In this high concept psychological suspense novel from the USA Today bestselling author of Somebody’s Daughter, a chance meeting with a woman in an airport sends a man on a pulse-pounding quest for the truth.Joshua Fields takes the same flights every week for work, his life a series of departures and arrivals, hotels and airports. During yet another layover, he meets Morgan, a beautiful stranger … meets Morgan, a beautiful stranger with whom he feels an immediate connection. When it’s time for their respective flights, Morgan kisses Joshua passionately, lamenting that they’ll never see each other again.
As soon as Morgan disappears in the crowd, Joshua is shocked to see her face on a nearby TV. The reason: Morgan is a missing person.
What follows is a whirlwind, fast-paced journey filled with lies, deceit, and secrets as Joshua tries to discover why Morgan has vanished from her own life. Every time he thinks one mystery is solved, another rears its head—and his worst enemy might be his own assumptions about those around him.
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I was not a fan of this book at all. I felt like there was too much detail and I felt like in the beginning it would jump around a lot, it would start on one thought and jump to another. This book told in two different parts, most is told from a first point of view and then some are told from a third person point of view, kind of wish they author would have stuck with one or the other. This story was completely twisted and suspenseful for sure. The book has 85 chapters which through me too since most the chapters are no more then 3-4 pages each, I felt like at some point the author kept throwing situations or different scenario just to drag the book out long, some just made no sense at all. This book was not for me at all and I didn’t really like a whole like about it. I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley. I was under no obligation to post a review and have given my honest opinion.
Oh David Bell, you have an amazing talent with words. From the very beginning, I was pulled in and couldn’t stop thinking about the book until I read the very last page. A man, Joshua, meets a woman, Morgan, in an airport. She has secrets, secrets that I couldn’t even imagine, and is in hiding yet she is drawn to Josh and he can’t help but follow her. This unravels an entire past that Morgan is running from and Josh is trying to wrap his brain around. With each conversation, more information is given but even more is not told. The secrets pile up, the mystery gets deeper, and the story gets better and better.
I really liked this story. It starts with an everyday meeting and goes from there. Josh was an idiot sometimes; he follows a woman he just met across the country while she just wants him to leave her alone. He blows off his job and puts his life in danger numerous times. I liked that he stood his ground to his father (his boss), that he didn’t take what Morgan said at face value, and that he asked questions even when he wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answers.
There were many ways for this story to end, as a matter of fact until the very end I was not sure which direction Josh and Morgan would go. Some will like the end, some will want a different ending but for me it was perfect.
Have you recently read a book that you want to hold up in front of everybody and tell them “READ THIS”? LAYOVER by is that book for me. I love his books and this one was was everything I hoped it would be. A mystery that slowly unfolds and keeps you guessing. This beauty is summer reading perfection.
I received a complimentary advance copy of this title from the publisher. All comments and opinions are my own.
The idea for Layover came to author David Bell when he witnessed a chance meeting between a man and woman in the Nashville, Tennessee airport. Watching them engaged in an intense conversation, he thought they knew each other well. All of a sudden, the woman got up, took her bags, and left. The man told the bartender, “That was the strangest thing that’s ever happened to me in my life. I just met that woman here in the airport. We started talking, she kissed me, and she left, saying that she’s never going to see me again.”
David immediately thought, “There’s got to be a story behind that. There’s got to be more to that. And that was the beginning of Layover,” which opens with an identical chance meeting in the Atlanta, Georgia airport.
Layover is really the story of Joshua Fields, who takes the same flights every week on business. Ironically, he’s afraid of flying, and can’t board a plane without taking Xanax and having a drink. When he graduated from college, he had a job waiting for him with his father’s company. Since then, his life has been a series of departures and arrivals, hours spent in hotels and airports. Six months ago, he and his girlfriend, Renee, broke up. But they’ve been talking on and off, and slept together again just a couple of weeks ago. Joshua wasn’t sure that he loved Renee, and didn’t have the energy to fully devote to the relationship, given the demands of his job — a job about which he complains regularly. But since he works for his father, he has not brought himself to quit and pursue another career.
And then Joshua encounters Morgan in the Atlanta airport and is convinced that they have a connection. She claims that she is on her way to care for her terminally ill mother who is in hospice care. But she leaves suddenly, after kissing him passionately and announcing, “I’m sorry, but we’re never going to see each other again.” As Joshua puts it, the “desire she’d stirred was both an ache that stabbed at the center of my body and an emptiness, something I feared would never filled.”
After she leaves, he looks up at the tv and is shocked to see Morgan’s face. She is a missing person! So Joshua makes a reckless, irresponsible choice. He doesn’t board his plane for Florida, instead deciding he must try to find and help Morgan.
Meanwhile, Kimberly Givens is a divorced mother trying to juggle the demands of raising her twelve-year-old daughter with her career as a detective. She’s getting pressured by the mayor to solve the case of missing local businessman Giles Caldwell, a friend of the mayor’s.
