The Business Trip is a psychological thriller by author Jessie Garcia. The book centers around Jasmine a bartender who books a flight to escape an abusive relationship with dreams of a different life, and Stephanie a news station director who is on the same flight headed to a work conference she is dreading.

The story is told through multiple narrators, and the audiobook was produced by a full cast, which helped minimize confusion.

The moment you THINK you’ve figured out this story, it’s already taken another turn. I enjoyed this book and it is something I would recommend to those who enjoy psychological thrillers.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio for the complimentary copy through NetGallery in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Business Trip is a refreshing thriller that actually delivers on the promise of twists and turns. I can say with confidence that at no point during this book did I have any idea where this would end up!

The book opens with Jasmine sneaking away from her life and Stephanie preparing for a business trip that she doesn't want to go on. These women do not know each other but suddenly find themselves tied together when they are seated in the same row on their flight. When their respective friends report them missing, the twists and turns begin. There are multiple narrators and viewpoints, which can sometimes be distracting but works in this case. I listened to the audiobook and could not stop--I just had to figure out what was going on. My recommendation is to go into this blind and just sit back and enjoy the ride. This is an excellent debut novel and I look forward to this author's next book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: The Business Trip by Jessica Garcia

I received an advanced copy of the audiobook of *The Business Trip* by Jessica Garcia, courtesy of MacMillan Audio and NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review. This debut novel is a gripping psychological thriller that takes listeners on a suspenseful journey through the lives of two women whose fates become intertwined on a seemingly ordinary flight. Stephanie, a TV executive heading to a conference in San Diego, and Jasmine, a woman escaping the clutches of an abusive relationship, find themselves seated next to each other.

The audiobook is well narrated by a full cast, which significantly enhances the storytelling experience and helps the listener keep track of the various characters. The narrative unfolds through multiple perspectives and a series of text messages, creating a dynamic listening experience that keeps you engaged. The initial setup is intriguing, as both women send identical messages to their friends about meeting a mysterious man named Trent McCarthy shortly after the flight. The listener is left guessing, trying to piece together the puzzle of what happened during the flight and the true nature of Trent McCarthy.

However, as the plot thickens, I found myself a little confused at the ending and had to relisten to the last few chapters to fully grasp the twists and turns. While the complexity of the narrative can be overwhelming at times, it does keep you on your toes. Some listeners may find it challenging to suspend disbelief, as the story escalates in complexity and stretches the limits of plausibility, which may leave some feeling disconnected from the characters' motivations and decisions.

Despite these challenges, *The Business Trip* is a promising debut that showcases Jessica Garcia's talent for storytelling. The suspenseful journey and the exploration of the characters' lives make it a worthwhile listen for fans of the genre. If you're looking for an audiobook that will keep you guessing until the very end, this novel is certainly worth the trip.

Great thriller. Lots of twists and turns that left me wanting more...

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Holy f***!! This book was on Freida Mcfadden's level. You think you have everything figured out, but you have no idea!!!! This book is in my top 5 favorite reads of the year! I went back and forth between feeling sorry for the bad guy, and disliking them alot! I need for from you, Jessie Garcia!! I will be recommending this in all my groups and websites!!!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book!!!

Hmmmmm, I ended up listening to this book at 1.75. I felt like there was a ton of details that the author added that weren't necessary. Like the part were the bartender had to wipe her wet hands before she could answer the phone...was that necessary to tell us? There were a few other like that.

The author did a good part on putting a lot of twists and turns, things that I would have never expected. If it was shortened, I would have liked it more.

CONTENT WARNING: emotional and physical abuse, rape, child emotional abuse and neglect, transphobia, misogyny, racism, sexual harassment, murder

This book caught my eye, and I was even more excited when I got approved for both the ebook and the audiobook. It allowed me to follow along in both formats, and switch off, depending on my surroundings. I love a good thriller, and I was curious to see what Garcia brought to the table with her debut novel. Since I’m on vacation, I read the audiobook more often than the ebook.

One of my favorite aspects of mystery/thrillers is how everything plays out and nothing is quite what it seems. There were some really great plot twists in the story, especially the last one, although I could definitely predict one twist way in advance. Knowing that one twist didn’t impact my enjoyment of the story, especially since there were more that totally blindsided me.

The book is broken into parts, and each part plays such an important role in the story. I loved the fact that the audiobook has full cast narration, since there’s a lot of characters to voice. It made it easier to keep track of each one, and it felt as though every event and interaction furthered the plot. As for pacing, it was consistent throughout the book, although there was more momentum towards the end of the book.

Initially, in Part 1, we are introduced to both Jasmine and Stephanie, two women who have a chance encounter that changes their lives. Jasmine is escaping a toxic and abusive relationship, while Stephanie basically has her life together as a news director of a local Wisconsin television station. Jasmine can’t help but be struck by the differences in their lives, and struggles to understand why she was dealt such a bad hand by life. Stephanie is heading to a business conference, when her life is suddenly derailed. Stephanie was easy to like, while Jasmine is a bit more on the morally gray side.

