It started like any other day.
Then, an airplane fell from the sky, struck a nuclear power plant, and suddenly, things go from bad to . . .
The Worst Case Scenario.
But don’t let that description fool you. This book—unlike her first two (Falling, 2021, and Drowning, 2023)—is not about an airplane crash. It is about everything that comes after the crash. It’s about everyone, from firefighters to schoolteachers, banding together in a time of despair.
It’s about survival.
It’s about humanity facing a doomsday event unlike anything the world has ever seen.
So buckle up because New York Times bestselling author T.J. Newman packs a mean punch here, showing incredible range as she mixes heart-racing sequences with emotionally charged moments that’ll have you on the brink of tears. Taking readers on an emotional rollercoaster is not altogether new for Newman, but the author is in top form here, showing she has another gear—and that if you thought she’d already peaked, nope. Airball. Because in a lot of ways, Newman is still just getting started, and Worst Case Scenario is her most exhilarating thriller to date.
Thankfully, ahead of the launch of her new book, Newman agreed to go back on the record for our Five Questions segment, and I asked her about everything from how she came up with the chilling story idea for this book to what advice she has for aspiring authors. Check out the Q&A below, then make sure to pre-order your copy of Worst Case Scenario, available everywhere on August 13th, here.
(Note: An expanded version of this interview is also available on The Real Book Spy Substack, which functions as an extension of this website but is geared towards more diehard fans of the mystery and thriller genre. See two additional questions, along with a separate lead-in, here.)
TRBS: First, congratulations on the release of WORST CASE SCENARIO, which is my favorite book of yours so far. This one is different than your first two novels, which both took place on a plane. Now, the story starts when the plane goes down, crashing into a nuclear power plant, causing a disaster unlike anything the world has ever seen. How on earth did you come up with the story idea for this one, and what sort of research did you have to do before actually sitting down to write?
Newman: When I was writing FALLING, I would always ask pilots questions about flying. The nuts and bolts of the procedures and protocols of flying. But I’d also ask them about the psychological and emotional side of the job. “What’s your biggest fear?” That was the only question I always asked. And I was surprised to find the answers became pretty similar and repetitive. Lots of wires. Pilots are worried about getting caught up in power lines. Fears of making the wrong call in an emergency. Fears of freezing up and not being able to make any call. Lots of them worried about their families. They worried about turning the spouses into widows and widowers.
Then, one day, I had a pilot say, “My biggest fear is a commercial airline crashing into a nuclear power plant.”
I thought he was joking. So I laughed, and then I started saying all the reasons why that was ridiculous. That, in a post 9/11 world, they’d shown these targets were secure. They’d fortified the structures and run studies to show that in the event of a crash, it would still be ok. And I was saying all this, he was nodding, smiling, listening. And once I finished, he said: “And that’s exactly what they want you to think.”
As for research, there were two surprises. One: I didn’t have to search that hard. There’s a lot of transparency and oversight in the industry, which makes for a remarkable amount of readily available information on nuclear power plants. And two: I was shocked at how obvious the vulnerabilities of a nuclear power plant were. And I was terrified to find information that backed up the plausibility of the kind of incident I was envisioning. This could happen. I wasn’t expecting that. And it scared the hell out of me.
TRBS: You are an incredible success story, and that story has been told everywhere, from Deadline to People Magazine, because of how inspiring your ascent to the top of the thriller genre has been. How has your life changed in the last few years?
Newman: I wasn’t an overnight success. It took decades. And I didn’t get to do my first love, which was acting. But through a lot of heartache and a lot of humble pie, I persevered. And honestly, I’m more proud of the perseverance than I am of even the success. And people might find that hard to believe but it’s true. I’m really proud that I didn’t give up. And that’s why I’m trying to pay it forward now and tell other dreamers not to give up. I wrote a whole piece on Deadline Hollywood to tell people not to give up on their dreams. I’m so blessed. I’m living my wildest dreams come true. Everything’s different. I’m no longer a flight attendant, I’m a full-time professional writer which is something I can’t believe I get to say.
The creative experiences and opportunities I’ve had are beyond humbling. But at the same time, I don’t feel that different. I still feel like the person I was before any of this happened—which, I think, is the benefit of not getting your break when you’re so young that you’re still trying to figure out who you are. When all of this started, I was in my mid-thirties. I was an adult. I knew myself and my relationship with the world. That kind of internal grounding I think has really helped me weather the insane changes and transitions.
TRBS: As a follow-up to my last question, what makes your story so compelling is that you received a lot of rejections along the way before finding an agent and landing your first book deal. You’re proof that dreams do come true and that hard work matters. What advice do you have for aspiring authors who are, right now, where you used to be, querying agents and getting rejections?
Newman: 41 agents rejected me, and a lot of them didn’t even give me the respect of a reply. I’m intimately acquainted with what rejection feels like. And I think all the time: What if I had just quit? What if I’d believed them when they told me it wasn’t good enough? I’m grateful every day that I didn’t. A big part of what I want to do now is make sure other people don’t quit.
TRBS: There has been a ton of movie news in the last 18 or so months in connection to your first two books. Are there any updates that you can share?
Newman: Probably not without someone coming in through the window to silence me. But I will say both movies are moving forward, and I couldn’t be more excited about what’s happening with both.
TRBS: When you’re not writing, what are some of your hobbies?
Newman: When I’m not writing or reading, I’m watching movies, watching baseball, traveling, hiking, drinking coffee, and drinking wine – all preferably done in conjunction with my absolute favorite hobby of all: spending time with my family and friends.
#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER * INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
“T. J. Newman has written the perfect thriller! A must-read.” —Gillian Flynn
“Stunning and relentless. This is Jaws at 35,000 feet.” —Don Winslow
“Falling is the best kind of thriller…Nonstop, totally authentic suspense.” —James Patterson
“Amazing…Intense suspense, shocks, and scares…Chilling.” —Lee Child
You just boarded a flight to New York.
There are one hundred and forty-three other passengers onboard.
What you don’t know is that thirty minutes before the flight your pilot’s family was kidnapped.
For his family to live, everyone on your plane must die.
The only way the family will survive is if the pilot follows his orders and crashes the plane.
Enjoy the flight.