Bell takes readers on Joshua’s whirlwind quest to find Morgan and learn the truth about her circumstances. Along the way, he encounters lies, deceit, manipulation, and secrets, Every time Joshua thinks he is close to solving the mystery of why Morgan was deemed missing and what she is really running from, he reaches a dead end. And the more he searches for answers, the more suspicious his actions appear to the police who have figured out that there is a connection between both missing people — Morgan and Giles.
Joshua’s adventure is related through a first-person narrative that reveals his ambivalence about not only his job, but his relationship with Renee, and his realization that he must make changes in his life if he is ever going to be really happy. Morgan awakes feelings in him that spur him on in his quest to learn the truth. As he delivers vague excuses to his father about his absence from work, he realizes that his life cannot continue on the same trajectory. And even though he knows that chasing Morgan is crazy, he is compelled to see it through. He knows it’s likely he will “strike out” and end up returning to his mundane, unfulfilling life, But he tells himself that at least he’ll do so “knowing I’d done everything I could to help Morgan.” Because if he just gets on the plane to Florida, he’ll “always wonder. I didn’t want to wonder.”
Layover moves at a breakneck pace as Joshua and the police both zero in on the truth. Joshua is an empathetic character with whom any reader who has ever asked him/herself if they are missing out on something will relate. His existential wondering blossoms into a full-fledged irrational pursuit in a completely believable, credible manner. Bell makes his protagonist so relatable that readers will find themselves cheering for him as he races to learn the truth about Morgan.
Layover is an inventive, entertaining and tautly-constructed thriller. Bell has also crafted a thought-provoking story about a man who is jolted out of complacency and resignation into a grand adventure that will inspire readers to contemplate what they would do in Joshua’s place. Will Joshua find Morgan? Was he correct when he sense that they shared a special connection? Will the two of them live happily together? You’ll have to read Layover to find out and you are guaranteed to be thoroughly engrossed in the adventure.
Thanks to NetGalley for an Advance Reader’s Copy of the book.
This novel started out with a very fast pace. There was lots of action as Joshua Fields leaves the ordinary routine behind to pursue the elusive and mysterious woman he meets in the bar at the airport. Then the story gets very complex and is hard to follow, with lots of characters that are not fully developed. For example, Simon is a bad guy but we never find out his back story or what he is doing when the story ends. Overall, I found that the book was an okay read, but I probably would not have chosen to read it had I not won it. It really drags in the middle and then the ending is like, boom! Gotta conclude! I liked the character of Joshua Fields and his pursuit of the truth. I just wish that he had been a more mature character who actually chased his dreams instead of waiting until they knock him over. Readers of contemporary fiction will enjoy this book.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I won a copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway, so I appreciate Penguin Random House for sending me a copy. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Have you ever seen an attractive stranger in an airport and wondered to yourself “wow, wonder what their life is like? What if we could meet and just run away?”
Joshua Fields, a travelling salesman who hates his job but doesn’t want to disappoint his Dad (owner of the business), and who fears flying (yet flies constantly) is about to find out! Sitting at a bar during a layover between flights, he is having another drink to calm his flight anxiety when a beautiful woman sits down beside him. They talk, as strangers do, at first about small things, and then things get more personal – because it’s often easier to be truthful with strangers than the people we see every day, isn’t it? By the time the woman gets up to leave, Joshua is completely taken with her. She kisses him, tells him her name is Morgan, and that, sadly, they will never see each other again, and walks away. Startled by her words, and having felt a real connection with her (she has made him feel alive and happy for the first time in years), he is further dismayed when he sees on TV that she is a missing person! What is she running away from? Is she in danger?! He feels he must find and help her! Soon the police are not only interested in finding Morgan, but in talking to Joshua as well. What has he gotten himself into?
I like David Bell’s writing because he always gives us a good set of characters in each novel. Ones that are well-drawn, fully human, with good points and bad, he makes us understand why they act and react the way that they do. He also knows how to take the reader through the story with him, grabbing their attention and holding it by revealing deeper and deeper layers of plot and characters alike. I always look forward to reading his latest book.
All that being said, I don’t think Layover is one of his best efforts. There were times I felt like screaming at Joshua (“You’ve been content to stay in your unfulfilling job for YEARS and now you want to run off after someone you hardly know!?! What are you thinking!?), and I would’ve liked to smack Morgan upside her head a few times as well, but that shows Bell had me invested in the book. Whether I think it’s his best offering or not, he still had me. And isn’t that what reading’s all about?
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for allowing me to read an ARC of Layover in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions expressed here are my own.
/ 5 rounded down
Sigh, I really, REALLY wanted to love Layover by David Bell but unfortunately that was not the case. I still really enjoyed it, but it was nowhere near the love I was hoping to feel for this book.
What it’s about: Joshua Fields has his life down to a routine. He works for his father’s company and spends most of his time in airports, hotels, and different states. But a chance meeting in an airport with a beautiful stranger named Morgan is about to change everything. After they share a kiss in the airport and she leaves telling him they will never see each other again, he finds out that she is a missing person. What follows is Joshua’s journey to find Morgan and figure out what is going on with her. But what he finds out isn’t quite what he was expecting.
