ALL FALL DOWN
In California, a black pilot scarred by combat during World War II is about to do battle in the skies once more.
In Washington, an aging FBI agent has locked into the mind of a sociopath who has created a way to grab control of any plane in the sky.
In small-town Minnesota, a local police chief sends his men after a suspect - while a psychologist at a video display terminal hundreds of miles away knows that the person they seek is already gone.
Within hours after Flight 235 nearly crashes in the Pacific Northwest, an investigator at the National Transportation Safety Board opens a Federal Express envelope and reads a demand for $5 million.
While All Fall Down entertains and fascinates, it also takes us back through decades of American history and, in the face of imminent catastrophe, on a stunning quest for a true American hero.
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A New York Times Notable Book of the Year.
In California, a black pilot scarred by combat during World War II is about to do battle in the skies once more.
In Washington, an aging FBI agent has locked into the mind of a sociopath who has created a way to grab control of any plane in the sky
.In small-town Minnesota, a local police chief sends his men after a suspect - while a psychologist at a video display terminal hundreds of miles away knows that the person they seek is already gone.
Within hours after Flight 235 nearly crashes in the Pacific Northwest, an investigator at the National Transportation Safety Board opens a Federal Express envelope and reads a demand for $5 million, to be paid out by automatic teller machines across the country. The extortionist's threat: to scramble the navigation systems of virtually any aircraft flying in the United States.
For Jack Webster, a former navy commander and now an FBI investigator, the first mystery is why the terrorist hasn't asked for more. In the following days and hours, through endless cups of coffee and arguments with senators, undersecretaries and government bureaucrats in a secure Washington conference room, Webster gets his answer: His adversary, maneuvering skillfully behind the labyrinth of a far-flung computer network, has more at stake than money.
When a cargo jet, its instruments insidiously misled by remote control, is led to fiery destruction, Webster knows he's up against a killer. Webster and a high-powered team of experienced investigators begin a duel of psychological warfare. It is a contest that forces Jack not only to uncover the identity of his enemy, but also to relive his life as both a warrior and a man.
The men and women in All Fall Down are all warriors. Amy Goldberg is a senior National Transportation Safety Board investigator and disillusioned CIA veteran. Florence Hartzig is an unkempt, overweight computer genius who turns out to be a razor-sharp detective. And Beauregard Kincaid is a retired aviator who joined the air corps in 1944 believing only in John Wayne and one of the only pure freedoms available to blacks at that time, the joyous exhilaration of flying.
For his first novel, the psychological thriller Irreparable Harm, Lee Gruenfeld earned widespread acclaim. Now Gruenfeld follows IRREPARABLE HARM with another scorching, blockbuster thriller. But while All Fall Down entertains and fascinates, it also takes us back through decades of American history and, in the face of imminent catastrophe, on a stunning quest for a true American hero.
| Publisher Name | Date | ISBN | Pages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warner Books | 1993 | 0-446-51714-3 | 436 |
- The New York Times Book Review:
"...a big, exciting book. Mr. Gruenfeld has a lot going for him: best of all, he is an accomplished writer. The ending is one of the more harrowing and suspenseful anybody is going to encounter... everything is finally brought together in a way that clarifies not only the action but also the psychological hang-ups of the various characters. Books about flying do not come much better than this one." [New York Times Notable Books of the Year: 1994]
- Booklist (American Library Association):
"Occasionally you find a suspense novel that grabs you by the throat in the opening chapter and doesn't let go until the epilogue. This does just that. Gruenfeld shows a mastery of plotting and characterization that more than justify the promise shown in his first novel, Irreparable Harm (1993). His nonsexist role casting is notable and welcome in a genre which is rarely PC. This should be a very popular novel in public libraries."
- Gallery:
"This tightly focused gripping tale is impressively researched and is a page-turner in every sense of the word; its compelling story is augmented by riveting descriptions, fully-developed characters, sophisticated lyrical writing, and thoughtful literary gems. There's a wonderful rhythm to Gruenfeld's carefully crafted prose."
- West Coast Review of Books:
"Gruenfeld...keeps us constantly in suspense...his twists can startle and delight. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat..." (**** four stars)
- Publishers Weekly:
"Fully imagined...Gruenfeld's plot is played out by well-defined characters and punctuated by painful reminders of racism and [in]equality. This intriguing amalgam of thriller and psychodrama is distinguished by a high sense of realism."
- Clive Cussler:
"A brilliantly conceived thriller that surges through a series of deceptions and intrigues. Gruenfeld really knows how to turn the screws "
- Mysterious Galaxy:
"Enthralling, scary, and it reads all too believably. Two stories are actually being told simultaneously, and they dovetail beautifully. There is enough high tech hocus pocus, explained in layperson's terms, to fascinate and absorb the reader. All the heroes, heroines, and villains are well drawn, so not only do you get a well developed storyline, but great characters to go with an equally impressive story!"
- Bellingham Herald:
"Highly interesting...well-written...the book works as a result of Gruenfeld's own working knowledge of computers...aviation...and psychology. His writing is fast-paced without relying on gimmicks. If you're feeling brave, try this book on your next flight."
- Oceanside/Island Park Herald:
[Gruenfeld] may have written this year's best-selling thriller."
- Library Journal:
"Gruenfeld breathes life into his characters... He spins a fine tale of suspense... Recommended"