This was a fun read and I enjoyed the quick and steady pace! The main character Makayla was well written even though I couldn’t stand some of her actions, but I am sure if I were in that situation I would probably react in a similar fashion. I did hate that there was no repercussions for any of the husband’s actions both personal and career, he probably should’ve gotten some prison time and some marriage counseling if we’re honest. Overall it was an interesting plot and I was hooked the whole time!

I was in the mood for a fun, fast-paced popcorn thriller and this hit the spot. I would recommend it to anyone looking to be entertained by a thriller for a few hours. I found some things about the plot a little questionable, but if you can suspend your disbelief and roll with it, you'll have fun!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

USA Today bestselling author Audrey J. Cole delivers another harrowing thriller that will keep you reading (and on the edge of your seat). In “Missing In Flight,” Makayla Rossi faces the unthinkable when her infant son vanishes aboard a plane to New York.

Rushing back to her seat after a brief restroom break, Makayla is relieved to find everything quiet. But when she checks on her sleeping baby, her relief rapidly turns to bone-chilling fear when she sees that the bassinet is empty, and her son Liam is gone.

The flight from Anchorage to New York was long, and with every flight attendant busy, Makayla had asked a seat neighbor to watch her son. Yet at thirty thousand feet, he vanished. Passengers and crew search the plane, however no one recalls seeing her with a baby. Suspicions mount about Makayla’s mental state, and she’s left to fend for herself.

Cole masterfully builds tension as Makayla races against time to find her son. The confined space of the airplane intensifies the suspense in this "locked room" (er um, plane) mystery.

Makayla’s desperation and vulnerability are palpable, and readers will empathize with her struggle.

Just when you think you’ve got the mystery solved, think again - Cole is an expert at creating unexpected twists which will keep you guessing.

“Missing In Flight” is a heart-pounding, captivating thriller that taps into every parent’s (or Aunt's or Uncle's) worst nightmare.

Audrey J. Cole’s writing keeps you engaged, and the eerie setting of an airplane amplifies the stakes. If you’re ready for a gripping read, buckle up for a turbulent ride.

A mother, Makayla, and her infant son, Liam, are on an airplane, flying back home to New York. At thirty thousand feet in the air, the unthinkable happens. All it takes is five minutes, and suddenly, Liam is missing. Told between the alternating perspectives of Makayla, her husband Jack, the Co-Pilot of the plane, and a police detective on the ground, we follow Makayla and her desperate search to find her missing son in the most unlikely place someone can disappear. Between the sketchy passengers on board the plane who conveniently say they never saw Liam, and the flight attendants and FBI agents who question whether Makayla even brought a baby on board in the first place, she starts to wonder whether this was all an orchestrated kidnapping, or if she’s going crazy herself.

This was an amazing book. I finished it in less than a day. From the very first page, I was captivated by the story and desperate to find out what was going to happen next. The writing was fantastic, and due to the author’s connections with a pilot father, the writing truly made me feel like I was on board the plane myself. I really connected with Makayla, and went through the same emotions she did throughout the book.

There are a few reasons I’m giving it four stars instead of five. One is because some of the ending felt a bit unrealistic and over the top, which took away from the main storyline for me. And there weren’t really any major plot twists, other than a slight reveal which I ended up guessing beforehand. And because 95% of the story takes place in a single setting (on the plane), some of the scenes and dialogue was starting to feel a bit repetitive. But don’t get me wrong, this book was so good and is definitely worth reading.

Missing In Flight is an action packed novel about a baby missing on an airplane and the conspiracies that arise thereafter. I loved the extreme scenarios and narrative twists in the novel. The pacing was fast from the beginning and kept my heart racing throughout, though there were a few times that dialogue/theories/motives seemed to be unnecessarily repeated from one chapter to another and that slowed me down a bit.

