Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime and start saving today with fast, free delivery

Kindle
$0.00
or $13.99 to buy

Audiobook
$0.99
with membership

Hardcover
$14.77

Paperback
$13.59

$14.77 with 47 percent savings

List Price: $28.00

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns

FREE delivery Wednesday, May 7 to Nashville 37217 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35

Or Prime members get FREE delivery Saturday, May 3. Order within 9 hrs 45 mins.

In Stock

$$14.77 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Enhancements you chose aren't available for this seller. Details

${cardName} not available for the seller you chose

${cardName} unavailable for quantities greater than ${maxQuantity}.

Ships from

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Returns

30-day refund/replacement

Payment

Secure transaction

Add a gift receipt for easy returns

$7.26

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns

Shows signs of wear. Jacket may be torn, cover may have creases, pages have some writing and highlighting. May have some water damage. May be a former library book. Ships direct from Amazon! Shows signs of wear. Jacket may be torn, cover may have creases, pages have some writing and highlighting. May have some water damage. May be a former library book. Ships direct from Amazon! See less

FREE delivery Wednesday, May 7 to Nashville 37217 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35

Or Prime members get FREE delivery Sunday, May 4. Order within 9 hrs.

Only 1 left in stock - order soon.

$$14.77 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

Enhancements you chose aren't available for this seller. Details

${cardName} not available for the seller you chose

${cardName} unavailable for quantities greater than ${maxQuantity}.

Sold by Dream Books Co. and Fulfilled by Amazon.

Other sellers on Amazon

New & Used (131) from $1.79

Keeps you on the edge of your seat KSap414

Image Unavailable

Image not available for
Color:

To view this video download Flash Player

Follow the author

T. J. Newman

Follow

Drowning: The Rescue of Flight 1421 (A Novel) Hardcover – May 30, 2023

by T. J. Newman (Author)

8,932 ratings

Editors' pick Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

See all formats and editions

{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$14.77","priceAmount":14.77,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"14","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"77","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"Z7Nc5Uq7CpNefjBmFOcoNQz3UIwu%2BzwYKN6TGxqMOah6zy1ziunBc%2BZranwkpwVh5om%2BV8PLOyNehZiLaSIRm48zHp8QAFymq9KiZB0xW7mX4SFkHPAqnZZ7%2BgJlOyuCr%2F%2FvQta52LsODV7GVPxqgQ%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$7.26","priceAmount":7.26,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"7","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"26","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"Z7Nc5Uq7CpNefjBmFOcoNQz3UIwu%2BzwYm7gKsrFyMOJcyBpVMVn2%2B0TJULA2G3Emiv4DLxGjZoOL4US2GmIhnb90rutpUWrJWE%2Fpd%2B15Ey3fWJH2VWaBiv0RYyy1jKRbZqrzi8d56h6nMVmppzuBXsfXZfYLMGlpA%2FiiUGVEwNnavZ5t4ySeKQ%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE FROM WARNER BROTHERS PICTURES * “Reads like Apollo 13 underwater.” —Don Winslow * “Masterful.” —Patricia Cornwell * “A stunningly vivid tour de force!” Gripping. Shocking.” —Brad Thor

Flight attendant turned New York Times bestselling author T. J. Newman’s adrenaline-fueled thriller about a commercial jetliner that crashes into the ocean and sinks to the bottom with passengers trapped inside—and the extraordinary rescue operation to save them.

Six minutes after takeoff, Flight 1421 crashes into the Pacific Ocean. During the evacuation, an engine explodes and the plane is flooded. Those still alive are forced to close the doors—but it’s too late. The plane sinks to the bottom with twelve passengers trapped inside.

More than two hundred feet below the surface, engineer Will Kent and his eleven-year-old daughter Shannon are waist-deep in water and fighting for their lives.

Their only chance at survival is an elite rescue team on the surface led by professional diver Chris Kent—Shannon’s mother and Will’s soon-to-be ex-wife—who must work together with Will to find a way to save their daughter and rescue the passengers from the sealed airplane, which is now teetering on the edge of an undersea cliff.

There’s not much time. There’s even less air.

With devastating emotional power and heart-stopping suspense, Drowning is an unforgettable thriller about a family’s desperate fight to save themselves and the people trapped with them—against impossible odds.

