The Last Flight by Julie Clark on June 23, 2020
Genres: Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General, Fiction / Psychological, Fiction / Thrillers / Domestic, Fiction / Thrillers / Suspense, Fiction / Women
Pages: 288
Format: Audiobook
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“You might be shoulder to shoulder with someone living their last moments as themselves and never know it.”
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.
This novel was more of a literary and character-driven thriller than a suspenseful thriller, but it is clever, beautifully written, tightly plotted, and (mostly) engrossing. The narrative intelligently twists and turns in various directions, and the second half of the novel is almost unputdownable. The novel suffers from a bit of a pacing and tension problem. The opening is intriguing, and the lead up to Claire and Eva’s identity switch is taut and suspenseful. But then, the main story comes to a grinding halt – for a very, very long time. All sense of urgency, all tension is lost. The plot stalls, and the reader is left treading water, waiting patiently for the narrative to quicken its pace once again. Then finally, somewhere around the 2/3 mark, the play button is pressed, and it’s full speed ahead to the riveting conclusion.
Four stars for this novel. It is a compelling, thought-provoking novel that raises important questions and sends an empowering message. It is a solidly written and formidable addition to what is undoubtedly, an overflowing sea of thrillers. Choose it. Read it. Experience what it means to be a hero unto oneself.