Medieval fiction has never really been my thing, so this was a bit of a deviation from my normal reading profile, although I have read and enjoyed Minette Walter's books in the past - but what a great book! To pique my interest further, I live in the area in which it is set!
Set in the 1300s, the Black Death comes to England, affecting among others the estate of Develish, a large estate which includes over 200 bonded serfs presided over by Sir Richard and Lady Anne and their beautiful, spoilt 14 year old daughter, Eleanor. The story opens on a hot summer day with Sir Richard riding off with his daughter's dowry to finalise the arrangements for her marriage to Peter of Bradmayne. While Sir Richard is away, rumours of a 'sickness' gather strength in Bradmayne; as death begins to stalk the estate, and the body count begins to rise rapidly, Sir Richard abandons plans for his daughter's union and makes a bid for home and safety. Meanwhile, in his absence, Lady Anne has been making plans of her own. Educated by nuns in the management of sickness she gathers her people within the walled boundaries of Develish, pulls up the drawbridge that crosses the moat and quarantines them from the rest of the country, refusing entry even to Sir Richard who has succumbed to the sickness on his return journey. Of the men that left for Bradmayne, only one has returned alive.
Living all together, both free and bonded men, with little to do and with no information from the outside world, fear of starvation begins to grow and tensions rise. Events reach a climax and in an attempt to limit the affects on the quarantined people, Thaddeus Thurkell, Lady Anne's trusted steward, takes a group of young men and ventures out to gather information on the Black Death and what is happening in the rest of England.
This was an intense and gripping story which despite its length and my children(!) I managed to read in 36 hours; it was made that much more interesting because 'The Last Hours' is a fictional representation of real events in an area I know well, and the Black Death has always held a morbid fascination for me. I was delighted to see on the very last page that there will be a sequel - and ultimately there will also hopefully be a drama!
I give this book 4 stars.

I was disappointed by this novel. That a well-known novelist was tackling this particular period suggested that this was going to be a good read and I had been very much looking forward to it, but I'm afraid it read like a novice writer's first attempt.

The story, plot and narrative arc work well. A village facing the onslaught of the plague in 1348 is placed into isolation by its Lady to preserve it and those that live there. As the deadly illness sweeps the land, only Develish is untouched. But starvation kills as as surely as the plague and food has to be found else it was all for naught.

Where this novel goes wrong is not in the script (although the constant head hopping was frustrating and served only to release tension rather than build it) but in the staging, the scene-setting. A historical novel relies heavily on getting the backdrop, the scenery, correct else it is not credible. When that goes wrong, the book starts to slide. Ms Walters research was excellent as far as it went, fabulous positioning of serf, servant and lord, and the treatment of travel without a map or knowledge of the landscape was actually exceptional (the reason I gave it two stars and not one), but it did not go anywhere near far enough, leaving out-dated attitudes prevalent and a host of anachronisms that would have shamed a Hollywood blockbuster and we know how well THEY handle historical fiction. Dress was wrong, terminology was wrong, in fact had you dropped this in its entirety into a landscape some 200 years before, it would work probably just as well.

There is a sequel coming, just as well as this novel does not come to any satisfying conclusion but just stops mid-story, but I sincerely hope she finds herself a research assistant to sort out the mistakes else we're in for more of the same. Based on this one, I doubt I'll bother to find out.

What a great read, not what I was expecting at all, very different to when I read some of her other books years ago, but would definitely recommend this. 4.5**

I found this book totally fascinating. I really liked the writing style and the fact that it had obviously been very well researched. Everything is described so well. I could visualise events. I want to read this book again to see what details I missed. I hope Minette Walters writes more books like this.

I liked the historical setting of The Last Hours in 1348 at the time of the Black Death.  It's well researched, giving vivid descriptions of the setting in an moated manor in the Dorsetshire countryside and of the Black Death, the plague that ravaged the population in 1348. The characters are interesting, showing the clear division between the serfs and the lord of the manor, but I thought some of them were rather one-dimensional, such as Sir Richard (Lady Anne's husband) who is portrayed as irredeemably villainous. I think the book as a whole is overlong and so slow in parts where the description is so detailed that it slows down the action to snail's pace. It could have been shorter without losing any of the drama.

What really interested me was the medical development and health issues, as people struggled to understand the nature of the plague, what caused it, how it spread so quickly and how could they treat it. And what disappointed me most is the ending - there isn't one. The last sentence reads: 'To be continued ...'

My thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for a review copy.

Loved this book and can't wait for a follow-on. The characters are flawless as is the writing. Totally unexpected from this author, the change of genre works brilliantly and it is clear that a lot of research went into the novel. Highly recommended!

The date is 1348 and the Black Death is sweeping through Dorset leaving hundreds dead. Lady Anne of Devilish is living with her cruel husband and daughter, Lady Eleanor when the first news of this virulent disease reaches them. Her husband departs to a nearby village to arrange his daughter’s marriage to Peter of Broadmayne but discovers that the disease has already struck and on returning to Devilish becomes ill himself and subsequently dies together with most of his retinue.