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

An Amazon Best Book of June 2023: The author of Falling returns with another dose of aviation anxiety in this nail-biting, emotional rollercoaster. It’s bad enough to be a passenger on a plane that has to make an emergency landing on water. Now imagine a scenario where all but a dozen passengers make it down that yellow slide before the plane doors have to be sealed shut again. Then imagine the plane starting to sink to the ocean floor. Fans of high-stakes disaster movies will recognize familiar beats: plucky passengers ranging from the very young to the elderly, a perplexed rescue team under pressure, forced to innovate on the fly when faced with a seemingly impossible rescue. But what we loved about Drowning is that it’s equal parts heart and heroics: once readers get sucked in by the emotional heft of the story, nothing will stop them from sticking the landing. Put your seats and tray tables in the upright position, fasten your seat belts, and pop a Dramamine. —Vannessa Cronin, Amazon Editor

Review

SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE FROM WARNER BROTHERS PICTURES

Good Morning America Buzz Pick
USA Today Book Club Pick
Entertainment Weekly: The 27 Best New Books to Take on Your 2023 Summer Vacation
Los Angeles Times: 11 Books to Get Excited About This Summer
Town & Country: The Best Books to Read This May
Good Morning America: 15 Fresh Books to Get Lost in This May
Goodreads: Big Mysteries of May
USA Today: 5 Books Not to Miss This Week
New York Post: 28 Books to Bring to the Beach This Summer
June Indie Next List
Vulture: 6 Great Audiobooks This Month
Library Journal: 19 Beach Reads to While Away the Summer
Real Book Spy: May 2023 Reading Guide
Crime Reads: The Best New Fiction Coming Out This May
Katie Couric Media: 30 Summer Novels Set Seaside
Maria Shriver Sunday Paper: Books of the Week
Sydney Morning Herald: Best Releases Coming Our Way
AARP: 32 of 2023’s Hot Summer Novels

“This is a thriller to the core, one that readers will want to finish in a single sitting. . . . Ruthlessly suspenseful, guaranteed to remain in a reader’s mind long after the last page is turned . . . Readers will discover early on that no one in this book is safe. The passengers’ experiences come to life with visceral intensity. . . . Seemingly every sentence intensifies the dire predicament her characters face. . . . The readers who took a chance on her debut will find much of what they loved in this follow-up—brisk storytelling, masterful suspense, and the chance to vicariously peer into a nightmarish situation from which heroes emerge.”
—The Washington Post

“The reader cannot look away. . . . The pace is blinding, the suspense electrifying, the human drama impassioned. Drowning may not be a book you want to read on a long flight—nor right before bed, unless you’re prepared to stay up all night finishing it. Read it on the beach this summer with your feet in the sand, safe on dry ground where you belong.”
—Los Angeles Times

“Taut, gripping . . . A spectacular aviation thriller that readers will be relieved to know is fiction.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Stunning, emotional, and unforgettable. Drowning reads like Apollo 13 underwater.”
—Don Winslow, New York Times bestselling author of City on Fire and The Border

“Drowning is the first terrific thriller of 2023. Honest. It has at least a dozen legit cliffhangers and a dozen huggable characters you can’t stop rooting for. T. J. Newman has the goods. Make that the greats!”
—James Patterson

“Taut, pulse-pounding—and best read on dry land.”
—Los Angeles Times

“Thanks, T. J. Newman, for making me not want to fly over water EVER again! Masterful.”
—Patricia Cornwell

“A stunningly vivid tour de force! Gripping. Shocking. Heartbreaking. You will not be able to come up for air until the very last page!”
—Brad Thor, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“Drowning is pure adrenaline and all heart. Gripping, relentless, effortlessly assured, T. J. Newman’s thriller is tense and moving. You’ll be grabbed from page one as the crew and passengers of a downed airliner fight for survival and rescuers race to reach them. Drowning is an incredible ride—strap in, brace, and remember to breathe.”
—Meg Gardiner, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“Drowning is The Poseidon Adventure meets The Martian. It is another can’t-put-down, edge-of-your-seat thriller from T. J. Newman, one of our most exciting new authors.”
—Adrian McKinty, New York Times bestselling author of The Chain and The Island

