The Last Hostage

Kat Bronsky #1

by John J. Nance

An FBI hostage negotiator confronts a commercial pilot who has hijacked his own plane in this spellbinding thriller from New York Times–bestselling author John J. Nance

Airline pilot Ken Wolfe does not rattle easily. But when he learns that Rudolph Bostich is on his flight, his face goes pale. Bostich, the presumptive nominee for US Attorney General, bungled the case against the man who kidnapped and killed Wolfe’s daughter. The pilot is prepared to do whatever it takes to get revenge—even setting off a bomb on a plane full of passengers.
 
FBI agent, psychologist, and rookie hostage negotiator Kat Bronsky now has one hundred and thirty lives riding on her every word. As Bronsky speaks with the volatile Wolfe, she realizes she must solve the mystery of an eleven-year-old girl’s murder—in a matter of hours—to avert disaster.
 

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Aviation, Adventure, Mystery Thriller, Crime

516 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 20, 1998

About the author

John J. Nance is an American pilot, aviation safety expert, and author. He served in the USAF during the Vietnam War and also as a Lt. Colonel in Operation Desert Storm.

Reviews

[Deacon Tom F. (Recovering from a big heart attack) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fast paced story. From the opening chapter to the last it had me on the edge.

Strong female lead character was impressive. A great story.

[Bev Walkling · Rating 4 out of 5]

For some reason I really like to read about airplane disasters and John J. Nance is an author whose books end up in my "to keep" collection. This one is no exception to that rule. It introduces the reader to Kat Bronksy, an FBI agent who is a rookie negotiator and a psychologist. Called in to help defuse what appears to be a plane hijacking, she quickly discovers there is more the the hijacking than what seems obvious and that the hijacker may have well founded reasons for his actions. The situation demands she think well outside the box to resolve the situation and there are many very tense moments throughout. I was hooked from the beginning and suspect others will be too.

[JF · Rating 1 out of 5]

Worst book ever written !!!

[Jinianne Gorg · Rating 1 out of 5]

To be honest, this started out good, then turned extremely boring. I skimmed the whole half then read the last two pages.

[Debby · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was ok. Nothing spectacular or especially suspenseful. My major problem with the book comes from the fact that I am a prosecutor and know a thing or two about how the legal system works - and the system doesn't work as described in the book!

[Michael Redd · Rating 4 out of 5]

New character and author - going to find #2.

[Ренета Кирова]

Какво ще направите, ако детето ви е убито, а престъпникът е пуснат на свобода заради една грешка и продължава безнаказано да унищожава други животи? Този ужас преследва Кен от две години, докато не разбира, че на борда на самолета, на който е командир, ще пътува виновникът за освобождаването на злодея. Той за кратко време организира отвличането на боинга, за да поиска от правителството справедливост за дъщеря си. Битката му с ФБР, бюрокрацията и разследването на цялата история се водят във въздуха.
Авторът е изградил сюжета като пъзел. Постепенно започваме да симпатизираме на нещастния пилот. Кет Бронски, представител на ФБР, държи връзка през цялото време с него и дори се качва като заложник на борда на отвлечения самолет. От там разследването тече с пълна сила до шокиращия край на цялата история. Авторът подава по малко информация, която се напасва с всяка следваща глава. Не можех да спра да я чета, докато не научих цялата кошмарна истина.
Джон Нанси пише увлекателно и напрегнато. Самата книга е трилър и въздушен екшън. Емоциите на героите бяха много добри описани, а Кет се оказа първокласен детектив и психолог. С дедуктивните си способности и интуицията си, успя да спаси не само хората в самолета, но и да тушира самоубийствените мисли на Кен. Много напрегнато действие! От старите трилъри има много добри попадения, но ако искате да я четете, имайте предвид, че е за престъпления срещу деца.

[Sheila Myers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast-paced thriller that's well-written. The characters have some depth and I liked the way John Nance revealed all of the information about the various crimes a little at a time. What I didn't like was the ending, although I had a feeling while I read it would end the way it did. Maybe it's just me, but I don't like any novel that depicts a criminal as a hero even though that seems to be the way it is even in real life today.

