Simple Flying had the opportunity to review a new and fresh aviation book titled Wings of Deceit: A riveting aviation thriller of suspense, longing, lies and a pilot’s ailing brain; it did not disappoint.
Our take
From the first page to the last, this was a book that was absorbing and hard to put down. Wings of Deceit chronicles Captain Robert "Mac" Frank, a seasoned pilot whose life is centered on being in the captain's seat of a wide-body airliner. In the air, he is in command of his ship, but beneath his uniform, the man is empty and alone. His career has filled many voids, but when health puts his career in jeopardy, he discovers he will risk everything to claw for control of his crumbling life.
While alone in the cockpit above the Pacific Ocean, his condition progresses, triggering chaos and ruin. Julie, his young female copilot, and former student is called to save hundreds aboard. Faced with an investigation and certain criminal charges, Mac must decide what his life has meant and if it is still worth fighting for.
Health vs flying
Hoffman asks a compelling question many of us in aviation wish to ignore: what happens if we develop a health condition that bars us from flying? In an industry where our professional success depends on our medical clearance, it’s no wonder most don’t dwell on what’s at risk.
On the surface, the novel is truly an entertaining and creative read but, under the hood, it asks broader questions about mental health in aviation and how we care for our own. Hoffman captures the life of an airline pilot in a fresh way, from the causal banter of a preflight cockpit to the sense of adventure that drew many of us to aviation.
Walking alongside relatable characters and learning some aviation history on the way, this page-turner explores the life of a broken man who faces the loss of what many of us are at our core: a pilot. Wings of Deceit calls to mind the tragic tale of the Germanwings Flight 9525 and paints a compelling picture of what is on the line if our broken system continues unchanged.
American Fiction Awards first place
Pilots around the world are talking about Wings of Deceit for good reason: this is a book aviation enthusiasts of all levels can all get something from. It’s no surprise it won first place in the 2019 American Fiction Awards and was featured on the popular podcast Aviation LO Down.
Simple Flying calls Wings of Deceit a fantastic story that all aviators must add to their reading list.
4.5/5 stars
Available electronically on Kindle or Nook or in paperback through Amazon.