Mina is trying to focus on work. This is the first direct flight from London to Sydney, and it is a huge deal. She can’t keep herself from obsessing over her five year old daughter back home though. When she receives a note about her daughter possibly being in danger, Mina doesn’t know what to do.

I loved After The End by Clare Mackintosh so when I saw she had a new book coming out I knew I needed to get my hands on a copy! This book was so different from After The End, but still so dang good! It had me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen and who was the true mastermind behind everything. I certainly did not see the twists coming at the end. I don’t want to say too much because I think this is one you should go into blind!

There's nothing even remotely friendly about these skies. Hostage takes place during a harrowing 20 hour nonstop flight from London to Sydney (with flashbacks and multiple POV's). When terrorists take over the plane flight attendant Mina is faced with a King Solomon choice: give into their demands to save her daughter back in London, but knowing it will doom the passengers and crew of World Airlines flight 79, or sacrifice her daughter for the hundreds of innocent souls onboard. Some of Hostage's "flight pattern" (plot) is predictable-not unexpected given the brief time frame and 50/50 circumstances (either the plane crashes or it doesn't), but in typical Clare Mackintosh fashion there's several twists even a psychic won't see coming. Fans of Miss Mackintosh know the key to unraveling her novels is literally reading between the lines-sometimes what she doesn't say reveals more that what she does. The writing is sharp enough to cut glass, and while the characters could become cliches (everybody has a secret-especially Mina and her wayward husband), delicately placed revelations n the backstory keep the suspense coming even after the fate of flight 79 is sealed. Like her previous novels, there's hidden meaning in the title-the true identity of the "hostage" is poignant and provocative. So pack your bags and prepare for take off. This may be the only time you'll beg to be taken Hostage!

Please ensure your seat is in the upright position and buckle up because you are in for one hellva ride! I was pumped to be approved for Clare Mackintosh's newest thriller as I love her other novels especially I Let You Go. This heart pumping thriller does not disappoint and that ending!! WOAH! WHAT!?? Seriously do yourself a favor and read this book. It was a perfect companion through my quarantine.

I absolutely love Clare Mackintosh! Hostage is an edge of your seat tense thriller - just don't read it on your next flight! Mina is a flight attendant and is given an impossible choice on a non-stop flight from London to Sydney. What would you do in her situation??
I recommend this book to anyone!

This is such a fantastic novel.
Mina is a strong woman who is faced with a horrific choice, actually we moms would not even view this as a choice...your. child or something else? no question.
I loved the format of the two storylines, Mina dealing with the crisis at hand in the sky, while Adam is at home, dealing with relationship with their daughter and his gambling addiction.
This couple has marital problems and the very real issue of attachment disorder with their child, Sophia,, who was adopted.

I just felt this suspense novel was excellent, good suspense, family drama and the dual viewpoints make this a winner.
Can't wait to see what this author writes next!!

Mina is a flight attendant on 20 hour inaugural flight from London to Sydney. Leaving behind a husband and five year old daughter, she reflects on her troubled marriage and daughter. Shortly after takeoff, she receives a note telling her she must risk the everyone on board if she wants to save her daughter.

Switching between the situation on the plane and her husband and daughter at home, slowly the story comes together. With several twists and turns, the tension builds and builds. I found the ending of the novel to be a huge surprise but just right!

Wow! Hostage is unlike anything I’ve read before. There are 2 stories going on and it was easy to flip back and forth. Little Sophia being only 5 yo at the time of the hostage situation sure seemed smarter than any other 5 yo I’ve ever known lol. This book is so full of detail and it’s very tense at times! She really did her research!! Another great book by Clare Mackintosh. This is my 6th book by her and she never disappoints. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review. To be published June 2021.

Hostage tells the story of a plane hijack from the point of view of many passengers, Mina (a flight attendant), and Mina’s family. As the pieces slowly came together I found myself being drawn in deeper and deeper as I wanted more.
Recommended for all.

*I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark.

Good storyline about a hostage situation on a direct London to Sydney flight. Good development of the characters with Mina as one of the flight attendants with her adopted daughter at home being looked after by her estranged police officer husband. Interesting narrative in terms of how far activists are willing to go for their cause and how easy it is to persuade vulnerable people to join a cause. Good page turner with a few interesting twists at the end.

Fast-paced, action-packed, suspenseful psychological thriller— what else could you ask for? The author has definitely hit all the right spots in this novel.

I am absolutely, positively Z E R O fun to watch crime shows with because I usually figure out what’s going to happen within the first ten minutes - and it’s pretty well the same with books. Clare Mackintosh is one of the few (very, very few) authors who has completely blindsided me with a twist in the past, so when I saw this latest novel of hers on here, I didn’t even blink before requesting it.

