The Last Flight

You might be shoulder to shoulder with someone living their 

last moments as themselves and never know it.

The Last Flight is a fast-paced, edgy psychological thriller that follows two women whose lives briefly intertwine as they try to escape from toxic men who want to see them fail at all costs.

This is a tension-filled story that will keep readers on their toes, but it's also a character study of two women who bravely do whatever it takes to leave dangerous situations. The topics addressed and the focus on character development give the story a strong contemporary fiction feel and tie it in with the #MeToo movement. Through the POVs of both Eva and Claire, readers get to know each woman - their secrets, flaws, lies and the personal horrors they are trying to escape.

If we (women) don't tell our own stories, we'll never 

take control of the narrative (p 448) 

I enjoyed this read but I have but a few issues with it. I sympathized with Claire and found her POV much more interesting than Eva's (whose life choices needed a big overhaul) and there were a few implausible scenarios that seemed too convenient to be believable. Also, generally speaking, this is a fast-paced read but the tension takes a bit of a nose dive midway but thankfully picks up for a tense second half that had me furiously turning the pages and gasping at the twists. Things wrap up neat and tidy which was kind of satisfying, but after all the build-up, I suppose I was hoping for just a bit more oomph in the ending. 

Overall, this was a great suspense read that had that little bit more due to its focus on important women's issues. Intricately plotted with solid character development, good twists, and an interesting premise, I highly recommend this book to suspense fans.

My Rating: 4 stars

Author: Julie Clark

Genre: Suspense

Type and Source: eBook from public library

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

First Published: June 23, 2020

Opening Lines: Terminal 4 swarms with people, the smell of 

wet wool and jet fuel thick around me.

Book Description from GoodReads: Two women. Two Flights. One last chance to disappear.

Claire Cook has a perfect life. Married to the scion of a political dynasty, with a Manhattan townhouse and a staff of ten, her surroundings are elegant, her days flawlessly choreographed, and her future auspicious. But behind closed doors, nothing is quite as it seems. That perfect husband has a temper that burns as bright as his promising political career, and he's not above using his staff to track Claire's every move, making sure she's living up to his impossible standards. But what he doesn't know is that Claire has worked for months on a plan to vanish.

A chance meeting in an airport bar brings her together with a woman whose circumstances seem equally dire. Together they make a last-minute decision to switch tickets ― Claire taking Eva's flight to Oakland, and Eva traveling to Puerto Rico as Claire. They believe the swap will give each of them the head start they need to begin again somewhere far away. But when the flight to Puerto Rico goes down, Claire realizes it's no longer a head start but a new life. Cut off, out of options, with the news of her death about to explode in the media, Claire will assume Eva's identity, and along with it, the secrets Eva fought so hard to keep hidden.

The Last Flight is the story of two women―both alone, both scared―and one agonizing decision that will change the trajectory of both of their lives.