I was provided both an ebook and audio ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

I mainly listened to the audiobook version, however it was extremely helpful to have the ebook handy while reading this book as there are a lot of characters to keep track of as this story unfolds. I found myself referring to the print version often to keep track of relationships. The narrator was good for the most part, however he did a very high pitched voice for one of the female characters. It was almost whiny, which I didn't enjoy, the other characters were fine.

As for the plot, I found the first half of the book to be very engaging. We get the first major plot twist around the halfway point, then the remainder of the book seemed to drag after that major reveal. The plot is fairly convoluted as one of the main characters is found murdered, and an investigation ensues to find out what really happened. The investigation takes a round about approach to get to the bottom of what is going on, mainly because the inhabitants of the island can't remember what happened the night before. With only hours left to save everyone on the island before a deadly fog covers the island, Emory and Clara must solve the murder and uncover the secrets of the island itself.

This is a really hard book to review without giving spoilers. The twist in the middle of the book was great, then it went down hill for me from there. The murder investigation itself, was more procedural than suspenseful. If you have read Turton's previous books you will get that same high concept storytelling that takes a complex path to get to the end. The author often wants the reader to stay in the dark until the very end to prevent the reveal of whodunit, however I often found myself losing interest as I wasn't connected to the characters or the world. The concept of this dystopian, science fiction society was really interesting. As I mentioned, I really enjoyed the first half, but the author lost me in the second half as the investigation lacked action and thrilling moments to keep me engaged.

Thank you so much to Tantor Audio for the audiobook!

I really tried to get into this one but the narrator making all the different character's voices was such a huge distraction from the story. While the narrator's real voice was incredible and easy to listen to, the other voices sounded like animals or children and not adults and really pulled away from the story.

I will continue to read the book in print!

This book lived up to all my expectations. Immersive, twisty, emotional, intellectual, layered secrets, thought-provoking, eerie, & fully developed characters. A brilliant and flawless masterpiece.

A post-apocalyptic, dystopian world. A deadly fog has spread, & humanity has dwindled down to 125 people on a remote island sanctuary with strongholds in place to keep the fog at bay. The small society consists of 3 elders from before civilization's end, and 122 villagers from during and after it's end. Those born after do as the elders say without question. Afterall, the experiments being performed will save humanity. A few specifics-the villagers must apply to be parents, everyone has their place, & everyone born after the elders dies on their 60th birthday.

Alas, one of the beloved elders is murdered. Survival depends on solving the murder in 92 hours. No-one can remember the events of the murder, and anyone can be a suspect. Hence, a killer runs rampant. The one who is tasked to solve the murder is the least-liked and least helpful village member (according to the majority).

The main character is wildly clever & tenacious. The narrator, Abby (ABI?), is an omniscient & comforting, ever-present voice inside each villagers’ head. Her purpose is to protect humanity at all costs. Part murder mystery, part scurry for survival story. Just when I thought I knew who the killer was, I was presented with new information that changed my mind. And oh, what a perfect & satisfying ending.

Pertaining to the audio recording: There were a few times when I chuckled to myself because the narrators’ voice made me think of Mrs. Doubtfire, specifically when they called out “Hewie!”. But regardless, the narrator did an outstanding job of giving life to all characters. Narration was lively, with great flow & pacing. As audiobooks go, this was a pleasure to listen to & I highly recommend.
Thank you @recordedbooks for providing this book via @netgalley for my honest review. All opinions are entirely my own.

#thelastmurderattheendoftheworld #stuartthurton #netgalley #bookstagram #whodunnit #mysterybooks #contemporaryfantasy #bookcomingsoon #audiobooklover

Thank you NetGalley,

I enjoyed the book but I wasn’t wowed by it. This is my first book from this author. Since I was listen to the audiobook I had a hard time following along with all the characters. There were some interesting characters but no one that stuck out to me. I also wasn’t impressed with the ending.

* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.

This is my first book by this author, and I honestly found it a bit confusing on audio. I think it might have been better in written form because I had to listen to the first chapters about 3 times before I slightly understood what was going on. I also struggled to understand what some of the names were because of the narrator’s British accent (and that’s mostly on me I think). But this is a book that you have to listen and pay close attention to for the first 50% or so. I prefer to listen to audiobooks and do activities that I don’t need to think about so that I can pay attention, but this book required me to not do anything else.

I think the story overall is interesting, but because I struggled to understand it for a huge chunk of the story it was hard to be interested. This also caused me to not feel attached to any of the characters. It’s also more sci-fi than I imagined and I thought this would be *mostly* thriller.

I don’t think I can recommend this based on my struggles, but if somebody is interested I would recommend the physical/ebook version.

This book was definitely not made for me. I am not a huge futurific, science fiction, reader. I struggled to connect with the book and found it to be boring at times. All that said, if you are a big fan of futuristic books, definitely pick this up! The details of this book were incredible. The creativity was honestly hard to imagine at times. It was complex, it was out of the box, it was different. However, if future scenarios, especially those that have to do with science and technology are not your thing, you may want to skip this one. If you love the creativity involved in how the world will look, this is absolutely a book for you!

