The Last Hours
Minette Walters
560 pages
Published November 2, 2017
Allen & Unwin
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This is a compelling historical fiction novel set in medieval England during the Black Death. I had absolutely loved this author’s other foray into HF, The Swift and The Harrier, so snapped this one up when I found it in a charity shop. It has quite a few of the same elements – most notably a strong female heroine battling against the chauvinism and restrictions of her time, but also the medical elements and the town under siege subplot. They are completely different stories though and I enjoyed this nearly as much.
Lady Anne Develish is a young noblewoman who finds herself suddenly responsible for the fate of her serfs when her selfish dissolute husband dies of the plague while away from home. Barricading themselves inside the walls of the demesne, they manage to keep the terrifying pestilence out, but as food runs low and conflicts fester, how long can they survive when the world outside is crumbling?
I loved the well-researched descriptions of ordinary medieval life and how the politics, belief systems and morality of the age influence the characters and plot. Spoiled daughter Eleanor makes a great baddie to despise, as a contrast to Lady Anne who’s a bit too good to be true. This is a big chunky book but it’s only half the story, so I’ll need to source the sequel (The Turn of Midnight) soon.
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