Hostage

by Clare Mackintosh

"Published in 2021 by arrangement with Sourcebooks, Inc."--Copyright page.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Audiobook, Crime

565 pages, Library Binding

First published June 22, 2021

About the author

Welcome to my Goodreads profile! Whether you're new to my work, or a hard-core fan, it's lovely to see you here. My latest book is OTHER PEOPLE'S HOUSES, the third book in my DC Ffion Morgan series. Like THE LAST PARTY and A GAME OF LIES, this is designed to be read as a standalone, but if you've followed Ffion and Leo from the beginning, I think you'll love seeing where OTHER PEOPLE'S HOUSES takes them.

If this is the first time we're meeting, welcome! In addition to the books above, I'm the author of I LET YOU GO, I SEE YOU, LET ME LIE and HOSTAGE - page-turning thrillers that have sold more than three million copies across 40 countries, and hit bestseller lists including The Sunday Times and The New York Times. I also wrote the emotional rollercoaster, AFTER THE END: a family drama about an impossible choice that threatens to tear a couple apart. It's the most personal novel I've written, and I've loved hearing from readers who have connected with it. In 2024 I released a memoir, I PROMISE IT WON'T ALWAYS HURT LIKE THIS, based on my experiences of navigating grief following the loss of my son eighteen years ago. It's a book to offer hope when you feel as though there's none to be had; a book to give to a friend when you don't know what to say.

Coming in 2026 is what I'm boldly going to tell you is my best book yet... a standalone thriller with a twist that'll knock your socks off! It's called IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK, and I would love you to add it to your shelf right now!

I love connecting with my readers, and there are plenty of ways you can get a sneak peek at what's going on behind the scenes. My Facebook group offers reading recommendations and exclusive extras to members (just search online for 'The Clare Mackintosh Book Club'), or if it's general chit chat you're after, please do follow me on Instagram, where I go to avoid writing, and to share snippets of my life in rural Wales, complete with three spaniels and Pete the goat. I'm also on TikTok, much to the dismay of my three teenagers...

* * *

With over three million copies of her books sold worldwide, number one bestseller Clare Mackintosh is the multi-award-winning author of I Let You Go, which was a Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller and the fastest-selling title by a new crime writer in 2015. It also won the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year in 2016. She has since written seven more bestselling novels. Together, her books have been translated into 40 languages and spent more than sixty-five weeks in The Sunday Times bestseller lists.

Clare is patron of the Silver Star Society, a charity based at the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford, which supports parents experiencing high-risk or difficult pregnancies.

* * *

For more information find Clare on Facebook, Instagram, Threads or TikTok at @ClareMackWrites

#ILetYouGo #ISeeYou #LetMeLie #AftertheEnd #HostageBook #TheLastParty #AGameOfLies #IPromise #OtherPeoplesHouses #ItsNotWhatYouThink

Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy book birthday to this amazing read! https://www.instagram.com/p/CQbgmJdjD... 🥳🥂

Oh.my.goodness.Oh.my.goodness. Oh.my.goodness. This is freaking mind blowing! Breathe in ! Breathe out! This is everything I want from brilliantly delicious, extremely addictive and absolutely smart, twisty, claustrophobic, high tension story with detailed, connectable characterization!

This is one of the best works from one of my top five favorite thriller authors earned blazing five stars! Definitely well deserved because it ticked all the boxes:

Slow building high tension ✅

Heartbreaking story of a broken marriage and their gifted adopted five years old daughter suffering from hyperlexia ✅

Escalating cabin fever with well constructed mystery around a passenger who might be the hijacker threatening the lives of people on board✅

Action packed, heart throbbing, nail biter, mind bender direction ✅

Lots of twists and sucker punches you never see them coming✅

And that delicious, WTH ending✅ Wow! Just wow!

Summary of plot line: Boarding time for 20 hours nonstop direct flight from London to Sydney is just started! The flight crew are so excited to become a part of history. But 34 years old air hostess Mina barely gathers her thoughts to focus on her job, feeling guilty to leave their five years old kid Sophia behind with her estranged husband.

Her daughter has special needs, taking her entire time as her husband keeps big secrets from her: a liar, a cheat. She shouldn’t be on this flight but she needed a break from her problematic life and changed her shift and now somebody in the plane threatens her child’s life and wants her to be accomplice for ensuring the plane never reaches its destination.

Could she choose between her daughter and the lives of people on the board? What she’s going to do?

But at least her daughter at home might be safe with her husband Adam. He’s police officer . He does anything he can to protect their child, doesn’t he? But what if he already screwed up and his big secret is about to blow up in his face!

Buckle up! Fasten your seatbelts and start praying! This ride could be wilder than you can imagine!

I loved this smart, mind spinning, heart pounding, crazy, dark, frightening ride so much!

Special thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS LANDMARK for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

instagram
facebook
twitter

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5 stars *

An inaugural, 20 hour non stop flight from London to Sydney, Australia, sees flight attendant Mina, desperately trying to concentrate on her duties, but she knows she’s not pulling her weight, as her mind consistently drifts back to her police officer husband, Adam, and daughter Sophia.

Mina and Adam’s marriage has hit a really bad patch, and Mina isn’t sure it will survive, doesn’t know if she even wants it to. Her 5 year old adopted daughter Sophia, is also a challenge, and quite honestly, life isn’t looking too great, but things are about to take a further nosedive, when Mina receives an anonymous note onboard from a passenger, telling her that he/she will ensure that the inaugural flight never reaches its destination, and furthermore, that Mina will help them to carry out their threat - or else her family will pay!

