I kept waiting for this book to grow on me, in part because it has elements I love: social critique masquerading as a murder mystery, a slow opening up of a new world, fun sci fi. The Last Murder at the End of the World never quite captured me, though. The novel, a locked-room mystery that takes place on an island surrounded by killer fog, is narrated by an AI named Abi who operates as a kind of moral compass for the residents of the island; she can talk to them, hear their thoughts, and in some instances control their bodies. Though I’ve enjoyed AI narrators before—Neal Shusterman’s Thunderhead is a great example—Abi ultimately felt like a distraction, and sometimes a (literal) deus ex machina. The narration unfolds from the perspective of a few main characters, usually in limited third person, and I often found myself forgetting about Abi until there was a sudden shift to the first-person “I.” It was strange to read a mystery told by a narrator who knows all the secrets but doesn’t care about the players—at least, not beyond their usefulness in achieving a particular result. Ultimately, I didn’t connect enough with the characters to feel invested in their success, and I found the mystery itself too reliant on trickery and Abi’s interference to be satisfying in itself.

I used to think I wasn't "into Sci Fi" and would have avoided any book that used elements of the genre. If that's you too, please do not make that mistake and miss out on this compelling novel. Take a chance because this novel delves deep into issues of humanity, sacrifice, family, loyalty, and love.

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

No one builds suspense and confusion quite like Stuart Turton. The stakes are high (is there anything higher than the end of the world and the extinction of the human race?) and the questions pile up as the book progresses, culminating in a series of twists that had me confused up until the epilogue. All in all, it was a fun, quick read with a sprinkling of lessons about humanity.

The backstory: Many years in the future, humanity has made great advancements in science, medicine, technology in general – there’s even a solution for climate change. Billionaire scientist Niema Mandripilias has bought a Greek island, building labs in the tunnels in the former nuclear bunker. She then recruits some of the greatest scientists in the world to live and work on her island. But then disaster strikes: a fog begins to cover the globe, killing everything it touches. She’s able to build a barrier a half mile out from the perimeter of the island to keep her scientists safe. When they realize how dire the situation is around the world, they open the island to refugees – anyone who can get to the island. About 125 people join them. There are other pockets of survivors around the world they are able to contact, but slowly those pockets go silent, leaving their island as the only remaining humans on the planet..

Life is difficult, especially at first, for a group of people with limited survival skills – not used to growing their own food for example. Some decide to leave the safety of the island to go back to their families. Others enter the fog willingly. Slowly things improve until tragedy strikes again: the fog invades the lab, trapping many of the remaining scientists in the facility, sealing them behind bulkheads. The three scientists that escape – Niema, the billionaire scientist; her son Hephaestus, a brilliant scientist in his own right; and Thea, a genius scientist who was hired when she was in her teens – become known as the elders while the others are known as the villagers. When the story opens, the elders are all over 100, although they appear much younger and are still in perfect health.

The plot: The prologue opens with Niema planning a mysterious experiment with Abi, the AI that serves as the narrator. Even though it’s risky, Niema goes ahead with her plan. Over the next few chapters, the readers are introduced to the other main characters – Emory, her daughter Clara, her father Seth, the two elders, and Adil, an exiled villager. The action starts when Emory wakes up to find one of the warehouses on fire. Inside, she finds six villagers dead and – horror of horrors! – Niema, her head crushed by a beam. Only Emory quickly realizes that the beam didn’t kill Niema. She also notices the satellite dish turned bird bath has been moved, hiding blood stains from Niema in the yard. Oh, and by the way, everyone’s memories of the previous night have been wiped, meaning no one knows for certain if they killed Niema or not. To further ratchet up the tension, Niema had a dead man’s switch to protect herself from the early refuges getting ideas: if her heart stops beating, the barriers come down and the fog rolls in. Yes, Abi can bring them back up, but won’t because it goes against Niema’s intent. She devises a compromise: find who killed Niema and execute them, and she will reinstate the barriers. Emory, the villager who’s already been shown to be the most inquisitive, the one who enjoys reading mysteries, wins the job. At this point, she only has 43 hours to solve the crime before Humanity’s Extinction.

