The most unique mystery that I've read. A bit more science fiction/dystopian than most. Some people will like it. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

This was so different than what I had expected and from what I'm used to reading from this author, but that didn't necessarily make it a bad thing. It was very dystopian/apocalyptic and had twist after twist. I was invested in finding out what happened and who was responsible for so many things happening at once on the island. I did figure out a few of the plot twists, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story. I'm so glad I read this book and can't wait for everyone to have the opportunity in 2024!

A fog filled with countless insects that tear apart anything and everything that comes into contact with it has swept the planet.
An island at the end of the world, untouched by the fog.
Then a murder is committed, with the fate of the island depending on the murderer being caught.

Turton created an interesting world from a unique premise. There were many twists and turns throughout the story that helped maintain my attention.

Unfortunately, the writing style was not for me. I feel like the characters lacked in development and ended up embodying caricatures instead of fully fleshed out people, which made it difficult for me to become attached to anyone in particular. Big climactic moments happened with little build up or fallout, making me go back to reread a bit to see if I missed something.

All in all, great premise and bones. The writing wasn't for me, but it could be someone else's cup of tea.

Thank you NetGalley, Turton, and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is about a village on an island that is surrounded by a barrier that protects them from a deadly fog but soon one of the main 3 scientists dies which triggers a dead man's switch effectively disintegrating the barrier which means that the only way to have the barrier back is by figuring out who killed the scientist.

This book was both confusing and compelling. It started out in a very odd way and you really don't understand what's fully going on until the very last page but even then, I still have so many unanswered questions. This book dug deep into what happens when you don't have humanity and lie to people, along with a sort of doomsday situation.

The narrator in my opinion was sometimes reliable and sometimes not, due to the fact that the narrator is this thing called Abi which is this mental being that is in all the villagers' heads while also being its own entity. Abi causes a lot of secrets to be kept and perpetrates many of the events of this book.

Stuart Turton is trying really hard to write murder mysteries the way they have never been written before. His first book had a setup that was certainly original: the detective is charged to solve a murder by observing it from the perspective of many different characters during the same day, which is repeated over and over. It’s obvious here that there’s an amazing amount of planning involved. Similarly, in the Last Murder at the end of the world, the (amateur) detective has to reconstruct an evening where all the memories of all its participants have been erased. Furthermore, she is living in a society where detecting Itself, and even the asking of questions, is really frowned upon. To make matters more difficult, there’s also a hard deadline, because if she fails, in a few days, the world will end.

Several tropes of science fiction are deployed here: first, this is a post apocalyptic society; second, it’s a seemingly idyllic village where ugly secrets are just below the surface ; and third, there is an AI who can read everyone’s mind. But Stuart Turton is not really interested in them, and in fact some game changing answers are given before the middle of the book. Because this is a murder mystery, and he moves his pieces around on the board to suit his investigation. It’s similar to how in The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, the puppet master who lets our character wake up every day in a different body is not really explained. But it bothered me more here, probably because I have read a lot of SF. So there is no sex in this village? How about trade? And these questions are integral to the motivations behind the murders.

The characters are also not very likable, and not very fleshed out. Kind of like in an Agatha Christie mystery, the puzzle is central. But you have to give it this: it is memorable, and it is unlike most other mysteries. I will still be looking forward to wherever Stuart Turton is taking us next.

deadly fog has wiped out our world, killing anyone it touches. The Island is the last place left untouched. Life is close to paradise. 122 villagers and 3 scientists are all that's left and they are keeping the fog at bay. The villagers have jobs to do; farming, fishing, teaching, or whatever the scientists need them for. Until one day their peaceful existence is upended when one of their scientists is brutally murdered. The murder triggered the security system to fail and now the fog is encroaching on their island.
If the murder isn't solved within 92 hours the fog will kill them all.

This was riveting and I couldn't put it down! I love Turton's writing style, and just like the 7.5 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle this book has you jumping to conclusions and blindsiding you with the actual outcome! I love that the twists in this one didn't make me roll my eyes like some thrillers. I've seen a few reviews that compare this to the Lost television series(which I never watched😳) but if you enjoyed that this may be for you! Lots of suspense, beautiful writing about terrifying scenarios, and a crazy imaginative world and cast of characters that I won't forget anytime soon. A must read!

Stuart Turton never ceases to be creative. This book is really original, keeps you guessing, full of twists, and a fun read.

It kind of reminds me of WESTWORLD meets LOST, but definitely it's own story. There were times it was harder for me to connect the dots since I was reading it digitally, but once I got all the characters down - I couldn't stop reading. I think if you liked his previous books, you will enjoy this one.

