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Murder at 30,000 Feet
Under the cover of turbulence, a killer strikes. With nowhere to land and nowhere to hide, who will save the passengers from this nightmare at 30,000 feet?
It’s a ticket to paradise. Flight 868 with nonstop service to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Over a dozen tipsy passengers are off to a destination wedding. A team of high school baseball players are headed to a tournament. The plane is packed with people eager to escape their lives, and others who can’t wait to return to their beloved home.
But sweet anticipation turns to terror when a lightning strike short-circuits the avionics and plunges the plane into darkness. When the lights come back on, a passenger is found brutally murdered, with only a bewildered air marshal to solve the crime. He soon realizes that several passengers are harboring dark secrets, but the identity of the murderer eludes him. There’s only one certainty: the killer is on the plane.
Thousands of feet above the earth with thunderstorms closing in, the danger outside is as grave as the mounting threat within. Can the captain outrun the storm? Or will the murderer among them bring the plane down first?
Passion, betrayal, and murder collide in this high-stakes, locked-room mystery. A must-listen for fans of T.J. Newman and Jeneva Rose.
It’s a ticket to paradise. Flight 868 with nonstop service to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Over a dozen tipsy passengers are off to a destination wedding. A team of high school baseball players are headed to a tournament. The plane is packed with people eager to escape their lives, and others who can’t wait to return to their beloved home.
But sweet anticipation turns to terror when a lightning strike short-circuits the avionics and plunges the plane into darkness. When the lights come back on, a passenger is found brutally murdered, with only a bewildered air marshal to solve the crime. He soon realizes that several passengers are harboring dark secrets, but the identity of the murderer eludes him. There’s only one certainty: the killer is on the plane.
Thousands of feet above the earth with thunderstorms closing in, the danger outside is as grave as the mounting threat within. Can the captain outrun the storm? Or will the murderer among them bring the plane down first?
Passion, betrayal, and murder collide in this high-stakes, locked-room mystery. A must-listen for fans of T.J. Newman and Jeneva Rose.
356 pages, Hardcover
First published February 17, 2026
214 people are currently reading
15143 people want to read
About the author
Susan Walter
6 books652 followersSusan Walter is a recovering screenwriter and film director who started writing books to kill people because it was frowned upon in real life. Her first two novels, “Good as Dead” and “Over Her Dead Body” are set in the movie business, but then she discovered there are places that are even more dangerous. She is now murdering people on airplanes, on ski hills, and in safehouses while on the run from organized crime.
A sometimes director, her Netflix movie ALL I WISH, which she also wrote, stars Sharon Stone and Tony Goldwyn and won a screenwriting award that you have never heard of, but that she is proud of nonetheless. Her latest novel, "Letters from Strangers," is based on the real-life mystery that riddled her own childhood. You can learn more about Susan at www.susanwalterwriter.com, and thanks for stopping by!
A sometimes director, her Netflix movie ALL I WISH, which she also wrote, stars Sharon Stone and Tony Goldwyn and won a screenwriting award that you have never heard of, but that she is proud of nonetheless. Her latest novel, "Letters from Strangers," is based on the real-life mystery that riddled her own childhood. You can learn more about Susan at www.susanwalterwriter.com, and thanks for stopping by!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 303 reviews
March 19, 2026
Woooeee! A wild ride of adrenaline-fueled action and deviously twisty plotting, Murder at 30,000 Feet was a locked-room mystery that I couldn’t put down. Filled with plenty of thrills and chills as well as a handful of fully fleshed out characters who brought the book to life, it was no surprise at all that it was another one-sitting read. I mean, I should’ve known what I was in store for before diving in. One of my favorite authors, Ms. Walter always delivers suspense, tension, and dread in her books. This time around, not only was there plenty of all three but the eye-popping twist towards the end somehow took me completely unawares. That doesn’t mean, though, that it came out of the blue. After all, had I been better at putting together the clues, I just might’ve figured out where it was all heading before I reached the breathtaking climax that played out just like an action movie showdown.
What was my absolute favorite piece of this unputdownable read, however? Well, that had to be the white-knuckle feel of the plotting. With nary a moment of downtime, it had a definite T.J. Newman-like vibe even if there was also a bit of a popcorn thriller feel thrown in for good measure. Now, I do have to warn you that you’re going to have to suspend most of your disbelief while reading this one. You see, it was just a bit too coincidental at times. That being said, I didn’t give a damn and ate up every word like I was starving. With dual timelines, multiple POVs, and a mixed media format, it was not only a quick, easy read but it was also an inhale-able good time. So as long as you’re not about to board a plane or wave a loved one off to the skies, grab this book now. It had oodles of well-hidden secrets and lies that will keep you glued to the pages for sure. Rating of 4.75 stars (upgraded).
SYNOPSIS:
It’s a ticket to paradise. Flight 868 has nonstop service to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Over a dozen tipsy passengers are off to a destination wedding. A team of high school baseball players is headed to a tournament. The plane is packed with people eager to escape their lives, and others who can’t wait to return to their beloved home.
But sweet anticipation turns to terror when a lightning strike short-circuits the avionics and plunges the plane into darkness. When the lights come back on, a passenger is found brutally murdered, with only a bewildered air marshal to solve the crime. He soon realizes that several passengers are harboring dark secrets, but the identity of the murderer eludes him. There’s only one certainty: The killer is on the plane.
Thousands of feet above the earth with thunderstorms closing in, the danger outside is as grave as the mounting threat within. Can the captain outrun the storm? Or will the murderer among them bring the plane down first?
Thank you Susan Walter, Blackstone Publishing, and Thriller Book Lovers: The Pulse for my complimentary copies. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: February 17, 2026
Content warning: alcoholism, child death, murder, blood, gun violence, plane crash, mention of: hit-and-run car accident, rape, drug trafficking
What was my absolute favorite piece of this unputdownable read, however? Well, that had to be the white-knuckle feel of the plotting. With nary a moment of downtime, it had a definite T.J. Newman-like vibe even if there was also a bit of a popcorn thriller feel thrown in for good measure. Now, I do have to warn you that you’re going to have to suspend most of your disbelief while reading this one. You see, it was just a bit too coincidental at times. That being said, I didn’t give a damn and ate up every word like I was starving. With dual timelines, multiple POVs, and a mixed media format, it was not only a quick, easy read but it was also an inhale-able good time. So as long as you’re not about to board a plane or wave a loved one off to the skies, grab this book now. It had oodles of well-hidden secrets and lies that will keep you glued to the pages for sure. Rating of 4.75 stars (upgraded).
SYNOPSIS:
It’s a ticket to paradise. Flight 868 has nonstop service to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Over a dozen tipsy passengers are off to a destination wedding. A team of high school baseball players is headed to a tournament. The plane is packed with people eager to escape their lives, and others who can’t wait to return to their beloved home.
But sweet anticipation turns to terror when a lightning strike short-circuits the avionics and plunges the plane into darkness. When the lights come back on, a passenger is found brutally murdered, with only a bewildered air marshal to solve the crime. He soon realizes that several passengers are harboring dark secrets, but the identity of the murderer eludes him. There’s only one certainty: The killer is on the plane.
Thousands of feet above the earth with thunderstorms closing in, the danger outside is as grave as the mounting threat within. Can the captain outrun the storm? Or will the murderer among them bring the plane down first?
