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The Last Hours

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The Last Hours

By: Minette Walters
Narrated by: Helen Keeley
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About this listen

1348. The Black Death enters England through the port of Melcombe; the people of the county start to die in the thousands. In the demesne of Develish, Lady Anne takes control of her people's future, chooses a bastard slave, Thaddeus Thurkell, to act as her steward, and together they decide to quarantine Develish by bringing the serfs inside the walls. With this sudden overturning of the accepted social order, where serfs exist only to serve their lords, conflicts soon arise....

©2017 Minette Walters (P)2017 W.F. Howes Ltd Crime Fiction Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Medical Romance Thriller & Suspense Middle Ages Crime
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What could be more intriguing than a historical novel set in the time of the pestilence in medieval Britain, written by the “queen of the psychological thriller” whose chilling crime novels you’ve been enjoying for decades? Ever since reading Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks, I have been drawn to historical fiction set in that the era. As a health professional, the thought of a terrible pandemic that wiped out a third of the human population is utterly terrifying – as is the manner of death in which these people perished. But Walters does not dwell on the gory details, focusing instead on a small village that defied all odds by protecting themselves by isolation from the outside world.

In an interview regarding her book, the author states that she first became interested in the era of the “black death” when she found out about the discovery of a plague pit near her home in Dorset, close to where the plague was first brought into England. Inspired by accounts of great medieval women, who defied the female stereotype of the time, she created her main character, Lady Anne of Develish, who is a true pioneer of primary prevention strategies that save her people from the terrible fate that befell the region. Despite the general belief at the time that the plague was a punishment sent by God, Lady Anne, a wise if unconventional leader, suspects very early that the disease is carried in some way or another by sufferers and bad hygiene practices. With her boorish and ignorant husband having fallen victim to the disease, she manages to persuade all villagers to barricade themselves in the grounds of the large manor house to sit out the pandemic.

Walters expertise and skill shows through in the creation of her enigmatic characters, who literally leap from the pages of the book like real life people. With insight and subtle humour she describes the dynamics that not only drive society at the time, but also a small community confined in a small area and cut off from their surroundings in their efforts to survive. I was glad to see that she hasn’t totally abandoned crime fiction, introducing a murder mystery into her tale!

There is so much to love about this novel – from the interesting snippets of politics at the time, to the colourful group of characters, who each quickly wormed their way into my heart. A good novel also needs a villain, and there were a few on offer, eliciting the required sense of anger and injustice to make me emotionally involved. I think Walters must have had great fun creating Lady Eleanor – what a horrible little madam! I couldn’t help wondering who the character was inspired by (never upset a writer!). Her insights into medieval society were fascinating, especially the descriptions of the class system that governed society at the time, with serfs being bound to their liege lords with no freedom and few basic human rights of their own. It is one thing to learn these facts through textbooks, and another to see them incorporated into an engaging story that highlights the true impact of such a system on people’s lives. Interesting also was the place of religion in society and the power of the church by blaming all misfortune on people’s sins and God’s will, with salvation only to be found in abiding to the rules imposed by the church and the upper classes.

A couple of chapters from the end I knew two things: a) I didn’t want the book to finish; and b) I wouldn’t get the conclusion I so craved, as there weren’t enough pages left! And yes, the book did leave space for a sequel, which makes my heart sing in joy! I became so utterly absorbed in the medieval setting that it left me with a huge book hangover, and I really hope that Walters writes fast, because I want to keep reading! If you are planning on reading just one book of historical fiction this year, you cannot go wrong with this one. From the intriguing topic to the well-rounded characters, Walters re-creates the era with such skill that it captures the very essence of life in the 14th century. A wonderful tale of resilience and courage in the face of adversity – I can’t wait for the next installment.

Wonderful tale of resilience and courage

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Real depth to the characters and great historical story as well as a good narrator.

Very readable

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I loved how this story quickly pulled me into their world. Great characters, complex themes, twists and turns, and never a moment of being bored. I can't wait to listen to the next one in the series!

Epic tale

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If you could sum up The Last Hours in three words, what would they be?

death survival

Who was your favorite character and why?

Thaddeaus is a fish out of water in this society. His heritage is unclear and this intrigues me... I hope that this is resolved in book 2. He is a strong, ambitious and clever man rising to leadership in a time when everything known to their society is crumbling around them.

What three words best describe Helen Keeley’s performance?

A good clear performance. I was annoyed by the constant whining of Eleanor. I just sounded more annoying when actually voiced but she is a nasty little cow that you just feel like slapping!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I found it slow in parts and could not listen for endless hours.

Any additional comments?

I was looking for a single story book so got a shock when it finished with "to be continued".
Many of the story lines are resolved in this book so you don't get left completely hanging. I'm keen to know what becomes of the three central characters now so looking forward to book 2 and seeing how a new social order evolves in a countryside that is bereft of people.
It was really interesting to feel engaged in how perilous living was in these times. Death all around you and struggling with the social class dynamics of the time.

A scary time to try and live through

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Slow fiction has to have great characters, and this has great characters. I was fascinated by the behaviour and motivations of the main characters and the plot/setting were interesting too. I will definitely read the second book.

Fascinating - can’t wait to start the 2nd book in the story.

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Loved everything about this book. Best I’ve heard for sometime.
Lady Anne’s understanding & ability to read Eleanor’s deviousness was excellent.

Fantastic story & brilliant narration by Helen Kelley.

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Interesting and dramatic historical novel set in the 1300s in Dorset England as the plague arrives wiping out Lords and serfs alike.
If you know Pillars of the Earth and Year of Wonders you will also enjoy this complex historical narrative.
The leading character is the Lady of the manor a well educated intelligent young woman who defends the common folk against the Normans and against the illness. A turning point for feudal rule.

The plague and the heroine

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Good historical novel with interesting likable characters. Held me till the last page….couldn’t stop listening and then of course had to buy the sequel immediately to find out what happened in the end!

Enjoyable read

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Excellent- looks ok’ing forward to listening to the next book in the series. Great narration.

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It was disappointing that the book ended before the story ended. Just “to be continued “.

Not complete

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