A hilarious and empowering perimenopausal Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, about Clover Hendry, 46, and the day she decides to stop keeping the plates spinning, say F@#! it all, and finally get hers. Today is not the day to mess with Clover Hendry. Clover hasn’t said “No” a day in her life. Until today. Normally a woman who tips her hairdresser even when the cut is hideous, is endlessly patient with her horrendous mother, and says yes every time her boss asks her to work late—today, things are going to be very different. Because Clover is taking the day off. Today, she’s going to do and say whatever she likes, even if it means her whole life unravels. What made Clover change her ways? Why doesn’t she care anymore? There’s more to this day than meets the eye. Clover Hendry's Day Off is a joyful, raging, galvanizing story about putting life on pause, pleasing yourself, and getting your own back. Whatever it takes. Because when Clover stops caring, she can start living. An EveryMom Can’t-Put-Down Book An Observer Best Book with a Badass Older Heroine   “An infectious, Ferris Bueller-inspired 24-hour adventure… Clover Hendry’s Day Off is one of the most fun books I’ve read in a while — or ever, honestly .” – Associated Press   “Hilarious, inspiring and peri-menopausal - Clover Hendry is a heroine for our times. She made me laugh, cry, and want to blow stuff up. A superhero for middle-aged women everywhere.” – Clare Pooley, author of The Authenticity Project “I dare you to read Clover Hendry's Day Off without laughing out loud. Beth Morrey's novel is hilarious, deliciously outrageous, and effervescent, while delivering heartfelt truths about how life-changing and life-affirming a single day can be. Ferris Bueller would be proud.” —Margarita Montimore, USA Today bestselling author of Oona Out of Order “Deep and satisfying….In Morrey’s hands, [ Clover Hendry’s Day Off ] offers more than escapist fun.” – Publishers Weekly "Clover Hendry has had enough - and haven’t we all? This empowering, hilarious and messy attempt at grabbing back her life - just for a day - will leave you squealing and cheering. A reminder to put yourself first! Absolutely adorable and wonderful. I love everything by Beth, but this may be my favourite book yet.” –Lizzy Dent, author of The Summer Job   “Very funny….[Clover Hendry is] devilishly witty about getting away with mischief…A romp that is also grounded.” – Kirkus Reviews “[ Clover Hendry’s Day Off ] features a relatable protagonist whose acts of rebellion are as entertaining as they are satisfying. Clover’s misadventures will leave readers wondering what she’ll do next—and thinking about what they might do on a “day off.” Ideal for fans of Amazing Grace Adams by Fran Littlewood." – Booklist Beth Morrey 's work has been published in The May Anthology of Oxford and Cambridge Poetry and shortlisted for the Grazia Orange First Chapter competition. She is the author of The Love Story of Missy Carmichael and Delphine Jones Takes a Chance . She lives in London with her family and dog. Chapter one   .......   Today started like any other, but then... veered off course. It all derailed pretty quickly, to be honest. Little things snowballing, building up to an avalanche. Like that poem about the horseshoe nail: "For want of a nail . . ." I can't remember it now-God, brain fog again-but it starts small and before you know it a whole kingdom is lost and you're screwed. All for want of a tiny nail. On Thursday, June 16th, I should have been in my office looking online for nice places in Padstow, but for various reasons I called my boss a prick and had some sort of episode, and here we are.   A headache came on last night, creeping up the side of my face like a dark force, prodding me awake. Ordinary painkillers do nothing, and I've long given up asking the doctor for something stronger. Last time, as I hunched, whimpering, on a vinyl chair that reeked of disinfectant, he suggested I try meditating, and turned away to tap something on his computer. I panicked it would be one of those coded notes medics use, calling me malingering or making sure I didn't get any more sleeping tablets, so I backed out, saying I'd download the Calm app. I did download it, but the sound of rain made me fret that the leak in the loft dormer had opened up again, so it didn't really work.   Unable to get back to sleep, I got up early and pottered round finishing jobs from the night before, folding washing, reloading the machine, blinking as the colors danced in front of my eyes. Scraping dried tomato off the base of the casserole dish, fetching lamb out of the freezer for later, mentally adding naan bread to my shopping list, giving Grizelda her breakfast, which she lapped at fastidiously. The fridge door was a seething mass of Post-it note reminders, scrawled by me, ignored by my family: Cancel milk, Call roofer, Hima's birthday, Jonathan's birthday, Dry-cleaning Tuesday,