This is definitely well written and very clever - but too clever for me. The story is a countdown to the extinction of humanity and yet there are only 3 human beings on this island that has survived the end of time. The rest of the community are villagers who have been grown rather than born! This dystopian story was a step too far for me. For a non-person to be responsible for solving the death of one of the few human beings seemed unlikely. Yes, there was a crime to be solved but it felt quite contrived for me. Obviously not my genre.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Stuart Turton/Bloomsbury Publishing plc for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

I have read and loved Stuart Turton's previous two novels so I was really excited to finally read this one. I don't think the blurb really does this book justice because I really had no clue what I was getting into and the book got weirder and weirder the further I read.
It is the end of the world with just over a 100 people surviving on a Greek Island that managed to get some barriers up before the fog came. The island wakes up to a murder and everyone's memory of the night before is wiped with the barriers down and they have around 2 days to find the murder before they all die.
Everyone on the island is connected to Abi, a mitochondrial network that can read their thoughts and even control the people when necessary and I was very intrigued about the plot of this story.
This is quite a fast paced story that is very complex as the main character, Emory, is tasked with becoming the investigator to try and solve the murder before everyone dies. There is lots of science involved and interesting twists that make for a fascinating read that I didn't want to put down.

I really enjoyed this mystery by Stuart Turton, the loss of everyone’s memory means that absolutely everyone is a suspect, even those trying to solve the murder. The isolated island setting also made it reminiscent of a closed room mystery, but with the scope for far more suspects, meaning that as a mystery it felt very fresh and different from the average detective novel.
The mystery kept me guessing until the end while also making sense, being difficult to work out but not so far-fetched to make it unbelievable or unsatisfying.
The sci-fi and dystopian elements in the story were a lot of fun, and I enjoyed the melding of genres. That said, if you’re dubious about reading sci-fi I would say this is more of a mystery in a lightly sci-fi world, so if that isn’t your genre you may still really enjoy the book.
I enjoyed the perspective of Abi as another thing to set this apart from a normal mystery novel, but I think she could have done with a better introduction, I especially found the prologue quite confusing for that reason.
My main critique is that the first third of the novel was quite slow. Although I understand the need to introduce us to the characters and see their relationships before the murder occurs, I feel that this could have been achieved in a shorter space of time. For example, we get a few chapters from Magdalena’s perspective at the start and then her character is seemingly forgotten until near the end. Similarly, the tension in Emory and Clara's relationship is built up a lot only to be fairly inconsequential as soon as the murder happens and they start to work together. From the synopsis it sounds like we would start the book with the murder and wiped minds, and although I liked that we got to see them before this it definitely could have been shorter.
Overall I would rate this 3.75 stars, rounded up to 4 here. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

Highly atmospheric and fiendishly clever. 4/5 stars.

Having been impressed with Stuart Turton’s previous books (The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and The Devil and the Deep Water) I was delighted to get an advance copy of The Last Murder at the End of the World. But would I enjoy it more than The Devil and the Deep Water, which I found to be overly long and rather confusing in places?

In short: yes. This is a leaner story with far fewer central characters. That said, some readers may find it rather annoying at first as the set-up is shrouded in its own mystery. Who are the villagers? How did they get to the island? And we are faced with many more unanswered questions, even before the murder mystery element of the plot kicks in. If you don’t enjoy being kept in the dark or would find it too stressful not to know what the heck is going on, you may struggle to get into this story.

I liked the main investigator character, Emory, and her daughter, Clara. The scientists were also an interesting group. However, I’d argue this story isn’t really about character. Like a classic Christie mystery, the plot is the star of the show. I didn’t feel there was much heart in the book and it is more of a fun, entertaining puzzle than an emotional read. I wasn’t that bothered by the thought that everyone on the island was close to being wiped out. But, even so, I found the final chapters to be a tense experience as the seconds tick down to the satisfying conclusion.

And speaking of tension, the pace throughout the book is cracking with short chapters keeping things moving along. I thought the revelations were well-timed and the reader is told just enough to keep them hooked. The countdown to the arrival of the deadly fog keeps the pressure high from the moment the murder is discovered.

Readers may struggle with the main narrative voice. It’s a disembodied consciousness which resides in the minds of all the island inhabitants, reading their thoughts and talking to them. It is narrating the action in third person but then also speaks to us using first person. This can be a little jarring until you’re fully immersed in the story and used to it.