Makayla is the mother of the missing child, who I found to be an extremely unlikable character as she tears the plane apart and starts chaos left and right in the name of finding Liam. I was almost expecting it to be purposeful, as in a storyline where the parents stagged their own babies' kidnapping, only then would her outrageous behavior make sense to me. The cabin crew and in air passengers were way to complicit in Makayla's bullshit and I really think she should have been restrained after her second refusal to remain seated and leave other passengers' items alone. All injuries on board are directly attributed to Makayla's stubborn actions and I really think she should have served a sentence for them. Her husband, Jack, is also a shady character that gets off scotch free for his sins when he really should have been looking at at least a little bit of prison time. But apparently all is forgiven when your baby gets kidnapped.

Another qualm I had with the story is that almost every women in the novel was a bad guy. I don't know why the co-pilot of the airplane needed to have an adultery storyline, or why Jack's childhood best friend was a black-mailing home-wrecker, or why the kidnapping mastermind had to be the woman of the criminal couple. This is paralleled with a male pilot who loves his family and saves the day with his solo landing skills and an FBI agent who comes running (and shooting) in just the right second. I think at the very least, some of the gender's should have been flipped to keep the book from sounding too anti-feminist.

Missing in Flight is Audrey J. Cole’s latest suspense novel. It is a good and exciting read but it requires a good deal of suspension of disbelief.

Makayla Rossi and her infant son Liam are on a non-stop flight back to New York from her father’s home in Anchorage. It is a long flight and while Liam is asleep, Makayla runs to the restroom and when she returns, Liam’s bassinet is empty. Frantically, she asks other passengers if anyone knows who took her son.

There a lot of red herrings that Ms. Cole sprinkles in (maybe a bit too many) and for the most part, they are effective. Global Transient Amnesia figures into the story and that part is fascinating.

Missing in Flight gets a solid four out of five stars from me. I enjoyed this and her previous books I have had the pleasure of reading. Thank you to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book early.

Pub Date Jan 07 2025

Traditional format 📕 (digital). A child goes missing on a plane ride from Alaska. Can they find him?

What I liked
✈️ Action packed from beginning to end
✈️ lots of plot twists and diversions to keep you guessing
✈️ a quick engaging read

What I didn’t like
✈️ many elements of the plot we so unbelievably far fetched I rolled my eyes at several points
✈️ almost too much action on the plane that took away a little from the main plot. I mean really did we need a violent storm to land in???
✈️ there was a lot of repetition. For examples how many times do we need to check the dog crate or mention it

Despite the ridiculously over the top far fetchedness of some of the plot it was a quick and enjoyable action packed read. I mean don’t we want a book that keeps us on the edge of our seat? For this reason I am giving this one a 4/5 and recommend it for anyone who loves a good missing child story and or a thriller set on a plane.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for a review.

Missing in Flight follows Makayla, who is flying home to New York when her baby goes missing mid-flight. Searching the plane but no sign of him and a family history of amnesia, the crew begin to question if the baby was ever on board....

I was worried this would be too similar to the film "Flight Plan" and while the concept is the same - child goes missing mid-flight, people questioning the mother, the execution is quite different. Cleverly done with alternating POV's, an extremely wealthy husband who has a secret or two, a First Officer in the cockpit of the plane, Makayla and a detective on the ground. Being set in a metal tube in the sky could mean a very basic setting but adding those extra POV's added interest an excitement. The backstory of Makayla's life, including her famous mother add intrigue and character development.

I thought the characters were all well thought out, with their own struggles but common desire to protect those close to them.

It was fast paced, a few twists, and while there was one aspect of the ending that I thought was a bit far-fetched but didn't take away from the overall story and I did think it was well wrapped up. A really enjoyable thriller - 4 stars.

This book had a decent plot and the characters were okay but some parts were so far fetched it was almost laughable. I know it's fiction but the story just didn't flow in a way that made sense.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an ARC of Missing In Flight.

I have to admit, this was an action packed ride without a dull moment in the entire story. That being said, the characters felt shallow, the writing repetitive (even in such a short book) and the plot was almost laughably unrealistic. It definitely ended up being too much of a "popcorn thriller" for me, but this may be a good fit for another reader who is willing to suspend all disbelief for a quick and exciting read.