Thank you Susan Walter, Blackstone Publishing, and Thriller Book Lovers: The Pulse for my complimentary copies. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: February 17, 2026
Content warning: alcoholism, child death, murder, blood, gun violence, plane crash, mention of: hit-and-run car accident, rape, drug trafficking
April 22, 2026
➡️ Dramamine, please.
This book was dizzying. Between the jumping timelines and the constant switching of POVs, this aviation drama gave me serious motion sickness.
➡️ A stellar premise.
• Under the cover of turbulence, a killer strikes—leaving a body in the airplane lavatory. Who killed the passenger and why?
• A pilot forced to attempt a high-stakes landing with dangerously low fuel on a tiny runway. Will everyone on board survive?
➡️ A storyline that veered wildly off course:
• Repetitive text circled endlessly like a plane in a holding pattern
• Serious topics like rape and alcoholism were handled with little depth or care
• Twists were so contrived they felt like emergency procedures pulled from thin air
➡️ My expectations were sky high.
I am a huge Susan Walter and Scott Brick fan and was very, very disappointed when NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing declined my request for an ARC. (Be careful what you wish for!)
I listened to the audiobook (from Libby), narrated by Scott Brick. At times, his narration felt flat. (A first for Scott Brick!)
Was the e-book the way to go? Perhaps the random shifts in timelines and POVs flowed better in the e-book?
Minor peeve: The Author's Note was not included in the audiobook.
1.5 stars.
October 22, 2025
Kindled.
Other than needing to suspend an enormous amount of disbelief (particularly regarding the titular "murder"), I had a lot of fun reading this book. Sure, the crime(s) and tragedies bordered on silly, as did the solves and saves (that prop plane--wth?). But Ms. Walter's writing skills most definitely kept propelling me forward, fast and furiously, all the way to the tidy bow-tied ending. Phew.
Other than needing to suspend an enormous amount of disbelief (particularly regarding the titular "murder"), I had a lot of fun reading this book. Sure, the crime(s) and tragedies bordered on silly, as did the solves and saves (that prop plane--wth?). But Ms. Walter's writing skills most definitely kept propelling me forward, fast and furiously, all the way to the tidy bow-tied ending. Phew.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Probably not the best idea to read this a month out from a long haul flight to Japan really!! Haha. This is one wild and bumpy ride and I loved every second of it. All of Susan Walter’s books are amazing and this might be my favourite so far.
This is a locked room murder mystery on another level! 30,000 feet in the air on a plane headed for Puerto Rico, a man is murdered in the bathroom and nobody saw or heard a thing. It happens while the plane is in total darkness after a bad bout of turbulence through a wild storm. It could have been anyone on the plane, but who and why?
Once I picked this book up I couldn’t stop reading. It is super fast paced and I had to remember to breathe whilst reading this. I had no idea how it was going to all end up and I was shocked by the conclusion.
Highly recommend this book and this author. Thanks to Blackstone Publishing for my early copy to read. Published on February 17th.
This is a locked room murder mystery on another level! 30,000 feet in the air on a plane headed for Puerto Rico, a man is murdered in the bathroom and nobody saw or heard a thing. It happens while the plane is in total darkness after a bad bout of turbulence through a wild storm. It could have been anyone on the plane, but who and why?
Once I picked this book up I couldn’t stop reading. It is super fast paced and I had to remember to breathe whilst reading this. I had no idea how it was going to all end up and I was shocked by the conclusion.
Highly recommend this book and this author. Thanks to Blackstone Publishing for my early copy to read. Published on February 17th.
March 3, 2026
"Keeping a secret is like having a rock in your shoe. Some days you don't feel it at all. Other days it hurts nonstop."
A locked-room murder mystery on an in-flight airplane? Say less! A bridal party, a high school baseball team, an air marshal, and a flight attendant are among the many people on Flight 868—when a dead body is discovered in a bathroom.
Packed full of interesting characters with hidden motives—despite not liking many of them—the multiple perspectives kept intrigue flowing as 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿 masterfully wove several plotlines together. While there are a few sub-plots I didn't exactly vibe with—and you'll need to suspend disbelief regarding things like sneaking a baseball bat through airport security—this popcorn thriller will keep you guessing if you just go with it. Though I solved one of the mysteries fairly quickly, other reveals took me by surprise. That's right: there are two mysteries to keep your mind spinning, one of which is a cold case. If you're an amateur sleuth fan or armchair detective, you'll love putting on your thinking cap for 𝗠𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘁 𝟯𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝘁!
____
Thank you Susan Walter and Blackstone Publishing for my gifted copy, allowing me to voluntarily share my opinion.
A locked-room murder mystery on an in-flight airplane? Say less! A bridal party, a high school baseball team, an air marshal, and a flight attendant are among the many people on Flight 868—when a dead body is discovered in a bathroom.
Packed full of interesting characters with hidden motives—despite not liking many of them—the multiple perspectives kept intrigue flowing as 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿 masterfully wove several plotlines together. While there are a few sub-plots I didn't exactly vibe with—and you'll need to suspend disbelief regarding things like sneaking a baseball bat through airport security—this popcorn thriller will keep you guessing if you just go with it. Though I solved one of the mysteries fairly quickly, other reveals took me by surprise. That's right: there are two mysteries to keep your mind spinning, one of which is a cold case. If you're an amateur sleuth fan or armchair detective, you'll love putting on your thinking cap for 𝗠𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘁 𝟯𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝘁!
____
Thank you Susan Walter and Blackstone Publishing for my gifted copy, allowing me to voluntarily share my opinion.
October 20, 2025
At the time I'm writing this, the reviews are overwhelmingly great. I'm sitting here in my little 3 star corner wondering what book everyone else read...and can I have a copy?
This is a fun, but highly illogical, everything-but-the-kitchen sink book. While I appreciate an author who ramps up the danger and the action, my reaction should not be 'LOL what now???'.
It's a small town mystery set on a plane. This plane apparently has a magical lavatory that is not only big enough to pee in without problem (I want to fly that plane), but is also big enough to commit a violent murder. While I won't tell you the exact details of the murder, it wasn't as simple as "ooh let's join the mile high club and I'll slit your throat when you're a bit preoccupied". This murder took some room to move.
While I appreciated what the author tried to do with the identity of the victim, it was all too telegraphed for any real surprises on that end.
There were, however, plenty of other surprises after the murder. I think the only things that didn't happen to that plane or its passengers were nuclear war or an alien invasion. The author threw every other thing they could think of at that plane, though. It devolves into nonsense.
Look, the book is definitely entertaining, but the small town murder mystery is incongruous with the rest of the story.
It's a fast read and a popcorn read, but at times it made my head hurt.
* ARC via Publisher
This is a fun, but highly illogical, everything-but-the-kitchen sink book. While I appreciate an author who ramps up the danger and the action, my reaction should not be 'LOL what now???'.
It's a small town mystery set on a plane. This plane apparently has a magical lavatory that is not only big enough to pee in without problem (I want to fly that plane), but is also big enough to commit a violent murder. While I won't tell you the exact details of the murder, it wasn't as simple as "ooh let's join the mile high club and I'll slit your throat when you're a bit preoccupied". This murder took some room to move.
While I appreciated what the author tried to do with the identity of the victim, it was all too telegraphed for any real surprises on that end.
There were, however, plenty of other surprises after the murder. I think the only things that didn't happen to that plane or its passengers were nuclear war or an alien invasion. The author threw every other thing they could think of at that plane, though. It devolves into nonsense.
