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The Last Policeman

A Novel
3.78 goodreads logo

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( 34,153 ratings, 3,884 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters is a crime thriller set in a pre-apocalyptic world where a detective investigates a suspicious suicide. As a cataclysmic asteroid threatens to end life on Earth, societal norms collapse, yet detective Hank Palace remains committed to uncovering the truth behind the case. His determination to uphold justice in a swiftly deteriorating world forms the core of this gripping narrative.
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Format: Paperback / softback

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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're intrigued by a unique blend of crime, thriller, and speculative fiction. It explores a pre-apocalyptic world through the eyes of a determined detective trying to solve a murder while society unravels around him. Its compelling mix of existential questions and a gripping mystery could appeal to fans of thought-provoking, character-driven storytelling.

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The Last Policeman

Hank Palace is working the case of Peter Zell, an insurance man who has comitted suicide. To his fellow police officers, it's just one more death-by-hanging in a city that sees a dozen of suicides every week. But Palace senses something wrong. There's something odd about the crime scene. Something off. Palace becomes convinced that it's murder.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The Edgar-nominated mystery (for Best Paperback Original Novel) returns in a new and improved edition—with an all-new series redesign, and a special sneak-preview of DISASTERLAND- THE LAST POLICEMAN BOOK II.

As Seen on Today with Hoda & Jenna

"A genre-defying blend of crime writing and science fiction." - Alexandra Alter, The New York Times

Winner of the 2013 Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original!

What's the point in solving murders if we're all going to die soon, anyway?

Detective Hank Palace has faced this question ever since asteroid 2011GV1 hovered into view. There's no chance left. No hope. Just six precious months until impact.

The economy spirals downward while crops rot in the fields. Churches and synagogues are packed. People all over the world are walking off the job—but not Hank Palace. He's investigating a death by hanging in a city that sees a dozen suicides every week—except this one feels suspicious, and Palace is the only cop who cares.

The first in a trilogy, The Last Policeman offers a mystery set on the brink of an apocalypse. As Palace's investigation plays out under the shadow of 2011GV1, we're confronted by hard questions way beyond "whodunit." What basis does civilisation rest upon? What is life worth? What would any of us do, what would we really do, if our days were numbered?

Series: The Last Policeman Trilogy

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters combines elements of science fiction and crime fiction to create an engaging and thought-provoking mystery. Critics praise the novel for its dark humour, intriguing plot, and nuanced character development. It effectively integrates an apocalyptic scenario with a traditional detective story, offering a unique narrative that is both thrilling and surprisingly uplifting, with a focus on civilisation, community, and hope in dire circumstances.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781594746741

Publisher: Quirk Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 13 May 2013

Country: United States

Imprint: Quirk Books

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 23.0mm

Width: 134.0mm

Height: 202.0mm

Weight: 329g

Pages: 336

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About the Author

Ben H. Winters is the New York Times best-selling, Edgar Award-winning, and Philip K. Dick Award-winning author of The Quiet Boy, Golden State, Underground Airlines, the Last Policeman trilogy, and the mash-up novel Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. Ben has also worked extensively in television; he was a writer on the FX cult hit Legion as well as Manhunt on Apple TV+, and he is the creator of the CBS drama Tracker. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, three kids, and one large dog.

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