In The Last Murder at the End of the World author Stuart Turton transports us to an island at the end of the world where a fog has destroyed the world as we know it leaving only 122 villagers and three scientists. However, when one of the scientists is found murdered and the security system that keeps the fog at bay starts to fail a countdown begins. A race to solve the murder and save what’s left of the world.
The premise of The Last Murder at the End of the World was undeniably intriguing and the reason we decided to open it up in the first place. Turton creates a post-apocalyptic world that is eerie and unique. With nearly 100 years since the last murder, this sets up an investigation like no other. A murder investigation with extremely high states and limited time adds tension to an already tense world.
The story was innovative and full of twists and turns that even surprised us, but we found ourselves struggling to connect with Turton’s characters. We could not emotionally invest in the outcome of most characters as they felt underdeveloped. This in addition to a few major plot points the felt rushed made it difficult to connect with the novel entirely.
Despite our personal reservations about character development and some plot hoes in The Last Murder at the End of the World, the ending was crazy and exciting. While this novel was not for us, Turton did a great job creating an interesting world from a unique premise. He does take risks and pushes boundaries which we can respect. If anything, Stuart Turton delivers on creativity and originality.
The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton offers a fresh take on a murder mystery adding elements of a post-apocalyptic world and unique storytelling, but ultimately his writing style was just not for us. While not for us, this book will be popular for a ton of people.
The Last Murder at the End of the World hits bookstores everywhere on May 21, 2024 from Sourcebooks Landmark. Libro.fm has a wonderful audiobook version narrated by James Cameron Stewart.