Look, the book is definitely entertaining, but the small town murder mystery is incongruous with the rest of the story.
It's a fast read and a popcorn read, but at times it made my head hurt.
* ARC via Publisher
February 26, 2026
A person is murdered mid-flight on a plane headed to Puerto Rico. The passenger list includes a high school baseball team, its chaperones (including the mother of a former player), a wedding party and a lovesick and inattentive air marshal. The marshal feels the need to identify the murder, as a way to redeem himself.
The book's blurb is pretty straightforward. It doesn’t begin to describe the messy preposterousness of the plot, which is really one damn thing after another. The book reads like an info dump of capsule biographies of the passengers and crew. The gradually-revealed relationships among them are extensive and definitely have a soap opera vibe. I found it irritating that the identity of the victim was not revealed until the book was almost over. I know the device was meant to be clever, but I thought it was cheesy. There were a lot of things about the book that irritated me, including the number of coincidences, the basic unbelievability of everything that happens in the book and the sappy epilogue. The book held my interest, but it may have lowered my IQ.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Scott Brick. I know that he is wildly popular, but I am not a fan. He actually manages to make me hate every character, but that is just my personal taste. Most people love him.
I received free copies of the audiobook and ebook from the publisher.
The book's blurb is pretty straightforward. It doesn’t begin to describe the messy preposterousness of the plot, which is really one damn thing after another. The book reads like an info dump of capsule biographies of the passengers and crew. The gradually-revealed relationships among them are extensive and definitely have a soap opera vibe. I found it irritating that the identity of the victim was not revealed until the book was almost over. I know the device was meant to be clever, but I thought it was cheesy. There were a lot of things about the book that irritated me, including the number of coincidences, the basic unbelievability of everything that happens in the book and the sappy epilogue. The book held my interest, but it may have lowered my IQ.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Scott Brick. I know that he is wildly popular, but I am not a fan. He actually manages to make me hate every character, but that is just my personal taste. Most people love him.
I received free copies of the audiobook and ebook from the publisher.
March 1, 2026
Pioneer Air flight 868 is nonstop service from San Diego to San Juan.
Over a dozen tipsy passengers are off to a destination wedding.
A team of high school baseball players are headed to a tournament.
The plane is packed with people eager to escape their lives, and others who can’t wait to return to their beloved home.
It sounds like an easy flight that I would have loved to have worked when I was a flight attendant.
Everyone is happy and excited to reach the destination.
That is, until the 💩 hits the fan.
When flying through a storm, lightening strikes the plane, power is lost and the cabin is completely dark for two minutes.
As if this wasn’t enough to traumatize about anyone, a body is found in the lavatory.
An ER physician, who happens to be onboard, confirms that the individual didn’t die from the severe turbulence; someone intentionally killed them.
Also, a large percentage of the passengers in this book are from the same small suburb of San Diego.
And while going to San Juan for different reasons, there is a connection among a lot of them.
I was a flight attendant for more than a decade and overall, I was pretty lucky when it came to emergencies.
I have friends who have had people on their flights die (of course, not murder; a heart attack was the usual cause of death).
I also have a friend who helped deliver a baby somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean.
My most “serious” event was helping another nurse start an IV on a passenger and the three of us ending up landing sitting on the floor of the aft galley.
We probably broke some FAA regulations (you’re supposed to be strapped in on landing), but when there’s a medical emergency you do what you have to do.
Fortunately these events are uncommon, but you’d be surprised at some of the things that happen at 30K feet.
I was expecting this book to be more like a TJ Newman thriller.
It was written a little differently, but I wasn’t disappointed.
Same thrill level, just in a different format.
This book was thoroughly enjoyable and easy to give 5⭐️ to.
*Flying can be stressful, but please try to be polite to the flight attendants on your next flight.
Their main job is to save your ass in an emergency.
The Diet Coke and pack of nuts is secondary.*
Over a dozen tipsy passengers are off to a destination wedding.
A team of high school baseball players are headed to a tournament.
The plane is packed with people eager to escape their lives, and others who can’t wait to return to their beloved home.
It sounds like an easy flight that I would have loved to have worked when I was a flight attendant.
Everyone is happy and excited to reach the destination.
That is, until the 💩 hits the fan.
When flying through a storm, lightening strikes the plane, power is lost and the cabin is completely dark for two minutes.
As if this wasn’t enough to traumatize about anyone, a body is found in the lavatory.
An ER physician, who happens to be onboard, confirms that the individual didn’t die from the severe turbulence; someone intentionally killed them.
Also, a large percentage of the passengers in this book are from the same small suburb of San Diego.
And while going to San Juan for different reasons, there is a connection among a lot of them.
I was a flight attendant for more than a decade and overall, I was pretty lucky when it came to emergencies.
I have friends who have had people on their flights die (of course, not murder; a heart attack was the usual cause of death).
I also have a friend who helped deliver a baby somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean.
My most “serious” event was helping another nurse start an IV on a passenger and the three of us ending up landing sitting on the floor of the aft galley.
We probably broke some FAA regulations (you’re supposed to be strapped in on landing), but when there’s a medical emergency you do what you have to do.
Fortunately these events are uncommon, but you’d be surprised at some of the things that happen at 30K feet.
I was expecting this book to be more like a TJ Newman thriller.
It was written a little differently, but I wasn’t disappointed.
Same thrill level, just in a different format.
This book was thoroughly enjoyable and easy to give 5⭐️ to.
*Flying can be stressful, but please try to be polite to the flight attendants on your next flight.
Their main job is to save your ass in an emergency.
The Diet Coke and pack of nuts is secondary.*
November 5, 2025
WOW!! I'm obsessed. This was such a great read. A locked room murder mystery that takes place on a plane. There's a thunderstorm that knocks out the electricity for a moment and when the lights come back on, one of the passengers is brutally murdered, and the only air marshall on board must figure out which passenger committed the murder. This was seriously so suspenseful and twisty. I had no idea where this was going or how it was all going to play out, and I loved every minute.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
March 3, 2026
the setup…
Flight 868 is a scheduled non stop flight from San Diego to San Juan. Passengers include high school baseball players headed to a tournament, a destination wedding party (including the groom’s ex), an air marshal who’s hiding a secret and a new flight attendant assigned when the flight’s departure is delayed. All is fine until they encounter some major turbulence and a lightning strike and the cabin goes momentarily dark. When the lights come up, there’s a dead body in the lavatory. Sit back because this bumpy ride gets even crazier, all at 30,000 feet.
the heart of the story…
I had high hopes for some excitement, never figuring I’d get that and a host of connected characters and intriguing subplots. There were lots of transitions between past and present as the backstories provided context. Needless to say, I got mired in a long list of suspects and motives that constantly shifted. I lost count of my rabbit holes.
the narration…
Scott Brick is a favorite, though I worried the absence of multiple narrators might be a problem. But his storytelling skills are so strong the voice distinctions didn’t matter. He brought the excitement.
the bottom line…
I had such a good time and was swept up, carried away and filled with tension when things got seriously dicey. There were no end of twists and the ending was so satisfying. Word of warning…don’t read or listen to this if you’ve got a long flight coming up.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for my complimentary copies. All opinions are my own.)
