Scott Burroughs almost missed the plane. In fact he had expected it to have already left, but it was still sitting on the tarmac when he got out of his cab. It was bit embarrassing climbing aboard the private jet, but once he saw Maggie Bateman, the wife of the man who owned the plane and who had invited him to join the flight, Scott relaxed. It would be a short trip from Martha’s Vineyard to New York, and Scott is grateful for the ride and the extra time it will give him to talk to art dealers and agents in the city. After years of being an unproductive artist, suddenly he is painting with an intensity and vision he had not ever felt before.  This was going to be the beginning of something new in his life!

As Scott looks around the cabin he sees David, Maggie’s husband talking urgently into his phone. David is one the most powerful men in the entertainment business. Maggie’s two kids are there: Rachel who is insatiably curious and always reading  and JJ, who is four years old, sound asleep on the seat in the back row. There is another couple who are undoubtedly rich and powerful friends of the Bateman’s, and a large man who is the Bateman family body guard. The pilot, copilot and the stewardess, who offers him a drink, round out the people on the flight tonight. Scott settles into his seat, noticing the fog that had rolled in as they taxi to the runway and take off and soon they reach cruising altitude, headed to New York.

Suddenly Scott wakes up in cold dark water. His head hurts terribly, and there is fiery debris from the plane all around him. As he tries to figure out what has happened he hears a small voice and swims towards the sound. It is JJ clinging to some debris, scared and confused. Scott knowing they need to get away from the debris, grabs JJ and begins the long swim to shore.

Shifting between chapters devoted to the back stories of each person on the plane with the investigation and aftermath of the crash, Hawley, deftly delves into the mystery surrounding the plane crash. Was there a conspiracy to kill two of the most influential men in New York, or was it mechanical failure, pilot error or a freak weather event? What is unexpected, however, is the bond that forms between Scott and JJ. Orphaned and almost mute, JJ, who now lives with a relative he barely knows, only seems to respond when he is with Scott. Hawley balances the suspense of the investigation, the flurry of media attention with the deepening bond that holds Scott and JJ together, allowing us to see the deep connection that is forming between these two survivors. Touching and suspenseful, this novel has the best of both worlds!

Brenda’s Rating: ***1/2 (3 1/2 out of 5 Stars)

Recommend this book to: Sharon, Marian and Lauren

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