A really interesting read. Following several months during the black death. Very interesting to consider the different aspects of life at that time. The characters were easy to follow and pulled you into their story. Looking forward to the next installment

1348 and a mysterious disease has entered the county of Dorsetshire via the port of Melcombe. In the demesne of Develish Sir Richard is preparing to marry his daughter Eleanor to the son of a neighbouring lord and travels to to that place. However the disease has reached them and even Sir Richard succumbs to its ravages. In order to save Develish his widow, Lady Anne, decides to close the village to outsiders, supported by her loyal serfs. Can this drastic action save them, and what will happen as the food runs out?

Minette Walters has a huge army of fans for her crime fiction but here she takes a different course into historical fiction. I found the first half of the book really slow, it felt like key information was missing and some crucial events seemed to occur outside the narrative. However I did enjoy the second half of the book where the plot diverged into two tales and each was gripping in its way. This looks as though it is going to be the first in a series and I look forward to reading more.

I enjoyed reading this but found it too lengthy. I would love it as an audio book I’m certain. Black Death is spreading, how to contain it, not to panic when nothing like it has been seen before. One lady uses her skills and achieves much against powerful men but there is far more involved the dying..
One hundred years before the death of Richard 111 this is well written with Dorset dialect used, French is the language of the nobles, this is the time of serfdom, the Norman invasion.

People endure, die and England is never the same again.. If you love his you must read this.

A creditable attempt to draw the reader back in time to medieval times gone by with lots of research obviously undertaken and a good descriptive, historic atmosphere created.
A bit long drawn out and a mix of modern and olde worlde speech made this an OK rather than an amazing read for me.
It's obvious the author is a skilled and accomplished writer but I felt the plot a little similar to many books I've read before. It is also the first part of a series which left it hanging a little at the end.
Great for die hard Minette Walters fans who want to diversify from her usual thrillers.

I enjoyed The Last Hours overall. Set in Dorset in 1348 at the outbreak of The Black Death, this is a story of the people - mainly bonded serfs - of a single demesne and the effect on them of the disease's devastation of the population elsewhere. It is a fascinating time to set a story because it was a time of complete social upheaval and change as the old certainties of the feudal system broke down. Minette Walters gives us a colourful cast of characters and she tells a very good story which kept me interested for the full 550 pages.

My difficulties with the book lay in the thinking and attitudes of these repressed 14th-Century characters with almost no knowledge of the world beyond their village, who, for example, often espouse very modern social attitudes of equality and respect for all people – ideas which they would have found almost impossible to formulate, let alone articulate. They also make medical and scientific deductions which eluded the most brilliant of minds until many centuries later – and this at a time when all learning came from ancient authorities like Aristotle and Galen; the notion of actually observing what was happening and thinking about it was completely alien. And as for the theological rebellions… a friend of mine has summed this type of thing up as having "contemporary characters in mediaeval fancy dress," which I think puts it perfectly.

Nonetheless, Walters tells a good, compelling tale in very readable prose so I eventually tried to ignore the anachronistic problems (not always successfully) and just enjoy the story. It is plainly the beginning of a long saga; I'm not agog for the next episode, but I'll probably read it when it comes out. Cautiously recommended.

(I received an ARC via NetGalley.)

Apologies, cant paste the review or link as it appears on Good Reads. very positive, loved it

This is a well-researched historical novel set in Dorset-shire in the 14th century at the time of the Black Death. The 200 serfs are fortunate to have the Lord's wife, Lady Anne, help them in their fight to avoid the plague that threatens to decimate their demesne. Less so in having to cope with her Ladyship's daughter, the Lady Eleanor, who believes serfs are little more than vermin and should be regularly beaten. How Lady Anne has earned and retains the love and respect of the serfs is a constant theme through this novel and her steadfastness never falters even when her favourite goes off, outwith the quarantine area, to try and find supplies as well as determine if the plague has left their area. As to whether Thaddeus and his small band contact the plague and/or make it back safely is for readers to discover but their adventures make a gripping read. One negative comment is that many of the storylines are left hanging as, it turns out, this is only Part One. M/s Walters has clearly another book in mind. Let's hope it comes out soon as, now we are engaged with the characters, we readers will be keen to know what happens in the end.

