
The Retirement Plan
The most entertaining and deliciously dark debut of 2025
Sue Hincenbergs(Author)
Sphere (Publisher)
Published on 6. May 2025
Book
Hardback
336 pages
978-1-4087-3343-1 (ISBN)
Description
Dark humour, dirty deeds, marriages and murder . . . The perfect new read for fans of The Thursday Murder Club, How to Kill Your Family and The White Lotus
'An absolute scream from the first page to the last' Janice Hallett, author of The Appeal
'Certainly a match for Richard Osman' Daily Mail
'Incredibly funny with plot twists you won't see coming' Stylist
Their husbands are driving them mad, and murder is on their minds . . . but the men have a plan of their own.
Pam, Nancy and Shalisa once imagined retirement would mean setting aside their worries, picking up their margaritas, and lying back in a hot tub. Right up until their husbands lost all their savings in a reckless investment.
Now, collecting their husbands' life insurance is starting to sound more appealing than growing old with them. But enlisting the help of the local barber/hitman isn't merely the most daring thing the friends have ever done - it's also where the trouble really begins.
Because they don't realise their husbands have some tricks up their sleeves. And there's no turning back now . . .
From the first laugh to the final twist, The Retirement Plan is full of characters who will steal your heart while plotting their dark deeds.
'Clever, funny, tender. A triumph' Jennie Godfrey, author of The List of Suspicious Things
'Blending Desperate Housewives and White Lotus vibes, this is a darkly funny crime novel' My Weekly
'Funny, twisty, deviously dark!' Sarah Pearse, author of The Sanatorium
'If crazy, switcheroo mysteries with a dark comic edge are your thing, then The Retirement Plan is the summer read for you' Irish Independent
'A total riot' Clare Pooley, author of The Authenticity Project
'Hincenbergs knocks it out of the park' Publishers Weekly, starred review
'Thoroughly addictive' Ian Moore, author of Death and Croissants
'A triumphant crime caper' Irish News
'Relentlessly entertaining' Chris Brookmyre, author of The Cracked Mirror
'Absolutely hilarious' Jessica Bull, author of Miss Austen Investigates
'Packed full of humour and charm' Amy McCulloch, author of Breathless
'Deliciously funny and unpredictable' Keith Stuart, author of A Boy Made of Blocks
'An absolute scream from the first page to the last' Janice Hallett, author of The Appeal
'Certainly a match for Richard Osman' Daily Mail
'Incredibly funny with plot twists you won't see coming' Stylist
Their husbands are driving them mad, and murder is on their minds . . . but the men have a plan of their own.
Pam, Nancy and Shalisa once imagined retirement would mean setting aside their worries, picking up their margaritas, and lying back in a hot tub. Right up until their husbands lost all their savings in a reckless investment.
Now, collecting their husbands' life insurance is starting to sound more appealing than growing old with them. But enlisting the help of the local barber/hitman isn't merely the most daring thing the friends have ever done - it's also where the trouble really begins.
Because they don't realise their husbands have some tricks up their sleeves. And there's no turning back now . . .
From the first laugh to the final twist, The Retirement Plan is full of characters who will steal your heart while plotting their dark deeds.
'Clever, funny, tender. A triumph' Jennie Godfrey, author of The List of Suspicious Things
'Blending Desperate Housewives and White Lotus vibes, this is a darkly funny crime novel' My Weekly
'Funny, twisty, deviously dark!' Sarah Pearse, author of The Sanatorium
'If crazy, switcheroo mysteries with a dark comic edge are your thing, then The Retirement Plan is the summer read for you' Irish Independent
'A total riot' Clare Pooley, author of The Authenticity Project
'Hincenbergs knocks it out of the park' Publishers Weekly, starred review
'Thoroughly addictive' Ian Moore, author of Death and Croissants
'A triumphant crime caper' Irish News
'Relentlessly entertaining' Chris Brookmyre, author of The Cracked Mirror
'Absolutely hilarious' Jessica Bull, author of Miss Austen Investigates
'Packed full of humour and charm' Amy McCulloch, author of Breathless
'Deliciously funny and unpredictable' Keith Stuart, author of A Boy Made of Blocks
Reviews / Votes
