The Last Man: A Novel

by D.W. Buffa

Walter Bannister often told himself that he had nothing to complain about. Seen from the outside, the way others saw him, he had the perfect a respected judge, a house in Bel Aire, the fortunate son of a father who had become one of the richest men in Los Angeles, the husband of a woman, wealthy in her own right and just about the first person anyone would call who wanted a charitable event to be the kind of success everyone would be talking about for months. He had everything, and he had nothing at all. There was no excitement in his life, no sense of adventure, nothing like what he thought he had seen in the movies of his childhood, the movies that had depicted the kind of life he thought he would live. Life was something lived by others, something he saw every day in his courtroom and never felt himself. With growing fascination, Walter Bannister tries to understand what makes criminals behave the way they do. He becomes more and more obsessed with what drives someone to murder. His own life an empty shell, he has forgotten, if he ever knew, how to feel anything. Presiding over the murder trial of a man without conscience or remorse, he decides that people kill, not because they are abnormal, different from the rest of us, but for the sheer thrill of it. He wonders, he has to know, what it would be like to kill someone. Is that the secret of what it means to be alive, to know, to really know, what it is like to kill? Walter Bannister wants to find out.

282 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 7, 2012

About the author

D.W. Buffa (full name: Dudley W. Buffa) was born in San Francisco and raised in the Bay Area. After graduation from Michigan State University, he studied under Leo Strauss, Joseph Cropsey and Hans J. Morgenthau at the University of Chicago where he earned both an M.A. and a Ph. D. in political science. He received his J.D. degree from Wayne State University in Detroit. Buffa was a criminal defense attorney for 10 years and his seven Joseph Antonelli novels strive to reflect, from his own experience, what a courtroom lawyer does, the way he (or she) thinks, and the way he feels about what he does.

Buffa had been writing for pleasure for many years when Henry Holt and Co. decided to publish his first novel, The Defense, in 1997. The week it was published, Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, the literary critic of the New York Times, called The Defense ‘an accomplished first novel" which ‘leaves you wanting to go back to the beginning and read it over again."

The Defense was followed by The Prosecution and then The Judgment, which was one of the five books nominated in 2002 for the Edgar Award as best novel of the year. While the first three novels are set in Portland, the author's fourth novel, The Legacy, takes place in San Francisco and is as much a political thriller as it is legal thriller. Star Witness tells the story of Stanley Roth, one of the most powerful men in Hollywood, who is charged with murder of his famous movie star wife.

Breach of Trust, published in 2004, was considered by one critic as "one of the few books that fifty years from now will really matter." It offers readers a scintillating look at Washington politics. Buffa's seventh Joseph Antonelli novel, Trial by Fire, was released in 2005; in this latest Antonelli book, the focus is on the media and the role that television "Talking heads" increasingly play in very high profile criminal cases. Publishers Weekly says of Trial by Fire, "In this intelligent, gripping legal thriller... fast moving dialogue and fine sense of characterization keep the reader hanging on for the ride."

The author's last several novels reflect a subtle shift in storyline from D.W. Buffa's original 'judicial' arena into the the broader one of politics. Buffa has built a new series around protagonist Senator Bobby Hart, an Antonelli-type everyday hero of strong moral fiber who is willing to take on "The Establishment" for the betterment of his constituents...

D.W. Buffa lives in Northern California.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve long appreciated the work of D.W. Buffa, whose legal thrillers have often left me feeling a sense of excitement. Buffa writes another story that explores the judicial system from a new angle and puts these thoughts on trial. Buffa keeps the reader enthralled as they try to come to terms with themes few could have expected to see in a piece of fiction, while also making it an essential part of the conversation. Buffa works well with crafting a story that will resonate with the attentive reader.

Walter Bannister is a trial judge like few others. Able to captivate those who come before him, Bannister makes sure to use the law in ways many could not expect, hoping to create a foundation that cannot be discounted by anyone who enters his courtroom. He is able to control the tone of his courtroom as he adjudicates cases with ease and leaves lawyers wanting to appease him by arguing effectively for legal outcomes that will appeal to everyone. Banister has the life everyone could want and hopes to uphold that view for the foreseeable future. However, he feels his life is dull and lacks purpose. He may hold power, but feels beige all the same. Overseeing a murder trial of a man who killed for the thrill of it, not the necessity, Judge Bannister begins to obsess over this sense of electricity that passes through his mind. Pondering committing a murder might create a thrill, but it could also cost him everything. Buffa delivers this unique perspective on things and keeps the reader on edge throughout.

I have long enjoyed the work of D.W. Buffa, whose assessment of the law is often able to spark excitement. The narrative begins oddly but works well to keep the reader wondering what awaits them, pushing intense moments of societal views and the law. Buffa is able to keep the tension edgy and does not let the momentum dull the action as he explores a unique perspective of the law and its application. Buffa delivers a sensational, yet subtle, look in this legal thriller that resonates throughout.

Characters enrich the story well and keep the reader curious as they discover layers that are essential. Those who enjoy Buffa’s work will see great themes that emerge throughout his various characters, none more so than Walter Bannister. Buffa offers a decent backstory of Bannister and others, all of which flavours the larger story. There is more development than anything, which further enriches the story for all to enjoy, particularly in the courtroom setting. Secondary characters complement Bannister’s work in the piece, while also creating something well worth the reader’s time throughout this book.

Plot points offer great suspense after the story’s initial neutrality. Buffa presents many surprises and twists in the novel, keeping the reader feeling eager to learn truths that are essential to better understanding the story’s foundation. I enjoy the approaches that Buffa brings to the table, keeping the reader enthralled on the journey. I can only wonder what’s next for this author, whose unique approaches to the law make me always eager to grab another of his novels.

Kudos, Mr. Buffa, for keeping me guessing until the final page.

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[Jamie Moore · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too Repetitive

This book repeats its self way too much. It obscures the whole point by constantly repeating the same concept with different examples. We don't need a different paragraph illustrating the same concept every time you write about that character. In fact having the character actually act or behave in a certain way is a far better way to demonstrate their beliefs, their personalities. If some of the extra descriptions would have been removed and more writing spent showing a characters actions then the plot would have come together better and not been so boring.

[Donna H. Lane · Rating 1 out of 5]

Stupid

I've read a lot of books, but nothing even comes close to this book in terms of boring and just plain stupid. The characters are one dimensional, have no redeeming qualities and are just not likeable. If there is a plot or storyline, I could not find it.