Falling - T.J. Newman

Thriller

Rating: 8.5/10

As I was reading this book, I was picturing, in blissful rotation, Ryan Reynolds, Keanu Reeves and Bruce Willis.  And not because this was a romantic saga in which I believed the happy ending to me mine, but because it was an epic action adventure starring the quintessential hero.

It’s incredibly rare that a novelist can pull off a thriller that plays out on the page as an action film would on screen.  Full of adrenaline, nonstop suspense, and high stakes for the characters.

Imagine this, you have just boarded a flight along with over a hundred other passengers.  What you don’t know is that the pilot’s family is being held hostage and unless he follows the kidnappers’ instructions they will die.  And those instructions include crashing the plane.  The one you just boarded.

What we learn along the way is that this is a test of sorts.  A test of what a good man does in an unthinkable situation.  One where those on the side he does not choose will suffer harrowing consequences.

Shifting from what’s unfolding on the ground to what’s unfolding in the air, the reader will barely be able to catch their breath with the propulsive pace the author maintains. 

A fun side note: I thoroughly relished the role that the flight attendants played, glorified servers they are not!

Book Pairing(s): Hostile Takeover by Shane Kuhn, Trust Your Eyes by Linwood Barclay, Tell No One by Harlan Coben