The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters Summary

The Last Policeman follows Detective Hank Palace as he investigates a suspicious death in Concord, New Hampshire, six months before an asteroid will destroy Earth. While society crumbles and suicide rates soar, Palace refuses to dismiss what others consider just another "hanger" suicide, doggedly pursuing evidence that insurance actuary Peter Zell was murdered. The novel explores how individuals maintain purpose and dignity when humanity has an expiration date.

The Last Policeman appeals to readers who enjoy police procedurals with philosophical depth, apocalyptic fiction, and character-driven mysteries. Fans of hard-boiled detective stories will appreciate the unconventional setting, while those interested in existential questions about purpose, meaning, and human behavior under extreme circumstances will find rich thematic material. The book suits readers seeking both intellectual engagement and compelling mystery-solving.

The Last Policeman is worth reading for its unique premise combining pre-apocalyptic tension with traditional detective work. Ben H. Winters skillfully balances mystery-solving with philosophical exploration of how people face certain death. The novel features well-crafted world-building showing society's gradual unraveling, a solvable but challenging case, and meaningful character development. While some moments veer toward sentimentality, the compelling voice and thought-provoking themes make it engaging throughout.

Ben H. Winters wrote The Last Policeman with a hard-boiled detective style infused with literary influences, creating what reviewers describe as "hard boiled with a taste of Herman Hesse." His writing combines traditional noir elements with thoughtful examination of human nature under pressure. Winters skillfully portrays societal breakdown through specific details like failing communication networks, abandoned McDonald's franchises, and emergency laws that make arrest essentially a death sentence.

The Last Policeman centers on the death of Peter Zell, an insurance actuary found with a belt around his neck in a McDonald's bathroom. Detective Hank Palace suspects murder despite everyone dismissing it as another suicide in "hanger town" Concord. The mystery is deliberately challenging—readers may guess the "who" but likely won't deduce the "why" until the end, making Palace's investigation compelling even as society considers solving murders pointless.

Detective Hank Palace is a young, inexperienced officer recently promoted to detective due to mass resignations in the Concord Police Department. Palace represents dedication and normalcy in chaos—he's someone finally living his dream of being a detective and refuses to abandon it despite the impending apocalypse. His personal history includes losing his parents young and a complicated relationship with his troubled sister Nico, which drives his obsession with solving hanging deaths.

"Going bucket list" in The Last Policeman refers to people abandoning their jobs and responsibilities to pursue lifelong dreams before the asteroid hits. This mass exodus devastates infrastructure and services as employees simply disappear—communication networks fail, businesses close, and essential services collapse. The phenomenon captures one widespread response to certain doom: prioritizing personal fulfillment over societal obligations, creating challenges for those like Palace who choose to maintain normalcy.

Hank Palace continues detective work in The Last Policeman because he's finally achieved his lifelong dream and refuses to surrender it, even facing extinction. His dedication represents rejection of "hiding behind the asteroid" as an excuse for abandoning standards and responsibilities. Palace believes maintaining purpose and doing work well matters regardless of time remaining, questioning why humanity's last months should be defined by despair rather than meaning and dignity.

The Last Policeman is the first book in Ben H. Winters' Detective Henry Palace trilogy. While it functions as a self-contained story with a complete mystery arc, enough narrative threads are established for subsequent books as the asteroid's impact approaches. The series follows Palace through the final months before collision, allowing Winters to explore how society and individuals evolve as doomsday nears while maintaining the detective procedural format.

Asteroid Maia (designated 2011GV) is the apocalyptic threat in The Last Policeman, predicted to strike Earth in six months with force equaling "a thousand Hiroshimas." Scientists project the impact will trigger worldwide tsunamis, earthquakes, and a devastating ash cloud that will obscure the sun for years, causing mass starvation. The certainty yet unpredictability of Maia's exact impact location creates psychological tension as characters confront humanity's expiration date.

The Last Policeman explores purpose and meaning when death is certain, examining how individuals respond to "unbearable imminence." Winters contrasts those maintaining normalcy against people committing suicide, pursuing bucket lists, or indulging vices without consequences. The novel questions what defines human dignity—continuing work for its own sake, dedicating final months to personal dreams, or simply surviving. It also examines denial, community breakdown, and whether justice matters facing extinction.

The Last Policeman portrays society fraying at the edges rather than immediate collapse. Ben H. Winters shows gradual deterioration through specific details:

• skeletal police forces
• failing internet and phone networks
• abandoned franchises becoming "pirate" operations
• crops rotting in fields
• emergency laws allowing indefinite detention

Most workers continue only because they need money until impact, creating low motivation and crumbling infrastructure while maintaining surface-level order that barely conceals mounting chaos.