A review by kari_f
The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton

4.0

“Streaking away from this moment are dozens of possible futures, each waiting to be conjured into existence by a random event, an idle phrase, a miscommunication.”

I love that when you read a Turton book, there is always going to be a sense of mystery about where we are and what has happened to get us there, as well as a murder mystery to boot. This book almost felt like a cross between an Agatha Christie mystery novel (i.e. the island vibes of And Then There Were None) and a dystopian “The Giver” scenario. Add to that an AI character whose perspective we see throughout the book, in addition to scientific experimentation that goes beyond what many readers might reasonably consider to be ethical.

The story opens on an island, where there are scientists and villagers purported to be the last civilization on Earth, and a mysterious fog that threatens to destroy them all. A prominent figure dies while others have gone missing, and the reader is trying to figure out the island as well as who or what is behind the mysterious deaths and disappearances!

While I did figure out the whodunnit long before the end of the book, I quite enjoyed the ride! There were a few twists and turns I didn’t expect, and the premise and writing were good enough that I was entertained throughout the entirety of the book. I will definitely continue to look forward to Turton’s future works!
Expand filter menu Content Warnings