Overall: mystery readers and fans of Stuart Turton’s previous books are highly likely to enjoy The Last Murder at the End of the World.

Turton's ability to write completely unique mysteries, almost, in fact completely reinventing the genre is impressive. His imagination seems to be boundless and make for a thoroughly entertaining reading experience.

In this novel his latest helping of dystopic intrigue leads the reader through a maze of clues and revelation examining themes of what is at the heart of humanity and the idea of good and evil.

This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

I recommend this to any mystery fans that also like their books a little weird. Full of twists you can't predict.

one again a fast paced, imaginative dystopian read which is so entertaining and absorbing it doesn’t really matter that nothing quite adds up.
3.5 rounded up to 4 because it was such fun

I have read several fantasy murder mysteries this year and have found that I thoroughly enjoy them. Now it is the turn of the science fiction murder mystery. Usually these focus on murders on space stations turning around far away stars. We usually see corrupt politicians and sleazy street gangs fighting over something precious leading to a murder or two. We have cyborgs, high tech weapons, spaceships and the rest of the usual paraphernalia associated with this genre. However, The Last Murder at the End of the World follows none of those standards.

For a start, the action is based on Earth but is a much reduced Earth. Humanity has been doing it's usual relentless thing when a fog containing insects comes and destroys much of all life present. So we find ourselves on an island with less than 200 souls living on it, protected by a forcefield that can keep the fog out. The loss of so much leads to little technology in use and a very limited way of life. So this is very much a dystopian murder mystery. Sort of. The atmosphere at the start of the book kind of gives off idyllic Mediterranean village live vibes to begin with. Most people are kind of satisfied with the life they have, even if they do all die at 60. Considering they are living with only a forcefield keeping them safe and what seems to be a fairly dangerous island, it seems a bit strange. But, then again, they are the last survivors of a planet-wide catastrophe, so why not enjoy yourselves while you can!

The characters are quite a varied bunch. The story, unusually, is told in the first person by an AI, Abi, who can speak in the thoughts of the people on the island. This is unusual, as the narrator is possibly the most reliable narrator due to their AI nature. Usually we get very unreliable narrators in these kind of stories so that was nicely done. The main protagonist, Emory, was probably the most frustrating character - the unconventional outsider who didn't fit into the rest of village life. Fairly argumentative with some fairly major life issues, it wasn't easy to root for her until much later in the book. But then it all begins to make sense and it all clicks together. The elders were a bunch of narcissist overachievers but, considering their history, it was very believable. I wouldn't say I had someone that I particularly cared for but it all followed in the line of the plot. Even the fairly bland villagers were like that for as reason.

There are probably things that some people won't like. The fog and it's origins are never fully explained. However, I feel this is a completely plausible situation in a post-apocalyptic environment with a limited population and lost knowledge. Most of the main characters are not nice people but, again, it is plausible in its setting. My opinion is that I found The Last Murder at the End of the World to be a very clever mystery in a great setting. I thought the main twist (the twist in the twist) was extremely well done and kept me guessing all the way through. There was some foreshadowing, know that I think about it knowing the answer, but I wasn't clever enough to see it. All in all, a great book that I had an excellent time reading.

I am not keen on dystopian or sci-fi books but I also like to challenge my preconceptions. Piranesi proved to be a good book so why not try again? Unfortunately, as good as the writing was it just wasn’t enough for me to like this book or genre.

This book was a slow start for me as I was confused with the many characters we are introduced to across the island and the POV of Abi threw me off. However the story was well told, complex, and it was a fantastic exploration into humanity, it was very thought-provoking to read.
This is heavily marketed as a murder mystery, even on Goodreads the genres are "Mystery / Mystery Thriller / Thriller / Fiction" before "Science Fiction" and for me, I really see this as a sci-fi novel first and foremost. Had it been advertised as such, I would have had different expectations going into the book and probably been more inclined to rate it higher. But as for a murder mystery, the whodunnit was quite dissatisfying with the end reveal. The sci-fi aspects, interesting setting and landscape, and overarching plot are what make this book successful in my eyes rather than the mystery.
Overall I enjoyed my experience reading The Last Murder at the End of the World and I am glad to have had the chance to read it. I would recommend this widely, I can see it being a popular release, and I'm going to buy a final copy on release date to gift to my mum who I think would definitely enjoy this book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

Thank you to NetGalley, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc UK and Stuart Turton for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy.

Review posted to Goodreads.

