The Last Policeman: A Novel

Winter's nearing apocalyptic world he's created is incredibly interesting. It's grounded and well developed and you literally hang on every new piece of news or history regarding *how* society got to its' present point. Despite this amazing world, the actual detective story is solid but not particularly moving. The protagonist is somewhat interesting, but maybe too much an everyman to ever stand out emotionally. Despite several really personal and emotional situations, Det. Palace never fully feels invested in the world. At times, that really helps the story stylistically, but ultimately makes him a bit forgettable. Generally, its a quick read that never slows down too much to get boring, but also never drives towards any bombastic ending. Even when the "climax" occurs, it doesn't blow the barn doors off of the story. The book is solid all around, and while I definitely need a short break from the at times bland Detective Palace, my interest in the world will make me buy the sequel "Countdown City."

The protagonist at the beginning was a bit too analytical for me, but I started to enjoy his quirks/personality as I progressed through the book. Great read, really liked how a post apocalyptic scenario was tied into solving a crime. Picking up the second book as we speak!

A very common story, set in a familiar setting, but for the first time (as far as I know) they've been blended together. The imagery composed by the writer fits perfectly with the mood of the book. An interesting portrayal of how global media would handle such a situation as well.