Events back home for Adam and Sophia are about to become extremely intense and terrifying, (with we the readers, as unwilling witnesses) whilst the locked room scenario of the aircraft setting, gives added depth to the storyline - the idea of being trapped at 30,000 feet with someone intent on bringing down an aircraft is truly terrifying. It was though, genuinely gripping, as each of the hostages turns out to have a back story that is less clear-cut than it might appear, and you begin to wonder which of these passengers is about to try their best to bring an end to the lives of his/ her fellow passengers and why! A breathtaking read, and such an excellent twist at the end too!

* I was invited to read Hostage by the publisher, and have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *

[Emily (Books with Emily Fox on Youtube) · Rating 2 out of 5]

That ending was... not good.

I think I'm officially done with this author.

PS. don't get this as an audiobook. The narrator doesn't change her voice when switching characters and it got confusing!

[MarilynW · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hostage by Clare Mackintosh
Narrated by Vinette Robinson

We immediately know that the marriage of Mina and Adam is in big trouble. And it's not going to get better without honesty and listening on both sides but they aren't about to be honest with each other and both seem too far gone to listen to the other. The only thing keeping these two connected at all is their adopted daughter, five year old Sophia.

Sophia is a handful. She is extremely smart in so many ways but also has an entire alphabet of disorders and spending time with her is like being surrounded with very dry hay while holding a box of lit matches in your hand. No matter what you do, things are not going to go well. Raising Sophia, who both parents love so much, fills their life with more guilt than being a parent should entail. But that's parenting, even when there is no string of alphabet disorders attributed to your child.

Mina is a flight attendant and will be working the inaugural nonstop flight from London to Sydney. She didn't have to be on this flight but the desire to have time away from both Adam and Sophia had her making swaps so she could work it even while she was racked with guilt for doing so. Of course she has no idea the real goal of some of the passengers. At some point, Mina makes a choice. I was having trouble dealing with her run on thoughts before she makes the choice and then after she makes it and acts on it, I didn't want to know another thing about how she felt or what she was thinking.

The narration is very good except that it's in one voice, other than a more childish voice for Sophia. The choice to make everyone in the story use the same voice meant that men sounded just like women and with so many characters in the story, I would get mixed up who was talking/thinking. I don't care for over acting when it comes to narration but I do think some distinction between the voices of main characters would be helpful. We spend a lot of time with both Adam and Mina and it would have been nice if Adam didn't sound just like Mina.

Pub June 22nd 2021 by Random House Audio

[JanB · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Sacrifice your child to save hundreds or sacrifice hundreds to save your child? Which would you choose?

That’s the choice before Mina, a flight attendant. In an attempt to avoid marital conflict and get a break from domestic troubles, Mina volunteers to work the inaugural twenty-hour long-haul flight from London to Sydney.

But Mina receives a note from a passenger on the plane instructing her to follow instructions, or her daughter Sophia will be killed. Told from the POV of Mina, and her husband Adam on the ground, who has been taken hostage with their daughter Sophia, the tension is thick.

In the beginning, I was totally invested in the characters and plot, along with several subplots woven throughout. How would the author weave these disparate threads together? And therein lies the problem. When the motive for the hijacking was revealed, I wondered. Not that the issue isn’t a real threat, but I struggled with believing this group would take it THIS far. To take a plane down, murdering all on board? But it's very PC. After thinking about it and googling (yep, I’m that person), I decided it wasn’t outside the realm of possibility. The world is full of crazies. Probably they would. Sociopaths are capable of manipulating others into following their twisted thinking.

Secondly, I found it exhausting to live inside Mina’s head with the same thoughts/fears/resolve. Honestly, there were times I wanted to kill her myself just to shut her up. But then I considered how I would feel if I were her, and decided I’d be even more annoying so I forgave her. But why do we readers have to hear about it incessantly?

I wasn't a fan of the author throwing in a few hot button social issues of the day, which did nothing to move the plot forward. I would really urge authors to show restraint and simply focus on telling a good story.

The epilogue was fun, and if you can buy into the motives, and tolerate Mina’s thoughts (a tall order), this was a solid thriller with a couple of unexpected twists.

• I supplemented with the audio. Note re the audiobook: WHY would one narrator be used for all the different POV? It was impossible to tell whose POV I was listening to. I huge FAIL.

• I received a copy via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

[Dorie - Cats&Books :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4+ *

This is the 4th book that I’ve read from this author and I have enjoyed them all. There were several things that I really loved about this book.

First of all, the characters. I was able to really get to know Mina and her husband Adam. They were having some problems in their marriage. There were trust issues, gambling problems and the challenge of raising their daughter Sophia. Sophia had been adopted at about age 1, she is now 5. She is not an easy child, she had been in foster homes before coming to them and has problems really loving and depending on her parents.

I FOUND THE GREATEST PULL OF THIS NOVEL WAS THE DUAL STORYLINES GOING ON WITH A TENSE, GRITTY ATMOSPHERE IN BOTH. This propelled the book forward very quickly.

The first point of view is that of Mina and what happens aboard the plane.The atmosphere on board is electric and tense, there are many celebrities and politicians and they are already demanding attention. There is an open bar in first class and many are setting a party atmosphere before they have been in the air more than a couple of hours.

