The Final Hour

by Simon Gervais

A rookie cop gets more than he bargained for when a predawn traffic stop triggers a relentless chase with deadly consequences, in this nonstop thriller from celebrated author Simon Gervais.

Constable Jason Pratt is an eager rookie on his first shift, scouting Toronto’s most violent neighborhood with field training officer Diana Rossovich. A suspicious vehicle catches Jason’s eye during their last hour of patrol—an hour that explodes into a brutal frenzy of drugs, gangsters, and gunfire. Jason and Diana’s high-rise shelter proves to be anything but safe, where the only way out may be a body bag.

Simon Gervais’s The Final Hour is part of Pursuit, a gripping collection of short stories that explore what it means to be predator and prey … and what it takes to gain the upper hand. Read or listen to each pulse-pounding story in a single sitting—and an intense adrenaline rush.

Genres: Thriller, Novella, Short Stories, Suspense, Action, Audiobook

72 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 27, 2026

About the author

Simon Gervais is a former federal agent specializing in protective operations and counterterrorism. He spent nearly twenty years in the military and in law enforcement. His assignments took him all over Europe and the Middle East. He's the New York Times and #1 Amazon bestselling author of 15 exciting thrillers, one of these titles—Robert Ludlum's The Blackbriar Genesis—was written for the Robert Ludlum estate. Simon's Clayton White series is presently being adapted for TV by CBS Studios with Jerry Bruckheimer TV attached to produce.

Simon lives with his wife and two children. He's an avid boater, diver, and skier.

Literary Agent: Mark Tavani at David Black Agency.
Film/TV Agent: Debbie Deuble-Hill and Alec Frankel at APA.

The Caspian Anderson series:
THE ELIAS NETWORK (Sept 2024)
THE ELIAS ENIGMA (July 2025)
THE ELIAS CONSPIRACY (July 2026)

The Chase Burke series (co-written with Ryan Steck):
THE SECOND SON (December 2025)
THE MARKED SON (November 2026)

Robert Ludlum's THE BLACKBRIAR GENESIS written by Simon Gervais (October 18, 2022)

The Clayton White series:
THE LAST PROTECTOR (November 2021)
THE LAST SENTINEL (August 2022)
THE LAST GUARDIAN (October 2023)

The Pierce Hunt series
HUNT THEM DOWN (January 2019)
TRAINED TO HUNT (September 2019)
TIME TO HUNT (November 2020)

The Mike Walton series:
THE THIN BLACK LINE (March 2015)
A LONG GRAY LINE (Novella—March 2016)
A RED DOTTED LINE (November 2017)
A THICK CRIMSON LINE (April 2018)

"[An] action-packed series launch by Simon Gervais..." —Publishers Weekly

"One of the most anticipated action thrillers of the year..." —The Real Book Spy

"Gervais is a thriller writer to watch..." —Library Journal

"An action-packed thrill ride with plot twists around nearly every curve" — Kirkus Reviews

Reviews

[Marcie Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵! 🔥

A gritty, visceral thriller that packs an impressive amount of action into a short story. I was invested in the characters from the beginning, and the plot kept moving without wasting time.

A very pleasant surprise, and one I'd happily recommend to fans of short, action-packed thrillers.

Thank you to Simon Gervais, Brilliance Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All opinions are my own.

🎉 𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝘆, 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝗶𝘀! 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆'𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲! 𝗜 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲.

[Kristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the last of the Amazon Short Stories from the Pursuit Collection that I have listened to. Imagine my surprise when after finishing all of the books, that THIS book ended up being my favorite.

To be fair, all of them were good and definitely worth a listen, but THIS story seemed to have so much more packed into it. There was action, drama, suspense and a tension level that continued to rise and rise until you finally got to the epic conclusion.

I enjoyed everything about this book and am very glad that I saved this one for last. I listened to the audio version and discovered that this book was also narrated by Joe Knezevich, who narrated one of the previous books in this collection. As in the other book, he did a wonderful job with his narration and his performance helped to make the story that much more intense and intriguing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing | Amazon Original Stories for the opportunity to listen to and review this ALC. This book will be out for publication on October 27, 2026.

