The last voyage of Mrs Henry Parker - Joanna Nell

A poignant ode to love and the memories that make a well-lived life, from the author of THE SINGLE LADIES OF JACARANDA RETIREMENT VILLAGE

As the wife of retired ship's doctor Dr Henry Parker, Evelyn is living out her twilight years aboard the Golden Sunset. Every night she dresses for dinner - gown, tiara, runners - and regales her fellow passengers with stories of a glamorous life travelling the world in luxury, as well as showing off her superior knowledge of everything from ships' customs to biographical details of her heroine, Florence Nightingale. The crew treat her with deference. And forbearance.

But when Henry goes missing, Evelyn sets off to search every part of the grand ocean liner to find him, casino, nightclub and off-limits areas included.

Misadventures are had, new friends are made, scandalous behaviour noted - all news to Evelyn. If only she could remember the events of the night before as clearly as she can recall the first time she met Henry on a passage from England to Australia in 1953 and fell in love, abandoning her dreams to become a midwife to be a wife instead - and the long-ago painful events that left Evelyn all at sea.

Why is it so hard to forget some things and so hard to remember others? And where is Henry?

Praise for THE SINGLE LADIES OF JACARANDA RETIREMENT VILLAGE:

'Hugely entertaining . . . funny and heart-warming' - Woman & Home

'A gentle, warm-hearted book that had me rooting for all the characters and laughing out loud at points. A book that shows it is never too late to learn how to live, to make new friends and to fall in love' - Libby Page, author of The Lido

'A warm and touching story with a cast of characters who became my friends - I loved The Single Ladies of the Jacaranda Retirement Village with all its wit, wisdom and spirit' - Katie Marsh, author of The Rest of Me

'The perfect blend of funny and moving; Peggy Smart had me laughing and crying in this ultimately uplifting story' - Natasha Lester, author of The Paris Seamstress

'Funny, insightful and deliciously refreshing, it's the most heartwarming book we've read in a long time' - Woman's Weekly