An almost farcical storyline of duping and double duping between husbands and wives orchestrated by the ‘ barber’ who will do most things that need done ! This set against the background of a casino firm based in India who hire dubious hit men .
Amusing read with many twists and turns.

This one was surprisingly more enjoyable than I expected and made me chuckle throughout. Although slow to start, the pace picks up as the plot unravels and pulls the story into unexpected territory. The result is a wildly entertaining, refreshingly unique ride.

The Retirement Plan is a riotous blend of dark comedy and suspense that breathes fresh life into the crime caper genre. Set against the backdrop of suburban malaise and casino intrigue, this debut novel explores the chaotic unravelling of long-standing friendships and marriages when secrets, schemes, and misunderstandings collide.

The author masterfully balances multiple perspectives, offering a panoramic view of the ensuing chaos. The characters are all unique with their own quirks and motivations, adding layers of complexity and humour to the narrative. The interplay of miscommunication and coincidence propels the plot forward, resulting in a series of unexpected twists that kept me engaged.​

While the pacing may waver in the initial chapters, the momentum builds steadily, culminating in a satisfying and humorous climax. The strength of the book lies in its character development and the witty, often satirical, examination of midlife crises and the lengths individuals will go to reclaim control over their lives.​

The Retirement Plan stands out for its unique premise and the seamless fusion of dark humour and suspense. It's a testament to the idea that it's never too late to embark on a new adventure, even if it involves a few felonies! Fans of character-driven stories with a darkly comedic edge will find this a delightful addition to their reading list.

A fun read, with lots of laughs, great characters and a strong plot. A few laugh out loud moments throughout.

I thoroughly enjoyed this romp of a tale. A group of friends who have known each other for many years all have secrets and these include murder plans and theft.

It’s well constructed with twists and turns aplenty, you just need to go with though, as there are absurd moments, but, it’s a great, fun, read.

I loved the characters, there are the six central charaters; of 3 husband and wife couples , but, just as well formed and interesting are the head of the casino, Padma and the barber / hitman, Héctor and his wife Brenda.

All in all, an easy to read, fun book which i would recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown Group for the opportunity to preview and I wish the author deserved success.

All-in-all, this was an enjoyable read 📚

It was like reading a comedy sketch, but with a happy ending. Believe it or not, this was the biggest downfall for me. I did expect to have a bit more chaos remaining but it was tied up mostly well.

I absolutely LOVED that final chapter though, it fits perfectly with the comedic elements overall, leaving a positive impression for me.

The Retirement Plan by Sue Hincenberg wasn’t at all what I expected—and that’s half the fun. I went in thinking I was about to read a quirky, feel-good story about a woman rebuilding her life after losing her husband (accident… or something more sinister?). A fresh start, a suspicious neighbor or two, maybe a touch of found family.

Instead? I got a comedic heist novel with a full ensemble cast, each with their own agendas, secrets, and chaotic charm. It’s light-hearted in tone, sure, but there’s an edge of moral ambiguity that keeps things interesting. Not everyone here is easy to root for—and that’s kind of the point. It’s about choices, consequences, and the messy line between justice and revenge.

Also: justice is served, in its own sideways, satisfying way.

A twisty, clever read that doesn’t take itself too seriously, but still manages to leave you thinking about who gets away with what—and why.

Four couples in their 60s have been friends through it all: raising kids, growing older, planning for retirement. But when the husbands throw away their promises to their wives and lose their life savings, a rift grows between them all. So when one of the husbands turns up dead in a horrific accident, the men suddenly feel the sting of what they’ve done (and yes, you’ll have to wait to find out what). Meanwhile, the dearly departed’s wife isn’t exactly as devastated as she should be; instead, it’s like a weight has lifted. And thanks to his generous life insurance, she’s finally free. That gives the other wives an idea: To hire a hitman and collect what they believe is owed to them, by any means necessary.

The Retirement Plan is a hilarious tangle of interpersonal relationships fueled by miscommunications used to brilliant effect. I’m not normally a big fan of miscommunication in relationships—seriously, can’t the couple just talk to each other??—but here it is used for pure comedy and shenanigans. In fact, the whole story depends on it to flourish. And you’ll be entertained the whole way through as the husbands and wives fail to understand one another’s motives…or process their shock when they do.

The couples aren’t particularly likable but that’s the point—they’re real and, while they actually act on feelings most of us would consider fleeting or intrusive, you can completely understand how they reached the end of their tethers. (I’m not saying it’s right, all I’m saying is I understand.) Their complex feelings about one another and the situation are messy and great fun to unravel, making you root for them in the grey areas of their arcs. But it’s the surrounding characters who steal the scenes they’re in; Hector, the barber with gang ties and a particular set of skills, is smarter than the rest of them and enthralling to read about. His wife Brenda is his partner in almost every way, bringing the perfect balance and support. I’d read a whole book just about them if I could.

