The Last One Out

"Raud's unexpected decision to write a political thriller with sci-fi elements has given us a book full of intriguing ideas that raises the question: has Estonia now got its own Stieg Larsson?" - Daniel Vaarik, former press representative for the Prime Minister's office

"This book is a captivating journey, not just a thriller or science fiction, but a puzzle, where each piece has many meanings. How dangerous is a society where everyone can always be punished for something? The readiness to risk with the lives and destinies of others for one's own profit is never absent from power relations. The darker side of the human nature, conspiracy theories and the belief in them constantly take new forms in these frames. But maybe life is indeed much more mysterious than we think?" - Ülle Madise, Chancellor of Justice

Published in 2018 by Salv.

A year has passed since the brutal murder of Holger Tramm, the prime minister of Estonia, who appeared in the political skies as a comet, and still nothing substantial has been found out, except that the murderer was a disturbed member of a religious cult. When Kairit Nõlvak, an investigative journalist, sets out to shed light on what happened, she soon stumbles upon an even greater mystery and quickly realizes she is not the only one trying to unravel it. And her competitor has much greater resources at hand… This is a story not only about power and responsibility, cover-ups and trust, but also, and perhaps primarily, about the lengths to which people are willing to go pursuing their goals.

"I will not tell you anything about this story except that "The Last One Out" is a fast-paced thriller. You will find adventures here, and colourful characters, and reflections of Estonian life both in straight and crooked mirrors, and just enough mystery to keep the reader turning pages with a quickly throbbing heart till the very end." - Peeter Helme, ERR