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.

This book went on a wild but fun post-apocalyptic ride. Most of the world has been annihilated by a toxic fog. The survivors live on a beautiful island.

Then one day, there is a murder, but everyone’s memories have been wiped so they don’t know who did it. In order to stop an actual doomsday clock (think Siri but with the ability to kill everyone at once) from ending all remaining life, they have to solve the murder with the clues available.

I was telling someone that I had requested this book thinking it was related to the 2023 Hulu series, A Murder at the End of the World, which I just loved. They’re not in the same universe, but they both do mention rich people finding ways to survive the coming environmental disasters caused by global warming, so that was interesting.

I love cozy mysteries and this one is sort of locked room/And Then There Were None-y in that there’s only 122 people on the island so it has to be one of them.

Special thanks to Netgalley and RB Media for an advanced audiobook copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Pub Date: May 21 2024

Will this was great murder mystery with the end of the world happening at the same. Love the plot and how it was will written. This is by far a great audiobook I listen too!

I loved Stuart Turton's other novels, "The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle" and "The Devil and The Dark Water." I love how he integrates science fiction elements with murder mysteries. Unfortunately, "The Last Murder at the End of the World" just did not work for me. I did not like the characters or the post-apocalypse story line. The writing is well done, the pace was good, and the narrator of the audiobook did a good job, so I'm sure there will be people who love this one. I would give Turton's next book a read since I loved his first two novels.

This book was absolutely not what I was expecting and I'm not going to say why because nothing about it is mentioned in the synopsis.
A deadly fog has wiped out almost all of civilization. There is one island that is safe. The people that made it there are happy and compliant. Then, a scientist is murdered. This triggers a lowering of a security system type thing and the fog is now going to engulf the island in 107 hours. The people on the island need to figure out who the murderer is before then, but everyone's memory has been wiped.
This book had a really interesting concept. The beginning was kind of slow until we start to figure out certain things. Then it gets interesting. It does stay kind of slow, but the interesting things kept me just interested enough to follow along.
There are quite a few characters in this book and it was kind of hard to remember who was who for a while. They were all fine, none of them really stood out to me. I don't know if it was just me not paying attention in the beginning because it was slow and hard to get into, but the narrator of the story is like an AI being who can talk to people in their heads and kind of is able to carry out instructions from the "elders." It was a very interesting point of view, but one that fit the story.
The narrator of the audiobook was kind of monotonous which is probably partly why it took me a little while to get into the story. But once I realized that the narrator of the story is actually the AI being (ABI), the narration really fit with the character. His voice was pleasant and I did enjoy listening to it once everything started clicking into place.
This was overall a fun and unique mystery/sci fi book with a really cool moment in there that just makes you go ......OHHHHH.

This was my first audiobook. And I learned something about myself. Audiobooks, are not for me. It’s just how my brain is wired. So unfortunately, I could not finish this one. The description sounds so good that I do plan to actually read it in the future. But as I was listening, I was getting too lost in and not retaining any of the story. This is a problem that solely belongs to me and has absolutely nothing to do with the book. To say I’m bummer is an understatement. I do, however, look forward to actually reading the book in the future. I gave this 3 stars because I don’t feel like it’s fair to give any more or less at this point as the problem was mine.

2.75 stars - This was a highly anticipated book, as the concept was super interesting! The world has ended and one of the remaining people left on this island has been murdered...yeah, sounds interesting, right? Well, we go through some world building because the fog is coming and will end all of humanity. We go through several people being the possible murder suspect that just felt like unreliable narrator trope (because memories were wiped)...and the end was just such a big disappointment. It wasn't even surprising to be honest. Unfortunately, this one was not for me, but I am still interested in reading Stuart Turton's other books.

Of note: there were some discrepancies between the e-book and the audiobook.

I was able to receive advanced readers copies of both the e-book and audiobook. Thank you to NetGalley, Stuart Turton, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, and Tantor Audio for the opportunity to read/listen and review this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and Tantor Audio for gifting me an audio ARC of the latest novel by Stuart Turton and amazingly narrated by James Cameron Stewart. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

The world was destroyed by a fog, killing anyone it touched. Only the island remains. It's a wonderful place with 122 villagers and 3 scientists living together happily. The villagers do whatever the scientists tell them to do to keep their world going. But everything changed when one of their scientists is found stabbed to death. Even worse, the murder triggered a lowering of the security system that kept the fog away. If the murder isn't solved in 107 hours, they will all die. Unfortunately, the security system wiped everyone's memories of what happened, so someone is a murderer and they don't even know it.

This is such a complex, immersive, atmospheric novel that incorporates mystery, science fiction, and a post-apocalyptic thriller. The descriptions of the cast of characters makes them feel alive and you'll be trying to figure things out right along with them, especially Emory. The narration was perfect, and highlighted the wonderful writing. Best go into this one without too much information, so you get the full impact of the reveals!

On the island it is lovely and idyllic. The villagers are living in harmony with 3 scientists who are in charge. Outside the island, the world has been destroyed by a deadly fog. As long as no one leaves the safety and security of the island (and the scientists' rule), everything will be fine. The villagers are content to fish, farm and feast, to obey their nightly curfew, to do what they're told by the scientists.
But one of the scientists is murdered and this triggers a lowering of the security system that keeps the fog from engulfing the island. If the murder isn't solved within 107 hours, the fog will smother the island—and everyone on it. But the security system has also wiped everyone's memories of exactly what happened the night before, which means that someone on the island is a murderer—and they don't even know it.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for this audio e-arc.*

While the 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle was just "okay" for me (probably because I am a mood reader and didn't have the required brain cells to fully appreciate it at the time), I was so much more into this one. Listening on audio does require immense concentration because the storylines are very Sherlock Holmes-y and you can very easily miss something. I love post-apocalyptic thriller mysteries, so this was great. I loved that the chapters were countdown timelines for the end of humanity and the dark humor was so fun. I docked a star (total of 4 stars out of 5) because it was so wordy and some of the plot points were either not necessary, or I simply missed the resolution. I also didn't really connect with any of the characters, so I wish that I could have rooted for them a little more.

I received an audio copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

What an imaginative author! I'll admit I was confused by the number of characters. Trying to sort them out while learning about the world as it is in this book was somewhat confusing. But about halfway through, it all kicked in and I finished in one day.