Reminiscent of watching the old series Lost or a grown up version of Shusterman’s Scythe series this book features a dystopian community clinging to survival on the edge of the world after human civilization has collapsed. Trouble and conflict splits the leaders’ unity until one of them is killed.

With chapter headings like “43 hours until Humanity’s Extinction” the tension is palpable. With an omniscient narrator who talks to all humans in their minds and also seemingly breaks the third wall readers wonder if the technology created by the murdered leader has gone badly rogue.

Villagers manipulated in their sleep with no memory but visible wounds; unreliable memories from everyone due to memory swipes the night of the murder, and the ticking time bomb of death delivering fog creeping ever closer.

Reads with a cinematic, propulsive energy that keeps readers guessing and pages turning. The plausible red herrings and unreliable memories makes the truth hard to tease out. A layered plot with plenty of discussion points make this the perfect book club selection. Be sure you have time carved out once you start, you won’t want to put it down.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a review.

This one took me a long time to get through. I'm going through a lot of things right now, so my attention span when it comes to reading is not as long as it should be (meaning I'm having a hard time focusing). This is a book that requires a lot of focusing. But that's not a bad thing. It was very intricate and well-plotted, and even though I had to put it down for a few weeks to finish another book that had priority (because of book club), I was still able to pick it up and keep track of what had happened. It was an interesting read, and although I'm not sure of the motivations of some of the characters, it was still good.

I was so invested for the first half of the story. I was intrigued and wanted to know more. I loved the premise and couldn’t put the book down. That’s when I started the second half and I just wanted it to end. I was shocked at how much of a negative turn this took. I just didn’t care anymore and was so disappointed in the path that it took. I love both of Stuart Turton’s other books but this was a huge letdown.

Book - 2 Stars

I loved "The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle". Every. Single. Second. Of. It [even when I didn't know what was going on and even the divisive ending]. I quickly bought his second book [which has been languishing on my shelf] and when I saw this new one on NG, I hit the request button and was super happy to get it.

Yeah.

So, this book didn't work for me. At all [my poor Mom had to listen to me rant and rave about it for a couple days]. I liked most of the characters [at least initially], with Emory and Clara being the standouts, and I really loved the subtle nods and nudges toward behaviors and circumstances surrounding us today, but everything else was just...meh.
The whole "mystery' never engaged me [especially after we learn certain things] and I found I was only finishing it because I had to know if this was all of it [was I seriously missing something? Nope, I don't think I was] and by the time I got to the end [the end, minus the whole scene with Emory and her husband, which was beautiful, was very, very flat for me], I was left very disappointed.
Overall, I just felt that the author was trying too hard and just never got the execution right.

Audiobook - 4 Stars

James Cameron Stewart is one of my favorite go-to narrators right now; it is funny, when I first listened to him, I was not a fan, but then I had to listen to him over a 6-book series, and well, he totally grew on me and here we are.
Other than ABI's voice [which I heard as way more feminine than what I was getting, so its totally on me and not really a reflection of the narration overall], I felt he did a excellent job and there were parts where his narration was the best part of the story. If you choose to read this book [and I encourage you to do so, as everyone's reading experience is different and you may love this so much and I would love that for you], I highly recommend this audiobook; I believe it will enhance your reading experience.

Thank you to NetGalley, Stuart Turton, James Cameron Stewart - Narrator, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, and RB Media for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.

An island inhabited by a hundred or so villagers and three elders is surrounded by fog, all that is left of human civilization. The fog is held back by barriers to keep everyone on the island safe. They all work together to maintain the island and keep humanity going. However, one night one of the elders is murdered, the barriers aren't working, and none of them can remember what happened the night before. With a ticking clock until the fog approaches the island, the villagers and other two elders need to work together to solve the crime.

Stuart Turton explores another genre through a murder mystery, this time in the realm of speculative science fiction. The characters and their complex relationships, especially Thea and Emory helped elevate the book a lot. The short chapters bounce around the many characters, which keeps the story moving and once the murder happens the book keeps at a steady pace until the grand climax. Turton builds out a familiar but unique society that makes the murder mystery a lot more challenging to solve. There were plenty of twists and reveals throughout to change how the reader views the characters. The solution was not the most surprising, but helped tie a lot of the book together. The class themes and unique setting make this book worth reading, even if it doesn't reach the heights of Turton's prior novels. Recommend this to people wanting a murder mystery in a new setting or a twist on a post-apocalyptic novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for a copy of The Last Murder at the End of the World in exchange for an honest review.

I loved The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle so I was excited to read the latest by Stuart Turton. While his Evelyn Hardcastle is still my favorite book by the author I The Last Murder at the End of the World is an apocalyptic story that ties in science fiction and supernatural thriller elements which make for a fascinating mystery read.

