If there’s one thing I avoiding watching or reading about, it’s plane hijackings and crashes. So naturally I was apprehensive to start reading this book, but I am glad I pushed through it.

Mina is a flight attendant aboard the first nonstop flight from London to Sydney, but her mind is elsewhere as she worries about her daughter and crumbling marriage. To make matters worse, Mina receives a note that could not only put the passengers on her plane in danger but her family as well. It’s a long flight and a lot could happen in twenty hours, both in the air and on the ground, and it all comes down to Mina.

I enjoyed this book, and it was definitely a suspenseful read, but what I liked most was the twist at the end. Just when I thought the story was over, even more secrets were revealed and I was completely caught off guard up until the very end.

Highly recommend!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4020254766

At first, I was wondering how so much could be happening in one book, and then when everything started coming together it was astounding how Mackintosh was able to connect it all. Just when it seemed I had it all figured out, there were more twists and the ending was a shocker. Great book!

Mina is struggling in her marriage. She decides to take the a job that will keep her away from her husband for a bit of time just to have some time apart. The flight attendant job she picks up is the first ever nonstop flight from London, her home, to Sydney. Things go awry quite quickly as she receives a note that lets her know that her daughter is in grave danger unless she does exactly what is asked of her. She must let someone into the cockpit. And, yes there are others aboard the plane, and there is no Wifi so communication of any kind is non-existent. The flight is ten hours. A lot happens in the ten hours as you find out who the hijackers are, the reason they've hijacked the plane and what they plan to do. Will they succeed? Will Mina's family be harmed?
This was a terrific book. I truly enjoyed it.

It’s a historic flight. The first nonstop flight from London to Sydney. So of course, only the most elite flight attendants, pilots, and invited guests are onboard. What could go wrong? It’s actually interesting because in this day and age, with that kind of set up, what could go right? I almost wonder if airlines these days would rather fly under the radar with a groundbreaking new route rather than risk what other big news someone else might have in store for such a flight.

It’s a glamorous plane. It has a first class section, along with a bar for the first class section and two stories! Now, I’ve never flown internationally but it’s hard for me even fathom what it’s like to be on board a two-story plane. Mina is a seasoned flight attendant. She knows her job. She’s the best. So when hijackers target her personally, it’s clear that this is a well-laid plan.

But that’s not all the drama that’s going on. Hostage is a wild ride from start to finish. It will leave you questioning the motives and intentions of the protagosist and all the antagonists (and you may wonder who is who at times.) I recommend for those who LOVED The Flight Attendant. Special thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

Good story! Enjoyed the plot and writing by this author. A page turner for sure! Would highly recommend!

💫 Book Review 💫
Hostage by Clare Mackintosh

What would you do if you’re forced to choose between your daughter and a plane full of passengers? Knowing you’re going down with them?

I want to think (based on my cringe reaction) that I would not put a whole flight in jeopardy of crashing but I’m guessing it’s one of those things that you never know until you’re in it.

Hostage is a thriller that didn’t really take off for me. I enjoyed Clare’s writing and have read other books of hers that I liked. But it could be perhaps that the premise between the WHY the plane was taken hostage didn’t sit well with me.

I could be completely in the minority here, as I always think we can all look at the same book totally different, buttttt it didn’t give me that connection or empathy to any of the characters to make me love it.

If you enjoy environmental thrillers, then this one will be one you like. For me, it just didn’t land on the runway to my recommend shelf.

Loved this as I do her other books. I felt it was a tad slow in the beginning but then it picked up for me. Would be a fun read on a plane.

Tense, chilling, and a twisty page-turner!

HOSTAGE by CLARE MACKINTOSH is a claustrophobic, terrifying, entertaining, and locked room type of thriller with high stakes that is set over 20 hours on an airplane flight from London to Sydney.

CLARE MACKINTOSH delivers an intriguing, slow-building, suspenseful, and tension-filled thriller here that is told in parallel storylines in the air and on the ground. The details and the connections to the storylines are smartly written.

That clever twist in the end was absolutely brilliant! My nerves were absolutely shot while I was reading it and I didn’t know if I could take it anymore. Then something absolutely amazing happened…….that twist! Wowzers! Very clever indeed!

