Hostage

When an email drops inviting you to read and review the new Clare Mackintosh book, you drop everything immediately - work, kids, food - settle in and begin..
Hostage tells the story of the world’s first direct flight between London and Sydney, 20 hours in the air with no stops and over 350 passengers and crew on board. The flight is being heralded as the first of the future - what could possibly go wrong?
We meet Mina and her husband Adam when their marriage is falling apart. She is cabin crew and he is a policeman and they are cops renting their daughter Sophia.
Mina has one of the coveted cabin crew spots onboard and takes off whilst Adam is left with Sophia and his own demons to deal with....
During the flight, Mina is given a choice - save her daughter or save the flight. With the plane’s WiFi blocked she is unable to communicate with Adam so has to make an unbelievable choice....
I’ve read all of Clare’s books and find them engrossing, enjoyable and unputdownable. Hostage did nothing disappoint and is already my favourite book of 2021. My only worry is it’s now longer to wait for Clare’s next one...

📚5🌟review📚
Clare Mackintosh is one of my top two authors so it was with great excitement & also a little trepidation, (would it live up to her previous brilliant novels?), that I read her latest book Hostage. NO PLOT SPOILERS. I needn’t have worried! The characters were so realistically portrayed that I still have them in my head days later.

I loved the multiple POV, starting from Adam the husband at home, to Mina getting ready to fly as well as some of the passengers. There are a variety of settings: Adams work, the journey to school, home and the flight. We gradually learn about the uneasy family dynamics of Adam, Mina and their five year old daughter, Sophia.

I was fascinated by the passenger backgrounds too as Clare dipped into a few of the passengers by seat numbers. I found I had a virtual seating plan in my head.

The back stories (scarily realistic) are revealed glimpse by glimpse, adding real depth to both your understanding and the development of the plot.

I felt as if I was on the plane with the passengers, sharing the urgency of every decision. It is difficult to say more without any plot spoilers so let’s just say - it was a brilliant, gripping, pacy read and (unusually for me) one I will reread soon!

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.

Oh wow, what a read this is! I adore Mackintosh's books and with every new book, she offers something different and more exciting. Please keep doing what you are doing, I cannot get enough!

The premise alone for this read had me hooked. What could be more realistic and more terrifying than a hijacked plane?! Immediately, the atmosphere is heightened and the threat all the more claustrophobic due to this being set on a plane. I was absolutely gripped from the first page and could not put this down. Mackintosh includes so much drama, fear, danger and thrills that I could barely catch my breath. This is thriller writing at its best.

As well as being a thrilling, Mackintosh always ensures there is an emotional, human edge to her books and this could not be more true for this read. Mina is a fantastic character, incredibly realistic; likeable and flawed, I just wanted to get to know more about her and her family. You deserve to find out every twist for yourself so I will not go into more detail but prepare yourselves, you are in for one hell of a ride!

Mackintosh writes chapters from the different passengers perspectives and this really helps the reader get to know each person. We get a glimpse into who they are, how they think and operate and how everyone on the plane came to be together. The drama is real and the characters make it feel all the more emotional.

'Hostage' is just an incredible read and one I do not think I will ever forget. This is exhilarating, emotional and full of danger and secrets. I loved every word and every twist and turn the book took. I cannot recommend this enough, it is just the perfect read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sphere for an advance copy.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. I was excited to read this, having previously enjoyed 'After the End' and intrigued by the premise. I was gripped from the start (after being in a bit of a reading dry spot) and despite a lull at the start of part 2, the tension didn't let up, with twists and turns woven right through to the end. While I found it hard at times to track who done of the supporting characters were, this no doubt helped with the hijacking setting. My heart broke for Mina and Sophia is a QUEEN, although I wasn't sure why Mina had been targeted. Fantastic read.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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

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

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!

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.

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.

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.

#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.

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,

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.

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.

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!

I am a BIG fan of Clare’s. I’ve loved her previous thrillers and still think about After The End. She’s a go to author for me and I was really looking forward to The Hostage. As ever, the book is well paced, full of twists and a great read. The end twist in particular was brilliant.
4 stars

This jumped straight to the top of my TBR pile and Im so glad it did, another unputdownable book from Clare Mackintosh, a one-sitter read if you can!
Mina is an experienced member of cabin crew, working on the inaugural nonstop London to Sydney flight, in order to avoid a tricky week at home with her unlikeable partner with his hidden secrets The flight has been years in the planning and is packed with celebrities and journalists as well as other members of the public desperate to be on the flight. The book starts with a foreshadowing of disaster with a plane crashing, and the feeling of imminent danger and menace is there throughout.
Just a short way into the flight, Mina receives a note that she can't ignore, calling on her help to derail the flight, or her much beloved adopted daughter will suffer the consequences.
More political than other thrillers Ive read, its not comfortable reading for someone who enjoys a holiday flight every now and again; there's lots to think about and assess in and out of the book
Read it, read it, read it!