In Part 2, the perspective shifts to the people who are central to both Jasmine and Stephanie’s life and are directly impacted by their disappearance. We don’t hear anything from Jasmine or Stephanie directly, but we see the people closest to them getting texts and voice notes from Stephanie and Jasmine, with both saying that they met a wonderful man named Trent McCarthy, and are extending their trips. Jasmine’s abusive and controlling boyfriend and three friends that she trusts completely react to her messages. We also get to see Stephanie’s neighbor, coworkers, and boss, and how they respond to her not showing up to work. While some of Stephanie’s texts concern the people closest to her, the voice notes reassure them temporarily, until they also leave cause for concern, especially as Steph doesn’t return to work. This part sets up a lot of the action, with inconsistencies coming from both Steph and Jasmine, while no one actually knows what is happening with either of them.

There’s so much going on that I was constantly intrigued. Nothing is what it appears to be in the story, and while the evidence is stacking up pretty high against Trent, I knew it would be too easy to pin everything on him. I found myself wracking my brain to figure out who was the real baddie that murders both women in Atlanta, when neither of them had plans to travel there. Despite all my guesses, by the end of this section, I had no idea who it was, although Trent was certainly looking pretty shady.

In Part 3, we hear from Trent himself, along with two of Stephanie’s coworkers. Trent might be one of the biggest jerks I’ve had perspective chapters of, but by the time I finished this, I wasn’t so sure about my guesses. The last section is where everything gets clarified, and I was so hooked on the story that I couldn’t put it down. Everything speeds up and I was loving the roller coaster ride of the last part. There’s a huge plot twist that I absolutely didn’t see coming, although I was able to recognize that hints were being dropped all along.

Overall, this was a really enjoyable story, but it involved a lot more willing suspension of disbelief as the story got more and more involved and over the top. It didn’t bother me, because by the time the over the top elements came into play, I was already so hooked on the story that I had to find out what actually happened to these two women who coincidentally happened to cross paths. The writing and pacing were great, and although the characters ranged in terms of likability, with a good half of them leaning towards the unlikable side, I was still invested enough to put aside how much I disliked characters like Trent. For a debut, I thought it was done really well, and absolutely surprised me multiple times. I’d recommend this to readers who don’t mind over the top endings, mystery, suspense, multiple POV characters, and especially full cast audiobooks.

Book Review: The Business Trip
Genre: Mystery
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Release Date: January 14, 2025
Key Details:
- 1 Woman running from danger
- 1 Woman on another unwanted business trip
- Both end up on the same plane
- Both women go missing
- Amazing full cast — audio is a MUST
- So many twists
- Multiple POV

Notes: I couldn’t stop listening! I thought I had predicted the end, and while I did foresee some details, my mouth literally dropped when the last two twists hit. Highly recommend!

This audiobook kept me on the edge of my seat right up until the final chapter! Every time I thought I had it figured out, the author threw in another twist—some more surprising than others—that kept me guessing.

The multiple POVs and timelines can often be a challenge in audiobooks, but the well-labeled chapters and distinct narrators for each character made it much easier to follow. This thoughtful organization is something more audiobooks with complex narratives should definitely adopt.

Overall, this gripping tale with its unexpected twists and engaging narration makes for a fantastic listen. If you're looking for a thrilling audiobook experience, this one should be at the top of your list!

This one sucked me in immediately. I loved the first half and was thinking it might even be a rare 5 star read for me, but I struggled a bit with the direction the plot took in the second half. This one has a unique premise and very unique twists that will keep you guessing. The character development was a bit uneven which is why I thought some of the twists were a bit ick for me, but I also see why the author did what she did with the plot (I just think more character development would have made it smoother and more palatable). I did enjoy this read, and I will definitely check out more from Garcia in the future.

What a wild ride of an audiobook!! This novel had me guessing until the final chapter, it was a unique concept and done extremely well. The story is told from multiple POV with a full cast of narrators, which really brought the audiobook to life. The chapters are clearly labeled with POV and timeline (i.e., 1 day before the flight, 1 week after the flight), which makes it easier for the audiobook reader to follow along and I always appreciate when an author takes the time to organize their book for adaptive/audiobook readers 👏

Stephanie is a journalist on a business trip and Jasmine is fleeing an abusive relationship. The two women sit next to each other in a plane and then part ways. As more POV are added to the story, red flags begin to pop up and the women's loved ones are left confused and worried.

The twists and turns of this novel had me questions everything I read and where the novel was going. I couldn't stop listening and basically finished this novel in a day 😱 This is a 2025 thriller to add to your TBR list!!

Thank you St. Martin's Press for the ALC.

I listened to the audio of this book and really enjoyed it! I loved all the twists. It kept me wanting more!! I did wish that there was a little more believability to one of them, however, I highly suggest this book to all the thriller lovers out there! It's comparable to Alice Feeney and Freida McFadden.

Whew this was a wild ride! It was an entertaining read if a little far-fetched. It was hard to know who to root for. Some parts a little repetitive as the new POVs were introduced.