The Retirement Plan by Sue Hincenbergs is jaw-droppingly hilarious, but that's just the start. This wild story is meticulously plotted with wonderfully vivid characters and is an absolute scream from first page to last. So slick I can't believe it's a debut - strong contender for my cosy crime book of the year! -- Janice Hallett, author of THE APPEAL The Retirement Plan is a razor sharp, clever, funny novel which is also surprisingly tender. I gulped it down over a couple of days and found myself both laughing, and gasping out loud at the twists and turns the story took. I defy you not to be rooting for these characters. It's a triumph -- Jennie Godfrey, author of THE LIST OF SUSPICIOUS THINGS A wonderful cosy crime novel with a sharp edge. Ingenious, twisty and often hilarious - with a neat ending - this debut from a former TV producer is certainly a match for Richard Osman's The Thursday Murder Club * DAILY MAIL * Incredibly funny with plot twists you won't see coming * STYLIST * A sure-footed and deeply funny debut. Readers will turn the pages with glee as the interests of the desperate husbands and determined wives collide with a pack of Mumbai gangsters and a dog-loving private investigator. Hincenbergs knocks it out of the park on her first time at bat * PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, STARRED REVIEW * Blending Desperate Housewives and White Lotus vibes, this is a darkly funny crime novel about three women and their three useless husbands * MY WEEKLY * This funny, twisty read about three girlfriends who turn to murder (husbands watch out!) had me turning the pages late into the night. Razor-sharp and deviously dark! -- Sarah Pearse, author of THE SANATORIUM Relentlessly and rambunctiously entertaining. A feel-good crime caper that could put a smile on the face of any hitman -- Chris Brookmyre, author of THE CRACKED MIRROR Sharp, wicked and thoroughly addictive! -- Ian Moore, author of DEATH AND CROISSANTS If crazy, switcheroo mysteries with a dark comic edge are your thing, then The Retirement Plan is the summer read for you . . . A triumphant crime caper that is funny and exciting * IRISH INDEPENDENT * Twisted, unexpected and a total riot. The most fun I've had with a book in ages -- Clare Pooley, author of THE AUTHENTICITY PROJECT This crime romp is full of characters who will make you laugh out loud even while they are plotting their dark and dastardly deeds. Riotously funny and twisty * PLATINUM * The story carries the same darkly humorous vibes as Apple TV's Bad Sisters, as the wives and husbands struggle with their decisions to do very bad things for somewhat good reasons, in very funny ways. A perfect read for those who are looking to lose themselves in a world of likable, flawed characters and are up for some wildly over-the-top hijinks * BOOKLIST * Deliciously dark, twisty and packed full of humour and charm, The Retirement Plan had me racing through the pages to witness the hijinks unfold. A hugely impressive debut from a real star in the making -- Amy McCulloch, author of BREATHLESS Think Richard Osman mischievous, elderly pensioners meets Bad Sisters and Desperate Housewives . . . the shenanigans move fast and furiously * CRIMETIME * Absolutely hilarious is the only way to describe Sue Hincenbergs' debut, The Retirement Plan, with a cast of charming but deeply flawed characters I couldn't help rooting for! -- Jessica Bull, author of MISS AUSTEN INVESTIGATES Very entertaining, not least because of Hincenbergs' sharp focus on the fault lines to be found in marriages almost four decades old . . . Great fun * SUNDAY INDEPENDENT * Sue Hincenbergs' novel is so deliciously slippery, funny and unpredictable. A heady cocktail of Desperate Housewives and Elmore Leonard, served with a refreshingly amoral cast - I gulped it down -- Keith Stuart, author of A BOY MADE OF BLOCKS Pure, unadulterated fun. A darkly comic, delightfully devious, wickedly addictive caper from a new author to add to your must-read list! -- Marissa Stapley, author of LUCKY The perfect cocktail of well-plotted, good-hearted, murderous fun. Sue Hincenbergs has created a world of lovable characters, surprising twists, and satisfying resolutions -- Nina Simon, author of MOTHER-DAUGHTER MURDER NIGHT Oh, what a wicked web we weave when first we practice to deceive! The Retirement Plan has deception upon deception and twist upon twist as a group of unhappy couples plot to put an end to their marriages in ways that will surprise and delight you -- Catherine Mack, author of EVERY TIME I GO ON VACATION, SOMEONE DIESMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Little, Brown Book Group
Product notice
Trade binding
Dimensions
Height: 239 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 29 mm
Weight
538 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4087-3343-1 (9781408733431)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
05/2025
Sphere
€0.99
Available for download
Person
Sue Hincenbergs is a former television producer who has worked on multiple award-winning programmes ranging from sitcoms to lifestyle. She oversaw the content on two national daily shows, including Canada's longest-running morning show before turning her talents to live music specials. The Retirement Plan is her darkly humorous first novel.
Sue lives in Toronto with her (very much alive) husband, her scruffy, middle-aged rescue dog Kramer, and the rooms full of the stuff her three sons left behind when they moved out. The porch light is always on in case one comes by for a visit.
Instagram: @hincenbergs
X: @suehincenbergs
Sue lives in Toronto with her (very much alive) husband, her scruffy, middle-aged rescue dog Kramer, and the rooms full of the stuff her three sons left behind when they moved out. The porch light is always on in case one comes by for a visit.
Instagram: @hincenbergs
X: @suehincenbergs