Status: MISSING

by D.W. Maroney

No one believed it was possible to commandeer an airliner in flight from a land-based location, then Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared over the Indian Ocean, giving rise to The Drone Theory among U.S. intelligence agencies. Since that fateful flight, dozens of other airliners have gone missing without a trace. Is it coincidence? Or is there something sinister at work?The Drone Theory Taskforce has one Determine whether U.S. Top Secret technology—lost when a CIA drone went down in Iran—is being used to hijack airliners in flight, and if so, recover the technology.Air Force Intelligence Officer Major Megan Sloan doesn’t believe in coincidences. She’s determined to get her hands on the technology and the person(s) responsible for this current reign of terror.When a U.S. Government jet carrying top-level officials to Guam is rerouted mid-flight to Pyongyang, The Drone Theory shifts from supposition to cold, hard reality. The stakes have never been higher. Will they locate the source of the signals controlling the aircraft? Will Major Sloan be in time to recover the technology and return control of the plane to the flight crew before the incident escalates into World War III?Fasten your seatbelt, return your seat back to its full, upright position, and prepare turbulence!

304 pages, Paperback

Published January 22, 2019

About the author

As a young student living in the suburbs of Dallas at the time of the Kennedy assassination D.W. Maroney grew up on a steady diet of conspiracy theories. To this day, D.W. still loves a good mystery and believes the truth of any event lies somewhere between the eyewitness accounts and the historical retelling. D.W. admits to being the only student who paid attention when the school librarian explained the use of the card catalog and other research materials. Where others saw only tedium, D.W. saw clues that would lead to fascinating facts hidden within the tomes and periodicals lining the shelves. During downtime, D.W. enjoys sorting through piles of musty old papers, scouring the depths of the internet, and looking for the one thing everyone else has overlooked.

Reviews

[Brenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I, surprisingly, liked this book. I received this through a BookTrib giveaway from the author.

The author, DW Maroney, takes the Malaysia Airlines tragedy from several years ago, adds the possibility of a drone theory, and writes a complete novel. Because of the real-life tragedy, I was not sure if I would
enjoy this type of novel.

The main character, Megan Sloan, is in the Air Force and has some difficult times while enlisted. To make matters more frustrating, one of her team finds a missing plane that is possibly taken over by a drone from another country. On that plane is her ex-lover who had left her to die on another mission.

DW Maroney developed the characters well. The storyline does go back and forth between the plane, Meagan's team, and the President's office. No confusion here and the plot moves quickly. The ending is left open-ended. So we will see if the author follows up with a sequel.

The characters are military or in politics. Those that do not have a military background. Drone theory, politics regarding homeland security and foreign policy. This is why I was surprised. This is not my typical read. Maroney did win me over with this novel. If the subject is not your "usual", try it. You may be surprised to find another good author.

****This novel was received from the author through a Booktrib giveaway. ****

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fast-paced, adrenaline-pumping action thriller keeps readers on the edge of their seat from beginning to end!

Read full review in the 2019 April issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[L.G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tight, well-written thriller that will keep you glued to the edge of your seat. Rooted in Drone Theory and the premise that the possibility exists aircraft can be remotely hacked, hijacked and taken off the grid, Maroney crafts a tight plot that appears to be a series starter. I expect to see both Major Megan Sloane and Liam Donovan again. Their past includes some unforgivable sins on Liam's part that he both regrets deeply and deserves to be waterboarded for while she stands by gleefully bearing witness while snacking on popcorn. That aside, feelings that dance between love and hate still simmer for both them. But make no mistake, Sloane is the alpha in this equation and I expect her to be back to kick some butt. For anyone who loves big-name political thrillers, try D.W. Maroney, you won't be sorry!

[Margie · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a number of years aircraft have been disappearing from flight paths around the world. Now you see them. Now you don't. The United States of America has initiated a new secret group to discover what is happening to these aircraft and the people aboard them. Mutiple ABC agencies have contributed personnel to this new group, The Drone Theory Taskforce. Lead investiagtor Major Megan Sloan from Air Force Intelligence is a bright and impressive asset to this taskforce. She and her team find themselves racing against the clock in this gripping page-turner to prevent another disappearance. This is an intense suspenseful thriller with strong characters and a fascinating plot. Kudos to D.W. Maroney on her debut thriller novel. I am looking forward to more thrilling action from this author.

