A cerebral page-turner with an unsettling emotional undercurrent…
In Thomas’s psychologically astute mystery, a psychologist investigates the first murder in generations in a society that believes violence vanished with the disappearance of men. Jorie Holmes, a senior therapist with the Ministry of Nurturing and Guidance, is assigned to evaluate Eve, a sculptor who calmly admits to murdering her partner without remorse. As therapy yields few answers, Jorie’s investigation uncovers troubling evidence from Eve’s past before leading her to a secret preserved for decades: humanity’s last surviving man. Her search for the origins of violence soon calls into question everything her society believes about itself.
Thomas eschews the conventions of the traditional whodunit in favor of a psychological investigation into the nature of violence. The meticulously imagined matriarchal society provides a compelling backdrop without overwhelming the narrative. Jorie is an effective protagonist whose professional insight contrasts with her emotional shortcomings at home, lending her both credibility and vulnerability. Eve is equally compelling; her unnerving composure and emotional vacancy create a far more unsettling antagonist than overt displays of madness would have achieved. The gradual introduction of the last surviving man broadens the novel’s scope, while raising provocative questions about violence, biology, and social conditioning. Although some early passages linger on worldbuilding longer than necessary, the careful attention to detail ultimately strengthens the setting’s internal logic. Rather than offering simplistic answers, Thomas allows competing ideas to coexist, trusting readers to wrestle with the implications. The result is an intellectually engaging novel that rewards readers with its careful character work and fully realized world.
A bold, original achievement.
***
Wintertickle Press
Pub date October 31st, 2026