3.75 stars
🌕🌕🌕🌖

Thanks NetGalley, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) publisher, and the authors for a great advance copy of the book in exchange for my honest review!

🧠 My thoughts
I really wanted to like this book. I understood the deep messages that the author tried to deliver. Yes, the messages were deep, profound, and contemporary. That’s why I wanted to give a better rating than this but this is the max I can give. I couldn’t really pinpoint all of the reasons but I can try to tell my overall opinions below. I think the biggest issue of this book for me was the writing style.

The first ~50% of the book was long enough for the author to build the world nicely, but I felt that the world-building was neglected somehow. The characters had personalities but it was also not enough. I liked Emory but there was not enough building to lead me to believe her character later on. From there, up until ~70% the book got a bit better and it hooked me in a bit more. Here, all of the layers of mystery started to show up on the surface. And the last ~30% of the book it was pretty much a whodunnit classic murder mystery with a modern technology element.

I could see the murderer's identity coming as well as the last twist but I had to give credit to the author for hiding pretty well the clues underneath the layers of lies. However, it was quite messy to follow. It felt like at the end, the author was so eager to disclose the ending. In the same chapter, the characters’ actions and thoughts overlap each other without any warning or transition.

👍 What I like
- Deeply meaningful messages
- Lies and mystery intertwine with each other

👎 What I don't like
- Writing style isn’t my cup of tea. Ideas, characters’ actions, and thoughts overlap each other without warning or transition making everything quite messy and hard to follow
- World-building is rather weak
- Character-building is also pretty weak
- The story is pretty flat without the layers of mystery in the last 30% of the book.

Such an interesting premise! I love dystopia and especially in a murder mystery setting. Emory was such an immersive MC and her refusal to accept what she was told when it made no sense really made me admire her, especially as she was ostracised for it. I'm looking forward to ST's next book!

Having read Turton's previous two books I was very much looking forward to reading his latest novel. I was not disappointed, but I wasn't as entertained as with 'Evelyn Hardcastle' and 'The Devil'.

Turton's latest novel is set on a small Greek island. The island is the only place left on Earth that has inhabitants, three elders and 122 people between the age of 8 and 60. The inhabitants are kept save by Abi, the narrator of the story, an AI who is in everyone's head and who keeps the apocalypse at bay. Life on the island is rural. The people plant their food, have down-to-earth jobs and live together as a very close-knit community. One night one of the elders is murdered, the elder who created the barrier which is now down. No one knows why or how it happened, let alone who did it, because Abi wiped all their memories of the night, including its own. The village needs to find out who killed the elder within the next couple of days, because this is the only way the AI can re-erect the barrier and keep them safe.

Here's what I liked:
- the small island being shut away from the outside world
- everyone is a suspect, including the detective

Here's what I didn't like:
- no explanation how the elders managed to get so old
- the apocalypse and the reason why the island was shut off, as well as some of the crafted things on the island which helped to further the plot, but didn't make a lot of sense (as a fan of Sci-Fi it was a bit wishy-washy and felt rather deus-ex-machina)

All in all, Turton managed to spin another good yarn. It just didn't wow me as much as the first two novels.

The Murder at the End of the World, by Stuart Turton
Rating: 5/5
Published: Now
I feel like I’ve been waiting forever for this to be released, but it was so worth the wait. I have been a diehard fan of Turton since his debut novel, the Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. He is an expert world-builder, and one whom I’m yet to see beaten on detail and originality. This dystopian thriller is set on a small island at the end of the world, where the last of civilization seem to be thriving. However, all is not as it seems. When one of the village elders is found murdered in a burning building, the islanders realise that their time is running out. Unless they can solve her murder, the island will be fully engulfed by the deadly fog that has destroyed the rest of the world. I absolutely loved this book. Turton has created a really rich cast of characters who keep you guessing right until the end. Like the Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, nothing is as it seems, and the ending is brilliantly unexpected. Buy this book immediately, especially if you love a genre-bending dystopian novel that will keep you awake at night. Just brilliant.

I have only tried one of his books before, Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, which didn’t work for me at all.

The Last Murder is set on an island where only a few people survive..we aren’t quite sure what happened to the rest of the world but do know that it is covered in fog. This fog can’t reach the island but if it does everyone will be killed.