[Space · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think my biggest complaint about this book is the incredible dialog. And if you think that's a compliment, please look up the definition for incredible. Listen. I'm a big fan of people not using foul language in everyday life. But it's just not believable in some situations. When people are frightened for their lives, or severely angry, they simply aren't going to say, "Good grief!" The bottom just drops out of the believability.

And I think I might be tired of the Nance novels right now because I've read seven of them in a row. I'm writing this review after having just finished his seventh, which is the second Kat Bronsky novel. And I'm just getting beat to death by this little project of mine (reading all his books in a row). The patterns are a lot more visible when you don't break away to other authors. Like the fact that every woman in every one of his novels has 'shoulder-length chestnut hair'. Why? And why does there always have to be a love interest? I just find myself sighing heavily and rolling my eyes a lot more than I want to be doing in the midst of what's supposed to be a fun read.

I also had a big problem with this story. A professional airline captain taking his own airplane hostage and demanding that some particular man be arrested and convicted of a crime (the fact that he actually did commit the crime notwithstanding) and endangering 200 people's lives... I mean, dude. Just, no.

But beyond that, it just didn't play out in a believable way at all. I never once suspected the bomb was actually real. And that's not because I'm some crafty read-between-the-lines detective. It was just... incredible. The whole time. And the dialog to back all that crap up was just so banal. Gag me with a shovel. It was like some snotty teenager wrote the book.

Sorry, Mr Nance. I just couldn't get into it. And what's with all the names that sound alike? There's now been a Bronson, a Ronson, Bronsky... I think I'm forgetting a couple. It appears he just likes names that have that phonetic ring. Like I said: I think I'm just overexposed and need a break from him for a while. I so wanted to read all thirteen right in a row. I thought that would be cool. But my wife is now telling me it should be an enjoyable adventure - which I do agree with. And I'm starting to think I just might finish the final six some other time.

[Lewis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not to my expectation of excitement as I approached the end of the story.

[Jeffery Clarke · Rating 2 out of 5]

My only question is, where does one find a 40 mm Glock? I have a 40 caliber Sig Sauer, but I never heard of a 40 mm firearm of any kind… Except maybe on a military vehicle/aircraft. Certainly nothing that would fit in a woman’s purse. That must be some huge fuckin’ gun. At first I thought it must’ve been simply a typo or was missed during editing until I came across the same “mistake“ later in the book. well, you can’t expect perfection on a budget.
That’s not why I gave this book to stars, I just didn’t get into this one that much. There were too many opportunities for things to happen that always managed to conveniently/Coincidentally just slipped through the cracks or get overlooked. And of course, the nagging clue/idea that is right on the edge of some major characters brain that they can never think of until just past the moment of opportunity. A frequent feature of Nance’s works. I usually rate his books 4 or higher stars.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

I completed this John J. Nance thriller. In this one, the airplane danger is that the captain of an airliner has hijacked his own plan in order to force a confession, an arrest, and a further investigation.

This one was not on par with some of Nance's other thrillers. It had some good moments and was quite readable, but pretty much follows the formula of an airplane in trouble and the scrambling back and forth to deal with a hijacker flying from place to place.

I'll continue to read Nance's books, but recognize, like a Louis L'amour western Nance wanders back to familiar terrain, characterization, and situations because he knows how to make the formula work for him.

[Rrshively · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an airplane suspense story which my husband read and thought I might like. It was good for the genre, but I'm not too much into suspense, and it had too much child abuse description. I definitely wanted to keep reading to see how it all would end, and the setting was in very familiar Colorado and Utah area.

[Angela Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book had believable characters. The action started right away. It was an easy read. All of this sounds great; However, I came away from it feeling dirty. The wrong that needed corrected was child pornography. Just writing that bothers me.

[Andrea Kepner · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book but I just couldn't. It sounds much more interesting than it really was.

