The Last Before: A Novel

by Benjamin Gilchrist

March 2020

Do you remember your last before? Those last moments of happiness and normalcy before the pandemic changed everything. This is the story of Alex and Pickett—two friends from college reconnecting for a spontaneous trip to Greece to enjoy what would be, unbeknownst to them, their last before.

In their own way, they both needed this trip. Alex, a second-year law student, is struggling to cope with the pressures of school and the reality of growing up. While Pickett is searching for adventure and a break from the everyday monotony of the corporate life.

From the cobblestone streets of Athens to the small seaside towns of the Greek islands, trouble and mishap seem to find Alex and Pickett around every turn. But no trouble or mishap could compare to a pandemic that would suddenly change everything. When it rears its head, the race is on for Alex and Pickett to find a way home before it’s too late, taking them to places they’d never believe.

The Last Before.

374 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 7, 2021

About the author

Benjamin Gilchrist is a first-time author and an attorney licensed in Minnesota. It has always been his dream to write and publish a book. Ben wrote his debut novel, The Last Before, during his last year of law school as a way to cope with the stress of school and the pandemic. What started as a hobby quickly turned into an obsession. While other students read ahead and formed study groups, Ben wrote and re-wrote this book. Ben graduated from the University of St. Thomas School of Law with honors and passed the Minnesota bar exam. Ben resides in Charleston, South Carolina with his girlfriend Ris and their two cats. He spends his time surfing, reading, and of course, working on his next novel.