It's been a minute, so I honestly can't say what I was expecting when I requested this. I ended up finally picking it up a couple weeks ago because people were raving about it, and really still had no idea what to expect. What I got was.... different? If I had known the story, I don't know that I would have gravitated to this book, but once I got into it, it was very readable. But I struggled more than I expected. Solid 3* for readability and uniqueness, but not my favorite read this year.

A global encompassing fog that has killed everything it touches has ravished most of the world. A small island of under 200 people is living inside a scientist created bubble, safe from the fog, and has been for generations. However, a murder is about to upend the idyllic life on the island and lead to a lot of disturbing questions with disturbing answers as the barrier that keeps the islanders safe is set to expire after the murder.
Turton knocked it out of the park with this one, I was thoroughly engaged throughout the entire book and each revelation was unexpected, but not outside the realm of believability within the constructs of the world created.

The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton is a bold blend of murder mystery and speculative fiction, set against a haunting, post-apocalyptic backdrop. Known for his complex, twisty plots, Turton once again aims high, crafting an intricate narrative filled with secrets, puzzles, and philosophical questions about humanity.

The novel’s premise is undeniably intriguing—isolated survivors on a dying planet, a murder that threatens their fragile existence, and a ticking clock to solve it. Turton excels at world-building, and the atmospheric setting adds a moody tension that pulls you in. The concept feels fresh and ambitious, with moments of genuine suspense and thought-provoking ideas.

However, where the book struggles is in its execution. The pacing often drags, weighed down by overly complex plot threads that sometimes feel convoluted rather than clever. Character development takes a backseat to the twist-heavy plot, making it harder to connect emotionally with the stakes. While the mystery itself has its moments of brilliance, some reveals feel forced or unnecessarily complicated, leaving the ending less satisfying than expected.

This is a story about what survives the end of the world.

This book was only the 2nd one l've ever read that utilized a sentient & somewhat omnipotent Al as one of multiple narrative perspectives- and I was super into it, especially bo that was the only first person narrative pov. I also loved the locked room feeling of the island and the sense of impending doom that threaded throughout.

Thank you so much @netgalley & @bookmarked for the eArc!

3.5 rounded up to 4

This was a great sci-fi end of the world survival novel... it had a bunch of twists and an ending I didn't see coming. I feel like I can't say much beyond that purely because I don't want to spoil it!

This is a book for anyone looking for a meaningful and exciting science fiction read.

A thought-provoking mystery novel that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. I read it in one day!!

The characters are well-crafted and multi-dimensional. There are internal struggles, moral dilemmas along with some great supporting characters who have unique quirks and back stories.

The author's writing style is both descriptive and engaging. The vivid imagery and detailed settings transport readers into the bleak world the characters inhabit. Dialogue is sharp and realistic, adding to the authenticity of the interactions.

The novel explores themes of justice, redemption, and the human condition in the face of impending doom. It raises important questions about what it means to seek truth and justice when the world is falling apart.

Overall, this novel is a must-read for those who enjoy a blend of mystery and science fiction/fantasy.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark through Net Galley for an advance copy.

Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy.

I struggled getting into this book so I ended up getting a copy of the audiobook from my library and listening to it. While I really liked this authors previous work, The 7 1/2 deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, I didn't enjoy this one nearly as much. The mystery was just okay. The scifi reveals were, however, more entertaining. The mystery threw a lot of twists at you, some of which were interesting, most just felt like they dragged the book out longer. I did like the conclusion of the book and found the villagers to be likable enough. I would have liked less murder mystery and more scifi mystery.

3 stars.

The premise is absolutely gripping—a post-apocalyptic setting with an idyllic island that hides a dark secret. The idea of a murder, combined with the threat of an encroaching fog that will wipe out everyone if it’s not solved within 92 hours, creates real tension and stakes. The setting is well-crafted, and the concept of memory loss adds an intriguing layer to the mystery. However, I found that the execution didn’t always live up to the high-concept premise.

The plot is complex, and while the pacing is generally good, the constant back-and-forth between confusion and revelation can feel a bit repetitive at times. Some of the twists were interesting, but others seemed overly contrived, relying heavily on coincidence rather than character-driven actions. The characters, though they have potential, feel a bit one-dimensional, making it hard to fully invest in their fates.

That said, the concept is strong enough to keep you turning pages, and the final reveal does have an audacity that’s commendable. If you’re a fan of inventive mysteries and high-stakes scenarios, this book will appeal to you, but it doesn’t quite hit the mark in terms of delivering a truly satisfying, tight narrative.

This story was fascinating to me. I loved learning about the characters and how they contributed to their society and it was an on the edge of your seat thriller that had me hooked when the murder happened! It ended very nicely with all loose ends tied up and I can’t wait to read his other titles.

One of my favorite reads of 2024. I found this sci-fi/mystery to be so unexpected! The descriptions suggest a more traditional mystery, but the science fiction elements are what I found most interesting. I highly enjoyed it, but when I recommended to folks who enjoy science fiction, they didn't like it as much as I did.

I LOVED 7 1/2 Deaths, so when I saw this book pop-up I was so excited. I first tried the audiobook and could not get into it. It did take me a while to get into this book, but I am glad I stuck to it, because it ended up being very good! I think it was just a time and place thing for me. Stuart Turton is still one of my favorite authors!

The last bastion of humanity live on a utopic island where there has just been a murder for the first time. Failsafes have engaged which will kill all inhabitants unless the murderer can be found.

This was a masterpiece I could not put down. Do yourself a favor and read it. Stuart Turton is a gifted genius. What a cool brain. The AI governing the island is both the narrator and a character. Executed so well. My brain was crawling because I knew I had all the information I needed to solve it myself if I could just focus hard enough. I had to know what happened next; this book was unputdownable. I can't wait to see what Turton writes next.