Post-apocalyptic Sci-fi Detective Fiction at its finest!

In all seriousness, this was a really well done mashup of genres. Despite its futuristic setting, it felt like reading a classic mystery novel. The writing kept me engaged, and the plot kept me guessing. The setting was unique enough to make it a memorable story for me.

The only thing I noticed as a possible weakness is the lack of character development. Only a few of the characters are more than basic sketches. Admittedly, this is fairly common in detective novels.

Regarding content: There are several deaths. Descriptions of wounds and a postmortem. However, I didn’t feel it was presented in a gruesome or traumatic way.

This book had just too much going on and made it hard for me to truly get into. the story was all over the place and way too many characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an ARC copy of The Last Murder at the End of the World.

I'm definitely guilty of judging/choosing a book by its cover. This cover is so bright and lovely, but unfortunately I just didn't feel that way about the story. There are about a thousand characters to keep straight but despite that I didn't feel a connection to or particularly enjoy any of them. The plot was really unique and there was a lot going on in the story but I still found myself bored. If this wasn't provided to me as an ARC, this likely would have been a DNF around 60%. Sadly, this book wasn't for me, 2.5 stars rounded down.

ARC provided by NetGalley

This was my first Stuart Turton book and I will definitely be running out to buy everything else he has written. The twists and turns and mystery in this book left me guessing every second of the way. I loved the main character's curious spirit and that's saying something considering how much I generally despise main characters. And, honestly, the book's entire message is rather touching. An excellent read all around.

Evelyn Hardcastle was one of my favorite books of all time and I absolutely adored the way Turton told the story. I was drawn in from the first pages, and the clever plot, intricate storytelling, and spot-on pacing held my attention from start to finish. When I saw this latest title I was intrigued to say the least, despite my general distaste with the dystopian genre. The world is a dark enough place these days, I really don't enjoy reading books that imagine a darker world still... But I do love the way the man tells a story, and so was willing to give it a chance.

While there is some of the magic of curtains storytelling style present here even from the opening pages, a lot of it just feels dreary and overly detailed and there just was no draw-in for me the way there was with Evelyn Hardcastle. I found myself struggling to turn pages surprisingly early on, and unfortunately it never improved for me from there. This wasn't a good fit for me.

I have been a fan of Stuart Turton's storytelling since I read Seven and a Half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. And this newest book did not disappoint. It was suspenseful with many twists and turns as well as an AI narrator. I really enjoyed this and will be recommending it to everyone!

This is my second read from this author and again. I'm feeling a bit blah & not wowed by this. It sounded more up my alley than his previous Evelyn Hardcastle, but really just was way, way too long to sustain my interest. I like the locked-room mystery trope, so the blurb intrigued, but the execution of solving a murder on a post-apocalyptic island felt too sci-fi to me & dystopian novels just aren't my jam (we're living in one LOL). However, I did like the AI narrator. Just kinda "meh", overall. My thanks to the publisher & Net Galley for the complimentary DRC, all thoughts & opinions are my own...

Having been fully captivated by The 7-1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, I knew to expect a twisty, turny, cerebral puzzle plot from this author, and it delivered exactly that.
First, the minor quibbles: At times the pacing of this book is a bit slow, especially the set-up in the first third. And the post-apocalyptic village lacks some definition, as only a few characters come to life on the page.
Still, the plot is intriguing enough to keep you turning pages, and I love that the principles of a detective novel can be applied even in such an unusual setting, so that there are several satisfying "a-ha!" moments from the village misfit turned sleuth.
Some of the story beats are darker than what I usually read, but as with 7-1/2 Deaths, Turton moves the writing along at those moments so that the reader isn't plunged too deep. Although your mileage, of course, may vary.

I was sad to say that this was my very first Stuart Turton book, but I have heard of his others, especially The 71/2 Dealths of Evelyn Hardcastle. I was super intrigued by this cover and this description (and I was somehow auto-approved on Netgalley), so I decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, I don't think this book was for me. I think most readers can tell when a book is bad, and when a book is just simply not for them. I think The Last Murder at the End of the World falls into the latter category for me. A little over a quarter into the book I started to feel as if I missed something, so I went back and searched for any sign of new information I might've accidentally skipped over, or a page I accidentally skipped, since I was reading on my Kindle. I just couldn't find anything, and every so often, I'd get this same feeling again. But, I do think it's safe to say that this book will be popular simply because it has so many twists and so many jaw-dopped moments, I didn't even need to fully understand the story to understand how many twists there were. I'm very disappointed in my opinion of this book because now, I don't have the motivation to read his other popular works.

