The Murder at World's End: A Novel

by Ross Montgomery

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

Two unlikely allies, one house full of secrets — in a world teetering on the brink of a suspected apocalypse, a resident of a well-protected mansion is found dead. Thrills, humor and suspense unfold in this locked-room mystery.

Knives Out meets Downton Abbey! Secrets, murder, and mayhem collide as this unlikely sleuthing duo—an under-butler and a foul-mouthed octogenarian—hunt a killer in a manor sealed against the end of the world, in this locked-room mystery by #1 New York Times bestselling author Ross Montgomery.

Cornwall, 1910. On a remote tidal island, the Viscount of Tithe Hall is absorbed in feverish preparations for the apocalypse that he believes will accompany the passing of Halley's Comet. The Hall must be sealed from top to bottom—every window, chimney, and keyhole closed off before night falls. But what the pompous, dishonest Viscount has failed to take into account is the danger that lies within... By morning, he will be dead in his sealed study, murdered by his own ancestral crossbow.

All eyes turn to Stephen Pike, Tithe Hall's newest under-butler. Fresh out of Borstal for a crime he didn't commit, he is the wrong man in the wrong place at the wrong time. His unlikely ally? Miss Decima Stockingham, the foul-mouthed, sharp as a tack, eighty-year-old family matriarch. Fearless and unconventional, she relishes chaos and puzzles alike, and a murder is just the thrill she's been waiting for.

Together, this mismatched duo must navigate secret passages, buried grudges, and rising terror to unmask the killer before it's too late...

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063458772
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	01/06/2026
Series:	Stockingham & Pike , #1
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Ross Montgomery is the author of award-winning books for children. His novels have been twice shortlisted for the Costa Children’s Book of the Year and twice selected for the Waterstones' Children’s Book of the Month, as well as chosen for the Sunday Times "Top 100 Modern Children’s Classics." His latest, I Am Rebel, was a B&N "Our Monthly Pick" and was an immediate bestseller, chosen by Waterstones as their Children's Book of the Year 2024. He lives in London with his wife, a baby, and a cat named Fun Bobby. The Murder at World's End is his first adult novel.

Editorial Reviews

"A wonderfully clever take on the classic locked-room mystery, set against the fascinating backdrop of the panic around the passing of Halley’s comet. I was immediately charmed by the unexpected crime-solving duo at its core, and I’ll happily follow foul-mouthed Miss Decima and steadfast Stephen Pike through many more mysteries, their dynamic is utterly delightful." - Kristen Perrin, New York Times bestselling author of How to Solve Your Own Murder
“Get ready to add this to your Book of the Year list. This is impeccable writing, with a plot as sharp as cut glass and characters that jump right out of the pages. A joy from start to finish.” - Janice Hallett, internationally bestselling author of The Appeal
“A tantalizing whodunit with some of the funniest dialogue I’ve read in a while. I enjoyed it immensely.” - Jennie Godfrey, internationally bestselling author

From the Publisher