Author Julie Clark shared that she was inspired to write The Last Flight because she has always been intrigued by the idea of whether or not someone could disappear from their life. In today’s world where it feels like our every move is tracked and traceable, it is hard to imagine that there once was a time when it was quite possible to pack up your bags and head off in the sunset to a new life. However, Clark’s The Last Flight does not take place decades and decades ago when disappearing was a much simpler feat. No, she sets her new suspense thriller in the present day and believably pulls off what many might say is impossible.
Claire Cook is an abused woman. Wife to a promising and prominent political hopeful, Claire endures her mistreatment in silence, afraid of the consequences should she speak up. Eva James is a woman on the run. Leaving behind a questionable and sordid past, she wants nothing more than to escape her former life. But how?
When Claire and Eva meet at an airport, they make the snap decision to assume each other’s identities and board the other’s flight … after which they will disappear into new lives where they know no one and no one knows them. Their last moves untraceable. Their plan seems to go off without a hitch until the plane destined to Puerto Rico that Claire was supposed to be on crashes in the Atlantic Ocean, killing everyone on board. Now presumed to be dead, Claire can’t move around in the world with her former identity … so she assumes Eva’s. After all, she has no use for it anymore, right? But Eva was hiding much more than she let on, as Claire will soon learn …
I must say that The Last Flight ended up being much more than I expected it to be. It is always nice when I find myself pleasantly surprised by a book, because most novels I read end up not being as good as I expected. The Last Flight exceeded my expectations. I love how tightly wound the plot of this novel is, concealing twists and turns throughout its pages, and sending readers into a tailspin once the pieces start to fit together. The Last Flight did not go where I expected, which makes for a great experience when reading a suspense novel. I always love when an author can pull the wool over my eyes.
It should also be said that Clark writes strong female characters in this novel. Although this book is about two women who have fallen into dire straits, they still find ways to take ownership of their lives in courageous and admirable ways. The Last Flight is a testament to women everywhere that you do not have to be defined by your circumstances and to remember that even when it feels like there is not a path out, you can often find the way with a little ingenuity.
If you love The Last Flight, I highly recommend Catherine Steadman’s The Disappearing Act!
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Rating: ***** Stars (I loved it) Reviewer: Brooke, Public Relations Librarian
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AWARDS: LibraryReads Favorite: 2020 GENRE: Thrillers & Suspense THEME: On the Run (Let's get out of here! Flight beats fight in these mysteries based on the chase.) TONE: Suspenseful STORYLINE: Intricately Plotted WRITING STYLE: Compelling CHARACTER: Authentic LOCATION: United States SUBJECT: Abused Women; Abusive Men; Airplane Accidents; Female Friendship; Life Change Events; New Identities; Partner Abuse; Rich Families; Secrets
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