I received an email inviting me to read Clare Macintosh's new book and in exchange for an honest review.!!! After reading the email twice I jumped onto the link. Clare's book went went straight to the top of my TBR pile..

As an ex air stewardess I devoured it in two sittings. I have no need to contact World Airlines customer service for airline inaccuracies, as it is pretty obvious that Clare must have done her homework and talked to lots of hosties and flight crew as her descriptions of flight and air lingo was spot on.

The characters are totally believable and I love their daughters quirkiness, The plot takes place over 1 non-stop London to Sydney flight (20 hours) but we get the back story too through the characters reminiscing. It is a turbulent, tension filled story, that will have you holding on for dear life. Sit down, strap in and adopt the Brace position, it is such a great read.

If you think this is going to be a typical story of a group of people held hostage on a plane that has been done before, then think again. Clare Mackintosh does not write the most obvious plots in her novels, and it is this which often keeps you as a reader second guessing and wanting to know more. The book is centered around our main characters, Mina and her husband Adam and their adopted daughter Sophia. Mina is an air stewardess and Adam a Detective Constable working in CID. Both lead busy lives with their jobs, and we learn through flashbacks and reflections of these characters about the ordeal and process they have been through in order to adopt Sophia. We also learn early on that Mina is soon to be jetting off on the first ever non-stop flight London-Sydney. However, as the narrative unfolds we find out that Mina and Adam's marriage is on very rocky ground, and that Mina had the chance of not going away on this flight over the Christmas season. Whilst then in the air, Mina receives a threat from an unknown passenger, and the way in which she responds to this will affect the lives of her husband and daughter. Mina is forced with a moral and personal dilemma which will affect her most precious loved ones, and one which also makes you ask yourself as a reader, what you might do if faced in a similar situation; risk the lives of your husband and daughter or of yourself and 150 unknown persons? The book doesn't just deal with the narrative of a group of people held hostage on a plane, but is also about how people are forced to deal with issues and trauma in their lives, in particular parenthood and how this affects women and relationships when people find themselves struggling to have children of their own. This did at parts I felt seem to dominate the book, distracting from the plot and slowing the pace of the action down. The book contained some very interesting characters and this did keep the plot going and guessing as a reader. However, the other element that let the book down slightly for me was the character of Mina who at times I found slightly irritating in her manner; whilst you found yourself debating some of the decisions she makes at parts in the book, I also felt myself frustrated with her at times, which for me made her slightly dislikeable.
However, for anyone who has read a book by Clare Mackintosh previously, will know that she is a master of twists, and definitely doesn't leave you feeling disappointed at the end. My thanks go out to netgalley and Little Brown Books for the chance to read and review an ARC of this.

In this story we meet Adam, Mina & Sophia their 5 year old daughter. Due to both working long hours they have come to rely on the assistance of a babysitter and this is where the complications begin. When Mina gets on her 1st non stop 20hr flight, everything spiral out of control. I found this a slow burner to get started but once it did oh boy it was another great read from an author who I love to read as you try to work out who is friend and who is foe.

Gripping, addictive - and terrifying. Yes, it's a cliche, but I really couldn't put this down, reading into the wee small hours with my heart pounding and my nerves jangling. Mackintosh's best yet; brilliantly crafted and utterly compulsive. I have never been more delighted that a holiday overseas is not on the cards for a very long time.

A good book you can enjoy reading at any time but it takes an exceptional book to lose yourself in when there’s a pandemic going on. Hostage is an exceptional book to invest time and emotions in. Set on a non stop flight from London to Sydney involving Mina a member of the cabin crew who gets involved in an impossible situation of saving her child or a plane full of people we are treated to a non stop thriller
. I’m glad there was a twist at the end because I tend not to like books that tie everything up all nicely. I have a feeling this book is going to be a very deserving bestseller. My thanks go to Little Brown and Netgalley for an. early copy.

