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!

Ehh mixed feelings on this one. I felt like the first 60% of so dragged on and on and on and seemed to talk in circles. Finally it picked up steam and I was able to finish, but I almost gave up more than once. I'm sure there is an audience for this somewhere, but it just was not for me.
I would recommend this to others, given the right reader.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Two of my favorite genres are scifi and mystery, so a book that combines them felt like would be right up my alley. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed by this. It was entertaining enough; I was never tempted to stop reading it, but I think in trying to address both genres it didn't manage to completely satisfy what I'm looking for in either one. I read excellent reviews for the author's prior book, though I have not read that, so I think I was just expecting a bit more from this than what I got.

In terms of what I liked, this is a very unique take on a "locked room" mystery, being a "locked island" mystery. That said, it's so much more than just a murder mystery, as many unexplained things about life on the island are also investigated and explored throughout the story. The main character, Emory, winds up realizing her greatest flaw is actually her greatest strength, and I am a sucker for character development like that. The plot moves reasonably fast. Chapters are short, which I think helps make the pace feel quicker. While there are a decent amount of characters, giving us a nice suspect pool to draw from, there aren't so many that you lose track of who is who. It did keep me guessing throughout. While parts of the ending I was able to predict, the entire situation is so complex that I don't think readers will be able to easily guess all of the final reveals.

That said, there were other elements that I didn't particularly enjoy. For example, the narrator is an AI system, but while reading, I kept getting absorbed in the story and forgetting that was the case, so it was jarring when the AI would interject with comments like "I said," and I had to keep reminding myself that an AI was narrating. The characters, with one exception, are all frustratingly passive. The reason for this is explained later on, but it doesn't change the fact that it's still annoying to watch a bunch of people not ask basic survival questions about their situation. Finally, the scifi nature of the story made the mystery part feel like a bit of a cheat, because technology that the reader and characters previously didn't know about keeps popping up to explain various situations. Also without spoiling things, the reason for the murder and events surrounding it felt unnecessarily convoluted and complex. It seemed like those behind the murder could have achieved the same result with a much, much less complicated plan, leaving me feeling as if it was overcomplicated simply to put more red herrings in the reader's way. I realize that, to a degree, that's the nature of a mystery novel, but this book took a lot of liberties regarding the "complex murder plot," in my opinion. Obviously, reader mileage will vary on this.

In general, it was a fine read to pass the time, but not as engrossing as I hoped.

The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton focuses on the last vestiges of humanity surviving after the apocalypse on a tiny island in the tropics. There are many rules that people have to follow including strict bedtimes and staying out of restricted areas. One morning, the villagers wake up to find one of the elders has died of mysterious circumstances and the barriers that keep the fog at bay have gone down giving the villagers only 72 hours to save themselves by solving the murder.

This novel is a mystery for people who typically don't read mysteries, and I say this because the mystery portion was the least interesting part of this book. Learning about the world, the apocalypse, the mystery behind the villagers' reality on the island, these were all much more fascinating than the mystery. The mystery itself unfolded in a somewhat traditional way in which someone takes on the role of detective and has a sidekick of sorts and uses some light deductive reasoning to figure out whodunit, but there were 3 too many red herrings for me to stay invested. By the time the murder is caught, I was somewhat apathetic and really only cared about the situation with the fog.

With all this in mind, it makes you wonder who this is written for. I would say someone who likes post-apocalyptic thrillers or light sci-fi would enjoy this. I would not recommend this to the people who love mysteries as the mystery itself didn't have enough intrigue to keep the average mystery reader engaged.

The writing was of good quality, and I really felt I got to know the world and a feel for the characters, which all felt distinct, with their own backgrounds and voices. There were quite a few POVs but not so much that I couldn't keep up. Turton does a great job of making each person unique enough to make the multiple POVs work.

This was the first book I have read by Stuart Turton and I look forward to reading his back catalog.

HUGE thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for this Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for a review. This was one of my most anticipated reads and it did not disappoint!

