Drowning (by T.J. Newman)
I recently read T.J. Newman’s debut novel, Falling, and was so captivated that I made it a priority to read her next book, Drowning. I’m incredibly glad I did!
In Drowning, Flight 1421 crashes into the Pacific Ocean just six minutes after takeoff. An engine explodes as passengers evacuate the plane, forcing them to close the doors. Consequently, the plane sinks to the ocean floor, trapping twelve passengers inside. One of the passengers is engineer Will Kent, accompanied by his eleven-year-old daughter, Shannon.
This is a unique and challenging situation, with the Coast Guard and Navy working tirelessly to rescue the submerged passengers. Chris Kent, a government contractor and expert in underwater ship repair, joins the elite rescue team. She is Will’s soon-to-be ex-wife and Shannon’s mother. Chris and Will must collaborate to find a way to save their daughter and rescue the other passengers.
Newman’s storytelling prowess is truly remarkable. From the very first moments, the novel gripped me, leaving me on the edge of my seat. Her ability to blend raw human emotion with thrilling suspense is nothing short of magical. She not only crafts heart-pounding scenes but also develops human characters with such depth and emotion that I can’t help but empathize with them. Several times, I found myself tearing up.
I borrowed the audiobook of Drowning from my local library using Libby. I thoroughly enjoyed the narrations by Steven Weber and Laura Benanti. The audiobook was exceptionally well-produced, with Weber narrating Will’s character and Benanti narrating Chris’ character.
I’ve been following the Poisoned Pen bookstore in Scottsdale, Arizona, and I recently discovered that T.J. Newman is from the Phoenix area. She’s also a former flight attendant. After reading Drowning, I was eager to learn more about her, so I searched YouTube for her author events at the Poisoned Pen. I thoroughly enjoyed watching her discussion about Drowning, where she shared insights into her past as a flight attendant, her journey to becoming a writer, and her debut novel, Falling. I’ve included the author event for your convenience.
You’re welcome to check out my review of Falling. It’s linked below.
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