the beginning. Humanity has been wiped out by a killer fog, but inhabitants of a single island have been able to keep the fog back. Things are strange and one of the scientists responsible for keeping the fog away has been killed. The fog is now approaching and nobody has any memories of the night of the murder, so Emory is tasked with finding the culprit.

Strange things are afoot on this island and I enjoyed these reveals. I love the dystopian aspect and the threat of the fog. Emory as a character was fine, and the hierarchy of the island was interesting. I just felt like we were moving around way too much, which is frequently a complaint I have with more plot driven stories. I want more character time and exploration. There was a lot that these characters could have unpacked and while there was relationship development, it took a backseat to scrambling around the island trying to find the murderer. There was just a lot that was packed into these pages, but I feel like the ending wrapped it up nicely enough for me.

I am fascinated by the Stuart Turton’s brain and will always pick up his books for fresh perspectives and stories.

I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for sending me this eARC in exchange for my review.

To start off, I had already read Stuart Turton’s book The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle when I requested this title. I had found 7 1/2 Deaths to be a fine book, just not something I thought about much later or wanted to read again. The Last Murder at the End of the World had an intriguing premise but ultimately my feelings about it are also fairly ambivalent. I could see others liking it more than I did (I did like it, to be clear), but this was just kind of forgettable for me.

I was initially intrigued by the premise of an island populated by the last people on Earth, with an AI that wiped their memories of a murder. I like murder mysteries and post-apocalyptic settings, so it seemed like it would work for me. But in the end there were a few too many clues and goings-on for me to keep track of, and the final explanation was a little confusing. It would probably make more sense if I reread the book, but I don’t want to. I was never attached to any of the characters.

The book was easily readable and I was able to finish it quickly which definitely gives this book one of three stars in my review.

A murder mystery on an island after the apocalypse of sorts, with the clues doled out slowly which both kept me confused for the first part of the book but also kept me reading until I knew who done it. A self-contained island community wakes up one morning with many people badly injured, and the lead scientist dead. They need to solve the murder before the killing fog descends on the island. Contains: An omniscient narrator who talked to the characters. A social structure that you need the entire book to piece together. Red herrings galore. A tech centered world that leans this book into the scifi category. Ethical dilemmas of new technologies.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. At first I really struggled to make sense of what was going on, and I'm guessing that some readers won't stick with it because of the drawn out exposition. Those that do are in for a complex mystery with many false leads and clues that keep the reader guessing until the very end. Fast and fun read.

Turton's third novel is a quirky and creative murder mystery set on a beautiful island after a deadly fog has wiped out the rest of the world. This book will not be for everyone!, but for me personally it was completely engaging and I loved its clever construction as well as the setting and characters. If you liked The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, I expect you will like this as well. This should also appeal to fans of Blake Crouch. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for a digital review copy.

I like how this story combines elements of fiction with reality, creating a dystopic story where humans and non humans coexist, until a murder takes place (hence the title). It gave me some Westworld vibes.

I tried SO FREAKING HARD to get through this book. I kept coming back and back, hoping the next chapter would be the one to hook me. But after reading about a quarter, I decided there is no hook.

There’s a lot of stuff in that quarter, and yet absolutely nothing of substance. We’re introduced to at least ten characters but none of them are…man, I don’t even know what to say about them because there’s just nothing. They’re the vaguest idea of a stereotype: mysterious old woman who has all the answers but dies before answers are given; the inquisitive misfit who doesn’t have a job she’s good at because she’s quirky but she’ll also be the main problem solver; the daughter who went against her mom’s wishes and isn’t that dramatic and I’m gettin’ bored just listing them.

The gist of the story is that a hundred-some people are living on this island that’s surrounded by a killer fog. Old Mystery Lady is putting a plan in motion to save humanity and she only has a few days before all life will be lost. The questions of how will humanity end/be saved, how did they get to this island, why are things the way they are, and why will the person be murdered, are supposed to be good mysteries. Due to the poor characters, I don’t care what happens to them nor did I foresee a time when I could care what happens to them. When the fate of humanity is on the line, it might help if the humans are worthy of sympathy and salvation.

There’s nothing noteworthy about any aspect of the writing and that’s a shame, because this concept has potential.

VAGUE SPOILERS:

I skipped to the end to see if perchance there’s some bedazzling conclusion and nope, there isn’t. It’s one of those endings that’s pointless because the world doesn’t end, the future is not grim and from what I gathered, only the baddies died. That seems like a wasted opportunity. Why bother slapping the ‘stakes’ on the grill if the fire isn’t gonna be lit?

And thus ends my hope of Turton becoming a new favorite author.

*Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an early copy in exchange for an honest review.*

I don't even know where to start. I won't give too much information since the summary does a great job at describing the plot. It was a slow as the murder didn't happen until 20% into the book. However, the intro was necessary as it sets up the rest of the story. The mind of Stuart Turton is fascinating as the layers upon layers and twists and turns are something so well done, I couldn't stop it. It's a dense read so it's not something to read quickly. The descriptions and the character development gives dimensions and allows connection with the reader. This would be an amazing movie as the plot is so unique. This book excites me to read more of Stuart.

An incredible and intelligent setup! I enjoyed this one even if you have to suspend your belief. This dystopian is on a post-apocalyptic island when over a hundred years ago a man-made fog destroyed earth except for this island that has over 122 villagers and 3 scientists. A civil and tranquil existence among them remains a refuge from a deadly fog they can see in the distance.
When one of the scientist Niema is found murdered, they have 107 hours to solve it before the fog consumes them. The bad thing is everyone's memory was erased the night of the murder, so piece the story back together would be difficult.
One of the main characters, Emory, refuses to allow the fog onto their premises so she works diligently with her daughter to solve the crime. This story takes a lot of twists and turns, which kept me guessing and eliminating who did it. An awesome whodunit!! I did not read Stuart Turton's other books, but I want to now.
Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for this incredible ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The last murder at the end of the world by Stuart Turton ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Such incredible writing and building of a post apocalyptic type world that I’ve not ever quite encountered. Written do you can see but not over wordy and keeps the story focused on the plot.

Elders which are humans, 120 villagers and then there is Abi, a voice inside their heads make up the island after the rest of the earth was swallowed by the fog and is not livable. Sounds crazy! Reading just that line even I think it sounds crazy but man did it work!! Moving, several twists that I didn’t see coming, gives you the whole should I be rooting for vibe. Emory and Clara were my favorite characters, a mother daughter bond that worked very well with the story. The ending, loved it!

Sci fi isn’t really my thing and definitely enjoyed this one, although it’s not just sci fi, has fantasy and mystery for sure.

Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for my electronic advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #SourceBooks
#StuartTurton #thelastmurderattheendoftheworld

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of the book drew me in but once I started reading it, I just couldn’t get into it at all.
I wish the author, publisher and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.

This book is basically a murder mystery in post apocalyptic setting of which I was invested at first, especially because there was a time limit in solving this. I’m not a huge fan of using amnesia as a plot device and didn’t feel like it was done well here, unfortunately. This was my first time reading Stuart Turton so I was hyped up after having heard rave reviews for his book The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. The premise was intriguing, and initially I was invested but as I kept reading my interest waned and when the reveal and twists finally happened I was ambivalent to it as opposed to emotional. Very anti-climactic. I’m thinking it was the story itself since I’m not the biggest fan of science fiction so maybe that’s why I didn’t vibe with it as much as I thought I would. Or perhaps it was the author’s writing style (which can sometimes be a bit wordy, imho). It was enjoyable but nothing I loved or was crazy about.

Pros: short chapters
Cons: too many characters, long winded story, cerebral

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for giving me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.