Asteroid Approaches, Society Unravels

A 6.5-kilometer asteroid, Maia, is on a collision course with Earth, with impact set for October 3—just six months away. As the world grapples with impending doom, society begins to unravel. Suicides spike, law and order fray, and people react in unpredictable ways: some chase bucket-list dreams, others turn to drugs, and many simply muddle through. In Concord, New Hampshire, the mood is tense and anxious, with violence and despair simmering beneath the surface. The world's institutions, from fast-food chains to the police force, are crumbling, and the future is a void everyone is forced to stare into.

Hanger Town's Latest Death

Detective Henry Palace, newly promoted in the chaos, is called to investigate the apparent suicide of Peter Zell, an insurance actuary found hanged in a McDonald's bathroom. Suicides are so common that the police have a nickname for Concord: "Hanger Town." But something about Zell's death feels off to Palace. The scene is too neat, the victim's face bears old bruises, and there's no suicide note or cell phone. Palace's colleagues and superiors urge him to close the case quickly, but he can't shake the sense that there's more to the story.

Detective Palace's Obsession

Despite the world's impending end and the indifference of those around him, Palace becomes obsessed with the Zell case. He interviews witnesses, examines the scene, and follows up on every detail, even as others dismiss his efforts as pointless. Palace's doggedness is driven by a need for order and meaning in a world that's lost both. His investigation is as much about preserving his own sense of self as it is about justice for Zell.

The Case of Peter Zell

Palace's investigation reveals that Peter Zell was a quiet, socially awkward actuary with no close friends or family ties. He was obsessed with tracking Maia's progress, keeping meticulous records and calculations in a shoebox labeled "12.375." Zell's only recent social contact was with J.T. Toussaint, a childhood friend and laid-off quarryman. Zell's sister, Sophia, and her husband, Erik Littlejohn, describe him as depressed but not suicidal. Palace finds a note in Zell's apartment addressed "Dear Sophia," but nothing more.

A World on Edge

As Palace investigates, the world around him continues to deteriorate. The police force is shrinking, the legal system is overwhelmed, and the government is passing draconian laws to maintain order. Drug use and crime are rampant, and even the police are losing faith in their mission. Palace's own family is falling apart: his sister Nico is caught up in conspiracy theories and desperate for hope, while her husband disappears into the chaos.

The Unlikely Detective

Palace's promotion to detective is a result of attrition and desperation, not merit. He is an outsider among his colleagues, who see his commitment as naïve or even alien. His methodical, by-the-book approach is out of place in a world where rules no longer seem to matter. Yet, Palace clings to his role, believing that solving crimes still has value, even as the end approaches.

The Red Pickup Clue

A key clue emerges: Zell was last seen getting into a red pickup truck running on vegetable oil, driven by J.T. Toussaint. Palace tracks down Toussaint, who admits to being Zell's friend and to using drugs with him, but denies any involvement in his death. The investigation into the truck and its conversion leads Palace deeper into Concord's underbelly, where desperation and opportunism rule.

Addicts, Friends, and Family

Palace uncovers a web of addiction and secrecy. Zell had become addicted to morphine, supplied by Toussaint, after stealing prescription pads from his sister Sophia, a midwife. Naomi Eddes, Zell's coworker, helped him through withdrawal and became his confidante. But as the asteroid's impact became certain, Naomi herself relapsed, buying drugs from Toussaint. The lines between victim, addict, and accomplice blur as Palace tries to untangle the truth.

The Truth About Naomi

Naomi Eddes, who initially downplays her relationship with Zell, is revealed to be a fellow addict and the last person to speak to him each night. She tries to help Palace with the case, but is ultimately murdered—shot in the head while searching for files related to Zell's last insurance investigation. Her death devastates Palace and provides the final piece of the puzzle.

