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Stockingham & Pike #1
The Murder at World's End
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.
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 Steven 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...
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 Steven 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...
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 30, 2025
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About the author
Ross Montgomery
33 books383 followersRoss Montgomery has worked as a pig farmer, a postman and a primary school teacher, so writing books was the next logical step. He spent his childhood reading everything he could get his hands on, from Jacqueline Wilson to Beano annuals, and it taught him pretty much everything that's worth knowing. If you looked through his pockets you'd find empty crisp packets, lists of things to do, and a bottle of that stuff you put on your nails to stop you biting them. He lives in London with his girlfriend, a cat called Fun Bobby, and a cactus on every available surface.
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January 20, 2026Such a fun read! Montgomery gives us a classic Edwardian locked-room mystery with quirky characters, punchy humor and a unique set-up. I was delighted to see an esteemed writer for children turn his hand to adult mystery and do such a great job with it. Having gone the opposite direction in my career -- adult mysteries to children's books -- I have some appreciation for the challenge!
Halley's Comet is about to pass overhead in 1910, and some people think it heralds the end of the world. At Tithe Hall on World's End, Cornwall, the eccentric Lord Stockingham-Welt has decided to make his keep a fortress against the apocalypse, sealing his staff and his family members into the mansion over night, complete with air tanks, gas masks, and trenches dug around the grounds. In the midst of this chaos, Stephen Pike arrives -- a down-on-his-luck manservant and ex-convict in desperate need of a job. Stephen is hired to help prepare for the coming Doomsday (spoiler alert: Doomsday does not come) but immediately things go sideways. Apparently, Stephen's offer of employment was sent under false pretenses. And when Lord Stockingham-Welt is killed that very night, in a locked study in a gruesome fashion, all eyes turn to the new servant who just happens to be a convict. If Stephen is to clear his name and keep his job, he needs to solve the murder quickly.
There is a whole cast of great eccentric characters and suspects worthy of Agatha Christie or Benoit Blanc, but the heart of the story is Stephen's relationship with Lady Decima Stockingham, the family's "mad woman in the attic," who is anything but mad. The octogenarian Decima is a frustrated scientist who curses like a sailor and uses her false teeth as a paperweight to hold down her research papers. When her nephew the lord of the manor is murdered, Decima sees this as a delightful opportunity to practice the science of deduction. And, since she was with Stephen the night of the murder, making observations of Halley's Comet, she is his only alibi and only chance at proving his innocence.
Both Stephen and Decima are fantastic protagonists. The book moves quickly, with great humor, short chapters, and engaging dialogue. There are plenty of twists and red herrings, as befits a proper mystery. I was delighted to see that this promises to be the first of a series, because I am very ready to read more adventures about our f-bomb-dropping eighty-year-old upper crust detective and her long-suffering manservant with a heart of gold.
Halley's Comet is about to pass overhead in 1910, and some people think it heralds the end of the world. At Tithe Hall on World's End, Cornwall, the eccentric Lord Stockingham-Welt has decided to make his keep a fortress against the apocalypse, sealing his staff and his family members into the mansion over night, complete with air tanks, gas masks, and trenches dug around the grounds. In the midst of this chaos, Stephen Pike arrives -- a down-on-his-luck manservant and ex-convict in desperate need of a job. Stephen is hired to help prepare for the coming Doomsday (spoiler alert: Doomsday does not come) but immediately things go sideways. Apparently, Stephen's offer of employment was sent under false pretenses. And when Lord Stockingham-Welt is killed that very night, in a locked study in a gruesome fashion, all eyes turn to the new servant who just happens to be a convict. If Stephen is to clear his name and keep his job, he needs to solve the murder quickly.
There is a whole cast of great eccentric characters and suspects worthy of Agatha Christie or Benoit Blanc, but the heart of the story is Stephen's relationship with Lady Decima Stockingham, the family's "mad woman in the attic," who is anything but mad. The octogenarian Decima is a frustrated scientist who curses like a sailor and uses her false teeth as a paperweight to hold down her research papers. When her nephew the lord of the manor is murdered, Decima sees this as a delightful opportunity to practice the science of deduction. And, since she was with Stephen the night of the murder, making observations of Halley's Comet, she is his only alibi and only chance at proving his innocence.
Both Stephen and Decima are fantastic protagonists. The book moves quickly, with great humor, short chapters, and engaging dialogue. There are plenty of twists and red herrings, as befits a proper mystery. I was delighted to see that this promises to be the first of a series, because I am very ready to read more adventures about our f-bomb-dropping eighty-year-old upper crust detective and her long-suffering manservant with a heart of gold.
September 9, 2025
The year is 1910, and Stephen Pike has been lucky enough to obtain the position of second footman at Tithe Hall on an island off the Cornish coast. The island (Worlds End) has a causeway that is inaccessible from the mainland at certain times of the day, due to tidal forces.
Stephen was recently released from Borstal, after being involved in a gang fight in a pub in Bow, East London, but he was told he’d been recommended for the position of footman by the Lady of Tithe Hall as part of her charitable work.
Lord Conrad Stockingham-Welt of Tithe Hall is convinced that the recently sighted Halley’s Comet will bring about the end of the world. With that in mind he orders that everyone, both family and staff, seal themselves into their rooms, every window and door, chimneys and even keyholes completely sealed. The very next morning, after the comet had passed closely to the earth without any such disaster, he was discovered brutally murdered in his study.
Stephen had spent the night, on orders from his superior, looking after elderly, eccentric, Miss Decima Stockingham. Decima is a very difficult, foul mouthed lady, and the staff are terrified of her, but surprisingly she hits it off with Stephen, and it leads to the two of them
investigating who killed Lord Conrad, and why.
This was a great locked room murder mystery, with very much of an Agatha Christie feel to it. The plot is very clever, not to mention humorous, with plenty of red herrings, precluding the sleuths among us from getting to the truth too easily, although I did guess something along the way. Very entertaining!
*Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin General UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
Stephen was recently released from Borstal, after being involved in a gang fight in a pub in Bow, East London, but he was told he’d been recommended for the position of footman by the Lady of Tithe Hall as part of her charitable work.
Lord Conrad Stockingham-Welt of Tithe Hall is convinced that the recently sighted Halley’s Comet will bring about the end of the world. With that in mind he orders that everyone, both family and staff, seal themselves into their rooms, every window and door, chimneys and even keyholes completely sealed. The very next morning, after the comet had passed closely to the earth without any such disaster, he was discovered brutally murdered in his study.
Stephen had spent the night, on orders from his superior, looking after elderly, eccentric, Miss Decima Stockingham. Decima is a very difficult, foul mouthed lady, and the staff are terrified of her, but surprisingly she hits it off with Stephen, and it leads to the two of them
investigating who killed Lord Conrad, and why.
This was a great locked room murder mystery, with very much of an Agatha Christie feel to it. The plot is very clever, not to mention humorous, with plenty of red herrings, precluding the sleuths among us from getting to the truth too easily, although I did guess something along the way. Very entertaining!
*Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin General UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
September 22, 2025
Oh! This was quite fun. I'm generally a big fan of any book that involves a “foul-mouthed octogenarian” and this one is no exception. The Murder at World's End is a locked-room murder mystery that involves Halley's Comet and family secrets and an ex-con and a full cast of entertaining characters (including, of course, the above-mentioned octogenarian), and it's really rather delightful. You probably shouldn't expect Agatha Christie-level plot twists or subterfuge — I guessed the identity of the murderer a good fifty pages before the main characters did — but the mystery is solid and it's a story full of humor and heart.
The setting is, of course, fabulous. We have the Edwardian Era combined with Halley's comet “apocalypse” shenanigans in a fancy ancestral hall on oft-inaccessible island with a slightly nutty viscount and his despicable family members. I mean, I'm pretty sure that if you asked me to describe my ideal murder mystery novel setting, this would be it. I've always been fascinated by Halley's Comet (I was six when it last passed by Earth and couldn't get enough of hearing about it), and the comet's appearance makes for a ethereal backdrop to the events at Tithe Hall.
