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    The Last
    The Last
    The Last
    Audiobook12 hours

    The Last

    Written by Hanna Jameson

    Narrated by Anthony Starke

    3.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    This propulsive post-apocalyptic thriller “in which Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None collides with Stephen King’s The Shining” (NPR) follows a group of survivors stranded at a hotel as the world descends into nuclear war and the body of a young girl is discovered in one of the hotel’s water tanks.

    Jon thought he had all the time in the world to respond to his wife’s text message: I miss you so much. I feel bad about how we left it. Love you. But as he’s waiting in the lobby of the L’Hotel Sixieme in Switzerland after an academic conference, still mulling over how to respond to his wife, he receives a string of horrifying push notifications. Washington, DC, has been hit with a nuclear bomb, then New York, then London, and finally Berlin. That’s all he knows before news outlets and social media goes black—and before the clouds on the horizon turn orange.

    Two months later, there are twenty survivors holed up at the hotel, a place already tainted by its strange history of suicides and murders. Jon and the rest try to maintain some semblance of civilization. But when he goes up to the roof to investigate the hotel’s worsening water quality, he is shocked to discover the body of a young girl floating in one of the tanks, and is faced with the terrifying possibility that there might be a killer among the group.

    As supplies dwindle and tensions rise, Jon becomes obsessed with discovering the truth behind the girl’s death. In this “brilliantly executed...chilling and extraordinary” post-apocalyptic mystery, “the questions Jameson poses—who will be with you at the end of the world, and what kind of person will you be?—are as haunting as the plot itself.” (Emily St. John Mandel, nationally bestselling author of Station Eleven).
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSimon & Schuster Audio
    Release dateApr 9, 2019
    ISBN9781508286288
    Author

    Hanna Jameson

    Hanna Jameson is the author of the London Underground mystery series the first of which, Something You Are, was nominated for a CWA Dagger Award. She lives in London.

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    Reviews for The Last

    3.5/5

    394 ratings29 reviews

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    • 5/5
      The Last was a good story. Good narration. My only problem would be the author throwing a bit of politics into the mix. Authors take note* when you throw politics into the story you are alienating 50% of your audience.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      I don’t know if I would call this high concept, it reminded me a lot of Leave The World Behind, in that suffocating atmosphere of isolated setting and not knowing what is really going on outside of the hotel, but it didn’t feel like your typical post apocalyptic book. The murder mystery felt very Stephen King-ish (at least the motivation for the killing did). I also think the political reality of the time when this book was written reflected within the story a lot. There is so much talk about the president, the people who voted for him and how they’re also responsible for the outcome of his aggressive actions that lead to nuclear fallout.

