The Murder at the End of the World by Ross Montgomery — A Mystery That Put Ross Montgomery on My Radar

Sometimes an ARC introduces you to an author in a way you don’t expect. That’s exactly what happened with Ross Montgomery.

I received an advanced copy of The Shadows of Kensington Gore (which I'll be reviewing later this month), but before jumping into that one, I wanted to go back and start at the beginning of the series. So I picked up The Murder at the End of the World first and I’m really glad I did. What I didn’t expect was to enjoy it as much as I did. It’s always a great feeling when a book leads you to an author you know you’ll want to read more from.

At first glance, this is a mystery, but what really makes it work is the characters. The story isn’t just about figuring out what happened as it’s about getting to know the people involved along the way. Montgomery creates a cast that feels completely different from one another, and I found myself invested in them just as much as the mystery itself.

The biggest surprise for me was how funny this book was. I wasn’t expecting to laugh as much as I did, but there were several moments that genuinely caught me off guard. The humour works because it feels natural and helps balance out the mystery rather than taking away from it.

If you enjoy the humour and colourful cast of Knives Out, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy this one too. It has that same appeal of spending time with an interesting group of characters while trying to piece together what’s really going on.

For me, the biggest strength was the character development. The mystery kept me turning pages, but it was the characters that made me care about what happened next. By the time I reached the end, I wasn’t just happy with how the story wrapped up—I was already looking forward to seeing where this series goes next.

Thankfully, I don’t have to wait long.

With The Shadows of Kensington Gore already sitting on my NetGalley shelf, I’m even more excited to continue this series and see what Ross Montgomery has planned next.

The Murder at the End of the World is a really enjoyable start to a new series... funny, clever, and filled with characters you’ll want to spend more time with.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½