Thursday, September 6, 2012

Review - The Last Policeman

Title: The Last Policeman
Author: Ben H. Winter
Publisher: Quirk Books (July 10, 2012)
Format: Trade Paperback, Pgs 288
Genre: Pre-Apocalyptic
Source: Library
Series: The Last Policeman #1 (proposed trilogy)

Have you ever loved a book so much that when it came time to writing the review, you were at a loss for words? The Last Policeman has left me that way. This is a huge shock because I am usually very good at using the wrong words with incomplete thought patterns and sentence structure and yet still diligent at using poor grammar when trying to juxtapose a review.

I finished this book weeks ago and have been telling anyone that will listen about Hank Palace, a pre-apocalyptic twenty something police detective that has been on the job a grand total of 32 seconds and was only promoted from street cop to this position because everyone else that should have been entitled to the job has left. Walked away from their responsibilities because a meteor, of astronomical proportion, is on a collision course with earth. They know the exact date, October 3rd, and place that the meteor will hit. That gives the United States five months to fall into complete anarchy.

Some take the opportunity to live out their bucket list, but a few, the naïve as some would say, stay and do their jobs. The city that Palace is responsible for once called Concord, New Hampshire, is now referred to as Hang Town. Each region is known for their specific types of suicide, the most common choice of death as the end nears. When Hank is called out to a McDonald’s he sees yet another body, the late Peter Zell. There is something different about this hanger. The feel is wrong. Something draws this young detective into this man’s story.

When you know that the end is near, do you curl up and die along with everyone else or do you try to take your last grasp at fortune? Do you put it all on the line and bank on the possibility that others have it wrong? Try to create a possible “new future” for yourself?

This story has its twists. While you are trying to figure out the “who-done-it”, remember this is a crime novel - characters that you have fluffed off become all too relevant in the end. A rollercoaster ride that had me riveted to the end and leaving me with the possibility that I had chucked off the rantings of a lunatic when I should have been paying closer attention.

This is book one of a planned trilogy and I sure hope that Mr. Winter’s can deliver as much of a punch with book two as I had received at the end of this installment.

1 comment:

Marce said...

Ohhhh this sounds exciting, so good. Adding to Wishlist. I am loving all the twists, you have me thinking, great review.

I have read Bedbugs by same author.