[Yvonne (It's All About Books) · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

Finished reading: October 14th 2026


*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Brilliance Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***

REVIEW

I've been meaning to try this Canadese author for a while now, and I thought this novella would be the perfect opportunity to finally do so. I do love listening to thrillers on audio, and the premise of The Final Hour sounded right up my alley. I was in the mood for a quick and action-packed ride, and this novella most definitely delivered that! I became an instant fan of this author's writing, and I've already added more of his titles to my wishlist.

The Final Hour is 100% a high speed action thriller, and this novella will only work for you if you enjoy the genre. Things can be said about the credibility of the plot as well as the plot being over the top, but that is nothing new when it comes to most action thrillers. If you are able to just sit back an enjoy the rollercoaster ride, you are in for a wild listen indeed. The narrator did an excellent job bringing this story to life, and his voice was very easy to listen to. He was able to truly insert the tension into his performance! I've listened to his work before, and he is definitely firm on my list of approved narrators.

I think the only reason that I rated this novella slightly down is that main character Jason Pratt does make some very questionable decisions, and he is not exactly all that easy to like. Thankfully the story itself moves way too fast to stand still by this for long though, and there simply isn't much time for character development in the first place. All in all it turned out to be a very satisfying audiobook and I already can't wait to read more Simon Gervais books.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whew! This 72 page short story was a heart pounding adrenaline rush. A rookie cop and his training officer have one hour before shift change. A last minute sudden change of plans by the rookie results in a fast and furious action packed thriller. Another excellent read from Simon Gervais.

[Abibliofob · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

Simon Gervais has written an exciting short story called The Final Hour. It's part of a six book collection from Amazon with some really good authors. I recommend that you get them all.

[Sam · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

The Short Runtime Got Me In. The Suspense Kept Me There.

⭐ 4.25/5 | 🎧 4/5

I picked up The Final Hour because I wanted a quick thriller, and at approximately two hours, this seemed like the perfect fit. What I didn’t expect was to be lying there wanting to keep listening instead of going to sleep because I needed to know how it ended. 😂

This one hooked me quickly and kept my attention throughout. The suspense worked, the pacing was efficient, and the story managed to deliver a satisfying conclusion without feeling like it needed another several hours to get there.

What I especially appreciated was that the ending felt realistic. It was satisfying without feeling overly manufactured, and the character interactions added something meaningful to the experience. I particularly liked the way the story handled the partnership between the officers. There was room for mistakes and consequences without turning everything into unnecessary interpersonal conflict.

Joe Knezevich delivered a solid audiobook performance that worked well with the story. Nothing about the narration pulled me out of the experience, and the short format made this an easy, engaging listen.

Was it a life-changing five-star read? No. But it was a really enjoyable thriller that delivered exactly what I hoped it would. Sometimes that’s all I need from a book.

Who Should Listen?

If you enjoy fast-paced police thrillers, sustained suspense, and short audiobooks that still feel like complete stories, The Final Hour is worth considering. It’s a great option when you want something engaging without committing to a full-length novel.

[Britt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast-paced, action-packed, and over before you know it. Just don't expect me to root for Jason.

The Final Hour is a short, exciting thriller that wastes absolutely no time getting into the action. If you're looking for something quick, engaging, and packed with tension, this one delivers. My biggest issue? Jason. Listen, I tried, but this man tested my patience. There's a difference between a character who makes mistakes and one who makes you question whether you should be rooting for them in the first place. Jason had me somewhere in between. I appreciate a character who has room to grow, but that doesn't mean I'm obligated to like every decision they make along the way. Despite my frustrations with Jason, I had a great time with this one. The pacing is quick, the action keeps coming, and the story doesn't waste time dragging things out. For something this short, it manages to deliver an exciting, engaging read that keeps you invested until the end. Not every thriller needs to be a sprawling mystery with a dozen twists and turns. Sometimes, you just want a good story that gets straight to the point and keeps you entertained. This one did exactly that.

My recommendation: Pick this up when you're in the mood for a quick, fast-paced thriller with plenty of action. Just be prepared to have some opinions about Jason. Because, whew.