Oh my word! What a journey I have just been on - a non stop flight from London to Sydney between the pages of the new book from Clare Mackintosh called Hostage. This book is surely on course to be a best seller for this year, and, given the restrictions on flying abroad at this time may make you re think a staycation! This book offers all the personal dimensions we have grown used to with her previous characters but I feel she has exceeded herself with Hostage. From the first page you get the feeling that you are actually watching a film not reading a book as the tension builds.
The story centres around Mina, a member of cabin crew on this inaugural flight who has recently separated from her husband Adam after she suspected he had an affair with their childminder Katya. Sharing custody of their adopted daughter Sophia, Mina swaps a shift with a colleague to get some breathing space and think about her future. Needless to say, the flight does not go as expected; Mina, passed a note from a stranger finds herself faced with a devastating choice - do as she is instructed or face someone hurting Sophia. Does she save her child or everyone on the plane? Who can she turn to for help?
Unable to contact home to check on Sophia, Mina makes a decision that will change everything. Is it the right decision?
One of the best books I have read in a long time, I highly recommend Hostage if you like a fast paced thriller with wonderful twists and turns and a stinger in its tail! It would be fabulous if Hostage could be made into a film or tv drama - it’s the kind of book that would translate brilliantly!
Thank you to Little Brown and NetGalley for a complementary e-copy of Hostage.

Another success for Clare Mackintosh! It was very different from everything I have read before and I found the ending absolutely amazing. Looking forward to her next novel already!

An excellent read! Fast-paced thriller that I couldn't put down. I was engrossed from the first page, constantly wanting to know what would happen next. The different characters were brought alive with vivid descriptions and real life problems scattered throughout. The book even moved me to tears at certain points. I highly recommend this book,

#Hostage #NetGalley
I loved it. It's a movie.
Mina is one of a hand-picked team of flight attendants chosen for the landmark journey. She's trying to focus on the task in hand, and not worry about her troubled five-year-old daughter back at home with her husband. Or the cataclysmic problems in her marriage.
But the plane has barely taken off when Mina receives a chilling note from an anonymous passenger, someone intent on ensuring the plane never reaches its destination. Someone who needs Mina's assistance and who knows exactly how to make her comply.
I loved Mina's character.
Thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown Book UK Sphere for giving me an advanced copy of this book.

I was absolutely thrilled to be invited to view this title. I knew it wouldn’t disappoint!! Claire’s books get better and better. She had an uncomplicated, yet sharp sense of writing that draws you in from the first page. No waffle or padding, just straight into the story, which I love! This was and excellent, taut read which had my guessing all along.

Mina and her husband Adam were living apart after Mina suspected him of having an affair with the nanny of their child Sophia... Sophia was adopted and had some challenging behavioral problems associated with her life before she was adopted. One thing was certain she had the love of both her parents. Mina was dreading the run-up to Christmas and jumped at .the chance to change shifts and be part of the cabin crew on a very special first none stop flight to Australia. Little did she know of the horrors that awaited her on the flight and also what awaited Adam and Sophia at home. I did enjoy the book but found the first few chapters a little bit drawn out and slow. The rest of the book made up for it with tension and shocking revelations galore.

In a very crowded market Claire Mackintosh’s thrillers stand out head and shoulders above the rest. This one follows a familiar theme, the lengths a parent would go to to protect their child, but in a unique way that kept me on the edge of my seat as I raced through it. Switching between Mina the senior flight attendant on the inaugural non-stop flight from London to Sydney and her estranged husband who’s at home with their 5 year old adopted daughter we follow their increasingly frantic situation as Mina discovers she must choose between helping terrorists to take over the plane to keep her daughter safe or following the protocols to save the passengers. This was a real “edge of your seat” thriller that kept me hooked until the very last sentence with an astounding ending.

Thank you to Net Galley, the publishers and to Clare for an ARC copy of the exciting new book.

You can save hundreds of lives.
Or the one that matters most . . .

The atmosphere on board the inaugural non-stop flight from London to Sydney is electric. Numerous celebrities are rumoured to be among the passengers in business class and journalists will be waiting on the ground to greet the plane.

Mina is one of a hand-picked team of flight attendants chosen for the landmark journey. She's trying to focus on the task in hand, and not worry about her troubled five-year-old daughter back at home with her husband. Or the cataclysmic problems in her marriage.