I loved the different narrators for each different character, it made the audiobook much more enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was so much fun! We follow a cast of multiple people, however we start out with our two main POV's. One girl is trying to leave her abusive relationship and the other is just on her way to a business conference. These two happen to meet on the same flight, and oddly enough....they both end up missing.

The multiple POV"S made this one so fun and was such an interesting take on the story. I FLEW through each chapter as I could not wait to see what was going to happen. It was such a breath of fresh air in a thriller/mystery novel. Especially since I have been in a rut with these particular types of books.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my early e-arc review.

Wow! Not at all what I expected and I thought I had it al figured out. Two women from very different backgrounds meet on a plane. Twists and turns follow and what an ending! Great debut by Jessie Garcia. I look forward to other books by this author. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Stephanie, tv news director in Madison, Wisconsin, is headed off to a convention . Jasmine, also from Madison, is escaping the violent man with whom she's been living. The end up assigned to the same row of seats on their flight to Denver and their other seatmate asks if they are sisters because they resemble one another so much. Stephanie's friend and neighbor Robert is caring for her cat. Jasmine checks in with a friend who helped her get away.

A few days later, both women text their friends that they have met a fantastic guy named Trent McCarthy and are going to his home in Atlanta. Trent is another news director, and, a bit of a jerk. Then, Stephanie texts Robert that she is afraid for her life. He gets the police involved. While neither Stephanie or Jasmine is found, DNA evidence and their phones are found at Trent's home.

Where did the women go? What happened to them? Is Trent more than just a jerk? This mystery is full of twists and turns and both women, as well as Trent, have some secrets. This one is difficult to put down. Reminiscent of the works of Gillian Flynn, anyone who enjoys a good thriller with at least one heartless protagonist will not want to miss this one.

Multiple narrators bring the audiobook alive and the 9 hour books goes quickly!

The Business Trip started out as a pretty exciting, unique story. Told in multiple POVs, and when I say multiple, I mean many - coworkers, friends, the two main female characters, the supposed villain, the boss, etc. It wasn't hard to keep track of who was who in the audiobook thankfully, as the different narrators really helped that aspect. We start with Jasmine, a 40+ year old bartender in an abusive relationship, set to escape. Then, we move to Stephanie, recently divorced News Executive, ready to head out on a business trip. And that is where their worlds collide. With the two being so far removed from each other, other than both living in Wisconsin, I truly had no clue how their stories would come together by the end, which made me crave answers even more.

I ate this story up in less than a day and really enjoyed it up until the last hour or so of the audiobook. The twist just wasn't it. It didn't make any sense and left an immense amount of plot holes for every character involved. I found that the final outcome made no sense for either of our main character's personalities and how they were when beginning the story, and truly just had me very confused. With a different ending and a much more thorough twist, this could have been a 4 star book for me, but unfortunately that wasn't the case.

As for the audiobook production, the use of 10 narrators was very smart for this story with all of the different POVs. Not having this many voices would have made this one hard to follow. Each narrator did a wonderful job with each character, keeping the story very mysterious and exciting.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jessie Garcia, and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy and allowing me early access to listen to and review this story.

This is a tough book for me to review.

I was totally enraptured with the first 45% of The Business Trip, I was given an advanced audiobook, it made a 3 hour drive very pleasant. There were many points of view in that time with each chapter heading making me aware of who was telling their side of the story. It worked even if they were fair number of them but it's always great to see a story from different angles.

Right away I liked Jasmine, I felt for her and cheered her on as she escaped an abusive relationship. For Stephanie, she is in the opposite situation in that she is single but questioning things going on in her life. When these two women vanish the red herrings start popping up. It was intriguing trying to figure out what was going on, the shorter chapters worked well.

Then I started to question things as the twists started happening, overtime I had to suspend my belief a fair number of times. The ending was out there and I’m not sure what to make of it. It was unexpected that’s for sure.

All in all I was genuinely curious as to what was going on but the execution in the last half just felt off

You can find The Business Trip on shelves early 2025.

My thanks to Macmillan Audio for an advanced copies in exchange for a honest review.

The Business Trip

I really don’t even have words to describe the emotional roller coaster from this book following Stephanie and Jasmine. I thought I knew what was going on until I hit about 60 percent of the book. After that I was shocked and wondered what else could happen in the last 40 percent. Well apparently, a lot can happen. The twist at the end took me totally by surprise. I would have given this book 5 stars if I didn’t dislike Jasmine so much. The author did a great job at writing her as a dislikeable character. I enjoyed how the book intertwines everything and revealed each part piece by piece. I went in thinking one thing and left thinking another. If you are looking for a wild ride this book is for you. I really liked the narrators and the cover.

Thank you, Net Galley, the author, and the publisher, for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received a free audiobook copy from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Stephanie is on a business trip to a convention and Jasmine is fleeing her abusive boyfriend, and once they board their flight, their lives are changed forever.

This is an incredibly engaging debut novel. Plenty of twists and turns that keep you guessing and interested right up until the (slightly disappointing) finale. Seriously, this was a really great read! I look forward to reading Jessie Garcia's future novels!