There were a couple of glaring things I found difficult to believe, but to enjoy the story I shrugged and thought, sure, that *could* happen.

Stephanie gets on a plane for a business trip. She’s sick of always being the one assigned to go to these conferences just because she’s divorced and her son is an adult. Her coworkers with younger kids couldn’t possibly get away. She’d love to have a fling on her trip; her ex is already remarried.

Jasmine needs to escape her abusive partner. She tried twice before and it didn’t go well, but for an entire year she’s saved money from her waitressing tips and she’s going to fly from Madison, WI, to Denver, CO. She and Stephanie talk a bit on the flight to Denver, and then Stephanie continues to her destination of San Diego.

After that, the story is told by people who know Stephanie and Jasmine. Stephanie’s neighbor, Robert, is watching her cat. When he texts her pictures of Fred the cat, her responses are odd. Her coworkers quickly start to worry too since she won’t call her boss and not showing up without an explanation is way out of character for her. She doesn’t pick on up inside jokes that Stephanie would know. Suspicious that someone might have her phone, her coworker Lucy texts something about a brother Stephanie doesn’t have. Lucy doesn’t get a response.

Both women text friends that they are running away to Atlanta with this great guy Trent. The chapter from his point of view lets you realize he’s a privileged dickhead who doesn’t think much of women unless they are performing sex acts on or with him. Did he somehow kidnap both women?

The ending had twists I didn’t see coming.

NetGalley provided an advance copy of this novel which RELEASES JAMUARY 7, 2024.

Wow, What a fun read. Two women on the same plane, one running from a bad relationship, the other on her way to a conference. Someone remarks they look like sisters. One decides to switch places with the other.
The story progresses apace. Captivating and enjoyable.
The ending is the capper all this. Enough said on that.
I usually don’t continue with books who have chapters dealing with and jumped back and forth, especially with continuity of time being different.
All in all, a good read.

Wow Jessie Garcia this is your debut novel and you hit it out of the park! This book had me interested from the first page to the last!!! Had good character development, and the suspense wow! I did not see the ending coming at all! Usually I am pretty good at guessing the ending of books…..but not this one, it totally came out of left field. If you are looking for a great suspense novel I definitely recommend this book!
Thank you Jessie Garcia, St. Martins press and net galley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

So bonkers and fun and off the wall - I definitely didn’t see all the twists coming, even though the thought process behind them didn’t totally make sense (like, really, can’t you just take PTO?). A great plane or beach read, when you want something twisty and fun that will keep you riveted but doesn’t require a lot of brainpower.

The Business Trip is one of the best thrillers I’ve read in a long time. I’m shocked it’s a debut novel. The twists and turns just never stopped and it actually leaves me wishing this was a series and there was more of the story to read. I was blown away with the ending I was so confused by the final twist I thought the author had made a mistake but then the truth was revealed. Wow simply brilliant what a turn of events!!! If you like who done it’s with twists and turns that jerk you reeling this is the book for you! I highly recommend it!

3.5 stars!

An entertaining, fast read about two women who meet on an airplane and from there, the story twists in many different directions, providing you with many different POV.

I was not anticipating the ending but looking back, the author absolutely feeds the reader the bread crumbs, I think I missed it because it took about the first third of the book for me to be interested.

While the story itself was entertaining, I felt no connection for any of the characters so it didn’t really matter to me how it ended. I felt as though they all were rather immature and pretty unlikeable to me.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review!

I liked this book well enough, but somehow it took me forever to finish. Maybe because I didn't much care for any of the characters. I felt there were some minor plot holes and certain twists felt predictable. That being said, I did like the multiple POVs, which I thought were well done.

Book Review: "The Business Trip" by Jessie Garcia

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Jessie Garcia’s debut, "The Business Trip," is a gripping psychological thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. With a clever narrative structure and relatable characters, Garcia expertly weaves a tale filled with suspense and unexpected twists that make it impossible to put down.

The story follows two women, Stephanie and Jasmine, who find themselves on the same flight, each with their own secrets and struggles. Stephanie is on a seemingly mundane business trip, while Jasmine is trying to escape the clutches of an abusive relationship. Their lives intertwine in an unsettling way as they start sending eerily similar texts about the same man—Trent McCarthy—before they both mysteriously vanish. This dual perspective not only adds depth to the narrative but also keeps the tension high as we wonder how their fates are connected.

Garcia’s writing shines with vivid descriptions and sharp dialogue, immersing the reader in the characters’ experiences. I found myself empathizing with both women, feeling their fear and confusion as their stories unfold. The dual narratives are expertly crafted, making each chapter a race against time as the reader pieces together the mystery of what happened to them.

The pacing is relentless, with each revelation leading to another twist that kept me guessing until the very end. Garcia’s ability to layer suspense and create red herrings is commendable; just when you think you have it figured out, the story takes another unexpected turn. The exploration of manipulation and the complexities of trust in relationships adds an intriguing psychological dimension that elevates the plot.