Just when I think a new Stuart Turton book can't be more inventive and wildly entertaining than the last, I'm happily proven wrong. Turton has such a strong grasp on his writing style and is a master of high-concept murder mysteries. New and old fans alike will not be disappointed by this mystery set in such a broken future. I loved it!!!

Stuart Tarton simply doesn't miss. This was fun, weird, and disturbing all at once and I was on the edge of my seat despite and because of the literary nature of Turton's writing. I'll read everything this man produces.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2 stars

I normally love dystopian books but this was not for me.

I absolutely love a good dystopian apocalyptic novel, and this one had the added element of a mystery with a ticking clock. The story is told through the perspective of an AI that is in the head of all of the villagers. We race against time to uncover the identity of the murderer of the beloved elder on the island before the deadly fog consumes the last remnants of life on the planet.

The concept of the evolution of humanity and what they created was intriguing. I wished to learn more about how humans were able to survive for so long, as the characters did not seem to age or aged very slowly, with some being well over 100 years old. However, this didn't hinder the progression of the story. The book was full of gripping elements, with numerous twists and turns on every page, making the reader second guess everything they had put together about the murderer. As the extinction of humanity grew nearer, the urgency in the tone of the book also intensified, making the last few chapters particularly intense.

The characters were well-developed and evoked empathy. The world in the story was intricate, and I would have appreciated learning more about how and why we ended up on this island, beyond just the basics. Despite this, the book is definitely worth reading.

I must preface my review with a disclaimer that I generally don’t appreciate science fiction as much as some people. However, even if I did, I can’t say I would have enjoyed this book much more. The plot is convoluted, slow paced, full of plot holes and mostly a disappointment. Not a recommendation from me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.

I've never read anything like this before. I may end up changing my rating after I think about it for a few days. It was soooo good.

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark | Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC! "The Last Murder at the End of the World" by Stuart Turton is a gripping and intricately crafted mystery that takes readers on a thrilling journey through time and suspense. Set against the backdrop of a remote and eerie island, the story follows an eclectic group of characters trapped in a deadly game where past sins come back to haunt them. Turton's writing is masterful, blending elements of psychological suspense with a touch of gothic horror. The characters are richly developed, each hiding secrets and motives that add layers to the intricate plot. The narrative unfolds through twists and turns, keeping readers guessing until the final, shocking revelation. With its atmospheric setting and compelling storytelling, "The Last Murder at the End of the World" is a must-read for fans of intricate mysteries and intricate puzzles that challenge both the characters and the readers alike.

Stuart Turton's The Last Murder at the End of the World mixes murder mystery with an end-of-the-world thriller, set on a remote island where survivors are facing both impending disaster and a spooky fog full of deadly creatures. The story starts strong with the island's eerie vibe and the looming threat of apocalypse, keeping readers hooked with suspense and unanswered questions as secrets about the island unravel.

But things shift gears when the focus turns to a murder investigation involving one of the island's scientists. Some readers might feel like the story loses steam here. The intricate details of the murder case, plus the flip-flopping between first and third-person perspectives, can leave readers feeling confused and disconnected. Despite its bold ideas and gripping start, the book struggles with pacing and overly complicated plot twists that might make it tough for some readers to stay engaged.

In the end, The Last Murder at the End of the World shows off Turton's imaginative storytelling, but it's probably best suited for fans of literary fiction mixed with speculative elements. If you dig deep mysteries, you might appreciate Turton's style, but if you prefer a simpler, more immersive read, you might find this one a bit of a challenge.

"The Last Murder at the End of the World" by Stuart Turton was a little different than the novels I read, but I enjoyed the blend of sci-fi and mystery overall. Perhaps I'm just not used to sci-fi books, but the plot started off quite slow for me taking its time to build momentum. The setting—a dystopian future on the brink of collapse—immediately grabs your attention, but the character's names and roles were at times difficult to follow in the early chapters. However, about halfway through the novel when the plot finally picked up, I could not put the book down!

Turton's ability to craft a world that feels both eerily familiar and completely unique is truly mesmerizing as he weaves in aspects of the human condition and moral dilemmas that every reader can relate to. Each chapter pulls you deeper into the mystery, with the tension ratcheting up as the clock ticks down. If you're a fan of clever, intricately plotted mysteries that keep you guessing until the very end, this book is a must-read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I think that Stuart Turton just isn't an author for me. I had previously tried to read The 7 1/5 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and couldn't make it more than 20% through it and this book was truly a struggle. My biggest complaint is that all the charaters are super flat and just a single thing. This one is a ~Scientist~ and this one is a ~Teenage Girl~! The story was super low stakes despite literally being about the end of the world and the little mysteries that popped up along the way just didn't add anything. I don't think I'll give this author another chance because it just sucks so much to reach the end of a book and feel relieved that it's over.

