The Murder at the End of the World by Stuart TurtonSynopsis: “ 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… The outstanding new high concept murder mystery from the Sunday Times bestselling and Costa Book Award winning author of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. An ingenious puzzle, an extraordinary backdrop, an audacious solution ”

My Review

Stuart Turton has done it again!

I buddyread this with Yvo and we had so many questions pretty much from the start, which it typical for a Stuart Turton book! What was really going on, and who could we trust or definitely not trust?

I loved the setting of the island surrounded by fog, I much preferred it to a normal dystopian setting with biker gangs and rabid dogs. I loved the way there was a countdown letting you know how long the murder investigation had until the human race was wiped out by the fog. There were some great twists and reveals as the plot developed, making me and Yvo constantly message each other.

I definitely preferred this book to The Devil and The Dark Water and maybe slightly more than The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle as it didn’t make my head hurt at all! Or maybe it’s because I just enjoyed the ride this time, without trying desperately hard to find the murderer. We both had guesses about what might be going on, but not who murderer was which surprised both of us.

Highly recommended for Stuart Turton fans, or anyone who enjoys a very clever murder mystery/dystopian novel.

Book 11 of 20 Books of Summer 24