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

I am all about dystopian reads. Love them! This one however, did not work for me. At 47% in I'm throwing in the towel. I feel like the story is all over the place and hard to connect with. Also, not a fan of the audiobook narrator. Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the ALC in Exchange ge for my honest opinion.

I was super excited to read The Last Murder at the End of the World. The description of this book sounded so interesting and thought-proving. However, for me it did not live up to the hype. I felt like Turton did not use the idea of the plot to its fullest, and the way he wrote made the story complicated. It seemed congested with words instead of letting the plot explain itself. I also think the narrator was a little boring.

The Last Murder At the End of the World
By Stuart Turton
4⭐️/5⭐️
Release date: May 21, 2024

In The Last Murder at the End of the World, we are taken to an post-apocalyptic world where deadly fog has taken over the Earth and the last safe zone is an island with 122 villagers and 3 Elders. The island has been a peaceful place that many generations have called home until one day one of the elders is murdered and the villagers realize their memories of the last 12 hours have been wiped. Now the fog is slowly moving closer and they have 92 hours to figure out who the murder is or else the fog threatens to overtake their island home.

The Last Murder at the End of the World was a really captivating read. He created this island world that feels like you’re actually there living and working with the villagers. You’re introduced to a fair amount of characters and listening to the audiobook, at times I tended to mix up two of them but that small bit aside the characters were very well written and very flushed out. Emery, our main character is tasked with solving the murder which will stop the fog from taking over the island. They also have an AI system named Abi who can hear everyone’s thoughts and actions. Abi is basically narrating the story and speaks in first person, which was a little confusing at first. The pacing of the book was very nice, using the amount of hours left until the fog overtakes the island as a driving force moving the story forward. Overall I really enjoyed the audio version of this book and will definitely be checking out more books by Turton.

Thank you to Netgally, Stuart Turton and Tantor Audio for an audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I KNEW BETTER than to try this on audio but I did it anyway and I have major regrets.

I have the most difficult time following the majority of male narrators and I also get lost in the plot line of a lot of make believe worlds on audio. I so wish I had requested the E Book but here we are. I do think this would be really fun to physically read. Trying to solve a murder that saves the world sounds like a good time, yeah?! So my review is this: skip the audio and take the longer route to read and enjoy ☺️

4.5 / 5 stars

A fog has enveloped the entire world, except for one lonely island and its 125 inhabitants. And then the unthinkable happens: For the first time in the 90 years their society has been surviving together, one inhabitant has murdered another. Now the survivors must solve the mystery if they want to prevent the fog from swallowing their refuge.

When I told my husband that I was reading a dystopian novel with a weird society full of secrets that was now conducting a murder investigation, he said that the book sounded perfect for me. I can't argue! I am a total sucker for dystopias and I love a Golden Age detective novel.

I thought that the story worked fairly well. I got a little lost in the deductions and reasoning at points, but by the time I got through the epilogue, I felt that the story had been a satisfying one.

But! The novel hinges on my current pet peeve: Plot-convenient amnesia. I'm really sick of this trope and wish the author had found another way to present the story.

One final critique: The narrator of the audiobook has a beautiful baritone and his reading was always clear and easy to follow. He did excellent accent work to help differentiate the speakers. However. His female falsetto was not a strong point, and this book required quite a bit of female voices. I'm actually surprised they didn't opt for a female narrator.

My pet peeves aside, I definitely recommend this if you are a mystery lover or sci-fi reader looking for something that breaks the mold!

Review to be published to Goodreads and Instagram (@goodquietkitty) on May 21, 2024.

Ok so….I think my rating might be misleading.
I am giving this book an entire star just because it is such a different concept. I really appreciate authors who test boundaries and go for abstract plots. This book was unlike anything I’ve read, which is exactly what I said about 7 1/2 deaths. So Turton just has a way with the obscure, apparently.
I struggled with this book more then I want to admit. I can’t decide if it was the narrator or if the lulls in the story were just too deep for me to wake back up into the action. The end of the book kind of lost me as well. I feel like there was dizzying explanation that just lost me after a bit. But I did like the ending overall.
To summarize, I would recommend this. I would be prepared for something you really need to pay attention to when you read. Turton really makes you focus. His books are not mindless page turners. I think it’s worth it.
Thank you netgalley for the AAC!

I've been enjoying more murder mysteries lately and this was no exception. While everyone else on the last island in the world is content and accepting of life as it is, Emory thinks outside the box and her questions are often frowned upon. However, when the leader of the scientists and islanders is found dead, and the island barrier begins to go down, it's up to Emory to solve the case and her people. I felt the story did drag a little towards the end and the resolution could've come sooner. Overall it was a nice murder mystery with a little doomsday backdrop.

The Last Murder at the End of the World is a difficult book to review for me. I was provided an advanced copy of the audio version, which is how I "read" it. And I believe that it is one of those instances where I would have enjoyed the book more had I read it with my eyeballs instead. To be clear, the narrator is clearly a good actor. He just was not the right actor for this book in my opinion. Most of the characters were female, yet the narrator was a male with a rich, deep voice. Most all his female voices were done in a highly affected falsetto that made each one seem like an old lady and was jarring in its pitch.

