Gen Z amateur sleuth finds herself among an eccentric group of guests at a billionaire’s secluded retreat. When a guest turns up dead, she must unravel the mystery before the killer strikes again. A miniseries by Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij, starring Emma Corrin, Harris Dickinson, Alice Braga, Jermaine Fowler, Joan Chen, Ryan J. Haddad, Javed Khan, Raúl Esparza, Pegah Ferydoni, Brit Marling, and Clive Owen.

Darby Hart (Emma Corrin), the author of the captivating true crime mystery book “The Silver Doe,” stands nervously before an expectant audience at The Mysterious Bookshop, ready to share her debut work. As she introduces herself, detailing her upbringing in Lost Nation, Iowa, and her father’s role as the county coroner, a few individuals initially seem to lose interest, their attention drifting away from her background and youthful appearance. They rise from their seats, meandering through the aisles of the bookshop. However, as Darby delves into the chilling reality of the 40,000 unidentified deaths in the United States, half believed to be accidents and the other half unsolved murders, one of which turned up near her hometown, a captivating introduction that pierces the silence and draws the wandering bookworms back to their seats, their attention firmly held by the mysteries her story unfolds.

Darby proceeds to narrate the grim discovery: only the victim’s bones and a pair of silver earrings were found, leading her to christen the victim the Silver Doe. The silver earrings immediately sparked her suspicion, for they bore no resemblance to the kind of jewelry a teenager would wear, suggesting the killer deliberately left them behind. Her quest for answers led her to Bill Farrah (Harris Dickinson), an acquaintance met through an online amateur sleuthing forum, who became her trusted confidante. They both shared the unwavering belief that the Silver Doe was merely one of many victims at the hands of a single perpetrator. After a year of relentless pursuit, they finally uncovered the serial killer’s first known address.

The thing about getting close on a case, is that you actually start to burn. And the only way to put out the fire is to solve it.

Consumed by her relentless pursuit of the elusive serial killer, Darby’s obsession transformed into a reckless drive, overriding her sense of caution. Despite Bill’s counsel to alert the authorities and his reservations about venturing into the potentially dangerous address linked to the killer, Darby remained undeterred, determined to unravel the mystery with or without Bill’s support. Amidst Bill’s reluctance, he eventually agreed to accompany her on the mission. Utilizing a hack crafted by a mysterious female coder Lee Anderson (Brit Marling), which Darby had stumbled upon on a hacker forum during her teenage years, they breached the serial killer’s residence by brute-forcing the garage door code. In the basement, they discovered a set of bones concealed beneath the creaking wooden staircase, believed to be the remains of the killer’s wife.

However, an unexpected turn of events shattered the fragile alliance between Darby and Bill. In the aftermath of their unsettling encounter, Bill mysteriously vanished, leaving Darby to grapple with the haunting silence for six years. In a poignant gesture, Darby dedicated her book to Lee Anderson, acknowledging her as an inspirational role model who had profoundly impacted her life. After her book reading, later that night, Darby receives a cryptic message from a stranger named “Maybe: Ray” claiming to be the personal assistant of the elusive tech mogul Andy Ronson (Clive Owen).

Suspicious of the message’s origin, Darby initially deems it a possible Russian hack. However, curiosity soon overpowers her apprehension, and she clicks on the link, which instantly installs an app on her phone. A man’s voice and a series of knocking sounds emanate from her Bluetooth speakers, introducing Ray (Edoardo Ballerini), an augmented reality AI assistant. Ray conveys Andy’s invitation to an exclusive retreat, a private gathering of brilliant minds convened to discuss technology’s role in shaping humanity’s future. Darby’s curiosity intensifies, and she inquires about Lee Anderson’s presence, given her status as Andy’s wife. Ray confirms Lee’s attendance and adds that both Lee and Andy hold a deep interest in Darby’s work.

Two weeks later, a Mercedes-Maybach S 580 arrives to pick Darby up to the airport where she boards a private plane. Upon boarding the plane, she recognizes a man named Tod, Ronson’s head of security who attended her book reading. On the plane, she meets other retreat attendees, include Brazillian doctor & astronaut Sian Cruise (Alice Braga), filmmaker Martin Mitchell (Jermaine Fowler), Chinese AI tech titan Lu Mei (Joan Chen), and Argentine venture capitalist David Alvarez (Raúl Esparza). Upon arriving Iceland, they are transported to a secluded hotel in the Fljot valley built by Andy Ronson.

