What would you do if you suddenly learned the exact moment and manner of your death? That is the provocative question at the center of Liane Moriarty’s Here One Moment, a sweeping novel that blends mystery, fate, and human vulnerability in ways both unsettling and deeply moving.
The story begins on what should have been an ordinary flight from Sydney to Hobart. The passengers include a mix of strangers: a newlywed couple, a jittery celebrity, a flight attendant barely holding it together, and even a man who looks like an off-duty superhero. Among them, however, is an unremarkable woman who will come to be known as “The Death Lady.” Without warning, she begins to move through the cabin, calmly predicting the age and cause of death for each passenger. Most laugh off the strange event, assuming it will be an amusing anecdote to share later. But when her first prediction comes true, followed by others, the passengers realize their lives may have been changed forever.
From this eerie premise, Moriarty explores how people grapple with fate. Some characters dismiss the predictions, others obsess over them, and a few desperately try to change the course of their lives. The narrative moves between multiple perspectives, including the mysterious Death Lady herself, Cherry. These shifting points of view allow Moriarty to weave together stories of grief, love, denial, and the universal fear of the unknown.
Reader reactions to this novel have been mixed. Many praised Moriarty’s trademark humor, sharp observations of human behavior, and the way she captures the absurdity of everyday life against extraordinary circumstances. The opening chapters, set in the airport and on the plane, are witty and engaging, offering spot-on commentary about how people act in liminal spaces. Characters like Allegra and her mother, or the couple Sue and Max, shine as emotional anchors amid the chaos.
However, some readers found the book overly long and occasionally meandering. At more than 500 pages, certain sections especially Cherry’s backstory felt drawn out and repetitive, leading some to skim. With such a large cast of characters, not everyone gets the development they deserve, and the constant switching of perspectives can be disorienting. The ending, too, has divided opinion: while some found it heartfelt and satisfying, others felt it lacked the punch the premise promised.
Still, Here One Moment is undeniably ambitious. Moriarty raises timeless questions about destiny and free will. If you knew when your life would end, would you live differently? Or would the knowledge itself become its own prison? These questions linger long after the final page, making the book worth the journey even if the pacing sometimes falters.
For fans of Liane Moriarty, this novel offers her signature blend of dark humor, social satire, and emotional insight. While it may not reach the addictive heights of Big Little Lies, it is a thought-provoking addition to her body of work that invites readers to confront life’s greatest uncertainty.