I wasnt able to review The Last Murder at the End of the World by the publish date but now that I have read it I gave it 3.5 stars

This was a chore, which is not a word one would expect with either genre, the apocalypse or murder mysteries. But there you have it. I read in fits until 30%, when I had a hard conversation with myself about whether or not to quit. Luckily, my AI advisor wiped my memory of the first 25%, so I was able to persevere. Also, my genetic makeup makes me unable to cope with not knowing the ending--it's honestly the hardest thing about dying before the world ends, if you want to know the truth. If I could just peek at the ending, I'm sure I'd die happily, or at least, with satisfaction. But not if it ends like this. If it ends like this book, I'll just die irritable.

But I digress. Unlike the Murder atEotW, which obfuscates the story every step of the way. We begin on an island, the only remaining outpost of humanity (as far as anyone knows) after a deathly fog has spread throughout the Earth. This last patch of scientists on this island were able to erect a barrier, so this tiny remaining population is safe. Except--this is important--the fog leaked into their underground science-lab-lair, so they are locked out of that as well. The current population has an omnipresent AI embedded in their skulls, except for the original scientists, and an outlier. And this, in a nutshell, is what happens in this story. For every thing the reader learns, we are presented with why this could not be helpful in this scenario. It begins to feel like someone constructing an elaborate puzzle box, with the idea that at the end, there will be a dramatic reveal that will expose the inner-workings of the situation. In other words, it feels more like Mousetrap® than Clue®.

"'I'm incapable of want,' I say. 'I was created to follow Niema's instructions without deviation, and her instructions demand that I protect humanity against any threat.' 'Even if that threat's Niema? 'Even if that threat's Niema,' I confirm."

Then there's the writing which has so much foreshadowing, I started rooting for the reluctant killer.

"'None that I can see,' I reply in her thoughts. 'Somebody has to die for this plan to work.' 

Shortly followed by: "'If any of these things disrupts your plan, the human race will be rendered extinct in ninety-one hours."

I started checking my per cent read, and believe the murder finally happened at 30% or so. Unfortunately, this did not end the book. No, a detective is appointed, then the reader is immediately treated to more obstructive behavior, including the threat to kill almost everyone on the island in at least two different ways (because one is not enough!). The all-knowing AI? Can't reveal anything because orders. But it will kill the humans if they don't figure it out. The humans involved? Had their memory wiped. But we've discovered something that can return memories! But it will kill them! It's like ever more elaborate Dungeons and Dragons scenarios... that are just dumb. I only became more suspicious that this was an elaborate book con as I read, particularly as it became apparent that Turton is playing games with his words as well, particularly 'humans.'

"I should try to comfort him, but there's no optimal way of handling extreme emotion in humans, which I've come to regard as the greatest of evolution's failures."

To be honest, I was most sorry for the animals at the end of the world (that vulture! the turtles!), and not the people. As I periodically checked my percent read, I started wishing for the people to die and put me out of my misery. This is a book without any reliable narrators, puzzling world-building, and unlikeable, inconsistent characters. I think I understand what Turton was attempting to do: general commentary on human foibles, illustrate complications of connection, discuss questions of nature and nurture. I certainly hope it wasn't a commentary on slavery.

I eventually finished and yes, I was right; is an elaborate set-up for a complex mystery and a magician's trick. But so badly done, from the perspective of the world-building sci-fi or the plot-focused detective readers. This would probably work best if you are a literary fiction reader who loved the approach to the apocalypse in Station Eleven or a sci-fi reader who tolerated the approach to science (ha!) in Dark Matter.




Clearly, all opinions are my own. My thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the advance reader copy.

Not my typical genre (sci-fi) but I loved 7 1/2 deaths so I wanted to give it a try. This one did start a little slow for me, as it is a lot of characters and world building at the start, but once I was in, I was truly invested in trying to put together the pieces of this puzzle.

Some of them I couldn’t have guessed based on the nature of the genre but I really liked getting to know all the different characters through their motivations and Abi’s perspective. Turton’s mystery’s are engaging from beginning to end and definitely worth checking out.

This book begins with a brilliant premise, and I trusted that this was an author who could make good on that promise. Though that proves partly true, I have to note a good deal too much meandering; this lacked the crackle and tension that might have knit together the elements via strong pacing. It pains me to say, and I can attest there is still enjoyment to be had here, but it lacks the freshness of the author's debut. Frankly, other writers have already imagined parts of this story, though I'm not motivated to detail behind spoiler warnings.

Appeals: world-building, complexity, social commentary, genre-blending, mysterious (though not truly rewarding as a genre mystery), intellect, imaginative

Note: It's unfortunate that Hulu recently released a similarly titled series ("A Murder at the End of the World") which incorporates near-future technology, isolated setting, and a prominent AI character. The stories are not identical, but I had to keep shoving thoughts of the other out of mind, as it seemed there could be additional resonance, which was not ideal. Yes, that's a reader (me) problem, but I'd be surprised if I were alone.