The Last Murder at the End of the World: A Novel
"A gripping tale that reads like a Sherlock Holmes novel set in a broken future...Turton is an exciting writer with a knack for strange tales that push the envelope, and this strange story of murder, survival, and the importance of memory might be his best work yet." --Gabino Iglesias for NPR
From the bestselling author of The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and The Devil and the Dark Water comes an inventive, high-concept murder mystery: an ingenious puzzle, an extraordinary backdrop, and an audacious solution.
Solve the murder to save what's left of the world.
Outside the island there is nothing: the world was destroyed by a fog that swept the planet, killing anyone it touched.
On the island: it is idyllic. One hundred and twenty-two villagers and three 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 then they learn that 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 107 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.
And the clock is ticking.
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Community Reviews
My absolute favorite aspect of the book is Abi. Her semi-omniscient perspective made her a fascinating narrator and it’s not something I’ve seen in many other books before. I think she’s what’s going to make this book memorable for me. When I think about it years later I’ll probably think “right, that’s the book with the semi-omniscient biological AI in it.”
It sort of falls apart for me in the last quarter, hence the 4 stars. Felt like there was too much happening at once, chaotic and a bit confusing. I had to re-read paragraphs a few times to make sure I understood what was happening, but the final reveal wrapped everything up nicely and it made enough sense in the end.
(Also, what a cute afterword! Made me smile to read it. What a nice way to end a book.)
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