As Mina finally settles into the 20 hour inaugural flight from London to Sydney, things start to go badly, quickly. First she finds a picture of her daughter, taken that morning, then another clue and finally she receives a note which basically tells her that she can save her daughter if she does as she is told. WHAT WOULD YOU DO???? That’s the big question in this story, how would any of us react to having to choose between your child’s life and the lives of the passengers.

In the tense scenario that occurs on board we get to know some of the passengers and why and how they are on this flight. So many reasons, some good, some terrifying.Their background stories added depth to the story. There are the alternate pilots and crew members, they all have stories too!!

The other POV is that of Adam. He is at home caring for Sophia but he is not alone. Their new babysitter, Becca, had picked up Sophia from school and he invited her in to spend a little more time with Sophia. He will soon find himself and Sophia in a horrid situation, he’s not sure that they will escape. He learns that Mina’s flight has been taken over by terrorists and knows what their demands are. Their captor leaves the radio on so that they can hear what is happening in the air.

So we have two very gripping scenarios going on at the same time. This is definitely a book that will have you turning the pages quickly and is a very addictive read!!

There isn’t much that can be said about the hostage situation without taking away from the reader’s enjoyment.

There are many topics covered in this novel. Climate change and how many perceive the world to be on the brink of disaster if something isn’t done right now to change the ways we live, including air travel.

There is discussion of adoption and the challenges of raising a difficult child who doesn’t quite fit well in an average school setting.

Radicalization of like minded thinkers is made easier with the internet, so easy to reach hundreds of people!!!

I think anyone who enjoys a fast paced thriller with a message to tell will enjoy this book.

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss.

“Hostage” is set to publish on June 22, 2021.

[Michael David (on hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me: It’s been awhile since I’ve read an airplane thriller involving a hijacking.
Also Me: I’m lying.

It’s a special occasion when World Airlines Flight #79 takes off for a non-stop trip from London to Sydney. Flight Attendant Mina is so eager to get away due to personal reasons, and although she’ll miss her daughter, Sophia, she is looking forward to 5 days away from home.

With 353 passengers on board, she is bound to stay busy, and can’t afford distractions. Unfortunately for her and everyone on board, someone with malicious intent is also on the flight...someone who lets her know that the only way her daughter will be safe is if she complies and lets them onto the flight deck (pilot area).

A 20-hour flight. Plenty of time for all hell to break loose in the air...and on the ground, where Mina’s husband, Adam, and their daughter, Sophia, have their own dangerous situation escalating.

Hostage is 1 of 4 similarly themed novels (that I’m aware of) touching ground this summer, and the 3rd (and last) one I read.

What’s nice about it taking place over a 20-hour flight is that you get to know the characters a bit more...Other passengers, FAs, Mina and her family. It’s suspenseful with its use of multiple POVs, and manages to create an atmosphere of claustrophobia and adrenaline, propelling the reader from one scenario to the next. I also appreciate the buildup. The action doesn’t start on page 1...but there are plenty of things for us readers to analyze and dissect.

Unfortunately for me, I didn’t really buy into the whole motive of the hijacking. Although important, it seemed OTT and extreme to me. However, the year is 2021 and I’m sure we’re all aware that anything is possible at this point.

3.5 stars rounded up, because although there is a bit of filler in the final chapters, the landing (or denouement if you’re not hip to “air” lingo like I am*) was a wicked, welcome, and unexpected delight.

*Oops! I did it again...Another lie. I’m not really hip.

Available now from Sourcebooks.

Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com

[Jayme C (Brunetteslikebookstoo) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What does an author do while sheltering in place and wishing they could travel?

Clearly, they come up with a scenario to make sheltering in place seem not only tolerable, but preferable! With three hi-jacking books all being released this Summer!

So, how does this one compare to the others?

Well, Clare Mackintosh is a seasoned writer, and it shows. The airline industry was well researched (as a 25+ year flight attendant, I know!) and the flight felt authentic.

This book also had more complexity than the other two (though one of the others had more ❤️)

Mina is our main protagonist.

She is trying to navigate her troubled marriage to Adam, while maintaining the fragile relationship she shares with her 5 year old adopted daughter, Sophia, a little girl who suffers from “attachment disorder” syndrome, because of the year she spent in Foster Care.

She is also the flight attendant targeted in the hi-jacking-who must make the heart wrenching decision on whether to save her daughter or protect the integrity of the cockpit.

The dual timelines are equally compelling, as we learn about Mina’s family and what they are enduring on the ground, as she works the hi-jacked, inaugural , 20 hour non-stop flight from London to Sydney.

The OTHER two hi-jacking books, are adrenaline thrillers from the opening scenes, but this one takes a different approach.

Part One introduces you to the crew and it’s passengers, allowing you to guess at WHO will be a hi-jacker, WHO will be a Victim, and WHO might become a hero or heroine.

Part Two is when the ACTION begins!

As always, the author’s writing is crisp and polished.

And, the final twist? Brilliant!

This book is available now, and I would like to thank my local library for the loan of this title!

[Regina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh how Clare Mackintosh has ruined me.

Her 2014 debut novel, I Let You Go, was packed full of so many great twists that it has ruined my enjoyment of dozens of thrillers since. I hold it in such high esteem that it may actually be the G.O.A.T. of the genre for me. Unfortunately that means Mackintosh’s own follow up books haven’t soared to the heights of this extraordinarily high bar either.

