Newman has an incredible talent for creating tension in a story. However, while Newman's previous novels took place inside the plane itself, this one was more about the impact of a plane crash. For me, this made the story a bit less unique and memorable. As usual, the characters were compelling and I was invested in everyone's story arc. The characters fit together well, so even if they were part of different elements of the plotline, they all still fit together. In Newman's novels, every hero doesn't make it out unscathed, so it's harder to guess what will happen next. That being said, this one was rather more predictable than the previous ones. I read this one on audio and it was excellent. On the whole, another win from Newman.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

When a commercial airliner crashes into a nuclear power plant, the countdown is on to prevent disaster on an unthinkable scale. In this new aviation thriller from T.J. Newman, we follow along with those responsible for managing and dealing with this new disaster... before it's too late.

Similar to Newman's previous books, this story is fast-paced and high adrenaline. It's a binge-able read with an interesting plot, technical details that are well-researched, and a cast of everyday heroes to root for. And while Worst Case Scenario didn't quite hit the same level of suspense or emotion for me as her previous book (Drowning) it was still a non-stop action read.

I listened to this one on audio and really enjoyed the style of narration. There was a lot of conversation that took place over the radio and I thought it was fun (and unique) to see that integrated into the audiobook.

3.5 stars rounded up for the narration! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance audio copy!

Thank you @netgalley and @littlebrown for my ALC!

3,5 stars to the story but 5 stars to the narration of this audiobook!

But for those wanting to know more get ready for Newman’s latest page-turner where she takes us on a heart-pounding journey that starts at 35,000 feet and then plunges straight into chaos.

The story is as terrifying as it is gripping: a pilot suffers a heart attack mid-flight, sending a commercial airliner on a collision course with a nuclear power plant in Waketa, Minnesota.

In a high-stakes race against time, ordinary heroes—power plant employees, firefighters, teachers, and families—find themselves facing an unimaginable crisis that pushes them beyond their limits. It's a wild mix of human spirit and sheer anxiety that’ll keep your heart racing!

While Newman excels at crafting an emotionally charged, high-stakes plot, the story sometimes gets bogged down in technical details. For those who love disaster movies, the scenarios here have all the makings of a blockbuster. However, the heavy use of technical jargon, especially surrounding the nuclear disaster, occasionally slows the pace and detracts from the emotional depth of the characters' experiences.

I also felt that some of the more poignant moments felt slightly overdone, crossing into melodrama. But that’s just my personal opinion.

While this book delivers its share of electrifying moments, it doesn't quite capture the raw, relentless tension that made her first book ‘Falling’ a standout.

When all is said and done, Newman’s talent for creating dramatic, high-stakes situations definitely shines through, making this a thrilling read for those who enjoy exploring the limits of human resilience.

Newman’s books are action-packed and tense and this was no exception. When a plane crashes into a nuclear power plant, the small town races to contain the damage before it results in Chernobyl-level disaster.

I know nothing about nuclear energy but was still on the edge of my seat as we follow different characters navigating different elements of the crisis across town. We see a community come together as they are faced with the ultimate test.

I highly recommend the audiobook narrated by Joe Morton (Olivia Pope’s dad from Scandal!). His narration was perfect and kept you wanting to listen and find out what happened.

Unless you’re flying soon, I’d recommend picking this up! Thanks NetGalley and Hachette Audio for my complimentary copy.

I’m just blown away & don’t want to give it away.

As I sat down to listen, I thought it was going to be a plane catastrophe story set exclusively on a plane, boy was I wrong.

Super fast paced! High octane thriller that starts with a bang & will have you in tears by the end.

The characters are well written & multiple storylines are unfolding at once. Characters are multilayered, from all ages & walks of life. Some characters are asked to do things outside of their comfort zone due to the current emergency circumstances.

World ending disaster movie set in the US.

I realize I’m not sharing specifics but there’s a lot going on and I personally enjoyed the surprise of finding out on my own.

Edge of your seat! Can’t put it down!

Thank you NetGalley & Hachette Audio. I read a lot of books and this is in contention for thriller of the year! I’m excited to read more books by T.J. Newman!

Worst Case Scenario by TJ Newman ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The small town of Waketa must work together to prevent a level 8 nuclear disaster. Wow! This story was gut-wrenching, thrilling and packed with suspense. I felt connected to the characters and did not want the story to end. The character development was great and story fast paced.

Thank you TJ Newman, NetGalley and publishing team. The audiobook was top notch & i enjoyed it very much.

A commercial plane crashes into a nuclear power plant off of the Mississippi River in Minnesota. The clock starts counting down as teams of experts, politicians and regular citizens work together to avert a global disaster.

I am old enough to remember the epic disaster movies of the 70’s and 80’s. I am talking about Earthquake, The Poseidon Adventure, Airplane among others. This book reminded me of those classic stories. It was filled with great characters, heroism, determination and sacrifice. The people and how they overcome obstacles during a crisis is the best part of the story. This has that and so much more. Maybe I was a little nostalgic but I loved this story. It delivered a heart stopping thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed. My favorite by the author so far and I have enjoyed them all!!


5 ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

TJ Newman is a great action/suspense writer. This book kept me listening with so many things that go wrong. I enjoy the character development and the heroic acts that compel us to believe humanity is worth saving! The narrator does a great job in this audio.

I don't enjoy the F words throughout the novel.
No sex--no time...they have to save the world!

Have you ever wondered what would happen if a plane crashed into a nuclear power plant? T.J. Newman lets readers into just that scenario in this new non-stop novel. Told through several points of view, including first responders, power plant workers, and even the President of the United States, readers are ensconced in the terror and the heroics resulting from a catastrophic event. The narrator of the audiobook expresses this sense of urgency and inflicts emotion into every situation. The audiobook also employs the crackly echoing of the continuous radio chatter necessary because cell service is down. The result is a truly immersive reading experience!