Flight 868 is a scheduled non stop flight from San Diego to San Juan. Passengers include high school baseball players headed to a tournament, a destination wedding party (including the groom’s ex), an air marshal who’s hiding a secret and a new flight attendant assigned when the flight’s departure is delayed. All is fine until they encounter some major turbulence and a lightning strike and the cabin goes momentarily dark. When the lights come up, there’s a dead body in the lavatory. Sit back because this bumpy ride gets even crazier, all at 30,000 feet.
the heart of the story…
I had high hopes for some excitement, never figuring I’d get that and a host of connected characters and intriguing subplots. There were lots of transitions between past and present as the backstories provided context. Needless to say, I got mired in a long list of suspects and motives that constantly shifted. I lost count of my rabbit holes.
the narration…
Scott Brick is a favorite, though I worried the absence of multiple narrators might be a problem. But his storytelling skills are so strong the voice distinctions didn’t matter. He brought the excitement.
the bottom line…
I had such a good time and was swept up, carried away and filled with tension when things got seriously dicey. There were no end of twists and the ending was so satisfying. Word of warning…don’t read or listen to this if you’ve got a long flight coming up.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for my complimentary copies. All opinions are my own.)
November 10, 2025
My fellow Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse readers enjoyed this one and I can see why!
This entertaining popcorn airplane thriller had so many pulse-pounding moments; I’m glad I’m not flying anytime soon.
With multiple POVs, flashbacks to the past about the hit-and-run death of a young baseball player, small-town secrets, grudges, and murder on an in-flight plane, this one was a fun read. The author nailed the intense plane scenes.
For readers of popcorn thrillers that pull you into the story (but require some suspension of belief at times).
Thanks to the publisher for this complimentary digital copy. All opinions are my own.
This entertaining popcorn airplane thriller had so many pulse-pounding moments; I’m glad I’m not flying anytime soon.
With multiple POVs, flashbacks to the past about the hit-and-run death of a young baseball player, small-town secrets, grudges, and murder on an in-flight plane, this one was a fun read. The author nailed the intense plane scenes.
For readers of popcorn thrillers that pull you into the story (but require some suspension of belief at times).
Thanks to the publisher for this complimentary digital copy. All opinions are my own.
May 1, 2026
This was a nail biter!!
There are multiple scenarios going on here.
A bride and groom and their entire wedding party are on the plane. Leaving CA going to San Juan for the wedding. BUT, there are secrets here… and the maid of honor needs to talk to the bride… before it’s too late. Can she make it work?
Also, there’s a HS baseball team on the plane… heading to a tournament. This team has had multiple big time players in the past… and for some of these boys, well, it just might be their last chance to make it into the big leagues!
Did I mention that the groom to be was once on that team?
Also, there’s an Air Marshal on the flight. He’s hoping to meet up with his girlfriend (a stewardess) for a short layover… ahem…as they’ve done many times in the past. But… the plane is not on schedule… it’s running late.
And… there’s a stewardess who’s been TRYING to get this flight forever, but never seems to be chosen. She’s new-ish, so when she gets the call that she’s needed immediately… well, she’s not going to miss her chance!
Additionally, there are women associated with the team. One, who runs all the fundraisers, etc… and thinks she basically makes the team what it is! And another, a Mom who lost her son three years ago, to a drunk driver. He was gifted, and the coach KNEW he was going places. But it was all cut short at 15 years old. And they never found the driver who did this! 😮😳.
Also, the coach is on the plane too! Oh… and his ex-wife …
This one will pull you in and never let go! And… it’s narrated by @ScottBrick! I think he could read a phone book and make everyone listen intently! 😉. So there’s that bonus too!
4 1/2 stars for me, happily rounded up to 5! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
#MurderAt30000Feet by @SusanWalter and narrated phenomenally by @ScottBrick.
This has already been released (February 2026), so please look 👀 for it on shelves now!
Thanks so much to #NetGalley and @BlackstonePublishing for an ALC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
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And as always, thanks for reading along with me! 📚⭐️📖🩷
There are multiple scenarios going on here.
A bride and groom and their entire wedding party are on the plane. Leaving CA going to San Juan for the wedding. BUT, there are secrets here… and the maid of honor needs to talk to the bride… before it’s too late. Can she make it work?
Also, there’s a HS baseball team on the plane… heading to a tournament. This team has had multiple big time players in the past… and for some of these boys, well, it just might be their last chance to make it into the big leagues!
Did I mention that the groom to be was once on that team?
Also, there’s an Air Marshal on the flight. He’s hoping to meet up with his girlfriend (a stewardess) for a short layover… ahem…as they’ve done many times in the past. But… the plane is not on schedule… it’s running late.
And… there’s a stewardess who’s been TRYING to get this flight forever, but never seems to be chosen. She’s new-ish, so when she gets the call that she’s needed immediately… well, she’s not going to miss her chance!
Additionally, there are women associated with the team. One, who runs all the fundraisers, etc… and thinks she basically makes the team what it is! And another, a Mom who lost her son three years ago, to a drunk driver. He was gifted, and the coach KNEW he was going places. But it was all cut short at 15 years old. And they never found the driver who did this! 😮😳.
Also, the coach is on the plane too! Oh… and his ex-wife …
This one will pull you in and never let go! And… it’s narrated by @ScottBrick! I think he could read a phone book and make everyone listen intently! 😉. So there’s that bonus too!
4 1/2 stars for me, happily rounded up to 5! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
#MurderAt30000Feet by @SusanWalter and narrated phenomenally by @ScottBrick.
This has already been released (February 2026), so please look 👀 for it on shelves now!
Thanks so much to #NetGalley and @BlackstonePublishing for an ALC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
You can also find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Instagram: @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine
Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!!
And as always, thanks for reading along with me! 📚⭐️📖🩷
March 8, 2026
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Susan Walter, and Blackstone Publishing, Audiobooks for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Always eager for a high-stakes thriller—especially one set in the air—I was excited to dive into this audiobook by Susan Walter. She delivers a tense, fast-moving story that quickly locks the listener into the drama unfolding at 30,000 feet.
Flight 868 is supposed to be a routine trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico. On board are wedding guests already deep into celebration mode, a baseball team heading for a spring tournament, a seasoned flight crew, and a federal Air Marshal keeping a quiet watch. But when a lightning strike knocks out the plane’s electrical systems, chaos erupts. Once the power returns, a passenger is found dead in the lavatory—and suddenly the aircraft becomes a flying crime scene. With a violent storm looming and nowhere for a killer to hide, tensions soar as secrets among the passengers begin to surface.
Walter crafts a tightly paced narrative filled with shifting perspectives, sharp twists, and a constant sense of urgency. Short chapters keep the momentum high, while the confined setting heightens the suspense in all the right ways. The cast of characters is varied and intriguing, each bringing their own hidden motivations and personal baggage into the story.
Blending a locked-room mystery with the pressure cooker of an airborne emergency, this audiobook proves both gripping and addictive. Suspenseful, clever, and full of surprises, it’s a thriller that keeps the tension climbing until the final reveal. A strong showing from Susan Walter—and one that has me eager to explore more of her work.
Kudos, Madam Walter, for a great rush as I devoured this book.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Always eager for a high-stakes thriller—especially one set in the air—I was excited to dive into this audiobook by Susan Walter. She delivers a tense, fast-moving story that quickly locks the listener into the drama unfolding at 30,000 feet.