Her latest, Hostage, does differ a bit from her previous three suspense novels in that while those were psychological thrillers, this one veers solidly into adrenaline territory. A flight attendant working an inaugural nonstop trip from London to Sydney is given the choice to cooperate with the terrorists on board or her young daughter - back at home with her estranged husband - will die. If this plot sounds familiar, it should. Hijacked airplane stories are very popular this summer!

I found myself accurately predicting much of the action and most of the surprises. I pick up every Clare Mackintosh book wanting to love it, but in the end I just liked Hostage. Its epilogue though? Aces. The final sentence alone rounds my 3.5 rating up to 4.

For those with the Hoopla library app, the ebook is available for immediate download!

Blog: https://www.confettibookshelf.com/

[Lindsay L · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars!

Mina is a flight attendant living separated from her police officer husband, Adam. They both have secrets but they have a strong enough relationship that they can amicably share custody of their young daughter in the family home. Mina is part of the flight crew working on a record breaking 20 hour non-stop flight which is the first time for any airline. Soon after the flight takes off, Mina receives an anonymous note from a passenger and it becomes evident there is a scheme on board the flight that Mina is caught in the middle of.

This was an intense storyline that would be a worst nightmare for most - a plane hijacking. The novel unfolds through Mina’s perspective on the plane and Adam’s perspective at home with their daughter. The plane chapters with Mina had an intense, anxiety-filled, gripping feel that kept me engrossed and worried. Adam’s perspective, while equally important to the storyline, didn’t hold as much intrigue or spark.

I am a huge fan of this author, as I’ve read most of her backlist. I love her writing and this was no exception. My one issue is that I felt the last quarter of the book lost some of its intensity. The claustrophobic, suspenseful feel wasn’t as captivating for me in the end. I remained invested and curious, but it wasn’t pulling me as strongly as the start.

Overall, this was another unique, entertaining, thought-provoking read by this author and I am already looking forward to what she comes out with next! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy!

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flying isn't dangerous. Crashing is dangerous. -Aviation Quote

What about being taken hostage??

Mina is a flight attendant on an inaugural nonstop flight from London to Sydney. It comes at the perfect time. She and her husband, Adam, are having problems in their marriage. She is not sure what the future holds for them, so this opportunity is just what she needs. Adam, a police officer, will care for their five-year-old daughter, Sophia while Mina is away.

Time apart sounds like the perfect way for both to think about their marriage, but unfortunately, the time they spend away from each other will be filled with each thinking about survival.

Once Mina's flight is underway, she receives a note informing her that if she does not comply and do as she is told, her daughter will pay the price. What is a mother to do?

Meanwhile at home, Adam has his own struggles. He has gotten in over his head with the wrong people and receives a painful and frightening visit. He is told he needs to pay or else. But that is not all, he soon learns that his unpaid debts are the least of his worries. His is facing another threat as well.

Talk about a book full of tension and dread. You can feel the danger dripping from the pages. Told through both Mina and Adam's POV, we get to know both, their thoughts, their fears, their plans. Both are put in extraordinary situations. Both have decisions to make, both are put to the test, both are in a fight to protect their daughter and survive.

The alternating POV chapters move the story along at breakneck speed. Mackintosh had my heart pounding and just when I was biting my nails worrying about all the people onboard the flight, she transported me back to the Adam and Sophia and I read with a pit in the bottom of my stomach. Anxiety coming in waves. What was going to happen next?

Such an expertly crafted novel which tapped into so many fears. Just when you think the book is over, just when you think it is safe again, there is a WHAT-DID-I-JUST READ moment! I did not see THAT coming. Mackintosh had me in a tight ball of worry the entire book and then pulled the rug out from under me. Kudos! Very nicely done!

Whew! What a roller coaster ride which had me holding on to my arm rest, anxiety riddled and fully entertained.

Chilling, frightening, and full of tension.

Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hostage by Clare Mackintosh is a 2021 Sourcebooks Landmark publication.

Whoa! This book is packed full of white-knuckle suspense!

Mina is a flight attendant who deliberately places herself aboard an inaugural non-stop flight from London to Sydney, Australia. This subterfuge, of a sort, is intended to give her a break from her husband, Adam, whom she believes has cheated on her, and her five-year-old, special needs daughter, Sophia.

Things so horribly awry when Mina is given a note informing her that if she does not aid in a hijacking scheme, Sophia will pay the price.

Meanwhile, back at home, Adam and Sophia are coping with their own end of this diabolical plot and their situation becomes increasingly more desperate.

From the description, advertising a ‘locked-room’ mystery, I was not anticipating this type of high-octane thrill ride. The story does take a little time setting all the pieces in place, and no, the plot is not wholly original, but once the drama begins to unfold in earnest, it becomes an edge of our seat page turner, never easing up until you've turned the final page- literally!

Overall, I enjoyed this book more than I anticipated. If you like a good old-fashioned thriller, but with an emotional concept as well, then this is one you won’t want to pass up!!

4+ plus stars

[Kelli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Outlier alert!
Possibly the most contrived story I've ever read, with two absurd plot lines occurring simultaneously that were equal parts confusing and dull. I couldn't get behind the reason for the hijacking or the portrayal of the hijackers as victims of every possible social issue or malady. Those are the first two in very long list of things that are too ridiculous to believe: Adam letting his wife believe he cheated rather than tell her the truth, Mina's seemingly split-second decision, everything about the Becca scene, neither Mina nor Adam having any repercussions for their actions. As an aside, my library print copy had more typos and editing issues than I've ever noticed in any other book. The best thing that I can say about this book is that it isn't the worst book I've read this year, but it is certainly in the running. 1.5 stars

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

You better buckle up as this one will keep you on the edge of your seat!

