LAYOVER

4 stars out of 5


There's a touch of edge-of-seatness in this book to be sure, but I'd describe it more as a coming of age character study than a spine-tingling thriller. And I admit it's a bit of a stretch when it comes to believability; but then again, this is a work of fiction - so whether it could happen in real life really doesn't count for much. The bottom line is how well it's written - and I have no real complaints on that score; had I been able to finish it in one sitting, I would have.

Joshua Fields is your average Joe - went to work for his father, spending his days (and not a few nights) on the road helping with real estate deals and making his dad proud. He's got a girlfriend, although they're not quite seeing eye-to-eye at the moment and are taking a break. He makes decent money and, for all intents and purposes, should be a happy man.

Except he isn't. He hates to fly - popping anxiety pills before every one of his frequent flights. He knows he should be grateful that he's got a steady job with a future, a parent who loves him and a somewhat satisfactory love life. But in fact, he sees his life as hum-drum at best; he's just going through motions that he really doesn't much enjoy.

All that changes when he meets a beautiful but mysterious woman named Morgan during a layover at the Atlanta airport while on his way to shore up a real estate deal in Tampa, Fla. When she tells him little more about her life except that she's on the run, he's fascinated. And when she gives him a big kiss before flying down the concourse to catch her plane, fascination turns into infatuation. On a spur-of-the-moment whim, Josh decides to throw caution to the wind, cancel his trip to Tampa and set out to find her again. Perhaps, he seems to think, he can save her and his boring life in one fell swoop.

But you know what they say about good intentions and best-laid plans; finding Morgan isn't quite as simple as Josh thinks. And, he learns, she may not be all that happy to be found. Although she reveals a few more details about her dire situation, she leaves out enough to make Josh even more curious.

Meanwhile, a detective named Kimberly Givens is working on the case of the missing Giles Caldwell - the head honcho of a successful company that develops apps. It appears his home was broken into, but the only thing missing is a very expensive woman's ring. Giles's brother is pestering the police to get on with the investigation, but for the most part Kimberly's leads aren't going anywhere. She sticks with it, of course, eventually unearthing clues that point in the missing Morgan's direction (no big surprise there).

It's fast-paced, with short chapters shifting to different characters' points of views. It didn't end the way I would have expected, although upon reflection it was a good fit (see the first sentence in my review). All in all, a very enjoyable read - thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to review an advance copy.

Layover by David Bell (Berkley, July 2019); 414 pp.