Flight 868 is supposed to be a routine trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico. On board are wedding guests already deep into celebration mode, a baseball team heading for a spring tournament, a seasoned flight crew, and a federal Air Marshal keeping a quiet watch. But when a lightning strike knocks out the plane’s electrical systems, chaos erupts. Once the power returns, a passenger is found dead in the lavatory—and suddenly the aircraft becomes a flying crime scene. With a violent storm looming and nowhere for a killer to hide, tensions soar as secrets among the passengers begin to surface.
Walter crafts a tightly paced narrative filled with shifting perspectives, sharp twists, and a constant sense of urgency. Short chapters keep the momentum high, while the confined setting heightens the suspense in all the right ways. The cast of characters is varied and intriguing, each bringing their own hidden motivations and personal baggage into the story.
Blending a locked-room mystery with the pressure cooker of an airborne emergency, this audiobook proves both gripping and addictive. Suspenseful, clever, and full of surprises, it’s a thriller that keeps the tension climbing until the final reveal. A strong showing from Susan Walter—and one that has me eager to explore more of her work.
Kudos, Madam Walter, for a great rush as I devoured this book.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
September 10, 2025
Murder at 30,000 feet
By: Susan Walter’s
Pub day: February 17, 2026
Publisher: Blackstone
Your: Thrillers Book Lovers THE PULSE
5✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️
Get ready for one heck of a bumpy ride!!!! Walter’s also packs a lot into her books and this is now my new favorite.
✈️
Flight 868 is heading to Puerto Rico and is filled with action. A baseball team, grieving mother, a Federal Air Marshal, and many more passengers filled with secrets.
✈️
When the plane looses power, a murder occurs. The victim has their own past and secrets create chaos.
✈️
There is also a wedding party aboard this plane. Lots of secrets past and present might just bring this plane down!
✈️
This epic flight is one that will keep you reading to find out who might be next or will the passengers land safely. After all, there is a killer among them.
By: Susan Walter’s
Pub day: February 17, 2026
Publisher: Blackstone
Your: Thrillers Book Lovers THE PULSE
5✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️
Get ready for one heck of a bumpy ride!!!! Walter’s also packs a lot into her books and this is now my new favorite.
✈️
Flight 868 is heading to Puerto Rico and is filled with action. A baseball team, grieving mother, a Federal Air Marshal, and many more passengers filled with secrets.
✈️
When the plane looses power, a murder occurs. The victim has their own past and secrets create chaos.
✈️
There is also a wedding party aboard this plane. Lots of secrets past and present might just bring this plane down!
✈️
This epic flight is one that will keep you reading to find out who might be next or will the passengers land safely. After all, there is a killer among them.
April 27, 2026
This is a very silly book (complimentary). Literally everything that can go wrong does go wrong in this book. It is like one of those purposely over-the-top sci fi movies, a sort of murder mystery Sharknado. The murder is ridiculous, there are many suspects. Honestly the only thing that's off about this is that it takes itself so seriously and can't always lean into the camp.
The audio is read by Scott Brick, someone I've listened to for decades, and back when audio was a lesser format he read a very high ratio of the books I'd read, so many that it was ridiculous. And sometimes they were books he was just not right for. But he's definitely right for this one! His throwback style gives this the made-for-tv in the 90's feel it deserves.
It's fun. Enjoy it.
The audio is read by Scott Brick, someone I've listened to for decades, and back when audio was a lesser format he read a very high ratio of the books I'd read, so many that it was ridiculous. And sometimes they were books he was just not right for. But he's definitely right for this one! His throwback style gives this the made-for-tv in the 90's feel it deserves.
It's fun. Enjoy it.
February 19, 2026
A nonstop thrill ride at 30,000 feet with lots of jolts alongside the turbulence. This blend of mystery and thriller will have readers guessing until the end.
February 27, 2026
Air travel anxiety? Cured. Replaced entirely with a brand new fear that someone is getting bludgeoned in the lavatory while I’m politely waiting with my tiny can of ginger ale.
Murder at 30,000 Feet is what happens when you take a locked room mystery, shove it into a metal tube hurtling toward San Juan, toss in a high school baseball team, a tipsy destination wedding party, a grieving mother, and an air marshal who is absolutely not having his best day… and then you hit the plane with lightning. I’m sorry. A LIGHTNING STRIKE. We’re not easing into chaos here. We are cannonballing directly into it.
Flight 868 starts out feeling like every flight you’ve ever been on. Overexcited wedding guests already three mini bottles deep. Teen boys who absolutely will not stop talking. A bunch of adults who clearly have unresolved baggage that is not fitting in the overhead bin. Then the avionics short out, the cabin goes dark, and when the lights flicker back on, someone is dead in the bathroom with a baseball bat involved. I repeat. A baseball bat. On a plane. That lavatory deserves its own architectural award for spatial ambition.
The air marshal, who is already wrestling with his own past and a need for redemption, suddenly has to solve a murder midair while the plane is battling storms. And here’s the delicious part. The baseball team and the wedding party are from the same small California town. Which means this is not random violence. This is long simmering resentment cruising at 30,000 feet. We get flashbacks about a tragic hit and run involving a young player, buried grudges, secret relationships, and enough intertwined drama to make a daytime soap clutch its pearls.
Now. Is it a lot? Yes. Is it possibly several lots duct taped together? Also yes. At one point I genuinely thought, what else could happen? And the book said, oh you thought we were done? Adorable. But here’s the thing. I was having so much fun I did not care. This is popcorn thriller chaos in the best way. Buckle up and suspend disbelief while the author throws literally everything at the fuselage. The tension inside the cabin mirrors the storm outside, and it feels big and cinematic, like you accidentally boarded a summer blockbuster.
And then there’s the audiobook. Scott Brick narrates this like he was personally hired by the Federal Aviation Administration to make you respect authority. His voice has that deep, resonant gravitas that makes every suspicious glance feel ominous. When he leans into the air marshal’s guilt and need for redemption, it actually adds weight to the character. When the plane is in crisis, he dials up the urgency so effectively that I found myself pausing my walk like, should I be bracing for impact? It is dramatic. It is intense. It absolutely works for this kind of thriller.
The structure moves between present day panic and past secrets, slowly revealing how tightly all these people are knotted together. The handling of the victim’s identity is bold and a little cheeky, and I respect the audacity. The character work is stronger than you might expect in a story with this much spectacle. These aren’t just random passengers. They’re grief stricken, guilt ridden, desperate people who have been carrying pain long before they boarded. Underneath the chaos, there’s real emotion about loss, revenge, and what unresolved trauma can do to a community.
Is it realistic? Not entirely. Does it sometimes feel like the plane is personally cursed? Perhaps. But was I entertained out of my mind? Absolutely. This is the kind of thriller you inhale in one sitting while texting your friend, you are not going to believe this. It’s dramatic, twisty, occasionally unhinged, and surprisingly heartfelt once you peel back the spectacle.
4.5 stars. Because yes, you have to suspend disbelief. But when a book makes me this tense, this entertained, and this weirdly emotional about a group of chaotic strangers on a storm battered flight, I’m rounding up with zero hesitation.
Whodunity Award: For Making Me Side Eye Every Airplane Lavatory Like It’s Hiding a Baseball Bat
And a huge thank you to Blackstone Publishing, Audiobooks and NetGalley for the ALC. You handed me this chaotic midair disaster and said, have fun, and I absolutely did. Fasten your seatbelts, friends.