2.5 stars rounded up.

It seems impossible. On a flight from Alaska to New York, Makayla leaves her sleeping son Liam in his plane carrier to make a quick trip to the bathroom. When she returns, he is gone. Who would kidnap a baby on a cross country flight? Where would they put him? Good question. The harried airplane personnel search the overhead bins, the passengers’ carry ons, the galley, the undersea areas - everywhere. No baby is found. Meanwhile, Makayla becomes hysterical, the crew is frustrated, some passengers are angry and the weather gets worse.

On the ground, the FBI is involved and plans to meet the plane as soon as it lands. An interview with Makayla’s husband Jack, a senior manager at a securities company, leads to other theories about Liam’s disappearance. The agents work at solving this complicated case, Makayla fights to continue searching for her son and the pilots struggle to control the plane and land during a violent storm.

Missing in Flight is a “locked room” mystery if the room were an airplane moving at high speed 30,000’ in the air. Audrey J. Cole describes her characters so well, the multilayered plot moves quickly and the conclusion is shocking and unexpected. This is definitely a 5 star read!

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and Audrey J. Cole for this ARC.

This was just ok for me. It was far fetched in a lot of places but it was fast paced and kept me wanting to read more.

Audrey J. Cole has quickly become one of my favorite authors, and "Missing In Flight" solidifies her status. This gripping thriller, reminiscent of an Alfred Hitchcock movie, is packed with tension and suspense. I devoured it in a single day, unable to put it down.

The story follows Makayla Rossi, who is flying from Anchorage to New York when her worst nightmare comes true—her baby, Liam, goes missing mid-flight. As she frantically searches the plane, the flight attendants and passengers begin to question her sanity. The alternating POVs of Makayla, her husband Jack in New York, a first officer, and a detective investigating the case on the ground provide a comprehensive and intense narrative.

Central themes include a mother’s unwavering commitment to her child and society's tendency to label those who passionately defend their beliefs as crazy. The shifting perspectives reveal the deep struggles of each character, emphasizing their willingness to sacrifice for their loved ones. The characters are richly developed, making their plights deeply relatable.

This fast-paced, high-stakes thriller is full of red herrings and jaw-dropping twists. The only slight downside was an ending that could have been a bit more satisfying. Nonetheless, the characters and relentless suspense make this a must-read. If you enjoy exploring the depths of human fear and the power of maternal instinct, "Missing In Flight" is perfect for you.

Set to release on January 7, 2025, this locked-room thriller aboard an airplane will keep you on the edge of your seat. Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the ARC. Don’t miss out on this wild ride!

Audrey always delivers an interesting story! Imagine going to the bathroom in flight and coming back to your seat to find your baby missing! Seems impossible but it happens to this protagonist. The action continues throughout with some hair raising events! Will everything turn out okay? It seems impossible at times! Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Audrey Cole has become one of my favorite authors. Missing in Flight had different things going on which brought the tension to an all-time high. The story reminded me of an Alfred Hitchcock movie. All the elements were there. I read it in one day because there was no way I was putting this book down with all that was going on. It was necessary to find out how the story played out. Yikes! Twists and turns and take your breath moments! You will be surprised! I encourage readers to give Audrey Cole's books a read. My favorites are "The Final Hunt" and "The Last Hunt." Whoa!

Thanks #NetGalley for the AC!
Yolie McLaughlin

Missing in Flight by Audrey J. Cole is a heart-pounding thriller that follows Makayla Rossi as she endures the unthinkable. During a transatlantic flight, her infant son, Liam, vanishes without a trace. With no witnesses and the plane already in the air, Makayla is forced to confront suspicion and doubt while desperately searching for her child. As the clock ticks, she must unravel a complex web of secrets and lies to bring Liam home safely.