And the characters? So much fun. Steven the ex-con-turned-under-butler is a perfectly likeable main character, but Miss Decima is the true star of the novel. She's smart and feisty and disagreeable, and she's certainly a person I'd want on my side if I were being falsely accused of murder. However, my one complaint about this book is that she really isn't as awful as I'd hoped she'd be. Her family and the servants are all terrified of her and quiver in her presence, but she's really not all that bad? Sure, there's the hilarious dinner scene where she causes a bit of a ruckus, but otherwise she's mostly just a little crotchety and says “fuck” a lot. But, still, she's a lot of fun and so are the other characters — even the most unlikeable of the Tithe Hall guests are entertaining.
The mystery, too, is well-written and will keep you guessing. Again, it's not exactly Agatha Christie, but there are twists and turns and a long list of suspects, both family members and servants alike. I enjoyed the locked-room aspect tremendously, and even though I managed to guess the killer before the big reveal, it was still a suspenseful ride to the end.
So, yeah. This book was a lot of fun and I will definitely keep an eye out for the next installment in the series — I can only imagine what shenanigans Miss Decima and Steven will get involved in next time.
4.35 stars, rounded down.
Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is January 6, 2026.
The setting is, of course, fabulous. We have the Edwardian Era combined with Halley's comet “apocalypse” shenanigans in a fancy ancestral hall on oft-inaccessible island with a slightly nutty viscount and his despicable family members. I mean, I'm pretty sure that if you asked me to describe my ideal murder mystery novel setting, this would be it. I've always been fascinated by Halley's Comet (I was six when it last passed by Earth and couldn't get enough of hearing about it), and the comet's appearance makes for a ethereal backdrop to the events at Tithe Hall.
And the characters? So much fun. Steven the ex-con-turned-under-butler is a perfectly likeable main character, but Miss Decima is the true star of the novel. She's smart and feisty and disagreeable, and she's certainly a person I'd want on my side if I were being falsely accused of murder. However, my one complaint about this book is that she really isn't as awful as I'd hoped she'd be. Her family and the servants are all terrified of her and quiver in her presence, but she's really not all that bad? Sure, there's the hilarious dinner scene where she causes a bit of a ruckus, but otherwise she's mostly just a little crotchety and says “fuck” a lot. But, still, she's a lot of fun and so are the other characters — even the most unlikeable of the Tithe Hall guests are entertaining.
The mystery, too, is well-written and will keep you guessing. Again, it's not exactly Agatha Christie, but there are twists and turns and a long list of suspects, both family members and servants alike. I enjoyed the locked-room aspect tremendously, and even though I managed to guess the killer before the big reveal, it was still a suspenseful ride to the end.
So, yeah. This book was a lot of fun and I will definitely keep an eye out for the next installment in the series — I can only imagine what shenanigans Miss Decima and Steven will get involved in next time.
4.35 stars, rounded down.
Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is January 6, 2026.
January 6, 2026
A brilliant mix of Agatha Christie, Knives Out, and Downton Abbey, The Murder at World’s End was, to put it bluntly, a truly great read. From the Golden Age feel of the early 1900s time period to the locked-room setting of the often-cut-off manor, the backdrop to this story was second to none. That, however, wasn’t the best piece of this by a mile. Oh no. The shining star in this fun murder mystery was Miss Decima Stockingham and the rest of the characters. Likable, compelling, and beyond well-developed, I was instantly a fan of the whole motley crew. Don’t get me wrong, that didn’t make me stop side-eying them all. Beyond suspicious, they were everything I could want in a crafty whodunnit. I mean, who doesn’t love oodles of red herrings? And the fact that the amateur sleuths were quite the unlikely duo? Well, that added one heck of a boost to my rating when I ended up writing my review.
All said and done, I’m now a brand-spanking-new fan of your writing, Mr. Montgomery. Clever, sharp, and laugh-out-loud funny, I was absolutely riveted as the ingenious twists and dark family secrets were revealed one by one. Making it all even better was Miss Decima and her foul-mouthed behavior. Paired with the redemption-seeking ex-con Stephen, their investigations were beyond fun. I mean, how could you not love a book that has a truly wicked sense of humor? Add in the classic mystery vibe that even included a “shocking” change to the will, and this was a guaranteed one-sitting read for this whodunnit lover. So if you love feisty octogenarians, shrewd plotting, and suspenseful scenes, grab this book now. After all, I wouldn’t be surprised is this first book in series finds its way onto a screen near me one day soon. At the very least, I’m really, really hoping it does. Rating of 4.5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
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...
Thank you to Ross Montgomery and William Morrow Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: January 6, 2025
Content warning: murder, cursing, alcoholism, bullying, animal death, infidelity
All said and done, I’m now a brand-spanking-new fan of your writing, Mr. Montgomery. Clever, sharp, and laugh-out-loud funny, I was absolutely riveted as the ingenious twists and dark family secrets were revealed one by one. Making it all even better was Miss Decima and her foul-mouthed behavior. Paired with the redemption-seeking ex-con Stephen, their investigations were beyond fun. I mean, how could you not love a book that has a truly wicked sense of humor? Add in the classic mystery vibe that even included a “shocking” change to the will, and this was a guaranteed one-sitting read for this whodunnit lover. So if you love feisty octogenarians, shrewd plotting, and suspenseful scenes, grab this book now. After all, I wouldn’t be surprised is this first book in series finds its way onto a screen near me one day soon. At the very least, I’m really, really hoping it does. Rating of 4.5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
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...
Thank you to Ross Montgomery and William Morrow Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: January 6, 2025
Content warning: murder, cursing, alcoholism, bullying, animal death, infidelity
October 21, 2025
Cornwall, 1910 and the place Stephen Pike had just secured a job at on the tidal island of World's End, Tithe Hall, was going into lockdown. Halley's Comet was due to pass overhead and the Viscount of the Hall was certain the gasses from the Comet would kill everyone. So locking down the Hall, blocking all entry from outside and every room inside was deemed to keep them safe. But when morning came, and staff and guests gradually made their way out of their rooms, the Viscount was found dead inside his study, which had been closed up and secured all night.
Stephen knew immediately he'd be blamed - he'd spent two years in prison for something he didn't do - so he needed to find the murderer before the finger pointed to him. With the eighty year old invalided matriarch, Miss Decima Stockingham, needing him for her aid, they formed an unlikely and uneasy working relationship. Miss Decima was hated by all her family, never left her room, was a genius of all things puzzling, and foul-mouthed to boot; Stephen wasn't sure what he'd struck. Would they discover the murderer before someone else died?
The Murder at World's End is the 1st in the Stockingham & Pike series by Ross Montgomery, a new to me author. I thoroughly enjoyed this historical mystery; Miss Decima was an absolute character! She cracked me up, had me laughing out loud on many occasions! Stephen was naive, unprepared for life with little confidence in himself - Miss Decima changed that... I'm really looking forward to the next in the series, and recommend this one highly.
With thanks to NetGalley & Penguin UK for my digital ARC to read and review.
Stephen knew immediately he'd be blamed - he'd spent two years in prison for something he didn't do - so he needed to find the murderer before the finger pointed to him. With the eighty year old invalided matriarch, Miss Decima Stockingham, needing him for her aid, they formed an unlikely and uneasy working relationship. Miss Decima was hated by all her family, never left her room, was a genius of all things puzzling, and foul-mouthed to boot; Stephen wasn't sure what he'd struck. Would they discover the murderer before someone else died?
The Murder at World's End is the 1st in the Stockingham & Pike series by Ross Montgomery, a new to me author. I thoroughly enjoyed this historical mystery; Miss Decima was an absolute character! She cracked me up, had me laughing out loud on many occasions! Stephen was naive, unprepared for life with little confidence in himself - Miss Decima changed that... I'm really looking forward to the next in the series, and recommend this one highly.
