The One Remaining

by Paula Mclean

Hilary Mason is thirteen when her sister Elaine disappears. She fears someone close to the family is involved but represses her suspicions.
As an adult, Hilary becomes a successful novelist. In her fifties, she comes upon a stack of her old diaries, which document the trauma she’s endured. She decides she is ready to face the hidden backstory of her life.
She embarks on writing a memoir, Hilary’s Story, which will take her through her worst years and her best years, through courage and endurance, through friendship and great love.
The One Remaining is a captivating story of overcoming loss, finding the courage to trust those who believe in us, and the self-healing power of writing our stories.
‘The One Remaining is a wise, beautiful and moving novel about the whole of a woman’s life. I lived with the main character Hilary through her griefs, suffering and great joys. I cried as I read, then I wiped my eyes and smiled. McLean shows us how surviving loss and trauma is not linear or clear, but gives a depth and richness to life nonetheless.’ – Sophie Gee, The Secret Life of Books podcast

Kindle Edition

Published October 1, 2025

Reviews

[Heather Thomson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just read an early release copy of this debut novel. Hilary is writing her memoir and her life leaps of the pages to be the truest, most real character I’ve ever read. She’s not a character but a real woman struggling to overcome trauma and live. The ebbs and flow, the tiny steps forward of sharing past grief and loss and incrementally stepping forward to deep relationships and living is raw and honest.
It doesn’t sound like the plot of a page turner but I couldn’t put it down. I read it in one sitting- interspersed with work travel and family life interrupting my reading time!!
Love this book so much and, like her protagonist Hilary, I hope there are many more novels to come.

[Gwen Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The One Remaining will be a book that sits with me for a while as I turn its impact over in my mind.
It is a slow reveal of events that happened in the life of fictional memoirist, Hilary Mason. There are plenty of dramatic moments, which Hilary relates to us - rather than "showing". Hilary's voice, and her self-analysis, kept me so engaged that it became totally believable this was a real person recounting their real story.
The writing is lyrical, almost mythical in atmosphere.
In the interests of full disclosure ... while I knew nothing of this book before reading it, I do know the author, and we have discussed that it is an "everywoman's story". Many will find elements of Hilary's life and relationships that ring true to them.

[Elise Thomson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The One Remaining by Paula McLean is one of the best novels I’ve read hooking me.

The characters feel real and fully lived-in, and the atmosphere is both confusing with the secrets of Hillary’s life and comforting at the same time. Rather than relying on big twists, the story unfolds through reflection and emotional depth, making it incredibly moving and thoughtful.

An introspective read that deserves every one of its five stars.

[Corinne Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written as a memoir by a published author, this book was very emotional and gut wrenching at times. Sometimes confusing with the timeline of memory occuring within a sentence or paragraph about current events. The times and social mores ring so true to me, from the music and clothes, to the reactions of community to actions that are treated so differently now.I particularly liked, on a very personal level, the little side trip to Bologna and Morandi's home.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although fiction this reads as a memoir with the intimacy and gut wrenching honesty of the first person narrator Hilary driving the sad story of family trauma which I sometimes found overwhelmingly disturbing.

[Jessica Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was really well written and I really enjoyed it. The story is the story of a life. Tragic, joyful, content, and dynamic.