The Last Policeman

The Last Policeman, Book 1

By: Ben H. Winters

Narrated by: Peter Berkrot

Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

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 civilization rest upon? What is life worth? What would any of us do, what would we really do, if our days were numbered?

©2012 Ben H. Winters (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Awesome premise

An excellent story well performed. Part "end-of-the-world" novel, part noir mystery, this book delivers. The protagonist is an great character, consistently motivated and detailed. The supporting characters are equally interesting, and the mystery is a fun ride.

Not your regular mystery

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. Original plot, vivid characters, perfect performance

Have you listened to any of Peter Berkrot’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes. This one is as good as any other

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No

Any additional comments?

The Last Policeman is a great murder / mystery story, written with talent by Ben H. Winters and delivered in a perfect performance by Peter Berkrot.

The story follows young Police Detective Hank Palace as he tries to do his job while the Earth is on the brink of destruction. He is called on the scene of an apparent suicide, but his gut says he has to look at it as a potential murder… For the duration of the case, we see Detective Palace fighting not to lose his mind and his purpose, and trying to make sense of the morals system of a society that has nothing to lose as an event of catastrophic proportions is just 6 months away…

Although the story picks up a little slow, I enjoyed the book very much. The backdrop of impending doom is very well thought and written by Mr. winters and the fact that the plot was a strong one, as we meet a set of unique characters that have helped a lot, creating a very immersive experience for the reader.

Detective Hank Palace is The Last Policeman because he is the only one who still cares about what’s right in a pre-apocalyptic United States. He will tell you a story and it is not a regular mystery…

The audiobook version of The Last Policeman is read by Peter Berkrot. He hightens the level of immersion created by the author, delivering a stunning performance. Mr. Berkrot reminds me of a younger Richard Ferrone and I consider this a very good thing since Richard is an award-winning narrator. Peter brings all the characters to life with different voices, making it very easy for the listener to keep each one easily differentiated in his mind. When he is not acting, he reads in calm and steady voice… I consider Peter Berkrot to be the perfect choice for this book and I hope that, one day, he will scare us half to death with a book by Stephen King.

I will listen to the two remaining books in this trilogy, as I understand that all of them are great, and since I enjoyed both the author and the narrator so much, I’m sure that it will be time well spent…

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Good story

very good story. I like the looming meteorite tearing apart Civil Society while the investigator looks into a common murder investigation.

goodly

everything you want out of an apocalyptic detective story. wonderful narration and atmosphere for your listening.

What's the audiobook equivalent of a page-turner?

Where does The Last Policeman rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I have listened to SO many audiobooks it's hard to rank them. But this one is definitely the audiobook equivalent of a page-turner. I couldn't wait to get into the car and pick up where I'd left off.

What other book might you compare The Last Policeman to and why?

For originality and suspense, The 14th Floor. The stories are nothing alike in content but are set in worlds that are and are not our own.

What about Peter Berkrot’s performance did you like?

I LOVED Berkrot's performance! If you've read my other reviews you know I'm very harsh on narrators. Berkrot MUST be an actor by trade - he gives such life to even the minor characters.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

It's not the end of the world - or is it?

I hope they DO make a movie of it.

Any additional comments?

I have to be invested in the protagonist of a book to stay with it. I can't say how Winters made me care so much about what happened to Henry Pallas (not sure how his name is spelled) but I did!

I enjoyed it, but...

I don't know that it is all that compelling a story. It used an interesting scenario to look at humanity. The background stuff was interesting. But the main story line was a bit boring.

Excellent Pre-apocalyptic mystery

Well narrated novel about the last man on earth who seems to care about ethics and morality while an asteroid is screaming toward earth. Highly recommended.

Slow Apocalypse

This is an apocalypse novel, in which the arrival of the apocalypse is easily seen well in advance, and advances relentlessly one day at a time. In this environment, people begin to surrender their restraints, forego delayed gratification, or despair. Work, even ambition, goes by the wayside. Except for our narrator, a newly-promoted police detective who believes that a suicide he has covered is actually a murder, and is determined to prove it, in spite of the end of the world arriving very soon. The story is revelatory, and we learn what is going on only as our detective does. In the meantime, we learn what and how and when and where the apocalypse is. They unfold together. The tone of the story is "noir," bleak, obscure, resigned. Curiosity drives us forward, as the idea of justice in this case is moot because of the oncoming disaster. ----- There is action in this story, and some suspense, as well as the central mystery. But it is slow. The relationship between the approaching disaster and the suicide/murder case at hand is unclear, but it is a good vehicle for exploring how people might respond to a truly existential crisis. I think I liked it well enough to pursue the remainder of the series, but I will likely wait a while until this one soaks in.

A Very Satisfying Read.

A very interesting premise. The story raises questions on how life would continue in spite of a looming disaster. I'm looking forward to reading his complete series.

it's easy to see why this won the Edgar

Winter combines compelling story and characters with beautiful writing--a feat all too rare these days. The end of the world backdrop is exactly that--a backdrop. It is merely the setting in which the characters find themselves. It informs their actions but does not overpower the story. My only disappointment is with the resolution of the relationship with the sister that takes place in the epilogue. At that point the book almost fades into sci-fi territory which is only problematic because it is out of step with the rest of the book. The narrator is a perfect choice for this book as well.