“The world of airline thrillers belongs to Newman in this follow-up to Falling, which is even better. The story has the beats for the perfect summer action film, let alone a beach read. Expect Newman to be drowning in sales and accolades.”
—Library Journal (starred review)

“Riveting . . . T. J. Newman is back with another blockbuster, proving that Falling, her lights-out debut, was no fluke, but just the beginning of what should be a long, stellar career. . . . Drowning is the book that everyone will be talking about in 2023. . . . Each page is dripping with a plethora of emotions—ranging from fear to claustrophobia—all of them palpable and real, creating a reading experience that is truly unlike anything else in print today. And as you experience that rising crescendo of tension and suspense, two things become crystal clear: T. J. Newman is for real, and she’s here to stay.”
—The Real Book Spy

“Drowning by T. J. Newman is a remarkable novel with extraordinary writing, story, and characters. T. J. Newman is a gifted writer and I stayed up all night reading it.”
—Dervla McTiernan, #1 internationally bestselling author of The Murder Rule, a 2022 New York Times Critics Choice Best Book of the Year

“Drowning is a full-throttle adrenaline rush, a relentless, full-speed thriller that will keep you riveted and breathless. Hang on tight for what’s sure to become a classic summer smash hit.”
—Eric Rickstad, New York Times bestselling author and author of I Am Not Who You Think I Am, a 2022 New York Times Critics Choice Best Book of the Year

Praise for Falling:

“The splashiest book debut of the summer.”
—Entertainment Weekly

“The thriller of the summer.”
—Dallas Morning News

“An unputdownable thriller that will take you on a wild ride full of twists and suspense.”
—Good Morning America

“Summer’s big thriller . . . The frenzy for Falling is understandable: At every turn, Newman cranks the tension in unexpected ways that still satisfy the thriller lust. Her insider’s knowledge comes through in details that not only bolster the book’s credibility but also catalyze the plot.”
—Margaret Wappler, Los Angeles Times

“Terrifying . . . Buckle up for a chilling summer read.”
—People (Best Books of the Week)

“A rich and assured debut . . . Emotionally complex in surprising and refreshing ways . . . Falling is expertly paced—if you were to begin reading this book at LAX, you’d finish it right as you began your descent into JFK.”
—USA Today (3.5 out of 4 stars)

“A white-knuckle thrill ride.”
—Newsweek

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster (May 30, 2023)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1982177918
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1982177911
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.13 x 1 x 9.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #88,685 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #377 in Terrorism Thrillers (Books)
- #977 in Psychological Thrillers (Books)
- #1,826 in Suspense Thrillers

Customer Reviews:
8,932 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Upload your video

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

T. J. Newman

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

T.J. NEWMAN is a former bookseller and flight attendant whose first novel, Falling, became a publishing sensation and debuted at number two on the New York Times bestseller list. Her second novel, Drowning: The Rescue of Flight 1421 was a an instant New York Times bestseller. Both books made a number of best book of the year list, are published in thirty-five countries and will soon be major motion pictures after selling in two separate headline making seven-figure deals: Falling with Universal Pictures, and Drowning with Warner Brothers. T.J. lives in Phoenix, Arizona. Her third novel - WORST CASE SCENARIO - is out August 13.

Customer reviews

8,932 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Review this product

Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find this novel thoroughly enjoyable and well-researched, with an engaging story that builds suspense effectively. The writing is detailed yet concise, and customers appreciate the well-developed characters who are easy to visualize and emotionally connect with. Customers describe the book as profoundly emotional, with tears of sadness and joy, and fast-paced with heart-pounding action. While many customers praise the writing style, some find it too technical in spots.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

Readability Storytelling Writing quality Character development Emotional content Pacing Heart pumping Technical detail

159 customers mention "Readability"146 positive13 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as terrific and interesting, with one customer noting it's everything a good summer read should have.

"...That says a lot because not only I loved each book, but I couldn't get enough of them...." Read more

"This book is terrific. Gut-wrenching and suspenseful, a real page-turner. I took off one star [SPOILER ALERT]..." Read more

"...This is a fast-paced, enthralling read that you dread reading, but can’t seem to put down...." Read more

"...T. J. Newman has a knack for delivering fiction that plays like a blockbuster movie...." Read more

156 customers mention "Storytelling"135 positive21 negative

Customers find the book's storytelling engaging and suspenseful, describing it as an action-packed thriller that's a wild ride.

