A review by mg_in_md_
Her Last Flight by Beatriz Williams

4.0

Alternating between scenes set in 1947and excerpts from a biography, this historical fiction novel follows a female photojournalist's hunt for the truth about a renowned, but forgotten, aviation pioneer, Sam Mallory. Janey, the photojournalist, finds herself in a remote surfing village in Kauai trying to extract details about Mallory's life and fatal final flight from Irene Lindquist, a woman Janey believes is actually the legendary Irene Foster, Mallory's one-time student and flying partner. The story is set primarily in Hawaii but also takes the reader to locations such as California, Australia, and Spain during that country's Civil War. The locations drew me into the story and I felt transported to a different time and place due to the historical details that brought these worlds to life. Both women are strong and have pushed the boundaries, but have also put up walls around their true selves despite their apparent fearlessness. I found this to be a page-turner and I kept wanting to learn more about each intriguing woman. While I did deduce certain plot points before they were ultimately revealed, I enjoyed the story and how it unfolded. This was the first book I've read by this author and it certainly won't be my last. I found this novel to be just the right bit of escapism I needed. This review was based on the Advanced Reader Edition I received via NetGalley. Many thanks to William Morrow and Book Club Girl for this early read!