This title has been sitting in my To Be Read queue for months and I finally opened it last night out of guilt. Holy smokes! I read it in one sitting, resulting in a foggy day spent at work today!

I am not, as a rule, a fan of dystopian fiction which is probably why it took me so long to open this one. However, when dystopian fiction is blended with a tautly plotted, inventive mystery it becomes a book I cannot put down. The author has done everything right here - good dialog, evocative description, memorable characters, and an unusual plot. I'll be recommending this a lot in the coming months.

I was immediately hooked by the synopsis for this story and I had to know what happened! I loved the setting and the way that the story unfolded. The story is set in a hotel that quickly empties of guests after the nuclear weapons are detonated, leaving just 20 people living in a huge hotel. A nearly empty hotel, in the middle of the woods far from any city? Major creepiness. The story is told through Jon’s journal entries and because we only get his point of view, and he is under some serious duress, there is a little bit of the unreliable narrator vibe going on. I liked this point of view but I wouldn’t have minded getting a peak inside the other characters heads. The story gets a tiny bit slow in places but it was manageable. I felt like the murder of the girl was sort of thrown in a bit to keep the story moving when there wasn’t other stuff going on. Sometimes the characters seemed to forget that it had even happened and then things slow down and they suddenly remember they are supposed to be solving a murder. All of that being said I did really enjoy the book but I was not thrilled with the ending. The killer didn’t really make any sense at all to me and I had this idea in my head that fit perfectly. That bugged me. Also we never learn what happened with the rest of the world. Why were the bombs dropped and by who? I’m going to give the book 3.5 stars and hope that there might just be a sequel so we get to know more about the rest of the world.

I finished this novel in a single day, once again staying up late to chase through the last hundred or so pages. Jon Keller is a historian at a conference in rural Swiss hotel when nuclear bombs are dropped on major cities all over the world, decimating much of civilization as we know it and leaving a few survivors to pick up the pieces. Jon, and a handful of other survivors, decide to wait out the apocalypse at the hotel—for what, they’re not entirely sure. But when Jon finds the body of a dead child in a water tank, he’s given both a purpose in his aimless, post-apocalyptic days, as well as immense fear, for there may be a murderer in their midst.

This novel was *impeccably* paced. If I were to write a thriller, I would read and underline this for how to keep your reader engaged without missing out on crucial information (something I know I can tend to do while reading a really good novel is I’ll practically skip over parts that seem less important or are boring; that didn’t happen here). Character development of most characters was slim, as this is a very plot-oriented novel, but the main character, Jon, develops into…. Maybe not who I expected he would be in the beginning. The same goes for his friend, Tomi, who in my opinion seems almost painfully based on Tomi Lahren, so take for that what you will.

If you’re looking for a really fun, not-too-demanding thriller that asks some interesting questions, I’d recommend The Last! 4/ 5 stars. (release date: January 31).

If there were a nuclear event that affected the globe, and you found yourself stranded in a highly remote (and virtually unaffected) area in Switzerland, what would you do? This is the question we, as readers, continually ask ourselves as we read The Last: A Novel.

As much as we'd like to romanticize the situation, imagining gallant heroes swooping in to save the day, or creating some frenzied apocalyptic nightmare with zombies and terminators, the truth is that in reality things would happen agonizingly slowly. You would have plenty of time to question every move you did or did not make, once you discovered everything had changed in those fateful moments, and you'd be rightfully fearful of the unknown. What about society had changed? What will remain? Will you approach this new reality with paranoia? Compassion? Strength? Raw instinct?

Jon is an historian, and finds himself eager to chronicle the days after the bombs, if for no other reason than to have something to occupy his mind. Few people, no Internet, no information, dwindling supplies -- he needs something, anything to replace the constant noise and churn of his 21st century life. Hanna Jameson's The Last: A Novel is presented as his record of the days and months following the bombs, offering his view of the people, the situation, and their ideas of what's "out there" beyond the hotel they occupy. What they expect, and what they find, often diverges greatly, and it's interesting to see his expectations clashing with reality.

Is this the next great thriller? No, but it's not supposed to be. It's not all fear, insanity and bang up action; it's thoughtful and real. And haunting, definitely creepy. If you are looking for a book that will help you question what you'll do if the world as we know it ends, this is a strong one to choose.