Lady Anne has been brought up by nuns and has learned from their wisdom. She has allowed her husband his excesses but has also gained the respect of her serfs by introducing ways of helping them in their hard lives. It is therefore not unexpected that she takes control of her demesne and decides to bring all her people inside the walls hoping that by doing this the pestilence will not take hold. She has always insisted on cleanliness and it seems that her ideas are correct as everyone remains healthy. She appoints Thaddeus Thurkell, a bastard slave, to act as her steward and endeavours to keep her people disease-free.

Lady Eleanor, however, is disgusted by the appointment of a serf as steward and is disappointed that her prospective marriage has not happened. She starts to encourage discord amongst the younger serfs by encouraging them to join her in the church and offering them her favours. This ultimately causes discord and the situation is brought to a head when she kills Jacob, the half-brother of Thaddeus.

Although the people of Devilish remains disease-free there is only a certain amount of time before their rations run out and they have no idea what is happening around them. In order to protect the truth coming out regarding Lady Eleanor, Thaddeus decides to go on a mission to try and discover what is happening in the surrounding area and takes the young serfs with him.

The description of their journey and the desolate landscape that Dorsetshire has become is vividly depicted and gives the reader an excellent idea of what it must have been like, however, I felt that this part of the book was too detailed and too long in what is itself a very long book. This is one of the reasons why I dropped a star in my review but the other one was that as I got to the end of this on my Kindle it finished quite abruptly with ‘To be continued’. I was quite disappointed as I wanted to know how the story finished, I will probably read the sequel but would have much preferred the story to have been completed.

Dexter

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review

I enjoyed the historical details in this book, really enjoyed the descriptions of the Black Death and how people lived at this very hard time in history. But the characters didn't jump off the page for me, didn't transport me unfortunately. I knew I was reading a book all the time, I didn't get that complete immersion that I can feel. However, I completely agree that its a good read and anyone who enjoyed the Pillars of the Earth will love this too.

Really good book, enjoyed the historical element and would recommend, if you want a good fast historical read this is something you should read. The style of writing was really good and kept me reading and wanting more!

I have read other books by Minette Walters and loved them. This one surpasses anything that I Imagined and puts her onto the top of the historic writers list for me. For anyone who likes Sansom or Michener they will love this book. This is a great success for Minette changing her genre.
The story is based upon the Black Death and the demesne of Develish in Dorsetshire. It reflects the life from the serfs point of view as well as the liege Lady Anne's view. The characters and scenery have both been so well described that the reader feels they know the people and their feelings as well as being able to see and smell the scenery. This shows that that the author has done a lot of research into this period of history and describes the divide between the so called rich/well to do and the poor so well. I thought the fact that the story ends with an unexpected suddenness shows that there will be another follow on to find out what happens next to the main characters and indeed to life in this period after the population has been so severely decimated. I cannot wait to see what will happen to the spoilt brat Lady Isabella I hope that she gets her just dessert and how the demesne serfs face their future after the plague has gone away.
An absorbing read showing life both good and bad situations and people - some you love and some you hate just as in real life, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in historical based fiction.

What a fantastic change of direction for Minette Walters! I used to read her books many tears ago but the theme of her latest drew me back.
Mid Dorsetshire in 1348 and the plague has just started to spread. This is the beginning of the story of a village and its inhabitants and how they survived; how boys grew quickly into men and how long forgotten secrets menace the well being and future of the village.
As well as being a social history of the time, this story just flows, and leaves you wanting more. Which leads me to the only criticism, this is a trilogy and so there are loose endings.

I am familiar with Minette Walter's thrillers, and indeed have read them all with voracious appetite, but this is the first time I have read her historical fiction. As ever, when a tried and trusted author in one genre switches to another, I was somewhat apprehensive. I need not have been. This was a fine read. It was really compelling. Set in the year of the black death it tells the story of a community under the yoke of their abusive feudal lord, for whom the black death might not turn out to be quite the horror story it is for everyone else. Walters has clearly done her research, but it is deftly woven into a cracking story which keeps you turning the page long after you really should be in bed. I love the fact that she has chosen to go down a less obvious route with the subject matter, and in doing so she brings the whole world alive. The characters are terrific, there are plenty of plot twists and meaty character developments. It is an excellent read. My only sadness is that it is clearly the first of a series and now I am in for a long wait to find out what happens next.