I wish that life didn’t get in the way while I was reading this one though because the pacing did slow down for me a little bit if I didn’t get a chance to get back to reading it. Although I wouldn’t necessarily say that it interfered with my final thoughts on this story though.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Clare Mackintosh, and Sourcebooks Landmark for my review copy.

Twisty, turny and perfect, this is Clare Mackintosh at her psychologically thrilling best...

Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a copy. It is my pleasure to write an honest review.

Clare Mackintosh is one of my go-to thriller authors, and HOSTAGE did not disappoint! This would be a great read for any summer getaway you have planned this year. (Although maybe wait until you're off the plane to start reading it....) I especially enjoyed how the action unfolding on the ground was just as thrilling and tense as the situation in the sky. You get two for one with this thriller!

Unfortunately, this was a DNF after reading 32% so I will not be rating this one on Goodreads. The pace was slow and nothing was really happening. I'm a fan of this author but this book sadly did not hit the mark for me.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Hostage.

Mina has jumped at the chance to be lead flight attendant on her company’s inaugural nonstop flight from London to Sydney. She feels the need to get away from her husband for a while, to sort out her feelings about the fissures in their marriage.

Soon after boarding, she receives a note from a passenger, ordering her to do the unthinkable, or her five year old daughter will be killed.

This is a novel that will keep you reading into the wee hours. Mina, her husband, and her daughter are all fully realized characters, and readers will cheer them on as they make the hardest decisions of their lives. Highly recommended.

I picked this up because of the author, but it was a struggle to finish this. I didn't feel a connection with the characters and dislike Mina and Adam. The ending was clever though, but the book just wasn't for me.

Tension-filled thriller, great beach read! Parallel storylines in the air and on the ground as the inaugural nonstop flight from London to Sydney is held hostage by terrorists. Mina is a member of the flight crew forced to decide between the safety of her young daughter and the safety of her passengers.

A brand new Boeing 777 has been hijacked by political environmental activists. More than 350 people are being held hostage on this first ever non-stop flight from London to Sydney. A decent storyline with some mystery and surprises along the way that kept me turning the pages, yet I never really connected with any of the characters. It did, however, make me very anxious about getting back on an airplane!

When this book is described as "a claustrophobic thriller," I hesitate. The thing is, I hate flying. I get really claustrophobic on planes, and was a bit anxious as to how I'd react to an entire novel set during twenty hours on an airplane. It's not ideal, but I feel like my anxiety about that helped to immerse me so much in this story. I was going to read it anyway, because I love Mackintosh, but this is such a unique story that it deserves to be read on its own merit and not just because of the author. There's drama at home for air hostess Mina, and a hostage situation during an inaugural flight from London to Sydney. Meanwhile, the stories of different passengers on the flight begin to take shape around Mina, and at no point could I figure out where the story would take me. I highly recommend this one for mystery/thriller readers, even those afraid of flying!

Enjoyed this book. Felt like I was watching a movie except I was turning pages and turning them quickly. Fine escapism thriller with a bit of a different feel. Thinking there may be a sequel...

I blew through this, a Memorial Day Weekend read. Suspension of disbelief required and some why is that in here but otherwise interesting and kept me tied in. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Pulse-pounding. High-stakes. Addictive. In my humble opinion, HOSTAGE is the crime thriller of the summer (and quite possibly the year!)

Mina is a flight attendant on the maiden voyage of the first nonstop flight from London to Sydney. While airborne, Mina receives subtle but crystal clear warnings from an unknown assailant: help coordinate a hostage on the plane or her daughter will die. Caught in between an impossible choice, Mina must weigh the lives of all the passengers on board with the life she cherishes most.

Told from multiple perspectives and dual timelines, the story slowly unfolds hour by hour of the flight. I can think of few things more terrifying than being 35,000 feet in the air with a murderer on board. Clare Mackintosh has created a truly cinematic reading experience; I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.

Hostage also raises interesting questions surrounding the psychology of activism and the way we treat our planet. The author’s personal connection as a police officer working with protesters deepened my appreciation for the story. Hostage is a propulsive novel that packs all the punches a summer thriller should!

AVAILABLE: June 22, 2021

A big thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.