Hijack Holiday by Christina Starobin

Fiction / Adventure / Mystery

Cyberwit.net

March 27, 2022

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 8182538955

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-8182538955

251 pages

Print Price: $20.00

5 Stars

I knew I was in for a fun and enjoyable read at the very beginning, still in the frontis pages when, in total caps I read, “There are no restrictions to reading this book.” Now, I ask you, how often do you find a lead-in like that?

As Ms. Starobin says in the introduction, “…it is up to you to decide which narrators are reliable,” as versus the unreliable. She continues on with “a suggestion: it would be wise for you, as an impartial reader, to reserve judgement for as long as possible.  Perhaps this might be said not only for the purposes of this narrative, but for your own lives as well.” Indeed, be careful for what you wish—you might not be all that happy when you get it.

The passengers are listed alphabetically, followed by their seat number. It has been many years since your reviewer has flown and I readily admit it took me a couple seconds to realize what the designators designated.

In the first part of the book, we are introduced to the passengers, as each tells his or her own story. Some you’ll like, some you probably won’t. Which is goodness. I kind of wondered if we would find out how they all tied together; let me assure you, if Ms. Starobin puts a gun on the mantle, it will be loaded, and she will fire it—she may even reload and fire it some more!

Part I is by/about the passengers. Part II is, well, about the events that tie it all together albeit with a somewhat raggedy ribbon (the ribbon is raggedy due to the events, not the writing!). And, I choose to assert my prerogative and say nothing about the plot. It too much fun to spoil. Besides, I keep thinking of that loaded weapon on the mantle…

This could easily be a one-sit read. I read it in two because I started it just before bed and my eyes were blurred before I had the chance. I heartedly recommend it if you enjoy mysteries, with a twist. I hope Ms. Starobin has more books in the wings.

Lenora Rain-Lee Good recently returned to her beloved Pacific Northwest from Albuquerque, New Mexico to dance in the rain and write. Part Native American (Catawba) she is fascinated with history, and often incorporates historical events in her writing. Her poetry has most recently appeared in Quill & Parchment and Five Willows Literary Review, both online literary magazines. Washington 129, anthology of Washington State Poetry, chosen by Tod Marshall, the Washington State Poet Laureate, 2016-2018 and her collection, Blood on the Ground: Elegies for Waiilatpu published by Redbat Press. She has been an Author-Editor in the aerospace industry, and an Instructor in the WAC. Besides writing and selling her poetry, she has sold novels, radio plays, photographs, and even a quilt. However, she's joking about dancing in the rain. One, she doesn't dance, and two, she lives in the desert part of Washington.