What an absolutely amazing book. I honestly could not put it down and while I was desperate for it to end, I didn’t want it to end!!! Five star read - highly recommended.

Mina is a senior flight attendant, she is also mother to a 5 year old girl and an estranged wife. She is flying on the airline’s inaugural non-stop flight from London to Sydney. The atmosphere is buzzing and there are celebrities, journalists, social influencers and normal everyday people aboard the flight. It will take 20 hours to get to Sydney ... a lot can happen in 20 hours and when Mina is presented with a note from an anonymous passenger which basically gives her the choice to save the live of her daughter or those of our fellow passengers, her life turns upside down. What would you do?

The first 20% of the book was setting the scene and provided a good backdrop for the remainder of the book. Once the scene was set, the pace really picked up and it never dropped - I was hooked. There are a number of twists, especially towards the end of the book, that I just did not see coming.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced read copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Brilliant! Terrifying, complex, fast paced and engaging this is my book of the year so far despite the plot holes and inconsistencies.

Another great exciting novel by bestselling author Clare Mackintosh. Her novels are of a consistently high standard and this is another winner.

Flight attendant Mina is one of the handpicked team chosen for the inaugural non-stop flight from London to Sydney. The atmosphere is electrifying and the plane is full of celebrities and successful businessmen wanting to witness this flight first hand. Mina is trying hard to focus on her duties but her troubled five-year-old daughter back home and her failing marriage are making it very difficult.

Shortly into the flight Mina receives a 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.

Great suspense and a very entertaining read.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Hello and welcome aboard Mackintosh Airlines. Our pilot today is Clare Mackintosh herself and I will be your – still book-hangovered – flight attendant. Fasten your seatbelt, it’s take-off time!

*Clears throat* Alright, now that I had fun with this review, let’s get to the serious bit! I have a list of go-to authors for days when I need extra book love. I keep an auto-buy list of authors I don’t want to miss a novel by. I have a TBR list longer than any airport checklist. Then I have the *highway to my heart* list. This list is so exclusive it only has three names on it. One of those names is Clare Mackintosh. After the End was a revelation. Since then, I have caught up with her books, so I was ecstatic to be offered a ticket to Hostage. Was I hit by the wind of doubt? Would this book be as good as I imagined? I had no fear, and that’s why she is on the list. So, was my instinct right?

It may not be good for the planet (and for that I’m sorry) but flying is my favorite way to travel. I simply love how you set foot in the airport and let yourself be carried by the flow. Look for your luggage check-in. Search your gate. Get a thorough search (I ALWAYS get the search. Always. I feel like I’m in an episode of Custom Borders.) Take a seat. Wait for the call. Smile and show your passport. Get to your seat. Everything is done for you, all you have to do is follow and relax. Also, airports and planes are amazing places to spend hours looking at people and imagining their lives.

Back to the subject… Hostage takes us on a plane with flight attendant Mina, one of the few crow members chosen for the inaugural London to Sidney flight. 20 hours straight. On a plane with strangers. Okay, I said I liked flying but the longest flight I took was 12.5 hours in economy when I came back from Japan and NEVER AGAIN. Anyway. This is an exciting time for the company, most of the passengers, and of course, the crew. Who wouldn’t want to make history?

But Mina’s mind is not entirely focused on the tasks at hand as her heart is still firmly on the ground, with her husband, Adam, and daughter. Her marriage is in trouble and Sophia, their daughter, is facing difficulties that make Mina long to be home even before the flight takes off.

The book is not contained in a gigantic flying object in the sky. We get to jump from one POV to the other. Adam’s life as a cop and a father, passengers on board sharing their backstories… We get a sense of what is going on up and down, and all sides are equally tense, perfectly written, and absolutely addictive.

Not long after the flight is up and doing its thing above the clouds, Mina finds the first clue that will change the fate of so many people. A threat addressed to her. Comply or… My blood ran cold. Once again, the author pushes you to the edge. Clare Mackintosh has a knack for pouring so much power and feelings into her writing that it is impossible not to get emotionally involved. Her superb understanding of our deepest fears and motivations create the spark that keeps a reader hooked and begging for more.