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don't waste your time on this book.

The Last Hostage is a boring read which goes in repeated circles. It took the author forever to reach the conclusion.

[Megan Kallinen · Rating 2 out of 5]

The woman main character was clearly written by a man.

[Litt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started strong but quickly went downhill. Not interested in this author.

[Connie Arnold · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an incredibly preposterous premise. I suppose since it was written pre 9/11 it gets a little latitude, but the premise is just silly.

[Connie RENDON]

Started out very compelling, however it became increasingly not believable and dragged on too long.

[Nolan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rudy Bostich is in line to be the next U.S. attorney general. He’s on his way to a bar association conference in Phoenix. Ken Wolfe is the captain of the small regional airline flying between Colorado Springs and Phoenix. Ken’s daughter died at the hand of a kidnapper and rapist. Rudy Bostich, a Connecticut attorney years before the book begins, apparently lied on the stand, and the man accused of kidnapping and killing Wolfe’s daughter went free on a technicality.

Years later, Wolfe learns that Bostich is on the flight he commands to Phoenix. He creates a nonexistent emergency that forces the plane down in Durango, and he convinces his copilot and another passenger with a pilot license to leave the plane. While they are gone, Wolfe deliberately lifts off, headed for Salt Lake, leaving the two pilots behind.

Initially, flight attendants and passengers assume the plane is under the control of a hijacker. The reality is Wolfe hijacked his own plane.

His demands are simple: Arrest the man who raped, tortured, and murdered his daughter, and get a confession from the would-be attorney general.

The plane won’t stay in one place too long. Wolfe doesn’t want the FBI to gun him down. He has a detonator that includes a kill switch. As long as his hand provides pressure to the detonator, the explosives in his bag in the belly of the plane won’t go boom. (Nance wrote this in the ‘90s, so security references are a bit quaint.)

I could not put this down, and my usual penchant for dozing in a chair in the early evening fled completely. The suspense will keep you involved to the back page, and I doubt seriously you’ll see the end coming in quite the way it ultimately does. This is worthy of your time and attention despite its 30-year longevity.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 1st story in the series about Kat Bronsky, an FBI negotiator and she has to handle the possible hijacking of an airliner. The captain of AirBridge Flight 90 is Ken Wolfe. Ken when arrived on the plane is told by the chief stewardess that there is a VIP on board. Once Ken learns who it is, his character does a quick change. The plane takes off and after a while he notices a problem in one of the engines and does an unscheduled landing. Once landed, he asks his copilot to do an errand and then has another person who is also a pilo, do something as well. While the two are off the plane, Ken flies off leaving them. While in the air transmit a code which signifies a hijacking. This is where Kat comes into the picture.

Kat is brought onboard to try and get the hijacker to surrender and save all the passengers. In order for Kat to be able to talk with the hijacker, she eventually gets assistance from a business owner, Bill, who uses his plane to track the hijacked flight. After flying awhile, Ken brings the plane down. As things work out, Kat eventually becomes a hostage herself.

To discover who the hijacker was, what reason the act was performed, what role Kat played while a hostage and how everything worked out in the end, then you need to read this book.

This is the 1st book in the boxset and I can't wait to read the next one.

[Henri Moreaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure entirely what to expect when I started out on this one, the blurb made it sound interesting, but there wasn't a great amount of detail about what entirely goes on other than a nominee for US Attorney General boards a plane, the pilot of which is the father of a murdered girl whose case he bungled and the pilot will do 'whatever it takes' to get revenge. It piqued my interest, but there's plenty of ways for that to turn out tedious, dull and boring.

Thankfully, in no way at all is that the case with The Last Hostage, rather it's an almost non stop ride as the layers of an onion peel away to find that not only does the seemingly deranged pilot has very valid reasons for his actions, what appears to be straight forward, is far from such. Despite, the criminality of the pilot's actions he takes you can't help but empathise with his predicament, which as a parent was rather relatable.