After a deadly fog kills much of the human race, 3 scientists and 121 individuals are surviving on an idyllic island. All inhabitants live harmoniously until one of their own, a beloved elder who oversees the safety of the entire island, is found murdered, putting everyone’s life in jeopardy. The remaining villagers have only 92 hours to solve the crime before the fog sweeps back across their shores, killing the last of the community. A true locked-in mystery. Read alike: THE FERRYMAN by Justin Cronin

The Last Murder at the End of the World was Stuart Turton’s latest novel, and it was the strangest and most unexpected combo of sci-fi and dystopian fiction combined with an Agatha Christie-esque murder mystery. This novel read like an onion, and the more the plot was revealed, the most intense and mind-blowing it became.

At the end of the day, as to not give away any spoilers, it was a critical analysis of what it is to be a human with humanity, compassion, and empathy. It was also a critique of society as a whole versus what an idyllic utopia could look like. And, the ever-present theme was right versus wrong or good versus evil. Also, consideration of what a lifetime looks like and what regret can manifest in a person or society or even what it will make acceptable outcomes.

This whole book made my head spin with all of the labyrinthine twists and turns. It made me want to know what was next, so much so that I legit couldn’t put the book down and finished it the same day that I started it.

Buy this one. Then, reflect on the implications beyond the obvious 2001/Hal and Olympian references. It’s an amazing book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC!!! It was truly an amazing read!

In "The Last Murder at the End of the World," readers will embark on a journey to unravel the identity of the murderer, racing against a literal clock for survival. The narrative unfolds on an island, the sole remaining habitable refuge in a world engulfed by a deadly fog, leaving only a few miles of ocean surrounding the island unaffected.

Initially, all runs smoothly in this isolated haven until a mysterious murder disrupts the tranquility. The islanders must engage in a race against time, solving the intricate puzzle to prevent the encroaching fog from claiming the remaining survivors.

This book caters to enthusiasts of post-apocalyptic settings, blending elements of sci-fi, AI technology, and murder mystery. Far from a cozy murder mystery, it presents a challenging intellectual journey with psychological nuances and vivid imagery. Readers are encouraged to invest time in absorbing and digesting the intricate details, ensuring an engaging experience that keeps them on their toes.

Special thanks to NetGalley, Stuart Turton, and HarperCollins Canada for providing an advanced copy.

Another unique mystery from an author who carefully constructs the plot to always keep the reader guessing. This mystery is a fresh take on a tried and true formula. Well worth a read.

Lots to enjoy, but a bit too plot-driven for me!

I was a massive fan of 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, but Devil and the Dark Water and Last Murder seem to be mixed for me. I really loved the premise of this one, and of course Turton's intricate plotting, but I'm afraid (for me) it was a bit *too* plot driven--I couldn't connect to any of the characters, so I didn't feel one way or another about the murder suspects. Some of the big reveals also changed the entire vibe of the story, making it even harder to connect. And for a murder mystery, the reveals relied a lot on sci-fi tech that we weren't aware of until convenient moments. Even that said, the suspect list is very small and not particularly surprising, so just going off the characters it was fairly easy to predict some things.

However, I adored the ending, which kept going at a breakneck pace with many fantastic reveals. The setting is magnificently done, and I did love the final 'whydunnit' piece. I think lovers of sci-fi/dystopian stories would love this.

3.5 stars rounded up. Grateful to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the arc! I did so hope to love this one, and am still excited to read whatever Turton writes next.

To avoid a TL/DR review, here’s a bullet list of my likes and dislikes:

What I liked most:
• The world-building, the combination of dystopian science fiction, mystery, and anthropological exploration of what makes someone human. There were sprinkles of similarities to Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go and Michel Faber's The Book of Strange New Things, and that was delightful.
• The imaginative culture of a small group of people on an isolated Greek island at the end of the world was instantly immersive.

