I raced through this book in one sitting—I couldn’t put it down! Ross’s adult debut is packed with everything I love: a clever mystery, delightfully mischievous characters, a charmingly inept detective, and just the right amount of twists to keep me guessing until the very end.

The plot is sharp and well-constructed, with clues layered throughout that come together brilliantly. The characters were quite delightful. Their back-and-forth is so entertaining, and their chemistry adds so much charm to the story.

There’s a real classic mystery style atmosphere here with a modern, playful twist. It’s the perfect mix of mystery, chaos, and humour, I’m already looking forward to seeing where Decima and Stephen go next. I highly recommend it!

Stephen Pike has been invited to take a position as second footman at Tithe Hall, a remote stately home on a Cornish island. He has just been released from Borstal after serving two years for a gang fight in a Bow pub. An orphan whose only living relative died while he was in Borstal, he knows that this is his last chance to redeem himself.

When Stephen arrives he finds that the house is boarded up, yet there are family, guests and staff inside. The owner, Lord Conrad Stockingham-Welt firmly believes that Halley's Comet will bring death and destruction to the World and the only way to survive is to seal everyone inside the house until it has passed over.

Stephen is immediately set to boarding up fireplaces, locking people in their rooms, sealing locks with wax and stuffing wadding around door frames etc (although thinking about it, if the house is sealed from the outside why do they also need to seal people up individually as well?). Then he his handed the poison chalice of being forced to look after Miss Decima Stockingham, a foul-mouthed elderly woman who resides in a separate wing of the house and has terrorised all the maids.

Much to his surprise, Miss Decima pooh-poohs Conrad's fears and instead insists that Stephen take her outside so that she can chart the comet's progress across the sky.

The next morning when Stephen, the first footman Lowen, and the butler Mr Stokes start unsealing the rooms Stephen makes a grisly discovery. Conrad has been murdered by a crossbolt through the eye ... in a sealed room (duh duh duh). Stephen is terrified, as the newest member of staff, with a criminal record he is obviously going to be the primary suspect, something which is borne out when the police inspector arrives from the mainland. Only Miss Decima believes him and together they set out to discover who killed Conrad and why. Was it his cousin Edwin Welt, MP, who expects to inherit the money and the house on Conrad's death? Or his cousin Read Admiral Jolyon Welt, the alcoholic? Of Lettice Welt, who has allegedly seen off her husband, daughter and son-in-law? Or Lettice's grandson the foul Gilbert? What about Conrad's German friend and co-founder of his Halley's Comet society Professor Wolf Muller? What about one of the servants?

This is a good old-fashioned, locked-room mystery. Loved it. Plenty of obnoxious suspects. Plenty of red herrings. Lots of accusations, dead fish, a suit of armour, a maze, missing laundry, a change of will.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

It is 1910 and Comet Halley, harbinger of doom, is approaching the Planet Earth. The king is dead, people are panicking, and young Stephen Pike, released from prison, is heading for World's End, an island off the coast of Cornwall that is cut off at high tide, with a letter from a cousin of Lord Stockingham=Welt, the Viscount of World's End, offering him the post of second footman.

It doesn't start well. The butler is not expecting him, but the house is being barricaded against an "end of the world" scenario and he needs extra help. The first footman is hostile, the house is in uproar, and Stephen finds himself tasked with assisting Miss Decima, the Viscount's elderly aunt, a potty-mouthed invalid with a foul temper and a scientific mind. Night arrives and along with it the Comet. The house is boarded up against the Viscount's predicted poisonous gases and floods but Stephen and Miss Decima spend the night outside while she takes observations. Morning comes, the world is safe, but the Viscount lies dead, shot through the eye with a cross-bolt inside his boarded up and locked study..

Stephen, who is immediately accused of the murder, teams up with Miss Decima and the maid, Temperance, (hampered by a incompetent police detective) to discover the real culprit. from amongst the staff and thoroughly unlikable family who have taken shelter at World's End.