Do as you are told, and your family will be okay. Don’t and…

The dilemma broke my heart and made my hand tremble. As a cabin crew, you have a responsibility towards the people on board. As a woman, mother, and wife, you have a responsibility towards your family. But can you sacrifice over 300 passengers for the sake of the ones you love? This is an impossible decision. I felt my brain take me to the aisle of the plane, my eyes scanning the faces. Celebrities, journalists, normal people, babies… And on the ground, millions of eyes ready to applaud this new non-stop route to the other side of the world. Clare made sure I could visualize everything so vividly I could not possibly choose. And then, she added beautifully intricate moments, chapter after chapter, making Hostage an emotional thriller masterpiece.

All of us have at least once imagined a plane being hijacked. We try to push it out of our mind but the past has left scars that won’t be forgotten. Far from simply betting on our shared fears, the author crafts a superb and terrible story around a subject we hate to mention. She gives it multiple layers, adds convincing arguments and realistic characters that make it impossible to put everything in black and white.

Mina is not the only one held hostage in this novel, neither are the passengers, and I felt it applied to so many people that my chest hurt!

This exhilarating read is unforgettable, and its intensity shakes you to the core. This 5-star novel should be next on your TBR!

What a fantastic thriller!
When I started reading, I'm pretty sure I didn't expect to be quite so emotionally affected by the characters' lives. Of course I expected some twists and turns, and hoped they would not seem obvious to me (after reading hundreds of books in this genre I do sometimes expect the unexpected!). But in this book many of the characters are proper people with nuances and layers - something often missing in thrillers and mysteries. This added so much emotional engagement with the story that I was actually crying with their frustrations and tension. And yes, there were certainly angles in the plot I had not foreseen at all!
Although this is a thriller about hostages on a plane, it really is so much more. If you enjoy character-based thrillers please do read it, as I don't think you could be disappointed.
It definitely deserves a full 5 stars, representing the thriller genre at its best.

This is an absolutely brilliant thriller written by Clare Mackintosh. I couldn’t put it down at all. I was a nervous wreck whilst reading it- it was that good! It follows mina- a mother and a member of cabin crew, who has to make a very difficult decision. Not to even mention the twists in this story! It was truly amazing, thank you so much Clare, NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for this ARC.

Wow! What an absolutely gripping, intriguing and enthralling read Hostage was. It may just be my favourite of Clare Mackintosh’s psychological thrillers now!

The atmosphere on board the inaugural, direct twenty hour flight from London to Sydney is electric. Celebrities are rumoured to be on board in business class and journalists are waiting on the ground to greet the plane when it lands. Mina is one of a hand-picked team of flight attendants chosen to be part of this prestigious journey. It’s hard for Mina to focus on her job and the passengers she is there to look after though, when her thoughts transport her back home to her troubled five year old daughter Sophia, and her husband Mark. The problems in their marriage are also a real source of tension. Only a short while into the flight, Mina sees things which start to make her suspicious and she longs to be back at home with her daughter. She then receives a chilling note from an anonymous passenger. A passenger who is intent on ensuring that the plane never reaches its final destination, and who requires Mina’s assistance to ensure their plan runs smoothly. And they know exactly how to make her comply! Will Mina choose to save the lives of hundreds of passengers on board the plane, or the one that matters most to her back home?

From the opening page and then the prologue, I was hooked and intrigued by this story! Both provided details that I could keep at the back of my mind as I was reading and started me questioning how things may unfold. I really liked how this book was told from alternating chapter perspectives of Mina and her husband Adam in the first person too. It was interesting to see their differing experiences; Mina thousands of feet up in the air, and Adam on the ground looking after their daughter Sophia back at home. They were both intriguing characters and I really enjoyed getting to learn more about them both as the story developed. They each had secrets they were hiding from the other, neither of which I guessed at all.

It was also really effective having short chapters interspersed from the perspectives of passengers on the flight. I enjoyed getting to see their differing reasons for being on the flight and the experiences they have each had in their lives. They had such a clever relevance as the story developed too which I loved. I also liked getting to learn about other passengers from Mina’s interactions with them throughout the flight.

There were so many brilliant surprises, twists and turns along the way making this a truly unforgettable story. I was constantly evaluating my thoughts on certain characters and felt bad when certain suspicions I had turned out to be entirely misplaced! The final reveal and the final chapter left me speechless! It was so incredibly clever and I just didn’t see it coming!

