In 1947, photographer and war correspondent Janey Everett arrives at a remote surfing village on the Hawaiian island of Kauai to research a planned biography of forgotten aviation pioneer Sam Mallory, who joined the loyalist forces in the Spanish Civil War and never returned. Obsessed with Sam’s fate, Janey has tracked down Irene Lindquist, the owner of a local island-hopping airline, whom she believes might actually be the legendary Irene Foster, Mallory’s onetime student and flying partner.
Get your tissues and settle in because Her Last Flight will take you on a trip back through time that is both beautiful and raw, as well as both heart-tugging and heart-breaking. Beatriz Williams has crafted a novel that tells an incredible story but also has fantastically strong, complicated, relatable, and beautifully written characters ... I’m not sure it is possible to read this novel and not connect with these characters ... The story twists in ways that are surprising and gratifying. There are tears from the characters as they come to certain realisations, but there will certainly be tears from the reader as well (speaking from personal experience). You will know these women, and you may even realise you are these women. Williams’s beautiful writing absolutely makes them women you can feel in your soul ... The story is incredible and wonderfully told, but the outstanding work that went into character development is the shining star here. Highly recommended for any fan of historical fiction, but especially fans of Williams’ previous work.
What started out as a slow burn soon turned riveting as the history of aviation (a subject that I never thought I’d care much about!) was brought to life in this suspenseful, heartbreaking and hopeful mystery. The reader is invited along on an unforgettable journey ... As if I were seated in the airplane alongside Irene and Sam, my heart often was in my throat as they participated in various races around the world and other dangerous, gravity-defying tricks to thrill the crowds ... I appreciated that a beloved pet was so thoroughly and lovingly woven into the novel ... As always, Beatriz Williams’ signature writing style paired with strong, independent, vibrant female characters drew me into the story and didn’t let go until the surprising and satisfying conclusion ... I'd call it a rip-roaring, soaring success ... chock-full of fabulous characters, adventure, intrigue, suspense and, of course, romance.
Beatriz Williams has already proven herself a master of the historical fiction genre. With her latest, Her Last Flight, she has again proven herself worthy of the honorific ... Williams deftly weaves a story that spans multiple time periods and multiple points of view, with strategically placed surprises that readers will not soon forget ... a compelling read about the human condition. It teaches the reader, as it taught Janey, that notwithstanding preconceived notions people may have about others, 'nobody is all good or all bad; that hardly any battles are fought between good and evil. There is more good and less evil, or more evil and less good' ... The author also explores the price of fame, or maybe it is more aptly described as the cost of fame ... Beatriz Williams deftly fits together the characters, stories, and themes that the narrative services into a cohesive whole. The pieces all align perfectly, and she has shaped them together brilliantly. Her Last Flight is a gem of a book.
