The Falling Woman: A Novel by Richard Farrell

(Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book: (from Goodreads)

A SUSPENSEFUL AND PROFOUND STORY ABOUT THE SOLE SURVIVOR OF A PLANE CRASH AND THE YOUNG AGENT ASSIGNED TO FIND HER 

Tragedy strikes during a cross-country flight when sudden turbulence causes the jet to come apart in midair. The odds of anyone surviving are nearly impossible. Charlie Radford, a young National Transportation Safety Board investigator, is part of the team sent to determine what caused the crash. When he hears a rumor of a survivor, he assumes it is a hoax. As word of this “miracle” reaches the media and Congress, Radford is forced to track down “the falling woman,” said to have been found in a barn still strapped to her seat.

The woman at the center of the mystery, Erin Geraghty, was facing a losing battle with cancer when she embarked on her flight. With diminishing hope of a full recovery, she had considered herself essentially dead to her loved ones. Now, after the plane crash, she is intent on remaining dead to the world and to her family, to live out her final days in peace. And then Agent Radford arrives at her doorstep. Can he convince her to come forward, and does he have any right to?

A riveting novel that ultimately asks compelling questions about the value of privacy, our responsibilities to our loved ones, and our right to control our own narrative, Richard Farrell’s debut is perfectly framed to become a favorite for book clubs and for all readers who relish a profound, page-turning story with heart.

my thoughts:

What a fascinating story! A plane falls apart in the middle of the sky and one woman survives the tragedy. 

Erin has pancreatic cancer and is set to die.  She boards a plane heading to a cancer retreat.  The plane comes apart during the flight and everyone but Erin dies.  Say what? Yep, she is the sole survivor.  Except, no one knows she has survived the flight - not even her family.  Erin has decided to just die in peace and hides out in a cabin, bent on living out her final days quietly.  Only, Charlie Radford, an investigator looking into the plane crash, keeps hearing about a sole survivor.  Determined to find the survivor, Charlie tracks down Erin.  He wants her to come forward as the sole survivor of the crash.  Erin doesn't want to.  She wants to be left alone to die. Will Charlie convince her to change her mind? Or, will Erin get the peace and quiet she was looking for?

Talk about a riveting read. This books looks at our right to privacy and our right to living our lives our way. Such a great story! You can't but wonder about Erin, her family, her illness, her decisions.  And then there's Charlie and his determination to figure out why Erin would choose to hide away from her family and everything that's happened. Definitely a great book that provides plenty of food for thought.

I would happily recommend The Falling Woman to anyone and everyone looking for their next great read - you will LOVE this book!!





Thank you to the publisher for providing me with copy of this book!