I know I am going to be thinking about this incredible book and the ending for a long time to come! I would recommend Hostage to everyone!

I await every new Clare Mackintosh with all the excitement and anticipation of a child on Christmas Eve and this is my favourite of hers to date.
The set up, the twists, the red herrings and the sheer exhilaration make this the kind of book you'll go to any lengths to get through - drop your kids to breakfast club then read in the car park, order a takeaway and read instead of cooking dinner ...... anything!
As always, characterisation is flawless and the procedures are well informed and authentic; the plot is rooted in reality and plausible enough that it will be in my mind the next time I get on a plane. Fast paced, full of suspense and drama and with an ending that left me truly gobsmacked.

Felt as if I had a moment of lotteryesque luck by receiving a copy of Hostage from Netgalley. I won’t be doing any spoilers, but let’s just say I started it last night, and picked it up again after work tonight and have read my socks off until finishing it just now. I have not on the other hand, fed my children (*note: I did get my husband to, I’m not THAT bad), walked my dogs (also made my husband do it) or washed up after the dinner he made me too...

My heart is still in my mouth and I’ve only just managed to put my eyes back in my head. What a read!!!!! Absolute brilliant, heart stopping in places and guaranteed to be a huge hit. Loved every minute. But never flying again. Not without a large gin anyway....

Thank you so much Clare Mackintosh for writing this, and to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I loved it.

I'm a huge fan of Clare Mackintosh's other books so I was thrilled to get an early copy of her new book Hostage. Mina has been a flight attendant for a long time and boards the plane for a landmark non-stop flight from London-Sydney. Whilst on board, she receives a threatening note from a passenger telling her that she needed to follow the instructions or something would happen to her family back home. Fearing for her young daughter, she has to comply. I thought this was a really interesting concept and I found the book quite gripping and rushed through it in a day. Would thoroughly recommend!

Mina is a flight attendant on a new non stop flight to Sydney, a twenty hour flight that means she will have to leave her five year old daughter at home with a babysitter and her estranged husband.
A rollercoaster ride, adrenaline packed thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat.
I sat up to the small hours reading this because I didn’t want to put it down, the tension escalating with each chapter.
Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks so much to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. It was AMAZING. It gripped me from the first page .Adam & Mina are brilliantly written characters & so are the passengers on the plane. This book will demand your attention & is unputdownable. Twists & turns & a brilliant exciting ending.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. Wow this book was absolutely brilliant. The storyline was fantastic, the characters where brilliant too. I think the next time I get on a plane I’ll be watching all that’s going on around me. It makes you wonder what can really happen on a flight you just never know. This story had me sucked in from the first chapter. Each characters POV was great too, you got a glimpse of each characters lives and beliefs. I didn’t expect the twist at the end though. I never would have expected rowan to be the leader. Has rowan the poisonous biscuits, I’m hoping he does. 5 star read.

Wow, my head is still reeling from finishing this book. Such a gripping read. I could not put this down. My heart was pumping so fast at times I could not turn the pages fast enough to find out what was going to happen. I love the way this was told from several perspectives. It gave great insight into what was going on. And the end, we'll say no more other than I did not see that one coming. Such a brilliant book, well done Clare, you have smashed it again!!!!

This has got tv drama or film stamped all over it!
I’m quite accustomed to being blown away by a Clare Mackintosh novel but somehow each new book just has more, delivers more blows, creates more tension and just goes to new heights. I say it every time but I cannot wait to see what comes next.

The latest work by Clare Mackintosh is a must read. Her books always grip and enthral me, and this was no different. Fast-paced, with good plot twists and lots of intrigue throughout.

A must read.

Clare Mackintosh is one of my go to authors and her latest, Hostage, delivers as well as the best of her back catalogue.

Mina is cabin crew on an inaugural non-stop London to Sydney flight. Packed full of the great and good, Mina is working in Business Class when things begin to take a sinister turn. Thoroughly enjoyable and twisty throughout, this will keep you guessing and gasping until the end. I read it in 2 sittings. A thrilling 4.5* and a welcome adventure into big ticket excitement.

Thanks to Netgalley and Little Brown for the ARC.

