Rough Air

I picked up this novel on a recommendation from a friend. After reading many mass-marketed books snatched last-minute from an airport magazine kiosk before a long flight, Rough Air: A Novel, by Kevin Donovan, is a breath of fresh air. A whodunit in the genre of Michael Crichton's techno-thrillers, Donovan successfully weaves believable characters, interesting insights into airline operations, murder and suspense into a compelling thriller that leaves the reader thoroughly entertained and educated on a corporate world few are privy to. Against a backdrop of a post 9-11 hypercompetitive air travel market, the author explores themes of the goodness achievable when people come together, versus the evils of lives lived for selfish personal gain. While the story is clearly fiction, the story unmistakably parallels Delta Air Lines' folly creating Song, a low-cost "airline within an airline," which leaves the reader wondering how much of Rough Air's narrative might have really happened. For people either working for an airline (especially Delta) or living in Atlanta, this novel will hit close to home and for those looking for a suspenseful page-turner, they won't be disappointed. I'm always excited when I find a great book that stays with me long after I finish and am looking forward to more work from this promising new author.