THE LAST MURDER AT THE END OF THE WORLD
STUART TURTON
*****
Solve the murder to save what's left of the world.
Outside the island there is nothing: the world destroyed by a fog that swept the planet, killing anyone it touched. On the island: it is idyllic. 122 villagers and 3 scientists, living in peaceful harmony. The villagers are content to fish, farm and feast, to obey their nightly curfew, to do what they’re told by the scientists.
Until, to the horror of the islanders, one of their beloved scientists is found brutally stabbed to death. And they learn the murder has triggered a lowering of the security system around the island, the only thing that was keeping the fog at bay.
If the murder isn’t solved within 92 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…
MY REVIEW
*****
The Seven Death of Evelyn Hardcastle is one of my favourite books but Stuart Turton’s second book The Devil and The Dark Water wasn’t really my cup of tea, so I was intrigued to read his third – The Last Murder at the End of the World.
I really enjoy that although the theme of crime persists throughout his novels – all 3 books have been very different in style. The Last Murder at the End of the World is an intelligent sci-fi whodunnit – there’s been a murder on an island at the end of the world and the villagers have 92 hours to figure out the culprit before the shield around their island fails and the killer fog spreads.
I really like the style of book which holds its cards to its chest throughout – slowly drip-feeding information to the reader and allowing those theories to develop and the twists to land with impact. Turton gives us a masterclass in this, and the book kept me hooked throughout. There were some parts I guessed as we went along but I was also left guessing and second guessing myself throughout at the conclusion. The characters all felt realistic – there’s an amount of naivety which is a little frustrating, but this is realistic for villagers who have never seen the outside world.
Overall, The Murder at the End of the World is a fantastic sci-fi crime thriller, intelligently written and kept me hooked throughout. Thank you to NetGalley & Bloomsbury Publishing – Raven for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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