Human Error

by Patricia Dunmore

It is late in the evening when a fully-loaded Dreamliner begins its final approach to Auckland airport after a long flight from Hong Kong.

Passengers are getting ready to land, air traffic controllers are about to hand the plane over to the local tower, when suddenly the plane vanishes from the radar. No May Day was issued; everything seemed perfectly normal. But the plane, carrying 214 passengers and crew, has vanished.

The authorities have no idea why or a clue to where it is. Deep fog is rolling across the Waitakere Ranges and neither the coastguard nor LandSAR know where to search. Even the Chief Air Accident Adviser is stumped.

Detective Sergeant Maki Hohepa is part of the Police Disaster Response Unit tasked with unravelling this mystery.

But nothing is as it seems. There are unidentified passengers, missing luggage and body parts that lead to a shocking discovery. Is this sabotage by a foreign nation or was it pilot suicide? Could it be drugs-related, or is it something altogether more sinister?

Genres: Thriller

224 pages, Paperback

First published April 10, 2025

Reviews

[Richelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this fast-paced thriller set right here in New Zealand. I work in travel, and oddly enough I love plane-crash stories — so this one instantly had my attention. The familiar locations made it easy to vividly picture the events as they unfolded, which added to the tension and realism.

At first glance, the premise might seem a little far-fetched, but once you’re immersed in the story it becomes surprisingly believable. The plot pulls you in quickly and keeps the momentum going, with enough twists to keep you guessing.

Set in spring, the story follows the disappearance of Oceanic Airways Flight 462 from Hong Kong, which vanishes off the west coast of Auckland with 342 passengers on board. As emergency services scramble to respond, DS Maki Hohepa joins the Police Disaster Response Unit to uncover what really happened. While the government is quick to blame human error, strange details begin to emerge — unidentified passengers, missing luggage, and unexplained body parts — leading to a far more sinister possibility.

This is a gripping, fast-moving thriller set in our own backyard, where international aviation collides with forces no one expects. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys thrillers, especially those set close to home.

[Jack Merrall · Rating 2 out of 5]

More like a 1.5 stars. The premise was great. The book itself needed an editor with a strong red pen. A lot of characters got introduced that you either never heard of again, or there were so many characters that you had forgotten you had already heard of them.

The main theory was mentioned a couple of times, and always shot down as a preposterous idea and no way it could have happened. Which made it somewhat obvious what happened.

And then the final big crescendo of the book, the flight path was wrong. A plane coming in over great barrier and the Hunua’s doesn’t pass over a house in the Waitākere Ranges.

Fantastic premise, just needed a bit more finessing.

[Libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book! Love supporting nz authors but unfortunately a lot of the time the books aren’t great. I was so pleased this book was different.

Great plot, likeable characters. Loved the kiwiness of it,
Thought the climax could have been drawn out a bit more and the end a bit clearer but over all, 5/5

[Daysanddreaming · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is honestly a fantastic read, with a really compelling narrative and a magnetic cast of characters. Kiwi culture and humour are both at the forefront, and the plot is interesting and full of red herrings.