Mina and her husband, Adam, are going through a separation and trying to care for their daughter, Sophie, with Mina wanting minimal contact with him. When Mina is working as an air hostess on a world breaking non stop flight to Australia she leaves Adam to care for Sophie but she feel uneasy about the flight. When one of the passengers leaves her a note telling her to meet their demands or her daughter will die. She must risk the plane’s passengers and crew for her own family.
What a read! I could not put this down and sat up until 2 reading it as I was so engrossed! Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I've read and enjoyed every book by this author. No exception here. It's a dramatic thriller, full of moral dilemmas and danger - can't ask for more than that! Pacey read, interesting and complex characters, and a unique scenario.
A must-read for any thriller fans who want a book they can't put down! And that ending...

Clare Mackintosh, you are just an expert at what you do!! What is particularly refreshing for me is that Clare is writing across genres and nails them all!
This is a thriller like none I’ve read before. To be fair that’s probably because this kind of novel wouldn’t be my usual fare but I’ve read everything Clare has written so I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed.
Mina and Adam are parents to 5 year old Sophia. Mina is cabin crew for a large airline and Adam a police officer. Their marriage is falling apart, his work is falling apart due to an undisclosed gambling habit, and to top things off hijackers have targeted Minas work trip to Australia.

But the hijackers have targeted Mina specifically and have exploited her home life to pressure her to allow the hijack situation on board the aircraft to unfold.

Every single chapter is tense, totally compelling and although it felt very OTT drama at times I could not put it down, no matter how ridiculous I thought it was getting.
And that’s all down to this wonderful author. Bravo Clare, you’ve nailed it.

I hardly breathed throughout this tense thriller, literally could not put it down. Hoping Mina would not accede to the threat to hundreds of lives but knowing how far you would go to save your child. Lots of strong characters with compelling back stories. The added stress of the family dynamics coping with a child with abandonment issues. A 'no way out' thriller with surprises throughout and a shattering conclusion.

I have loved all Clare’s books & this was no exception. Highly recommended by me. It was a tense, nail biting flight of adventure for me. I loved little Sophia. The ending was just perfect & this would make a brilliant film. I think this book will be a huge success.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of Hostage but that has in no way influenced my review.

OK, I'll admit it. I'm a huge fan of books with a disaster theme to them. I LOVE them. The complete lack of control the characters have. The gut wrenching knowledge of the situation they're in. And in the case of Hostage, the intense claustrophobia pressing down on the characters heightening every situation, every twist and turn. There was no way on this earth I was going to be able to resist Hostage, and I loved every second I spent with this immersive thriller.

Mina Holbrook is part of the cabin crew for the first non-stop flight from London to Sydney since 1989. It's a momentous occasion and one she had to fight for, if only to avoid an uncomfortable lead up to Christmas with her estranged husband, playing happy families. Flight 79 will be remembered forever...but not for the reasons everyone is expecting. A couple of hours into the twenty hour flight, Mina receives a note which changes everything. She must help a hijacker access the flight deck. It goes against everything she believes in, everything she trained for. But the hijacker knows exactly how to get Mina's co-operation. She has a choice to make; save many lives or just the one...

What a page-turner! I was completely engrossed in Hostage from beginning to end and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride (although I won't be getting on a plane anytime soon!). It's a gripping, heart-stopping thriller and I devoured it quicker than anything else I've read recently. I struggled with how I felt about Mina. Ultimately she's put in a very difficult position and makes a choice that I could completely understand. Was it the right decision? Who knows! But I disliked her for it despite it being the decision many of us would also make. Thank goodness this is fiction and not real life. However, after that first event, I started to warm to her again and I think that's a mark of the author's excellent writing.  She's a villain, yes, but she's not the biggest one by far!

I couldn't stop thinking about this book when I wasn't reading it. The pull it had over me was great and I was desperate to find out what terrible event was going to happen next. The reader gets a few short insights into the other passengers lives before the flight and this really helped build their characters for me. There are shocks and surprises galore but I had my suspicions about one aspect of the book which proved to be correct. It didn't hamper my enjoyment of the story at all though. If anything, it added an extra thrill to the big reveal.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Hostage is a gripping thrill-ride of a read which I devoured with glee. There were certain points in the book where I had to suspend my disbelief a little but again, it's a cracking story so does it really matter. I was entertained. I will admit to shedding a tear at one point but I can't tell you where or why. You'll just have to read this cracking novel for yourself! This is the first book I've read by this author but it won't be my last. An edge of your seat thriller which I highly recommend.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of Hostage. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

Clare Mackintosh can be relied upon to spin a good yarn and this thriller is no exception.
Set primilary on board a plane it keeps racking up the tension. Only identifiying passengers by their seats numbers was a stroke of genius as I could not guess who were the good and who were the bad guys.
Any mother can empathize with Mina and that love of her daughter was pivotal to the plot which threads were like octopus' tentatcles confusing me.
Back on the ground, Mina's husband life was unraveling as it became apparent why Mina was on the plane in the first place.
Building to a climax, the passengers were exposed for who they real was along with their actions, thus showing how people can be manipulated when their weak spots are laid bare.
The twisty plot was riveting. The end left me reeling. The only niggle I had was Mina's reveal of why she gave up her pilot training. It was a little late coming and more could have been made of it. Nevertheless,a brilliant original read.