Really enjoyed the way this book developed. You got a real understanding of the characters. Lady Anne is a strong woman and has the respect of the community. The historical content was good too. The ending if the book came to a bit of an abrupt end and I want to know how the story ends it leaves you hanging

The Demesne in Dorset where Thaddeus grew up, Develish, has seen the first effects of the Black Death sweeping through the countryside, and has withdrawn into isolation – serfs and ladies are behind a moat, trying to protect themselves from the plague. Thaddeus and some young boys have left the safety of the commune to try to find out what is going out in the countryside around (and to avoid some trouble at home).
The Last Hours has absolutely gut-wrenching descriptions of the effects of the Black Death – there were potential excerpts that I rejected for fear you were eating while reading this. And Walters does not hold back on the scale of death, the unimaginable horror of whole communities wiped out, and lying where they fell.

The statistics are still startling. This is part of the Wikipedia entry:
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 75 to 200 million people in Eurasia and peaking in Europe from 1346 to 1353. The plague created a series of religious, social, and economic upheavals, which had profound effects on the course of European history. 
The Black Death is estimated to have killed 30–60% of Europe's total population. In total, the plague may have reduced the world population from an estimated 450 million down to 350–375 million in the 14th century. The world population as a whole did not recover to pre-plague levels until the 17th century.
Unimaginable.

The characters in the book are hoping to survive through isolation, and with some careful venturing out on the part of Thaddeus. They face enormous difficulties, both inside and outside their compound. They are led by Lady Anne, the widow of the landowner, who has taken Thaddeus as her right-hand man, despite his lowly birth.

Minette Walters wrote a highly successful series of thrillers from the 1992 The Ice House onwards: they were compelling, dark and - above all – contemporary. They dealt with aspects of life around the millennium, and were rooted in real life in the UK in those years. So this is quite a departure, and it is a very odd book indeed.

It is most certainly not a traditional historical novel. It is obviously very well-researched, she is very convincing in her details and seems to have created an authentic picture of life in 1348. But at the same time – many characters act in very modern ways, and speak in modern ways. This has to be deliberate on Walters’ part, and in fact the genre The Last Hours most resembles is the dystopian sci-fi plague thriller – like Margaret Atwood’s The Year of the Flood, Emily St John Mandel’s Station Eleven, or Emily Schultz’s The Blondes, all on the blog in recent years. It fits in well with those books.

She has obviously not tried to replicate 14th century language, but at the same time, she has characters saying ‘which of those words did you not understand?’ and ‘You’re the one who made bad choices’. It does actually resemble a feisty YA novel at times. It is very long, and very repetitious, and very gruesome. But the real problem for me was that she told you exactly what to think about each character in turn – like a beginner who hasn’t been told ‘show not tell’ at Creative Writing classes, and very different from her other novels. Everyone is given a few traits at the beginning, and that is that. You might find out more about them, and some past history is revealed, but no-one is less marvellous, or more forgiveable, than on their first appearance.

Walters apparently has a lot to fit in – she explains at great length how they cut up the sleeves of their jerkins to make pots watertight (I think – it was quite dull) but cannot explain why the wel-born young woman Eleanor should be the most wicked person to walk this earth, with the possible exception of her father. It was odd that no attempt was made to redeem a young woman who I think was about 14: I was uncomfortable with the wholesale condemnation of her by the good characters. If you are going to give them 21st century attitudes in other areas (which Walters most certainly does), then a little understanding wouldn’t be out of place.

There were some mysteries and revelations to keep up the interest. The logistics of living closed off from the world were interesting, though the philosophies behind it seemed simplistic, and the reader is haunted by the idea that Lady Anne’s ideas weren’t all going to work that well: life isn’t that easy now and it wasn’t then.

Right at the end Walters reveals that this is the first of a series, and cuts the tale off in mid-action, which was very annoying to some amazon reviewers. It will be interesting to see how many of her readers she takes with her to the next instalment.

Top picture is citizens burying their dead during the plague, in Belgium. From Wikimedia Commons – they are a lot more organized than the people in the book, who are falling at such a rate that they cannot give even basic burials.

The other picture is St. Charles Borromeo Giving Communion to the Plague-Stricken, from the Athenaeum website.

I've been a long term fan of Minette Walters and I guess I've become used to her normal format. Writing a mediaeval crime novel is a complete departure, much like Bernard Cornwell's move away from battles in his latest offering. Whilst I felt the book was well written and researched, the story simply did not hold me in the way Minette's past novels have. It was way too slow and I didn't really engage with any of the characters. However, from the current Amazon reviews it seems a lot of people enjoyed it, just not for me.

This book gives a good insight into life during the times of the plague and creates a real feeling of tension and fear of succumbing to a killer disease. As well as that, it’s a good story and thoroughly believable. It must have been a time of fear, poverty and hunger which the book puts over very well. I would certainly recommend this as a good read

Thanks Netgalley, the Author and the Publisher. One of my all time great authors who has a unique writing style. This was totally different from her previous novels but nonetheless a really good read.

