Review: The Murder at World’s End by Ross Montgomery | A Cozy Mystery with Secrets, Eccentricity, and Edwardian Quirks

Read time: 3 minutes

🎧 Listened in audio
📢 Narrated by Derek Jacobi & Joe Jameson
⏱ Duration: 9 hours
📅 Publishing date: January 6, 2026
🏷️ Publisher: Harper Audio / William Morrow (Penguin)
🎁 ARC provided by NetGalley
🔍 Genre: Cozy Mystery

Book blurb:

Cornwall, 1910. As Halley’s Comet approaches, the eccentric Viscount of Tithe Hall seals his manor against what he believes will be the end of the world. Come morning, he’s found dead in his locked study, killed by his own ancestral crossbow. All eyes fall on Steven Pike, the under-butler with a past, but salvation may lie with Decima Stockingham, his eighty-year-old, foul-mouthed employer with a penchant for puzzles. Together, they must unmask the killer before the tide washes away every secret buried in the manor’s halls.

Let’s Talk Murder:

I requested this ARC purely on vibes. Specifically after a glowing review from a fellow blogger whose taste I usually trust. And while The Murder at World’s End was undeniably interesting, it didn’t quite earn my raves.

I was expecting classic detective energy: Sherlock and Watson, Poirot and Hastings, or even the latest Aubrey Merritt and Olivia Blunt created by Liza Tully. The tried-and-true formula of “brilliant mind + competent but clearly secondary assistant”. Instead, what we get is a dynamic that constantly undercuts itself.

Miss Decima Stockingham is introduced as an eccentric and exceedingly brilliant octogenarian, but she comes off as erratic and unserious, sometimes even worse. She misses clues, accepts testimonies that are questionable, and when outperformed by side characters, claims she “knew it all along, and was about to suggest the same”. It doesn’t feel clever. It feels retroactively patched. That disconnect made it hard for me to trust the investigation, or her intellect, even when the narrative insists I should.

That said, the bones of the mystery are strong. The 1910 Cornwall backdrop, a sealed manor during Haley’s Comet panic, a clever locked-room murder with an intriguing howdunit twist (I’m losing count on locked-room murders that I’ve read just this month! Seems to be my thing this Holiday season), and the motives rooted in family secrets kept me hooked.

The setting was dripping with gothic charm. Montgomery’s concept of pairing an octogenarian amateur sleuth with a supposedly subservient manservant who quietly proves sharper and more grounded, is a fascinating counterbalance. That’s fresh and charming in the cozy crime world. Their banter adds spark and the Edwardian atmosphere brings unique flavor. I’m genuinely intrigued for the next in the Stockingham & Pike series.

Would I Recommend it?

Solid, but not a standout… yet! There’s potential. It might benefit in the long run to follow this series from the start. This might become a best-seller soon. Mark your calendars for January 6, 2026. I’m not obsessed yet, but I’m definitely curious, and curiosity counts!!!

What Next?

If the idea of an unconventional detective duo, a slightly chaotic genius, and a capable assistant kept you turning pages (or hitting “play”), these mysteries should be right up your alley.

• The World’s Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant by Liza Tully
  Aubrey Merritt is a sharp, seasoned detective, but her Gen Z assistant Olivia Blunt is still finding her footing. Their generational clash and the messy, heartfelt dynamics make this series a perfect pick for fans of Stockingham and Pike’s unconventional pairing. The mystery is layered, and the relationship between mentor and protégé is both funny and touching.
• The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
  Retirees solving murders never gets old—and Osman proves why. If you loved the idea of an elderly sleuth who refuses to be underestimated, this series delivers warmth, wit, and emotional depth alongside its cleverly layered mysteries.
• Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen
  Lady Georgie, a broke minor royal, finds herself tangled in murder and espionage in 1930s London. Her adventures are full of quirky characters and historical detail, with a sidekick who keeps her grounded. The series is witty, suspenseful, and delightfully British.
• The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood (Marlow Murder Club #1)
  An eccentric older woman (think Decima’s fearless chaos-loving spirit) teams up with unlikely allies, a dog walker and a vicar’s wife, to solve a murder in their quaint town. Pooling clues over tea and tenacity, their mismatched trio brings fresh energy to classic puzzles. Light, clever, and addictive, perfect if the octogenarian sleuth and duo banter left you wanting more quirky investigations.
• Mrs. Jeffries Mysteries by Emily Brightwell (starting with The Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries)
  Victorian London: Inspector Witherspoon solves cases with “help” from his clever housekeeper Mrs. Jeffries and staff, who quietly gather clues he claims as his own genius. The dynamic flips power brilliantly, an “inferior” team outshining the boss. Cozy historical whodunits with locked-room elements and servant-master banter that’ll feel familiar and fun.

End of the World, Locked Doors & Elderly Sleuths

Do you prefer your detectives flawlessly brilliant, or gloriously chaotic? And how much luck is too much luck when it comes to solving a murder? Let’s talk locked rooms, unreliable geniuses, and whether this duo would work for you or not.

Book Links:

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