THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY BESTSELLER, & INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER!
“The Last Flight is 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.”—The New York Times Book Review
Two women. Two flights. One last chance to disappear.
… Book Review
Two women. Two flights. One last chance to disappear.
Claire Cook has a perfect life. Married to the scion of a political dynasty, with a Manhattan townhouse and a staff of ten, her surroundings are elegant, her days flawlessly choreographed, and her future auspicious. But behind closed doors, nothing is quite as it seems. That perfect husband has a temper that burns bright and he’s not above using his staff to track Claire’s every move.
What he doesn’t know is that Claire has worked for months on a plan to vanish. A plan that takes her to the airport, poised to run from it all. But a chance meeting in the airport bar brings her together with a woman whose circumstances seem equally dire. Together they make a last-minute decision.
The two women switch tickets, with Claire taking Eva’s flight to Oakland, and Eva traveling to Puerto Rico as Claire. They believe the swap will give each of them the head start they need to begin again somewhere far away. But when the flight to Puerto Rico crashes, Claire realizes it’s no longer a head start but a new life. Cut off, out of options, with the news of her death about to explode in the media, Claire will assume Eva’s identity, and along with it, the secrets Eva fought so hard to keep hidden.
For fans of Lisa Jewell and Liv Constantine, The Last Flight is the story of two women—both alone, both scared—and one agonizing decision that will change the trajectory of both of their lives.
Praise for The Last Flight:
“The Last Flight is a wild ride: One part Strangers on a Train, one part Breaking Bad, with more twists than an amusement park roller coaster! Julie Clark is a devilishly inventive storyteller.”
—Janelle Brown, New York Times bestselling author of Watch Me Disappear and Pretty Things
“The Last Flight is everything you want in a book: a gripping story of suspense; haunting, vulnerable characters; and a chilling and surprising ending that stays with you long after the last page.”
—Aimee Molloy, New York Times bestselling author of The Perfect Mother
“The perfect combination of beautiful prose and high suspense, and an ending that I guarantee will catch you off guard.”
—Kimberly Belle, internationally bestselling author of Dear Wife and The Marriage Lie
“The Last Flight sweeps you into a thrilling story of two desperate women who will do anything to escape their lives. Both poignant and addictive, you’ll race through the pages to the novel’s chilling end. A must read of the summer!”
—Kaira Rouda, internationally bestselling author of Best Day Ever and The Favorite
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This is the story of Claire. She has a seemingly wonderful life – married to a powerful man, wanting for nothing. But the reality is that Claire is in an abusive relationship that she needs to escape desperately.
She puts a plan in place to escape until her husband changes her plans. She is at the airport when she meets someone else – Eva – also trying to escape her life – and the two women decide to help each other. They swap flights hoping that this is what they both need to start over.
When the plane Claire was supposed to be on goes down, Claire thinks she is free. Cut off completely from her old life, she starts to put a plan in motion to completely disappear. She thinks she will step into Eva’s life and that will be the last of Claire. However – things don’t always work out like they should.
This was a fair book. It did keep me entertained, and on the edge of my seat for the first part of the story. It was pretty suspenseful but I did figure out quite quickly how it was going to end. No twists for me in this one. Claire is a much more interesting character to me than Eva – Eva’s chapters seemed long and drawn out.
This book is also heavy on the “men are terrible” theme. There are no good men in this book at all. Every women in the story had a terrible back story with a terrible man. This happens a lot in books, I know, but to me it is always a bit much.
I was honored to have read the Advanced Readers Copy of The Last Flight as my Contributor role with BookTrib.com. The following is my review and interview with Julie Clark.
For a Thrill Ride, Welcome Aboard The Last Flight
Spoiler alert! The Last Flight (Sourcebooks Landmark) by Julie Clark is about a scary plane crash. Well, not really a spoiler, as the book’s cover and title imply at least that much. But a plane crash isn’t half of what will keep you up at night turning the pages of this remarkably crafted thriller.
In unusual fashion, The Last Flight features not just one, but two protagonists—Claire and Eva—who are determined to correct some really bad choices they’ve made in their lives. Yet, these two strangers will quickly learn that choices have consequences.
Cloaked under the Me Too movement theme, Clark takes us first inside the head of Claire, revealing why she fears her husband’s manipulation, abuse, and power. A power so strong, she knows he’ll stop at nothing to track her down. If that’s not frightening enough, we then learn how Eva stumbled into being a key player in the underbelly of the drug world, which she now regrets and will stop at nothing to extricate herself from its horrors.
Frantic and panicking, these thirtysomething women assume there’s only one escape route: change their identities and get the hell out of Dodge. Running toward each other from opposite coasts—Claire from the east, Eva from the west—they meet by chance at JFK airport in New York and inside a stall in the women’s restroom, they hastily cook up a plan to swap identities. As they depart and head toward their respective gates, little do they know the path each has chosen is about to crash and burn.
Adding to this already tense and terrifying journey, Clark utilizes a parallel plot technique so effective that the identities of Claire and Eva become so intertwined, at times it’s hard to distinguish between them. (See how she achieved this in the interview below.)
