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A review by stephen_arvidson
The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters
5.0
Six months from now, Earth is going to be struck by a massive asteroid dubbed Maia, which is estimated to destroy more than half the planet’s population. Meanwhile, New Hampshire Detective Henry “Hank” Palace is beginning to think he's the only cop left that genuinely cares about solving a murder. The rookie flatfoot is summoned to the scene of a dead man, Peter Zell, who has evidently hung himself in a McDonald's restroom, another apparent “hanger” in a series of rash suicides fomented by the world’s imminent destruction. However, something doesn't quite add up, and even with the world set to end in October, Hank Palace is determined to uncover the truth behind Zell’s death.
The Last Policeman is not your typical a police procedural, nor is it a pre-apocalyptic story, but rather a careful study of one man's determination to do the right thing even as society—and hope—crumbles around him. The world is in upheaval, the economy is crashing, technology is gradually shutting down, chaos is running rampant, but Henry continues to fulfill his duties as a lawman. Likeable and engaging for the most part, Palace is something of a classic literary figure with his moral code, frank demeanor, and such quaint turn-of-phrases as “holy moly”; an ordinary guy dead-set on seeing justice meted out. More interestingly, given the state of the world in a grip of impending disaster, this contemporary detective is handicapped by the stark absence of investigative resources—the network support structure, the sci-crime apparatus, even his fellow colleagues are no longer concerned with upholding the law. In part, this plot device allows the author to present a modern-day detective resorting to old-fashioned methods of detecting rather than relying on forensics and high-tech gadgets in order to solve crimes.
The Last Policeman is a quirky, imaginative story as well as a probing exploration of humanity. While the plot features some of those noir-ish elements common to many detective and mystery stories, avid readers of the genre will appreciate the end-of-the-world framing device that helps set this book apart from other formulaic police procedurals. The combination of mystery and science fiction lends itself to a unique work that is sure to make readers ponder what they would do, how they would behave when the world is about to end. While this highly recommended book is the first of a planned trilogy, it stands well enough on its own. Still, most readers including myself will want to see it through to the end, whatever that may be.
The Last Policeman is not your typical a police procedural, nor is it a pre-apocalyptic story, but rather a careful study of one man's determination to do the right thing even as society—and hope—crumbles around him. The world is in upheaval, the economy is crashing, technology is gradually shutting down, chaos is running rampant, but Henry continues to fulfill his duties as a lawman. Likeable and engaging for the most part, Palace is something of a classic literary figure with his moral code, frank demeanor, and such quaint turn-of-phrases as “holy moly”; an ordinary guy dead-set on seeing justice meted out. More interestingly, given the state of the world in a grip of impending disaster, this contemporary detective is handicapped by the stark absence of investigative resources—the network support structure, the sci-crime apparatus, even his fellow colleagues are no longer concerned with upholding the law. In part, this plot device allows the author to present a modern-day detective resorting to old-fashioned methods of detecting rather than relying on forensics and high-tech gadgets in order to solve crimes.
The Last Policeman is a quirky, imaginative story as well as a probing exploration of humanity. While the plot features some of those noir-ish elements common to many detective and mystery stories, avid readers of the genre will appreciate the end-of-the-world framing device that helps set this book apart from other formulaic police procedurals. The combination of mystery and science fiction lends itself to a unique work that is sure to make readers ponder what they would do, how they would behave when the world is about to end. While this highly recommended book is the first of a planned trilogy, it stands well enough on its own. Still, most readers including myself will want to see it through to the end, whatever that may be.