A huge thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for an E-ARC of this title. The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton will be published on May 21, 2024. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I loved The 71/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle so I was pretty excited for this book.

Unfortunately it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. It starts off fairly slow while describing the village and its inhabitants. It takes a while to reveal *why* they’re on the village and once you get over that hurdle the book flows easier.

Unfortunately the entire thing was more abstract then I’m accustomed to and I spent much of the book confused. This was compounded by the fact that they’re actively piecing together memories so it just felt like a lot to keep track of. I loved Emory and Clara’ characters but still felt confused by the elders in general.

Overall, I’m happy to read Turton in the future, but this book is wasn’t my favorite.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

It is an unknown time in the future. Ninety-eight years ago fog covered the entire Earth except one small island where all of humanity is preserved. Niema was part of a group of scientists who built a barrier to protect the island, and now she, Thea and Niema’s son Hephaestus are the island’s elders, guiding the lives of the 122 residents. When a person dies, at age 60, he or she is replaced with a child. However something has gone wrong and the island will be consumed by the fog in 96 hours.

Emery, a resident who is searching for her place among her people questions the strict rules and also has questions for the elders. Then there is a cataclysmic event which changes everything. What happened? And what does it mean for their survival?

This wasn’t my usual type of book but I still enjoyed it. Lots of big questions still remain at the end but I was OK with that. Well drawn characters who generally act in believable ways and I liked the world view: “there are no prayers here, no thoughts of an afterlife. The reward for a good life is the living of it.” Well done and recommended.

Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.5/5
The Last Murder at the End of the World is a murder mystery in a post-apocalyptic world. A deadly fog has killed the majority of the planet except a small island with a few scientists and over 100 villagers. When someone is murdered in their peaceful commune, it kickstarts the end of humanity. With the fog slowly inching toward the island, villager Emory has 91 hours to solve the murder and prevent everyone from dying. Throughout their lives, the villagers have always been complacent and obedient. Emory has always felt different from the others- she possesses a curiosity that is frowned upon. She questions the elders who have absolute authority and always wants to know more. But when the murder takes place, there is no one better to take on the role of detective. Emory has an eye for details and the ability to catch lies, but the elders have secrets. Ones they don’t want anyone to find out about. With the help of her daughter Clara and father Seth, Emory sets out to save humanity. I enjoyed how fleshed out the characters are. Throughout the story we get to see how flawed and multifaceted the ‘perfect’ elders are. Their backstories were also super interesting to read about. Emory is an admirable protagonist, you can’t help but root for her. I enjoyed Clara and Seth’s character development, especially seeing them go from being embarrassed by Emory’s nature to working by her side. Clara really became so much more like her mother. The drawback of this book for me is mainly that it was hard for me to follow at times. From the beginning I was confused by the narration. It took me a bit to realize the narrator is Abi, who is in the characters’ minds. I also found it hard to follow all the revelations being made, I felt like my brain was all over the place. I rated this story 3.5 stars but rounded up since this could just be me. All in all it was a very creative storyline that really showcases the imperfection of humanity and the dangers of power and control. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the advance reader copy.

I’ve heard of Stuart Turton a lot; his books are popular enough to always be checked out at the library. So when this one, his latest, showed up on Netgalley, I grabbed it. And read it and read it and read it some more. It took days to get through, and I really did try to like it, but in the end, it just wasn’t fork me.
I’d like to think I’m aware enough and objective enough of a reader/reviewer to be able to tell when the book is a dud or when it just isn’t my thing. This one seems to be firmly in the latter category.
Reader/book chemistry is a very real thing, and the nicely titled The Last Murder at The End of the World and I just didn’t have much chemistry.
Intellectually, I appreciated it. The story is smart and original, something that’s difficult to find in modern clichéd mystery thrillers. The fan of dystopian fiction in me was delighted by the setting. The fan of character-driven sci-fin in me appreciated the meditation on life and intelligence, organic and artificial, and the value of it—a theme tightly interwoven throughout the narrative. As a reader and a writer, I appreciated the language.
But then there were the unignorable facts that I didn’t much care for any of the characters and found the plot, especially the murder mystery itself, to be excessively, exhaustively convoluted. That made the novel drag for me and it the end, outweighed the pluses. I’m uprating it some for the cleverness. User mileage may (and I’m sure, will) vary. Thanks Netgalley.