With thanks to NetGalley & Penguin UK for my digital ARC to read and review.
January 10, 2026
In 1919, the Viscount of Tithe Hall is convinced that Halley’s Comet will cause an apocalypse that will kill everyone. He is determined that he, and a few select others, will survive. The Hall must be sealed against the poisonous air and all inhabitants must be encased in their rooms until morning. This requires a lot of work, so Steven Pike, a recently released prisoner, is hired as an under-butler. His chief duty is tending to the Viscount’s aunt, the elderly Decima Stockingham. Unfortunately, Decima has the temperament of a dyspeptic dragon. Also unfortunately, the Viscount winds up murdered in a room locked from the inside.
I generally dislike like cozy mysteries, but Decima really elevates this one. I caught on to the guilty party pretty quickly, but that did not spoil my enjoyment of this book. Decima is a thwarted scientist. Steven has no particular skills, but he desperately needs the job, so he is game for anything. The two make a very good detective team. The writing is light and the pace is quick. I would read book 2 in the series immediately if it existed. I’m looking forward to it. 4.5 stars
I generally dislike like cozy mysteries, but Decima really elevates this one. I caught on to the guilty party pretty quickly, but that did not spoil my enjoyment of this book. Decima is a thwarted scientist. Steven has no particular skills, but he desperately needs the job, so he is game for anything. The two make a very good detective team. The writing is light and the pace is quick. I would read book 2 in the series immediately if it existed. I’m looking forward to it. 4.5 stars
January 19, 2026
This first installment of a new historical fiction, cozy mystery series gets the series off to a great start. The book summary basically introduces the primary storyline and MC’s, Decima and Steven. What the book summary doesn’t say are all the other characters, greedy family members, who all show up to see who the Viscount left the family estate to. They also all become suspects and fall under the suspicious eyes of Decima and Steven, who start their own investigation after Steven is suspected of the murder of the Viscount. Decima and Steven recruit lady’s maid, Temperance, to assist in their caper.
The story flips back and forth between Steven and a radio announcement tracking the path of the comet. Scotland Yard sends in Inspector Jarvis to head up the murder investigation. Jarvis is an absolute idiot and every one of his scenes is hilariously entertaining. There is also somewhat of a secondary storyline surrounding some family scandals. Seems the Viscount died the same way his father died 20yrs ago. It was also suspected that the Viscount killed his father because the Viscount was stupid and useless drain on the family.
It’s not long before another dead body shows up and things begin to heat up for Decima and Steven and the investigation takes an abrupt turn. There are some shocking revelations, and some really scary and intense scenes, especially for Decima and Steven. I will definitely be adding this series to my fave series list.
The character development for the MC’s Decima, Steven and Temperance was well done. The pacing was steady to fast and the storyline entertaining. The writing was classic locked room, cozy mystery and reminded me a little of an Agatha Christy story. Even the location, a Cornwall tidal island that becomes inaccessible at certain times of the day, lent to the whole isolated setting, a sealed crime scene, hidden passages, and creepy suits of armor that shoot bolt from a bow. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.3 that I will be rounding down to a 4star review. I want to thank NetGalley, William Morrow, and Harper Audio Adult for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #WilliamMorrow #HarperAudioAdult #TheMurderatWorldsEnd
The story flips back and forth between Steven and a radio announcement tracking the path of the comet. Scotland Yard sends in Inspector Jarvis to head up the murder investigation. Jarvis is an absolute idiot and every one of his scenes is hilariously entertaining. There is also somewhat of a secondary storyline surrounding some family scandals. Seems the Viscount died the same way his father died 20yrs ago. It was also suspected that the Viscount killed his father because the Viscount was stupid and useless drain on the family.
It’s not long before another dead body shows up and things begin to heat up for Decima and Steven and the investigation takes an abrupt turn. There are some shocking revelations, and some really scary and intense scenes, especially for Decima and Steven. I will definitely be adding this series to my fave series list.
The character development for the MC’s Decima, Steven and Temperance was well done. The pacing was steady to fast and the storyline entertaining. The writing was classic locked room, cozy mystery and reminded me a little of an Agatha Christy story. Even the location, a Cornwall tidal island that becomes inaccessible at certain times of the day, lent to the whole isolated setting, a sealed crime scene, hidden passages, and creepy suits of armor that shoot bolt from a bow. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.3 that I will be rounding down to a 4star review. I want to thank NetGalley, William Morrow, and Harper Audio Adult for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #WilliamMorrow #HarperAudioAdult #TheMurderatWorldsEnd
February 7, 2026
I really enjoyed this mystery told from the POV of Stephen, an ex-con turned footman. Some highlights for me were:
☄️Isolated setting (a manor house separated from the mainland during high tide)
☠️A clever locked room mystery
☄️The detective is a moron. The real investigation is conducted by an elderly woman, a footman, and a maid.
☠️Grounds include a garden hedge maze, and high cliffs.
☄️The end pages of the hardcover show a blueprint of World’s End (the house)
☠️Hailey’s Comet is passing overhead
☄️Isolated setting (a manor house separated from the mainland during high tide)
☠️A clever locked room mystery
☄️The detective is a moron. The real investigation is conducted by an elderly woman, a footman, and a maid.
☠️Grounds include a garden hedge maze, and high cliffs.
☄️The end pages of the hardcover show a blueprint of World’s End (the house)
☠️Hailey’s Comet is passing overhead
January 4, 2026
(4.5 stars, rounded up)
Thank you to William Morrow, HarperAudio Adult, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and listen to an advance copy of The Murder at World’s End by Ross Montgomery. All opinions are my own.
**
If you enjoy a classic-leaning mystery story, featuring a locked-room mystery, run and pick up a copy of The Murder at World’s End. The setting is on the coast of Cornwall, England in 1910, when Halley’s Comet was making headlines - and scaring a lot of people. Stephen Pike, 19, arrives at World’s End, in hopes of being employed at Tithe Hall, after having been recommended there. His backstory is kind of iffy and he’s not at all sure whether he will be granted employment in service there. When he arrives, Tithe Hall is in a state of chaos. It turns out that the “master” of the house, Conrad Stockington-Welt, is one of the scientists who believe Halley’s Comet is going to destroy Earth as we knew it, and is having the house completely boarded up, rooms sealed, and so forth, to save the people there, as the comet passes close to Earth. Of course, there’s a murder, as the title indicates, and the victim is indeed in a sealed room.
Stephen was a great character but the one who really stole my heart was 80-year-old Decima Stockington. She is fabulous. She’s a scientist herself (in a world that did not value women at all, let alone as a scientist) and feels that Conrad is “full of it”, to put it nicely. She curses frequently and is just such an intriguing character, a true eccentric. While she has terrorized most of the staff, Stephen somehow gets along with her and together they wind up investigating the murder. The story is filled with humor and a number of red herrings and I loved it. This looks to be the first in a new series and I, for one, can’t wait to see what Decima and Stephen get up to next!
I sped through this book, bouncing between the hardcover, ebook and audiobook versions. I was particularly entranced by the audiobook version, which featured two wonderful narrators, Joe Jameson and Derek Jacobi. There were a variety of sounds effects, including news bulletins that sounded like old-time radio broadcasts.
Highly recommended for mystery fans of all sorts.
Thank you to William Morrow, HarperAudio Adult, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and listen to an advance copy of The Murder at World’s End by Ross Montgomery. All opinions are my own.
**
If you enjoy a classic-leaning mystery story, featuring a locked-room mystery, run and pick up a copy of The Murder at World’s End. The setting is on the coast of Cornwall, England in 1910, when Halley’s Comet was making headlines - and scaring a lot of people. Stephen Pike, 19, arrives at World’s End, in hopes of being employed at Tithe Hall, after having been recommended there. His backstory is kind of iffy and he’s not at all sure whether he will be granted employment in service there. When he arrives, Tithe Hall is in a state of chaos. It turns out that the “master” of the house, Conrad Stockington-Welt, is one of the scientists who believe Halley’s Comet is going to destroy Earth as we knew it, and is having the house completely boarded up, rooms sealed, and so forth, to save the people there, as the comet passes close to Earth. Of course, there’s a murder, as the title indicates, and the victim is indeed in a sealed room.
