The Murder at World's End - Ross Montgomery

THE MURDER AT WORLD'S END

ROSS MONTGOMERY

*****

Secrets, murder and mayhem collide as this unlikely sleuthing duo - an under-butler and a foul-mouthed octogerian - hunt a killer in a manor sealed against the end of the world.Cornwall, 1910.

On a remote tidal island, the Viscount of Tithe Hall is absorbed in feverish preparations for the apocalypse that he believes will accompany the passing of Halley's Comet. The Hall must be sealed from top to bottom - every window, chimney and keyhole closed off before night falls. But what the pompous, dishonest Viscount has failed to take into account is the danger that lies within... By morning, he will be dead in his sealed study, murdered by his own ancestral crossbow.

All eyes turn to Stephen Pike, Tithe Hall's newest under-butler. Fresh out of Borstal for a crime he didn't commit, he is the wrong man in the wrong place at the wrong time. His unlikely ally? Miss Decima Stockingham, the foul-mouthed, sharp as a tack, 80-year-old family matriarch. Fearless and unconventional, she relishes chaos and puzzles alike, and a murder is just the thrill she's been waiting for.

Together, this mismatched duo must navigate secret passages, buried grudges and rising terror to unmask the killer before it's too late . . .

MY REVIEW

*****

I have not read any of Ross Montgomery’s children's books, but I was excited to read his adult novel debut which promised an intriguing ‘who-dunnit’.

Under the backdrop of the panic around Halley’s Comet, Tithe Hall is in disarray, guests and staff alike are locked into their rooms in order to survive what will surely be an apocalyptic event. However, when they all wake up the next morning alive, save for the master of the house who seems to have been murdered in a locked room (and not by a comet), questions must be answered!

I adored this book from start to finish – Ross Montgomery’s easy writing style draws you in from the first page and kept me hooked right up until the end. I kept looking for excuses to pick the book back up and finished it in just a few sittings. The characters are all detailed and memorable - from new butler Steven Pike with his secretive past to the fearsome Miss Decima and hapless Detective – I felt like we really got to know and love (or hate) them by the end.

The locked room mystery was intriguing, and the plot was paced well, nothing felt confusing or unrealistic at any point – everything made logical sense. When the conclusion was finally revealed, I really appreciated remembering all the little clues along the way that I had missed, but had certainly been there, signposting the way the whole time.

I enjoyed the newspaper snippets about the comet which are interspersed throughout, and everything felt well researched to the time it was set in. The claustrophobic nature of the setting, with the added elements of places such as the servant’s staircases and the maze led to a versatile space to explore the story.

This looks to be the first book of the ‘Stockingham and Pike’ series, and I will certainly be rushing out to read the next one. I did like that the epilogue told us what eventually happened to each character at the Hall though, which means all loose ends there are neatly tied up ready for a completely different adventure next time.

Overall, The Murder at World’s End is a fantastic whodunnit with memorable characters, a well-researched plot and brilliant storytelling. Thank you to NetGalley & Penguin General UK – Fig Tree, Viking and Hamish Hamilton for the chance to read the ARC of this brilliant Kindig Gem in exchange for an honest review.

LINKS TO BUY

Amazon UK

Waterstones