The STORY of the book is what I am primarily basing my review on. It was a sort of dystopian mystery set in a fictional world in the future where the world has basically ended and only a few humans remain on an island. As the story unfolds, we learn about two separate classes of these people and how they view each other. A character important to everyone in both classes is killed in an apparent accident which sets off a series of events that will ultimately lead to a fog that will destroy all remaining human life. Several characters undertake an investigation into the death as they believe if they can solve the mystery around the death, they can stop the end of the world. Drama ensues.

It was a fun, sometimes even whimsical, story and a compelling mystery. It would also make a great movie.

"The Last Murder at the End of the World" by Stuart Turton is a gripping and innovative murder mystery set against the backdrop of a world on the brink of destruction. In a world where a deadly fog has wiped out civilization, leaving only a small idyllic island untouched, tension mounts when one of the island's scientists is brutally murdered.

Turton masterfully crafts a suspenseful narrative that keeps readers guessing until the very end. With the threat of the encroaching fog looming overhead, the stakes are high as the island's inhabitants race against time to solve the murder and prevent their own demise. The added twist of the security system wiping everyone's memories only adds to the intrigue, as the killer could be anyone—even themselves.

The characters are richly drawn and complex, each with their own secrets and motivations. As the clock ticks down and suspicions rise, alliances shift and tensions simmer, creating a palpable sense of urgency and suspense.

What sets "The Last Murder at the End of the World" apart is its unique premise and imaginative world-building. Turton expertly balances the elements of mystery, suspense, and dystopian fiction, creating a thrilling and immersive reading experience.

Overall, "The Last Murder at the End of the World" is a riveting and thought-provoking read that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the final page. With its clever plot twists, engaging characters, and atmospheric setting, it's a must-read for fans of murder mysteries and dystopian fiction alike.

107 HOURS UNTIL HUMANITY’S EXTINCTION… happy almost pub day to the last murder at the end of the world by stuart turton ✨

while in theory this was an interesting premise, it ended up not being the book for me. if you’re a literary fiction fan looking for a novel with a futuristic twist, this is the one for you!

it took me awhile to get my head wrapped around the setup of the island as turton holds back a lot of information to be revealed as the story unfolds. and once some tea is spilled, boy does it get repetitive. as this is an interesting world where an impending fog looms in the distance bringing death, I found myself unengaged with the entire concept.

we’re following the events through the pov of an artificial intelligence that connects all of the island’s inhabitants… meaning there is a LARGE cast of characters that I had lots of trouble following. as I didn’t connect with any of the characters, it was hard to stay interested in this apocalyptic sci-fi story 😶‍🌫️

2 stars! thank you rb media for the early audio copy!

I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook version of The Last Murder at the End of the World. The narrator is British and was understandable. He used different voices to represent different characters, and while I didn't necessarily love all of voices, it did help differentiate who was speaking in the story.

This book was an interesting take on a post-apocalyptic dystopian world. At first, I was a little overwhelmed by the number of characters who were introduced, but I quickly was able to get familiar with the key players. The narrator of the story is ABI, an artificial intelligence that is connected to everyone's thoughts and can communicate with them, almost as a second conscience. The first quarter of the book concentrates mostly on world building and getting to know the characters, so it takes a while to really dive into the more exciting parts of the story, but I did like how descriptive it was. We end up in a murder mystery, but it all turns out to be far more complicated than expected. The book really took some turns that I was not expecting at all, and it kept me guessing about what really happened and who was involved. At times it could be a little confusing, trying to keep everything straight amidst the constant turns the story took, but eventually everything is fully explained. The story kept me interested and was hard to put down until I reached the end.

Thank you to Tantor Audio, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for the audiobook review copy of The Last Murder at the End of the World! All opinions expressed in my review are completely my own.

In the distant future, humanity has been nearly extinct by a deadly fog that covers the planet. The remaining survivors are limited to a small Greek island where they live and work to try and lift the dangerous fog around them. One day, someone is found dead and there is a race to find the killer before the rest of humanity is wiped out. The problem is that all the villagers have forgotten the events of the night of the murder, meaning everyone is a suspect. Time is ticking and they must piece the clues together to find the murderer and save society.

I enjoyed The Last Murder at the End of the World once I got into the story, but it did have a slow start. Once I understood the mechanics it was using (collective amnesia, omnipresence AI letting the reader into the minds of the villagers) I was more invested in the story. I really enjoyed the main character and detective Emory and thought her deductions were easy to follow. I liked the ending even though I figured out the murderer before the finale.

The audiobook was well done, but I do think the story would have been better suited with a female narrator given the main AI is referred to as female.

Overall this book was a fun time and I would recommend to readers who enjoy murder mysteries with unique twists.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for access to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

DnF at 10% I think it’s just me but I can never get into this guys writing style. It’s too flowery and bizarre despite how cool the premise sounds

Personally, the plot was very confusing. I didn’t really just love any of the characters. They felt like they didn’t belong. The narrator was awful. Hard to understand and keep up with.