      Overall, I thought this was a good book, though pushing the political agendas felt a bit.. annoying to me.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      At first I thought....no on this story but that was on the first day. On about the fourth day I was drawn into the story and now I'm wishing there was a part 2. Or a movies version of the book!
    • 2/5
      Just ok. Narrator was ok he did a range of accents from around the world very good. The story tho, felt like a stay about a frat house Target than a dystopian apocalyptic thriller
    • 4/5
      Bleak, bleak, bleak. Will we ever learn from the past?
    • 3/5
      I loved the idea but the end result was lacking. There were a few interesting concepts buried in there but it was all overwhelmed by an unlikable narrator, flat characters that all had the same voice, superficial political "points" that weren't developed, and a lack of any real tension (excluding one section towards the end but that is resolved very quickly). And the murder solution was so stupid. You really need to lean in to the magical realism thing to make that kind of ending work.
    • 4/5
      Enjoyed the book. Was annoyed at how many times politics was mentioned. It seems like we can’t even escape politics anywhere anymore… not even books.
    • 1/5
      I stopped when the feminazi propaganda started. People can't even help themselves anymore. I just want to be entertained. Not lectured.
    • 4/5
      It was a good read. It dragged in some parts, but overall good
    • 2/5
      I don't believe that people would be this civilized, aggression would occur in hording alcohol, drug's, candy and the dead girl in the water cistern would tip them over the edge. The author clearly don't know the dark gritty parts of humanity.
      There is nothing more dangerous than scared people that feel trapped.
    • 5/5
      I really liked this story, easy to listen to. I felt it a softer portrayal of the aftermath of a nuclear war. It’s more wishful than realistic; real life humans are more vicious and selfish. I liked the discussions, mildly political I a very broad sense.
    • 3/5
      This novel had a great premise. The beginning hooked me right away but then it seemed that nothing really happened. It’s seemed to focus more on a murder than the effects of nuclear war. I wish the story had taken a different direction.
    • 5/5
      A good story exemplifying the best part of dystopian fiction: realistic characters reacting to extreme situations. The author does a good job of bringing the reader to care about the characters. I felt invested in the story, wanting to know what will happen next. The realism of the story, and the way that people handle the way they relate to one another made it a bit melancholy, but in a good and introspective way. I was happy that it didn't go the way of The lord of the Flies, as many of these books do. I liked it very much, and would recommend to anyone.
    • 2/5
      It was ok but the ending was so ridiculous I almost couldn’t believe it
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this book! I'm a big fan of apocalypse or post apocalypse fiction, and this was a really interesting mix of nuclear war and crime / investigation thriller. It was a thoughtful look at a very plausible end of the world as we know it scenario, and how that affects a small group of normal people. I enjoyed the supporting characters, all well defined and believable, and the main character and his doubts and worries were interesting and kept me hooked - this didn't take long to read, but I did stay up a bit later than I really planned to. Only a few of the 'usual' post apocalypse cliches in the book (I do love a good trip to the ransacked food store with fear and guns!) which was a pleasant change, Overall I'm very grateful to Netgalley for the free review copy, and WILL recommend this to some apocalyptic fiction fans I know. I'm very glad I got the opportunity to read it, and I'm sure it's one that will stay with me. Great stuff!
    • 3/5
      I read this book very quickly, and was engaged by it, so I enjoyed it to some extent. There are many themes that I quite enjoyed: the apocalyptic setting, the mysterious hotel with surrounding wilderness, the dynamic of survivors, investigation and discovery.

      However, I feel like there were many things setup that ultimately didn't produce fruit. There are many red herrings, which produce various levels of reader satisfaction. The nuclear war sets he backdrop, but there is surprisingly little that is discussed of it. From the readers perspective, the core characters are generally apathetic of the situation (meaning learning why the attacks happened and who else has survived). A conspiracy occurs, but little comes of it in the end. Most of the characters are not very sympathetic. Often times I would find that a character was at odds with another and not know why, and it wasn't fully explained. The narrator is unreliable and that brings some charm, but ultimately feels unfulfilling.

      The book has elements of man caused disaster, a murder mystery, a super natural mystery, a siege, social and psychological elements, horror, religious conflict, and survival, but there isn't enough of each of these, and/or the timing is done poorly. There are several suspenseful moments that fizzle away, and are not brought up again.

      There are many characters (there is a list of the primary group on pages 34 - 35). I kept referring to it to follow along, which was quite useful. Unfortunately, several other characters come into the story which makes it even more difficult to follow and identify with.

      The ending is messy and unfulfilling. I don't think that it was intended to be nihilistic, but I can't help but feel a good taste of that in my mouth afterwards. The behavior of the characters for most of the book is very hard to reconcile with the ending of the novel.

      I am interested in reading the author's young adult series (which has three entries at this writing), as I did enjoy this book. With a some more cohesion, I may have really enjoyed it.
    • 4/5
      THE LAST: A NOVEL by Hanna Jameson is an intriguing look at how people might deal with the end of the world. In this case, starting with a nuclear bomb and a cell phone notification!

      Jon Keller and and a group of plucky survivors find themselves stranded in a resort hotel in Switzerland when nuclear bombs are dropped on bigger cities around the world. He and everyone else there are stuck with no access to the outside world-the internet goes down and cell phones no longer work. With no ability to communicate Jon has no idea how his family is faring back in the U.S. On top of all that, the group discovers the dead body of a young girl in the water tank atop the hotel. When was this girl killed and why was her body tossed into the water tank? Will Jon and the others survive, and if so-what will they have to do to do so? You'll have to read this to find out!