Murder at 30,000 Feet is what happens when you take a locked room mystery, shove it into a metal tube hurtling toward San Juan, toss in a high school baseball team, a tipsy destination wedding party, a grieving mother, and an air marshal who is absolutely not having his best day… and then you hit the plane with lightning. I’m sorry. A LIGHTNING STRIKE. We’re not easing into chaos here. We are cannonballing directly into it.
Flight 868 starts out feeling like every flight you’ve ever been on. Overexcited wedding guests already three mini bottles deep. Teen boys who absolutely will not stop talking. A bunch of adults who clearly have unresolved baggage that is not fitting in the overhead bin. Then the avionics short out, the cabin goes dark, and when the lights flicker back on, someone is dead in the bathroom with a baseball bat involved. I repeat. A baseball bat. On a plane. That lavatory deserves its own architectural award for spatial ambition.
The air marshal, who is already wrestling with his own past and a need for redemption, suddenly has to solve a murder midair while the plane is battling storms. And here’s the delicious part. The baseball team and the wedding party are from the same small California town. Which means this is not random violence. This is long simmering resentment cruising at 30,000 feet. We get flashbacks about a tragic hit and run involving a young player, buried grudges, secret relationships, and enough intertwined drama to make a daytime soap clutch its pearls.
Now. Is it a lot? Yes. Is it possibly several lots duct taped together? Also yes. At one point I genuinely thought, what else could happen? And the book said, oh you thought we were done? Adorable. But here’s the thing. I was having so much fun I did not care. This is popcorn thriller chaos in the best way. Buckle up and suspend disbelief while the author throws literally everything at the fuselage. The tension inside the cabin mirrors the storm outside, and it feels big and cinematic, like you accidentally boarded a summer blockbuster.
And then there’s the audiobook. Scott Brick narrates this like he was personally hired by the Federal Aviation Administration to make you respect authority. His voice has that deep, resonant gravitas that makes every suspicious glance feel ominous. When he leans into the air marshal’s guilt and need for redemption, it actually adds weight to the character. When the plane is in crisis, he dials up the urgency so effectively that I found myself pausing my walk like, should I be bracing for impact? It is dramatic. It is intense. It absolutely works for this kind of thriller.
The structure moves between present day panic and past secrets, slowly revealing how tightly all these people are knotted together. The handling of the victim’s identity is bold and a little cheeky, and I respect the audacity. The character work is stronger than you might expect in a story with this much spectacle. These aren’t just random passengers. They’re grief stricken, guilt ridden, desperate people who have been carrying pain long before they boarded. Underneath the chaos, there’s real emotion about loss, revenge, and what unresolved trauma can do to a community.
Is it realistic? Not entirely. Does it sometimes feel like the plane is personally cursed? Perhaps. But was I entertained out of my mind? Absolutely. This is the kind of thriller you inhale in one sitting while texting your friend, you are not going to believe this. It’s dramatic, twisty, occasionally unhinged, and surprisingly heartfelt once you peel back the spectacle.
4.5 stars. Because yes, you have to suspend disbelief. But when a book makes me this tense, this entertained, and this weirdly emotional about a group of chaotic strangers on a storm battered flight, I’m rounding up with zero hesitation.
Whodunity Award: For Making Me Side Eye Every Airplane Lavatory Like It’s Hiding a Baseball Bat
And a huge thank you to Blackstone Publishing, Audiobooks and NetGalley for the ALC. You handed me this chaotic midair disaster and said, have fun, and I absolutely did. Fasten your seatbelts, friends.
March 8, 2026
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Fast paced.
Good characterization.
Murder occurs in an ✈️ during turbulence.
Don’t read this book while flying or about to fly.
I couldn’t put this book down.
Excellent thriller.
I highly recommend it!!!
Fast paced.
Good characterization.
Murder occurs in an ✈️ during turbulence.
Don’t read this book while flying or about to fly.
I couldn’t put this book down.
Excellent thriller.
I highly recommend it!!!
November 7, 2025
Flight 868 is on a non-stop route to Puerto Rico with an assortment of interconnected passengers, including a high school baseball team, a grieving mother, and a bridal party on its way to a destination wedding. After a lightning strike kills the power to the plane, a gruesome discovery is made in the plane’s bathroom - one that means there’s a murderer in the passengers’ midst.
My friends at Thriller Book Lovers: The Pulse have been loving Susan Walter’s books, so I just had to see what the fuss was about! And wow, did this book deliver! This multiple POV thriller is so propulsive and twisty, with compelling characters connected in ways I never saw coming. That murder? It’s just the tip of the iceberg of a wild ride, and I couldn’t put this book down until I had devoured every second of the action!
My friends at Thriller Book Lovers: The Pulse have been loving Susan Walter’s books, so I just had to see what the fuss was about! And wow, did this book deliver! This multiple POV thriller is so propulsive and twisty, with compelling characters connected in ways I never saw coming. That murder? It’s just the tip of the iceberg of a wild ride, and I couldn’t put this book down until I had devoured every second of the action!
April 19, 2026
Flight 868 has nonstop service to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Over a dozen tipsy/drunk passengers are off to a destination wedding (who some people don't want to happen.). A team of high school baseball players is headed to a tournament (including a mom of a former player...wanting to represent her deceased son at the tournament. The plane is packed with people eager to escape their lives, and others who are harboring the deepest of secrets.
Anticipation turns to terror when going through a bad storm, a lightning strike short-circuits the avionics and plunges the plane into darkness. When the lights come back on, a passenger is found brutally murdered, with only an air marshal on board to solve the crime, he regrets being distracted. But distracted HE WAS even before boarding the plane. Now, he soon realizes that several passengers have dark secrets, but the identity of the murderer eludes him, and this murderer is on the plane.
There is so much more to this story than finding a murderer. Is the plane more crippled than anyone of them realizes? Hang on to your baggage! "Passion, betrayal, and murder collide in this high-stakes, locked-room mystery." There's a lot more to happen and a few surprising twists on this doomed flight!
Audio narrator was skillful and pleasant to listen to!
My thanks to NetGalley, Susan Walter, and Blackstone Pubisishing for an AAC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Anticipation turns to terror when going through a bad storm, a lightning strike short-circuits the avionics and plunges the plane into darkness. When the lights come back on, a passenger is found brutally murdered, with only an air marshal on board to solve the crime, he regrets being distracted. But distracted HE WAS even before boarding the plane. Now, he soon realizes that several passengers have dark secrets, but the identity of the murderer eludes him, and this murderer is on the plane.
There is so much more to this story than finding a murderer. Is the plane more crippled than anyone of them realizes? Hang on to your baggage! "Passion, betrayal, and murder collide in this high-stakes, locked-room mystery." There's a lot more to happen and a few surprising twists on this doomed flight!
Audio narrator was skillful and pleasant to listen to!
My thanks to NetGalley, Susan Walter, and Blackstone Pubisishing for an AAC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
November 5, 2025
✈️𝗠𝗨𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗥 𝗔𝗧 𝟯𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗧
𝔱𝔥𝔯𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔢𝔯
𝙿𝚞𝚋 𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚎: 𝙵𝚎𝚋𝚛𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚢 𝟷𝟽, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟼
🤩𝕄𝕪 𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘: 𝟜.𝟝 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤! ★★★★✮
ʳᵒᵘⁿᵈⁱⁿᵍ 🆙 ᶠᵒʳ ᴳᴿ
🤏𝚃𝚎𝚎𝚗𝚢 𝚝𝚒𝚍𝚋𝚒𝚝...The title is enough just know it’s packed full of way more than just that!