This book was a thrilling good time. With a current events take on domestic terrorism, this novel does a great job of holding you in suspense. The added context of Mina and Adam’s relationship, I found, does a lot for character development and really helps pull the reader into the story.

Now, as it is my nature, I did figure out one of the big ending twists before it was revealed, but with that being said, I absolutely could not put the book down, and the author aptly lead me down a few stray paths along the way. But, as she has done in the past, Clare Mackintosh definitely caught me by surprise with the last chapter, sending those little shivers down your spine that come from a good book with a great ending. Well done.

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Thank you for the ARC of this book.

This book fell a little short for me. I tried getting into it multiple times and just couldn’t do it. The characters were one dimensional and very hard to connect with.

Please fasten your seat belt because you are in for a RIDE!! This one was so good!! Already added to several reading radars!
Fast paced, thrilling read and the ride does not stop until the very, very end of the book.
Faced with an impossible decision 35000 feet in the air, Mina makes a choice that most mom's would understand. Meanwhile, her husband Adam is battling his own deep deception...but how deep does it go. And are the two incidents connected? And just who is pulling the strings?
It's such a thrilling ride. Easy to recommend!!

I love a good hostage situation (in fiction, of course) so this book sounded right up my alley. It was slower paced than I expected, taking a while for the main plot to pick up. The chapters offered individual vignettes of the different passengers, discussing issues from domestic abuse to fat shaming. I actually quite enjoyed many of these perspectives. As the story itself, I found it to be a bit underwhelming. I have come to expect more twists and turns from this author and this one just felt straightforward and fairly simple. Personally, I would recommend starting with one of the author's backlist titles, which I feel are much stronger. 

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

I am a huge fan of this author. I was not disappointed and think this may be one of her best! Kept me reading late into the night just to find out the ending! Thanks to publisher and NetGalley for ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Pub date: 6/21

First, MASSIVE thanks to SOURCEBOOK Landmark and to NetGalley for allowing me to review this ARC. I didn't expect to get this permission, but I am so glad that I did.

I did not enjoy reading this book. It was harrowing. I felt trapped. I had to put it down and take breaks from it. That said, it deserves the fullest five stars because Claire Mackintosh, one of my top 5 favorite authors, is a f***ing brilliant writer.

As you'll know from the blurb, this is a story about tragedy unfolding mid-flight for flight attendant Mina, but it is SO MUCH more than that. I felt a full range of emotions for every major character in the book, including Sophia, the young, innocent child at the center of the story. Even she is imperfect, in a most delicious way.

Immediately after finishing this book late last night, I took an hour to speed-read through the entire thing again to catch a couple of crucial moments. I NEVER do that. But in this case, I had to.

Will enthusiastically recommend this book. 5/5 stars!

LOVED Hostage! It is crazy intense and so exciting! Loved all the twists and turns and couldn't wait to grab a few minutes (which turned into much longer!) to read! Clare Mackintosh never disappoints and this one might be my favorite!
Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

Clare Mackintosh is a a genius. I devoured this book in 2 nights, and I am sad it is over.
Mina and Adam have an adopted daughter named Sophia. Adam is a police officer and Mina a flight attendant. In the midst of marital issues ( Mina thinks he had an affair with their babysitter,) Mina agrees to work the first non-stop flight from England to Sydney , Australia. Once the flight takes off and Mina begins helping the passengers , she notices something odd, her daughter’s Epi-pen is on the counter in the flight attendants work area. She is then given a letter from an unknown passenger giving her instructions that she must do if she ever wants to see her daughter Sophia again. What is a mother to do.....?. This BOOK is a MUST READ....

What a ride....I can really see this as a movie! Without giving too much away, flight attendant Mina and husband Adam are buried in their secrets. When Mina’s plane is hijacked, with her help, will they come out of these alive? Oh, and the ending!!! Turns out daughter Sophia has her own secrets!!

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars

I was on the fence for the rating but the ending pushed it up to a five.

Mina is a flight attendant on the inaugural London to Sydney non-stop flight, leaving her five year old daughter with severe separation issues and a troubled marriage at home. Terrorists have infiltrated the flight and have threatened Mina’s daughter if she doesn’t help them.

The book goes back and forth between Mina and her husband, policeman Adam. There are also short chapters introducing different passengers.

Hostage was a fantastic and engaging read with tons of tension. Plenty of mysterious threads to follow as you figure out who is in on the plot and also what happened with Mina and Adam’s marriage. I didn’t see the ending coming. I highly recommend reading the latest from Claire Mackintosh.