The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters {review}

Title: The Last Policeman (The Last Policeman #1)
Author: Ben H. Winters (website)(Twitter)
Pages: 336 pages
Published on May 13, 2013 by Quirk Books (website)(Twitter)
Source/format: Won paperback

The premise of The Last Policeman is right up my alley so when I found out I won the first two books of this trilogy I was super excited. When they arrived in the same week as 4 other books and were added to my toppling TBR stack, I wasn't sure when I would get to it. Enter my 6 year old who was asked to pick out my next book for me. So, Ben H. Winters, please thank Cole for picking you based on there being "policeman" in the title. He wants to be a Sheriff's Deputy when he grows up.

After explaining to him that this wasn't a book that I could read TO him, he wandered off to let me read. And read I did. I finished it in one day. 

A huge asteroid is heading towards earth. There is about 6 months left. People have quit their jobs to live out their "bucket lists" and the number of religious organizations have sky rocketed. Henry Palace has just been promoted to detective and is called to a hanging at the local McDonald's. He doesn't think that it is suicide though and starts to investigate. Everyone questions why he is investigating since the asteroid is still headed towards them and there are suicides every day.

Detective Palace was a very fun character for me. He was quiet, unassuming and methodical. A bit of a dry wit that calls things like they are, he reminds me of one of my very favorite people on the planet.

A secondary cast of characters was diverse and well developed. I am glad that it was mostly centered on Palace though. The Last Policeman was told in first person from his perspective. Since this was the case, I felt like I got a good grip on who he was and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

The mystery is a good one and I enjoyed the way that the story unfolded. It lagged a bit in the middle but still was able to hold my attention regardless. The best part of the book was the imagining of what life would be like if something was about to wipe us all out. That part was believable and therefore a bit scary. 

I really enjoyed The Last Policeman and am looking forward to getting to Countdown City soon.