Review: The Last Policeman
Scientists have determined that the world will end in six months when a giant asteroid collides with the Earth. Many people have stopped going to work and paying their bills, choosing to spend their last days only doing things they enjoy. Others have decided to end their lives before the asteroid does. Most police officers only pursue the worst criminals since others probably wouldn’t even be tried before the world ends. When a man is found hanged at McDonald’s most of the police assume it’s a suicide, but something doesn’t sit right with Detective Hank Palace and he decides to pursue the case.
I enjoyed Bedbugs by Ben H. Winters, so I was anxious to read his latest book, The Last Policeman. I thought a dystopian mystery sounded quite interesting – I did enjoy it, but have to say that at it’s core, it’s really just a mystery. I thought the dystopia aspect would add an interesting twist, but I never felt the urgency or panic I expected to. In fact, I found it hard to believe that people really accepted the scientists’ predictions completely. (I will admit that I did think about what I would do if I knew without a doubt that the world would end in six months.)
The mystery aspect of the book is solid and fast paced. It kept me turning the pages and I wasn’t able to solve the mystery before the detective did. I was fully engaged in the mystery the whole time. Since the focus is on the mystery there wasn’t a lot of character development, but there was enough to understand the motivations of the killer and the detective.
The Last Policeman wasn’t the best mystery I’ve ever read, but it’s definitely a good one. I’d recommend it to mystery lovers, especially those who don’t like them to be too graphic.
Interesting premise — now you have me wondering what I’d do if I knew for sure the world would end.
I read quite a few reviews on this one and i almost bought it, but then thought, I have way too much to read, so it went on the back burner. Thanks for sharing your thoughts Kathy.
The dystopia aspect of the summary is what caught my attention, so you saying that it’s not so much of a dystopian mystery makes me less interested. Oh well!
I enjoyed Bedbugs, but I’m not sure this one sounds that interesting – so I’m going to pass on reading it. I liked the dystopian aspect of it, but from what you wrote that part was pretty lacking. Oh well. Thanks for the honest review
That’s funny – I didn’t like the mystery part much, but I liked the dystopia part!
I probably liked it more than you did. Although definitely not science fiction or dystopian, I thought the setting gave us a nice twist on the standard detective novel… solving a crime when no one seems to care. And since there’s a sequel in the works, we may see a little more world building and maybe some of that urgency that was missing from this book.
Nice review. I love the premise, and will definitely be checking this one out.
Good premise, and I would pick it up because of the dystopian elements. Intriguing idea for a trilogy.
They “end of the world” aspect of the story would appeal to me more than the mystery. It’s too bad it wasn’t more focused on that, because I love the kind of “what if” situations and thinking that arise in those sorts of stories.
Sounds like a good mystery! Thanks for another terrific review (how do you read so many books?!).
The “end of the world” aspect would draw me to this book even if it wasn’t a mystery, which is my favorite genre. Sounds like a winner to me!!
It does sound like a unique premise despite being a little unbelievable.
Sound fascinating! I totally want to get it — annoyingly, I can’t find it or the author in GoodReads.
i love your review…and I think I want to read this…soon…lol…
I have Bedbugs on Mt TBR. This one sounds good
I’m the opposite of the other commenters – I’m intrigued by the mystery, but not crazy about the dystopian theme. Too scary!
I have this one on my stack of summer books that I still want to finish this year. I didn’t read Bedbugs so this will be my first time reading this author. Thinking of the world ending is scary to me!
You’d think there would be more of a urgency if there were only six months left. Too bad the dystopian aspect of the story wasn’t better executed.
I was on the fence on this one for awhile but then decided I needed to add it to my wish list. Not a dystopia fan but the whole concept with the mystery concept sounds unique.
I have no idea what I would do if I knew for sure the world would end in 6 months. That sounds like the focus of the story … not the mystery! : )
Sorry you didn’t llike this one as much as i did. For me, I was happy to see the dystopian aspect used as more of a backdrop for the mystery.
Too bad you didn’t find this one fantastic, but it still sounds like a book I would enjoy.