The Drug Trail Unfolds

Palace discovers that the real drug supplier is Erik Littlejohn, Sophia's husband and Zell's brother-in-law. As director of spiritual services at the hospital, Littlejohn has been stealing drugs and selling them through Toussaint. When Zell discovers the operation, Littlejohn kills him to keep the secret. He later murders Naomi to prevent her from exposing the scheme, staging her death to look like a desperate search for insurance fraud evidence.

Motives in a Dying World

The motives for the murders are complex: money, yes, but also the desperate need to protect and provide for family in a collapsing world. Littlejohn's actions are driven by a desire to secure his son's future after the asteroid's impact, hoarding drugs, food, and weapons in a secret hospital chapel. The end of the world has warped everyone's sense of right and wrong, making even murder seem justifiable to some.

The Double Murder Revealed

Palace sets a trap for Littlejohn at the hospital, using Officer McConnell as bait. Littlejohn confesses to both murders, explaining his motives and the chain of events that led him from theft to murder. The arrest is tense and emotional, especially when Littlejohn's son, Kyle, intervenes with a gun, forcing Palace to confront the human cost of justice in a dying world.

The End of Investigation

With Littlejohn in custody, Palace's investigation is over. But the world has changed: the police force is federalized, the detective unit is disbanded, and justice is now a hollow concept. Palace is left to reflect on the meaning of his work and the futility of order in a world facing extinction. The asteroid's impact is now certain, and the countdown to the end continues.

Hope, Loss, and Aftermath

In the aftermath, Palace visits the last insurance case Zell worked on—a symbolic gesture that underscores the futility and hope that coexist in the face of annihilation. He reconnects with his sister Nico, who is caught up in a conspiracy to find a secret government escape plan. Palace realizes that, for many, hope is all that's left, even if it's an illusion. As the world prepares for its final days, Palace clings to the small acts of meaning and connection that remain.

Characters

Henry Palace

Palace is a newly promoted detective in Concord, New Hampshire, whose sense of duty and order is at odds with a world descending into chaos. He is methodical, earnest, and often seen as naïve by his peers. Palace's psychological need for meaning and justice drives him to pursue the truth behind Peter Zell's death, even as others see it as pointless. His relationships are strained—his family is fractured, and he is isolated at work—but his investigation becomes a way to assert his identity and values in a collapsing world.

Peter Zell

Zell is an actuary whose life is defined by routine, isolation, and a fixation on the asteroid's approach. His obsession with risk and probability leads him to experiment with drugs as the odds of survival dwindle. Zell's inability to connect with others, combined with his secret addiction, makes him vulnerable. His murder is staged as a suicide, and his death becomes the catalyst for Palace's quest for truth.

Naomi Eddes

Naomi is Zell's coworker and eventual confidante, who helps him through withdrawal but struggles with her own addiction. Intelligent, poised, and emotionally guarded, she becomes Palace's ally and brief romantic interest. Naomi's relapse and subsequent murder reveal the depth of her pain and the destructive power of secrets. Her death is a turning point for Palace, forcing him to confront the limits of justice and connection.

J.T. Toussaint

Toussaint is Zell's childhood friend, a laid-off laborer who becomes a drug user and dealer out of desperation. He supplies Zell with morphine and later becomes the middleman for Littlejohn's drug operation. Toussaint is ultimately killed by police during a botched arrest, a casualty of the world's unraveling order and the investigation's relentless momentum.

Erik Littlejohn

Littlejohn is Sophia's husband, a hospital chaplain, and the story's true antagonist. Outwardly compassionate and spiritual, he is driven by a desperate need to protect his son in the coming apocalypse. He steals drugs from the hospital, orchestrates Zell's murder to protect his operation, and kills Naomi to cover his tracks. Littlejohn's actions are both monstrous and deeply human, shaped by love, fear, and the collapse of moral boundaries.