      I was impressed with the writing style as it was so relatable and it flowed easily throughout. Most of the main characters were fleshed out beautifully, however there were a few more that we never learned much about. I think that was a wise decision-because focusing any more on the lesser members of the group would have detracted too much from the story.

      As the characters came to know each other, we came to know them as well. Of course, conflicts between them arose-some more important than others. Political views become involved and depending on where YOU stand on the political spectrum you may or may not enjoy that turn of events. (But isn't it just like people to argue over politics when it's possible that "politics" no longer even exist? Humanity just has to have someone to blame, doesn't it?)

      Jon styles himself the journalist of the group and as such collects everyone's stories while he also becomes rather obsessed with the murdered girl. As such, he also becomes a detective of sorts, interrogating people and trying to get justice of any kind for the victim.

      There were interesting threads that cropped up during this story-some followed through, some not so much. There was also the constant fear of being attacked by other survivors as well as the very real fears of running out of food and water.

      My only issues with this tale were the leads that ended up going nowhere and the fact that the ending seemed to wind up too quickly. I would have liked to have learned more about the possible supernatural aspects, (as in did they exist or not?), and also, a little more about the denouement, which I can't get further into here without spoilers. These items are a bit picayune, but hey, that's how I felt.

      Hanna Jameson has a hit on her hands with THE LAST: A NOVEL. It was intriguing and mysterious, while at the same time entertaining and engaging. I hit a certain point during reading when I knew there was no longer any way to put this book down without knowing what happened. I HAD to know and I bet you will need to as well, if you give this book a chance. I highly recommend that you do!

