While Jon Keller is in Switzerland at an academic convention the world’s cities explode in nuclear warfare.  Meanwhile Jon’s wife and children are in San Francisco, probably one of the bombed cities.  John is staying at an upscale hotel/resort which was left unscathed but they know thanks to the media and the internet.  And most folks leave but there are no planes out and nowhere to land so that ends that.  

*******
The Last
by Hanna Jameson
2019
Read by Anthony Starke 12h 16m
Rating: C; dystopian crime / thriller
*******r

While Jon Keller is in Switzerland at an academic convention the world’s cities explode in nuclear warfare.  Meanwhile Jon’s wife and children are in San Francisco, probably now in chaos.  John is staying at an upscale hotel/ resort which was left unscathed itself, but the staff and guests know what’s happening thanks to the media and the internet.  So most folks leave but there are no planes out and nowhere to land so that ends that.  So about 20 remain. Jon begins to take interviews for a book.

Two months pass and Jon and a couple friends find a dead child in the hotel’s water tank – she did not die from drowning. Then they find guns. Then basic supplies run low and a search party is sent to the nearest city to scavenge for food and supplies. This is a very scary expedition. Tempers fray while suspicious activities are observed. More time passes, food runs low again. Jon wants to hear from his wife.

It’s a flawed novel in some serious ways but it’s certainly entertaining.  This is in large part because the narrator is excellent however, there are some things even a great narrator can’t overcome.  There are parts which are just not believable even within the context of the novel.  Jameson gets unnecessarily wordy.  And finally,  there’s too much romance in the book for me.