This book was received courtesy of NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLY CRAP!! THIS WAS PHENOMENAL!!!
So apparently, all of the books that I've read today are all novellas in the PURSUIT COLLECTION... which I received a few from NetGalley, but not all of them. But wow, one is better than the next! And this one? TOP NOTCH!!!

We have two cops. A rookie and his handler... a more experienced female cop. It is the last day of his first week on the job and he's looking to make a good impression as he has high hopes for himself!
But then a routine traffic stop turns into anything but that... with the two of them FIGHTING to stay alive!

This was horrific, and yet kept me tuned in and catching my breath (as well as eating my way through anything near me... typical stress response!!). And all in about two hours!!

All the stars for me on this one!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨✨✨✨✨🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟💫💫💫💫💫

#TheFinalHour by @SimonGervais and narrated wonderfully by @JoeKnezevich.

This one has just been released, so look 👀 for it on shelves now!

Thanks so much to #NetGalley, @BrillilancePublishing and @AmazonOriginalStories for an ALC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

You can find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Instagram: @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine

Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!!

And as always, thanks for reading along with me! 📚⭐️📖🩷

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Review of an advance copy received from NetGalley.

I’ll admit o have not read much about the work from Simon Gervais. But I have heard great things and will most definitely check out his work. Once I discovered this short series collection for Amazon I was intrigued. Especially seeing a bunch of great authors.

This was a captivating ride with two police officers on patrol with one hour to go. Do they initiate a traffic stop or let the suspect go? What follows is in an intense hour. It shows how eager we are as humans to show we are more and the humility to realize that. It was an intense ride that was thrilling from beginning to end.

These stores from this series are very unique and give enough character and plot details for the reader to care but keep the story tight and focused. My only complaint to any of them is I want more. But this story was very good and very well written.

Highly recommend this and all other shorts to readers of the authors and thriller fans!

[Adrian · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars
Thanks to Net Galley and Brilliance Publishing for the early preview of this audiobook.

Here is the third book in the “pursuit collection” of short stories/novellas and so far, it’s my favorite one. It starts off great and sets the tone well. I enjoyed the situation in which these two cornered cops were in (one is the rookie and the other is his training officer). But I feel like it may have been too short to where we didn’t get enough back story and buildup of the characters to enjoy them more. This could be turned into a novel, in my opinion!

Audiobook narrator Joe Knezevich rating: 3.8 stars
I enjoy this narrator, especially for these thriller kinds of books and ‘tough guys’!

[lori pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to Brilliance Publishing and NetGalley for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. Joe Knezevich does a solid job narrating this story.

This is a shorter novella but holy crap did it suck me in! I was completely invested in this story and loved it!

Constable Jason Pratt is an eager rookie on his first shift, scouting Toronto’s most violent neighborhood with field training officer Diana Rossovich. A suspicious vehicle catches Jason’s eye during their last hour of patrol. Do they do the stop or let it ride and end the day. Choosing option A results in that hour exploding into a brutal frenzy of drugs, gangsters, and gunfire. Jason and Diana’s high-rise shelter proves to be anything but safe, where the only way out may be a body bag.

Highly recommend!!!

[Sue · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

This is gripping, heart-in-your-throat police thriller about two police officers who find themselves outmanned and outgunned in an area run by a drug gang. This rapid-paced short story is packed with action that never lets up. Gervais even manages to throw in some character development.

An excellent short story. Highly recommend.

Masterfully read by Joe Knezevich.

Not family friendly due to profanity and the violence expected in this genre.

Thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing. I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simon Gervais’ entry in the Pursuit Series (a series of 6 short stories by different authors) has us joining a rookie cop out to prove himself. And oh boy, did he step in it this time.

This is a good tale of how one decision can send everything on a chaotic adventure. Our protagonist, Jason Pratt, ends up facing off against an onslaught of bad guys that are way more experienced in crime than he is stopping crime.

Fun, short listen narrated by Joe Knezevich.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Lauren Weaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic, fast-paced short story! Jason is a rookie cop on his first week on the job, eager to prove himself to his training officer, Diana. When they pull over a car carrying three million dollars’ worth of drugs, an exciting chase ensues.