Moreover, in The Last Flight, Clark has built a world where women rise, refusing to be victims of their own misguided decisions. A world where the influence of families is minimal, yet the support and trust of friends is paramount to survival.
Whether or not this is Claire and Eva’s last flight will haunt you long after you turn off the overhead light.
Interview with Julie Clark, The Last Flight
Q. A theme of the story is the Me Too movement. In fact, you introduce it in your dedication. Though #MeToo started in 2017, it can be traced back at least to a decade before that. What came first: the movement or your idea for this novel?
A. Absolutely the movement came first. I began drafting this story in the fall of 2017, and all around me, women were coming forward with their stories. Suddenly, attention was being given to how women have always had to navigate the world—with plenty of attention on risk assessment versus payoff: If I park here, I’m closer to the store, but next to a van with no windows. If I take the shortcut through the alley, I’ll be home faster, but no one will hear me if I call for help. These are questions all women ask themselves every day. I wanted my two main characters, Claire and Eva, to be at the beginning of their own #MeToo moment. Fed up and ready to speak out and strike back.
Q. You’ve created two protagonists, two antagonists, and two timelines, switching back and forth between points of view as well as the present and the past. What was the most challenging aspect of this undertaking?
A. By far the most challenging aspect was keeping both story arcs in sync. I had all the plot points on color-coded notecards—green for Claire, yellow for Eva. Trying to fit their two storylines in place so that they rose and fell together was crazy-making. Tackling a dual POV story is challenging. Tackling a dual timeline story is challenging. I ended up tackling them both.
Q. Some say there’s no such thing as a coincidence. Yet, without revealing anything, The Last Flight hinges on one heck of a coincidence. Do you believe no coincidence, no story?
A. Social media has taught us how interconnected our lives are. How many times have you seen a person from one part of your life on the Friends list of someone from another part of your life? A colleague who went to camp with someone you’ve known since kindergarten? A neighbor who dated your cousin’s college boyfriend? One of my closest friends from college bought a house on the same street as one of my closest friends from high school. They had both moved to a town where they knew no one. They became best friends and then discovered they both knew me. Coincidence? Sure. But it happens all the time.
I’m also a big believer in the idea that the universe will always put the right person in your path at the right time. Every life contains both fortunate and unfortunate coincidences. In fiction, those coincidences are what drives a plot to develop in an author’s imagination. The hard part is making them work on the page.
Q. I’m always intrigued by titles. In my mind, The Last Flight could have a double meaning. Was that your intention?
A. It absolutely was. My agent and I went back and forth for a few months, trying to find a title that would fit both literally and metaphorically. I’m pretty happy with what we came up with.
Q. Is there a sequel in the works?
A. Not for this book, no. Although sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night, tempted to write the opposite ending. Even if just for myself.
Enjoyed reading this book. Very entertaing!
Great read–twists and turns– could not put down
A super fast read with a few plot twists thrown in at the end. Claire and Eva meet in an airport bar and change places and then the story really takes off. Both are two strong women from different circumstances fighting to stay alive. A great story!
A terrific book. Claire Cook is desperate to escape her “perfect” life and her abusive husband. Eva James is on the run from her own train wreck life. A chance airport meeting and the two women trade plane tickets and IDs – and lives. What could go wrong? Everything. Highly recommended.
This book was hugely entertaining.
I loved it! It is easy to identify with both characters, and they BOTH have secrets they wish to ignore, bury, or forget. It is a book for anyone who has dreamed of starting over, but can’t find the courage to actually do it. Unexpected consequences in this story make most of us glad we never tried.
Can I just say WOW! This book was an all nighter, I could not put it down if I tried. I loved the 2 main woman characters, they were such strong woman although they did not see them selves that way. From beginning to end, this book just grabs you and will not let go. Thank you Julie Clark for my sleepless night, it was so worth it and I would do it again for this book in a heart beat!
Couldn’t put it down! Stayed up half the night! Nice twist at the end..
It grabbed me on page one and didn’t let go until long after I finished the book.
The premise of this book was so interesting that I couldn’t wait to read it. Two women that are desperate to escape their lives for different reasons. They meet in an airport bar and impulsively decide to switch tickets. This is the beginning of a page turner that I didn’t want to put down. There were so many twists and turns and I was rooting for both women to have a good outcome to their story. This is a must read for thriller fans.
Women who find their voice and courage are the hallmark of this story. There are interesting twists and turns throughout that make this book difficult to put down. The story will make you think about your preconceived notions concerning domestic violence and who gets pulled into the drug trade.
Well written, exciting.
