Falling is one of those action-packed thrillers that manages to masterfully pull you right into the story and then holds your attention all the way to the end. This debut novel, by real-life flight attendant T. J. Newman, certainly lives up to the hype.
Captain Bill Hoffman is called by his boss to captain an L.A. to New York flight on his day off—and an important day for his son. Unable to turn down the request, Bill finds himself mid-air when he gets a message from his wife’s phone that leads to a horrifying revelation. His wife and children are being held hostage. Bill must make an impossible decision: crash the plane with 144 people, or his family will be killed. Instead he boldly responds, “You will not kill my family and I will not crash this plane.”
What I really appreciate about this book is that this isn’t Bill being the hero and saving the day. This is a collaborative story about several people—captain, crew, and people on the ground—working together to thwart a catastrophe. The secondary characters are just as well-developed as the main character, each has their own history, demeanor, and motivation.
Falling is one of those books I had trouble putting down and thought about even when I wasn’t reading. I highly recommend this book…unless you’re preparing to board a plane (especially an L.A to NY flight!).
**I received a digital ARC of Falling from Simon & Schuster and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**