I received an advanced copy from #netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have to say that I generally love Chris Bohjalian’s books but I was really disappointed by The Sleepwalker. I was excited to read this in hopes it would be better. It was an okay read for me. It did have a couple of really interesting twists that I didn’t see coming. But I felt a lot of the book was disjointed and confusing. I found myself needing to reread several parts. I wanted to smack Cassandra throughout most of the book. And at the end, I felt it wrapped up a little too easily. I’m glad I read it, but it definitely won’t get reread.

I found a copy of 'Midwives' by Chris Bohjalian at my local Goodwill and purchased it. I've had the book on my shelves for years and have never picked it up. Then on Netgalley I came across 'The Guest Room' immediately requested it and was excitedly approved. I really enjoyed the book. I told so many people about it. It was an exciting read about Russian trafficked strippers/prostitutes and a bachelor party that ended in ruin. So, when the opportunity arose to read 'The Flight Attendant' I jumped at the chance.

From almost the first page you learn that the main character Cassandra is a walking disaster. She's an unapologetic drunk and she sleeps with men for sport. Unfortunately, she's also a flight attendant who at every turn gets herself in more and more trouble. Consequently, bringing down those she loves with her. What I loved about the book was the information about Russian spies and the trickery of finding out those you thought were one way actually were another.

Two women, one American and the other Russian, are pitted against each other in what seems like an unfair duel. Cassie Bowden has no idea what's in store for her when, as a flight attendant overnighting in Dubai, she accepts dinner invitation from Alex, a Russian-American passenger on her flight, and ends up in his plush hotel room for the night.

Things escalate when she wakes up in his bed in the morning, having blacked out after a night of heavy drinking and sleeping with Alex. Running for her life, Cassie feels she is being watched and followed, even back home in the U.S. The other woman has been ordered by a Russian group to take out the heavy-drinking, seemingly scattered and inept flight attendant, Cassie.

A suspenseful thriller in the very modern settings of present day Dubai, Rome, and NYC.

Doubleday Books and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Flight Attendant. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion was freely given.

Cassandra Bowen is used to waking up in strange hotel rooms, as her job as a flight attendant requires stays in cities all around the world. When she awakens without the knowledge of where she is or what is happening, Cassandra assumes she blacked out while drinking. After all, she remembers the man from the plane, as well as bits and pieces of the night. As the fog lifts, Cassie faces a situation of nightmarish proportions. Will a split second decision change her whole life?

As the story unfolds, it becomes apparent that there is more to the book than just a simple mystery. The espionage aspects of the novel, for the most part, feel placed just to make the plot move in a particular direction. It was hard to find a connection with the main character, as her unreliability makes her unsympathetic. Having read previous novels by this author, I found The Flight Attendant to not be up to the usual standards. Although the book was good, the holes in the plot coupled with an unlikable main character are such that I would be hesitant to recommend The Flight Attendant to other readers.

I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

This book was hard for me to get into, I didn't find that there was a lot that really reached out and grabbed me. Elena's character didn't evolve for me as I expected it to and Cassie's character really was just a portrayal of an awful person and it made it hard for me to connect with her. She was extremely self-destructive and flawed, and I had trouble understanding a lot of her decisions throughout the book. I found it especially unfortunate that I struggled with some of the book because the ending ROCKED. I literally gasped, I never saw it coming. There aren't many books I can say that for, if I had been more engaged through the rest of the novel this one would have probably been a home run for me. As it is though I would still really very much recommend it because my struggle was probably just based on my current attention span and even if it wasn't the ending still was worth it!

"Negronis in Rome. Akvavit in Stockholm. Arak in Dubai. Her life was a drinking tour of the world."


What a sexy and intelligent thriller!!! The author has done his homework and it shows!

"God, it was just like so many of the other times she had woken up naked and hungover in bed with a guy, with only the slightest idea how she had gotten there—except this time the guy was dead."

This book starts with a bang. Cassie is an experienced flight attendant, who works on international flights and drinks far, far too much. She has blackouts, has sex with strangers and cannot go more than a few days without a drink. But did she kill the sexy businessman she met on a flight to Dubai?
She does not have a full grasp of the previous night's events and can only recall fleeting moments. She does know one thing for sure: she and her date both drank to excess the night before.

"The notion that he, too, was a boozer—at least for one night—caused her to feel a deep, wistful ache in her heart. Everyone who drank the way she did had a reason, she supposed, and she had never pressed him for his. Did he have one? Now she’d never know. Certainly he had never wondered about her own private pain."

