Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty

What would you do if a stranger told you when and how your life was going to end? Would you believe that prediction? What, if anything, would you change?

Liane Moriarty tackles these questions in her newest novel, Here One Moment. I was thrilled to participate in a Tandem Collective Readalong to celebrate the release of this book, and I’m grateful for my free copy of the book in exchange for my own opinion and personal review.

Summary of Here One Moment (No Spoilers)

The strangers have many reasons to be flying from Tasmania to the capital of Australia, some returning home and some starting new adventures. Like most plane occupants (at least this writer), they’re more interested in getting a bit of a rest than interacting with their seatmates. But then, an elderly passenger rises from her chair and as if in a trance, starts stating age of death, cause of death while pointing to her fellow passengers. They ignore her at first, but as her voice rises, the years and causes of death start to feel very real. By the time the plane lands in Sydney, they’ve all received their death predictions, and no one knows what to make of it.

The chapters that follow tell the perspectives of select passengers and the mysterious woman herself, guiding us through everyone’s experiences as they to reconcile their lives with what happened on the plane.

What I Enjoyed about Here One Moment

Here One Moment was a delightful read for several reasons:

• Multiple points-of-view: This book wouldn’t have worked if it was told from only one character’s POV. Changing viewpoints by chapter kept the story fresh and engaging. I liked the characters, but I needed their stories to be fractured in this way because I got the entire view.
• Fast pace: When I was able to sit down with the book and fully focus, it was a fast-paced read for me. The short chapters and multiple POVs helped the momentum, and I didn’t feel like the story lagged at any point.
• Mystery: As a caveat, I rarely solve a mystery before the big reveal. But Ms. Moriarty led me down a completely different path than how the book ended (no spoilers). That takes a mastery of storytelling, in my opinion.

My Final Thoughts about Here One Moment 

Here One Moment is a great read if you’re looking for a mystery filled with interesting characters and complex questions. I recommend this one to anyone who likes a good moral dilemma in their reading.