Stephen was a great character but the one who really stole my heart was 80-year-old Decima Stockington. She is fabulous. She’s a scientist herself (in a world that did not value women at all, let alone as a scientist) and feels that Conrad is “full of it”, to put it nicely. She curses frequently and is just such an intriguing character, a true eccentric. While she has terrorized most of the staff, Stephen somehow gets along with her and together they wind up investigating the murder. The story is filled with humor and a number of red herrings and I loved it. This looks to be the first in a new series and I, for one, can’t wait to see what Decima and Stephen get up to next!
I sped through this book, bouncing between the hardcover, ebook and audiobook versions. I was particularly entranced by the audiobook version, which featured two wonderful narrators, Joe Jameson and Derek Jacobi. There were a variety of sounds effects, including news bulletins that sounded like old-time radio broadcasts.
Highly recommended for mystery fans of all sorts.
November 4, 2025
It probably isn't quite the perfect book, but the fun time I had reading it was perfect!
January 23, 2026
5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2026/01/21/...
And just like that, I already have my first contender for best read of 2026 and it’s a straight-up old-fashioned whodunit. There’s just something deeply satisfying about a mystery that knows exactly what it wants to do, and Murder at World’s End absolutely nails it, delivering a treasure that feels like a love letter to the Golden Age of detective fiction.
The novel is set in Cornwall in 1910, the same year Halley’s Comet sparked widespread panic as a sensationalist media warned that all life would perish as Earth passed through the comet’s poisonous tail. Ensconced in his remote island estate ominously named World’s End, the Viscount of Tithe Hall has a plan for himself and his family to survive the apocalypse. Every window, door, and chimney will be sealed down to the tiniest keyhole, supposedly to protect the manor’s guests and servants from all kinds of dangerous gases or noxious space dust falling from the heavens.
On the eve of Halley’s expected appearance, an earnest young man named Steven Pike arrives at Tithe Hall and steps into a world of utter chaos. Recently released from prison for a crime he didn’t commit, he has come desperately in search of work, knowing how slim his chances are due to his questionable past. With the pre-comet preparations in full swing, however, the place is short-staffed and Steven is hired on the spot. He is then given the curious task of chaperoning Miss Decima Stockingham, the Viscount’s curmudgeonly and foul-mouthed octogenarian aunt who has already driven away all her lady’s maids. Warned that the old lady might not be entirely in possession of her marbles, Steven is surprised to find Miss Decima is in fact far less unhinged than her reputation suggests, with a mind as sharp as her interest in science, though her spectacular temper and lack of tact are unfortunately very real.
Obviously, the world has not ended by the time morning arrives, and the houseguests all emerge from their sealed rooms in a state of collective bemusement and relief—all except one. Sometime in the night, the Viscount was murdered, and his body is discovered alone in a room that had been sealed from the inside. On the surface, the crime appears impossible, though with the island cut off by the high tide, the only certainty is that the killer is someone already at World’s End. As the newest arrival and a former convict, suspicion immediately lands on Steven, but with the help of Miss Decima, the two set out to clear his name by solving the case.
Eccentric suspects, multiple nefarious motives, a literal locked room—The Murder at World’s End has it all. From the very first page, it had me completely hooked, and by its end, I was already giddy with excitement to find this is only the first of hopefully many more Stockingham & Pike books to come. What I loved about the story is how unapologetically classic it feels. This is a proper mystery where the clues matter, the motivations make sense, and the reader is invited to play along rather than be distracted by spectacle. Of course, there are red herrings aplenty, but in my opinion, they are fair ones where the plot never resorts to outrageous twists or last-minute revelations to force a surprise. Instead, the novel features sensible detective work that unfolds with patience and care, rewarding close attention and logical thinking, which made the ending all the more satisfying.
Also, I truly enjoyed the unlikely detective duo of Miss Decima and Steven. The latter’s gradual development is wonderfully handled, portraying his transformation from a skittish young man into a confident go-getter who learns to trust his instincts. And how I loved Miss Decima! Witty, brilliant, and having absolutely no patience for bullshit, she steals every scene she’s in and completely owns it, and yet, while she can certainly be a lot, it never feels too forced or over-the-top like it’s tipping into caricature. What really makes it work, though, is the dynamic between the two characters. Their partnership forms naturally, initially built on shared curiosity and then later mutual respect, eventually evolving into a friendship that was easily the highlight of the entire book.
Historical fiction fans will further appreciate the setting. The looming presence of Halley’s Comet and the hysteria surrounding it serve as such a cool backdrop for the story, giving it an eerie and almost mystical atmosphere. Tithe Hall itself stands as an intimidating presence, and the author uses the environment—the surrounding sea, the dark woods nearby, and even an honest-to-goodness hedge maze—to incredible effect.
In the end, The Murder at World’s End is exactly the kind of mystery I’ve been craving. I could hardly put it down, and every time I was forced to, I found myself jonesing for the next time I could pick it up again. Clever without being convoluted, charming without being pretentious, and most importantly rooted firmly in the traditions of classic detective fiction, this novel is a perfect reminder of why the genre is so beloved and enduring. I would happily follow Steven Pike and Miss Decima Stockingham into as many investigations as Ross Montgomery is willing to write.
And just like that, I already have my first contender for best read of 2026 and it’s a straight-up old-fashioned whodunit. There’s just something deeply satisfying about a mystery that knows exactly what it wants to do, and Murder at World’s End absolutely nails it, delivering a treasure that feels like a love letter to the Golden Age of detective fiction.
The novel is set in Cornwall in 1910, the same year Halley’s Comet sparked widespread panic as a sensationalist media warned that all life would perish as Earth passed through the comet’s poisonous tail. Ensconced in his remote island estate ominously named World’s End, the Viscount of Tithe Hall has a plan for himself and his family to survive the apocalypse. Every window, door, and chimney will be sealed down to the tiniest keyhole, supposedly to protect the manor’s guests and servants from all kinds of dangerous gases or noxious space dust falling from the heavens.
On the eve of Halley’s expected appearance, an earnest young man named Steven Pike arrives at Tithe Hall and steps into a world of utter chaos. Recently released from prison for a crime he didn’t commit, he has come desperately in search of work, knowing how slim his chances are due to his questionable past. With the pre-comet preparations in full swing, however, the place is short-staffed and Steven is hired on the spot. He is then given the curious task of chaperoning Miss Decima Stockingham, the Viscount’s curmudgeonly and foul-mouthed octogenarian aunt who has already driven away all her lady’s maids. Warned that the old lady might not be entirely in possession of her marbles, Steven is surprised to find Miss Decima is in fact far less unhinged than her reputation suggests, with a mind as sharp as her interest in science, though her spectacular temper and lack of tact are unfortunately very real.
Obviously, the world has not ended by the time morning arrives, and the houseguests all emerge from their sealed rooms in a state of collective bemusement and relief—all except one. Sometime in the night, the Viscount was murdered, and his body is discovered alone in a room that had been sealed from the inside. On the surface, the crime appears impossible, though with the island cut off by the high tide, the only certainty is that the killer is someone already at World’s End. As the newest arrival and a former convict, suspicion immediately lands on Steven, but with the help of Miss Decima, the two set out to clear his name by solving the case.
