Fantastic Summer Read - Before the Fall - By Noah Hawley

The ingredients for a good story require realistic characterization, a believable plot and a reason for the telling.  “Before the Fall” combines all three.  

David Bateman is the billionaire creator of his own 24-hour cable news network with a wife and two children, a four-year-old son by the name of JJ and a daughter, Rachel, aged nine.  The novel begins with the five flying by executive from Martha’s Vineyard to New York City, a short hour away.  Along for the ride are their friends, Ben and Sarah Kipling and Scott Burroughs, a painter who lives on the island and hoping to show his work in one of the city’s galleries.  Ben’s law practice specializes in laundering money from enemies of the state such Iran and North Korea.  The crew consists of James Melody, a fifty-some year-old pilot experienced and professional, Charles Busch, a brash, young co-pilot, and Emma Lightning, an attractive and urbane stewardess.  By the end of the first chapter, we know the jet will crash in the ocean with only to survivors.  The question is why?  Mechanical problems, pilot error, an act of terrorism?    
Like all the thrillers, I waited for it to fall apart.  Would it be half-way, three-quarters of the way or just before the end?  But, it never does.  This is great summer read to immerse yourself in on the beach, in a plane or at home on a rainy day.  

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