Like her previous novels, this book is action packed from the beginning to the end. However, I didn’t really connect with the characters this time and had a harder time following this story.

When I read @tj_author books, I feel like I am sitting in the front row of a major action packed blockbuster movie. 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗼, her newest thriller, definitely upholds Newman's reign as the best in this genre. This is a gripping thriller that will take you on a heart-pounding journey through a potential nuclear disaster in a small Midwestern town. I finished it in ONE DAY! We start here with a heart pounding description of an aviation crash, but from there Newman crafts a story that is both intense and emotionally charged. ⠀
⠀
The plot centers around a commercial airliner that crashes into a nuclear power plant in Waketa, Minnesota, triggering a catastrophic crisis with global implications. The narrative follows ordinary people—power plant employees, firefighters, teachers, and families—who are thrust into extraordinary circumstances. Their courage, ingenuity, and determination are put to the ultimate test as they strive to prevent a meltdown that could devastate millions.⠀

Newman’s storytelling is masterful, keeping readers on the edge of their seats with relentless suspense and well-developed characters. The book’s pacing is impeccable, making it difficult to put down. The realistic portrayal of a nuclear disaster and the human response to such a crisis adds a layer of authenticity that enhances the overall impact of the story. I cannot thank @hachetteaudio for the amazing audiobook version of this narrated by the incredible Joe Morton. This book is MEANT for audio!!

𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘊𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘚𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘰 is a must-read for fans of thrillers. T.J. Newman continues to prove her prowess in the genre, delivering a novel that is both thrilling and thought-provoking. Pick this one up for a big Summer thrill!

This book read exactly like how I expect then movie version to go. If you like reading disaster movies, you will like this book!
I appreciate how fast moving Ms. Newman keeps her books. There are a lot of main characters so I was not sure this would work well but it does. Keep with it and it's worth it. Rounded up from 4.5 stars
The narrator was great and animated when needed.. The production is good but there were times when the 'bullhorn would be REALLY loud so I would turn it down, but then I could not hear the narrator well. Maybe a mixing issue?
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

A full speed ahead thriller in the air (and on the ground) from T.J. Newman. What's the worst thing that could happen on a plane? Well, crashing into a nuclear power plant would have to be right up there. The author imagines the unimaginable in a super fast paced, scary, compelling narrative with a racing pace of suspense that never lets up. There are a cast of compelling characters, including first responders and a young President who is being tested for the first time. The pages (or in my case, the audio) practically turn themselves. Recommended!

At first the prologue of this book really engrossed me but I feel like it fell flat. There was too much technical jargon and it enough storyline happening that it made me feel bored. I am very disappointed as I enjoyed T.J Newmans other 2 books. I also did not love the narrators voice at all.

Propulsive and action-packed — aka just like Newman's other two novels. This one is even more unsettling (in the best way!). Eternally impressed with the research I'm sure had to go into this one! I learned a lot about nuclear energy! The audio is expertly done!

Wow wow wow! This was a fun and electrifying story. It had me at the edge of my seat the whole time. Highly recommend for anyone who's into high intensity thrillers

This was my first T.J. Newman book and wasn’t quite what I expected. I thought this would focus more on the plane crash events and long-term aftermath, whereas it focused mostly on the nuclear power plant. I enjoyed that it was fast paced and action packed, it kept me entertained and sometimes I couldn’t put it down. There was a lot of technical information surrounding the power plant and nuclear power, which caused me to zone out a bit at times. The ending was also very quick and felt a little unresolved, I actually had to check and make sure I didn’t skip a chapter.

The narration by Joe Morton was excellent- I really liked the use of “special effects” and voice altering. His voice was pleasant to listen to and he did a good job with the voices of different characters. Sometimes his yelling felt a little disingenuous, but overall he gave a solid performance.

Please check out the trigger warnings before reading, some of the subject matter is dark.

Thanks to NetGalley, Hachette Audio, Little, Brown & Company, and the author T.J. Newman for the ALC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was WILD and such a fun audiobook. The action was relentless, which made this fly by and had me hooked from the first second. There were nonstop terrible things happening — and just when it seems like all is well, another terrible thing happens. And another. And another. And another.

No spoilers, so I’ll keep it vague, but my only real complaints were: 1) if the melodrama factor could be measured by a dosimeter, we’d all be dead from radiation sickness - it was too much (for me); 2) there were a few situations that felt a bit too reminiscent of scenarios in another Newman book (if you’ve read it you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about).

Overall - existing Newman fans should definitely read/listen to this, and anyone who hasn’t tried her books yet, this would be a great (if terrifying) intro!

Short synopsis: The pilot of a large aircraft has a medical emergency crashing the plane into a Nuclear Power Plant.

My thoughts: I was highly anxious with my heart pumping from page one, and it did not let up through the entire book. This is the definition of a high stakes thriller, that left me feeling almost every emotion imaginable.

I loved the alternating perspectives, and the fact we could see so many different situations caused by the accident. The sense of community banding together was inspiring.

I did a mix of physical and audio of this and loved both versions. The audio had special effects for announcements etc that really added to the ambiance of the book. This one will definitely be with me for a long time.

Read if you love:
- Community
- High stakes reads
- Pulse pounding moments
- Desperate measures

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Worst Case Scenario by T.J. Newman was released on August 13th, 2024.

I have two very big fears: plane crashes and nuclear destruction, so of course I wanted to read this book. I could not stop listening to the audiobook - the way that the story was read did an excellent job of portraying the many emotions of the various characters and the urgency of the situation. I NEEDED to find out what was going to happen, how they were going to get out of the situation, and it did not disappoint (even if I did end up crying once or twice during the book).