The Last Murder at the End of the World: A Novel

Based on the title, I thought this was going to be a mystery novel, that I would be able to figure out based on the clues. In fact, I did guess who was the guilty party, but it was just a guess. As a mystery novel it would be weak, but I don't think that was the author's goal.How this book was really good was as a futuristic dystopian thriller. The society of the book was very clever and the 1st person (non-human) narrator was very unique. I don't want to say anything to give away the story, but I will just say this: be careful what you assume. It was a great read.

The Seven and a Half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is one of my favorite books. I recommend it to everyone. It is a hard book to get through, but totally worth it. I immediately purchased The Devil and the Dark Water based on how much I enjoyed Evelyn Hardcastle, and didn't find it quite as good, but still an engaging and fun read. I purchased this book based on the author's prior books and the description sounded like something I would read no matter who the author was.What I like about this author is that unlike so many other authors he proves himself able to write great books that are all so very different from each other. However, I feel that, perhaps because of how much I enjoyed Evelyn his subsequent books just can't live up to my expectations.This is a very well written and imho original book and plot. It reads quickly. Fair warning, it is a bit grim as the future universe it takes place in feels a bit like a warning to us all, and probably one it is too late to do much about. So, it is not exactly an uplifting read.I'd say this is worth the read, but not a good beach read for the summer.

I read this book after Turton's "7 and a Half Lives of Evelyn Hardcastle." I feel this is a mistake, since the first book is a ton better than this one. Maybe it was the sci-fi setting that I was find of in the end, or how the mystery is revealed. .I am not sure, but I was unsatisfied. The killer was obvious almost immediately and the accomplice acknowledges their part before the murder happens. It just felt a little less like a true murder whodunit and more like a pablum of science fiction and mystery where both suffer from something I can't define. It is only my opinion and Turton's books will still be bought and read by me in the future. However, I could not give this a higher rating.

Oh, what delightful confusion! I loved Stuart Turton’s last two novels (The Seven and a Half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle needs to be read by everyone, by the way) and I couldn’t wait to pick this one up. The Last Murder at the End of the World featured twist after turn, leaving me stunned and satisfied.Half of the fun for me is trying to figure out what the book is even about. The descriptions never actually describe anything. Yes, this is a murder mystery. Yes, the suspects are all stuck on the last island not overrun by a fog that destroys anything it touches. Yes, everyone there- including the murderer- have forgotten what happened. But those are just the broad strokes and there is always the possibility (okay, probability) that the author is pulling one over on the reader.The Last Murder at the End of the World features a narrator in the form of Abi, an AI that is linked to the mind of each villager. However, Abi either doesn’t have or can’t share the answers, so everyone, even the murderer, is left stumbling in the dark. One of the village elders has been killed in a place where violence is unheard of. The entire island has only a few days to solve the mystery before the devastating fog overruns them and leaves desolation in its wake.I loved the idea of a narrator that isn’t giving all the information. It left me scrambling to find meaning in every interaction written. The clues are there, but darned if I could find them! Unlike other mystery-meets-postapocalyptic novels (I’m sure there are tons of those, right?), the characters are both more and less than expected.The characters themselves vacillated between frustrating and fascinating. While there are generally hidden depths to characters in mysteries, I felt that in some ways it was quite the opposite here. Some of the characters were actually much less than they seemed to be, as far as personalities went. Although absolutely nothing was done without reason, this was an odd change and left me off balance.In fact, the entire book kept me off kilter in the best way. The ending was fantastic, and I spent the last few chapters holding my breath. It was rather painful. The setting wasn’t my favorite of the books I’ve read by this author (which is all of them), but I love the way he changes things up with each time. I never know what to expect, and isn’t the best part of a mystery?Stuart Turton is an auto-buy author for me. If you read just one of his books, he’ll become the same for you.

I like reading the book because I like reading books and murder mysteries. I think that they are fun to read.

Stuart Turton is the absolute king of closed room mysteries. This one is a closed door mystery wrapped in dystopian science fiction. It’s brilliant. The writing is so good it defies logic. I do not understand how he envisions and executes such brilliance. I adored the characters in this one. I’m just blown away by the full story. Thank you Mr. Turton. Thank you for taking your time to make it your best effort. It’s truly an astonishing work.

While not overly dark or spooky, this is a fantastic " what the heck" is going on book. The author feeds you just enough info to point you in the wrong direction, which makes you keep saying, " one more chapter ". The characters are Not the strong suit in this one. Not saying they are weak, its just the plot over rides everything else. Very fun and addicting.

I’m baffled how this book was published. The premise started out interesting but gave up the ghost (and the truth of the villagers) too early. It felt rushed and poorly edited and I struggled to finish it. The mysterious island surrounded by fog that is a barrier of death. We learn this an outpost of sole survivors of a strange fog that enveloped the world killing all in its path. Somehow a group of scientists on the island was able to keep it at bay. The islanders all have an entity inside their head that speaks to them and knows their thoughts. It goes downhill from there.

Review of physical book:I pre-ordered this and it was delivered on day of release. Physically in excellent condition - nothing bad to say about the actual book.Review of story/book:This book? Just wow. It’s intriguing and a maze of mystery. It takes you on a journey with more twists and turns than the Road to Hana (iykyk), leaving you breathless and exclaiming, "No way, this can't be happening!" The countdown throughout the book instills a sense of urgency, a desperate race to unveil the identity of the murderer and save the island. The short chapters cleverly lure you into the 'just one more chapter' trap, over and over again.The protagonist, Emory, is a force to be reckoned with. She's fiercely independent, confident and a misfit in her world of obedience. She’s also very relatable. The more you read, the harder it is not to cheer for her. The cast of characters all play a unique piece of the puzzle. Their roles and motivations never truly known until the end.Turton’s use of ‘amnesia’ is not just a lazy plot device. It's the key that unlocks the suspense, transforming every island dweller into a suspect and potential killer. The ending had me in shock!One of my best reads for 2024!

Couldn’t put this down, it twisted and turned deliciously.Hard back will be purchased to add to my collection of favourite books.

I liked Stuart Turtons first two novels very much; genre blending mystery novels with low fantasy intertwined. This latest work, though, does not quiet measure up: The characters fails to convince and some seem plagiarized from the earlier books. The plot and twist comes across as somewhat forced, athough that might be expected when an author decides to to "novels with a twist" - compare with the works of M. Night Shyamalan . Not a bad read though and Turton is skilled in writing so I got through the book fast enough.Still looking forward to Turtons next book since he is a rather original writer with a keen since of finding new conceptual ideas.

Absolutely loved this one

I love Stuart Turton. I love the way he writes with beautiful metaphors, just love them and though I enjoyed this book, I don't think it was as good as the previous ones. The first two books, I really couldn't figure out how it was going to end and when I finally got there I said to myself: How did he get there from where he started, and I would read the book all over again and knowing the ending I could see all the little subtle details that I had missed. I had a two for one. The first one, I actually thought it was a tour de force. I was quite impressed, actually. In this one, I thoroughly enjoyed his reflections on today society, his little homage to John Lennon's Imagine, whether it was intended or not, but though I hadn't quite figured out exactly how it would end, I didn't have to read it again to get it. Maybe because we are pretty much living what he is describing. Kind of scary when you think about it. I enjoy the fact that he is not a one-story kind of guy. He tries different genres and still makes it quite entertaining and intriguing. Can't imagine what he will come up with for the next one. I like people who are not afraid to explore while still keeping the quality of writing.