Cassie falls deeper and deeper into deception BUT it soon becomes clear that she did not kill the handsome Alex. But Cassie continues to deceive everyone who cares about her and even herself. She lies about her drinking, her whereabouts the night of the murder and her lies keep spinning out of control.

"She had made her choice—just one more bad choice in a life riddled with them—and there was no turning back."

This is a very detailed and slow-building thriller. I felt completely immersed in the world of the flight attendants and modern-day international travel. The plot takes Cassie all over the world and the cast of characters is fascinating! Although many would find Cassie to be an unsympathetic character, I actually liked her and understood some of her choices (although I did not always agree with them!)

"Of course, that was the one constant in her life: she drank. Alcohol gave her pleasure and it gave her courage and it gave her comfort. It didn’t precisely give her self-esteem (especially not the next morning), but it gave her the faith that whatever she was, was enough."

Prepare to be completely taken by surprise with the ending. I was shocked!! (Not easy to do.) All the praise to Chris Bohjalian!! This book is well-researched, sexy, smart and surprising. I can definitely see this as a movie (paging Rachel McAdams!!) I thoroughly enjoyed this engaging and often witty thriller. Highly recommend.

Chris Bohjalian has been a reliable standby for me in the thriller department for the past few years (The Guest Room, The Sleepwalker), but I think he stumbled with The Flight Attendant. I was initially interested in finding out what happened to Alex and what would happen to Cassie. How would she handle being questioned about Alex’s murder (given she makes terrible decisions most of the time)? Would she be charged with murdering him? But, as Alex’s story is gradually revealed, I became incredibly confused. Why he might have been killed is convoluted, yet it felt like white noise to me. That side of the story isn’t developed well at all…to the point that I didn’t really care. However, Bohjalian did a great job bringing the life of a flight attendant alive, which I enjoyed. Bohjalian has written a book a year for the past few years, which is a lot. I feel like he might’ve churned this one out too quickly…at the expense of quality.

Who has ever gotten stupid drunk, made some bad decisions and occasionally needed to be reminded of exactly what you did the night before. **raises hand** Now, who has gotten blind drunk and then woken up next to the person they slept with the night before and said person has their throat cut open and you question whether you actually could have done this? **puts hand down** What decision do you make at this time? Well, Cassie decides to leave him there, wipe off all the glasses, put the do not disturb sign on the door and proceeds back to her hotel where she has to catch the next leg of her flight on her way home. And that's just the beginning!!

I absolutely loved this read. It read fast for me and I was completely involved in what exactly happened in that hotel room. I can see people not liking Cassie and wanting to throttle her. I absolutely felt that way at times, but that just shows how much of an alcoholic she is and addictions make you do some crazy ass things... even if you're under suspicion for murder. I certainly understand the compulsion to do something that you know you shouldn't be doing... feeding into that desire. Mine's mostly with books and food but you know... **wink**

I've always thought it would be cool to be a flight attendant. The stories of what they endure were hilarious and whether these are actual things that have happened on flights or not, WOW - I can only imagine what they have to go through at times. All of this was highly entertaining.

Now, in a work of fiction, I'm always willing to suspend belief as long as it adheres to the plot line. While I loved this SO MUCH for 90%, the ending just had me scratching my head a bit. The whole situation with Enrico was so unbelievable BUT exciting (and quite frankly, I have a soft spot for Italians so......). I winced a bit at this final scene as it felt a bit rushed and just not quite a fit for where I was thinking the story would go. Then the epilogue... damn, a LOT happened in a year!

Look, this was such a great piece of work. Absolutely well written and I was GLUED to the pages. GLUED. Just that last 10% got a little bit shark jumpy and didn't quite fit in with Cassie's character. I do still highly recommend this read and look forward to what Bohjalian brings next!

This well told tale of a one night stand gone terribly wrong is a page turner that will keep you up all night.. When flight attendant Cassie Bowen wakes up in a Dubai hotel room to find the handsome, charming first class passenger whose dinner invitation had led them both to his luxurious site dead, she is trapped in a nightmare - she's not even certain that she didn't kill him. With terrific pacing, strong character development and great narrative drive, Bohjalion is sure to hit the best seller must again.

The Flight Attendant A Novel by Chris Bohjalian published by Doubleday Books is a good read. I want to thank all parties who made this book possible and many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my arc of this novel.
I like many readers out there feel that the thriller genre is highly saturated but this novel has such unique qualities that it makes it a gem in the genre. Chris Bohjalian does an amazing job painting his female lead in many dimensions. While she comes across like a drunk party girl who enjoys a good time in every part of the world she lands, she is also a devoted aunt a strong female and a sister. For those who do not know much about alcoholism it is a very interesting ride watching Cassie spiral then picking herself up. I felt that the slow pace of the novel actually didn’t bother me. Why you ask well that simple because I think the slow format makes the story more digestible for the reader there for making it a more enjoyable read. I think the only thing I didn’t much care for was the character of Viktor while I get the role he played I just want a fan. Over all I think this deserves a read from anyone who likes a thriller with lots of twists.

