STATELESS

In the years leading up to World War II, a wealthy philanthropist hosts an air race among young pilots to promote peace throughout Europe. Stella North sees this as an opportunity to prove her flight skills as the race's only female pilot and proudly represent England - that is until she watches a plane, one that looks eerily similar to her own, be forced into the English Channel by another. When the Italian pilot doesn't arrive at the first landing point later that day, she can't help but wonder whether someone is trying to sabotage the competition.

Stella's suspicions are heightened when the French pilot, angry and disheveled Tony Roberts, reports that an unfamiliar lighter was placed dangerously under the rudder cables in his plane. But Tony is hiding something, which makes Stella wonder if she can trust him.

Stella knows someone is attacking contestants, when her own plane is almost knocked out of the sky. She just doesn't know who. Was Tony's report of sabotage just a cover for his own malicious actions? And what about the formal, stiff German pilot whose lighter went missing just to appear under Tony's rudders? Or is it one of the many other contestants she has only know for the duration of the race?

Elizabeth Wein was born in New York City, grew up abroad, and currently lives in Scotland with her husband and two children. She is an avid flier of small planes and holds a PhD in folklore from the University of Pennsylvania. Elizabeth is the author of CODE NAME VERITY; ROSE UNDER FIRE; BLACK DOVE, WHITE RAVEN; and THE PEARL THEIF. She is also an Edgar Award Winner, a Printz Honoree, and a #1 New York Times bestseller.