Book Review – The Final Hours of Muriel Hinchcliffe M.B.E by Claire Parkin

BOOK REVIEW!

The Final Hours of Muriel Hinchcliffe M.B.E by Claire Parkin. Releasing 21st March 2024.

BLURB:

“Muriel, a former bestselling romantic novelist, and Ruth, a journalist, are best friends. Inseparable since they were little, they’ve shared everything; unable to be without each other, even after the most vicious of fights.

Now fate has left them living together in a North London home, with Ruth caring for Muriel in her deteriorating health, playing Scrabble, arguing and making up, passing the days in monotony, ignoring the scars of their relationship. Then one afternoon, Muriel makes a shocking and sinister announcement, sending Ruth’s world into chaos. Only one thing is certain. Life, as she knows it, will never be the same again. . .”

REVIEW:

3/5 ⭐️

It took me a bit to get into the writing style, but once I did, I found it quite charming. It perfectly captures the way in which some of the older generation speak. Unfortunately, I found the book to be slow going, and it really didn’t pick up pace until the last 40 pages (out of 311). Both Muriel and Ruth were awful characters, both as toxic as the other, who absolutely deserved each other! There were lots of flashbacks and details of what happened then, but I felt what was happening in the present was only briefly written about. I wanted more. Particularly when Ruth eventually figures out what was going on. Sadly, that explanation was cut short (haha). There was a couple of good twists and turns that were shocking. That moment when Muriel was in the cab with Barney had me absolutely disgusted with her! On a whole, though, I just wanted a bit more depth to the story.

*Thank you to @bookbreakuk for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book*

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