The story was so action-packed and engaging that I flew through it in one sitting! It was such a fun and entertaining read. The audiobook narrator also did a fantastic job of bringing the story to life.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

[Ben Hirsh · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

a rookie cop rolling with his training partner in Toronto stops a suspicious vehicle. they find drugs in the trunk. The guy runs when they go to cuff him, the training officer says to not chase, but the rookie does and then end up in a tenement and under attack by the people that were to receive the drugs. The rookie looses his weapon, the training officer assists, they end up hiding out in the tenement, are discovered. Thankfully there is one tenant that is helpful and they end up taking down the bad guys. an hour read, very interesting.

[Claire Sylvestre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for this Audiobook of THE FINAL HOUR by Simon Gervais and narrated by Joe Knezevich.

This fast paced story will keep you listening. Jason Pratt is a rookie cop on his first night shift and ends up in a precarious situation after a traffic stop, against his lady boss advice. That stop degenerates into a deadly situation.

I loved every minute of this audiobook! Lots of twists and turns. Simon Gervais never disappoints!

[Clayton · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Thank you to Simon Gervais, Brilliance Publishing, and Net Galley for the advanced audiobook.

An overly ambitious, rookie cop comes down to his final hour of his first shift and gets a lot more than he bargained for when he and his training officer pull over a suspicious vehicle. Obviously a fast paced adrenaline ride to fit this in to about an hour long audiobook. Hard hitting action that Gervais is known for wrapped up in a quick and dirty novella.

[Laura R · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Pursuit Collection is six short stories by multiple authors that explores characters who are both the predator and the prey.

Whew! There is non-stop action, suspense, and danger throughout this story. The decision to stop a suspicious vehicle leads to events that the rookie cop couldn't have anticipated - especially after he didn't listen to his training officer. This story will keep you turning the pages until the conclusion as the two cops find themselves fighting for their lives.

[Jordan Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A relentless, non stop thrill ride from first word to final period. Everything about The Final Hour screams thriller and checks off every single box that makes this genre so fun. Gervais crafts an absolute masterpiece of tension, action, and overall adrenaline fueled excitement that never once lets up. One part The Raid another part Extraction this one is the clear winner of the Pursuit series.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story is in Amazon's Pursuit series. It is a gripping tale about two officers in the last hour of their shift who must make split-second decisions to protect the public and themselves so they can live to serve another day. A call comes in about a disturbance at an apartment building. Once on the scene, the action doesn't stop. The audiobook is well narrated, with a sense of urgency, and it kept me listening. If you like cop shows, you won't want to miss this one.
My thanks to the author, @BrilliancePublishing, @AmazonOriginals, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook of #TheFinalHour in exchange for an unbiased review. Publication date: 27 October 2026.

[T Olsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I generally like action novellas a lot, but I also generally dislike action that's based on a main character's stupidity. However, this is an entertaining story with good characters. And it's well suited as an audiobook, with excellent narration.

[Daniel Kinney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast pace

Great fast pace, high action and complete short story. Short story can lack a beginning, middle and end. The whole incident took place in 45 minutes. Almost s long as it took to read it. Action from start to finish. Great characters. Great read.

[Gretchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This #4 in a series of six produced by Amazon in a series called Pursuit. They are thriller/action short stories by known authors. I have enjoyed them mostly. Just a fun “event” from Amazon. Yes, I like Amazon. Member since 1998 by originally buying books from them. 😁

[Jackie Martello · Rating 3.25 out of 5]

Great action, but not as good as the excellent books previous to this one in the series. Narration is solid.

[Michael Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting, Fast Paced, Compact

This is a great single session read. Not a word or a moment is wasted. It left me wanting more.

I cant wait for the next one. Great work.

[Annabelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pursuit Collection

1. Tower Fall ⭐⭐⭐,5
2. Bushido ⭐⭐⭐⭐
3. Hunting Gods ⭐⭐
4. The Final Hour ⭐⭐⭐
5. Flesh and Blood ⭐⭐⭐
6. Takedown ⭐⭐⭐⭐

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Final Hour by Simon Gervais is book #4 of 6 in Pursuit, a collection of short fiction thrillers.

A rookie cop on his first shift…

A traffic stop that changes everything..

Cops are being hunted down in the streets…