Mina is a flight attendant for World Airlines and is working on the inaugural 20 hour non-stop flight from London to Sydney. The plane is hijacked and Mina finds herself in a very desperate situation. During the 20 hours as Mina and the crew try to face-off the attackers her own child and husband have been kidnapped.

The book is sectioned off into two parts. Part One introduces you to Mina, her family, the crew and some of the passengers. I must admit there were a lot of characters to take in. So you have to stay focused with your reading. Part Two gets real juicy as the hijacking occurs and at the same time Mina's husband, Adam and daughter, Sophia are kept captive in a basement.

Clare Mackintosh once again proves she can write a thrilling-by-the moment novel. I'm just not sure I was quite convinced by the motive of the hijacking. That and the fact that I did not fully find the characters "likeable" is the reason for my half star rating. I must say I liked the ending!

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐
Thumbs up for this unique story and I find Hostage to be very entertaining. An inaugural flight, a 20 hour-nonstop from London to Sydney on Boeing 777 is hijacked. Oh my! I'm excited, love this premise. ✈

I wasn't expecting the reason for the hijacking to be this, a surprise for me. Not going to spoil what "this" is. The terrorist made demands to Mina, the flight attendant. What would she do? Her thoughts, after a while, became a bit too much for me. But she's the hero so I obviously was rooting for her. The story is told from multiple points of view but mostly Mina and Adam and some are from passengers referred by their seat numbers as passenger 2D, 8C, 1G, etc.

What I didn't like is the audiobook! The publisher needs more than one narrator if the reader has one voice a.k.a NO VOICE TALENT. She shouldn't be cast for a multiple POVs story. I totally thought this is a LGBTQ couple and Mina calls her partner husband (yea Adam), but no wait...they were trying to have a baby so must be a he. Forget trying to differentiate any of the passengers. I didn't even try. Nine-year-old Sophia sounds just like mum and dad...what da hell...?

I love the ending. It was good! If you like locked room thrillers, it's hard to beat being stuck at thirty-five thousand feet! I recommend that you grab a printed copy.

[Melissa (Semi Hiatus Until After the Holidays) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up

There are some parts of this book I liked, and some parts I didn't like, but overall I found this to be a multi-layered, exciting thriller. There have been a few hijacking/plane thrillers this year, and this one wasn't my favorite, but this is a good read in the hands of this particular author.

There are multiple intriguing storylines that all converge in this book. We have Mina and Adam, who adopted Sophia, but Sophia has many issues with attachment and Adam struggles to connect with her. After an incident with the nanny, Mina and Adam have separated. Mina, who is a flight attendant, takes a shift working the inaugural direct flight from London to Sydney. Midway through the flight, hijackers take over and threaten Sophia's life unless Mina helps them. What happens next is a series of heart-stopping incidents both on the ground and in the air.

There are a great number of characters profiled here, some of them are hijackers, some are crew members, and you don't know who is good and who has questionable motives until the very last page of the book. One thing that made me grade this one down was that I didn't quite buy into the whole climate change issue as being such a dire, driving factor that would cause people to band together to do this. It was a little eye-rolling for me, but for the most part the action and tension of the drama take a back seat to the motives.

I listened to this partially as an audiobook and then switched over to the print copy. I'm not a huge fan of full cast audiobooks, but in this case I think that it would have improved the listening experience. Having Vinette Robinson as the sole narrator made it very difficult to keep each character and section separated in my mind. It was easier on the page.

Bottom line this is an exciting experience, not quite as good as Falling in terms of action, but a slight edge with the complexity of the characterization.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

[Carolyn Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

All onboard for this claustrophobic thriller set on the inaugural non-stop, direct 20-hour flight from London to Sydney. The over 350 mostly excited passengers and flight crew will face terrifying danger. There will be twists, unrelenting tension, suspense, action, and complexity of plot. This could be optioned into a great, edge of your seat movie experience.

The main characters were flawed and believable, and their somewhat unlikeable qualities prevented me from feeling fully engaged in the outcome. I also felt there was a slight lag in plot development.
After finishing the book, I had a nightmare about a different hostage situation on a plane. The intense and propulsive storyline must have had a stronger effect on my emotions than I felt while reading it. With air travel beginning to open up again, this book and Falling may add to the reluctance to fly.

Shortly after the plane is in the sky, Mina, a flight attendant, receives an anonymous note. She must ensure the plane never reaches its destination by admitting an unknown passenger into the flight deck. This will result in a crash killing everyone on board. If she does not comply with these demands, her estranged husband and daughter will die. The flight's locked room pressure and suspense make this a story of escalating terror and dread that seems impossible to resolve. How will MIna choose?

Mina's marriage to her husband, Adam, has been strained due to his secrets and lies. Their very bright adopted daughter has had attachment issues and a unique mindset. Both parents have felt inadequate and under strain caring for Sophia. Adam is at home caring for Sophia to the best of his ability with the help of a new, young babysitter.

