RaveThe Washington PostA scathing critique of the Trump administration that provides an emotional, insightful account of the effects of unfettered racism. Locke has no time for the subtlety that often accompanies objectivity, and her unapologetic forthrightness is refreshing ... Tremendous skill ... Fearlessly blends the political with the emotional.
T. J. Newman
PositiveThe Washington PostNewman’s second thriller, Drowning, serves as proof that the expertise displayed in her first book was no fluke. Her story about a plane that crashes in the Pacific Ocean a mere six minutes after its departure from Hawaii is ruthlessly suspenseful, guaranteed to remain in a reader’s mind long after the last page is turned ... Seemingly every sentence intensifies the dire predicament her characters face ... The passengers’ experiences come to life with visceral intensity ... There are moments when the prose falters — occasionally a sentence is serviceable rather than inspired ... As compelling as Newman’s main characters can be, the side performers are often clichés ... But those are quibbles, and they shouldn’t detract from what Newman has achieved in her second book. The readers who took a chance on her debut will find much of what they loved in this follow-up — brisk storytelling, masterful suspense and the chance to vicariously peer into a nightmarish situation from which heroes emerge.