A thoroughly enjoyable "golden-age" style mystery. I hope there will be more of Miss Decima and Stephen in future.

The Murder at World’s End by Ross Montgomery is a great locked room mystery. It’s set in 1910 and specifically when Halley’s Comet enters the inner solar system and can be seen. The location is grand house, World’s End, on a remote island off the coast of Cornwall cut off by a causeway.

The book centres on Stephen Pike, who has just left Borstal after wrongfully being sentenced for attempted murder. A mysterious benefactor has organised a job in service as a footman at World’s End. He arrives to a house in panic and the staff preparing for an end of the world scenario. It’s the Viscount’s belief that the comet will cause massive destruction and he has invited his closest family to World’s End for their safety. All staff and all family will be locked into their rooms for their safety. (I loved the press coverage at the time that was sprinkled throughout the book, which fed into the fear of the phenomenon and that it was an omen.)

On Stephen’s second day in his new job, he finds the Viscount has been murdered. It’s an impossible crime and a perfect locked room mystery. Stephen is concerned that owing to his criminal record he will become the prime suspect.

Local police and then police from Scotland Yard arrive to solve the crime, but aren’t up to the task. Miss Decima, the Viscount’s aunt, takes it upon herself with the help of Stephen to investigate. Miss Decima is an aged woman, an educated woman, a woman of science. She is however considered a loose canon by her family and she lives separately to them within the house. She is a woman who knows her mind and doesn’t beat about the bush and could make a sailor blush. Her rapport with Stephen was a delight to read.

The Murder at World’s End is a pitch perfect read. It’s a period whodunnit, there’s great warmth and humour to it.

As an aside, I loved the artwork on the cover of the book, it really embodied the era and tone of the book.

It looks like the Stockingham & Pike series will continue and I can’t wait to see what Decima and Stephen do next and where their adventures take them.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Penguin General UK, for making this e-ARC available to me in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I started reading this based on the fact that two of my favourite authors were raving about it!
It was a blast, lovely dialogue which made me chuckle and great characterisation.
A great locked room mystery perfect for a slow read. I did guess whodunnit quite early but despite that there were still lots of twists and turns that were unexpected and I still really enjoyed it.

BRILLIANT! I enjoyed this book so much that, even only a few chapters in, I was ready to give it five stars!

It was fast-paced with a good “locked room” murder mystery and mixed with a good dollop of humour as served by the delightful Miss Decima! The lead characters were definitely Miss Decima and Stephen who were funny yet kind. Miss Decima was also extremely intelligent with a particular specialism in science.

I would LOVE to read another murder-mystery with this wonderful duo of Decima and Stephen who were an absolute delight to read, from start to finish. I enjoyed this book SO much that I will be purchasing a hardback copy once published!

In my opinion, not as earth-shatteringly funny as the blurb made it out to be, but nevertheless an amusing story.
Excellent characterisation and a very good plot line.
Some very unexpected twists at the end meant that the killer was not who I had worked it out to be!
Overall, well worth reading and I would be very happy to read further boks by this author

When was the last time you picked up a book and simply couldn’t put it down? For me, it was The Murder at World’s End, which is so absorbing that I read it in one afternoon and immediately elevated it to my top reads of the year.

Set on a remote Cornish island in 1910, the story brings a classic locked-room puzzle to life, complete with anxious atmospherics thanks to Halley’s Comet and a house sealed so tightly even the keyholes are waxed.

Newly hired footman Stephen Pike finds himself babysitting the glorious chaos that is Great Aunt Decima: an 80-year-old, sharp-tongued matriarch who is as devious as she is hilarious.

But when a member of the household is found murdered in a locked room, Stephen and Decima become the island’s unlikeliest sleuthing duo.

Stephen is a nervous wreck, but endearing. Decima absolutely steals every scene, and their evolving alliance is as delightful as the central whodunnit.

