I enjoyed this book up to a point about 1/3 of the way in. At that point I felt the characters and plot became mired in unnecessary complexity. The concept is excellent but the sheer number of characters, who each has quite a backstory, was more than I could keep up with. If I were a note taker type of reader, it might have made more sense. I skipped to the end and still didn’t understand it. I did think the first person characterization of Abi in the midst of the third person narrative of all the other characters was a successful effect. I gave it 3 stars because of the book’s potential. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. This book was nothing like what I expected. At this point I'm not even certain I remember what I expected?

At the beginning I had moments where I considered DNFing it. But something about the story kept me going. I'm not one normally drawn to apocalyptic stories, but this one was compelling enough to keep me reading. Emory seemed to be the main character, though the novel was narrated by Abi (reminiscent of Janet from The Good Place).

At its heart, this novel seems to be a commentary on society as a whole and how awful humanity is. I can't decide if it ended on an optimistic note or a very dismal, pessimistic note. I really wanted to find out what happened to Niema, and I'm glad there was resolution. It kept me guessing, and I did not see all of the twists and turns that were in store for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for the book to review.

This is a fantastic story - the mystery keeps you guessing but also the futuristic view of society feels all too real. Enjoyed the story, enjoyed the characters.

Thanks to Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the pre-release copy.

This one was a wild ride. I'm not sure how Stuart Turton comes up with his over-the-top, super creative premises, but he absolutely knows how to create a twisty murder mystery with a wacky, never-before-seen world.

If you've read The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, then you know what I'm referring to. It's an entirely new take on a murder mystery, and was so conceptually entertaining. I haven't picked up his second novel, the one about pirates, but when I saw this one hit Netgalley, I had to request it.

This one is another high-concept mystery, this time taking place in the future when technology has allowed for some amazing innovations but the world has ended because some of those inventions didn't work out right. There's an AI character, too.

All in all, there was some predictability to the solution, but the execution was so original that that didn't bother me at all.

Highly recommended for fans of futuristic/dystopian sci-fi and murder mysteries. 4 stars.

90 years ago, huge sinkholes appeared on earth, swallowing entire cities and emitting a fog filled with insects that destroyed everything they touched. Humanity’s last remaining survivors live on an island, 122 villagers and 3 scientists viewed as their elders.

Told from the perspective of an all knowing AI called Abi designed by the island’s elder to protect humanity against any threat, this dystopic futuristic murder mystery is set against a ticking time clock, as villagers have 92 hours to find out who murdered one of their elders and restore the barrier against the fog.

Turton peeled the layers of this complex world in a propulsive manner, keeping me hooked from start to finish. While I didn’t personally latch on emotionally to any of the characters, they were each distinct and compelling in their own ways.

I thought the memory wipe plot device was very effective set against the all knowing AI who refuses to reveal any more than is necessary to drive humanity toward its creator’s ultimate goal.

The book felt innovative and unlike anything I’ve read before and I thoroughly enjoyed it from the beginning to its satisfying conclusion.

I enjoyed this quite a bit - the mystery is complex and might be overly complicated in somebody else's hands, but Turton has a talent for filtering a lot of elements through a viewpoint character to get to "oh, of course!".

This just was not for me. I was excited to read this one from the description, but it really let me down.

Stuart Turton’s The Last Murder at the End of the World took me on a wild journey! While I don’t usually dive into dystopian tales, Turton’s unique storytelling drew me in, and I’m thrilled I took the plunge. The fusion of AI and mystery kept me glued to the pages until the very end. Turton’s signature originality shines through once again, making this novel unforgettable. I can’t wait to see what he dreams up next!

I really enjoyed this book! Let me tell you I had to read this quick because you thought the time was ticking before the Fog came. I flew through this book so fast. I will be telling everyone to about this book!!

DNF - It's not you...it's me.

This had an interesting concept that, for me, was weighed down by bland paper cutout characters. The ONLY character I found the least bit interesting was the omniscient narrator. I'm still not certain who (or what) they were, but I also didn't care enough to keep reading to find out.

Not for me.

An interesting ride! This was my first book from this author but after enjoying it I'll definitely read his backlist! Dystopian and full of surprises, kept me reading well past my bedtime!

Stuart Turton’s Last Murder at the End of the World is an addicting page turner that sinks its teeth in and doesn’t let go until you’ve hit the last page. I don’t remember the last time I read so much of a book in one sitting.

