Rating: ****
Tags: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Adult, Contemporary, Lang:en
Summary
From the Emmy, PEN, Peabody, Critics' Choice, and
Golden Globe Award-winning creator of the TV show
Fargo comes
the thriller of the year.
On a foggy summer night, eleven people--ten privileged,
one down-on-his-luck painter--depart Martha's Vineyard on a
private jet headed for New York. Sixteen minutes later, the
unthinkable happens: the plane plunges into the ocean. The
only survivors are Scott Burroughs-the painter-and a
four-year-old boy, who is now the last remaining member of an
immensely wealthy and powerful media mogul's family. With chapters weaving between the aftermath of the crash
and the backstories of the passengers and crew
members--including a Wall Street titan and his wife, a
Texan-born party boy just in from London, a young woman
questioning her path in life, and a career pilot--the mystery
surrounding the tragedy heightens. As the passengers'
intrigues unravel, odd coincidences point to a conspiracy.
Was it merely by dumb chance that so many influential people
perished? Or was something far more sinister at work? Events
soon threaten to spiral out of control in an escalating storm
of media outrage and accusations. And while Scott struggles
to cope with fame that borders on notoriety, the authorities
scramble to salvage the truth from the wreckage. Amid pulse-quickening suspense, the fragile relationship
between Scott and the young boy glows at the heart of this
stunning novel, raising questions of fate, human nature, and
the inextricable ties that bind us together. ** "[A] terrific thriller...an irresistible mystery.. a tale
that's both an intriguing puzzle and a painful story of human
loss."―
*Washington Post
* "BEFORE THE FALL is a ravishing and riveting beauty of a
thriller. It's also a deep exploration of desire, betrayal,
creation, family, fate, mortality, and rebirth. It's one part
Dennis Lehane, one part Dostoevsky. I was spellbound from
first page to last; I haven't fully recovered yet."―
Michael Cunningham, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of
The Hours** "I started and finished BEFORE THE FALL in one day. That
begins to tell you what kind of smart, compellingly dramatic
read it is. So read it."―
James Patterson, #1 New York Times *bestselling
author of the Alex Cross and Michael Bennett
series* "A masterly blend of mystery, suspense, tragedy, and
shameful media hype...a gritty tale of a man overwhelmed by
unwelcome notoriety, with a stunning, thoroughly satisfying
conclusion."―
*Publishers Weekly (starred review)* "A pulse-pounding story, grounded in humanity."―
*Booklist (starred review)* "BEFORE THE FALL is an astonishing, character-driven
tour-de-force. The story is a multi-layered, immersive
examination of truth, relationships, and our unquenchable
thirst for the media's immediate explanation of unfathomable
tragedy."―
Karin Slaughter, #1 internationally bestselling
author
"BEFORE THE FALL kicks ass. A surefire summer read." ―
Justin Cronin, New York Times
bestselling author of The Passage
and City of Mirrors** "Like the successful screenwriter that he is, Hawley piles
on enough intrigues and plot complications to keep you
hooked."―
*Kirkus Reviews
* "This isn't just a good novel; it's a great one. I trusted
no one in these pages, yet somehow cared about them all.
BEFORE THE FALL brings a serrated edge to every character,
every insight, and every wicked twist."―
Brad Meltzer, bestselling author of The President's
Shadow** "[A] page-turner."―
*Vanity Fair
* "Utterly engrossing...practically made for the big
screen."―
*Domino Magazine
* Noah Hawley is an Emmy, Golden Globe, PEN, Critics'
Choice, and Peabody Award-winning author, screenwriter, and
producer. He has published four novels and penned the script
for the feature film
Lies and Alibis. He created, executive produced, and
served as showrunner for ABC's
My Generation and
The Unusuals and was a writer and producer on the
hit series
Bones. Hawley is currently executive producer,
writer, and showrunner on FX's award-winning series,
Fargo. Review
About the Author