Do you have any fear of flying? You may want to skip T. J. Newman’s debut novel, Falling. If not, you might enjoy this fast-paced thriller that is tailor-made for the movies and written by a former flight attendant. Shortly after Flight 416 takes off, Captain Hoffman learns that his wife and children have been kidnapped. The kidnapper gives Captain Hoffman two options:
1. Crash the plane and his family lives.
2. Land the plane safely and his family dies.
Captain Hoffman is warned not to speak to anyone about his dilemma or there will be consequences, including a contingency plan already on board the plane. Will he save his family or the passengers? To answer this question, you’ll have to follow the book’s many twists and turns to the climactic ending.
For me, Falling was over-hyped as a big must-read thriller of the summer. While I kept turning the pages to find out what happened next, I found some of the twists predictable and uncreative. In a lot of ways, the book reminded me of movies such as Air Force One, Non-Stop, and Flightplan. I was also disappointed in the author’s use of a stereotypical villain. Still, this book should appeal to readers who like high-stakes suspense or to thriller movie fans looking for a quick read.
Posted in: Drama, Fiction, Reviewed by Lauren, Suspense, Thriller