Freefall

It's a bit hard to see in this small picture, but the image on the cover of Jessica Barry's new novel Freefall, is a shot of the clouds taken from an airplane.

And that's where the book begins - a plane crash. Ally Carpenter is the only survivor when her fiancee's plane crashes. She picks up a few things, stuffs them in a backpack and starts limping off the mountain. She's hurt - but from her inner thoughts we learn she's desperate as well...."I know what's coming for me."

Ally's mother Maggie is informed of the crash - and the death of her daughter. And the news is all the more gut wrenching as she and Ally have been estranged for the last two years.

Freefall is told in alternating chapters from Ally and Maggie. We know Ally is alive - show more and her desperate flight from the crash has only raised more questions for the reader. Who or what is she fleeing? Why? Will she make it? Or is she too hurt? And then the narrative switches to Maggie. She can't believe Ally is gone and starts to try and piece together the last two years of her daughter's life.

I adore this method of storytelling. But I have to admit, it keeps me up very late - I desperately want to know what's going on with each character. And boy, oh boy, does Barry ever keep the tension high. Every chapter seems to end on a cliffhanger or a revelation. And you just have to keep turning pages! The who and why become clearer as the book progresses and more is revealed, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book.

Freefall is a plot driven novel, but I found the characterizations done just as well. I really liked Maggie, her self awareness and her determination.

This was the right book at the right time for me - I was looking for a fast paced, action filled read. And I found it in Freefall. show less

FREEFALL starts off with a bang (crash!), and the pace of the alternating narratives - those of Ally and her mother, Maggie - kept me compulsively turning the pages (or swiping left, to be technical about it) until late into the night. Ally survives a plane crash, and the pilot, whose face is unrecognizable after the accident, is killed. Ally is on the run from something, or someone, is hiding big secrets, and has an almost supernatural will to survive. We are drawn into the anguish her mother, Maggie, goes through when she learns of the accident, even knowing, as the reader, that Ally has survived. But the author does a great job of developing the foundation of a mother's love for her child in the chapters told from Maggie's POV, and show more teasing out the conflict that tore their relationship apart. The climactic ending makes getting to it worth the time one spends in the pages of this great debut! I received a digital review copy from the publisher, HarperCollins, which is always appreciated. show less

Freefall by Jessica Barry is a 2019 Harper publication.

After a handful of sub-par thrillers, I was a bit leery about picking this one- but thankfully, it turned out to be a solid effort, as it goes.

A dual narrative between an estranged mother and daughter, Maggie and Allison, after the latter is thought to have died in a plane crash, was a compelling setup. The story moves at a fair clip and was interesting enough to keep me engaged. There were a few issues here and there, plus one big eye roll. *See note

That said, this one did have some suspense, a bit of survivalist adventure, and a nice mother and daughter dynamic that was at the heart of the story. Overall, this one was above the average modern thriller, and for the most part kept show more me entertained for a few days.

3.5 stars rounded up

*Note

There was one issue I had with the author and while skimming through the reviews, I noticed I was not the only one that took offense to the suggestion that older adults required help from their adult children to set up a FB account and were probably internet impaired. ??? Are you kidding me? Well, that’s not true- at all- In fact, my adult children often get a few hints from me. Heck, even MY parents who are in their eighties are competent enough with the basics of smartphones, Roku’s, and Alexa products. Geez! I gave this author a pass and didn’t dock her for this offense- though tempted- but please authors- DO BETTER! show less

4.5 stars.

Freefall is a riveting and suspenseful debut mystery by Jessica Barry.

Maggie Carpenter is heartbroken at the news that her estranged thirty-one year old daughter, Allison, has been in a fatal airplane crash. Unable to understand the stunning revelations in the wake of Allison's and her fiancé Ben Gardener's deaths, Maggie begins digging into her daughter's life. How did Ally go from working at an upstart magazine to her engagement to the wealthy CEO of pharmaceutical company Prexilane Industries? The more she uncovers about her daughter's life, the more certain she becomes that Allison might still be alive.