Eccentric suspects, multiple nefarious motives, a literal locked room—The Murder at World’s End has it all. From the very first page, it had me completely hooked, and by its end, I was already giddy with excitement to find this is only the first of hopefully many more Stockingham & Pike books to come. What I loved about the story is how unapologetically classic it feels. This is a proper mystery where the clues matter, the motivations make sense, and the reader is invited to play along rather than be distracted by spectacle. Of course, there are red herrings aplenty, but in my opinion, they are fair ones where the plot never resorts to outrageous twists or last-minute revelations to force a surprise. Instead, the novel features sensible detective work that unfolds with patience and care, rewarding close attention and logical thinking, which made the ending all the more satisfying.
Also, I truly enjoyed the unlikely detective duo of Miss Decima and Steven. The latter’s gradual development is wonderfully handled, portraying his transformation from a skittish young man into a confident go-getter who learns to trust his instincts. And how I loved Miss Decima! Witty, brilliant, and having absolutely no patience for bullshit, she steals every scene she’s in and completely owns it, and yet, while she can certainly be a lot, it never feels too forced or over-the-top like it’s tipping into caricature. What really makes it work, though, is the dynamic between the two characters. Their partnership forms naturally, initially built on shared curiosity and then later mutual respect, eventually evolving into a friendship that was easily the highlight of the entire book.
Historical fiction fans will further appreciate the setting. The looming presence of Halley’s Comet and the hysteria surrounding it serve as such a cool backdrop for the story, giving it an eerie and almost mystical atmosphere. Tithe Hall itself stands as an intimidating presence, and the author uses the environment—the surrounding sea, the dark woods nearby, and even an honest-to-goodness hedge maze—to incredible effect.
In the end, The Murder at World’s End is exactly the kind of mystery I’ve been craving. I could hardly put it down, and every time I was forced to, I found myself jonesing for the next time I could pick it up again. Clever without being convoluted, charming without being pretentious, and most importantly rooted firmly in the traditions of classic detective fiction, this novel is a perfect reminder of why the genre is so beloved and enduring. I would happily follow Steven Pike and Miss Decima Stockingham into as many investigations as Ross Montgomery is willing to write.
September 28, 2025
Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.
This was so amazing, and I really hope this turns into a series! I haven't read any other books by Ross Montgomery but will definitely be looking at his other books and keeping an eye out for future books. So glad to have come across this while looking in the NetGalley catalog for a new book to read.
I can honestly say that I had not one clue who the killer was or even how the murder was committed. Had some suspicions on the killer that were all wrong, but I had no guesses on how the murder was actually executed. Of course, once it was revealed, it all made perfect sense.
Every single side character was developed so perfectly that they could each have their own spin-off series or book written just about them. Every single house guest and servant. Not that you necessary would want a book about each one, though, obviously, just that you get to know the characters that well.
Definitely would recommend this book! So good that I finished it in one sitting (other than having to set it aside for work; hate that).
This was so amazing, and I really hope this turns into a series! I haven't read any other books by Ross Montgomery but will definitely be looking at his other books and keeping an eye out for future books. So glad to have come across this while looking in the NetGalley catalog for a new book to read.
I can honestly say that I had not one clue who the killer was or even how the murder was committed. Had some suspicions on the killer that were all wrong, but I had no guesses on how the murder was actually executed. Of course, once it was revealed, it all made perfect sense.
Every single side character was developed so perfectly that they could each have their own spin-off series or book written just about them. Every single house guest and servant. Not that you necessary would want a book about each one, though, obviously, just that you get to know the characters that well.
Definitely would recommend this book! So good that I finished it in one sitting (other than having to set it aside for work; hate that).
February 5, 2026
I was entertained by this murder mystery for the most part. A couple parts dragged for me and the end was a little bit overdone, but overall I recommend this book to anyone who wants a lighthearted murder mystery set in a grand English castle in 1910.
The best thing was that a bunch of parts made me laugh out loud. Just the phrases that some of the characters came out with were so shocking and funny that they made me bust out laughing. I loved the two main characters, and I’m happy that the way that the book ends leaves room for a sequel. I hope there will be a sequel. I will read it for sure.
Thank you NetGalley for the free audiobook ARC. Both narrators were superb.
The best thing was that a bunch of parts made me laugh out loud. Just the phrases that some of the characters came out with were so shocking and funny that they made me bust out laughing. I loved the two main characters, and I’m happy that the way that the book ends leaves room for a sequel. I hope there will be a sequel. I will read it for sure.
Thank you NetGalley for the free audiobook ARC. Both narrators were superb.
January 8, 2026
A fun, entertaining mystery and a very good read!
Steven arrives on a very busy night at a house - he's new hired help and under odd circumstances. With a raised eyebrow, he's accepted into the home on the eve of preparing for Halley's Comet coming by. There is worry about how this will affect them, so the plan is to lock everyone into their rooms and seal them in - ensuring no one is contaminated by the comet. To their shock - someone is dead in the morning. Because Steven has just arrived to the house - all eyes turn to him. He needs to prove who really did the murder so he doesn't get thrown behind bars! And, Decima Stockingham, an eccentric and taciturn older woman in the house, takes him under her wings and together they investigate the mystery.
OMG, this audio was absolutely fabulous! I loved the interludes that gave us a little break from the mystery and a small insight into the Halley's Comet and the murder's movements. It was such a fun break in the story and I looked forward to every one. And Decima was a swearing and grumpy matron type character and I absolutely loved her whit and sass. What a fun read, I can't wait to read book 2!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
Steven arrives on a very busy night at a house - he's new hired help and under odd circumstances. With a raised eyebrow, he's accepted into the home on the eve of preparing for Halley's Comet coming by. There is worry about how this will affect them, so the plan is to lock everyone into their rooms and seal them in - ensuring no one is contaminated by the comet. To their shock - someone is dead in the morning. Because Steven has just arrived to the house - all eyes turn to him. He needs to prove who really did the murder so he doesn't get thrown behind bars! And, Decima Stockingham, an eccentric and taciturn older woman in the house, takes him under her wings and together they investigate the mystery.
OMG, this audio was absolutely fabulous! I loved the interludes that gave us a little break from the mystery and a small insight into the Halley's Comet and the murder's movements. It was such a fun break in the story and I looked forward to every one. And Decima was a swearing and grumpy matron type character and I absolutely loved her whit and sass. What a fun read, I can't wait to read book 2!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
December 9, 2025
This was a fun diversion, even if it’s a little amateurish. I guessed the killer early on, but only part of the how-dunit, which feels like something I’ve seen elsewhere. I feel like I’m always arguing that I’m not a prude here on Goodreads, and I’m not. Lol, but I felt our “Maggie smith” character could have dropped fewer F bombs, the constant swearing pulled me out of the story and I didn’t believe this character, who was supposed to be super smart, would only have one swear word in her arsenal. I also don’t think people used “fu**” that much in 1910. I did a bit of digging and the results were inconclusive, even the author addresses it at the end of the book, like why make it such a large part of the story if you have to add a note that basically says, “people used fu**, but maybe not as much as is in this book. A very strange choice.
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for an early read.
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for an early read.
November 24, 2025
*glances at the very high ratings*
Uhm... Guys, could it possibly be the case that you don't read very many twisty, turny mysteries very often? (Read: I do.)
I'm wondering because I can't understand the raving reviews on here. The book was good, yes, but not brilliant or great enough to stand out very much, if at all.
In fact, I felt like the author hadstolen borrowed the main characters directly from other books I've listened to the last couple of years and therefore: This book didn't stand out at all to me personally.
No, not even the old lady cursing a lot could make me blink twice, because it's a "one trick pony" I've encountered plenty before, lately, thank you very much.
Decima was however the part of the book I liked the best. In fact, the book didn't kick into gear until she turned up and I thought about DNF:ing the whole thing before she (finally) made an appearance.
As for Pike, our other main character - so humorously plastered over with a penguin on the audiobook cover (extra funny when you think about the fact that he runs around in a livery through out the book): He is an OK protagonist. Nothing more. Nothing less. Adequate, but a bit on the boring side.
As for the mystery ... Well, I did guess everything really quickly, to be honest, and the murder victim was of the sort where you think "Good riddance!" rather than "Ohh, how horrible, I wonder who did it!?". So that part didn't offer much food for thought.