Along with the urgent note that Mina received, she has found proof that one of the passengers has been watching Sophia, and an object belonging to her daughter was brought onto the plane. With so many distractions and fear keeping her from her flight duties, and the obscene choice she must make between being responsible for the death of her family or killing everyone on the plane, she finds it impossible to concentrate. There are rumours and beliefs that the plane is to hurtle down into the ocean, crashing into the Australian desert, or smashing into the audience-packed Sydney Opera House. How will Mina choose?

Some injuries and deaths occur. The terrified passengers become aware of what is unfolding and that they are all doomed. It added a dimension to the story that we got to know some of the individual passengers through their thoughts about their lives and why they took this inaugural flight to Sydney.

Meanwhile, back at home, Mina's husband and daughter have been placed in extreme danger. What will happen to them? They may die regardless of Mina's choice. This is a fearsome, exciting secondary storyline.

There are physical struggles, injuries and death on the plane among the passengers, crew, and environmental extremists. Who is the leader responsible for the hijacking? Will anyone escape unharmed, and will justice prevail?

I found the plot and motivations complicated and with misdirections. There is a diabolical twist at the end, which probably no one anticipated. The reader is forced to question what they would do in a similar situation.
Recommended as an intense character-driven and gripping story.

[Denise · Rating 1 out of 5]

I absolutely hated this book and though I could list all the reasons why in this review, I'm afraid it would have too many spoilers that would anger fans and potential readers.

Two things -- do not preach to me your political or social leanings.
Mina -- no, she deserved prison with her selfish act. She violated every rule of her job. There was not a single decent character in this entire book. It was definitely make-believe and unrealistic in every way.

That's all I'm saying. Skip it.

I received this ARC from SOURCEBOOKS Landmark to read and review.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was interesting to read this so soon after Falling - another plane based drama. Mina is a flight attendant and has organised to have herself rostered on World Airways flight 79, the first non-stop London to Sydney flight, all 20 hours of it. Adam is her policeman husband and they have a 5 year old daughter, Sophia. Mina and Adam are having a few problems, hence her desire to be away from home just before Christmas.

Everything goes well to start with on the flight, until it doesn’t. First, Mina finds an epipen which she just knows is Sophia’s. Sophia is allergic to peanuts but what is the epipen doing on the flight, did she accidentally slip it into her bag? Then, a passenger inexplicably dies. The doctor cannot save him. Mina finds a letter addressed to her in his pocket (I think) and her world is forever changed. She is instructed to get one of the pilots out of the cockpit and allow one of the passengers to enter it a short time later. Or her daughter will die. This, then, is a hijack - every air crew’s worst nightmare. What do they want?

Meanwhile Adam is brutally attacked by the shady characters he owes money to. Adam has a gambling problem and is behind in his payments. But worse is to come and things don’t look so good for Adam and Sophia. It all depends on what Mina does on the flight.

I won’t say any more as it will spoil the fun. This was an excellent story with lots of suspense both in the air and back in London. The people who have hijacked the plane are eco-terrorists and their agenda has been hidden even from their foot soldiers many of whom are dotted throughout the plane. Does the plane crash or does it land safely? Do Adam and Sophia survive to be reunited with Mina? I cannot tell you these things but some people do die. This was a well written and plotted story with believable characters, even if they were not all likeable. The fear of the passengers was palpable and the story seemed plausible to me. What would you do if you were Mina and your child’s life was in the balance? How would you live with yourself either way? It is an interesting conundrum. Do read it for yourself. I can recommend this one. I received an advance review copy for free from Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Ceecee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one where it’s best not to give to much away, so here goes.... This is the story of Flight 79, World Airways inaugural non-stop fight from London to Sydney. Flight attendant Mina and several passengers tell that story. Meanwhile, on the ground is Mina’s husband Adam, a police officer who has got himself in a terrible fix with dangerous consequences. Relations between him and Mina are strained. Mina has left their adopted daughter five year old Sophia who has hyperlexia ( on the autism spectrum) with babysitter Becca. The two storylines connect very cleverly. My advice would be to have a stiff drink to hand and copious snacks because you won’t be leaving your chair until you’ve finished this one!

Wow. What a start and you don’t make sense of it until the end when the pieces of this thrilling jigsaw puzzle slot into place. Clever. This latest novel from Clare Mackintosh is an absolute nail biter and an original one too because the action takes place principally on board the flight. This allows for hugely dangerous tension and suspense and keeping you in the edge of your airline seat presupposing you’re not in Economy. It’s such a compelling rollercoaster read, you wait with baited breath for disaster to happen in the air and on the ground. I like the way the storyline builds to sky high levels at both ends of the drama, it has you glued to the pages and it’s an adrenaline rush. There are so many layers to the storyline as the horrifying scenarios unfold and aline. Every now and then I have to pause to take a deep breath and let my brain process and catch up with the fast paced plot. The star of the show for me is Sophia, what a clever, bright little superstar and so intelligent. In places it’s quite emotional as you become so invested in the outcome. The end is as powerful as the start and whilst you totally abhor what the climate change activists do the points they raise are frighteningly thought provoking.

Overall, a brilliant thriller, jaw dropping, eye popping, heart pounding, neck bracing read which I highly recommend.

[ReadAlongWithSue ★⋆. ࿐࿔catching up · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twitter |
Goodreads |
Blog |
Instagram |

Clare Mackintosh has firmly come top of my automatic purchases.
I was lucky to get an early copy of this though and was very excited when I got the email if I’d like to read it.

Oh yes please, thank you very much.

This is a good solid plot with real life characters.

A family with a daughter.
Both have their relevant careers.