This book has a ton of storylines. The main one being that nuclear bombs have gone off all over the world. There are many thinly veiled jabs at our current president without officially naming him as the reason behind the end of the world. I thought that was funny. It is very interesting to read books currently being written with obvious political motivations. I found myself laughing out loud as the characters in the book literally form groups on the left and right side of the room and begin pointing fingers at those who admitted voting for the current administration in the time the novel takes place.
The Last reminded me of two of my all times favorite shows, Lost and The Leftovers. The reason I say that is because The Last plays with your sense of reality a bit. It eerily makes you question what is real, and what is possibly only occurring in the characters imagination. There are ghost sightings, and more than one of the characters questions whether all of the survivors in the story are in some type of Purgatory.
To make matters more complicated, the body of a young girl is found in a water tank on the roof of the hotel. So, not only are we faced with the end of the world, but there also may be a murderer among them. Oddly enough, Jon our main character seems to be the only person who cares about it and he cannot seem to understand why no one else seems bothered enough to try and figure out what happened. Did the murder happen before the bombs? Or after? Who would kill a little girl?
While reading this book I was on edge of my seat the entire time. The mood is creepy from the very beginning. The hotel is isolated in the middle of the woods in Switzerland. It is old, and has a history of strange occurrences and many deaths. Suicides, accidents, etc. Many of the guests say that they have experienced strange encounters with ghosts and hear rattling in the halls at all hours. The weather is cold although Winter hasn't arrived, and the guests can only imagine that it's due to the nuclear bombs fallout blocking the Sun.
I had been really anticipating this books release, and was ecstatic when I was given an advanced copy to read. So thanks a ton to the publisher and to NetGalley. I happily read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was all set to close the book (cough) on 2018; I had finished up the Peter Grant series in a very satisfactory way, was finishing up a couple other books, and was hoping to actually complete reviews for the books read, all in the same year–I know, I know. Foolish. Then I saw Robert’s review and the words ‘apocalypse’ and ‘mystery’ instantly jumped out. You could not have tempted me more with dark chocolate sea salt caramels. And wouldn’t you know it? Last was just as satisfying, a great mix of emotions and flavors.

It starts off quickly; no building of suspense, wondering when the end of the world will happen, letting our hapless characters wander around as we all get our bearings. It has happened; Jon, the narrator, begins the story three days after the news breaks. An American tucked away in Switzerland for a conference, and he and his colleagues have been routed to a somewhat isolated hotel. I hesitate to say much more; suffice to say that it unfolds quickly and seems very plausible. It combines the best of the apocalypse: a quick disaster, a prolonged sense of aftermath, the opportunity to explore self, meaning, and society, all done with solid writing.

“A lot of people confuse movement with progress,’ Dylan said. ‘I knew it was a bad idea but what were we gonna do, barricade them in? They weren’t ready to face any kind of truth.’ I leaned against the wall of the stairwell as Dylan got out his set of keys. The air in here was too thick, full of dust and last breaths. It stank. I hated the stairwell but of course the elevators weren’t working anymore; hadn’t worked for two months, not since that first day.”

I can think of a handful of books that this would compare to, and it’s no surprise that the publisher draws analogies to The Last Policeman and Station Eleven. I think that for many, however, this will be an improvement on both of those. Less bucolic and with a stronger narrative than Station Eleven,there is a definite atmosphere of fearfulness and psychological stress. Will these survivors break down? Like an inverse horror movie with the demons from within, how will they cope? Similar to The Last Policeman, the narrator is struggling with his own reactions and trauma response; though aware he is doing so, he’s not exactly doing so with great success. But he reflects and engages, and it provides interesting food for thought.

“I figure I should keep writing things down. The clouds are a strange color, but I’m not sure if that’s just me being in shock. They could be normal clouds.”

I will agree with Robert, one of the reviews that lead me to this book; the ending did feel rushed. Of course, for me, endings often feel rushed with suspense novels, as I’m speed-reading, trying to discover the resolution and relieve the tension. I’ll go so far as to say it’s a little Tana-French-ish in that the story is more about the psychological journey of the characters and less about the mystery. It is an intriguing ending, but yes; it does try to do too much too quickly, given the pacing of the middle.

Last but random note: one of the few end-of-the-world novels that integrates more than then an average white American in it.

Still, it was a fabulous way to end my 2018 reads. Definitely left me with a book-hangover. Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advance reader copy. The quotes, of course, are subject to change in the final writing, but I do think that Jameson’s style is one of the aspects that sets this above your average mystery or end of the world, and should be appreciated.

