“Everything we fear finds us eventually, so there’s no point trying to outrun it.”
Stuart Turton’s The Last Murder at the End of the World was a book that we had on our radars for a while. Whilst we still haven’t gotten around to reading The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, this novel’s blend of a post-apocalyptic dystopia and cosy murder mystery easily made it stand out as one of the most unique-looking reads from 2024. So, when we happened upon it at a local bookstore on sale, it seemed like fate had struck and it was time to give it a spin. So, how did our first taste of Stuart Turton pan out in this murder mystery set during the end of the world? Join us today at What We Reading for our The Last Murder at the End of the World book review to find out!
Date Published: 2024
Author: Stuart Turton
Pages: 368
Goodreads Rating: 3.67/5
Premise
In an unspecified future, one hundred and twenty-two islanders live in harmony on an unnamed Greek island. Under the watchful supervision of Abi, an artificial intelligence that speaks to all of them in their heads, they are protected from a poisonous fog that has eradicated the rest of the world by the three scientists who live on the island alongside them.
Niema is one of the scientists who remembers what life was like before the fog and has set up a security barrier that ensures the island’s protection. She guarantees that every islander has a job to do, and everyone loves her.
But, then one of the scientists is found dead, and their murder triggers the dropping of the security barrier. The only way of restoring it is by identifying the killer and getting a confession out of them. They have just 107 hours to solve the crime before the fog sweeps in.
What Worked
We said earlier that The Last Murder at the End of the World promised a unique formula, and it more than delivered that. The novel is set on an isolated island in a post-apocalyptic future, an eerie yet compelling backdrop for a locked-room mystery. Turton doesn’t just create a closed-door puzzle – he crafts a world where every detail, from the looming all-killing fog, the experiments and research being conducted by the remaining humans to the intricacies of the villagers’ daily lives deepens the sense of intrigue. The setting alone is enough to hook you, but it is the manner in which Turton establishes his mystery that truly stands out.
Every character on the island has no memory of the night of the murder, which makes for an inventive twist that heightens the suspense and leads to some fresh approaches to how the investigation pans out. The presence of Abi, the enigmatic AI capable of manipulating everyone, adds an additional dimension. Meanwhile, the scientists’ hidden motivations and the overarching threat of humanity’s demise crank up the stakes even further.
The characters are another serious triumph. Turton has a knack for creating people who feel profoundly human – they are flawed, self-serving, even cruel at times – but they are all understandable and, in many cases, redeemable. Emory’s relentless curiosity, Seth’s faith in the scientists, Niema’s murky secrets and Thea’s sharp disdain for the villages, all add depth to the story. Each character grows in significant, satisfying ways, which is rare for a murder mystery.
What Didn’t
While The Last Murder at the End of the World is a thrilling and inventive read, no book is perfect so here are a few areas where we felt it fell a bit short.
One challenge lies in the island setting. As atmospheric as Turton’s world-building is, the logistics of character movement around the island can feel a bit inconsistent. Characters appear and disappear across locations as the narrative requires, and the timing of these movements isn’t always clear or plausible.
Similarly, the futuristic technologies and scientific advancements shape the story’s dystopian world. Whilst these elements are definitely imaginative and integral to the plot, there are times when we have to suspend our disbelief and just trust that they work in certain ways to push the plot forward.
The central mystery itself, though engaging, doesn’t feel as tightly constructed as the dystopian world. At times, its overly convoluted and a more dumbed-down explanation of key moments – why characters acted as they did and how events actually tied together – would have strengthened the resolution and made things more impactful. Or maybe we’re just dumb. (Equally plausible).
Finally, the sheer amount of characters introduced early on can feel disorientating. Turton attempts to use very distinctive names to help differentiate them, but keeping track of who’s who and how they relate to each other can be challenging, particularly early on.
Verdict
Stuart Turton’s The Last Murder at the End of the World is a bold and innovative twist on the cosy mystery genre, weaving dystopian sci-fi elements with the classic locked-room puzzle. The isolated island setting, with its looming post-apocalyptic backdrop and the threat of an all-consuming fog, proves a gripping stage for a high-stakes mystery. Turton’s world-building is both imaginative and immersive, offering fascinating glimpses into the characters’ lives and their precarious existence.
The novel’s key strengths lie in its fast-paced plot, multi-dimensional characters and the clever ways in which the mystery unfolds. However, it isn’t without its flaws. The logistics of how characters move on the island and reliance on futuristic technologies to explain some of the biggest developments at the drop of a hat do require you to suspend your disbelief.
Despite these very minor shortcomings, Turton’s imagination is on clear show with The Last Murder, which helps make this one of the freshest-feeling thrillers we’ve read in some time. It’s a book that reminded us a lot of Hanna Jameson’s The Last and stands as an ambitious and genre-defying take on the cosy mystery hype, offering a thrilling ride for fans of intricate worlds and atmospheric settings.
Our Rating: 4/5
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