As you can tell by the title HOSTAGE it’s plain but not at all simple and straightforward as to why or how this hostage takes place. It soon unravels though.

There are mysterious things that happen, for instance, her daughter has a severe allergy and needs an epi pen with her most times. So they are kept in certain places for emergency yet one is on the plane she works on. How did it get there?

There is an emotion decision that has to be made, weighing up options as to what she should do and being judged for it and herself feeling guilty for it.
But yet......

I put myself in this ladies place and wondered what I would do.....

I felt tense, I felt butterflies in my tummy and I had stopped breathing without noticing until I gasped!

If you want a tense read, here it is.
If you want a book where you’re constantly turning the pages, here it is.

Comes out June 2021 in U.K.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adam and Mina are having a difficult time in their marriage. Their nanny quits, and Mina believing the worst, feels Adam needs to move out. Their 5-year-old adopted daughter Sophia is confused.

Mina decides the best thing to do is…

Leave.

Well…As a World Airlines Flight attendant, she volunteers for an inaugural 20-hour, nonstop flight from London to Sydney, Australia.

And that is when…She is handed a note that says she must follow instructions or her child will no longer be safe.

Torn between duty and her love for her daughter, Mina capitulates, setting up a confrontation between a climate activist group of hijackers and the governments of the world.

And…Readers are taken on a chilling ride of their own.

Who is who?

But…Don’t think things are over after all is said and done and the plane has (or will it?) reach its final destination?!

The epilogue will surprise even the most seasoned mystery readers. Creating the most compelling twist of all.

[jv poore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spot-on. This suspense-filled, fast-paced, mystery kept me invested and constantly guessing.

[Joey R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars - I was looking forward to reading “Hostage” by Clare Mackintosh after reading so many good reviews about this book. I enjoyed the fast paced plot and the dilemmas that the author put her characters in that made the book hard to put down. The story of Mina, a stewardess for an airplane that gets hijacked by multiple members of a radical environmental group, is as gripping as it gets. The author couples this with an equally interesting kidnapping situation with Mina’s husband and child, Sophia by a member of the same group. However, the book starts painfully slow. I knew something big was going to happen so I stuck with it, but until that event happened I was bored. From there though the book delivered and kept me interested all the way until the ending. Although not a fan of the epilogue’s big “twist”, I give the author credit for attempting something different and ending big. All in all a good book that I am glad I read but definitely some problems that kept me from giving it a higher rating.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a page turner! I’d say it’s the perfect book to make the time pass on a flight, but…

Mina is set to make history as part of the cabin crew for World Airlines’ inaugural direct flight from London to Sydney. But once onboard Mina is faced with the impossible choice of either allowing the plane to be hijacked or her daughter to be killed, and it becomes clear this flight will be making headlines for much more sinister reasons. What would you do?

Without saying too much, I found this to be a fascinating look at extremist recruitment. I know some people found the “cause” for the hijacking not to be believable but in this age of disinformation, isolation, and group-think, I for one am terrified at the myriad of causes that people have become radicalized around...

The story is told mainly from the perspectives of Mina and her husband Adam (who is on the ground watching their daughter Sophia), but we also get short snippets of the backstory of various passengers and their reasons for being on the flight. I have to be honest, I did not give a flying you-know-what about Adam and the storyline at home. It was tempting to just skip his chapters altogether, and I felt there was more than enough drama and tension on the plane that it could have carried the story on its own. If the story was just the action on the plane and Mina’s flashbacks to her adoptive journey with Sophia, I may have debated a 5 star rating. A lot of other people did love the dual storylines though, so I think I’m in the minority on this. I’m also in the minority in how I felt about the last few chapters (which I saw coming) and the epilogue. Possibly it was just so hyped up by other reviewers that I went into it expecting too much?

I did however really enjoy the look into the behind the scenes aspect of air travel and what a cabin crew goes through on flights. A reviewer I love, Jayme, mentioned that this aspect felt very well researched, and as a 20+ year veteran of the industry, I’ll take her word for it! As a side note, this got me interested in the real life counterpart of the ultra long-haul Sydney flight (Project Sunrise). A few fun facts I learned in my research: Qantas was down to the wire on their 19 hour, 19 minute London to Sydney test flight. One country granted permission to use their air space a mere 36 hours prior to the flight. The passengers also got to witness TWO sunrises while on board. And as one of those terribly annoying “foodies”, I found it fascinating that the meals specifically designed to alter circadian rhythms and combat jet lag were indeed a real thing! Pretty amazing stuff. I love it when my fun thriller books actually teach me something new!

[Joanna Chu (The ChuseyReader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5 stars.

What I enjoyed

• The ending was incredible. My favourite part of the book was actually the last few chapters. The genre changed into a psychological thriller and I loved it! I just wish there was more of it.

• The development and relationship between Adam, Mina and Sophia. At the start Adam and Mina were broken individually and as a family. But I enjoyed how they addressed their issues, moved on and grew closer together, especially Adam and Sophia who had some sweet moments.

• I like the use of different perspectives. At first I didn’t care about the passenger’s stories but it made sense later on which I thought was clever!

What I didn’t enjoy

• While I was curious, I wasn’t at the edge of my seat like I had hoped. The book felt too long and drawn out. I found myself skimming the whole way.

• I am conflicted about the reason for the hijacking. While it was unexpected I did raise an eyebrow.

Things to know if you are still deciding whether to read this

• This is both plot and character driven.