Maggie's instincts are spot on since Allison has, against all odds, survived the crash but Ben is not as fortunate. show more Frightened that she will be found by someone who wants to harm her, Allison gathers as many supplies as she can and heads off into the wilderness. Badly injured, her survival instinct keeps her going when she is in danger of giving up. Somehow managing to beat the elements, Allison's concern for her own safety quickly diminishes when she learns her mother is in grave danger.

Interspersed with Maggie's investigation and Allison's flight to safety are chapters from an unknown person who makes it very clear that he will not stop until he locates Allison. Despite suffering from serious injuries, Allison manages to stay a few steps ahead of her pursuer. Unfortunately, her luck might about to be run out, but Allison refuses to go down without a fight.

Allison's life during her estrangement from Maggie is revealed through a series of flashbacks. While her life is in a downward spiral, she crosses paths with Ben. She is grateful for his willingness to overlook the circumstances of how they met and Allison is happy with Ben. Never quite fitting in with his wealthy friends and business associates, she is often at loose ends while he is working. Approached by a stranger, Allison's fears her past is catching up with her are laid to rest by some very shocking disclosures that she finds virtually impossible to believe.

Freefall is a well-written mystery that is absolutely spellbinding. Maggie and Allison are well-drawn, three dimensional characters with all too human frailties and admirable strengths. The plot is engaging and the short chapters create a sense of urgency that keep the pages turning at a blistering pace. Jessica Barry's debut is a thrilling adventure that I greatly enjoyed and highly recommend to fans of the genre. show less

This was the book read for our latest book club meeting. It was not one of our top choices and it is certainly not something I’d recommend to other readers or book clubs.

Allison Carpenter survives a plane crash in the Colorado Rockies. The plane was piloted by Ben Gardner, her fiancé, but he dies in the accident. Instead of waiting for rescue, Allison decides she must run because she is certain someone nefarious will be looking for her. By the time authorities find the wreckage, fire has consumed it. Though only the pilot’s body is found, authorities are convinced that Allison died. In Owl’s Creek, Maine, Maggie is devastated by the news of her daughter’s death. They had been estranged for the last two years and Maggie didn’t show more even know about Allison’s engagement to a wealthy pharmaceutical executive. She has difficulty accepting her daughter’s death and begins researching her daughter’s life to learn as much as she can about her past two years.

The novel is a quick read. Short chapters alternate between Maggie and Allison. The reader follows Allison’s struggle to survive during which she flashes back to her life over the last two years. Conveniently, these flashbacks are in chronological order! Maggie’s chapters show her actions after learning about her daughter’s fate; she too has flashbacks, mostly focused on the reasons for the estrangement.

There are also a few brief sections from the point of view of the man who is pursuing Allison. Though he is known only as The Man, he has almost superhuman abilities. He knows exactly where to find the plane wreckage before authorities locate it and has no difficulty following Allison. He even knows when someone assists her.

And The Man’s behaviour is not the only thing that is unbelievable. Allison’s survival is almost miraculous. For example, she is supposedly injured quite badly with a gash on her left leg that goes “down to the bone,” yet she runs all night before applying rubbing alcohol to it? Then there are the other illogical actions. If you want to talk to someone, is the most logical option to simply hang around that person’s former workplace? A person is killed in a motel room where the body would easily be found and there are no consequences? The plot is shallow and full of predictable twists. For instance, the first page includes such a description that gives such an obvious clue that the appearance of a person towards the end is not in the least unexpected.

Allison’s predicament didn’t arouse my sympathy. She just strikes me as vain and shallow. She falls in love with Ben because he is handsome and rich. Despite what her mother thinks, Allison seems to have few principles; those she has, she dispenses with to become Ben’s arm candy. She lets herself be manipulated in such obvious ways. I understand that the journey she undertakes is also a journey to find herself once again, but we are supposed to believe she lost herself so quickly? Does she really believe she might be able to land a plane because she has seen Ben do it so often?!