I enjoyed Stuart Turton's "The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle", and looked forward to another blend of reality and science fiction.

"The Last Murder at the End of the World" is very different. There is very little grounding in reality in it. A village at the end of the world, centered around a science lab that holds the secrets of the world's end, and possibly its future? A voice that represents the collective mind of the villagers who remain. A small group of elders who are trusted with all that remain of the memory of the world before it ended. But nothing about this situation can be trusted.

Emory is a sceptic in a world of believers. She doesn't have any particular skills to lend to the community, but when a cataclysm rocks the village, her questions may be the answers.

I'm not a fan of climate apocalypse stories. I had to continually remind myself to suspend belief and re-immerse myself in the world of the village. I suspect this book will appeal much more to fans of the genre.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

In this dystopian world, trying to figure out a murder. While also running from the fog. I enjoyed this for the most part. It is heavy on the world building. I felt lost for some of it. So many characters. It was a 2.5 star for me but I rounded it up since most platforms do not allow for partial stars.

I received an advanced copy of The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton from the publisher Sourcebook Landmark via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What It’s About: There is an island that is the last place on earth. It is idyllic, has one hundred and twenty-two villagers and three scientists living in peaceful harmony. The villagers are content to fish, farm, and feast and obey their curfew. Until one day, one of their beloved scientists is brutally murdered. The murder has triggered a lowering of the island security system around the island that keeps the dangerous fog at bay, if the murder is not solved in 107 hours, the fog will take over the island and kill everyone on it.

My Thoughts: I do not normally love mysteries and maybe starting this on a walk, helped but I was entirely captivated. This book is unputdownable and I needed to know what happened! This book includes an artificial intelligence that narrates the whole novel and is the perfect unreliable because the system is there to assure utopia, so how much can you trust the narrator? This mystery has lots of elements! One storyline I liked was the mother and daughter who had been previously estranged and are bought together to solve the murder. I truly enjoyed both these characters and found them both quite likeable. This set up is truly intriguing and a giant puzzle. Very well done.

Who Should Read It: If you like dystopian books and closed room murder mysteries, this book is for you.

Summary: A scientist who helped stop the end of the world is murdered and unless her murder can be solved, the world will end.

Stuart is very good at creating a mystery in a fantastical world. A person is murdered but you’re too busy questioning everything about this world to properly figure out the killer. Our narrator is an all seeing AI implanted in everyone’s mind who doesn’t hide from reader that they are lying to characters about events. This method let’s see the POV of other characters while also furthering the mystery why the AI is lying.

This review is based on an advanced reader copy for an honest review.

Atmospheric and compelling, Turton's Last Murder is a fantastic read. I wish there was a little but more history of the murder solving trio, but it did not take away from the story.

I received an advanced copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

My opinion regarding Stuart Turton's previous novels have been mixed. While I loved "The 7 1/2 Death's of Evelyn Hardcastle", "The Devil and the Dark Water" fell flat for me. I wasn't sure what to expect with this third one - but I was ecstatic when I was approved for it on NetGalley as I was hoping for the best.

In The Last Murder at the End of the World, Stuart Turton depicts the very last human settlement on Earth, a Greek island engulfed by an ever-present and insurmountable wall of fog, and the murder of one of the settlement's elders. (In my head, I kept imagining Stephen King's "The Mist" as the inhabitants believe they will die if they enter the fog)

While the premise is undoubtedly ambitious, combining facets of dystopian science fiction with an elaborate whodunit approach, the result did not hit the way the way that I was hoping for. I felt that all the elements were there, but the sheer amount of characters often left me confused and distracted - especially with the perspective switches which occurred between Abi, in the first person, and the villagers, in the third. This left me in a severe mental battle with the novel. I didn't necessarily "DNF" this one, but whenever I took a break from reading, I was highly unmotivated to pick this one back up. It wasn't until I was able to get the audiobook off Libby, that I forced myself to finally finish the novel as I wanted to know what the big twist at the end would be, and provide a fair rating.

Ultimately, this novel was better than "The Devil and the Dark Water", which is how I settled on a 3 star rating. Chris Bissette, another GoodRead's account, called Turton the "M Night Shyamalan of fiction" and as an M Night Shyamalan fan, I could not agree more. I'll keep reading Turton's novels as they come out because Turton was the author that wrote them (similar to why I keep watching M Night Shyamalan films because their M Night Shyamalan films); but I fear the big twist in their subsequent work may never meet the expectations as the work that put them on the map.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and Stuart Turton for an advanced reader copy of "The Last Murder at the End of the World."

The story takes place on a remote Greek Island 90 years after the world ended. 3 scientists live here, on the last place unaffected by the fog, with the villagers that have been born on the Island since the end of days. When one of the scientists is murdered the defenses put in place to defend the Island begin to fail. What's worse, everyone's memories are missing from the night of the murder.

I was really excited to read this after reading and loving The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, but this was a bit of a miss for me. I had some trouble following the narrative as there were a lot of characters including an AI in their heads who all spoke simultaneously. The discovery of the villagers origins kind of lost me too.

I did appreciate the murder mystery nature of trying to determine what happened to the scientist and the reveal at the end, but I think I would've liked to think back and see the "twist" coming, there didn't seem to be many hints dropped about what was going to happen with the fog.

I admittedly wasn't sure what to expect going into this book and I think that is a good thing. Even though the title includes "end of the world" I am hit and miss with anything apocalyptic. However, this felt more extended family mystery style with a curious detachment included. I would recommend this to anyone who says they like "unusual books".