The enjoyment I got, eventually, was the relationship between Decima and Pike.
Maybe not enough to check back in with them in a future book though. Time will tell, and all that, but at the moment, I think not.
Uhm... Guys, could it possibly be the case that you don't read very many twisty, turny mysteries very often? (Read: I do.)
I'm wondering because I can't understand the raving reviews on here. The book was good, yes, but not brilliant or great enough to stand out very much, if at all.
In fact, I felt like the author had
No, not even the old lady cursing a lot could make me blink twice, because it's a "one trick pony" I've encountered plenty before, lately, thank you very much.
Decima was however the part of the book I liked the best. In fact, the book didn't kick into gear until she turned up and I thought about DNF:ing the whole thing before she (finally) made an appearance.
As for Pike, our other main character - so humorously plastered over with a penguin on the audiobook cover (extra funny when you think about the fact that he runs around in a livery through out the book): He is an OK protagonist. Nothing more. Nothing less. Adequate, but a bit on the boring side.
As for the mystery ... Well, I did guess everything really quickly, to be honest, and the murder victim was of the sort where you think "Good riddance!" rather than "Ohh, how horrible, I wonder who did it!?". So that part didn't offer much food for thought.
The enjoyment I got, eventually, was the relationship between Decima and Pike.
Maybe not enough to check back in with them in a future book though. Time will tell, and all that, but at the moment, I think not.
November 3, 2025
Cornwall, 1910. Op een afgelegen eiland bereidt de burggraaf van Tithe Hall zich koortsachtig voor op de apocalyps, waarvan hij denkt dat die gepaard zal gaan met het passeren van de komeet Halley. Tithe Hall moet van boven tot onder worden afgesloten, maar wat de pompeuze burggraaf niet heeft overwogen, is dat het gevaar binnenin schuilt… Tegen de ochtend wordt hij dood aangetroffen in zijn verzegelde studeerkamer, vermoord met zijn eigen voorouderlijke kruisboog.
Alle ogen zijn gericht op Steven Pike, de nieuwste onderbutler van Tithe Hall. Hij is de verkeerde man op de verkeerde plaats op het verkeerde moment. Zijn onwaarschijnlijke bondgenoot blijkt niemand minder dan Miss Decima Stockingham te zijn, de grofgebekte, scherpe tachtigjarige oudtante van de graaf, die ook in Tithe Hall woont.
Samen baant dit onwaarschijnlijke speurdersduo zich een weg door verborgen gangen, lang bewaarde geheimen en een dreigend gevaar om een moordenaar te ontmaskeren voor het te laat is.
Dit verhaal begint met een interessante proloog en vervolgens lees je een krantenartikel over een naderende ramp. Niet veel later maak je kennis met Steven Pike. Hij is op weg naar Tithe Hall om daar als onderbutler te gaan werken.
Eenmaal daar leert Steven verschillende mensen kennen, waaronder de aparte Miss Decima. De opbouw van het verhaal is fijn en de spanning neemt écht toe als de burggraaf dood wordt gevonden. Het is overduidelijk dat hij vermoord is. En dan is er ook nog de naderende apocalypse...
En vanaf dan vraag je je als lezer af wie hierachter zit. Iedereen lijkt verdacht en ik vond de zoektocht naar de moordenaar erg interessant. De samenwerking tussen Steven en Miss Decima is ook fijn.
'De moord in het landhuis' is dan ook zeker een aanrader voor mensen die van 'whodunits' houden, want de schrijfstijl en opbouw van het verhaal is heel leuk, vlot en spannend.
Ik wil @boekerij dan ook heel erg bedanken voor het recensie-exemplaar!
⭐️: 4,0
Alle ogen zijn gericht op Steven Pike, de nieuwste onderbutler van Tithe Hall. Hij is de verkeerde man op de verkeerde plaats op het verkeerde moment. Zijn onwaarschijnlijke bondgenoot blijkt niemand minder dan Miss Decima Stockingham te zijn, de grofgebekte, scherpe tachtigjarige oudtante van de graaf, die ook in Tithe Hall woont.
Samen baant dit onwaarschijnlijke speurdersduo zich een weg door verborgen gangen, lang bewaarde geheimen en een dreigend gevaar om een moordenaar te ontmaskeren voor het te laat is.
Dit verhaal begint met een interessante proloog en vervolgens lees je een krantenartikel over een naderende ramp. Niet veel later maak je kennis met Steven Pike. Hij is op weg naar Tithe Hall om daar als onderbutler te gaan werken.
Eenmaal daar leert Steven verschillende mensen kennen, waaronder de aparte Miss Decima. De opbouw van het verhaal is fijn en de spanning neemt écht toe als de burggraaf dood wordt gevonden. Het is overduidelijk dat hij vermoord is. En dan is er ook nog de naderende apocalypse...
En vanaf dan vraag je je als lezer af wie hierachter zit. Iedereen lijkt verdacht en ik vond de zoektocht naar de moordenaar erg interessant. De samenwerking tussen Steven en Miss Decima is ook fijn.
'De moord in het landhuis' is dan ook zeker een aanrader voor mensen die van 'whodunits' houden, want de schrijfstijl en opbouw van het verhaal is heel leuk, vlot en spannend.
Ik wil @boekerij dan ook heel erg bedanken voor het recensie-exemplaar!
⭐️: 4,0
September 13, 2025
4.5 stars. Loved this start to a new series.
July 25, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ever since I attended Ross Montgomery’s event and heard him read an excerpt, I had a feeling I’d enjoy The Murder at World’s End — and I absolutely did. Witty, clever and thoroughly absorbing.
Set in Cornwall in 1910 on a remote tidal island called World’s End, the novel opens with Lord Conrad Stockingham-Welt convinced that Halley’s Comet heralds the end of the world. He orders his manor completely sealed — every window, chimney and keyhole locked up tight. By morning, he’s dead, killed with his own ancestral crossbow—and the house remains locked from within. All suspicion falls on Stephen Pike, the new under-butler who has a murky past and happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. His unlikely ally? Miss Decima Stockingham, the foul‑mouthed octogenarian matriarch with a flair for chaos and solving puzzles. Together they uncover hidden clues, old grudges and a host of secrets as they try to unmask the killer before more darkness falls.
It felt like Agatha Christie meets P.G. Wodehouse, with a modern twist — but set firmly in 1910. A sharp, classic murder mystery with a wicked sense of humour.
The plotting is ingenious, the dialogue frequently laugh‑out‑loud funny, and the duo of Decima and Stephen is a delight. It’s a thoroughly entertaining read from a children’s author branching impressively into adult fiction.
I had a cracking time reading this and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it for anyone who fancies a smart, engaging mystery with a twist of humour.
Ever since I attended Ross Montgomery’s event and heard him read an excerpt, I had a feeling I’d enjoy The Murder at World’s End — and I absolutely did. Witty, clever and thoroughly absorbing.
Set in Cornwall in 1910 on a remote tidal island called World’s End, the novel opens with Lord Conrad Stockingham-Welt convinced that Halley’s Comet heralds the end of the world. He orders his manor completely sealed — every window, chimney and keyhole locked up tight. By morning, he’s dead, killed with his own ancestral crossbow—and the house remains locked from within. All suspicion falls on Stephen Pike, the new under-butler who has a murky past and happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. His unlikely ally? Miss Decima Stockingham, the foul‑mouthed octogenarian matriarch with a flair for chaos and solving puzzles. Together they uncover hidden clues, old grudges and a host of secrets as they try to unmask the killer before more darkness falls.
It felt like Agatha Christie meets P.G. Wodehouse, with a modern twist — but set firmly in 1910. A sharp, classic murder mystery with a wicked sense of humour.
The plotting is ingenious, the dialogue frequently laugh‑out‑loud funny, and the duo of Decima and Stephen is a delight. It’s a thoroughly entertaining read from a children’s author branching impressively into adult fiction.