There are elements that particularly irritated me. Why, for instance, is everyone’s perfume or cologne described: “There was a smell coming off him, something musky and citrusy” and “I could smell hair spray mixed with perfume. Shalimar” and “the faint traces of her perfume, bergamot and vanilla” and “that aftershave of his, a spicy musk undercut with the sharpness of citrus”? What’s with the repetition that older people don’t understand technology: “Most of my friends didn’t understand how the internet worked and only the most savvy had Facebook accounts”? I dislike when novels rely on portraying police or other authorities as incompetent. When Maggie is told that the coroner has declared Allison dead, she thinks, “It felt negligent to me, and reckless. How could they declare my daughter dead without a single scrap of evidence?” Exactly! This would not happen. And the author doesn't know that DNA analysis is used to identify bodies?

The novel does have some depth in its exploration of a mother-daughter relationship and society’s expectations of females, but this is not sufficient to raise the quality of the novel for me. There are just too many plot holes and too little verisimilitude.

Note: Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/) and follow me on Twitter (@DCYakabuski). show less

This thriller begins with the crash of a private plane in the Colorado Rockies. Allison (Ally) Carpenter, 31, makes it out of the wreckage, but knows her struggle for survival is only beginning. Someone is after her and wants to kill her.

Alternate chapters are narrated by Ally’s mother Maggie, who hasn’t communicated with her daughter in two years, and feels horrible about it. And now, she may never have a chance to make it right. She hasn’t given up hope though; Ally’s body was not discovered at the crash site. But she knows so little about her daughter now, who doesn’t even look the same in pictures published after the crash. Ally was apparently engaged to Ben Gardner, the wealthy CEO of a pharmaceutical company, and she show more appears so different in recent pictures; Maggie can hardly recognize this woman who resembles an ultra-thin movie star more than the daughter she last saw.

Who had her daughter become and what happened to her? Readers discover answers gradually - or perhaps, speedily, because you will be turning the pages as fast as you can as the tension ratchets up.

The twists aren’t perfectly constructed, but the pace is so fast you may not mind. Except for the fact that the story begins with a plane crash, this would make a perfect way to pass the time on an airline flight! show less

Freefall by Jessica Barry is a highly recommended fast-paced, well-plotted thriller.

Allison Carpenter miraculously survives when her fiancé’s private plane crashes in the Rockies and her first thought is to escape and get away from a mysterious person who will be looking for her. She quickly packs up anything she can find that will help in her survival and hikes away from the crash site. Meanwhile, in Owl Creek, Maine, her mother Maggie Carpenter, learns that her only child is presumed dead. Maggie, who hasn't spoken to Allison is two years, knows nothing about her daughter's current life or her fiancé, wealthy pharmaceutical CEO Ben Gardner, but she refuses to believe Allison is dead until they find a body. Naturally, the media is show more all over the story.

Chapters alternate between between the perspective of daughter and mother as Allison flees from the crash site and struggles for survival, while Maggie researches her daughter's life, searching for information that may help her find the answers she needs. There are a few brief chapters from the point-of-view of the man looking for Allison. Both women are equally focused and determined to reach their respective goals. Each chapter also provides additional back story to further develop the story and the characters through their alternate points-of-view. We know Allison is very frightened of who may be hunting her whereabouts and pushes herself to her limits in her struggle to survive and escape. Maggie is heartbroken about losing contact with her daughter, and readers will learn the family tragedy that was the impetus for the schism.

This is a fast-paced, exciting debut novel from Barry (pseudonym). The plot unfolds quickly and accelerates toward the conclusion. While there are some predictable elements in the plot, but the narrative steadily builds to a surprising, satisfying ending. The pluses in Freefall are the questioning of love and trust, the observations on mother-daughter relationships, female identity and empowerment issues in society and the depiction of two resolute women from different generations. (I do wish Allison had made a better choices as far as finding a job after the magazine closed as her choice was the opposite of empowering.) Both characters were well-developed and you could understand their point-of-view based on their character. The pace is also a positive, as you will fly through this novel without your attention flagging.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of HarperCollins.
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