I had a great time with this novel. Will be looking for more from Audrey J. Cole. Solid 4 out of 5 stars...

read if you like:
✈️ plane thrillers
👶🏻 missing children books
💁🏻‍♀️ psychological thrillers

summary:
WOW I loved this book. I’m a big fan of thrillers on planes — FALLING, HOSTAGE, THE LAST FLIGHT, and this one was just as good. It’s a story that follows Makayla Rossi, who is flying from Anchorage to New York, when she heads to the bathroom and returns to find her baby, Liam, gone. She frantically searches the entire plane for him to no avail, and before long, the flight attendants and other passengers start to question Makayla’s own sanity. As her fear and desperation grow as the plane approaches New York, she know she needs to find him before it’s too late.

The story alternates between the POV’s of Makayla, her husband Jack in New York, a first officer, and a detective on the ground investigating the case. Some of the central themes include a mother’s unwavering commitment to her child and society's tendency to label those who passionately defend their beliefs as crazy. Through the shifting POVs, we gain deep insights into several characters, revealing a common thread among them: their willingness to sacrifice for their loved ones. I found myself deeply connected to their struggles, especially through the experiences of Makayla, the flight attendants, and the pilots.

This is an incredibly quick read, and I found myself finishing it while watching the Olympics! There are several red herrings throughout and the only reason I didn’t give this a 10 is because I thought the ending could have been a LITTLE bit more satisfying! But the characters made this such a gripping page turner.

If you want to dig into the depths of human fear and the power of maternal instinct, check this book out when it releases on January 7! Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and Net Galley for the ARC!

There is something about locked room thrillers that gets me and inside an airplane flying across Canada is as pretty locked room as it gets! I found this book fast-paced and fairly twisty.

I liked the multiple perspectives. I don’t tend to love police procedural books so those chapters weren’t my favorite, but they didn’t ruin the book for me.

If you want a book with a very realistic plot, this is not for you! It absolutely had far-fetched moments throughout, but I was able to look past that and found it enjoyable.

4⭐️s!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an ARC of this novel.

"𝑯𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒐𝒏? 𝑴𝒚 𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒚. 𝑰 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒘𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒎, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒆'𝒔 𝒈𝒐𝒏𝒆."

If you're looking for a wild locked room thriller, you can't get any more locked down than an airplane that's in flight.

Makayla Rossi is on a long flight from Anchorage to New York. Every flight attendant is busy, and she has to use the bathroom. The problem is her son is sleeping, and she knows if she wakes him up, it will be an even longer flight for everyone else on board forced to listen to his wails. In desperation, she turns to a seatmate, and when the woman nods her approval, Makayla races to the bathroom, gone only a few minutes. When she returns, however, a pillow is in the bassinet, but her son is gone.

How does a baby go missing at 30,000 feet? A desperate search begins that quickly devolves into suspicions about Makayla's mental state. After all, no one ever remembers seeing a baby, only the baby carrier that Makayla wore that shielded him from view. Even worse, one of the passengers recognizes her as the subject of a documentary about her mother, a woman in the entertainment industry who suffered from temporary amnesia and had a distressing episode while on air. Suddenly, the atmosphere changes, and it becomes more about trying to placate Makayla's growing hysteria than it does looking for her son.

The only thing Makayla can think of is that her baby was targeted because her husband is a high-profile banker who was recently featured in Forbes Magazine. But logic tells her that no one can kidnap a baby from a plane in flight and hide it somewhere where it won't be heard.

While you will have to suspend disbelief somewhat, this was a highly entertaining thriller with an intense, frenetic pace that had me constantly whispering, "what the f*ck" to myself over and over. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer Publishing for the early copy. At the time this review was written, this title is expected to release on January 7, 2025.

From USA Today bestselling author Audrey J. Cole comes a harrowing thriller about a woman faced with the unthinkable, when her infant goes missing aboard a plane to New York.
Great book!! Very different! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one! This book had suspense, intrigue, action, murder, mystery, secrets, a great who done it and some crazy twists and turns! The storyline was very interesting and kept me glued to my kindle! I highly recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!