I always get super excited when I see that there is a new Clare Mackintosh book in the world - this is an author who never lets me down! "Hostage" is yet another brilliantly plotted, beautifully written thriller which I read in two sittings (it would have been one if I had my way) and absolutely loved. The story follows Mina, a flight attendant with a five year old daughter and a failing marriage, who is part of the crew on the inaugural non-stop flight from London to Sydney. There are journalists waiting on the ground to document the record breaking flight, and celebrities on board. But there is also someone who needs Mina to help them ensure that the plane never reaches its destination - and they'll use anything to ensure she co-operates...

The narrative switches between Mina, in the aeroplane, and her husband at home, with other narrators/passengers in between. I loved how the story built up, and accumulated so many layers - a real onion of a book! Everyone had their own secrets and motives, and I loved how this was explored. The tension ratchets up brilliantly throughout the novel, and makes for a genuinely nail-biting read. And - no spoilers - but THAT ENDING! Another perfectly delivered final twist from the master of them.

Loved. Five stars and a huge thumbs up for this one.

Thank you to NetGalley, and to the publisher, who provided me with a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Clare Mackintosh has done it again! Hostage is a fast-paced, addictive page-turner. Mina is a fight attendant on a very busy flight with over 350 passengers when she received an anonymous note from a passenger threatening the life of her daughter back home if she says anything or doesn't help. Will Mina put the lives of every passenger on board in jeopardy to save her daughter or will she comply? This is one that is filled with tons of twists. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a fresh thriller to keep them hooked.

Clare Mackintosh is one of my go to authors and her latest, Hostage, delivers just like I thought it would!

Mina is cabin crew on an inaugural non-stop London to Sydney flight. Packed full of the great and good, Mina is working in Business Class when things begin to take a sinister turn. Thoroughly enjoyable and twisty throughout, this will keep you guessing and gasping until the end. I read it in 2 sittings. A thrilling 5* read and a welcome adventure into big ticket excitement.

I cant express how good this book is. The information behind flying a plane and the reminder of taking a flight, not sure i will relax as much next flight, fab storyline and characters and esp loved ending would not of guessed that!!!top marks

Just wow. This is by far Clare's best yet.
Mina has managed to swap shifts so that she can be on the non stop flight to Sydney. She is married to Adam but they are having problems. They also have a daughter Sophia who has issues.
The chapters switch between Mina on the plane and Adam at home.
We also here from some of the passengers on the plane and a little about their home life.
Mina finds a letter that puts her in a difficult position. Should she comply? Or risk losing her daughter.
This is absolutely gripping.
I loved the moral dilema as it makes the reader think what would they do in that situation.
I also liked that we got to know a little about some of the passengers.
I thought the ending was perfect and made me chuckle.
Thanks to Netgalley and Little Brown Books for the ARC

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this gripping novel

oh my word the stuff of nightmares.....

mina is a flight attendant and her world is about to coming crashing down
during the flight she receives a note saying that as long as she complies her daughter will be safe...

and from then on the flight becomes a living nightmare

could not put this book down...its grips you in such a way that you are going to lose sleep over it

will be keeping an eye out for more of this authors works

I have been very lucky, and read lots of great books so far this year, and I think this book is probably the best one I have read ..It had everything I love, and then some. Great characters a brilliant story that kept me guessing. I did work out a little plot twist, as a reader I am always trying to second guess what might happen, and sometimes I am on the money and other times I am so far away I couldn't hit a barn door with a shovel. After I had managed to work out a tiny bit of the plot, the barn door and shovel came to mind and I had not got a clue, and I loved it. Absolutely brilliant, and kept me page turning like a woman possessed until the very last page. I would be very surprised if this wasn't still my favourite book at the end of the year, it's that good. I would give it more than 5 stars if I could.

Plenty of thrills and spills on this flight from London to Sydney.
Thoroughly enjoyed it. A great thriller.

Thank you to Net Galley, Clare Mackintosh and the Little, Brown Book Group UK for this ARC in return for an honest review