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After We Fall: A Novel
After We Fall: A Novel
After We Fall: A Novel
Ebook335 pages5 hours

After We Fall: A Novel

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

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About this ebook

A Town in Mourning. A Murder in Waiting...

Blood stains the carpet of an empty house. A front door slams behind a mother with a suitcase full of secrets. Someone screams. A plane falls out of the sky.

What happened the night flight 2940 crashed? And is the shocking murder of a policeman's daughter somehow related to this tragic event—or is it simply a devastating coincidence?

Four people, who have never met but are permanently linked by these disasters, will be forced to reveal the closely guarded secrets that unlock the answers to these questions. But once the truth is exposed, it may cause even more destruction.

After We Fall weaves together the stories of those who lost something of themselves in a tragic incident and explores how swiftly everything can come crashing down.

A stunning combination of mystery, thriller, and suspense, After We Fall is an intense, complex, and emotional debut that will enthrall fans of Tana French, S.J Watson and Alice LaPlante.

What reviewers are saying about After We Fall

"Dark, tense and convincing, this is a brilliantly executed and engrossing thriller." —Sunday Mirror

"After We Fallis an intense, psychological thriller that delves into the lives of four unique individuals battling both secrets and loss. It's a book that will keep readers on the edge of their seats…"—Okie Dreams

"A book that you will enjoy and contemplate long after you have finished the last page."—Celtic Lady's Reviews

"After We Fall is a gripping thriller that will have readers on the edge of their seats and devouring every page."—A Dream Within a Dream

LanguageEnglish
PublisherSourcebooks
Release dateJun 2, 2015
ISBN9781492609209
After We Fall: A Novel
Author

Emma Kavanagh

Emma Kavanagh was born and raised in South Wales. After graduating with a PhD in Psychology from Cardiff University, she spent many years working as a police and military psychologist, training firearms officers, command staff and military personnel throughout the UK and Europe. She started her business as a psychology consultant, specializing in human performance in extreme situations. She lives in South Wales with her husband and young son.