• The first part of the book strongly focuses on the characters, it takes a long time for the hijacking to actually happen.

• It was definitely turtle pace at the start and slowly built up to medium pace.

Discuss with me! What do you think?

1) Is it me or did Sophia escape way too easily? When the fire started in the house I had no idea how Adam and Sophia would escape. But it turned out there was an easy way out?! Why on earth did they not get Sophia out earlier?!

2) What did you think about the reason for the hijack? I’m conflicted about it! It's hard to believe that environmentalists would go this far.


ChuseyReader Website | Bookstagram

[Natalia Luna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Terminado, al fin!
Me he saltado páginas enteras de relleno para lograrlo pero no me lo tengáis en cuenta, me ha costado un mundo.
Y es que la única culpable de ponerme con esta lectura soy yo y lo que me ha pasado lo sospechaba y me lo merezco.
Esta autora no es de mi gusto. Es el tercer libro suyo que leo y no consigo disfrutarlos.
En este caso el argumento me parecía atractivo y le di una oportunidad. Error. Es absurdo lo mucho que se enrolla la autora para ponernos en situación. Páginas y más páginas que hacen que mi interés vaya decayendo.
Cuando iba por la mitad del libro se descubre el motivo del secuestro del avión. Me ha parecido tan bobo que estuve a punto de abandonarlo.
Escenas absurdas y ridículas por lo exageradas, decisiones poco creíbles de los personajes... Mejor no sigo.
No me ha gustado y es un alivio olvidarme de él.

[Danielle (The Blonde Likes Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

As soon as I read the premise of Hostage, I was excited! I’ve enjoyed Mackintosh’s work in the past, and thought the premise of a flight attendant working a hijacked flight and having to choose whether to save the flight or her daughter was super interesting!

The book is told through a few different perspectives. Primarily, we hear from Mina, the flight attendant on the plane, and her husband Adam, who is at home with their daughter. In addition to those POVs, we also have sporadic POVs from some of the passengers on the plane. We get to learn a little bit about why they are traveling and about their lives, which are about to be changed forever!

I thought the Hostage did a great job of building suspense! Once Mina is on the plane, she finds a belonging of her daughters, which lends credibility to her daughter being threatened. From that moment on, it was a tense ride to the end of the book waiting to see how everything played out! Each chapter was short and snappy, so once I got going with my reading, I didn’t want to stop!

In addition to the main plot of the hijacked plane, it’s also made clear that both Mina and Adam have things happening that they haven’t told the other, and I was dying to know what they both were! We knew that Mina’s was related to her past and why she dropped out of flight school, but Adam’s was a current secret that was happening. There was tension from all angles of this book, and I loved it!

I highly recommend this one for fans of fast paced thrillers! This will be a great summer read, and I can’t wait to see what Mackintosh writes next. I’d like to thank Sourcebooks Landmark for my gifted copy of the novel. It was my pleasure to provide an honest review.

[Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick thoughts on this gripping page-turner:

Hostage is set during the most chilling 20 hours on an airplane! So much happens in 20 hours! 😱

Mina is a flight attendant on board the plane who receives a note from a passenger stating that person needs help, and the plane will never reach its destination. Yikes.

Hostage took my breath away and is such a compelling, fast-paced read! Put on your seatbelts because it’s a bumpy ride!

I received a gifted copy from the publisher.

Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

[Jonetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

the setup…
Mina is a flight attendant with a London-based airline who is launching its inaugural 20-hour, nonstop flight to Sydney, Australia. It’s a high profile event with lots of press attention and public anticipation. Not long after the flight begins, Mina gets a message that threatens her family…her 5-year old daughter Sophia…unless she complies with demands that will certainly mean the takeover of the flight by persons unknown. Will Mina put her daughter before the lives of those on board the plane?

the heart of the story…
We learn a lot about Mina before she boards that flight. She’s separated from her husband Alex and they are the parents of Sophia who they adopted when she was 10-months old. Sophia has been a difficult child as she is still suffering from the effects of separation anxiety. Mina is feeling guilt for having looked forward to some time away from the daughter she loves and she’s also keeping a big secret that’s reshaped her own life. Husband Alex, a police detective, also has a secret life that’s brought some huge threats to his career and family, so big that he’s allowed Mina to believe a false reason for their separation. So, the threat on that plane takes on even larger meaning and danger as those involved have layers of complexity and angles. Every time I thought I knew who might be involved and what was around the next corner, a new revelation would blow that to bits.

the narration…
I liked the narrator’s storytelling skills and her pacing. However, she didn’t provide voice distinctions for the characters, except for Sophia, and I couldn’t always tell whose point of view I was hearing at the time. I’m still glad I chose the audio format as she told the story in a way that made it more exciting.

the bottom line…
I don’t want to share too much more about the details because to experience that firsthand is crucial to the enjoyment of this story. The hijackers have a unique approach that made this even more confounding. They have a mission tied to an ideology that often is highly educational and enlightening but evokes little sympathy regarding their methods. I really liked how Mina’s struggles with her own family and the decisions she faced were presented because the resolutions weren’t so clear. The tension was so high I fought hard to resist just going to the epilogue and learning the outcome (don’t do that!). And speaking of the epilogue, read it carefully because it’s highly loaded. I had to go back and reread it to make certain I got it right. I never, ever saw it coming. Hold on because this is a bumpy ride.

Posted on Blue Mood Café