At Peter’s apartment, Hank finds mathematical calculations and mysterious notes related to the asteroid. In addition, Peter’s secretary, Naomi, claims that she barely knew Peter and yet, Hank recalls seeing her in the parking lot of the restaurant where they discovered Peter’s body. Peter’s boss also recalls that the usually mild-mannered Peter had several angry incidents. He disappeared for several weeks and then showed up again with no explanation. Hank decides that there is enough evidence to investigate the crime as murder.Īs he investigates, Hank finds several odd details about the case. He also wonders why Peter is wearing cheap clothing but the belt he used to hang himself is expensive. Hank notices several inconsistencies, including bruises on Peter’s head. In an apparent suicide, Peter Zell has hung himself in the bathroom of a former fast food restaurant. In the midst of all this, Hank Palace, a young police detective, is called to a crime scene in New Hampshire. Many people quit their jobs to do the things they will otherwise never get the chance to do, while others commit suicide. A version of martial law has been enforced in the United States, and people struggle with strict gas rationing. The United States has already been through a major economic panic that has led to the dissolution of several large corporations. If it impacts in six months, it will likely wipe out all life on the planet. The premise of the novel is that an asteroid has been detected on a collision course with Earth. The blog Suvudu also named it one of the Best Beach Reads of 2012. The Last Policeman was recognized as one of the best books of the month by Amazon and won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America in the category Best Paperback Original. Winters, was followed by two sequels: Countdown City (2013) and World of Trouble (2014). The Last Policeman (2012), a science fiction mystery novel by Ben H.

The last policeman ben winters