New York Times bestselling author T.J. Newman returns with another nail-biting thriller that’ll rock readers to their core and leave them utterly speechless.
Once again putting readers straight in the cockpit of a commercial airliner, Newman opens her exhilarating third novel with a series of catastrophic events. It all starts when the plane’s pilot, in charge of getting all two hundred and ninety-five souls on board to and from their destination safely, suffers a massive heart attack, killing him instantly. Unfortunately, at the moment the captain experiences the fatal medical emergency, his co-pilot is in the bathroom, leaving a lone flight attendant at the controls when the plane pitches forward and begins speeding toward the ground. What follows is a riveting, unthinkable sequence that’s sure to leave readers’ palms sweaty and their hearts racing.
On the ground in the small Minnesota town of Waketa, locals bear witness to the horrific plane crash. Elsewhere, workers at the Clover Hill Nuclear Power Plant scramble to figure out what’s happening when readings suddenly spike. Could it be an error? Mechanical failure, maybe? Or could this be some sort of external attack? Those questions are answered rather quickly once employees begin hearing reports of the crashed airplane, which are soon followed by damage reports to the power plant itself. Immediately, engineers report a severed distribution line, as well as significant structural damage to the south side of the building, resulting in a compromised Reactor Two spent fuel pool, along with a severe water leak. Had that been the full extent of the damage, it would have been bad—nearly catastrophic, even—but likely manageable thanks to a long list of safety protocols and fail safes.
But as everyone will soon learn, this is a worst-case scenario unlike anything the world has ever seen.
The International Nuclear Event Scale, the agency tasked with tracking nuclear disasters, has only previously recorded two top-of-scale nuclear events: Fukushima and Chornobyl. Both were deemed Level 7 events. There has never been a Level 8.
Until Clover Hill.
Told through multiple points of view—including power plant employees, firefighters, children, family members, and even the President of the United States—Newman takes readers on a captivating and harrowing adventure that follows humanity’s fight for survival. That’s not hyperbole, either. It’s hard to capture the magnitude of such a horrifying nuclear event, but Newman does a fine job of balancing the narrative, showing the impact on local families and individuals, but also state and federal governments and beyond. The immediacy of the plot is gripping, and being able to follow the aftermath of the crash from depths both close and far helps to paint a better international picture of how a Level 8 nuclear event might actually play out. It’s heartwrenching and terrifying but also palpable and impossible to put down. More alarming is that Newman shows just how vulnerable we are to an attack or accident and, subsequently, what life might look like should fiction ever become reality. Bottom line: Every page sizzles with tension as Newman delivers another high-stakes, roller-coaster ride of suspense, emotion, and unrelenting action.
Told with relentless pacing, Newman dials up the tension to near unbearable levels. . . If you thought Falling and Drowning were intense, brace yourself—because Worst Case Scenario changes the game in a big way. On a scale from 1-10, Newman delivers an 11. Do not miss this book.
Book Details
Author: T.J. Newman
Pages: 416 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 978-0316578851
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Release Date: August 13th, 2024
Praised as “One of the hardest working, most thoughtful, and fairest reviewers out there” by New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline, Ryan Steck has “quickly established himself as the authority on mysteries and thrillers” (Author A.J. Tata). Steck also works full-time as a freelance editor in addition to running TRBS. He is the author of FIELDS OF FIRE, which #1 New York Times bestselling author Jack Carr says “will leave you speechless and begging for more,” LETHAL RANGE, OUT FOR BLOOD, and TED BELL’S MONARCH. For more information, follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and BookBub. To interact with other readers and talk about your favorite books and authors, join The Real Book Spy’s Discord server.