Are you looking for a book that will keep you turning pages late into the night? Do you want to read a book that will keep your heart in your throat as you read? Look no further, reading friends; The Last Flight by Julie Clark fills the bill. Advertisements for The Last Flight tout the book as “Two women. Two Flights. One last chance to disappear.” Rest assured that this review holds NO spoilers. Be prepared to read The Last Flight for yourself, but I will provide a few teasers.
Who doesn’t dream of the perfect life? Married to a wealthy, successful, politically ambitious man, Claire Cook would appear to have it all. Of course, we know that appearances are deceiving. What are the flaws in Claire’s marriage? One might easily guess. The difficulty arises when readers understand what Claire plans to do about the problems she faces daily.
Enter, the other woman also in crisis, Eva James. Eva has had to leave college abruptly and falls into a life she never aspired to through circumstance. Unlike Claire, Eva has always lived a troubled life. Born the daughter of a young drug addict, Eva has been shuttled from one foster home to another until finally she lives in an orphanage until she starts to college and has great promise in her life for the first time. Then her dreams are shattered.
Both Claire and Eva make plans to disappear. What happens when the two meet by chance, fate, or planning will change the course of both their lives. The dangers both women face while completely different, compose real threats to their well-being. The New York Times Book Review describes The Last Flight in this way: “Thoroughly absorbing – not only because of its tantalizing plot and deft pacing, but also because of its unexpected poignancy and its satisfying, if bittersweet, resolution. The characters get under your skin.”
Oftentimes, a mystery or truly fast-paced novel does not lend itself to book club discussions. That is not the case with The Last Flight. Book club members will find a feast of discussion topics. For those seeking a truly absorbing novel, The Last Flight represents an excellent choice if for no other reason than it is a satisfying read that will absolutely keep your heart in your throat.
Julie Clark, https://julieclarkauthor.com/, received numerous awards for The Last Flight. It is her second novel. Her debut novel is The Ones We Choose which also won accolades.