⭐️⭐️ (2/5)

I really wanted to get into The Last Murder at the End of the World—the premise is intriguing and right up my alley—but unfortunately, I couldn’t make it through the audiobook. The narrator’s delivery was so slow and monotone that instead of pulling me into the story, it kept putting me to sleep.

It’s hard to judge the book fairly since I didn’t finish it, but for me, the narration really got in the way of the experience. I may circle back and try the print version at some point, because I think the story itself has potential, but as an audiobook, it just didn’t work.

If you’re considering this title, I’d recommend sampling a few minutes of the narration first to see if the style works for you.

Five star read loved it. One day only to read which for me is a big deal I didn’t even mind the Connecticut traffic. Also I will say as an audio it knocks a star bc the main narrator is a woman in the book but the reader is a male

It’s hard to find a new spin on a traditional mystery, but this one sure does. I don’t want to give away too much, since the joy of it (at least for me) was seeing how an amateur sleuth that could almost be considered cozy-adjacent approaches a mystery in a sort of Myst-like setting of isolation and impending doom. You don’t need to be a sci-fi fan to enjoy it - in fact, it’s probably best if you don’t think too hard about the logistics and mechanics of the whole situation. The mystery itself is good but not great - it’s the process of applying old-school Sherlock Holmes style detecting in such an unlikely setting that will keep you hooked.

The audiobook is very well done - the choice of a male narrator is surprising as the narrator repeatedly describes themself as having a female voice, but the announcer/academic tone really works for the story.

Again, I don’t want to spoil the opportunity to let this one unfold on its own, but just don’t be scared off if you’re not a sci-fi person or are burned out on dystopia. It’s not as bleak as you think.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a highly anticipated listen for me and it mostly delivered. The set up of the world was very intriguing with the apocalyptic vibes. The number of characters is high but I think it helped establish a realistic mood. It was a bit of a slow burn but towards the end I was very much eager to find out what was going on. The narration by James Cameron Stewart was easy to listen to, I can see this being a bit trickier to follow if you're not used to audiobooks.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the early listen. This was my first from this author (and narrator). I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the way it was read.

4 stars

A post-apocalyptic murder mystery like no other—set on an island with the last 125 people alive. The twists were absolutely wild, and the characters are incredibly well written. I couldn’t put it down! What an interesting concept and not something I normally read.

I really struggled with this one. It started really slow and didn't really pick up. I only made it through about 70% of this one.

Have to admit I am not sure if this would be easier to follow as a book vs audio. At times I had to go back and re-listen to what had just happened because I was getting lost in the story. Have to say the paperback that is coming out soon has a fabulous sprayed edge on it.

I'm not sure if I'm more impressed with the audacity of the concept of this story or the skill with which it's told.

A small Greek island is home to 122 villagers and 3 scientists. Outside the island is a deadly fog that has swept the earth and is only kept at bay by a barrier designed by the scientists. Now one of the scientists, Niema, has been murdered and everyone's memory has been wiped of the events of the last 12 hours. The AI controlling the barrier has been instructed to turn off the barrier if the murder isn't solved by the time the clock runs out. And not even the murderer knows who it is.

The villagers are happy to go about their assigned daily tasks, listening to the AI voice, ABI, in their head that directs them and even makes them go to sleep every night at 8:45 pm, whether they've made it to their bed or not. Emory is a bit different. She has lots of questions and doesn't know what her role is. That makes her the perfect person to conduct the investigation. But what she discovers are some uncomfortable truths. And truths that upend what everyone believes are the hardest ones to get people to accept.

This book defies easy categorization. It's part dystopian novel, part post-apocalyptic thriller, and part murder mystery. All of it works. An AI narrator guides you along. Emory is a wonderful character who is easy to identify with. Many of the other characters are wonderful in their stubbornness and unwillingness to let go of the beliefs on which their lives have been based, even with the end of the world staring them in the face. The mystery of the island and the murder are both beautifully layered and intertwined. Spooling out in a way that keeps you both one step ahead and still in the dark.

I was spellbound by this book and the wonderful narration of James Cameron Stewart, who captured the various voices of the characters and the AI. A truly wonderful experience.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

I started and stopped this one too many times- had to DNF. The story just didn’t grab me. However, the narrator’s voice was great and pacing was perfect.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for my gifted copy of The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton. This was one that I heard a lot about so I requested it and honestly have no desire now to listen to it. But, as I have said, I heard many great reviews, I just cannot get into this one.

I was really looking forward to reading this book because I enjoyed "The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle," but unfortunately it wasn't for me. It had a very intriguing premise, but I just couldn't get into it. I was grateful to have the audiobook, because I don't think I could have finished it otherwise. The short chapters and multiple POVs helped a bit, but I just didn't find myself picking this up or really wanting to finish it. Definitely a unique plot, but maybe dystopian/sci-fi novels just aren't for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Mystery. Mythology. Fantasy. Well written. Fascinating premise. I wish I could spend a day in the author’s imagination

A great read from one of my favorite authors. It was just dystopian enough. It was just mysterious enough. It was an insightful and entertaining (in a good way) read. I can't wait to see what Turton offers next!

Unfortunately, audio format didn't work for me for this one. Originally, I was very interested in the book, but as more and more characters were introduced, it was hard for me to keep track of who was who without being able to have a physical copy in front of me.

I have it on my TBR to read a physical copy as I did enjoy the story and the narrator. It just wasn't the right format for me personally and wasn't able to finish.

Better suited for those looking for a post-apocalyptic setting than a mystery. Would make for an interesting discussion if done as a buddy read or book club. There are some confusing parts that might benefit from deconstruction or a second reading. Unfortunately I wasn't engaged enough to reread and probably missed a significant part of the plot. Will look forward to and read Turton's next novel.

Audiobook is well narrated, but the novel has so many layers that it is difficult to follow in a audio format. Best done as a print read.

I struggled hard to get into this. I really enjoyed Turton's previous books but I couldn't connected with thus at all. The pacing was slow and I wasn;t invested. DNF for me.

What a hard fall for me. I loved The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, and I guess I shouldn't have held this book to that standard. However, this just didn't have any similar allure or effect on me. I didn't feel connected to any of the characters, and maybe that was the idea, but I couldn't get passed that feeling of zero direction. I hope Turton's next book is more captivating.

3.5⭐️ I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading THE LAST MURDER AT THE END OF THE WORLD, but it was a fun ride!

I paired the book and audio for a fully immersive read, which was such a treat!

*many thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark, Tantor Audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

3.5 Another fascinating world of mysteries to unravel by Stuart Turton. It was interesting seeing the different cultural touchstones that have been affecting us recently make up the back drop to this story: a pandemic, AI, and the haves vs the have nots. The story centers around an island on Earth many decades into the future, after a deadly fog has spread around the world. We find ourselves in a pocket of the planet that has been spared it's destruction, but in the midst of all this there is a murder that needs to be solved by an unlikely person.

I always appreciate Turton's world building and the quest his MCs have to go on. Worth a read if you like sci-fi and mysteries.