I lie a little bit in my summery about Layover only being about Joshua’s quest to find Morgan, because at the same time there is also a detective named Kimberly who is trying to solve a different missing person’s case. The book actually jumps between Joshua and Kimberly’s perspectives the entire time which also made this book a bit of a police procedural.
The biggest issue for me with this book was that I just didn’t think the suspense was there, and the ending really wasn’t a surprise to me. The fact that the ending let me down so much is why I got stuck on a 3.5 for Layover. I kept waiting for a shocking conclusion that just didn’t come. That being said, this book was definitely enjoyable, don’t get me wrong. I read it in 4.5 hours and with it being 399 pages that is really saying something about the pacing.
I also want to point out that a 3/3.5 for me is GOOD, I still really enjoyed this novel and the only reason it didn’t get a higher rating from me is because I wasn’t really surprised at any of the twists. This was my first time reading a book by Bell and I can definitely see what people love about him. His writing was fantastic, and the book was super readable which are both things I loved about Layover.
Song/s the book brought to mind: Follow You Down by Gin Blossoms
Final Thought: I feel like Layover is one of those books that a lot of people are going to love. Maybe I’m just getting jaded by the number of thrillers I’ve read, but for someone that can’t guess the twists on most of the books I read, I just don’t know what it was about this one. However, I am already looking forward to reading more of Bell’s novels and knowing that I like his writing style just makes me that much more excited. And I am definitely still going to be recommending this book to the right readers!
Thank you to Get Red PR and the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
This was a unique, fast-paced thriller that was quite the page turner. Great writing, interesting characters, a few twists and turns that made this a very enjoyable read. I have to say that there were times that I wondered what the heck Joshua Fields was doing chasing after Morgan. Made for a good story, though, and it is one that will keep readers up way past their bedtimes!
I received an advance review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I struggle a bit with the rating of this book. Do I rate it based on my opinion or on what I think most people will think of it? Do you see the male protagonist as a hopeless romantic or as a man with strong stalker tendencies? I guess to be an honest reviewer I have to go on my opinion – and I see him as the latter. I can’t say I really liked either pathetic Joshua or femme fatale Morgan. I know I would not want either as a friend.
The book is well written and suspenseful. I enjoyed the first half of the book but then got tired of the repetitive cat-and-mouse that was so predictable at that point. I liked how the book ended, but I did not like the tidy explanation that came before the end.
Lindas Book Obsession Reviews “Layover” by @david Bell
WOW! David Bell, Author of “Layover” Berkley Publishing, July 2019, has written an intense, intriguing, captivating, suspenseful, unpredictable thriller and mystery. The Genres for this book are Suspense and Mystery, Psychological Thriller and Fiction. This story takes place in many airports. The author describes his characters as complex, complicated, confused, and ambivalent.
I enjoy the edgy feel and thought-provoking appeal of David Bell’s novels and find that once I start reading I have trouble stopping. That means I continue reading through the night and wake up irritable and tired. “Layover” is the type of book where I want my questions answered! There are twists and turns, excitement and adventure. There are a few surprises in store for the reader.
Joshua Fields is an ordinary, wishy-washy type of a guy, with a good family job that involves spending a lot of time on airplanes. Joshua is an anxious flyer and seems to feel like his life is in a rut. During a layover, Joshua meets a mysterious woman in a hat with sunglasses, who says that her name is Morgan. She kisses him and tells him that she will never see him again.
Joshua notices on the television a picture of the same woman mentioning that she is a missing person. Joshua wants to take the appropriate action. Little does Joshua know how his life will never be the same. There is an adventure, the chase, intrigue suspense, murder, and danger. I highly recommend “Layover” for those readers who enjoy a great psychological suspense novel.
Joshua travels work. He flies out of airports constantly. On a layover, he meets Morgan and his world is turned upside down! Morgan leaves Joshua with a passionate kiss in the airport bar and Joshua knows he must find her again! What happens next is full of twists and turns and keeps you on the edge of your seat! This was a great a thriller of a book! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.
Entertaining storytelling at its best! A smart, tantalizingly tense thriller that you’ll want to read all in one go—perfect, unsurprisingly, for while you’re on an airplane.
Joshua meets a girl at the airport and he can’t forget her so his routine life is now derailed.
What is true and what is a lie as Joshua tries to discover the truth about Morgan. Is she really considered missing and why is she on the run.
Time to put your seat belt on and prepare for a crazy ride.
I found myself yelling at Joshua, trying to give him hints to no avail.
A good read that has the pages turning quickly.
Thanks to Net Galley and Berkley Publishing Group for the opportunity to read Layover !!! Loved it.
In the hands of a master of suspense like Bell, a chance flirtation at an airport leads to a fast-paced novel filled with turbulence. Make sure your belt is fastened and enjoy! Bell is at his best.