I love a good historical fiction, especially one that chooses an event in history, and builds the characters around it. I feel like that makes the best historical fiction, for me as a reader.

The Last Hours centres around the plague of the 1300s, which swept across Europe and claimed so many lives. In one small demense, the tyrant lord is dead, and his "chattel wife" steps up to rule in his stead. Having always treated the serfs of the demense as equals in status and intellect, Lady Anne is easy to like. She's a perfect example of a strong, brilliant woman who couldn't reach her full potential because of her sex, and the time in which she lived. The constraints on women throughout history never fail to anger me, to think of the wasted potential and suffering of so many women.

Walters is an incredible writer, able to juggle so many main characters and never once drop them. Her characters are fully fleshed out, interesting, unique, and the events described in the book are engaging. I really enjoyed The Last Hours, and I look forward to more books in the series. I hope the story will be continued.

If you enjoy well written and researched historical novels that really do give you sense of what it would be like living at the period of the story's setting then I believe this would certainly be something for you. The place setting is the medieval estate of Devilish in what would now be the county of the Dorset and the time is that of the Black Death in the 14th century which swept Europe claiming a death rate of an estimated 20% of the English population. Of course at that time the cause of this devastating plague (oriental rat flees carried on black rats ) was unknown and exacerbated the scale of the pandemic.

The day to day life of an ordinary serf living in a village which they may only travel a few miles away from throughout their life is convincingly portrayed together with the inherent hardships that the ordinary person had to face in the cruel and unforgiving feudal setup of the period. Although the Norman conquest occurred three hundred years before, England still had the feeling of being a land under foreign occupation with the predominately Saxon population being ruled by their French speaking Norman overlords.

This conflict is embodied and symbolised by the character of Lady Anne a Saxon married off at 14 years of age to the villainous and dastardly Sir Richard Develish. His contempt and cruelty displayed towards his serfs is also replicated by his spoilt and self absorbed daughter Eleanor. But then while in a neighbouring village arranging the marriage of his daughter, Sir Richard and some of his entourage are infected by the pestilence that is decimating the surrounding countryside.

With the demise of Sir Richard, it is now down to Lady Anne to take control and with her (one might say for the time) progressive ideas and attitudes ensure her peoples ultimate survival. The book takes a succinct look at the society of the time including the hopelessness and the corruption of the church together with the incompetence and arrogance of the Norman overlords.

This is a long book and will be subject to a sequel so do not be disappointed if many of the central question remain unanswered but certainly for lovers of historical fiction this should be one to enjoy.

In The Last Hours we find ourselves in the village of Melcombe, Dorset 1348. The Black Death has taken Britain, and all - old or young, rich or poor, are subject to its whim. Many believe it is a curse sent from God, but Lady Anne has other ideas. Raised by nuns, she has the foresight that could save her household - by barring the door to the sick and isolating them from everyone else. But how long can the survivors stay isolated when food stock dwindles and tempers fray?

This is such a well researched novel, of an extremely compelling period in history. The author has clearly done her homework and this shines through. It's incredibly detailed in its description of the infrastructure and hierarchy present at this time, from the gentry to the working serfs - which is invaluable information as the story progresses. It has left me desperately seeking out more information with regards to this part of British history I have little previous experience of.

The characters are also wonderfully complex. Lady Anne. our leading lady, defies her station and her upbringing to befriend the serfs of her lands - teaching them to read and treating them as something other than slaves. Because of this they have a deep sense of loyal towards her, and she has a deeper understand of their plight. This leads to Lady Anne having an innate need to protect them and help them when the plague comes, bringing them into her fold within her home. Eleanor her daughter. by comparison is volatile and self centered. Similar in nature to her father, a brute who Lady Anne does not love or respect. As the story progresses we see Eleanor descend into madness as a mirror to Lady Anne's unbreakable will to survive.

This is really an intimate look at an almost apocalyptic society, as social constraints fall away within such a confined space. Paranoia and mistrust run rampant, and we see these characters forced to come to terms with each other. and share everything they have. The tension at times is palpable. I enjoyed the section where a 'party' goes out beyond the walls of their sanctuary in search of other survivors and food, as the serfs realise that such a catastrophe could actually lead to their freedom. It was a real turning point in the novel.

My only real issue with this was the pacing. It was incredibly slow at times, and as such it took me a long time to get through this as I got distracted and yearned for a little 'action'. At times I was desperate to know what was going on outside of the walls out characters were confined by, and I struggled to keep reading. This is at heart a character novel. The characters define this world and compel the story along. I just wish the editing at times could have been a bit more cut throat.