✈️𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚊𝚢....HELL YES! 👏 This book was a total adrenaline blast!! 🎉 I read 📕her in a day & I wish I could get that pumped up feeling back. 👊It is packed full of so much more than just a murder on a plane! 😳Multiple POVs…numerous backstories….secrets🤫 & twists 🌀galore! Oh! 🤩And, the best part is they all get tied up & come together at the end. I sure do love a bow tied ending 🎀 If you are a thriller junkie like me this is a must read!
𝔱𝔥𝔯𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔢𝔯
𝙿𝚞𝚋 𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚎: 𝙵𝚎𝚋𝚛𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚢 𝟷𝟽, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟼
🤩𝕄𝕪 𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘: 𝟜.𝟝 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤! ★★★★✮
ʳᵒᵘⁿᵈⁱⁿᵍ 🆙 ᶠᵒʳ ᴳᴿ
🤏𝚃𝚎𝚎𝚗𝚢 𝚝𝚒𝚍𝚋𝚒𝚝...The title is enough just know it’s packed full of way more than just that!
✈️𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚊𝚢....HELL YES! 👏 This book was a total adrenaline blast!! 🎉 I read 📕her in a day & I wish I could get that pumped up feeling back. 👊It is packed full of so much more than just a murder on a plane! 😳Multiple POVs…numerous backstories….secrets🤫 & twists 🌀galore! Oh! 🤩And, the best part is they all get tied up & come together at the end. I sure do love a bow tied ending 🎀 If you are a thriller junkie like me this is a must read!
February 26, 2026
4.5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
If you read this on a plane… I respect the bravery. This book wastes absolutely no time. You buckle in thinking you’re getting a contained, clever mystery and instead you’re handed a pressure cooker at cruising altitude. The setting alone does half the work-no exits, no fresh suspects wandering in, no convenient escape routes. Just a cabin full of strangers and one very big problem.
What I loved most is how fast everyone on that plane starts to feel… suspicious. It turns into a fabulous mental game of “Who’s lying?” while the stakes keep climbing. The tension builds not just from the central crime, but from the slow realization that nearly every row has something to hide.
The pacing is relentless and fast, which makes everything feel urgent.There’s also something particularly unsettling about a mystery set in the sky. You can’t step outside. You can’t call for backup. Help isn’t around the corner…t’s thousands of feet below you. That isolation amplifies the stakes and creates a tension that makes everything feel on edge.
If you love a contained thriller where everyone feels like a suspect and the tension never eases up, you’re going to have such a good time with this one. I loved every minute of it. Maybe just save it for after you land.
If you read this on a plane… I respect the bravery. This book wastes absolutely no time. You buckle in thinking you’re getting a contained, clever mystery and instead you’re handed a pressure cooker at cruising altitude. The setting alone does half the work-no exits, no fresh suspects wandering in, no convenient escape routes. Just a cabin full of strangers and one very big problem.
What I loved most is how fast everyone on that plane starts to feel… suspicious. It turns into a fabulous mental game of “Who’s lying?” while the stakes keep climbing. The tension builds not just from the central crime, but from the slow realization that nearly every row has something to hide.
The pacing is relentless and fast, which makes everything feel urgent.There’s also something particularly unsettling about a mystery set in the sky. You can’t step outside. You can’t call for backup. Help isn’t around the corner…t’s thousands of feet below you. That isolation amplifies the stakes and creates a tension that makes everything feel on edge.
If you love a contained thriller where everyone feels like a suspect and the tension never eases up, you’re going to have such a good time with this one. I loved every minute of it. Maybe just save it for after you land.
February 20, 2026
Ha Ha! This is absolute mayhem. Just suspend your disbelief and enjoy this popcorn thriller. These people have a lot of secrets and there are plenty of twists throughout this fast paced story. I did not see that ending coming! Scott Brick is phenomenal in the audiobook production and adds exactly the right amount of satire to his narration.
November 23, 2025
Wow, what a ride (literally) 30,000 feet up!
This book grabbed my attention from the first chapter and kept a hold of it like a vise grip throughout every chapter through to the end. Never once was I was bored, in fact, I was actually sad to reach the end because of how much I enjoyed this heart pounding story.
Susan does an expert job at making so many people look like a suspect. Nearly all of the passengers aboard flight 868 have some sort of motive. The dual pov is perfectly done and the time line jumps weave the story together at a great pace.
I predicted one thing just to be "slapped" by a few other twists that I did not see coming.
I honestly got goosebumps in this one, it's a thrilling ride you don't want to miss!
This book grabbed my attention from the first chapter and kept a hold of it like a vise grip throughout every chapter through to the end. Never once was I was bored, in fact, I was actually sad to reach the end because of how much I enjoyed this heart pounding story.
Susan does an expert job at making so many people look like a suspect. Nearly all of the passengers aboard flight 868 have some sort of motive. The dual pov is perfectly done and the time line jumps weave the story together at a great pace.
I predicted one thing just to be "slapped" by a few other twists that I did not see coming.
I honestly got goosebumps in this one, it's a thrilling ride you don't want to miss!
April 10, 2026
3 1/2 Stars Phew!
October 17, 2025
Susan Walter has quickly become one of my favorites! Her thrillers are amazing, and so is her general fiction! This is her newest thriller; it will be out in April, so make sure you preorder it because it is absolutely fantastic!
Pioneer Flight 868 is en route to San Juan, Puerto Rico, carrying passengers that include a high school baseball team with their chaperones and a wedding party, who are already tipsy for the flight to the upcoming celebration. Things are going smoothly until the plane encounters a storm. The turbulence has everyone sick, and when lightning strikes the plane, the avionics system is disrupted. The plane goes completely dark for a few minutes. When the lights come back on, a passenger is found in the lavatory brutally murdered. Luckily, there is an air marshal on the flight. He'll need to keep things in order until they land. But this also means there is a killer on the flight. He feels compelled to try and find the culprit. As he starts to investigate, he realizes several of the passengers are harboring some dark secrets. Will he be able to piece things together before the killer takes another victim?
Told in multiple POVs with multiple plotlines, this book kept me on my toes. I didn't think a lot could happen on a plane, but boy was I wrong! Everything you can imagine going wrong did! The twists were crazy and totally blew my mind! I was completely captivated by the immersive writing, which held my attention from the very beginning and kept me engrossed throughout the entire book. This book was fast-paced, exciting, and a total page-turner! I loved how everything tied together in the end. This was a completely entertaining, thrilling, wild, locked-room mystery that I would HIGHLY recommend! 🩷
Pioneer Flight 868 is en route to San Juan, Puerto Rico, carrying passengers that include a high school baseball team with their chaperones and a wedding party, who are already tipsy for the flight to the upcoming celebration. Things are going smoothly until the plane encounters a storm. The turbulence has everyone sick, and when lightning strikes the plane, the avionics system is disrupted. The plane goes completely dark for a few minutes. When the lights come back on, a passenger is found in the lavatory brutally murdered. Luckily, there is an air marshal on the flight. He'll need to keep things in order until they land. But this also means there is a killer on the flight. He feels compelled to try and find the culprit. As he starts to investigate, he realizes several of the passengers are harboring some dark secrets. Will he be able to piece things together before the killer takes another victim?
