Little, Brown & Company
336 Pages
Worst Case Scenario is T.J. Newman’s newest book, but it is the first book of hers that I read. It was reading this book that spurred me to reading her earlier pair of books. For me, this book was the best thriller I’ve read in some time. It was so well done that I absolutely had to read everything else that Newman wrote. I’m glad I did. While I should have read this one last (because of my OCD when it comes to reading), this kicked off a new favorite author for me.
The book opens with a jet crashing. Unfortunately, the plane crashes and infringes on the footprint of a nuclear power plant. It is literally the worst case scenario. The intrusion of the crashing plane into the reactor is only one of the issues facing first responders as they tackle the nearly impossible task of minimizing and halting the spread of radioactivity before the countryside is ruined and the citizens poisoned.
The pilot of an airliner suffers a heart attack mid-flight. The plane plummets to the ground, crashing into a power plant in Minnesota. Immediately, the close-knit small town is thrown into chaos. The extent of the ensuing disaster could exceed Chernobyl or Fukushima. The locals are divided into those responding to the call and those scurrying to protect themselves and their neighbors.
Time is of the essence in this book. Old foes must work together. Sacrifices must be made for the greater good. Newman once again gives us characters who are rich and emotionally engaging. You’ll be pulling for each group of people as they struggle for survival. Much like her previous book, you will genuinely care for the characters in this book.
One of the things that I liked the best about this book is that no character is safe, not even the main characters. Here’s a minor spoiler: some of the main characters do not survive to the end. Because of this and the emotional entanglement that Newman has woven, the realism drips from the page. This is a story that could have come straight out of the headlines. The frenzied pace of events mirrors what would happen in the real world. As the action picks up, the reader will find themselves drawn deeper and deeper into the narrative, reading faster and faster with eagerness to deliver your new friends to safety.
Worst Case Scenario by T.J. Newman accurately explores exactly that -- a worse case scenario. She captures the uncertainty and the convictions as each event unfolds. Of the three books I’ve read by Newman, this one, by far, was my favorite. I eagerly await the next installment of her novels, hoping to be just as entertained by her writing. T.J. Newman has become one of my favorite authors in a very short time.
Craig Bacon visualizes the action in books as a theatrical film in his head. This one was worthy of a Michael “Boom” Bay feature.