The Last Murder at the End of the World

Bookseller recommendation

“A murderous black fog has wiped out all of humanity except for the inhabitants of an island off the coast of Greece. The village was established 90 years ago by scientists who were trying to devise a way to destroy the fog. There are three scientists - Thea, Niema and Niema's son Hephaestus living above ground, and 149 other humans below ground on the island. Thea, Niema and Hephaestus did not want to be in-statis and wanted to keep researching ways to kill the fog...When Niema is murdered, the sophisticated barrier keeping the fog away from the island is no longer in place. If her murder is not solved in 91 hours, then the fog will take over the island...The narrator is an omniscient A.I. named Abi a telepathic being who occupies everyone's minds. This is a mash up of various genres - dystopia, science fiction, mystery and thriller. It showcases the imperfections and cruelty of humanity and the danger inherent in power and control. I found the book to be compelling with a creative and intriguing plot that kept me turning the pages. ”

— Cheryl • Out West Books

Bookseller recommendation

“The inhabitants of a seemingly idyllic island, perhaps the last people alive on post-apocalyptic Earth, have had their memories stripped of the night before, a night in which their most revered scientist was murdered. Now they have to solve that murder, even if it means finding out they’re the suspect, or the victim’s failsafe that has protected them from the toxic fog that destroyed the rest of the world will falter and they will all die as well. The 92 hour timeline drops a bevy of fascinating characters into a higher stakes than usual whodunit, with an emotional undercurrent about human resilience that’s surprisingly moving. I love a good unreliable narrator, and Turton goes above and beyond with a narrator that’s shrouded in mystery as thick as the violent fog closing in on the island that’s a character in itself–a perfect community surrounded on all sides by curtains of a menacing deadly fog. The truth is the only thing capable of keeping it at bay. Wholly original, a seamless blend of mystery, science fiction, and dystopia, The Last Murder at the End of the World will change your perception of what a good mystery should look like.”

— Karen • Cellar Door Books