Told in multiple POVs with multiple plotlines, this book kept me on my toes. I didn't think a lot could happen on a plane, but boy was I wrong! Everything you can imagine going wrong did! The twists were crazy and totally blew my mind! I was completely captivated by the immersive writing, which held my attention from the very beginning and kept me engrossed throughout the entire book. This book was fast-paced, exciting, and a total page-turner! I loved how everything tied together in the end. This was a completely entertaining, thrilling, wild, locked-room mystery that I would HIGHLY recommend! 🩷
January 10, 2026
This thriller is AMAZING! Please tell me it’s going to be picked up for a movie adaptation because it would make and incredible movie. This was so suspenseful from beginning to finish and it will be on my top thriller list for 2026!
Make sure to have this top thriller of 2026 on your TBR!
Thank you to Susan Walter and Blackstone Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read it early!
Make sure to have this top thriller of 2026 on your TBR!
Thank you to Susan Walter and Blackstone Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read it early!
November 25, 2025
*Ebook
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨✨ (3.5/5)
“Why they would serve deep fried flatulence to people crowding into a hermetically-sealed, flying soda can is beyond me, smells bad enough in there already.”
“He was beginning to think the devil was trolling him. It was the only possible explanation. He couldn’t blame his binge drinking for people getting hurt – the boy dying, his ex crying rape—because then he’d have to admit the devil and his drinking for one and the same.”
This one has A LOT going on and a ton of characters so if you pick this one up it’s something you’ll want to read quickly so you remember who is who and all of the subplots. I struggle with that so it might be a “me” thing. So that being said I struggled with this one a bit. I’ve been reading it for like 2 months. I also wish the characters would’ve said “say more” a whole lot less in the story. It interrupted the flow of the story bc it was said so frequently.
I loved the concept of this one and totally couldn’t tell you WHAT I would do if put in this situation. It was truly a nightmare scenario from start to finish.
I wouldn’t call it a page turner but it has a solid even pacing which is necessary when you have a lot going on like this sorry did.
I thought the story ended nicely.
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨✨ (3.5/5)
“Why they would serve deep fried flatulence to people crowding into a hermetically-sealed, flying soda can is beyond me, smells bad enough in there already.”
“He was beginning to think the devil was trolling him. It was the only possible explanation. He couldn’t blame his binge drinking for people getting hurt – the boy dying, his ex crying rape—because then he’d have to admit the devil and his drinking for one and the same.”
This one has A LOT going on and a ton of characters so if you pick this one up it’s something you’ll want to read quickly so you remember who is who and all of the subplots. I struggle with that so it might be a “me” thing. So that being said I struggled with this one a bit. I’ve been reading it for like 2 months. I also wish the characters would’ve said “say more” a whole lot less in the story. It interrupted the flow of the story bc it was said so frequently.
I loved the concept of this one and totally couldn’t tell you WHAT I would do if put in this situation. It was truly a nightmare scenario from start to finish.
I wouldn’t call it a page turner but it has a solid even pacing which is necessary when you have a lot going on like this sorry did.
I thought the story ended nicely.
February 21, 2026
Okay so first things first: airplane locked room murder mystery?? I was IN. That setting alone had me seated with my snack ready.
The story itself was tense and fun, I loved the confined feeling. It’s my first thriller set entirely on a plane and that added a fresh twist to the classic locked room mystery format.
BUT.
The audiobook… y’all. I am picky about male narrators and this one had full Batman energy. Deep. Dramatic. Gravelly. Every time he spoke I half expected him to say “Gotham needs me.” 😭 It just wasn’t for me.
Also there are A LOT of characters and moving parts. I genuinely had to keep notes to track everyone and their connections. If you love intricate cast dynamics, you’ll eat this up. If you’re a “just vibe and read” type, be ready to focus.
Overall: solid locked room tension, cool setting, but I’d personally recommend reading this one with your eyeballs instead of your ears.
The story itself was tense and fun, I loved the confined feeling. It’s my first thriller set entirely on a plane and that added a fresh twist to the classic locked room mystery format.
BUT.
The audiobook… y’all. I am picky about male narrators and this one had full Batman energy. Deep. Dramatic. Gravelly. Every time he spoke I half expected him to say “Gotham needs me.” 😭 It just wasn’t for me.
Also there are A LOT of characters and moving parts. I genuinely had to keep notes to track everyone and their connections. If you love intricate cast dynamics, you’ll eat this up. If you’re a “just vibe and read” type, be ready to focus.
Overall: solid locked room tension, cool setting, but I’d personally recommend reading this one with your eyeballs instead of your ears.
April 25, 2026
I loved this book, I loved the drama attached to it, and the story and how it builds up to a very strong conclusion.
Pioneer Flight 868 is supposed to be a routine trip for the pilots and crew to reach San Juan, in Puerto Rico. Passengers include a baseball team heading for a spring tournament, wedding guests that are tip top ready to celebrate, and flight crews that are very experienced, and some of them are most delighted to be in an older plane that has some amenities that are good for the crews. There is a Federal Air Marshall aboard keeping a subtle and quiet watch. However when a lightening flash strikes the plane, and takes its electrical systems out, and chaos is rampant. Not too long later, the power returns, and of all things, a passenger is found dead in the plane’s lavatory. Gee, how would it be to spend time in a living, breathing and now flying crime scene.
The weather is not cooperating and a violent storm is brewing and there is nowhere for the killer to hide. Was just thinking how tense everything must be to everybody, as time moves on, secrets among the passengers begin to unfold.
My first book by our author, Susan Walter, along with the narration skills of Scott Brick, of which I am a big fan, we have a fantastic setting for such excitement. Walter has done a fantastic job of developing the plot through momentum, using the plane’s confined setting, short chapters which really create additional suspense. I found myself guessing is it this or is it that, through the last half of the book. The plot twists are great in keeping the plot line moving forward but with enough bends that we are still guessing some more. Good job to Walter and Brick! You guys are a great team.
I'd like to say more, but if I do, it puts me in spoiler country. Don't want to ruin for someone else. Enjoy, I sure did! Recommend. Rate: 4.5 Stars.
Pioneer Flight 868 is supposed to be a routine trip for the pilots and crew to reach San Juan, in Puerto Rico. Passengers include a baseball team heading for a spring tournament, wedding guests that are tip top ready to celebrate, and flight crews that are very experienced, and some of them are most delighted to be in an older plane that has some amenities that are good for the crews. There is a Federal Air Marshall aboard keeping a subtle and quiet watch. However when a lightening flash strikes the plane, and takes its electrical systems out, and chaos is rampant. Not too long later, the power returns, and of all things, a passenger is found dead in the plane’s lavatory. Gee, how would it be to spend time in a living, breathing and now flying crime scene.
The weather is not cooperating and a violent storm is brewing and there is nowhere for the killer to hide. Was just thinking how tense everything must be to everybody, as time moves on, secrets among the passengers begin to unfold.
My first book by our author, Susan Walter, along with the narration skills of Scott Brick, of which I am a big fan, we have a fantastic setting for such excitement. Walter has done a fantastic job of developing the plot through momentum, using the plane’s confined setting, short chapters which really create additional suspense. I found myself guessing is it this or is it that, through the last half of the book. The plot twists are great in keeping the plot line moving forward but with enough bends that we are still guessing some more. Good job to Walter and Brick! You guys are a great team.
I'd like to say more, but if I do, it puts me in spoiler country. Don't want to ruin for someone else. Enjoy, I sure did! Recommend. Rate: 4.5 Stars.
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