[Loren · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want your adrenaline climbing in anticipation of what’s to come, then this thriller is for you. Planes have been disappearing around the world without a trace -- three within a one-year time-span, which is way too many. Former military field operative, Major Megan Sloan, is now the Advisor to the Government’s Drone Theory Task Force. She and her team have been desperately trying to find out how and why planes and their passengers are vanishing – there one minute, gone the next – and have been unsuccessful until the puppet of a madman finds his conscience while targeting two more planes. There are many characters in this story from the government and military, and even a former hacker, that come together to try to solve the mystery and prevent another catastrophe from occurring. I was angry and sad and hoping and praying throughout the chapters of this book. I also learned a lot as well. The story is so believable, that I may never fly across the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans for any reason. I wanted to hurry up and get to the end, while at the same time hoping it would never end. You’d never know this was the author’s first thriller because, in my opinion, it was brilliantly written. The ending has me wondering if there could be a sequel, and I would say “yes, please”, to that. Well done, D.W. Maroney.

[Linda Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could Major Megan Sloan be the new female version of Mitch Rapp or Jack Ryan?
Oh. My. Word!!! I volunteered to review an ARC of this book and I couldn’t read it fast enough, spell-binding thriller, gripping action. I could feel the hope, anger and acceptance of the characters. There were moments when I did a mental fist-pump and others where I cried. Well-written with multiple points of view (POV) so as to see the action through everyone’s eyes: good-guys and bad. At times I thought I was reading a screenplay b/c it felt like I was reading a movie, if you can understand that.
The premise is that a passenger plane has disappeared from radar and b/c this has happened several times before, a special task force has been called in. Major Sloan is head of this task force and along with her team get to the bottom of it. Along the way she encounters old acquaintances and lovers and we get to see their interactions. This was a stunningly fascinating read. I couldn’t put this book down. It comes highly recommended for those readers who enjoy books by Vince Flynn, John Grisham or Tom Clancy as well as movies by Clint Eastwood. It gets 5+ stars!

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book sucked me in from the first page. I was on the edge of my seat, rooting for Megan Sloan to figure out how to regain control of the plane before it was too late. But every theory seemed to lead nowhere. In the meantime, I got a behind-the-scenes view of the people responsible, giving the story more power and realism.
This race-against-time thriller kept me glued to the pages. I simply could not put the book down until I finished. The various points-of-view created a complete picture of the situation without telling me how it would end. The author gave me just enough insight and background for the characters to make them real. The technology, intelligence methods and strategies were so factual I felt like a fly on the wall watching Sloane work.
This well-written thriller will have you in it's grip and won't let go until the heart-stopping ending. Everything a thriller should be, this book is one you won't want to miss.

[Thomas Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Status: Missing is a top-notch thriller, describing a situation that could be all too real. With the advancement of drone technology and AI, it’s just a matter of time before an enemy has the capability of taking over an airplane in flight, to employ for nefarious ends. The thriller is written concisely, in short chapters and multiple POVs reminiscent of Tom Clancy. The characters have depth and act accordingly. The author promises further adventures of heroine Megan Sloan, and I can’t wait.

[Sharon Buchbinder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edge of the Seat Read

Move over, David Baldacci! A new thriller writer has a heroine that can kick your hero’s butt! Cancel your appointments and set aside a day just for this book because you won’t be able to put it down. I give MISSING 5 military stars and an enthusiastic recommendation for this summer’s great read.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read loved this thriller. A book you won’t be able to put down and keeps you on the edge of your seat!! Just read this on vacation and couldn’t put it down. If you enjoy thrillers this is for you. D.W. Maroney doesn’t disappoint.
Debbie R.

[Mary McCormick · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is an awesome read it sucked me in from the beginning, highly recommend reading.

[Jim & Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plane

Very good read. Some of the technical aspects were a little over my head, but was able to follow along without too much difficulty. Enjoyed the book very much.

[BookTrib.com]

When you think of missing planes, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? For many, it’s the real-life Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which disappeared in 2014. D.W. Maroney uses this incident as her inspiration and jumping off point for her intense debut thriller Status: Missing (State of Mind Publishing), in which an Air Force task force must investigate a series of disappearing planes.

They subscribe to something called the “drone theory” which postulates that these disappearances are due to terrorist meddling. The Drone Theory Task Force, assembled to take on this phantom threat, faces their greatest challenge when a plane en route to Guam abruptly changes course. With the plane headed to North Korea, it’s up to the skilled team on the ground to save the flight.

A thriller is only as good as its POV characters, and Status: Missing treats us to some of the most compelling characters ever to occupy an ensemble cast. A suicidal pilot, Captain Toby Bledsoe, grapples with his grief and tries to reconcile his feelings of despondency and hopelessness with his responsibility to keep his passengers safe. Conflicted drone pilot Kwon Seul-ki sees through the North Korean propaganda and brainwashing intended to keep him docile and weaponized. A brief glimpse at a Western television broadcast illuminates the truth, and he commits himself to breaking free from his conditioning.

The rest of the review: https://booktrib.com/2019/04/a-pulse-...