The Last Policeman

An Edgar Award–winning science fiction mystery where one determined detective investigates a possible murder as humanity counts down its final six months before an asteroid destroys the Earth.

“A genre-defying blend of crime writing and science fiction.” –Alexandra Alter, The New York Times

Winner of the 2013 Edgar® Award for Best Paperback Original!

An asteroid is on a direct collision course with Earth, and everyone knows there is no escape. The economy spirals downward while crops rot in the fields. Churches and synagogues are packed. People all over the world are walking off the job—but Detective Hank Palace refuses to surrender to despair. When a man is found dead in an apparent suicide, Hank sees evidence everyone else ignores—and becomes the only person willing to investigate.

As his investigation unfolds against the backdrop of an increasingly unstable society, Hank uncovers secrets that challenge not only the case itself but the very foundations of justice, morality, and purpose. With every passing day bringing the asteroid closer, he must decide whether truth still matters when the future has already been erased.

Winner of the Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original, The Last Policeman is a brilliantly original blend of detective fiction, speculative science fiction, and philosophical suspense. Launching Ben H. Winters' acclaimed trilogy, it delivers an unforgettable mystery while asking one of fiction's most compelling questions: What gives life meaning when time is running out?