"...I still do! Drowning was great! I think Worse Case Scenario is my favorite, then Drowning, and then Falling. But all 3 books are sparkling 5 stars...." Read more

"This book is terrific. Gut-wrenching and suspenseful, a real page-turner. I took off one star [SPOILER ALERT]..." Read more

"...as much as Falling, her first novel, Drowning is still an uputdownable thriller and one that will make your pulse-pound and keep you on the edge of..." Read more

"...This is nail-biting, tension-filled, nerve-wracking fiction that blisters from page one all the way through to the final conclusion...." Read more

62 customers mention "Writing quality"60 positive2 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, noting it is detailed but concise and easy to read, with one customer highlighting the Pulitzer Prize-winning descriptive language.

"...Her writing-style is immersive and places you on the plane with the characters themselves...." Read more

"This book was very well written. I loved it and gave it 4 stars...." Read more

"I am out of breath from reading this extremely well written, fast paced, heart wrenching novel...." Read more

"...character development and Pulitzer Prize winning descriptive language, not so much...." Read more

49 customers mention "Character development"43 positive6 negative

Customers appreciate the well-developed characters in the book, finding them easy to visualize and emotionally engaging.

"...The author is not afraid to throw her punches, sacrifice her characters and go to necessary extremes...." Read more

"...octane novel, but it also carries personal stories and deeper character relationships...." Read more

"This book pulled you in. Hard to put down. Could "feel" the emotions of the characters. Would recommend reading this book." Read more

"The characters and relationships are wonderfully woven together. Just when I thought all was lost.... Well, it played with my emotions." Read more

43 customers mention "Emotional content"43 positive0 negative

Customers find the book profoundly emotional, describing it as a heart-pounding novel that evokes tears of both sadness and joy.

"This book is terrific. Gut-wrenching and suspenseful, a real page-turner. I took off one star [SPOILER ALERT]..." Read more

"...This spell-binding story is tight with tension, filled with emotion, horrifying heartbreak, quieter moments of recollections, introspection, and the..." Read more

"...Well deserved, I say. This is nail-biting, tension-filled, nerve-wracking fiction that blisters from page one all the way through to the..." Read more

"...breath from reading this extremely well written, fast paced, heart wrenching novel...." Read more

40 customers mention "Pacing"36 positive4 negative

Customers enjoy the pacing of the book, finding it fast-paced and quick to read, with one customer noting that the action begins right away.

"...This is a fast-paced, enthralling read that you dread reading, but can’t seem to put down...." Read more

"I am out of breath from reading this extremely well written, fast paced, heart wrenching novel...." Read more

"...If you are looking for an adrenaline-pumping, fast-paced, page-turner this is your book!" Read more

"...and then crashing into the ocean is so realistic it creates a visceral sensation. But I was truly surprised at the turn the story took...." Read more

14 customers mention "Heart pumping"14 positive0 negative

Customers describe the book as heart-pounding, with one mentioning it makes their pulse pound and another noting it leaves readers breathless.

"...Drowning is still an uputdownable thriller and one that will make your pulse-pound and keep you on the edge of your seat!" Read more

"...of the human spirit in the face of disaster and is sure to leave readers breathless." Read more

"...If you are looking for an adrenaline-pumping, fast-paced, page-turner this is your book!" Read more

"...This is a pulse pounding story that never lets up. This one will be one of my top ten books for the year." Read more

15 customers mention "Technical detail"0 positive15 negative

Customers find the technical details of the book too technical in spots, with one customer noting it's difficult to follow.

"...There is a lot of research and technical jargon, that admittedly, I skimmed over a bit, but added veracity and credibility to the story...." Read more

"...An essential character, Will, was almost unlikeable as a know-it-all and seemed to be an unreliable narrator in an omniscient point-of-view...." Read more

"...The writing was sound but the technical detail was over abundant and detracted from the emotion of the story...." Read more

"Too slow of a pace. Too much detail. Felt like I was drowning in word salad" Read more

Reviews with images

See all photos

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.

Natalya
Heart pumping!
Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2025
Verified Purchase

5 days and all 3 books by this author have been "consumed". That says a lot because not only I loved each book, but I couldn't get enough of them. Did not need any break, did not want to take my mind off the books, I wanted more. I still do! Drowning was great! I think Worse Case Scenario is my favorite, then Drowning, and then Falling. But all 3 books are sparkling 5 stars. Cannot wait for new books from TJ Newman.