You can tell author Sue Hincenbergs is a longtime television writer because the novel plays out like a comedy-drama—Desperate Housewives meets Grace and Frankie with a sprinkling of Hit Man to make the recipe sweet but also with a zing. The tropes about useless husbands and middle-aged struggles are all there but utilized deftly. With that said, it does rely on some tired stereotypes that may not sit right with you—particularly in its depictions of the characters of color, or in the use of unattractive traits befitting the shadier characters. The owners and staff of the casino, where two of the husbands work, provide a decent threat even if it’s a little too conveniently steeped in racial stereotypes. However, the novel does work hard to show that most of these characters are far more layered than they first appear. Sometimes it works, other times you might wish for more.

Overall, The Retirement Plan is an amusing ride that relishes in its twists and tricks. The writing is smart and sharp, always with a knowing wink and a tip of the martini glass to the reader. It’s also great to see more mature women take back their agency and commit some crimes, all while holding onto their femininity and family-first mindsets (yes, ladies, yes!). We’re used to seeing the way Cupid makes you do stupid things when you first fall in love, but this is far more fascinating: What a shared lifetime of far more complicated emotions can drive you to the edge of reason (and boy, does this novel take you through every up and down of that journey).

When your husband loses your life savings due to a dodgy investment, but has a hefty life insurance policy - the only retirement plan you’re left with is murder, right? But what happens when the husbands have a plan of their own? Someone will end up dead, but who? Who will emerge victorious between three wives who want a new life and the 3 husbands who stand in their way?

Overall I really enjoyed this book - in my opinion it’s a perfect poolside read! This is a dark comedy - there are so many hilarious misunderstandings and miscommunications. It was such a comedy of errors and I really liked how we saw misinterpretations from one POV to the next. I loved the contrasts from the wives POV to the husbands and their intertwined concurrent stories - and Hector caught in the middle!

Some books were made to be TV shows and this is one of them. Could literally see it playing out as I was reading. It was, therefore, not a surprise to me that the author was a former television producer - as this is basically the script for an award winning show!

Overall I would recommend - suspend your disbelief that the series of events could occur, take it at face value and you have a comedic thriller that’s such an enjoyable read.

ARC copy provided by Sphere & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What a book! It starts at a 100miles an hour and doesn't let up. It's a very amusing caper with people fleeing a possible hitman, an actual hitman hired by the unlikeliest of folk, organised crime, disorganised crimes, a lovely dog, doughnuts and margaritas. I kept thinking as I was reading it, it would be great on screen, big or small and I now see it's already been signed up, which doesn't surprise me. Great fun!

The book follows a group of female best friends who decide to hire someone to murder their husbands for the life insurance money⁠⁠, as they have lost out on their retirement funds.It is a bizarre story and I have not read anything like it, with the various points of view and the man misunderstandings that lead to more twists.
The story has an interesting setting, great pacing, and the main characters are intriguing I could see this becoming a Netflix series, and I would watch it. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy for an honest review.

What do you do when your retirement plans unexpectedly go up the spout? Nancy, Shalisa and Pam are about to find out, because drastic times call for drastic measures...

This is a clever, creative and hilarious take on the battle of the sexes and the challenges three women face late in life thanks to some bad decisions taken by the husbands. And that's exactly why you need to make sure you always have some *insurance* at hand!

Worth reading and packed with laughs, this gets 3.5 stars.

"Why would someone like you come for a dog? Hector inched his hand to his pocket. "I'm guessing you've never seen a John Wick movie?"
Farid shook his head. "Again. Movies."
Hector said: "You should watch one. There's four in the franchise. Gotta love Keanu Reeves. Start with the first one. Then maybe you'll understand why you don't mess around with someone's dog."

This was a highly entertaining read that fully deserves five stars. First, because I like books with middle-aged characters who are not constantly making selfies and posting on social media, but rather spend time being together with their husbands and other family members and make the most of their lives. It’s not that they don’t know what to do with a computer, as is shown later in the book, it’s just they want to live their lives in reality.

Well, life is not exactly fun after four men decide to take all their savings and invest them. They lose everything which is absolutely devastating, of course. And not very good for their marriages either. For different reasons of course, not just because of the money.
The story is not ‘full of surprises’, it’s one BIG surprise page after page. I loved the characters, including the not-so-very-nice ones as the new director of the casino where two of the men work. She has a whole set of problems herself. And then there is the hairdresser and his lovely wife and not to forget: Elmer, the rescue dog.