I loved this book!! It is an unusual take on a familiar story,the Plague or the Black Death that ravaged the English countryside in 1348. Anne,Lady Develish,is a strong,radical,well respected character,who takes great care of all those who are in servitude to her husbands estate.Anne has taught both men and women to read and write and believes that with such education comes the ability to make their own decisions about what will benefit their families and create a more contented workforce.
When the plague reaches Dorset,Lady Anne makes the decision to move the villagers into the safety of the walled estate and close the gate to all travellers until they can be declared free of the pestilence. No one is allowed to leave or enter and strict standards of hygiene and isolation keep the community safe. In this restricted environment a murder is committed and family secrets are gradually revealed.
I found this to be a very gripping story,so atmospheric with the fear of death and the power of religion,was the plague a direct result of sinful behaviour by the villagers or due to filth and disease that was rampant in small,overcrowded villages of that time. The priest in this book is a poor,shambolic, drunken sot of a holy man and took no strong leadership role in the village. When serfs can read and discuss religion for themselves,he became unnecessary and a liability to all.
We also had Thaddeus,a black illegitimate serf, whom Anne had educated, and an incestual pregnancy to spice up the story. There were really good descriptions of a countryside ravaged by plague and the pain and sufferings that were part and parcel of this disease. Gruesome but needed for this story.
This was such a fast paced read, I hardly took any notes,but just let the story transport me to a time long ago,which although the subject matter was grim,the note was quite joyful and hopeful for the future.
However, the greatest shock was at the end of the book. When I read, story to be continued,well, I was stunned!! Absolutely stunned!! All I can say is, Get Writing, NOW !! Cannot wait for this marvellous story to reach its exciting conclusion,it will be so good!! A real treasure of a read.
I have posted this review on Goodreads, and can hardly bear the wait for the next book!!

My thanks to Netgalley, Atlantic Books, Allen & Unwin for an advanced copy to review fairly and without prejudice.. Whilst Minette Walters has always been a favourite author of mine and this novel has a very clever and well crafted plot, I couldn't belive in the central character Lady Anne's personality and knowledge also her attitude to the lower orders stretched belief. Walter's . craft however shines through and whilst I personally didn't like the story I can see why many will love it. Her research in respect of the plague and the social consequences to the surviving population is spot on. I have not deducted any stars because of my own bias because she is at the end a superb writer .

I was surprised when I read the bio for this Minette Walters book as it is nothing like any of her books I have read in the past. It is an interesting story with lots of characters you are encouraged to either love or hate. This is a talkented author and this change of genre was not a disappointment. It was clear that the subject matter was very well researched and that is something I always appreciate.

I am truly stunned by this book. I haven’t been so engrossed in the lives of people for a very long time. Set in the mid 14th century, when the Bubonic Plague arrived in England, it tells the story of the knights and serfs of Develish and Dorset.

The characters are wonderful, the stories intertwine seamlessly and I couldn’t put it down! I learned so much about the politics of the time living conditions. I learned about slavery, travelling, the history of Dorset and so much more.

I simply cannot wait for the next one. It was with sheer delight that I read “To be continued”!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. And I LOVED it!

Although I’ve heard a lot about Minette Walters, I’ve never read any of her work before. As someone with a great affection for historical fiction, especially surrounding the middle ages, the black death and suchlike, I took the opportunity dive into this advance copy from Netgalley on a long train Journey.

The Last Hours is set in 1348 in the small town and demesne of Develish, Dorsetseshire. Sir Richard of Develish, a thoroughly unpleasant man rules the roost, and while he is away attempting to arrange the sale of his daughter for a paltry dowry, his wife, Lady Anne takes charge of the town and people. When they learn that a pestilence being called ‘The Black Death’ has started to spread throughout the country and has killed hundreds of people within a few days, they begin to wonder what they have done for their God to punish them in such a way. Lady Anne turns the Manor House & grounds into a safe haven, by burning the bridge to the village and banning anyone from going to the other side.

There are, unsurprisingly, problems within the community – not least because a woman is taking charge and telling the men what to do. There are educated Lords and serfs living and working elbow to elbow, supplies are running low and the threat of the pestilence making an appearance is ever present. The characters are beautifully written, multi-faceted and very well defined, each with their own little part in history – and their often fractious and strained relationships help illustrate the story as it flows.

The Last Hours is an enjoyable and thought-provoking read, although I did find it a little slow. I was pleased to learn there will be a sequel where we will be able to catch up with the main protagonists and see where life takes them next.

As a young history student, I was drawn in by the premise of this novel, it is undoubtedly one that is unique to me, and I am glad that I read this one. I can't believe I have not read anything by this author Minette Walters before (as I'm led to believe that this is her eighteenth book). I have to admit that it did take me a while to get into the book as I found the pace to be quite slow at times and I didn't find the characters that interesting. However I am glad that I stuck with this novel as the more I read, the more I found the characters and storyline got a lot more interesting if you have an interest in the black death in Europe I would strongly recommend this one.

I have read quite a few novels by Walters in the past however this is a historical fiction, completely different to the previous books I have read.
Unfortunately I found it very slow going and struggled to finish it which I found disappointing.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for my advance copy in return for an honest review.

This is one of the best books I have read. At the outset I wondered whether I would be able to warm to a novel about the Black Death, but the characters are so well-drawn, plausible and the story so gripping. The level of detail about ordinary life during the mid 14th Century was a complete education. The effects of social and class inequality on the players in this plot are so expertly described, not to mention the complicity of the Church in many an injustice. The reader can feel the pain, hope, distress, jealousy, love in every single character, villain or hero alike. I cannot wait for the second instalment. Brilliant.