The verdict: Like the other books by Stuart Turton that I’ve read, I loved it! In general, I really enjoy the mystery / sci fi hybrid, and this one was highly entertaining with layers of mystery and secrets, both secrets the scientists were keeping from the villagers and secrets the scientists were keeping from each other, but yet - given the loss of technology in general - not overly techy sounding where you're wondering what exactly a 'XYZ' is. Abi was a great concept for a narrator! She is both first person and omniscient at the same time as she lives in the minds of all who live on the island, subtle influencing their thoughts and actions. And while she knows what actually happened, she lied that she doesn’t remember as the ‘truth would only muddy the waters’ and she wants people to ‘see exactly as much as I want them to see.’ So, I guess she’s technically an unreliable narrator, but given she confesses she’s not telling us everything, I guess she’s an honest one? The whole mechanism of having everyone's memories wiped and having a tight deadline also worked well, too - a fun twist on the standard plot of asking everyone for their alibis!

Overall, highly recommended, even more so if you’ve enjoyed Turton’s previous books!

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.com that I voluntarily chose to review.

This is setting is sooooo different from Turton's other books, I think readers will be surprised. I'm not sure I would have requested this if I didn't already like the author. The writing is propulsive and the chapters are short, so I am flying through it but not quite finished yet. Post-apocolyptic island + murder mystery, it's an interesting combo, but not my personal favorite setting. Kinda reminded me of the 1990s Water World movie at first.

I love books that blur the edges of genres, jumping between them in unexpected ways, books like The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett. The Last Murder at the End of the World is just such a book, blending post-apocalyptic science fiction and mystery. Narrated by an all-seeing AI, this is a book that starts slowly and then takes off in a sprint to the end. You won't be able to put it down until you reach the conclusion!

This is a dystopian science fiction with a dash of Sherlock Holmes vibes.

I really loved the world Stuart Turton has created in The Last Murder at the End of the World. The imagery of the island was vivid and I could easily picture this book becoming the next must-watch Apple TV series.

Each of the characters held their own - especially Emory. I will say, about 3/4 of the way through the book, Emory kind of "figured it all out" a bit too easily for my taste. But I also know that was her character -- someone uniquely observant. Mostly, the mystery surrounding the island and the mysterious fog that consumes it + the death of one of the beloved Elders kept me reading.

Overall, I really loved the sci-fi elements here and this deeper look into humanity in both its beauty and demise.

Staurt Turton delights again with a creative who-dun-it thriller, this time set against the backdrop of a post-apocalyptic Earth all but decimated by a terrifying biological contaminant. The last of humanity resides on an island in the Mediterranean home to a small village, an AI, a locked laboratory, and three mysterious "Elders" from Earth before its fall. When the peaceful community is rocked by a murder, the village must band together to solve crime before the biological contaminant overtakes the island and wipes out what remains.

Turton is incredibly talented at taking common tropes and putting them to inventive use: Groundhog Day took on a whole new meaning in The 7/12 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, and the amnesia trope takes center stage in Last Murder. It's hard to review the plot without getting into spoilers, but suffice to say it kept me guessing right up until the final page. There are seemingly infinite layers to Turton's mystery, with each revelation leading to a list of new questions.

My only caveat is the weakness of the characters, none of whom stand out as unique or memorable. It feels like Turton took cookie-cutter versions of classic murder mystery characters (The Detective, the Red Herring Villain, The Kindly Elder, the Precocious Child etc) and wove them into the narrative with minimal personalization. Despite this, he does succeed at crafting a tender tale of family, love, and loss, as several generations of the villages inhabitants must dig up old secrets and put to bed old grudges in order to save the island and themselves.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing this book, with my honest review below*

The Last Murder at the End of the World is a beautifully written book that met the high expectations its unique premise set. Set in the future, we follow Niema, an elder and scientist, as well as Emory, a villager, and other characters as they introduce us to the village on an island that is the last to house humanity in the far off future.

This book focuses on several mysteries, not just the culprit behind the murder but that of the village and the secrets associated with it, as well as our sometimes narrator and character Abi. Stuart Turton has done a wonderful job of world building and adding tension and questions to move the plot that hit the right balance for a reader to stay engaged without getting confused. I enjoyed this and believe any reader who enjoys a good mystery or a dose of sci fi will as well.

3.5 stars. This one was weird for me. I liked the concept but found the AI component a bit confusing. I also felt like there was a lot of repetition while trying to solve the mystery. The premise is fascinating and definitely makes you think.

WOW, I loved every minute of this! Did I stay up entirely too late one night because I just had to finish this book and couldn’t stop? Why, yes, yes I did. It’s easily going to be in my top reads of the year, I already know it. I know, that’s an ambitious thing to say about my first book of 2024, but I couldn’t have asked for a better way to start out my reading year.