Read more

Helpful

Report
cureholder
Great read; fast-paced and suspenseful
Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2025
Verified Purchase
This book is terrific. Gut-wrenching and suspenseful, a real page-turner. I took off one star

[SPOILER ALERT]

because at the very end there’s a king drawn-out passage when one of the main characters dies and is reunited with her previously-deceased young daughter. Then a few pages later, literally the last page, that character is alive again and with her family — with no explanation whatsoever.

Read more

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
Miss.Read.Alot
Spell-binding thriller
Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2023
Verified Purchase
4,5 STARS
Drowning, is the latest, captivating release from T. J. Newman. This spell-binding story is tight with tension, filled with emotion, horrifying heartbreak, quieter moments of recollections, introspection, and the bonds created through shared experiences.

This is a fast-paced, enthralling read that you dread reading, but can’t seem to put down. There is a lot of research and technical jargon, that admittedly, I skimmed over a bit, but added veracity and credibility to the story. It’s action-packed and fast-paced, but also has a deeper, more thoughtful aspect to it.

In Drowning, we follow the tragic and mind-boggling crash of flight 1421 minutes after it leaves Honolulu. In the impending aftermath, we experience the panic, decision-making, rage, and terror of those who survive the crash. Some choose to leave the plane, and some do not. The plot focuses on those stuck within the plane, the trajectory from that choice and the efforts to save them. We get rather detailed backstories into some of the characters which creates an emotional connection to them, and join in on the camaraderie that is experienced through shared tragedy.

The author is not afraid to throw her punches, sacrifice her characters and go to necessary extremes. Her writing-style is immersive and places you on the plane with the characters themselves. You feel their desperation, their panic, their resilience, and their determination. Though I didn’t love it quite as much as Falling, her first novel, Drowning is still an uputdownable thriller and one that will make your pulse-pound and keep you on the edge of your seat!

Read more

10 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
Mae Clair
This one has blockbuster movie written all over it!
Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2024
Verified Purchase
Have you ever read a book and you can see it playing out scene by scene on the big screen? T. J. Newman has a knack for delivering fiction that plays like a blockbuster movie. It's no surprise this book (and her first outstanding novel, Falling) are already slated for Hollywood. Well deserved, I say.

This is nail-biting, tension-filled, nerve-wracking fiction that blisters from page one all the way through to the final conclusion. Yeah, some of the characters come off a wee bit stereotypical---the selfish jerk, the sweet older couple, and even the eleven-year-old who acts more adult then some of the adults around her---but so what? When you've got a fantastic popcorn-type novel that keeps you glued to every moment, you got with the flow and enjoy the ride. And what a ride it is!

When a jet is forced to "ditch" in the Pacific shortly after takeoff, eventually sinking to the bottom of the ocean, it's a race to rescue the passengers trapped on board before their air runs out. With back-and-forth scenes between the passengers struggling to survive and the rescue workers racing against time, this is mostly a plot-driven, high octane novel, but it also carries personal stories and deeper character relationships. This is a disaster movie in print, a guilty pleasure, and well worth a fantastic five stars. I can't wait for the movie. T.J. Newman has become an auto-buy author for me!

Read more

6 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
David G.
This happened, than this happened...
Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2023
Verified Purchase
Okay. So is this book a page turner? Yes. Cheesy and cornball. Check. Having now read both of TJ's books, I feel empty. Not that she can't engage the reader, but it's all surface. Characterizations are soap opera 101. She knows her stuff when it comes to airline procedures (having once been a flight attendant) but her grasp on human drama is thinly basic. "Drowning" is an improvement on "Falling" when it comes to ham-fisted dialogue, but the biggest drawback here is the over attention to physical action. 80 percent of the prose is this happens, than this happens, and not much of it is all that thrilling or even engaging. The characters from Kit the pilot to Andy the requisite jerk, are paper thin and flat out dull. Don't get me started on Will the bland hero of 100 leagues under the sea. She has a bestseller on her hands, but when it's all said and done - you won't remember any of it.

