08 July 2022

This book asks a difficult question. Would you choose the life of your child or that of hundreds of strangers? Is that even a question? When you reach for this book you can expect a gripping read that will keep you reading as you race to find out how this story will end.

This was my first time reading a Clare Mackintosh book and I found her writing detailed and colourful. She draws stunning characters and does not leave any stones unturned as she tells her story. This book is full of emotion and features loads of twists and turns you will not see coming. You are kept on the edge of your seat from start to finish as nothing is as it appears to be.

When Mina volunteers for the first-ever non-stop flight from London to Sydney just before Christmas, she is convinced that Adam has cheated on her and all she wants is to be away. Sophia is staying with Adam and the new babysitter Becca, so she will be fine. When the aircraft is airborne and due to be in the air for twenty hours Mina received a threat, either she helps a passenger to gain access to the cockpit or Sophia dies. Faced with an impossible decision, Mina suspects everyone, but when the first passenger dies, she knows what she must do. Can Mina save Sophia and the three hundred and fifty three people on board flight 79?

This book kept me engrossed as the author tells the story from various characters’ perspectives. Some chapters introduce passengers on the aircraft by identifying them by their seat number. You are given the chance to get to know the various people and you are never sure who is behind the hijacking of flight 79. I loved all the detail and the chance to get to know different characters.

Little Sophia stole my heart. This unusually clever little girl is full of surprises. Her bad start in life has left her with various issues and both Mina and Adam struggle to cope with the demands she presents. However, they adore her and do everything they can to remain patient and understanding. They love her deeply, even when at times it doesn’t feel as if she feels the same. The author did a brilliant job with this complicated little girl.

Hostage is not a one-sitting book. There is a lot of information and you need to track of all the various characters. Yet, it is an intriguing read that delivers loads of twists and turns that are guaranteed to keep your head spinning. This is a fabulous read that will appeal to a wide audience. When you close this book, you will be left looking at the aviation industry very differently. I work in aviation and this book left me looking at flying in a whole new light.