I had a cracking time reading this and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it for anyone who fancies a smart, engaging mystery with a twist of humour.
January 22, 2026
Honestly shocked at how fun this was and how excellently produced and narrated the audiobook was. 4.5/5, rounded up!
If you're a fan of Robert Jackson Bennett's Ana and Din mysteries and you'd like a similar dynamic (unfortunately without the SFF world) then I definitely recommend picking this up. I think this is one of the most mass appeal books I've read in a while (do note there is a small amount of swearing and one sexual mention, if you're sensitive to that sort of thing).
Please treat yourself to both the audio and the written version as there are illustrations that enhance the book (family tree, news clippings, drawings of the layout of the rooms, etc) but they also went above and beyond with the audio production (transitions with old timey effects on the radio transmission, music of the time period like it's playing on a gramophone, etc).
Audiobook Notes:
Anyone who follows my reviews knows I have a poor running track record with male narrators, so imagine being so spoiled that this was 2/2 S Tier quality narrators! Really, really enjoyed what they added to the book and how it made the scenes so much sassier than they read on page.
If you're a fan of Robert Jackson Bennett's Ana and Din mysteries and you'd like a similar dynamic (unfortunately without the SFF world) then I definitely recommend picking this up. I think this is one of the most mass appeal books I've read in a while (do note there is a small amount of swearing and one sexual mention, if you're sensitive to that sort of thing).
Please treat yourself to both the audio and the written version as there are illustrations that enhance the book (family tree, news clippings, drawings of the layout of the rooms, etc) but they also went above and beyond with the audio production (transitions with old timey effects on the radio transmission, music of the time period like it's playing on a gramophone, etc).
Audiobook Notes:
Anyone who follows my reviews knows I have a poor running track record with male narrators, so imagine being so spoiled that this was 2/2 S Tier quality narrators! Really, really enjoyed what they added to the book and how it made the scenes so much sassier than they read on page.
January 30, 2026
This was just great fun - I so enjoyed it.
1910, Cornwall, Halleys Comet, a secluded stately home in Cornwall and a locked room mystery. What’s not to love.
This is the first in the Stockingham & Pike, a most unlikely duo, which I suspect will run and run.
Miss Decima Stockingham - elderly spinster, irascible, foul mouthed but sharp as a tack. This ain’t your momma’s Miss Marple! She turns the air blue on every page.
Stephen Pike - fresh out of borstal for a crime he says he didn’t commit. Trying to make a new start but finds himself in the middle of a murder scene
They join forces in an attempt to solve the seemingly impossible murder before another is committed.
This was just great fun and a stomping good read - it romped a long with just the right note of serious mystery and humour combined being struck. Think Agatha Christie meets Downton Abbey meets Richard Osman.
Great fun - I’ll be back when book 2 is released for sure!
1910, Cornwall, Halleys Comet, a secluded stately home in Cornwall and a locked room mystery. What’s not to love.
This is the first in the Stockingham & Pike, a most unlikely duo, which I suspect will run and run.
Miss Decima Stockingham - elderly spinster, irascible, foul mouthed but sharp as a tack. This ain’t your momma’s Miss Marple! She turns the air blue on every page.
Stephen Pike - fresh out of borstal for a crime he says he didn’t commit. Trying to make a new start but finds himself in the middle of a murder scene
They join forces in an attempt to solve the seemingly impossible murder before another is committed.
This was just great fun and a stomping good read - it romped a long with just the right note of serious mystery and humour combined being struck. Think Agatha Christie meets Downton Abbey meets Richard Osman.
Great fun - I’ll be back when book 2 is released for sure!
February 7, 2026
loved this - the setting, the time period, the Maggie Smith like main character, even the annoying other main character 👌
the unlikely partnership in crime solving, the murders having this Agatha Christie like feeling and the fact that even though the resolution was predictable it kept me well entertained - the narration is excellent by the way, so I highly recommend this as audio.
if you're in the mood for a cozy murder mystery in Downton Abbey - this is the ticket.
the unlikely partnership in crime solving, the murders having this Agatha Christie like feeling and the fact that even though the resolution was predictable it kept me well entertained - the narration is excellent by the way, so I highly recommend this as audio.
if you're in the mood for a cozy murder mystery in Downton Abbey - this is the ticket.
January 16, 2026
4.5 stars. 🎧
December 24, 2025
I have to agree with the lower reviews I’ve seen on this. It’s incredibly similar to a lot of closed door mysteries written in the last handful of years. Characters are almost carbon copies of others in those same books and your shock factor is an elderly lady who drops F bombs. Who I might add is the bright spot in this book and she totally carries the dialogue and story. If it wasn’t for her this would have been a total dud to listen to. The audio is well done but it’s just a very played out story. It’s also incredibly easy to figure out who the murderer is if you’ve been a fan of the genre and read a lot of “who done it’s”
October 30, 2025
Stephen Pike has been invited to take a position as second footman at Tithe Hall, a remote stately home on a Cornish island. He has just been released from Borstal after serving two years for a gang fight in a Bow pub. An orphan, whose only living relative died while he was in Borstal, he knows that this is his last chance to redeem himself.
When Stephen arrives he finds that the house is boarded up, yet there are family, guests and staff inside. The owner, Lord Conrad Stockingham-Welt firmly believes that Halley's Comet will bring death and destruction to the World and the only way to survive is to seal everyone inside the house until it has passed over.
Stephen is immediately set to boarding up fireplaces, locking people in their rooms, sealing locks with wax and stuffing wadding around door frames etc (although thinking about it, if the house is sealed from the outside why do they also need to seal people up individually as well?). Then he is handed the poison chalice of being forced to look after Miss Decima Stockingham, a foul-mouthed elderly woman who resides in a separate wing of the house and has terrorised all the maids.
Much to his surprise, Miss Decima pooh-poohs Conrad's fears and instead insists that Stephen take her outside so that she can chart the comet's progress across the sky.
The next morning when Stephen, the first footman Lowen, and the butler Mr Stokes start unsealing the rooms Stephen makes a grisly discovery. Conrad has been murdered by a crossbolt through the eye ... in a sealed room (duh duh duh).
Stephen is terrified, as the newest member of staff, with a criminal record he is obviously going to be the primary suspect, something which is borne out when the police inspector arrives from the mainland. Only Miss Decima believes him and together they set out to discover who killed Conrad and why. Was it his cousin Edwin Welt, MP, who expects to inherit the money and the house on Conrad's death? Or his cousin Rear Admiral Jolyon Welt, the alcoholic? Or Lettice Welt, who has allegedly seen off her husband, daughter, and son-in-law? Or Lettice's grandson the foul Gilbert? What about Conrad's German friend and co-founder of his Halley's Comet society Professor Wolf Muller? What about one of the servants?
This is a good old-fashioned, locked-room mystery. Loved it. Plenty of obnoxious suspects. Plenty of red herrings. Lots of accusations, dead fish, a suit of armour, a maze, missing laundry, a change of will.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.
Bumped for release and to correct some heinous typos.
When Stephen arrives he finds that the house is boarded up, yet there are family, guests and staff inside. The owner, Lord Conrad Stockingham-Welt firmly believes that Halley's Comet will bring death and destruction to the World and the only way to survive is to seal everyone inside the house until it has passed over.
Stephen is immediately set to boarding up fireplaces, locking people in their rooms, sealing locks with wax and stuffing wadding around door frames etc (although thinking about it, if the house is sealed from the outside why do they also need to seal people up individually as well?). Then he is handed the poison chalice of being forced to look after Miss Decima Stockingham, a foul-mouthed elderly woman who resides in a separate wing of the house and has terrorised all the maids.
Much to his surprise, Miss Decima pooh-poohs Conrad's fears and instead insists that Stephen take her outside so that she can chart the comet's progress across the sky.