I really enjoyed it, so much so that I read it cover to cover in one epic evening reading session.

[Carola Schroder · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not one of Nance’s best books. It feels hastily written. The main characters and their reaction to situations don’t seem as life-like as in his earlier books, rather overdrawn, and the reader does not get really involved. Too many clichés, and some moments read more like slapstick, which also keeps the reader from getting involved.

The story as such is a good one, with thoughtful insights into a person’s grief. But while there is poetic freedom regarding believable plots, it is just too much asked for to believe that an intelligent person would demand actions by the justice system that just would not work. And if, for example, the hostage taker gets upset because the child abuser is being apprehended for the ‘wrong reason’ and other such unrealistic sentiments, it really is difficult to stay engaged in the story.

Another example is the aftermath, which is too much ‘oh, he knows he’s done wrong, but everyone else wants to give him a pat on the back’, ending the book with just another in a long row of clichés.

[Susan Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, I'll admit it. I'm just a slut for any John Nance novel. I can't help it. The Last Hostage is his third. All three suck me in from word one. Last Sunday morning I opened up The Last Hostage. I barely ate or drank until the final word. I was afraid that if I put the book down even to get something to drink, one of my favorite characters would get killed while I was gone. It's sick, I know. An ordinary commercial flight was getting ready to take off from Colorado Springs. The pilot, a season veteran, takes off with all the passengers but without his co-pilot. And then there is a hijacker or is there? This book is a great ride.

[Dan Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Airline pilot Ken Wolfe does not rattle easily. But when he learns that Rudolph Bostich is on his flight, his face goes pale. Bostich, the presumptive nominee for US Attorney General, bungled the case against the man who kidnapped and killed Wolfe’s daughter. The pilot is prepared to do whatever it takes to get revenge—even setting off a bomb on a plane full of passengers.

FBI agent, psychologist, and rookie hostage negotiator Kat Bronsky now has one hundred and thirty lives riding on her every word. As Bronsky speaks with the volatile Wolfe, she realizes she must solve the mystery of an eleven-year-old girl’s murder—in a matter of hours—to avert disaster."

[Caitlyn Santi · Rating 4 out of 5]

No, this isn't a clean read language-wise, which didn't make me happy, but nevertheless I was surprised to find myself feeling very invested in the characters, and ended up truly enjoying the story! I got very excited that I was right about a few of the things that happened. I loved how the story developed, and that under the surface there was a story with heart, and even though there were no faith aspects to this book at all (it is General Market and I wasn't expecting there to be a faith story) it did seem to me that there was a smidgen of hope peeking through the cracks in places!

[Jan Norton · Rating 5 out of 5]

John J. Nance knows aviation and is able to draw his reader in to that world.. Airbridge Airlines pilot Ken Wolfe fakes engine trouble to force a landing; then, having tricked his co-pilot off the plane, he takes off. His plan: to extort a confession from a surprise passenger, U.S. Attorney General nominee Rudolph Bostitch. The novice female negotiator Kat Bronsky is put on the case.
By the way, when you get to the sentence where you find the title of the book, you'll be surprised, too. It's very true, but 'the last hostage' isn't what you think. Oooooo, intrigue!

[Hugh Butler]

I predict a bright future for Bronsky, an intrepid FBI psychologist, agent and hostage negotiator. She is assigned to a mysterious complexity brought on by a rogue pilot who breaks all the rules and defies logic until her intuition and sensitivity unearth the truth about the man and his problems. The interaction with her superiors and colleagues is a bit of a cliché, however and unresolved until the end when the Director himself awards her the praise she deserves.

a good read, fast paced and delightfully described both as to the mechanics of commercial flight and the settings.

[Karen S Sayre · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading this book and is was so great it was one of the books I say up late to read. I had to find out what happened in the end! Well it was a terrific ending to a story that kept me guessing, and a thrilling, suspenseful read clear throughout!

If you haven't read The Kat Bronsky series you better or you will miss the ride & read of a take your breath away thrill of your life!

your fan,
Karen