Sophia Littlejohn

Sophia is Zell's sister, a midwife who is both distant from and protective of her brother. She is married to Littlejohn and unwittingly provides the means for Zell's addiction. Sophia's struggle to reconcile her love for her family with the horrors unfolding around her reflects the broader psychological toll of the asteroid's approach.

Nico Palace

Nico is Henry's younger sister, caught up in conspiracy theories and desperate for meaning as the world ends. Her involvement in a secretive group searching for government escape plans mirrors the human need for hope, even when it's irrational. Nico's relationship with Henry is strained but ultimately loving, highlighting the importance of family in times of crisis.

Denny Dotseth

Dotseth is the assistant attorney general, a veteran of the legal system who views Palace's investigation with skepticism and dark humor. He represents the pragmatic, world-weary perspective of those who have seen too much and expect little from justice in the end times.

Detective Culverson

Culverson is Palace's colleague and the only African American officer in Concord. He is methodical, professional, and quietly supportive of Palace's efforts, providing a stabilizing presence amid chaos. Culverson's perspective is grounded and realistic, offering a counterpoint to Palace's idealism.

Detective McGully

McGully is a brash, sarcastic detective who copes with the world's end through humor and bravado. He is dismissive of Palace's efforts but ultimately participates in the investigation. McGully embodies the coping mechanisms—denial, mockery, self-indulgence—that many adopt in the face of disaster.

Plot Devices

The Asteroid as Existential Deadline

The looming asteroid is the book's central plot device, creating a ticking clock that shapes every character's actions and the unraveling of society. It serves as both a literal and metaphorical deadline, forcing characters to confront what matters, what rules to break, and what lines to cross. The asteroid's certainty strips away illusions, exposing the core of each character's psychology.

The Staged Suicide

Zell's murder is staged as a suicide, exploiting the epidemic of self-harm in "Hanger Town." This device allows the killer to hide in plain sight, and challenges Palace to see past the obvious. The prevalence of suicide becomes both a red herring and a commentary on despair, making the investigation a test of discernment and will.

The Detective's Obsession

Palace's relentless pursuit of the truth, despite the world's indifference, is both a narrative engine and a philosophical statement. His investigation is a way to assert meaning in a meaningless world, and his refusal to give up is both heroic and tragic. The structure of the classic detective story is subverted by the context of apocalypse, raising questions about the value of justice and order.

The Web of Addiction

Addiction is both a literal plot device and a metaphor for the ways people cope with impending doom. The drug trade connects victim, killer, and investigator, and the unraveling of secrets mirrors the unraveling of society. The motif of addiction highlights the search for escape, comfort, and control in a world where all three are vanishing.

The False Lead

The subplot of insurance fraud and missing files serves as a red herring, both for Palace and the reader. It reflects the human tendency to seek rational explanations and order, even when the real motives are more primal and personal. The misdirection also underscores the futility of old systems—law, insurance, bureaucracy—in the face of extinction.

The Collapse of Institutions

The disintegration of the police force, the legal system, and social norms is both backdrop and plot device. The loss of structure raises the stakes for Palace's investigation and forces characters to redefine morality, justice, and hope. The narrative structure itself becomes more fragmented and desperate as the end approaches.

Analysis

Ben H. Winters' The Last Policeman is a meditation on meaning, morality, and identity in the face of certain doom. By embedding a classic detective story within an apocalyptic setting, Winters explores what it means to seek justice, truth, and connection when the world is ending. The asteroid is both a plot device and a metaphor for mortality, stripping away the illusions of permanence and forcing characters to confront their deepest fears and desires. Palace's investigation is an act of defiance against nihilism—a refusal to surrender to despair or chaos. The book asks: What is the point of doing the right thing when nothing matters? Winters' answer is that meaning is not found in outcomes, but in the act of caring, connecting, and persisting. The novel's lesson is that, even as the world ends, the search for truth and the bonds of love and duty remain real and good and right. In a time of crisis, the smallest acts of integrity and kindness are what make us human.

Last updated: April 29, 2025