And yes, Miss Decima swears like a trooper, but I thought it was hilarious and that it really added some comic value. A perfect counterbalance to the tension, with moments that made me genuinely laugh out loud.

The supporting cast of suspects are all brimming with secrets, greed, and grudges, which keeps the guessing game alive until the last page.

If you love classic mysteries but want fresh characters and banter, this book is for you.

With thanks to NetGalley for the early copy in return for an honest review.

What a joy to read. This is such a fun mystery. The plot is tightly controlled and laden with clues that all come together in the end. It is a fast paced read, engaging right from the start. The best part though is the characters. Both Stephen Pike and Great Aunt Decima are excellent, but especially Decima. Their interaction is so amusing. There are multiple laugh-out-loud moments in the book. I can't wait to read more about this couple.
Well written and highly recommended.

Loved this novel SO MUCH. The characters are so vivid and the story just whips along. Hoping this is the start of a long series.

It's 1910 and Halley's Comet is due to pass Earth which is causing all sorts of conspiracy theories to raise their heads; not least at Tithe Hall where the Viscount is preparing to lock every member of the household into their rooms to protect them as the comet passes. At the same time, Stephen Pike arrives at the house. Just out of prison, he has received a letter offering him a job at Tithe Hall; however, when he arrives, the head butler seems to be oblivious. Despite initial hesitations, Stephen is given a job as an under-butler and is immediately put to work helping to seal up every room. When all is done, he is directed to the far reaches of the house to tend to Miss Decima Stockingham the family matriarch who, at 80 years old, still instils fear in every member of staff. However, Stephen quickly realises that Miss Decima isn't as senile as the family may think and the two strike up an unlikely professional relationship. The following morning as the family and staff begin to emerge from their lockdown, they discover that there has been a murder, and the culprit must still be in the house. With all eyes turning to Stephen, the newest member of the house, can Miss Decima help him to discover the truth before it's too late?
Anybody who is a regular reader of my blog will be aware that I am a fan of Ross' MG fiction and so I was thrilled to discover that he's written a book for grown-ups. An early read proved too alluring and, knowing how much I love a murder mystery, I dove straight in.

I have to say that I really enjoyed the style of writing; there's a tension due to the fact that this is essentially a locked room mystery within a locked house and I enjoyed trying to figure out who the culprit might be - my suspect list changed frequently as the plot progressed!

Above all, I adored Miss Decima! She's a brilliantly curmudgeonly character who is a force to be reckoned with; she's not allowing her age or her gender (this is 1910) to interfere with the science she wants to pursue and I love her approach to everything she does. There's a real humour to her and the relationship that builds between her and Stephen is lovely to read. I think she actually relishes the chaos that unfolds around them and she comes to life whilst investigating the crime.

The Murder At World's End publishes in hardback on the 30th October and is a book that will keep you guessing, will make you chuckle and will leave you wanting more from this new unconventional crime-fighting duo.

Synopsis: In the shadow of Halley's Comet passing, the residents of Tithe Hall wake to find not the apocalypse predicted by the eccentric Viscount, but his murder. However, with the whole Hall and internal rooms sealed shut from the Viscount's fear of the Comet's noxious gases, his murder is an impossible locked door mystery. With all fingers pointing at the newest hire - Steven Pike, he'll have team up with the Viscount's batty old Great Aunt Decima and catch the real killer to save his neck from the hangman's noose.

Review: What a fun mystery! Riding out the apocalypse only to find one in your own Hall. I loved sharp and witty Great Aunt Decima, and all the newspaper clippings from the real 1910 Halley's Comet scattered through the book gave it a great atmosphere. The locked door solution was a little lackluster and unbelievable, but it's difficult to come up with something new and shocking when there have been so many solutions written in the past.

With thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing me with this as an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thanks to Net Galley and Penguin General for this ARC. This book is brilliant! The style is different, the characters are fabulous and the plot twists are excellent. I would love this to become a series but also worried sequels would not match up to how great this book is. A definite 5 stars from me, which is as rare as halley's comet!

ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The cover and title caught my eye, but it was the description that made me request this straight away. A murder mystery set in an isolated manor on an island is exactly my kind of read.

Early on, I was drawn in by the setting. The island is atmospheric, and the manor is described in rich detail. The main character felt well-developed from the start, and the doomsday cult element added something a bit different.

By the halfway mark, the story had really picked up. The characters are eccentric and exaggerated, but it works. There’s humour in it, and it leans into the classic locked-room feel without taking itself too seriously.

By 70%, I had a strong theory about who was behind it. The clues are there if you’re paying attention.

The ending didn’t disappoint. The pacing was strong throughout, the writing sharp, and the characters, while outrageous at times, held my interest. It looks like a sequel may be coming, and I’ll definitely be reading it.

Murder at World's End has a really interesting premise of a young man, Steven, who is recently out of prison, and sent to work in a Viscount's manor on a remote island off Cornwall in 1910. The inhabitants and staff are preparing to shut themselves away from a potential world ending comet heading directly to earth, creating the ideal tense, maniac and panicked situation for a mysterious murder during the night. As the newest arrival and with his shady past, Steven is suspect number 1 for the crime and has to team up with some unlikely allies to try and solve the case before he gets falsely arrested himself.

This book is really humorous and I did chuckle out loud a few times. It's also really easy reading and I can sense the author previously wrote for children. Unfortunately I did guess the ending pretty early on. I did feel it was fairly obvious but never the less I also really enjoyed it, I would be happy to read another in the series.

Thanks to Net Galley for the chance to early review!

A locked room mystery that very heavily reminded me of Agatha Christie books. It kept me entertained. That being said, I'm no prude and have nothing against swearing, but the swearing didn't fit the book in my opinion. I found it a little jarring for a cozy crime book. Other than that, I enjoyed it! Thanks for the arc.

Fun locked room mystery set on an island only accessible by a causeway, over the period of the 1910 Halley’s Comet. With a quirky cast of characters and an unlikely detective duo this is quite a romp. It’s not exactly realistic in many ways but it’s an enjoyable journey.
I understand this is the author’s first book for adults - it’s not particularly adult beyond an amusingly foul mouthed central character. Your mileage may vary in a relatively cosy crime mystery but it worked for me.

Firstly thank you to Viking Books & Penguin Books UK for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4.5*

This mystery felt quite different from the others I have read. It focused much more on the investigative element of all characters in one rather than pinning a motive to each character/potential suspect. I really loved the whole regency setting of the book and the detective pairing was very interesting. Overall I really enjoyed this book, I was curious and it was tense and I did quite enjoy the difference in mystery style to what I am used to. I would definitely read more books in this series.

I was intrigued to read this as I have previously enjoyed the author's books for children.
This was such a gripping read, I looked forward to reading more each day.
The duo of Stephen and Miss Decima was great and I look forward to move investigative adventures with them in the future.
I had no idea who the murderer was and was hooked throughout. A great read.

I raced through this very fun, very readable murder mystery locked room story. The detecting duo are an unlikely coupling, and were probably my favourite thing about the book, though I did also laugh out loud at the bumbling inspector from Scotland Yard. I liked the way the story layered as it grew, and the way I felt involved in the detecting as I experienced everything alongside of Stephen so I felt like I was also on the verge of figuring everything out alongside side of him (I wasn't!)

I would note that I did find the swearing a bit of a surprise - it had felt like a cosy crime up until that point, you know, one of those excellent early Sunday evening pre-watershed period crime series, so I felt that it jarred a little with what I'd thought I was reading. The language does add to the humour of the character it comes from ultimately, but a little bit of me wondered if it had been included simply to mark the book out as an adult novel, since the author does also write excellent children's stories.