This book has it all -- current events, murder, intrigue, the end of the world, and the struggle to hold onto humanity when all is lost. Jon, an American historian, finds himself stranded at a remote Switzerland hotel when the end of the world hits. Thanks to an issue that could be ripped from any newspaper's current headlines, various governments have lost their patience with one another and have "gone nuclear", bombing major cities in countries all across the world with deadly nukes that end up killing millions. Thus the setting for The Last -- what would it be like to survive a nuclear holocaust? How would we survive? Where is the line between humanity and survival when desperation turns people into monsters? And is it possible for humanity to be more powerful than fear?

Shades of The Walking Dead with a side of politics, but without the flesh-eating zombies. I'm a fan of both, so this was right up my alley. I thoroughly enjoyed The Last, and found myself with my stomach in knots trying to figure out where the heck Jameson was going to take this plot. I appreciated the twists and turns, and my only disappointment was the ending -- it felt a bit rushed, but Jameson still managed to surprise me down to the very last pages.

Well, at 60% I'm throwing in the towel. This book has bored me to near death! There's too little happening, and most of it takes.place in the hotel, and it's all from one person's perspective. I need action! I think just the fact that nothing ever changed is what killed it for me. I'm just one of those crazy people who wouldn't be able to stay in a hotel with strangers, and I would need to know what's going on in my hemisphere. I thought about cheating and peeking at the last few chapters, but discovered that I have had quite enough! My thanks to Netgalley and Atria for the chance to read and review this e-book. I'm all honesty, it's a well written story and I think most people would enjoy it. Not me....but others!

This one was really quite entertaining and original and would have had five stars but for the ending... Nuclear war, stranded individuals from all walks of life and nations forced together to survive, the mysterious (apparent) murder of a child, secrets and lies, fears and insecurities writ large - the vast majority of the novel was full of all these and more and flowed beautifully with just the right amount of suspense, revelation, and innuendo about motives and backstories. Then things suddenly switched tack and resolved itself handily and tidily, and that's where I lost the thread... There are still unresolved questions at the end, to be sure, but the biggest (e.g., who started the war and why) was pretty much just left ignored, and the "back to usual" state of the ending felt rushed and tacked on, as though it was written to end the book rather than to end the story. Still, despite that disappointment, this was a very engaging and entertaining story and I'll definitely look for more from Jameson.

If there was a nuclear attack over the entire world and you survived, AND you’re an historian, what would you do?

Start recording of course.

Figures Switzerland would make it out ok. Or…well...ok as you can be when the world is ending. John can’t get ahold of his wife in the States, the internet is starting to dwindle and there seems to be no way out, so he may as well make the best of it in order to survive. There are a handful of people who choose to stay at their hotel while most flee (to where?) and what ensues is their survival story in a sense. The political climate that caused all of this, down to the debates of some of the survivors, align eerily with today’s current events. That in of itself made this book a little creepy to me. So close to home, eh?

There were times I thought the book would take on a more haunting tone, or thriller, but did not. It was definitely suspenseful in the sense that you are following one man’s account of the fallout of the world. It was definitely enough to keep me turning the pages. There’s also a murder mystery thrown in there for fun.

The Last had me hooked from the beginning and mostly through to the end. I felt the ending strayed away from the original feel of the book, but it continued to peak my interest til the very end regardless. Definitely a post-apocalyptic read to put on your list.

Who Would You Choose to Survive TEOTWAWKI With?

Although it's entertaining fiction, The Last is a complex book that makes you think. Despite the multiple issues it deals with, it's written in a smooth style that makes it suspenseful and engrossing.

Suddenly, nukes have exploded in a number of the world's cities. Jon Keller, an American attending an international conference, is part of a group of survivors who have holed up in their hotel in Switzerland. They're isolated and unsure of what's going on as the internet and cell service has failed.

On top of worries over whether his wife and children are still alive, the potential of radiation poisoning, and concerns that the group's long-term survival is looking grim as food and other necessities begin to run out, Jon discovers that any one of the survivors could also be a killer.

Although only a few of the characters like each other (or are likable), how they forge connections and learn to rely on each other despite their differences is a vital part of this survival story. Conflict between the characters throughout the book also builds the mystery and suspense, as you're never certain who to trust.

At times, the central character doesn't even trust himself.

Not impressed with this CW version of a literary novel. Characters are not particularly likable, and the plot requires the reader to suspend disbelief so many, many times it's tiring. Many extraneous details that distract from the story (for example, the main character has a toothache throughout the story, which is neither relevant nor interesting). The sub-story is patchy at best, with a deus ex machina moment that inserts a religious aspect into the book abruptly. All in all, an uneven effort and one I'd prefer to have skipped.