1346 – all hell breaks loose – enthralling novel

Known for her thrillers, Minette Walters has written an enthralling novel about how the Black Death affects a small community in Dorset. There are many contrasting and interesting characters from Lords to serfs, all well-developed and contributing to the plot. This develops very nicely with intrigues, murder, lies and suspicion. There is plenty to enjoy and it is definitely a page-turner.

If I had a gripe, it is the words To Be Continued at the end although it works easily as a stand-alone book. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Minette Walters is best known for her crime novels, but when I saw that her new book, The Last Hours, marked a change of direction from crime to historical fiction I was immediately interested!

The Last Hours is set in 1348 on the estate of Develish in Dorsetshire, just as the Black Death, which has been sweeping its way across Europe, reaches England. Sir Richard of Develish falls victim to the plague early in the book, leaving his wife, Lady Anne, responsible for the demesne, the household and the serfs who work the land. Lady Anne gathers everyone inside the boundaries of the moated manor, believing that cutting off contact with the outside world will be the best way to avoid the pestilence.

With so many people forced to live together in a confined space, it is inevitable that problems will arise, old rivalries will resurface and tempers will be lost. The cause of most of the trouble at Develish is Sir Richard’s daughter, Lady Eleanor, a cruel and selfish fourteen-year-old who resents having to live with the serfs. In particular, her hatred is directed at Thaddeus Thurkell, a serf who has just been promoted to the position of Lady Anne’s steward, a move which Eleanor sees as evidence of her mother’s favouritism and unnatural affection for Thaddeus. When supplies at the manor begin to run low, it is Thaddeus who volunteers to venture out into the countryside to find food – but what is the real reason for his departure?

The Last Hours was an interesting read for me as I’ve always found the Black Death a fascinating topic (sorry if that sounds morbid). Walters explores so many different aspects of the disease: the beliefs and superstitions surrounding it; the physical effects it has on the body; the theories people had as to what was causing it; and the limited methods of preventing its spread. However, I knew as soon as I started reading that at some point our protagonists would make the connection with rats and fleas and recognise the importance of hygiene and cleanliness – and I was right. It would have been so much more convincing from a historical point of view if they had continued to think the plague was a punishment from God or that it was caused by breathing bad air.

I did like both Lady Anne and Thaddeus, even if they don’t always feel like believable 14th century people, and they (along with a young maid, Isabella) were certainly the characters I had most sympathy for. Lady Eleanor is the most unpleasant, unlikeable character I’ve come across for some time. She is horrible from her first appearance and remains horrible throughout the entire book – although we do eventually learn a little bit more about her and what possibly made her the way she is.

I had no idea this was the first in a series until I reached the words ‘to be continued’, so be aware that if you do choose to read this book it doesn’t have a proper conclusion and we are left with lots of loose ends. At the moment I’m not sure whether I will be looking for the second book; I found this one quite slow and unevenly paced – I enjoyed the chapters set in and around the manor, but struggled to stay interested in the adventures of Thaddeus and his companions as they wandered the countryside looking for supplies. I will probably be tempted, though, as I do have lots of questions that haven’t been answered!

When I saw that Minette Walters had written a historical novel I wondered whether or not this book would live up to the standard of her other novels. Not only has she done this but in my opinion she has written her best book so far. There is still an element of mystery in her book but there is also the story of medieval times, written so that we learn about the serfs, their lives, the conditions they lived in and their place in a society which had almost total disregard for them as human beings. Thaddeus is a compelling character, someone who through his birth has no real place in his village, but who, despite this, manages to elevate himself to being someone who is looked up to and admired. Lady Anne is perhaps the real heroine and her husband and his daughter are the evil characters. The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger and now I can't wait to read the next book in the series..... please don't let us have to wait too long!

An absolutely brilliant, gritty story set in medieval times during the plague days, the plot was truly addictive and very well written, so easy to read.
I warmed to some of the characters pretty quickly and eagerly awaited the next segment of their journey, which was serious and thrilling and descriptive all at the same time.
Highly recommended, from someone who doesn't normally read this genre!
5*

This novel was very readable and well-written. I knew nothing of the 14th century before reading it but became immersed in the story and the plight of the characters using their ingenuity to escape from the Black Death. I am keen to read the next book in the series and to follow the fortunes of the more sympathetic characters - Lady Anne, Thaddeus, Gyles and Isabella. I found Eleanor to be unsympathetic but I think this is necessary to the plot and it will be interesting to see how her character develops.

This is a wonderful slow burn of a read, with strong characters in a terrible situation. It’s full of fascinating historical details, neatly woven into the story.