The Retirement Plan

Dark humour, dirty deeds, marriages and murder . . . The most entertaining crime debut of 2025!

'An absolute scream from the first page to the last' Janice Hallett, author of The Appeal

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

'Funny, twisty, deviously dark!' Sarah Pearse, author of The Sanatorium

'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

'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

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 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
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
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
Twisted, unexpected and a total riot. The most fun I've had with a book in ages -- Clare Pooley, author of THE AUTHENTICITY PROJECT
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
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
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 DIES

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

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