Read more from Emma Kavanagh

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Reviews for After We Fall

Rating: 3.716666666666667 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

30 ratings9 reviews

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    After We Fall by author Emma Kavanagh begins with a plane crash. There are only thirteen survivors, one of whom is Cecilia, an airline attendant. This had been an important flight for her – she was running way from her husband, Tom and their three-year-old son, Ben. The story is told by four different narrators including Cecilia; Tom, her husband, a police officer who is investigating the death of another officer, Libby, while trying to take care of both Cecilia and Ben; Jim, a retired police officer and Libby’s father; and Freya, the daughter of Oliver, the pilot of the plane.As the novel progresses, the lives of these characters become entwined as questions about the cause of the crash arise as well as a possible link between it and Libby’s murder. But this is much more than a simple police procedural or a psychological thriller. It is about, among other things, the ways people cope with tragic events, how they deal with loss and grief, and how it impacts the choices they make. The characters are complex, fallible and, in some case, not particularly likable but they command our empathy and our attention throughout. After We Fall bridges the gap between literary fiction and psychological thriller and it does both seamlessly. It is well-written and well-plotted but it is really the characters that will keep you up reading and who will stay with you long after you finish the last page.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    "A shrieking of wind, screeching of metal as the plane ripped apart, the wicked cold tearing at her throat. Cecelia Williams gripped the seat, fingers burning with pain. She tried to close her mouth, but the sound pried it open, stealing her breath. A giant's hand pinned her to the bulkhead. Tumbling, tumbling...she couldn't determine the floor from the ceiling." This is the first paragraph in the first chapter of After We Fall. The title refers to a plane crash and it's aftermath for all the characters involved in the crash or those affected by the crash.The Characters:Cecillia.. one of the main characters, a stewardess and survivor on the plane crash, is struggling in her marriage, her role as a mother and her past. She tends to shut down and has not come to terms with an event that happened to her while in college. Tom .. Tom, Cecillia's husband, is a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) detective of 15 years. Adores his young son and is the primary caregiver to him. He is not sure why his wife has left him and their son, so he struggles with this. He becomes involved in the murder of a young woman which changes all he knows in his life.Jim.. Along with his wife Esther and their son Ethan, they wait for news about Libby. Who killed her and why?Freya.. is the daughter of the pilot, Oliver who has died in the plane crash. Questions arise over whether or not he caused the crash in some way.These four people are inextricably involved in each other's lives as a result of the plane crash and each struggle to come to terms with the aftermath of the crash, Each chapter is told in the point of view of each of the four people. Through them we learn a bit more about the other people in their lives also, Oliver, the pilot of the plane and Richard his son for instance. As the novel goes on, the author weaves the stories of each of the four people and other people in their lives and the reader is swept along in the anger and loss that this terrible event has caused, leaving their lives in shambles. We eventually find out how and why all the events occurred and the aftermath. Can these people overcome the events that have changed their lives forever? Maybe, maybe not, I don't want to give away the conclusion but I found this novel to be sad, very sad..a terrible event like a plane crash and the murder of a young woman is not a happy occasion and this book is not a happy book. No happy ever afters, just a feeling that all concerned will be allright. This book moved along at a steady pace, with great character development, and real feelings and emotions. I did enjoy the book, even if it was a sad one, not all events that happen to people are happy events and as the title implies, after we fall, can we put our lives back together and move on? A book that you will enjoy and contemplate long after you have finished the last page. Emma Kavanagh is also the author of Hidden, another psychological thriller.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book might be described as an “oblique” police procedural. That is, the focus is elsewhere, and the procedural skirts along the edges of the main thrust of the story. It centers on a plane crash in Wales on a night with bad weather, but in a situation that the experienced pilot should have been able to overcome. Thus an investigation is launched into what actually caused the plane to go down.The story, told from four different points of view, begins with the flight attendant Cecilia Williams, one of thirteen survivors of the crash. This flight was to be the first step of abandoning her police detective husband Tom and their almost-three-year-old son Ben. Tom is another of the narrators, and while he struggles to cope with the dissolution of his marriage, he also has to give his mental energy to the murder of the daughter of retired police superintendent Jim Hanover, who narrates as well. Jim’s daughter Libby was a Police Community Support Officer, so the South Wales Police force is particularly affected by this loss.The fourth narrator is Freya Blake, the 23-year-old daughter of the pilot who died in the crash. Freya’s mother and young brother Richard, 17, are unable to cope; Freya takes it upon herself to find out what happened. As the two investigations proceed, the stories of each of the four invariably intersect. The suspense heightens as secrets are gradually revealed having a bearing on both cases.Discussion: The author trained as a psychologist specializing in human performance in extreme situations, providing training and consultation for police forces and military personnel. This expertise is evident in her deft handling of the wild stew of emotions affecting each of the trauma victims in this story.Evaluation: This engrossing story will please fans of both thrillers and police procedurals. It is quite well done, and I look forward to reading more work by this author.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Loved this psychological, moody thriller. Four narrators tell us their stories in the aftermath of a plane crash where only twelve people survive. These four stories are expertly woven together to complete the picture of people who have trouble making the right decisions in the face of their pasts and their present. It was suspenseful because though we know how three of the stories are connected, the fourth slowly reveals its connection. Well written and a must read for those who love suspenseful novels.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    From the sky above South Wales a plane falls, on a snowy river bank below, a woman's body lies.Unfolding from the perspectives of four characters, After We Fall by Emma Kavanagh (first published as Falling) is a multi-layered story of low key psychological suspense.Flight attendant Cecelia, who that morning had resolved to leave her husband and son, is one of only a handful of survivors of the crash, wondering why she lived when so many didn't.Freya is the 24 year old daughter of the plane's pilot, determined to protect her family from the horrifying suggestion that her father deliberately caused the crash.Frustrated with his wife, police detective Tom throws himself into the investigation of the murder of PCSO Libby Hanover.Jim, a retired police superintendent, is the dead woman's devastated father.As the protagonists each grapple with their private tragedies, the plot follows the investigation into the doomed plane alongside the investigation of Libby Hanover's murder, slowly uncovering shocking connections between the two incidents.Informed by her extensive career experience in psychology, Kavanagh creates four complex, though not always likeable, characters struggling with difficult pasts and complicated relationships, whom drive the narrative of this novel. All become entangled in the mystery that surrounds both the downed plane and the murdered woman, in both direct and indirect ways, as the author skillfully weaves the multiple threads together.After We Fall is an impressive debut novel, an atmospheric and tense tale.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A woman determined to abandon her family.
    A former police superintendent in a frantic search for his missing daughter.
    A detective trying to balance his life between being a somewhat single father and a homicide detective.
    A young woman attempting to hold her family together after a fatal accident.

    A plane crash, thirteen survivors out of seventy-four passengers.

    “After we fall”, by debut author Emma Kavanagh is a novel about four different characters whose stories converge and connect, in one way or another. A story seen from the point of view of each one.

    A novel not only about a terrible crime and an seemingly accidental plane crash, but one about fathers and daughters; mothers and sons; about marriages gone wrong; and most of all, about people unable to confront their deepest issues, the past always stopping them from moving on.

    (And, I must say, after reading this amazing novel, I’m unable to write a decent review right now. I’m heartbroken. This novel is devastating.)

    FULL REVIEW TO COME

    A free copy of this ebook was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    4.5 stars.

    After We Fall by Emma Kavanagh is an absolutely riveting mystery that takes place in the aftermath of a tragic plane crash. The story unfolds from four different points of view and while some of their connections are obvious, others do not become clear until closer to the novel's end.

    The opening chapter is written from Cecilia Williams perspective. She is a flight attendant on the plane that crashes and she is married to Tom Allison, a police detective. The day of the flight, she has decided to leave Tom and their young son Ben, and as one of the thirteen survivors, she is struggling to understand why her life was spared. Cecilia finds it easier to connect with and comfort strangers than she does her husband or son. She is very traumatized by an incident from her past and she holds Tom and Ben at both an emotional and physical distance. After the plane crash, Cecilia discovers she can no longer keep her painful memories at bay but surprisingly, one of the other survivors helps her find a new outlook on her life.

