Audiobook Fiction Historical Mystery Mystery Thriller

Stockingham & Pike #1

The Murder at World’s End

Name: The Murder at World’s End
Rating: 4.29 (531 reviews)
Author: Ross Montgomery

Ross Montgomery October 30, 2025

4.29 531 Ratings

Ongoing Status

554 Views

Start Reading

Synopsis

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…

Books similar to The Murder at World’s End

Murder at Donwell Abbey

★ 4.35

Vanessa Kelly

In this latest Regency-era mystery, Jane Austen’s clever Emma Knightley navigates shocking changes in her family—while meeting her match in a deadly adversary . . .

Emma’s spirits are elevated after she and husband George Knightley host a joyful holiday celebration at the Hartfield estate. But it’s instantly a bitter January when her father makes an unexpected announcement—he and Miss Hetty Bates have decided to marry. Not only must Emma relinquish her role as mistress of the household, but also accept the reality that the excitable Miss Bates will become her stepmother . . .

More unwanted news arrives during an extravagant betrothal ball at Donwell Abbey, the grand Knightley estate where Emma and George will soon permanently reside. Nearly every villager in Highbury revels in the dazzling affair—except Emma’s hardworking lady’s maid, Prudence Parr. To Emma’s horror, Prudence is found dead, sprawled across the stones of the library terrace . . .

The woman’s tragic fall is quickly ruled a terrible accident and whispers circulate around personal troubles leading up to her untimely demise. But Emma’s instincts tell her that something far more sinister is at play. Now, Highbury’s matchmaker-turned-sleuth vows to outwit a cunning criminal before an innocent man loses his freedom—or Donwell Abbey plunges into a darker mystery . . .

Our Dear Miss H. Is on the Case

★ 3.71

Violet Marsh

In this delightfully witty historical rom-com, a scandalous mystery and an opposites-attract romance combine—perfect for fans Enola Holmes and Bridgerton!

Georgina Harrington should never have trusted her feckless cousin Percy with her most precious archaeological discovery. But no one would take her academic work seriously if they knew it was hers and not her male cousin’s. When Percy goes missing, only Georgina realizes that he is truly in danger. To find him, she must rely on the help of his infuriating but incredibly handsome best friend.

Although Alexander Lovett is always up for an adventure, he vows to keep his distance from Georgina, who is on his insufferable parents’ list of suitable brides for a future duke. He’s a grown man who can pick his own wife, thank you very much. But he’s surprised to find himself falling for Georgina’s shockingly bold initiative and independent thinking, which saves them from more than one deadly scrape.

Yet as a simple kidnapping grows into a threat to the monarchy, their smoldering attraction might be snuffed out before it has a chance to ignite.

The Last Devil to Die

★ 4.47

Richard Osman

Shocking news reaches the Thursday Murder Club.

An old friend in the antiques business has been killed, and a dangerous package he was protecting has gone missing.

As the gang springs into action they encounter art forgers, online fraudsters and drug dealers, as well as heartache close to home.

With the body count rising, the package still missing and trouble firmly on their tail, has their luck finally run out? And who will be the last devil to die?

Shakespeare’s Landlord

★ 3.78

Charlaine Harris

Welcome to Shakespeare, Arkansas. Lily Bard came to the small town of Shakespeare to escape her dark and violent past. Other than the day-to-day workings of her cleaning and errand-running service, she pays little attention to the town around her. So when she spots a dead body being dumped in the town green, she's inclined to stay well away. But she was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and despite her best efforts, she's dragged into the murder case. Lily doesn't care who did it, but when the police and local community start pointing fingers in her direction, she realizes that proving her innocence will depend on finding the real killer in quiet, secretive Shakespeare.

Shakespeare's Landlord is the first book in Charlaine Harris's Lily Bard mysterious series.

Death and Dinuguan

★ 3.74

Mia P. Manansala

Love is in the air for the citizens of Shady Palms, but Cupid’s arrow isn’t the only thing striking the town—not with another killer on the loose.

Things are looking up for the Brew-ha Cafe, and Lila Macapagal can’t think of anything that could break the spell, especially with Valentine’s Day coming up—she can’t wait to celebrate with her boyfriend, Jae Park. Adding to the lovey-dovey atmosphere is Hana Lee, Shady Palms’s newest resident. She’s also Jae’s beloved cousin and chocolatier at Choco Noir, the latest addition to the town’s culinary offerings. Everything is coming into place for Hana, who left her old life in Minnesota behind to work at Choco Noir, owned by her best friend.

Unfortunately, beneath the sweet surface of Shady Palms runs a bitter undercurrent, as a series of attacks against women-owned businesses in the area escalates from petty theft to assault and murder when Hana is found knocked unconscious inside Choco Noir, and the chocolate shop owner is put out of business—for good.

With Hana left in a coma, a murderer hiding amongst them, and the safety of the women entrepreneurs of Shady Palms at risk, the Park brothers team up with the Brew-ha crew to put a stop to the villain before they strike again.

Bootlegger’s Daughter

★ 3.95

Margaret Maron

This first novel in Maron's Imperfect series, which won the Edgar Award for best mystery novel in 1993, introduces heroine Deborah Knott, an attorney and the daughter of an infamous North Carolina bootlegger. Known for her knowledge of the region's past and popular with the locals, Deb is asked by 18-year-old Gayle Whitehead to investigate the unsolved murder of her mother Janie, who died when Gayle was an infant. While visiting the owner of the property where Janie's body was found, Deb learns of Janie's more-than-promiscuous past. Piecing together lost clues and buried secrets Deb is introduced to Janie's darker side, but it's not until another murder occurs that she uncovers the truth.

Friday the Rabbi Slept Late

★ 3.88

Harry Kemelman

Rabbi David Small, the new leader of Barnard's Crossing's Jewish community, can't even enjoy his Sabbath without things getting stirred up in a most unorthodox It seems a young nanny has been found strangled, less than a hundred yards from the Temple's parking lot -- and all the evidence points to the Rabbi. Add to that the not-so-quiet rumblings of his disgruntled congregation, and you might say our inimitable hero needs a miracle from a Higher Source to save him....

The Last Secret of Lily Adams

★ 4.32

Sara Blaydes

The death of a legendary actress reveals a wealth of Hollywood secrets in a breathtaking novel about betrayal, rivalry, and the punishing brutality of fame.

One of the brightest stars of Hollywood’s golden age was Lily Adams, the beloved picture of all-American innocence. Why she suddenly vanished from the spotlight was a mystery even to those closest to her.

Upon Lily’s death seventy years later, her granddaughter, Carolyn Prior, struggles to understand a woman she loved but never really knew. Then, sifting through the memorabilia of a once-glamorous career, Carolyn comes across a letter from her grandmother. It’s the trembling admission of a secret life and a story that begins and ends with superstar Stella Lane, Lily’s archrival of the silver screen—a bombshell who was brutally murdered.

As Carolyn unearths her grandmother’s connection to the notorious unsolved slaying, her life collides with Lily’s in the most shocking ways. And with each stunning new revelation, Carolyn must decide how much she is willing to risk to unlock the truth.