I was waiting for Father Christmas to bring me some new books, when Penguin Random House jumped the gun and sent me an advanced proof of cosy crime novel 'The Murder at World's End', a grown up book by children's author Ross Montgomery.
A Locked Rooms Mystery
It's May 1910, and all teenage ex-con Steven Pike wants is a fresh start. When he's invited to join the staff at Tithe Hall, an island-bound mansion off the coast of Cornwall, he seizes the opportunity, getting from London to the West Country against the odds and in the hope he can leave the past behind. When he arrives, Steven finds a house about to go into strict lockdown. The owner, Lord Conrad Stockingham-Welt, ninth Viscount of Tregarrick and a scientist of dubious repute, believes that Halley's Comet is about to bring about atmospheric catastrophe. Supplies are stockpiled, footmen board up windows, all family and staff are sealed into their rooms for the night, and Mr Stokes the butler gives Steven the job of looking after the rebellious Great Aunt Decima. The next morning, the comet has passed safely by, but disaster has still struck. The Viscount has been murdered. All eyes turn to Steven, the new arrival with a dubious past. Steven has a race against time to clear is name and find out exactly how someone killed His Lordship inside a sealed room...
The Game's Afoot
Crime isn't my thing normally, but I found 'The Murder at World's End' an easy, engaging and entertaining read. It's a good plot and unlikely enough to keep it firmly in the undistressing realms of 'cosy crime'. It's also littered with wordplay and references to other fictional influences. For example, there's a straight line from Maggie Smith as Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham in Downton Abbey, to Miss Decima. The major difference is that while one has wit the other has swearing, which ruined it a bit for me. Violet's sharp tongue was the gift that kept on giving, but Decima's potty mouth got boring pretty quickly. While kids rarely tire of fart and poo gags, swearing swiftly loses its novelty. Better comic relief was provided by the ghastly Welt family and the bumbling Inspector Jarvis. Even though the latter got tiresome at times, on the whole, the balance between more serious, likeable characters and love-to-hate caricatures was well handled and about right.
Overall
'The Murder at World's End' is an enjoyable page-turner with a likeable lead and a classic cast of cosy-crime characters. Although I picked up whodunnit reasonably quickly, not knowing the howdunnit and enjoying the growing relationship between Steven and Miss Decima kept me reading. If you're a fan of puzzles and unlikeable posh people getting their comeuppance, there's plenty to enjoy in 'The Murder at World's End'.
Now, what next..?
'The Murder at World's End' by Ross Montgomery was published in 2025 by Penguin Random House. This post is based on a hardback limited edition proof kindly provided by the publisher.