The story follows Emory, a villager on this idyllic island at the end of the world who’s faced with a task that if failed spells the doom for the rest of the 100+ residents. With so many characters, it’s easy to get anxious you’ll have to keep track but the author does a nice job differentiating and reminding you of the rest of the characters’ intentions - it was something I had struggled with in Turton’s “7 1/2 Deaths.”

Without spoiling any critical plot points, I have to note the story as a whole is done very well keeping you guessing until the very end… and that’s all I say about that! My only gripe with the book as a whole is that it takes a beat to get going and at points when the story is set in motion, there’s lots of backtracking between areas (almost like an old school video game like Metroid) as characters stumble onto new clues and reveals but must get back to point A and then get to point D (all while dealing with a looming deadline.) While I preferred this ending over Turton’s other novel I mentioned above I still was left scratching my head and thinking if it was plausible or if there were details kept in secret away from the reader on purpose or for far too long for the sake of adding 50 pages to the book.

I’m excited for folks to get their hands on this. Be sure to pick it up if you’re a fan of sci-fi, mysteries, and thrillers. Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the ARC.

Great book! I couldn’t put it down because I wanted to find out everything! This book has twists throughout, if you’ve read other books by this author then you’d understand. I don’t want to give anything away, there’s so much to uncover. It’s about an apocalyptic world with scientists ruling over a village and an artificial intelligence in peoples mind guiding them. There’s a murder and a count down to solve it or else everyone dies. A must read!

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton due to be published May 21, 2024.
Outside the island the world was destroyed by a fog. Inside the island 122 villagers and three scientists live, obey their curfew, and listen to everything the scientists tell them. Everything is fine until one of the scientists dies. If the murder isn’t solved within 92 hours, everyone dies.
I will admit when I read the synopsis of this it sounded intriguing. Unfortunately, when I got into the book, I realized it was very dystopian – which is one of the genres I do not like.
I did finish the book but didn’t care for it. I do think that people who enjoy this genre will love it, though. It just wasn’t for me.
#NetGalley #StuartTurton #SourcebooksLandmark #TheLastMurderAtTheEndOfTheWorld

This is one of those stories where initially I was intrigued to dive in but wasn't sure if it would be for me but boy was my hesitation wrong. I couldn't get enough. Every chance I got to read another page at work I took.

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley. This book is full of action set in a detective story as people are murdered in a little enclave at the end of the world. An interesting message about whether the world can be saved and is it worth saving. It kept my attention with all of the whodunit and twists and turns of the story.

I loved the set up and premise of this book (even the somewhat odd AI narrator worked for me!), and even was with the author as the story took an unexpectedly sci fi turn halfway through—what a twist! The setting was fascinating and the characters well sketched out and interesting. As the story wore on, however, I found the mystery and its resolution increasingly convoluted and confusing, and kind of had to force myself to finish. If he could have stuck the landing, I would give this one 5 stars. Lots of interesting commentary on the nature of good and evil and power and what we owe to each other.

A complicated but satisfying mystery! Stuart Turton never misses for me, and he has become an insta-buy author for me, even when I have the privilege of reading his books in ARC form.

One of the most unique murder mysteries I’ve ever read. There’s a lot going on in this book but somehow it all works together. It has a slow start but once the story really got going it was full speed ahead. Turton easily retains his spot as one of my favorite current mystery writers.

The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton
Is a sci-fi murder mystery I couldn’t put down that brings to mind Margaret Atwood a la Oryx and Crake. This novel excited me with its original narrator and devious plot line. At various times throughout the book I thought that any of the characters could have committed the murder. It was very satisfying when all of the pieces came together.

The sci fi world building was very well done. I don’t want to say too much about it because small pieces get revealed throughout the entire book. It kept me guessing what exactly had happened the whole time, and I have to say that I loved coming up with various theories on my own. It kept me that much more invested in the outcomes.

The characters are especially interesting with guileless villagers and the elders who guide them. The narrator, Abi, is an original choice with thrilling consequences. The secrets held in this utopia-esque settlement at the end of the world are hidden expertly, but one person uncovers what happened with a dogged determination.

I enjoyed how the plot was set up, with a deadline edging ever closer with disastrous consequences coming. The fear looming over the story kept me coming back for more every time I was forced to put it down. I finished this book in about three days. It is that good.

Overall this book was fantastic. I had been in a reading slump and this one got me very excited again. If you like sci-fi, secrets, and singularity you’ll like this book. Five stars!