I enjoyed this despotism Who? unit.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

Set on an island surrounded by fog, that has destroyed the rest of the planet.
The island has 122 villagers and 3 scientists (or Elders)
The sc-fi mystery begins when one the scientists is found murdered.
Her death triggers the lowering of the island’s security system that keeps out the fog and there are now only 92 hours to find a solution or the fog will sweep in and kill every inhabitant.
The only problem is everyone’s memories have been wiped.
There was a lot going on and I felt a bit lost reading it.
It got repetitive, going over the same basic suspects.
However it was an unique and intriguing- I’ve never read anything like it before, you wonder where it’s taking you, and I loved that I couldn’t solve the murder.
Thanks @stu_turton, @bloomsburyraven & @netgalley for the strange & unique read

I took a while to get into The Last Murder at the End of the World because the setting and characters were so unfamiliar. I'm more used to reading Golden Age detective fiction than post-apocalypse thrillers, so it was a shift of gears. But as soon as I got my bearings I loved this book.

There were so many twists and turns, no-one could rely on anyone or anything, even their own memories. I don't want to say too much about the plot in case I reveal spoilers, but I'd urge anyone with a passing interest in suspense, murder mysteries or dystopic fiction to give it a go.

Such a different book! I just can't wait to see what Stuart Turton comes up with next.

The Last Murder at the End of the World is the hotly anticipated latest release from Stuart Turton and it is a gripping mystery with a unique setting that had me gripped as I tried to figure out the culprit as the story unfolded.
On a remote and isolated island live 122 villagers and 3 scientists, quite possibly the last remains of humanity. Outside the island is a mysterious fog that kills every one it comes into contact with, only a forcefield maintained by the scientists holds it at bay, but on the island life is peaceful and harmonious until it is not. When one of the scientists is killed it shocks the islanders, violence is virtually unknown in their world. Even worse , the death has triggered a count down that will lower the shield in 92 hours. The clock is literally ticking and only by solving the murder will the islanders have a chance of saving themselves.
This is a gripping mystery that really keeps the reader guessing but beyond that the society that Turton has created is absolutely fascinating. I fell in love with the character of Emory, the most curious of the villagers and the one tasked with trying to solve the murder. While the mystery is entertaining, the book also encourages the reader to question issues like the environment and climate change and of course the ethics surrounding AI, especially since one of the main POV characters in the book is Abi, an AI that proves to be something of an unreliable narrator.
If you are looking for something a little different in the mystery genre and appreciate intricate story crafting and world building you will find much to enjoy here.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

There's no one like Stuart Turton to deliver a dystopian murder mystery.

Similar to his previous two novels – ‘The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle’ and ‘The Devil and the Dark Water’ – and yet completely and utterly different, ‘The Last Murder at The End of the World’ features a group of fascinating characters in a tense and claustrophobic environment, racing against time to solve a crime and prevent further catastrophe.

The setting of the novel on an island protected by complex technology against the effects of a fog created by an act of aggression is an interesting device, giving the reader pause to consider the future of our world from both a political and environmental perspective. The plot also raises moral and ethical questions, all of which some readers may relish exploring but others may brush aside to focus on the
mystery.

The characters are interesting individuals and brought to life extremely well by Turton. I enjoyed having my initial impressions of several characters changed as more of the story emerged and differing perspectives were shared.

Another brilliant read from Stuart Turton, which kept me turning the pages to see what happened to the islanders next. My only disappointment was that it had to come to an end and that Turton’s books are so vivid in detail, it will be a while until we (hopefully) get another.

I am inordinately grateful to the publishers and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of ‘The Last Murder at the End of the World’, on which this review is based.

The world has been engulfed in a fatal fog which devours everything it touches. The only place that is hasn't gone is a Greek Island that is privately owned by scientist Niema. She managed to raise a barrier to stop it encroaching and lives there with the villagers and the other two elders.
There used to be a laboratory underneath the volcano but Niema said that the fog had entered there and it is sealed. Thea, one of the other two elders, is desperate to get back into there as her sister is there in a stasis pod.
When strange things start happening and Niema is found dead, Abi, the artificial intelligence that is in all the villagers' heads, tells Emory, the most questioning of the villagers, that the fog barrier will come down in 96 hours unless Niema's murderer can be found and executed.
Emory starts her investigations, but soon feels hampered by the two elders, Hephaestus - who is Niema's son, has no time for the villagers and would happily kill them all, Thea is a bit more fearful, but still has her own agenda.
The question is will the mystery be solved in time?
I loved reading this!