      *Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.*
    • 4/5
      Best for: Anyone who enjoyed Station Eleven, or who likes the post-apocalypse genre and is looking for one aimed at adults.In a nutshell: Nuclear War has started. Two months later, 20 people remain at a hotel deep into a Swiss forest. A child is discovered dead. History professor Jon decides to document what has happened, and what happens next.Worth quoting: “A lot of people confuse movement with progress.”Why I chose it: Buy one get one half off sale. I’d chosen American Marriage, and was scanning for another. This had a recommendation by Emily St. John Mandel (Station Eleven), so I picked it up.Review:What happens when the world ends not from an outbreak of disease, but from a day of nuclear war? If you are nowhere near the blasts, how do you survive? Do you want to survive? What is your life like? For the guests at this hotel in Switzerland, they have plenty of food, comfortable hotel beds, and water. No internet, and rationed electricity. What do they do? Should they explore beyond the hotel? Try to get to their homes? Do their homes exist anymore?That’s enough to try to figure out but then a dead girl is found in one of the water towers. Millions - possibly billions - have already died. But this is a death close to home, and for Jon, it means something to try to find justice for her. While also grappling with the existential crisis of a completely different world than the one that existed before he arrived at this hotel for a conference.The book appears to be suggesting that Trump is why the nuclear blasts happened. This leads to an interesting discussion about the responsibility of those who voted for him. In a nod to the 53% of white women who voted for him in 2016, the one US citizen at the hotel who voted for him is indeed a white women. The characters are complicated - no one is outright evil, everyone appears to be just doing their best in a shitty situation.I think the only thing that I could take any issue with were a couple of word choices that the US folks in the story made that are very much British English terms: tannoy (megaphone) and mitigating circumstances (which is the specific term for seeking some allowance or delay in an exam or paper because of something beyond a student’s control). I’d never heard either of those terms used in that way until I moved the UK. But that’s really the only thing I could take issue with. Oh! Sorry, one more thing, which is the publisher’s fault, not the author. The back jacket reads “You and nineteen other survivors hole up in an isolated Swiss hotel. You wait, you survive. Then you find the body. One of your number has blood on their hands. The race is on to find the killer … before the killer finds you.” That’s … not a great description of the book. Yes, there is a murder and yes, the protagonist spends a fair bit of time focused on that. But this isn’t a thriller about finding a murderer, per se. It’s a thriller, but the thriller isn’t just about that, if that makes sense. In fact, I’d argue that’s a side story. So if you’re looking for a straightforward thriller, this isn’t it. But hopefully you’ll still pick it up, because it’s really good.Keep it / Pass to a Friend / Donate it / Toss it:Pass to a Friend
    • 4/5
      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.
    • 3/5
      This book had so much potential, but it really just never got to the level of suspense or intrigue that the quotes all over the book seemed to promise. There was one point, about three-quarters through, that got super close and then it all died out again. Side note: I flipped to the inside back cover for the book blurb as there was nothing on the back, only to be find myself seeing the end of the story on the last printed page (instead of it being blank). So flip with caution.
    • 3/5
      Started superbly with a really good premise and some interesting and different characters with a plot line that sent a few curve blasts the readers way. The last fifth seemed like it was tacked on and the solution seemed to be very tacked on. Disappointed at the end.
    • 4/5
      Told in journal style authored by American historian Jon Keller, the characterizations come slowly, as he too, learns about his new companions in this post apocalyptic world. Jon is at a conference at a very old, remote hotel in Switzerland. One morning, chaos breaks out as news of city after city across the world being decimated by nuclear bombs. Many take off in those early hours, but to where, wonder those left behind. The story settles in with about two dozen left at the hotel--both staff and travelers. After the body of a girl is found, Jon is determined to figure out what happened in those early hours and whether or not a killer is among them. Part Agatha Christie, part dystopian, the style makes it a quick read and makes you wonder what you would do in their shoes.
    • 4/5
      I'm not typically drawn to dystopian fiction-I'm much more into mysteries, suspense, thrillers, and true crime, and to be honest don't usually venture too far out of my genre comfort zones-but The Last was described as being Agatha Christie-like, so I had to try it. And I'm so glad I did.I blazed through this book in less than two days, I absolutely could not put it down. It is centered around a group of guests and staff at a hotel, who find themselves thrust together among reports of nuclear attacks around the world. Life as they knew it is over, and they must learn to live together, and somehow survive.On top of this, the narrator (a historian, which works really well as he documents each day), has found the body of a young girl in a water tank (shades of Elise Lam and the Cecil Hotel-the hotel is also clearly based off of the Cecil), and is determined to discover who killed her-and if the murderer is still at the hotel.Everything about this book is so gripping, from the characters and their relationships, to the danger, to the mysteries. This is a book that sticks with you after you finish it. I would definitely recommend this book, even if it doesn't seem like something you would typically read.
    • 4/5