Read more

16 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
Kayla
Great book.
Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2025
Verified Purchase
This book was very well written. I loved it and gave it 4 stars. I probably would have given it 5 stars if it hadn't been for the so much back and forth between too many points of view in the beginning. It got confusing sometimes trying to keep track of who was who. But there were fewer points of view as the book went on, and I ended up really enjoying it.

Read more

Helpful

Report
Lrrose
Plane crash
Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2025
Verified Purchase
Such a gripping intense read. It has you biting your nails and sitting on the edge of your seat throughout the entire book.

Read more

Helpful

Report
John G.
Excellent!
Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2025
Verified Purchase
What a book! I loved it from start to finish! All of her books are incredible, and I would recommend to anyone that loves a story full of twists and turns!

Read more

Helpful

Report

Top reviews from other countries

SPN_972
Fantastic…
Reviewed in Canada on June 24, 2023
Verified Purchase

This author's writing is sharp and the story is compelling and intense. T.J Newman’s ability to make the reader visualize every scene is a rare talent and one she hones to perfection.I was on the edge of my seat throughput the storyline. Being a former flight attendant.I sympathize with the crew and passengers and everyone involved with the rescue. T.J. Newman being a former flight attendant herself for Virgin America Airlines and her extensive research helped make the book that much more believable. I was hooked right from the beginning right up to the satisfying ending .The intensity is non-stop. So be prepared for a rollercoaster of a ride intensity and emotions.

Will Kent and his daughter, eleven-year-old Shannon, are on Flight 1421 heading to San Francisco from Honolulu. After only being airborne for less than two minutes the engine explodes,and they also lose all there hydraulics the plane was dead in the air. Captain Miller and his co-pilot Kit Callahan are left with the only option for ditch landing (make a landing in the ocean). As the passengers are ordered to evacuate the airplane chaos ensues. Most of the passengers evacuate, but three crew members and nine passengers including Will and his daughter are trapped on board as the plane sinks, 200ft. below sea level than abruptly comes to a stop balancing precariously on a rock bed.

The are many characters in the storyline. The main characters and secondary characters were well developed some you would want to befriend and some you’d loath as they handle this terrifying catastrophe in the air. That ends below the ocean. You cold feel their fear and anxiety it was palpable. As they try to find hope in the situation that they have onboard Will Kent that takes charge of the situation with Kit the acting captain with their combined knowledge they try to devise a plan that will help them get out alive

Will, as an engineer, knows just how dire the situation is. Shannon shows a strength of spirit that is rare in an eleven-year-old and puts some of the adults to shame.
They are trapped and they have to face what led them to this point and Will vows to fix his family, if he can get them out of this disaster.

On the surface, Coast Guard, Navy and a private contractor crew are working to find a way to save those trapped in the plane. Chris, is the owner of the civilian contractor company that does under water welding on navy ships and no one has more to lose than she does. As Will and Chris work together with the navy and coast guard to save the people trapped in the airplane,the coast guard have implemented two failed rescue attempts already that ended with tragedy, Engineer Will while calming his preteen daughter realizes the odds are against them but there is hope in the genius brain of his estranged wife Chris; if only those in charge would listen to her. Both Will and Chris realize that what happened to their family before the plane crash was tragic, but the real tragedy is that they let it destroy their family.

The brilliance of this story is in the creative interweaving of the lives of those hanging in the balance. We learn about the special love of elderly couple Ira and Ruth and background on the other passengers and crew.

The tragedy leading to the separation of Will and Chris Kent is gut wrenching but the fierceness to save their daughter and each other is a testament of their love and the pain that tried to break it. I believe it added depth to the storyline.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✈️ Favourite Quotes :
"The life of a child is about firsts.”The life of a parent is lasts“
"I've been so focused on what we lost I'm missing what we had."

Read more
Report
Marney Black
Excellent
Reviewed in Australia on December 16, 2024
Verified Purchase
Non stop action, plausible plot, well written characters. I'll be lining up for the next book by this author.

Read more
Report
Dr Shyamrup Bhattacharyya
Nail biting suspense!
Reviewed in India on May 11, 2024
Verified Purchase
Once again, T J Newman comes up with a rollercoaster ride of suspense in her new book. Imagine a dozen of people trapped in an aeroplane that has drowned in the Ocean, with oxygen supply slowly getting exhausted. The hopes of survival are dwindling. And the rescue team above the Ocean's surface has no experience of pulling out an Aircraft from underwater!