What I liked al little less:
• The deus ex machina that kept rescuing the story.
• The mystery (also on my “like” list, which is a paradox). I don’t mind mystery novels, and sometimes even enjoy them, but they are often a long climb for a short slide, and this book is one of those. You get hint after hint, twist after twist, and then wham-o at the end with the monologue exposition of how it all fits together. By then I was confused and honestly just mentally exhausted to the point that I didn’t care anymore. It's just me, so your experience might be different.

I would have enjoyed this more as a straight novel, even with a thriller bent, than a convoluted whodunit. The imagination Turton displays in developing not only the end of the world but the society who lives in it was impressive.

If you’re a Turton fan, I would recommend you give it a go, but if you’re new to Turton, start with Evelyn Hugo or Devil in the Dark Water. Despite my misgivings about his latest, I will definitely read whatever he comes up with next. His works knot by brain in the best way.

Many thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

What's left of humanity has retreated to an island after a terrible, vicious fog devoured every living thing in its path, Villagers and Elders live together in peace, Emory's insatiable curiosity and questioning nature notwithstanding. After one of them is found dead in what is poorly disguised as an accident, residents of humanity's last outpost must discover and surrender the murderer among them. If they do not, the fog will be unleashed and humanity will be wiped out once and for all. Told from multiple perspectives, this tale is great for fans of twisty mysteries, world-building, and apocalyptic fiction.

A deadly fog has engulfed the world, except for one small island where the last of humanity shares a peaceful, ordered existence.

But of course nothing is ever that simple.

Stuart Turton is a master at immersing readers in atmosphere and setting. I felt like I was there on that island, watching the fog swirl in the distance.

The plot unfolds at a steady pace, gradually building in intensity. Characters are complex individuals. And I don’t want to say anything more, aside from I loved every moment.

*I received an eARC from Sourcebooks Landmark, via NetGalley, and a print ARC from a BookishFirst giveaway.*

I like everything about the setup of this dystopian/science fiction/suspense novel, but I ended up unsatisfied. Somewhere just before halfway through, a major twist changed things for me, causing me to have to force my way through massive, continual amounts of exposition to the rather unsurprising conclusion. It’s a fresh and unique story, but just not as well handled as I would like. Having Abi the AI force behind the island narrate the story was problematic to me on several levels. Readers seem to either love this book or end up feeling like I did, not emotionally involved with the characters or story. I’m grateful to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read the prepubescent digital ARC.

A dystopian post apocalyptic world the culprit being a deadly fog that has left 123 survivors and 3 scientists on a protected island. All seems copacetic until one of the scientists the oldest and most brilliant is found murdered. The always curious Emory aided by her daughter are tasked the solving the murder -within 96 hours.
The book is narrated by by an AI voice which was new for me.
There are numerous twists and turns and multiple complex scientific inventions not to my knowledge existent.
SO-fantasy, dystopia, murder-all carefully incorporated.
Personally I had a difficult time with the AI concept but a good read.

SPOILER: I usually don't do spoilers in reviews - ever. But I don't even know how to talk about this book without a little spoiler. Not necessarily to the heart of the mystery, but definitely something that is not revealed until much later on. So here it is, don't read on if you don't want it spoiled for you... I just didn't get it. If the people on the island are AI, then they should not have had complex feelings and the ability to love? I was so lost by that. And maybe I'm wrong and don't know enough about AI? But when it was like the elders were heartless for believing they were "things." Well, they are right? I mean, they didn't seem like things because of the aforementioned feelings, etc. But they don't have souls? I don't know it just left me feeling very conflicted. Aside from that whole issue the book moved very slowly at times for a book that is set over the course of a couple days where the world is ending. So I definitely had ups and downs with this book. Toward the end it picked up more and the mystery was solved and I appreciated how all the loose ends came together.

The Last Murder at the End of the World is a dystopian ride of a story. It all takes place on an island where humans and non humans live. It took me a bit to find my way with this story. It was pretty good, not great, or maybe just not my cup of tea. I do appreciate the clear and concise writing of the author, just not the subject matter