The Last straddled a few genre lines but did so very gracefully. I enjoyed reading an apocalyptic drama from the quiet perspective of those who are left in the dark. This choice gave a tired genre new life, by allowing the reader to experience this trauma the way we might likely experience a major nuclear event - from a point of isolation, depending on a few other individuals who, by total chance, happen to be stuck in the same setting, The book pivots halfway through as the interpersonal relationships naturally escalate and devolve. This felt like a natural progression, but also forced a second genre shift. I personally enjoyed the twist, but wonder if this read may have trouble finding the right audience. It was partially billed as a murder mystery, but that was arguably the least interesting element of the story. Personally though, I'd love to read more slow-burn, twisting works like this.

Historian Jon Keller was attending a conference at a hotel, L’Hotel Sixieme, in Switzerland when nuclear bombs/weapons hit various cities around the world. Jon thought he had time to respond to his wife's text message, he was mulling over what to say and regrets how things were left between them. Now he fears that his wife and daughters may be dead and what is worse is that he may never know.

While some left the hotel immediately upon hearing the news of the attacks, Jon remained with approximately twenty other survivors. They are cut off from the outside world and with no internet or electricity, they have no news about survivors, what areas are safe, the amount of damage done, etc. Are they the only survivors, or are there others? Is it safe to leave the hotel or is it safer to stay? How long must they stay? Will anyone come looking for them? Who dropped the bombs? How long can the survive at the hotel? When will their supplies run out?

When the body of a young girl is found, Jon decides to investigate fearing there may be a murderer at the hotel. Jon also takes it upon himself, to document what is happening at the hotel and to give descriptions and background of the people who remain there - he is a historian after all. Through Jon's writings, readers get a glimpse into life at the hotel after the bombs hit. He tells of suicides, survival, arguments, and how some take positions of leadership.

This is a rather slow-moving book with not a lot of action. This is more of a character study of how people live and survive after the world appears to end. The hotel occupants do now know if anyone else survived, what happened to those you choose to leave the hotel, or if their loved ones are alive. They are existing with very little too do to fill up their days. Survival is key. Through Jon's documentation of the hotel guests, the reader gets to know the hotel occupants to a small degree.

There is a lot for readers to ponder in this book. What decisions would the reader make? Would the reader choose to stay at the hotel or leave to try and go home (or at least find others)? Would the reader assume a position of leadership? Would the reader be able to make decisions between life and death? etc. This is definitely a thought-provoking book. The book also does have some political talk and debate with characters blaming others for "voting for him" and therefore "being responsible" for the bombings. For me, this was a little frustrating as we never know more about the political situation. Who dropped the bombs? Why? Who is the "him" the characters voted for, etc.

For me this book was good not great. I didn't mind the pace so much that there were some frustrating parts/subplots that really didn't go anywhere. There were times I thought the book was going to get creepy, but it didn't. This book is uniquely told through Jon's documentation, so the reader doesn't really get to see the other characters emotional reactions to things. We are told things but don't really get to see their fear, anxiety, doubt, anger, etc... unless Jon chooses to write about them. This made the book feel a little flat for me.

This book is thought provoking and I believe that is its strength. We live in a time when countries have nuclear weapons, so it is easy to place oneself in this situations and wonder "what if this were me?". Fans of dystopian novels will most likely enjoy this one.

Thank you to Atria books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I read half of this, but just wasn't interested in continuing. The premise was interesting, but then the characters kind of bogged down. It just didn't hold my attention.

This was entirely plausible, and reminded me of Bel Canto which I greatly enjoyed. I'd say this is not really a domestic thriller/murder mystery like you might have assumed at first click - rather, it's a quieter story about a very real predicament we might find ourselves in one day in the not-too-distant future. Eerie, a little looming, and entirely worth reading.

I did not want to do this, I’ve DNFed so many books recently, and I really really tried with this one but I got 50% in and just could not keep flipping the pages (kindle screen). I was zoning out during scenes and falling asleep. It’s not that this is a bad book because it is not. It’s very unique and going to be some people’s favorite. But for me it was too slow. I really liked the premise of this, the end of the world a man stuck in a hotel in Switzerland with no contact or info about his family back in the USA, and a murder mystery. I was interested in the end of the world vibe I thought I was going to get but in reality, it’s not as action packed as I hoped. It’s a day to day journal entry about a man surrounded by people at the end of the world. There are ALOT of suicides (trigger warnings) I mean a lot. Which end of the world I guess that’s just the cold truth but it was focused on quite a bit, there is also a full effect detail scene of characters doing meth, and details of the effects and feelings when you smoke meth, it actually seemed to condone it. The feelings described didn’t mention any of the downfall to meth or the bad feelings when you do it, it didn’t mention to ache in your chest when you come down or the feelings of just complete darkness once you’ve come down, it just made it seem fun and like a one time fun thing to try, yeah no. From someone who’s been around it my whole life and watched it destroy my family, I don’t think it should have been made to see like just smoking weed, (which there’s a lot of too). And that’s just me, maybe others won’t mind it as much but me personally it really turned me off. There’s a lot of political talk about basically how it’s Trumps fault the US was bombers, (which it will be if it ever happens,) but he was never mentioned and it was just people hating americans for voting for him (not all of us did). There was also never a bombing in Switzerland mentioned but yet they are shut down too, living in an apocalypse world but if the bombings were all in the US and Russia why is the rest of the world down too? The US obviously has a spectate government. I think if there would have been more survival aspects and less day to day getting high, talking about guns and who’s fault it is I would have liked it more but for me, i have to give up on it. I was just starting to feel very negative and down and that’s not something I want from a book.

