Countdown City

“[The] plotting is sure-footed and surprising…. Ben H. Winters reveals himself as a novelist with an eye for the well-drawn detail.”

—Slate

“Ben H. Winters makes noir mystery even darker: The Last Policeman sets a despondent detective on a suspicious suicide case—while an asteroid hurtles toward earth.”

—Wired

“I love this book. I stayed up until seven in the morning reading because I could not stop. Full of compelling twists, likable characters, and a sad beauty, The Last Policeman is a gem. It’s the first in a trilogy, and I am already excited for book two.”

—Audrey Curtis, San Francisco Book Review

“I’m eager to read the other books, and expect that they’ll keep me as enthralled as the first one did.”

—Mark Frauenfelder, Boing Boing

“I haven’t had to defend my love for science fiction in quite a while, but when I do, I point to books like The Last Policeman. [It] explores human emotions and relationships through situations that would be impossible (or worse yet, metaphorical) in literary fiction. This is a book that asks big questions about civilization, community, desperation and hope. But it doesn’t provide big, pat answers.

—Michael Ann Dobbs, io9

“I’ve rarely been more surprised by a mystery novel than I was by this one—it’s an unlikely cross-genre mashup that coheres for two reasons: the glum, relentless, and implausibly charming detective Hank Palace; and, most importantly, Ben H. Winters’s clean, clever, thoughtful, and gently comic prose.”

—J. Robert Lennon

“A solidly plotted whodunit with strong characters and excellent dialogue… the impending apocalypse isn’t merely window dressing, either: it’s a key piece of the puzzle Hank is trying to solve.”

—Booklist

“This thought-provoking mystery should appeal to crime fiction aficionados who like an unusual setting and readers looking for a fresh take on apocalypse stories.”

—Library Journal

“A promising kickoff to a planned trilogy. For Winters, the beauty is in the details rather than the plot’s grim main thrust.”

—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Ben H. Winters spins a wonderful tale while creating unique characters that fit in perfectly with the ever-changing societal pressures…. [This] well-written mystery will have readers eagerly awaiting the second installment.”

—The New York Journal of Books

“Extraordinary—as well as brilliant, surprising, and, considering the circumstances, oddly uplifting.”

—Mystery Scene Magazine

“Exhilarating…. do not wait for the movie!”

—E! Online