The next morning when Stephen, the first footman Lowen, and the butler Mr Stokes start unsealing the rooms Stephen makes a grisly discovery. Conrad has been murdered by a crossbolt through the eye ... in a sealed room (duh duh duh).
Stephen is terrified, as the newest member of staff, with a criminal record he is obviously going to be the primary suspect, something which is borne out when the police inspector arrives from the mainland. Only Miss Decima believes him and together they set out to discover who killed Conrad and why. Was it his cousin Edwin Welt, MP, who expects to inherit the money and the house on Conrad's death? Or his cousin Rear Admiral Jolyon Welt, the alcoholic? Or Lettice Welt, who has allegedly seen off her husband, daughter, and son-in-law? Or Lettice's grandson the foul Gilbert? What about Conrad's German friend and co-founder of his Halley's Comet society Professor Wolf Muller? What about one of the servants?
This is a good old-fashioned, locked-room mystery. Loved it. Plenty of obnoxious suspects. Plenty of red herrings. Lots of accusations, dead fish, a suit of armour, a maze, missing laundry, a change of will.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.
Bumped for release and to correct some heinous typos.
November 2, 2025
This is a fabulous read, set in Cornwall in 1910. The setting is an island accessible via a causeway at low tide.
Stephen Pike arrives as a new employee at Tithe Hall. His employment is somewhat dubious, but as there is a celebration due to Halley's Comet, an extra pair of hands is welcome. There is a lot of superstition about its imminent arrival, and the house will go into lockdown. All staff and guests will be required to bar windows and fill gaps in doors to prevent gases from entering. It is during this time that there is a murder, fingers point to Stephen, and when you understand where he came from, you can then understand why.
This is a brilliant story; it has a gothic feel, with that locked-room or locked-house mystery. It is well laid out, and the characters are gradually introduced; there are secrets, well, there would be, wouldn't there?
I really enjoyed the inclusion of the Comet, this adds to the superstitious and atmospheric style of this whodunnit murder mystery. As the story gets more and more into the natures of the characters, you naturally form your own ideas and theories. Did I get the culprit? Well, not really. I had an inkling, but then dismissed it.
This is a very clever murder mystery story and one that I absolutely adored and would definitely recommend.
Stephen Pike arrives as a new employee at Tithe Hall. His employment is somewhat dubious, but as there is a celebration due to Halley's Comet, an extra pair of hands is welcome. There is a lot of superstition about its imminent arrival, and the house will go into lockdown. All staff and guests will be required to bar windows and fill gaps in doors to prevent gases from entering. It is during this time that there is a murder, fingers point to Stephen, and when you understand where he came from, you can then understand why.
This is a brilliant story; it has a gothic feel, with that locked-room or locked-house mystery. It is well laid out, and the characters are gradually introduced; there are secrets, well, there would be, wouldn't there?
I really enjoyed the inclusion of the Comet, this adds to the superstitious and atmospheric style of this whodunnit murder mystery. As the story gets more and more into the natures of the characters, you naturally form your own ideas and theories. Did I get the culprit? Well, not really. I had an inkling, but then dismissed it.
This is a very clever murder mystery story and one that I absolutely adored and would definitely recommend.
February 13, 2026
4.5, rounded.
I enjoyed this! It's a very good locked room mystery, with a good take on the Holmes/Watson style of mystery. All the characters - major and minor - were entertaining, even if sometimes the secondary characters were a bit cookie cutter. That said, the main characters were all well developed, given plenty of agency, and - most importantly - were fallible. No one was a perfect, shining example of humanity that was always right - each was right at times, wrong at times, and the Holmes/Watson characters actually worked together and learned from one another. The class commentary was also interesting and I thought very much warranted, given the setting. It was a bit surface level, but it was also just enough to not be preachy/over power the rest of the book.
What I liked most about the book, I think, is that the solution to the mystery felt earned - it didn't rely on a random clue, there wasn't a surprise witness that emerged at just the right time, etc. The hardest part of any mystery novel is getting to a satisfying ending, and I think this delivers (even if genre-savvy readers will probably guess the killer well beforehand). As a fair play mystery, it was very well done and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys fair play mysteries.
I'm interested to see where this series goes!
I enjoyed this! It's a very good locked room mystery, with a good take on the Holmes/Watson style of mystery. All the characters - major and minor - were entertaining, even if sometimes the secondary characters were a bit cookie cutter. That said, the main characters were all well developed, given plenty of agency, and - most importantly - were fallible. No one was a perfect, shining example of humanity that was always right - each was right at times, wrong at times, and the Holmes/Watson characters actually worked together and learned from one another. The class commentary was also interesting and I thought very much warranted, given the setting. It was a bit surface level, but it was also just enough to not be preachy/over power the rest of the book.
What I liked most about the book, I think, is that the solution to the mystery felt earned - it didn't rely on a random clue, there wasn't a surprise witness that emerged at just the right time, etc. The hardest part of any mystery novel is getting to a satisfying ending, and I think this delivers (even if genre-savvy readers will probably guess the killer well beforehand). As a fair play mystery, it was very well done and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys fair play mysteries.
I'm interested to see where this series goes!
January 17, 2026
4 stars! I loved everything about this book! Locked room, snarky older lady detective, hapless and sweet sidekick, family secrets, downton abbey vibes. Just delicious and made me laugh out loud multiple times.
Stephen Pike is an ex-con looking for redemption of his soul and career when he is offered a job as a manservant to the ornery old aunt Decima at Tithe Hall. It’s 1910 and Halley’s Comet is arriving and everyone at Tithe Hall is a flutter with superstition. After the comet passes, the lord of the manor is found dead and Stephen is the prime suspect. However he finds unusual support in the curmudgeonly Decima and they will have to work fast to prove his innocence before he once again ends up in prison.
This manages to strike a lovely balance between humor and heart. I adored Stephen and Decima immediately. I’m a complete sucker for a foul mouthed, bad ass older woman and Decima had both in spades. Even the side characters are well fleshed out and the atmosphere of the house is pitch perfect. I really hope this continues on to be a successful series
Stephen Pike is an ex-con looking for redemption of his soul and career when he is offered a job as a manservant to the ornery old aunt Decima at Tithe Hall. It’s 1910 and Halley’s Comet is arriving and everyone at Tithe Hall is a flutter with superstition. After the comet passes, the lord of the manor is found dead and Stephen is the prime suspect. However he finds unusual support in the curmudgeonly Decima and they will have to work fast to prove his innocence before he once again ends up in prison.
This manages to strike a lovely balance between humor and heart. I adored Stephen and Decima immediately. I’m a complete sucker for a foul mouthed, bad ass older woman and Decima had both in spades. Even the side characters are well fleshed out and the atmosphere of the house is pitch perfect. I really hope this continues on to be a successful series
January 16, 2026
The Murder at World’s End was a fantastic audiobook that I had trouble putting down. The narrators were excellent and did such a great job with all the characters! I absolutely recommend the audio for this one. (Unless you’re sensitive to a lot of F bombs because Miss Decima has a mouth like a sailor.) I’ve only seen one session of Downton Abbey, but I can see how this has the same feel some the story is told from Stephen’s POV ands he’s a new hire to the staff of Tithe House. I loved the humor in the book. If I’m going to read or listen to a mystery, I do like there to be likable characters and humor which World’s End has in spades. Ross Montgomery does a great job with the humor. I feel like the writing style and Stephen’s voice is very similar to Ernest in Everyone in My Family has a Killed Someone. The story and humor is similar to A Most Agreeable Murder by Beatrice Steele. I loved both books so it’s safe to say I have a type when it comes to cozy mysteries! This book was a lot of fun. I’m excited that this is a series because want to continue the sleuthing journey with Stephen & Miss Decima.
Thank You to NetGalley & William Morrow for letting me listen to this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank You to NetGalley & William Morrow for letting me listen to this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 31, 2026
Far-fetched and mediocre; unlikable characters.
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