I laughed and I cried (a little) and I enjoyed every page. I hope to read more of Sue Hincenbergs soon – and I cannot recommend this one enough.

And the quote? This is where felt tears. I've seen this movie but although I know it's all fake, I can never unsee the scene Hector is talking about 🥹.

Three middle-aged best friends make a plan to murder their husbands for the insurance money, but are unaware their husbands have a plan of their own. A clever premise amd told the right way it could have been funny, but unfortunately this fell flat. A predictable plot, too much going on and far too many ridiculous characters. Not one for me.

I enjoyed this but found myself needing to read it over a weekend when my brainspace wasn't taken up with work and family. This says nothing negative about the book but more my ability to keep track of which character is who. I needed to read it in a couple of sittitngs rather than over the course of a week.

This is fun, silly and I laughed. I'm glad I didn't give up on it because of my own lack of concentration. I heartily recommend it.

This was quite the entertaining read with so many schemes on how to retire (and stay alive!) with a bunch of money, whether it is skimming the profits at a casino, or hiring a killer (someone who does what needs to be done!) to murder your lowlife husbands for their life insurance. Was it realistic? No. But I really enjoyed it with all the twists and turns, starting with the first death of Dave under very mysterious circumstances (I wonder what are the odds of dying the way he did?). I must say I was rooting mostly for the wives' plans to succeed after all that their husbands put them through, taking them for granted (and eating their Pad Thai!), though as it got more convoluted with Hector the barber and Padma with her goons from India (the new boss at the casino with an overbearing mother trying to get her hitched whether she wants it or not) it got wilder and I ended up rooting for a black horse that along with his wife, was really good at his job!

Yes, there are a couple of bodies by the end but I was quite happy with the ending as it had much reconciliations and dogs. BTW I loved Elmer! He is wonderfully cuddly!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read this entertaining book!

A bit silly and over the top but such a fun read not the kind of book I usually read but I loved it would definitely recommend

I’m afraid this one wasn’t for me. It started with too many similar characters which was hard to keep up with and then just got crazier and crazier.

Pam, Nancy and Shalisa once imagined a worry-free retirement enjoying margaritas in a hot tub, until their husbands lost all their savings in a reckless investment.

Collecting their husbands’ life insurance suddenly sounds more appealing than growing old with them so the three women enlist the help of the local barber who also happens to be a hitman.

Meanwhile their desperate husbands have become persons of interest for a mob of Mumbai gangsters who are on their tails...

Coincidences, miscommunications and misunderstandings collide in this darkly comic tale!

At first, I wasn't at all sure about it, as it was quite a slow beginning, you're introduced to lots of characters all at once, and I didn't really like any of them very much either, but, when the main plot was woven in with the subplot which centered on the Casino with new boss Padma trying to simultaneously avoid her Mother's control and her matchmaking whilst hoping to oust her from the seat of power, it suddenly took off in a big and bonkers way, and became hugely entertaining.

It has lots of twists, turns and wisecracks, as it toys with your expectations, and the characterisation proves to be really strong as the story unfolds. I loved Hector and Brenda who are a brilliant pairing and real married couple goals, and, as further testimony to Sue Hincenberg's skills at fleshing out her characters, by the novel's end I'd even developed some sympathy for Padma!

Throughout, I kept thinking that it reads like a Hollywood caper movie, and that it would lend itself perfectly to a big screen adaptation, then, after I'd finished it, I discovered that the author was a TV producer so her background certainly tells in the novel's style, tone, plotting and structure.

Huge suspension of disbelief is required but this fun, entertaining read will raise a smile, and would make perfect holiday reading!

Thank you to Sphere for access to a Netgalley of this upcoming novel, in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 stars rounded up to 4 stars.

You can’t say much in these reviews without giving spoilers so I’ll keep it short and sweet!

I really enjoyed this! Funny and kept you guessing!

In romance books I don’t like a miscommunication trope but in this mystery/crime book it worked really well and was needed for the story to progress the way it did.

This book actually reminded me of a Guy Ritchie film 😂 where each group of people misunderstands something, no one communicates and each group of people is after a different group of people 😂 that was one of the things I liked most about this was the fact that a lot of wires were crossed!

There were a lot of characters to keep track of but I found this quite easy and never felt confused.

I love a multi POV so it was good to hear from a few different characters in this. The wives were my favourites, got some golden girls/desperate housewives vibes!

If you love a crime/mystery with a splash of funny then definitely pick this one up!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Hilarious! I loved it, exciting and suspenseful with absolutely brilliant characters! Really funny and so entertaining!