For me, this book was a magnetic draw because of the topic of just walking away from your life and beginning again. I thought the premise was fascinating. But the start of the book was slow, introductory material about the lives that Claire Cook and Eva James were leaving behind. I felt empathy for both main characters, but especially for Claire, an abused wife who is desperate to leave her multi-millionaire, controlling husband. Eva has created her own problem by making wrong choices, so I didn’t feel as bad for her. The action ratcheted up, as did my interest, about one-third of the way through the book. There was more happening that required all of my attention as it was a complicated machination to get the two women together just at the right moment so that they could switch places. That being said, neither of the main characters was my real favorite. That would be Liz, Eva’s temporary neighbor, a woman who dispensed love and knowledge and acceptance no matter what the past revealed. She was the picture of the ultimate mother or grandmother, and I just adored how she related to the much younger Eva. The story worked for me in the end. The characters were very well-developed and the suspense was present, although I wouldn’t say that suspense was the main thrust of the book. I enjoyed reading the story, but I hated the ending and decided that I would just make up my own. Also, I thought that the conclusion was rather abrupt after a slow unraveling of a lot of issues for both protagonists. I will look for more books by this author in the future, and I sincerely appreciate being chosen by Bookreporter.com to win this book.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bookreporter.com via their summer reading contest. 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.”
This book just got better with every page. It’s difficult to say more because the plot is so unexpected from early on. The characters have marvelous detail and depth and fit exquisitely with the setting and point in American history (during the Depression but before WWII). A great read that engages!
Holy crap! This book just moved up to one of my favorite reads for this year.
Two women looking to flee their current lives. Sometimes things aren’t always what they seem from the outside, so we have to dig to see what we are missing.
The Last Flight was a heart pounding, page turning, full of twists and emotions suspense thriller.
Claire is married to a very successful man (and his family/employees). He’s looking to run for a position in senate and with his family name and money, he will surely be a shoo in. He has a beautiful wife that runs many non-profits and they have the seemingly perfect life…from the outside. What people don’t see is her eyes are screaming for help. Her life is full of threats and pain coming from her own home. When she finally sets into motion a way to leave, her plans come to an abrupt halt. Did someone find out? Will he put all the pieces together and come for her? Will she still be in danger?
Eva is living on the other side of the US. She lives near Berkley and has had misfortune after misfortune since birth. From her mother, to her home life, to her college life. Just once something starts to look good and starts to go in her favor, the other shoe drops and she has to fight and figure out how to live. SO when an ‘opportunity’ drops in her lap, she really has no choice but to take it. Will this choice be the answer to all her prayers? Or is she just getting herself deeper and deeper into a hole she can’t dig herself out from?
“All choices had consequences. It was what you did with those consequences that mattered.”
This story is told in first person from Claire’s POV. Her POV is always NOW and what she is doing and is planning to do. We are in her mind and on the run with her from the first page. Eva’s POV is told from third person and from the past. We get to see where she came from and how she got to her current predicament. She is almost the person you didn’t see coming and you’re never quite sure about her. But you end up really rooting for both of these women for very different reasons. They are truly fighters looking out for themselves, but they are also only looking for love and friendship. A connection that they never had or never let themselves form because of their pasts or current predicaments.
With The Last Flight, you not only get two very strong female protagonists, but you get a story of family and emotions and how these women that are forged in fire can overcome. They are smart and strong and will come out on the other side better for their actions. You’ll be surprised with certain elements of the story, but mostly, you really won’t want to stop turning those pages. What happened to each woman after exchanging those tickets? Will they be free from their evils? Or will their tracks not be covered up? Only you can find out…..
“Everything you ever wanted is on the other side of fear.”
I was thoroughly engrossed in minutes. The author nailed this one perfectly! It was fast-paced, fierce and exhilarating. Just what I craved at the moment.
My only regret is that I had to wait so long to get my hands on a copy! I was undecided when I saw the ARC on NG, so I passed. Then it felt like torture to read all the fantastic reviews, when it was too late to request a copy!
Claire and Eva are both remarkable, impressive and desperate women, in their own ways. I wasn’t ready to stop reading about them.
Ms. Clark is a must-read author. She has an exceptional writing technique, and zeros in on keeping her readers entertained. I’m ready for the next book, please!
Another incredible group read with No Rules – Just Thrills!
My Rating: 5 ’s
Published: June 23rd 2020 by Sourcebooks Landmark
Pages: 288
Recommend: Absolutely!
Julie Clark @Sourcebooks
#psychologicalthriller #NoRulesJustThrills #MustRead #BestThriller2020 #SummerRead #BigTwist
After publication, my reviews can be found:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AFWS5Q63ZHOHGTHHCWSA7TFIZLRA?preview=true
Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/takemeaway21
BN.com, BookBub
More on the author:
https://www.julieclarkbooks.org
https://www.facebook.com/julieclarkbooks/
Wow. This book was just crazy. The story was completely phenomenal. The way everything wrapped up at the end, all the threads came together—just masterful. I *liked* the character of Claire more, but Eva was done in such amazing way, where she was someone who you could actually empathize with, despite her job (read it to see). I appreciate that Eva’s death comes right at the beginning of the book pretty much, so you don’t have to wait around for the big plot point. The dual perspectives and dual timelines is just so creative. This book gets MAJOR points for creativity, the docked star is because there were points where I didn’t love the writing style. Sometimes it get like a list of things that happened, and there wasn’t any flow. Still a stellar book that I would highly recommend.
Loved everything about this book! Great Mystery/Thriller. Read it in one day!
4 stars