    Tom is truly a wonderful man and excellent father. Although his relationship with Cecilia had already run its course, when she discovered she was pregnant, there was never any doubt he would marry her. While she has held herself back from their son, Tom eagerly picked up the slack and he is an extremely devoted, hands on dad. Immediately after the plane crash, he is torn between his duties as a police detective and being there for Cecilia, but at her insistence, he continues working on the investigation of a murdered fellow officer, Libby Hanover.

    Tom quickly crosses paths with retired police superintendent Jim Hanover. Jim is also Libby's father and he grew concerned for his daughter when she failed to show up for work. He reported her missing after discovering blood at her home and his worst fears soon came to fruition when her lifeless body is discovered. Although he is deeply grieving Libby's loss, Jim refuses to let the investigators treat him with kid gloves and he insists that Tom be completely honest about what their investigation uncovers.

    The last perspective is from Freya Blake, the daughter of one of the people who died in the crash. Since her father was not exactly devoted to his family, she is more concerned with helping her mother and younger brother Richard deal with their grief than her own. Freya has no illusions about her father and she is soon trying to learn as much as she can about his life in the days leading up the crash.

    After We Fall is a very intriguing, character driven novel. Emma Kavanagh seamlessly blends past and present into a compelling story that is impossible to put down. The mystery element of the storyline is superbly written and it is quite fascinating seeing the various story arcs come together. The characters are brilliantly developed and although each of them is flawed in some way, they are sympathetic and for the most part, likable. The atmosphere of the story is a little bleak, but the ending is surprisingly upbeat and hopeful. An excellent debut novel that I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a good mystery.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The premise of this story - that there is a plane crash where more than a dozen people actually survive - is unbelievable to begin with. It's described as a "dark, gripping, psychological thriller" - NOT.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The lives of several people intersect in this novel. Cecilia, who has just left her husband, Tom Allison, is one of the few survivors of a plane crash. She returns to her home with Tom and considers what to do while Tom, a police detective, investigates the murder of Libby, the daughter of Jim Hanover, a retired police superintendent. At the same time, Freya Blake, the daughter of the plane’s pilot who perished in the crash, becomes obsessed with why the plane crashed.Multiple points of view are used – those of Cecilia, Tom, Jim, and Freya. As a result, there is considerable character development as we learn the background of each narrator. What becomes especially clear is how a character’s past determines behaviour in the present. Tom, for example, refuses to do something because of what his father did in the past and how it impacted his life. Likewise, Freya has difficulty with relationships because of the type of relationship her parents had. Cecilia has issues because of trauma experienced years earlier. The author succeeds in making the characters realistic and believable. Cecilia is the one character with whom I take exception. What happened to her in the past was certainly traumatic and she should definitely have received counselling after the plane crash, but she is so self-centred and self-pitying. Yet it is not just that she is unlikeable. Given what happened to her, it is unbelievable that she had any relationship with men, much less a sexual one and a marriage. She married Tom and then her past came back to haunt her?There is a mystery involved as expected in a book tagged as a psychological thriller. Who killed Libby? This mystery most readers will probably solve about half way through. There is more to the book, however. It is its examination of relationships and parenting and their influence that most maintained my interest, though there is, of course, interest in finding out how the stories of the four narrators will converge. The novel’s style could use some tweaking. There is annoying repetition of certain phrases, for example: “skin still crawling with the thought of Eddie,” “her skin alive, crawling,” “Skin crawling,” and “her skin crawling with impatience.” The smell of cinnamon is present everywhere: “The kitchen smelled of sugar and cinnamon” (Jim’s narration), “It smelled of sugar and cinnamon” (Tom’s narration), “a waft of cinnamon” (Freya’s narration), and “The smell of bread baking, cinnamon and honey” (Freya’s narration).Another stylistic technique that may be disconcerting to the reader is the very abrupt shifts in time. Often it is only the change to the past perfect tense that indicates a flashback; it is the suddenness of these time shifts, sometimes in the middle of a paragraph, that is jarring. The book examines how people cope when life causes them to stumble and fall. Cecilia literally falls out of the sky, but she fell and lost her way long before the actual plane crash. Tom stumbles through life because of a decision he made concerning Cecilia and their son. Faced with the death of his only daughter, Jim continues to “stand, even though all he wants to do is fall.” Though the novel is bleak at times, there is recognition that “you have to fall before you can begin to climb again.” And a bird may seem “Like it was falling” but may “Not [be] falling then. Flying.”Despite its stylistic weaknesses, this book is worth reading. It has well-developed characters and thematic depth, showing how actions taken and decisions made by a person affect others in both the present and future. Those actions and decisions may well influence how a person copes after he/she falls.Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.

Book preview

After We Fall - Emma Kavanagh

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