But the plane has barely taken off when Mina receives a chilling note from an anonymous passenger, someone intent on ensuring the plane never reaches its destination. Someone who needs Mina's assistance and who knows exactly how to make her comply!

It's twenty hours to landing.

A lot can happen in twenty hours . . .

So firstly why a four star from me, well honestly the first 10% to 20% of the book was a little slow and a lot of characters, a lot of backwards and forward to different storylines, but then this book took off like a rollercoaster, a very fast moving rollercoaster.

Tensions high from what's happening on board to what is going happen next, gripping, tense, nail biting, powerful and fast paced, strong characters.

Clare has brought us another unique thriller, that could easily be made into a blockbuster thriller film.

Cannot really say anymore as I want you the reader of this review to enjoy the book!

When I received the request to read Hostage by Clare Mackintosh, I was thrilled! I have read her other novels and they are all superb and this one does not disappoint!

The novel is written from multiple POV which worked well in this setting – on the plane, at home, and what happened before. All the storylines combined well to create a comprehensive thriller.

I really enjoyed the snippets of information on some of the passengers, known only by their seat numbers, and the character development of the main characters was smoothly and intriguingly drawn out. Ms. Mackintosh deftly portrays the humanitarian side of the many crises in the novel and the characters are relatable and easily understood.

The narrative flowed smoothly right up until that final twist – which you really don’t see coming!

The best ending to a satisfying novel I have read in a long time!

#netgalley #hostage #claremackintosh #littlebrownbookgroup

I started reading this as I prepared for my annual cabin crew exams. A tense , page turning thriller which I found hard to put down . Clare’s research into my profession has been extensive and thorough and a lot of the book resonates with me . Easy 5 stars ⭐️ and my thanks to Clare and her publishers for the advance copy

Well! Another roller coaster ride. I really couldn't put this book down.

Ostensibly this is a hostage tale set on a plane travelling between London and Sydney but it is so much more.

It is also about a couple who have adopted a daughter with her own issues and precocious intellect. In many ways it is two stories in one.

Would strongly recommend anyone to read it. The ending- not what I was expecting at all. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers giving me an advanced copy in return for an unbiased review.

One of the best books I've read so far this year! I couldn't put it down - fast paced, with lots of hooks and intrigue. I think it might be the best of her books so far - although they are all good!

It may seem premature to label a book one of the top reads of the year in early March - yet I have no qualms in doing so here.

This novel is EVERYTHING. Great characters, a plot that keeps you guessing right up until the final page, a pace that means you won’t put it down - it is truly breathtaking.

One not to be missed - preorder today!

Hostage is one of those books thats intreguing. How can a book be basked on just one flight? I suddenly feel grateful for all the boring flights i ve been on.!
This book is brilliant, Mina is interesting, Adam is someone I want to dislike but I just dont and as for their daughter Sophia - whilst I can appriciate her behavious is maddening she is just brilliant.

Its no coincidence that Environmental Activists take over the flight that Minas on. They want people to take notice and make the world understadn their vsiion and do what they feel needs to be done. Despite security protocols they manage to take over the plane with different people expecing differing outcomes.

This storyline is brilliant, its a little scary because you can imagine how real this scenario could be which makes everyones actions so believable.

Mina is an air steward on the first nonstop flight from London to Sydney. It will take 20 hours. She is married to Adam a police officer and mum to an adopted daughter, Sophia. During the flight she receives a message threatening Sophia and has to make a terrible choice. Will she allow someone on to the flight deck thereby saving Sophia or will she let the authorities know the plane is being hijacked.

I loved this thriller which hooks you from the start and builds up the tension throughout. It poses difficult questions leaving you wondering what you would do in that situation. The characters of Mina and Adam are well developed. Adam from whom Mina is separated, has dark secrets which also have put the family into danger so they are facing peril from two sides. There are lovely twists throughout some of which you'll guess but others which will undoubtedly take you by surprise. If you want a book to take you out of the doldrums of lockdown, this is it. Just don't take it on a flight. It would not be a relaxing read for any nervous flyers out there. Me, I'm glad to have read it with both feet firmly on the ground. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.