Read more

Dr Shyamrup Bhattacharyya

Nail biting suspense!

Reviewed in India on May 11, 2024
Once again, T J Newman comes up with a rollercoaster ride of suspense in her new book. Imagine a dozen of people trapped in an aeroplane that has drowned in the Ocean, with oxygen supply slowly getting exhausted. The hopes of survival are dwindling. And the rescue team above the Ocean's surface has no experience of pulling out an Aircraft from underwater!

Images in this review

Report
Books_by_your_bedside
Okay, let me just prepare you by saying this book is absolutely amazing!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 12, 2023
Verified Purchase
Okay, let me just prepare you by saying this book is absolutely amazing!

I could just leave the review there. But I'll give you a bit more detail.

What I like about a T.J Newman book is that you're thrown into it from the very first word. There's no preamble. It's very clear that you're in a thriller and you're in it for the long ride.

I was crying by page 14. I don't know if it was the content or the beauty of the writing, but it really moved me more than I expected. I even had to stop reading for a bit. I can't even explain it. Why it moved me so much. I don't usually cry at thrillers, but this had such a heart that it was impossible not to.

I hate flying at the best of times, always have. I found Falling okay to read because the chance of an aviation terrorist attack is, thankfully, low. But a plane crashing? Into the sea? Being stuck in what is essentially a large tin can? That seems more feasible and that's a definite no no.

I would say probably don't read it if you've got a plane trip booked soon, or if you're claustrophobic, or if you suffer from submechanophobia - the fear of manmade objects under water.

Whilst I hope that she didn't have experience of exactly this situation, you can tell Newman has knowledge of planes. Everything to the last detail is considered. I mean, I know nothing about planes so she could be making it all up, but it feels so tangible and real that it can't be anything other than real.

There's a bit more technical jargon in this one than in Falling, if my memory serves me well. That could have made it unfriendly and difficult to read. But it somehow worked. I didn't always understand every technical aspect but it didn't matter. It flowed so well into the story that you just understood it and it helped you value the main plot points. And that takes some precision balance.

The entire book - bar the occasional flashback - is set over a few hours. It takes an incredible writer to get that pacing right. To have enough to fill 300 pages, but to also make it quick and thrilling and not bogged down with detail. I can only applaud her.

For me, this packs a serious punch. Not only is it thrilling and scary and all of those things that we want, it is unbelievably emotional and moving and touching. I can't think of another in this genre that has made me cry as much, or given me such a lump in my throat, as this one.

There are some fabulous characters. After the event, we're left with about a dozen of them. Crew and passengers, the elderly and the tiny, the mums and dads, grandparents, husbands, children, friends. And they're all wonderfully created. They're not all pleasant, I will say that, but brilliantly written and developed. I think every reader will be able to identify with at least one of them and put themselves in their very wet shoes.

I've seen the odd reviewer ask if Newman will branch out and write non-plane related stories. But I don't think that's an issue because they're so different. And there's a heart and a soul and a passion behind every word. Whether she chooses to write another 10 plane-set thrillers, or goes off-piste for the next one, I don't care. Her writing is spectacular and I'll read it no matter what form it comes.

Read more
Report
Sunny
Addictive
Reviewed in Australia on August 7, 2023
Verified Purchase
Was grabbed by this book from the opening chapter and the suspense was maintained throughout. I will now be checking out “Falling “, the author’s first book

Read more
Report

See more reviews

Amazon Prime includes:

Follow the author

Drowning: The Rescue of Flight 1421 (A Novel) Hardcover – May 30, 2023

Purchase options and add-ons

Frequently bought together

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Review

About the Author

Product details

Videos

Videos for this product

Videos for this product

Videos for this product

About the author

T. J. Newman

Customer reviews

Review this product

Customers say

Select to learn more

Images in this review

Reviews with images

Drowning by T.J. Newman 4.5/5 ⭐️

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.

Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic…

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent

5.0 out of 5 stars Nail biting suspense!

Nail biting suspense!

Images in this review

5.0 out of 5 stars Okay, let me just prepare you by saying this book is absolutely amazing!

4.0 out of 5 stars Addictive

Fantastic…

Excellent

Nail biting suspense!

Okay, let me just prepare you by saying this book is absolutely amazing!

Addictive