To Darby’s utter astonishment, the final arrival at the dinner table takes a seat directly across from her, revealing himself to be none other than Bill, her former partner. Now working under the pseudonym FANGS, Bill has achieved considerable acclaim as an artist, yet their paths have remained uncharted for six years, and this unexpected encounter sends shockwaves through Darby, stirring up a whirlwind of emotions and unanswered questions.

You left me many times before I left you, and I don’t even think you know why or how or when. It was really hard to be in love with someone like that.

During a leisurely stroll outside the hotel, Darby seizes the opportunity to confront Bill, her curiosity piqued by his unexpected presence at this unconventional gathering. She inquires about his motives, knowing that such a crowd typically falls far outside his comfort zone. Bill’s response unveils a surprising connection to Lee, a revelation that leaves Darby reeling. The realization that there’s far more to Bill than she ever knew, a consequence of their six-year estrangement.

Later that night, Darby finds herself drawn to Bill’s room. She knocks softly, but no response comes from within. Instead, a low, anguished moan filters through the barrier, sending a shiver down Darby’s spine. Hesitantly, she turns to leave, but the sudden sound of a heavy thud, like something crashing to the floor, halts her in her tracks. She decides to step outside, hoping to gain a better vantage point through his glass window. As she notices the a bloodstain on the wall, she realizes something is terribly wrong. She attempts to look for Bill, and suddenly Bill emerges from the shadows, his hand covered in blood, pleading with Darby to stay with him.

Darby rushes back inside, seeking the assistance of hotel staff at the reception. She urgently requests him to contact a doctor and an ambulance. An Icelandic staff member, with limited English proficiency, informs her that it is impossible due to the raging storm. Darby entrusts the staff member with opening Bill’s room while she retrieves Sian. Inside the room, Sian attempts CPR to revive Bill, but her efforts prove futile. Darby maintains her composure, her eyes darting across the room, absorbing every detail. She notices a used injector pen lying on the floor, Bill’s clothes scattered on the carpet, an overturned chair, and her book, “The Silver Doe,” lying oddly upside down under the rocking chair, its cover smeared with traces of blood. Sian declares Bill dead at the scene.

As the guests gather for breakfast, Andy delivers the awful news of Bill’s untimely demise, presumed to be an overdose. He assures them that he has contacted the police, who are expected to arrive before nightfall. Darby raises an unsettling notion: Bill was murdered. Her assertion is met with skepticism, as Bill’s history of drug addiction clouds their judgment. The guests, unnerved by the tragedy, express their desire to depart, finding it unsettling to remain in a place where one of their own has met a violent end. Andy, undeterred, insists on continuing the gathering, a culmination of two years of meticulous planning, a sanctuary for brilliant minds. Despite the guests’ apprehension, he offers to make arrangements for those who wish to leave. His wife Lee, echoes his sentiment, opting to stay, and her decision sways the rest of the group to follow suit.

Driven by an unwavering resolve to uncover the truth, Darby orchestrates a minor plumbing issue, diverting the attention of the reception staff. Seizing the opportune moment, she uses the hotel computer to update her ring’s access privileges to include Bill’s room. Inside, Darby’s keen eyes scrutinize the scene, seeking clues that might shed light on the events that transpired. With Ray’s assistance, she carefully examines Bill’s body, a chilling discovery emerging from their investigation. The needle marks on Bill’s dominant arm, coupled with the absence of any other injection sites, suggest that he was unlikely to have self-administered the fatal dose. Further inspection of the injector pen reveals the absence of fingerprints, hinting that the perpetrator either wore gloves or meticulously removed any traces of their presence.

Rarely does a series captivate me within the first five minutes of its opening scene. But this series does, and with remarkable finesse. The subsequent scene, a leap into the past, is even more impressive. As Darby clicks “Shuffle Songs” on her 3rd generation iPod, and Annie Lennox’s No More “I Love You’s” begins to fill the air, lifting the mood and prompting both of them to join in the sing-along. The scene is so exquisitely rendered that it evokes a profound emotional response, leaving me on the verge of tears.

The series unfolds against the backdrop of Iceland’s awe-inspiring landscapes, captivating viewers with its meticulously framed cinematography. Infused with artificial intelligence, the narrative echoes the ingenuity of Agatha Christie’s whodunit novels, immersing the audience in a murder mystery confined within the walls of a secluded retreat. Each character harbors hidden secrets and motives, providing ample time to delve into their gritty backstories, weaving a tapestry of intrigue and suspense.

A MURDER at the END of the WORLD premiered on Hulu on 14 November 2023 in the United States, and on Disney+ in other territories, with two episodes followed by weekly installments. The limited series will unfold with a total of seven episodes.