Have you ever wondered what your worse nightmare would be like?

It's a pretty safe bet that Cassie has found hers when she wakes up one morning next to a dead man. He was a passenger on a plane where she was a flight attendant. There was an immediate attraction between the two and quite a bit of flirting occurred. They hooked up after landing and LOTS of drinking took place. For Cassie, it was blackout level drinking. And while she was no newbie to this level of drinking and has a few one night stands under her belt, coming to in the morning to discover someone with their throat slit laying next to her is a new one. Unfortunately, Cassie can only remember snippets of the evening. And so begins our journey with Cassie as she tries to piece together what happened not only to save what little dignity she has left, but possibly her job and eventually her life.

When I first saw the title I remember thinking - The Flight Attendant - huh. What kind of story could this possibly turn into?

Well, let me tell you. This was a real page turner. Not in a rock 'em, sock 'em roller coaster type of page turner. But an evenly paced and suspenseful type of page turner. The story slowly unfolds as Cassie starts discovering clues and putting things together. For all her faults, I found Cassie to be a likeable character. I really wanted her to redeem herself. There are numerous interesting players in this tale, along with a few pretty good twists at the end.

This was an exciting read from one of my favorite authors. Bravo!

I received this copy from Doubleday via Netgalley.

I've read two other Chris Bohjalian novels before (The Sandcastle Girls and The Double Bind) and I enjoyed them both immensely. They were witty and well-written and emotional. The Flight Attendant was really disappointing. Bohjalian seems to have succumbed to the pressures of being a successful writer who must produce work every year because this novel does not have any of the flare of the other work I've read by him. The main character, Cassie, is a vapid alcoholic with absolutely no depth. I get it: Bohjalian explores how alcoholism can (and often does) take over one's life but he's created this insipid character who is ONLY defined by her drinking binges and promiscuity. I read 350+ pages from her omniscience and literally can't tell you anything else about her. She wakes up next to a dead man in Dubai after spending the night with him and spends the entire rest of the novel either wondering if she actually killed him or wanting to drink to forget about it. The supporting characters, like the Russian woman who actually killed him, her sister who is routinely disappointed in her, her attorney who is forgettable, and the myriad of other identity-less flight attendants merely serve as ornaments on a dying, light-less Christmas tree of a story. Nothing was fresh or unique about this novel. Nothing moved me. Nothing provoked me. Nothing memorable happened. And the ending is just so trite. Don't waste your time with this one.

The thriller genre has been quite over-saturated lately, and thankfully, "The Flight Attendant" was not what I expected. Although a common stereotype in recent thrillers is a middle-aged alcoholic woman, Chris Bohjalian paints a very different world for his female lead. It is obvious that the ideas and storylines throughout the novel were very well-researched as I dove into a world I knew little about. The story was set at a much slower pace and was an enjoyable deviation from the typical crime thriller. The possibilities of the storyline kept me reading and I was surprised by the ending. I will certainly be checking out other works from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

4.5 Stars!!
My first flight alone was at age 4. It was 1970 and things were different back then. I flew PanAm from San Jose to Los Angeles (where my dad was waiting for me) and sat in the back with the flight attendants, who were called stewardesses back then. They were nice to me and from that moment on I have been fascinated by this profession, so a novel called The Flight Attendant was right up my alley! It didn't disappoint.
Cassie Bowden is a flight attendant with a serious drinking problem. On a flight to Dubai she meets a passenger who she ends up spending the night with at a luxury hotel in Dubai. She blacks out, as she often does, and wakes up to find the gentleman murdered in the bed beside her. Blood is everywhere and Cassie can only remember bits and pieces of the night before. Did she kill him? If not her, who did and why? I love the premise of this book and the story itself is quite a page turner! Giving more info than I just did, is frankly, giving too much away. Just read it, it's fast.
This was my first Chris Bohjalian novel and I am so excited to read more by this author! I honestly don't know why I've waited so long. Thank you so much to Doubleday, Chris Bohjalian, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this digital ARC.

Another addictive read from the talented Chris Bohjalian, and again, it's like none of his other books. I would classify this one as an international spy thriller, but that doesn't become obvious until later. At first it rivaled The Girl on the Train for most outlandish female alcoholic, only this time it's the girl on the plane.

