|
Nelson DeMille hastens to tell us in his introduction to NIGHT FALL that this is a work of fiction, based on fact. Indeed; NIGHT FALL revolves around an unofficial reinvestigation of the midair explosion in July 1996 that took TWA Flight 800 and the 230 poor souls entrusted to it into oblivion. This is the vehicle by which DeMille, through his two popular, recurring characters, examines what occurred and reaches some uncomfortable, though plausible, conclusions.
The catalyst of NIGHT FALL is an illicit tryst between a man and a woman --- married, but not to each other --- on a July evening in 1996 on a Long Island beach. Props include a hotel blanket, a bottle of wine and, most significantly, a video camera that preserves for posterity not only their activity but also the last moments of TWA Flight 800 as it explodes. The official explanation is that the terrible incident was the result of mechanical failure; five years later, however, doubts remain.
John Corey, a contract agent with the Federal Anti-Terrorist Task Force, attends the annual memorial service for the victims of the disaster. Corey’s attendance is occasioned by his wife, Kate Mayfield, a career FBI agent who was part of the original Flight 800 investigation. Mayfield is dissatisfied with the conclusions of the investigation and feels that the evidence --- much of which was ignored in the original report --- needs a fresh look. Corey, who has never encountered a rule he couldn't break in pursuit of the greater good, is not entirely convinced that the original conclusion is incorrect, although the eyewitness accounts of trained observers --- accounts that note the presence of what appears to be a missile speeding toward the plane --- are difficult to discount.
What ultimately causes Corey to clandestinely revisit the evidence is the vehement resistance he encounters as he begins to slowly but surely uncover a conspiracy to conceal the truth of what actually happened. A former New York City Police detective, Corey is not without a network of contacts, and as he begins calling in favors and connecting evidentiary dots, he discovers that a crucial piece of evidence, thought to be destroyed, still exists --- and establishes the truth of what really happened on that fateful July night.
A substantial portion of NIGHT FALL --- close to the first third of the novel --- is given over to a discussion of the conflicting evidence. DeMille not only makes the discourse a fascinating one but also argues the opposing points so well that no matter how convinced one might be about the cause of the Flight 800 explosion, they will walk away full of doubt. I say this as a person who, upon first hearing the news of the disaster, said, “That was a…rocket.”
At the same time DeMille keeps the narrative crisp, building suspense page by page, and quietly but effectively dropping surprise after surprise from beginning to end. DeMille also plays fairly; attentive readers will see where he is going, though they won't know what will happen once he gets there. The end result answers some questions, and raises others.
While it has a definite ending, this novel leaves open the possibility, even the need, for a sequel. Still, NIGHT FALL stands on its own as a memorable, disturbing work that resonates long after the final page is read. Recommended.
--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
• Click here now to buy this book from Amazon.
© Copyright 1996-2008, Bookreporter.com. All rights reserved.
Back to top.
|