Jon Keller is an American historian that is attending a conference at a Switzerland hotel. While having breakfast one morning someone shouts out that nuclear bombs have started detonating through out many big U.S. cities. Panic ensues as people frantically try to gather any and all information possible. Soon it becomes apparent that many countries around the world have been destroyed.

Some choose to leave the hotel but Jon and several other people decide the hotel is the best and safest place for them right now. When checking on the water supply they find a dead little girl. Jon decides to investigate this little girls murder and to bring her some sort of justice.

The story is told through Jon's diary. As a historian he feels it is important to document their daily life. Initially this was very interesting but my interest did wane the longer I read. I didn't care about anyone in this book. Not even the murdered little girl because you never actually know her. I had no investment in wanting to solve her murder. Thankfully his investigation is weak at best. I'm not even sure why the author threw in the murder on top of the end of the world scenario. It really added nothing to this story. Also mentions of ghosts and possibly "other people" hiding out in this enormous hotel which will have you (ME!) thinking hmmm, perhaps a tinge of horror but, no, these story lines really served no purpose.

My biggest issue with this book is how politically charged it is. A lot of democrat vs. republican bickering and debating which pretty much ruined this one for me but that's just me. YOU may love it! 3 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Hanna Jameson for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Jon Keller is in Switzerland, half a world away from his family, when Washington DC and a lot of other cities get nuked. Now, stranded in a hotel with dozens of strangers, cut off from the internet, wondering if his family is still alive, Jon and others find a girl's body in one of the hotel's water tanks...

My man Easy E was bragging about how great this book was on Twitter months ago and I added it to my Netgalley wish list. Eventually, I was invited to read it and I read it on a single dreary Sunday. It was gripping, to say the least.

In a way, The Last reminds me of The Last Policeman. While the world is crumbling, one man has a mystery to solve, a mystery not a lot of other people seem to care about. In other ways, it reminds me of The Stand, a story of people surviving in the ruins of civilization. In all ways, it was one hell of a book.

I was surprised at how enthralled I was with the book. Hanna Jameson does a great job at building suspense and sewing some misdirection. Her characters were surprisingly rich. It would have been easy to go with stock characters in a story like this but Jon, Tomi, Dylan, and the rest were a complex bunch. Even Peter had his hidden dimensions. The book had a paranoid feel at times, like anyone at the hotel could have been the killer, and that anyone could be hiding in the vast but nearly vacant hotel.

I don't really want to reveal anything else. The Last combines my favorite things about post-apocalyptic fiction and mystery fiction. I can't recommend it enough. Five out of five stars.

When the nuclear bombs start falling, Jon Keller is at a conference at an isolated resort in Switzerland. That first day is a blur and chaos, and by the second day, most of the people have left to try to find a plane or family or just fled. Jon and about 20 others realize there will be no planes or they have really nowhere else to go. The book follows their evolution into a new world and a new mindset, and deciding just how far they will go to survive. This is not McCarthy's The Road but more like Ben Winters' The Last Policeman trilogy. In fact, a few of the men find a child's body in one of the building's water tanks and Jon sets out to find out what happened. It gives him something to occupy his time instead of thinking about the world and his lost family at home.
The mix of people, "The Last," is a very believable group of unrelated individuals, many not even speaking the same language. As few know each other, there is a great deal of distrust and misunderstanding throughout the story. And many mistakes and fatal errors and sudden death. And the search for a murderer and the biggest search of all, for hope. The story is quite fascinating, totally unpredictable, and should be a stunner for book club discussion. Jameson has written an intriguing "what if" story. I highly recommend it - you will be talking to yourself about it if not to all your friends.