Cassie seems to live a charmed jet-setting life as a flight attendant, getting her pick of international flights like Rome, Berlin, or Dubai, with NYC her home base. Actually, though, she is quite a mess, picking up strange fellows at every hotel, and drinking until she either passes out or blacks out (there is a difference). This is what ultimately gets her into trouble while in Dubai, and the trouble follows her home and everywhere else she ventures. Despite the seriousness of her situation, she continues to act like a crazy teenager set loose for the first time in the big city.

Addictive, like I said, and very suspenseful. I read it in two days time. There's a great twist at the end that I never saw coming, and then the Epilogue, for me, seemed somewhat far fetched. But who knows, maybe these things are more common than we know.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.

How did this relatively slow-paced read manage to make me feel so very anxious almost the entire time? It was the build-up! Smartly written, clever, and gripping. This one kept me reading late into the night. The characters aren't immensely likable, but it works in this one. More complex than it looks from the blurb, it requires full attention.

The morning that will change her life starts out not so different from others. Cassandra wakes with an awful hangover, a sign that she's had one of those nights. Filled with alcohol, reduced inhibitions, and even black-outs. When she turns to peek at the man she knows is next to her, she's stunned. The man she slept with last night is dead. There's blood everywhere. There's blood on her. And she has no idea what happened to him, the American named Alex she met on the plane who has certainly met an untimely end.

Stunned, confused, and terrified, she is due back at her own hotel soon. As a flight attendant, it's important she arrive on time to return to the airport and continue on her way, back to her own country. It's a job she's enjoyed for years, allowing her to travel and meet all sorts of new people (mostly men) to have fun with. Here she makes a decision. Instead of calling the authorities or notifying anyone in the hotel there's a dead man in the lavish room, she takes off.

Even more worrisome than cameras or the watchful eyes of workers, there is the other woman. Sometime in-between their love-making, a woman named Miranda joined them for some drinks. Alex seemed to know of her, but they weren't completely familiar. She didn't stay too long, but she would certainly remember Cassie's face, right? How long could it be before she talks to the police?

Lies, lies, lies. When anyone asks Cassie a question about the last couple of days, it's all she seems to do. How long before it catches up with her? Who killed Alex? If Cassandra doesn't remember what happened... could it have been her?

I wasn't huge on the ending, for reasons I can't get into in a review. It just didn't fit the rest of the book. That kept it from being five stars, but this complex thriller is a strong four from me and highly recommended.

I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Doubleday Books, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.

I did like this book. I read it fairly quickly. The story was good. However, I do have to break down some of the faults that I had with this book that would have made it that much better for me.

1) The main character Cassie. If it had not been for the fact that she found herself waking up next to a dead body, she would have been just a "Plain Jane". There was nothing that intriguing about her life or her personality.

2) The intensity level. It was middle of the road. It never rose above that level.

3) The ending was a let down. I hate reading a book just to get to the ending and have it be weak.

If all of these items were to be improved, then, I would have rated this book another star. Although, I did like what I read and would read another book from this author.

This was a whirlwind story. Twists and turns throughout, keeping the reader thoroughly engaged and not wanting to put it down. I'm really sad I wasn't able to meet this amazing author while he was in Vermont.

Cassie is one hot mess. Using alcohol and men to drown out her inner demons. Those antics catch up to her when she wakes up next to her man of the night, but this time he's dead. From there she spirals down farther. Lying to officials and preforming antics that never help her case, how much farther can she fall before the repercussions are felt?

The "Flight Attendant" grabs you from take-off and doesn't let you put it down until it's turbulent landing. Although she has obvious flaws (ie -- drinking too much, sleeping around) you can't help but root for Cassandra and hope she comes out of this latest debacle unscathed.

I love Chris Bohjalian books but I had a hard time getting into this one. It might have nothing to do with the book and everything to do with the main character. Cassandra Bowden is an alcoholic who gets drunk and is reckless with her behavior. She drinks too much blacks out, sleeps around and generally behaves in a reckless way at every turn. When she wake up next to her latest conquest in Dubai she finds that while she was passed out someone had come in and practically severed his head from his body. Not knowing what may have happened or her role in it Cassandra leaves the scene without calling he police and gets on her flight back to the USA.

Alcohol ruins lives and it ruins more than one in this book. As Cassandra tries to figure out what to do, fends off the press and has to deal with the FBI. She also feels that she is being followed and can't figure out who it could be.

Bohjalian is a master story teller of books that always touch on controversy. This one just didn't hit the mark for me. While Cassandra's drunken black outs and outrageous behavior are definitely not glorified I didn't feel the severity and weight of them on her or the people around her with the exception of this new murder.