      Jon, an American historian at a Swiss conference, discovers nuclear weapons have been fired at breakfast. Thwy know most major cities have been destroyed before they lose media signals. Most people try to leave but he and a small remnant of guests and staff choose the safety of the hotel. There's no internet, and power starts to run low. They decide to check on the water supply and find a small child, drowned in the tank on the roof. Which one of the survivors is a murderer? Dystopian fiction is pretty popular but I liked how Jameson took risks with a less than perfect narrator, a spiky cast of fellow residents and the threat of something or someone creepy in the woods.A Netgalley book.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this book mostly. I have issues with some things. Characters not realising that rain would be radioactive - I mean, DUH!. The end resolving of the crime was a bit of a cop out. I liked the characterisation of the lead character and of some of those around him but I found many of the other characters completely indistinguishable and could never remember who they were.But despite my criticisms I did enjoy the read - for its unusual idea and the "what if" that it makes you think about. Flawed but interesting.
    • 4/5
      How would you behave if you believed you were one of the last people on earth? After nuclear bombs take out major cities around the world, there are a few people left in a hotel who must decide how to survive. It is an interesting concept with a political undertone as to the reason for the nuclear annihilation, and how people react in such circumstances. There is also an underlying murder mystery in the novel. I thought the book was great for the first half of the book, but I felt it lost some of its momentum as it went forward. It became more philosophical and the ending was not what I expected. It think it is worth reading, and really made me think about the possibility of this happening and how we would survive a nuclear assault. #TheLast #HannaJameson
    • 5/5
      A secluded old mansion under an ominous sky? Yup, guaranteed to catch my interest. And then I listened to the first chapter and was absolutely hooked on Hanna Jameson's new novel The Last.It's finally happened - nuclear war on a world wide scale. Jon was at a remote Swiss hotel attending a conference when it happened. Now he and twenty others are holed up in the hotel, waiting. For what they're not sure - rescue? Or just survival? Stay or go farther afield? And then the body of a young girl is found in one of the hotel's water tanks. Is there a murderer amongst them? The hotel also has a checkered past - suicides and ghosts are part of it's lore.The setting is absolutely perfect for a 'locked room' mystery. And the cast of twenty strangers guarantees a wealth of conflict and suspects. Jon has no idea if his own family is alive and becomes focused on finding who killed the girl.The dynamics of these survivors is fascinating. What will each do to survive? What alliances are forged? What secrets are being kept? And there's no way to predict what's going to happen - which I really like. I want to be surprised. And I was - the ending was unexpected. (Not sure if I loved it. But I loved the book.)Jon decides to keep a 'history' of the 'after' and The Last is told through his documentation. "History is only the sum of its people and, as far as I know, we could be the last ones."As I mentioned, I decided to listen to The Last. The reader was Anthony Starke - a new to me narrator. And now one I hope I hear more of. His voice is so expressive and easily captures the emotions, nuances and tone of the book. He's a clear speaker and is easy to understand. There are many nationalities, ages and genders amongst the survivors and Starke has a voice for each of them. He uses different (and believable) accents for each and adjusts the tone and timbre convincing the listener that there are indeed a group of people in the hotel. And as I've said before, I find listening immerses me in a story. And I was completely caught up in this one! An excellent audio book!
    • 5/5
      Historian Jon Keller is on a business trip to Switzerland when the world ends. He finds himself in the remote L’Hotel Sixieme when nuclear bombs begin falling all around the world. Two months later, he and twenty-odd survivors who have stayed put are still living in the hotel when the body of a young girl is found in one of the hotel’s rooftop water tanks. Keller now faces the possibility that he may be trapped with a killer. The Last by Hanna Jameson is a haunting and tension-filled novel about what it might be like to survive the end of the world. Trapped far from home with a group of strangers, not knowing if there is a way home or even a home for you to return to. Keller turns all his attention to solving the mystery of the murdered girl. Armed with a set of master keys, he searches throughout the large hotel for clues. The mixture of guests and staff who have remained are an eclectic mix of nationalities, professions and political persuasions. Even in the midst of questions about basic survival, the remaining guests and staff nurse grievances, form alliances and bicker. The question of who murdered the girl is inconsequential to some but becomes an obsession for Keller. Keller most closely associates with Tomi, a young American woman who is in many ways his opposite, particularly in politics. He finds himself drawn to her and respects her adaptability to the world they find themselves in. “We’re playing catch-up, dealing with the new world that has been thrust upon us. Tomi has become it.”The story is told through Keller’s journal entries. This contributes to the excellent pacing that propels the story forward. Filled with tension, the story asks important questions. Who are you when the normal rules of civilization can’t be counted on anymore? Is even what happened to a murdered girl important when much of the world is lost? The Last is a compelling novel that is difficult to put down once you start. Fans of thoughtful post-apocalyptic stories and drama will love this book. Highly recommended.I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher.
    • 2/5
      Not good. There is a good premise. Two dozen people are in a remote hotel when a nuclear war starts. They are isolated but have some shelter, food and supplies for a while. Then add in the mysterious murder of a small child. That was enough to ask the publisher for a review copy. Unfortunately, the book did NOT live up to the premise. The narrative wanders all over the place and doesn't hold together. The author adds story arcs that are unnecessary and often don't make any sense. There is no payoff at the ending, and the ending itself which was ludicrous.