The tension builds beautifully throughout, culminating in a conclusion that is both satisfying and thought-provoking. "The Business Trip" raises questions about agency, control, and the masks people wear, making it more than just a thriller—it’s a reflection on the nature of relationships and the darker aspects of human behavior.

For fans of psychological thrillers, this book is an absolute must-read. Jessie Garcia has crafted an outstanding debut that promises to leave readers eagerly anticipating her next work. With its addictive storyline and relatable characters, "The Business Trip" is a thrilling journey that you won’t want to miss!

Full of friendship, lies, murder, messed up childhoods, and more. It was a good book. Kept my attention. It has a bit of back and forth between past, present, and with the characters. It's hard to know what's really going on until the end. Definitely didn't know who was killing who until the end. Crazy twist throughout the story.

Thrills, Twist and Turns, that kept me unable to put this book down! Great, fast paced and exciting read! I will be purchasing this book for my bookshelf!

I started this book and could not put it down. From the first page I was hooked. Stephanie and Jasmine seem like people you would meet any day of the week, in any town in America....But boy...keep reading. These two never stop and the action and twists and turns keep you on the edge of your seat. I found this a fast and easy read and well done. The author must have been up nights putting together this plot; Highly recommend.

The Business Trip
By Jessie Garcia

This is an interesting suspense/thriller/whodunit kind of book. It starts with a young woman (Jasmine) from an underprivileged background who is trying to get away from her abusive boyfriend. After careful planning, she escapes to the airport and a flight to Denver. On this flight, she is seated next to a random businesswoman (Stephanie) on her way to a business conference in San Diego. Over the course of the flight, two things become obvious; the economic disparity between the two women and the resemblance between the two.

From there, the plot proceeds and becomes more and more complicated. There is identity theft, murder, clues to throw off the authorities – and backstories which lead to horrifying discoveries about the various characters.

Amazingly, the author manages to tie up the multiple loose ends, although some of it seems a bit contrived. The two main points are clear – "the bastards can't win" and no one can be trusted. An interesting read.

Stephanie and Jasmine don’t know each other but are both on the same flight. They both text their friends about meeting a man, with the same name, and then disappear.

It took a little bit for me to get into this one but as soon as I got to know both women, I was hooked. This one is a big mystery until you slowly begin to realize what’s going on. Once you do, don’t take it for granted because there are even more surprises coming!

“I saw a karate chip cleanly dividing two parts of my world. The before this happened and the after. It would never be the same. This is as clearly going to be one of the defining moments of my career, if not my life.”

The Business Trip comes out 11/14.

This was a book I could not put down. I found myself staying up late to read and sneaking pages at work during lunch. I just needed to know what would happen! I would’ve loved even more twists toward the end, but the different perspectives and thrills kept me engaged throughout.

Thanks to netgalley for a copy of this book. I read it while taking a weekend trip to the beach and I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I found myself disliking this main character because she it's not a good person, but at the same time I couldn't stop reading to see what was going to happen next and to find out the turn of events and how this was going to unfold for our main character. There are many different point of views throughout the book so I'm not sure it would be easy to follow if you choose to listen on audio but I liked the different views from the characters and their perspective as we go through the timeline of events. I liked the story. It was a good book to read. I'd recommend picking it up.

This book showed lots of imagination. Lots of twists and turns. I did enjoy it. I never knew what the next chapter would bring. Great job as a debut.

I love fast paced books. This one was great and had wonderful twists. I loved the female empowerment and the Thelma and Louise vibes. I will read more by this author it was a wonderful popcorn thriller.

I expected a little more from this one. It was not bad or disengaging by any means but it didbt have the extra umph or captivating effects I was hoping for

4⭐️ is an excellent rating for this book. There were parts of this book that could have been left out, in my opinion, but overall, it is a very good book! I'll be honest, the ending had me quite shocked!

Wowza! I was not expecting that! I thought I knew where this book was going; I had my theories and felt I was on the right track. I was not even close! I found The Business Trip to be a shocking and well thought out thriller which kept me on my toes! Ever wonder about the people you meet on planes? Do you talk to the person sitting next to you or avoid all conversation? The Business Trip might have you thinking about that the next time you sit next to a stranger on a plane!

Jasmine is fleeing an abusive relationship. Stephanie is going on a business trip to attend a conference. Both find themselves sitting next to each other on a plane. They have never met, they have no common connections, but days later each will send out the same text about the same man to those in their lives.

Jessie Garcia has written nonfiction books prior to writing The Business Trip, her first fiction book. I thought she did a terrific job and had my jaw hanging open at one point in this book. There are quite a few twists, turns and revelations which kept my pages turning and had me fully engaged.

I loved how everything unfolded in the second half of the book. Just when I thought I had a grasp on things, Garcia threw in a HUGE twist which blindsided me. I love it when that happens. I thought she did a great job of throwing readers off while building the suspense.

Well thought out, well written, and shocking!