It’s the best of both science-fiction and mystery/thriller. I loved everything about this book - the characters, the world-building, the plotting, the pacing. It was a perfect five star read for me. I was completely absorbed in the events and transported into the story world. I absolutely loved the writing and narration style. I want all of my reading experiences to feel as captivating and compelling as this one did.

I will be recommending this to everyone and will most likely still be raving about it years to come. I have had this author’s backlist books on my tbr for a while now and I won’t be putting them off any longer, they will definitely be getting read this year. Dare I say it, this one book alone was enough to solidify this author as a favorite and I will be auto-buying anything he writes from now on.

The Last Murder at the End of the World is a gorgeous post-apocalyptical genre mashup of a novel. On an island the last survivors from a deadly fog live and work together in harmony. The three scientists or elders rule the rest of the villagers with their knowledge and everything is peaceful until a murder occurs and the fog is unleashed. If the murderer isn't discovered in 92 hours, the fog will cover their island, killing everyone left in the world. What follows is described as a murder mystery, but is so much more. This story is also a survival story and a psychological thriller, there is romance and what it means to be a family, there is also the spirit of hope and resilience throughout. It's so beautifully and smartly told, I don't think there is anyone who would not enjoy this. First five star read of 2024.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

1: The Plot

The story starts ninety years after a deadly world-ending fog swept the earth. 122 villagers and 3 scientists make up the remainder of humanity, all living together in an island shielded from the fog.

After Niema Mandripilias, the head scientist, is murdered, the security system keeping the fog back goes down, giving the villagers 92 hours to solve the murder before everyone dies. But the AI, Abi, ingrained into the humans’ minds has mysteriously wiped everyone’s memory of the incident, meaning the killer could be anyone.

2: Narrative, Prose, and Story

The story is told through the AI Abi’s "eyes" so to speak. Abi has been integrated into every character’s psyche, but mostly follows Emory as she works to solve the case of Niema’s death and uncover the secrets the scientists (and Abi) have been keeping from the villagers.

Abi tells the story from both third and first person. It was really interesting. But I didn’t find it difficult to follow at all. The story is really well structured so as not to confuse the reader.

3: Characters

As with most of my reviews, I’ll only discuss the characters I feel I have something to say about.

Emory makes a good protagonist for this story. Despite Abi using subtle suggestion from birth to keep the villagers ignorant, Emory is still full of questions. And she’s determined to get answers. I really liked her and enjoyed following her throughout the story.

Clara is Emory’s daughter, with whom she has a difficult relationship as a result of Emory’s personality. Clara isn’t like her mother and at first, is perfect happy not asking questions. Then Clara’s best friend goes missing and the murder happens. Clara ends up teaming up with Emory to solve the case.

The scientists, Niema, Hephaestus, and Thea are pretty morally corrupt. But they’re interesting characters to learn about.

4: Conclusion

I enjoyed this mystery a lot. If this book is anything to go by, Turton writes an excellent novel. I can’t wait to check out his other works!

★★★★☆ (4/5)

Stuart Turton tackles a new genre mashup mixing sci-fi and mystery in The Last Murder at the End of the World. Unlike his prior book 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hargreaves, Turton struggles, in my opinion, blending these two genres but does create a compelling mystery.

4.5 stars

A murder mystery with a sci-fi post apocalyptic back drop made this such an intriguing puzzle to unravel. I really enjoyed my reading experience with this one, and had a hard time putting the book down.

The island in this story is inhabited by the villagers and 3 scientist, all of whom are stuck, surrounded by a deadly fog. Then the unthinkable happens, a murder, which triggers the island defenses to come down, and the fog starts to role in closer, unless the murder is solved.

I loved the set-up for this story, it made the mystery not only about the murder, but also about the island, and how it works. I think this added much more complexity to the story, and made the mystery element stronger. The characters were well drawn out, and interesting. You got to see their motivations, and understand them throughout the story. The viewpoints from other characters helped flesh out the story and gave more depth than if it was just from the viewpoint of the main narrator Emory. There were a lot of clues and suspects, which at times felt a bit too much, but amazingly it all came together at the end.


Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

The world has been destroyed by a deadly fog, killing everything it touches. Except for a secluded island, inhabited by 125 people, designed by a team of scientists who are determined to destroy the fog and rebuild mankind. But that plan is endangered when one of the scientists, a beloved mentor to the villagers, is murdered. Only by solving the murder can the villagers save their island, and mankind. The Last Murder At The End Of The World is a dystopian story at its finest, mixing science fiction with a murder mystery, all while exploring basic human ethics, and the result is a thrilling apocalyptic tale of survival. While the story gets a bit confusing and long-winded at times, the reader is still gripped by a suspenseful and tension filled narrative, with fascinating characters and a thought-provoking, unique plot. Quite a read, book clubs will love it.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Free e-ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher for reviewing purposes.

Where to begin when reviewing this book? This was an ideal mystery to read at the end of the year. It's deliciously immersive; because of the setting and limited outside world, the narrative makes you feel trapped and maybe a little claustrophobic. We join a peaceful village, the only surviving civilization, protected from the poisonous fog that has enveloped the rest of the world, populated by three scientists and 122 villagers. Narrated by the omniscient AI that monitors and controls the villagers, you get the sense that this is more of a dystopia than the villagers understand. And when one of the scientists is murdered in the night, and everyone wakes up with their memories erased, things get very serious. Particularly because of the triggered dead man's switch that has started a countdown to drop the island's safety shields- if the murderer is not discovered, the fog will descend upon them.

I would recommend this book to fans of SciFi, dystopian fiction, and mysteries. It's not such a straightforward mystery that I can say all fans of Agatha Christie will love it- the worldbuilding is different, and the narration by the AI may put some people off. Not to get too specific, but you have to be pretty into the book already to suspend your disbelief for some parts of the story and I can see some readers taking issue with that. Definitely, if you've enjoyed Stuart Turton's previous books, you'll enjoy this one. I really liked it, and it left me with a lot to think about after I finished it, but I can tell it's not going to be for everybody. Also, I imagine people may get this confused with the TV show "A Murder At The End Of The World"...

Stuart Turton is one of my favorite authors! His two prior books, The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and The Devil and the Dark Water were both five star stunners for me so I couldn't wait to dive into this one!

The Last Murder at the End of the World is set on an idyllic island where all 122 residents and 3 scientists live in blissful peace. Outside of the isle, there is a fog that has destroyed the rest of the world killing anything it touches.

To the resident's horror, they find one of their scientists murdered. The murder triggered the security system around the island that has kept the dangerous fog from rolling in. The security system on the island has also wiped away everyone’s memory of the night before, which means one of them is a murderer and they don’t even realize it. If the murder is not solved within 92 hours, the fog will roll in.

I had some very high expectations going into this one and I'm happy to report that it did not disappoint! This dystopian whodunnit had me gripping the pages and I absolutely could not put it down. Written in Turton’s smart writing style, the book is a bit different from his other books but not in a bad way. This genre-bending story, Full of twists and turns, kept me engrossed from page one until the very end. If you are looking for an entertaining mystery or are a fan of Turton’s prior works, then I highly recommend this one!

The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton will be available on May 21. Many thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for the gifted copy!

The Last Murder at the End of the World is a sort of locked room, time-is-running-out-to-save-the-world whodunnit. It's set against a post-apocalyptic world where a deadly fog has swept over the planet and killed mostly everyone, save the few villagers and scientists who have managed to survive on a tiny island. When one of the lead scientists is murdered in cold blood, it is up to Emory, a villager who has always been on the outs for asking too many questions, to solve it before the fog destroys everything and everyone she loves.

With the clock ticking, and only 92 hours to go, Emory must leave no stone unturned, whittling down the answer in a place where everyone is a suspect.

I liked that this had sensibilities of The Ferryman by Justin Cronin with its utopia/dystopia polarity and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak with its amoral and omniscient AI narrator. It gave the plot a cerebral sci-fi pulse that I thought was interesting. It enabled readers to look at what was happening to and with the characters from a more detached perspective. Emory was a good protagonist. Willful. Defiant. Constantly asking questions. Unabashed about her proclivity towards critical thinking. I liked being with her as she sorted through clues, motives, and false leads.

The story did stall at times, with the murder mystery portions dragging on in spots and with a bevy of characters who felt tangential to the plot at best, but all in all, this was complex and multilayered. I enjoyed the way it dangled questions of humanity and morality under my nose, especially since the answers were almost always ambiguous.

3.5 stars

Special thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC in exchange for my review!

Stuart Turton does it again! What a wonderful story teller. Turton never ceases to amaze me with his character & world building. I continuously look forward to everything he puts out.