The Last Policeman is a 2012 American science fiction mystery novel by Ben H. Winters. It follows a police detective in New Hampshire as he investigates a suicide he believes was really a murder. His efforts are complicated by the social, political and economic effects of preparations for, and anticipation of, an asteroid impact six months in the future.
The asteroid is going to hit and there is nothing that can be done to stop it. In the meantime, people are trying to make the most of the time they have left. Some are partying, some are spending time with loved ones, and some are simply trying to survive.
Detective Hank Palace is one of the few people who is still working. He is investigating a death by hanging in a city that sees a dozen suicides every week. Palace believes that this death is suspicious, and he is determined to find out what really happened.
As Palace's investigation plays out under the shadow of the asteroid, we are confronted with hard questions way beyond “whodunit.” What is life worth? What would any of us do, what would we really do, if our days were numbered?
The Last Policeman is a thought-provoking and suspenseful novel that explores the human condition in the face of extinction. It is a story about hope, love, and loss, and it is a reminder that even in the darkest of times, some of us are going to work till we die.
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