Play Book Tag discussion

I'm a fan of Chris Bohjalian's writing because he is not typecast by what he writes. He may write horror one time, e.g. The Night Strangers followed up by a historical fiction, e.g. The Sandcastle Girls, the next. The Flight Attendant would probably be a thriller/suspense but it has some farcical elements. I guess this might be why the HBO Max production of his book stars Kaley Cuoco formally from The Big Bang Theory.

Nearly 40, Cassandra "Cassie" Bowden has been employed many years as a flight attendant. She also has a long history of drinking until she blacks out and one-night stands with strange men she frequently meets on her flights. This novel opens with such a sex and alcohol bender in a hotel room in Dubai. Cassie wakes to discover that her current lover has had his throat slashed sometime during the night. Unsure whether she was the murderer, she cleans her presence from the room and flees.

However, the read learns in the next chapter that Cassie isn't the murderer. Cassie's lover was killed by an assassin with a moral code. Her target with the businessman, not Cassie, therefore Cassie was not harmed. However, the assassin's handler has discovered this and is upset and directs the assassin to clean up her screw up by taking Cassie out.

Although the reader might expect a cat-and-mouse chase, it is actually Cassie attempting to circumvent discovery of what had transpired in Dubai and preventing being charged with murder. Although I enjoyed the book, I found it less so than other works by the author, such as The Sleepwalker.

I am a big fan of Bohjalian's too and I felt the same way about this book. Certainly not my favorite.

I read this recently too and had similar thoughts. Interesting how you describe Bohjalin who has written some incredible things, and then others that either flopped for me, or were just meh. I completely agree. Loved the Double Bind. Not a fan of Night, Eden. But I think its great when an author can flip around genres and I give him props for that. I also think the unreliable narrator is overdone as a trope. But I enjoyed the ride well enough. I thought your review was excellently written.

Ok Bohjalian fans, how was The Sandcastle Girls?
Asking for a friend ;)

Unfortunately I haven't read that one Joanne. It is on my TBR though. I believe my favorites are Midwives and Skeletons at the Feast.

I really liked this book but did not like the TV Series at all. I love Chris Bohjalian but have never read The Sandcastle Girls. I think I'll try it for the Historical Fiction sub-tag in January.

My favorite Bohjalian books: Trans-Sister Radio, Midwives, The Sleepwalker, The Guest Room, The Red Lotus

I think I'll read some more of his books this year.

Skeletons at the Feast is the only one of his that I have read. I have wanted to move on to another, but I cannot find one that people I trust all liked-guess I will take a gamble on it-Or wait for Raine to weigh in!

I really enjoyed The Sandcastle Girls. And both that one and Skeletons at the Feast would be great for the January historical fiction read.

I gave The Sandcastle Girls 4 stars, and this one 3. I thought he did the mystery/thriller genre better in The Guest Room.

I'm kind of the opposite of Raine. I've been considering a re-read of The Flight Attendant, while the book was middle of the road 3-stars for me, I just watched and finished the HBOMax series of it and LOVED IT. One of the few instances where I thought show was better than the book.