Dark Fall: A Novel

by Femi Kayode

In this gripping international mystery, investigative psychologist Philip Taiwo is drawn into the aftermath of a devastating plane crash and discovers that unless he can uncover what caused it, even more lives will be lost.When a commercial flight from Lagos crashes near Nigeria’s northern border with Niger, all 113 people aboard are killed. The airline is quick to blame Captain Aisha Bako, one of the few female pilots in the country, suggesting she deliberately brought the aircraft down. Determined to clear her name, Aisha’s family turns to Philip Taiwo for a discreet, independent investigation into what really happened and why the airline seemed so certain Aisha was responsible.As Philip and his trusted partner, Chika, dig deeper, they discover that critical information about the flight has not been made public. Powerful interests have reasons to keep it that way. What begins as an investigation into one pilot’s actions becomes something far more troubling as Philip uncovers a chain of decisions, failures and secrets that made the disaster possible.Philip must decide whether uncovering the truth and preventing another disaster is worth risking his life and the lives of the people he loves.
 

272 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication June 1, 2027

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author with this name on GR

Reviews

[Pheadra · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Femi Kayode reached out for my thoughts on Dark Fall—the unedited third instalment in his brilliant Philip Taiwo series—I immediately said yes. I did warn him about the 30-book backlog on my reading list, but he reassured me there was no rush since the book isn't due out until mid-2027. However, the moment I finished my current read, I couldn't resist pushing Femi’s manuscript straight to the front of the queue.

The biggest risk with any series is the sophomore slump, where sequels fail to live up to a stellar debut. Not so here! This series just keeps getting better and better.

Dark Fall is a masterfully crafted work of crime fiction seamlessly interspersed with real-world facts. The pacing is fantastic, the characterisation feels authentic, and the writing is excellent. What begins as a straightforward investigation into an aircraft crash quickly unravels into a massive web of bribery, corruption, deceit, secrets, and lies. As a South African reader, parts of the plot vividly echoed the tragic real-life SAA Helderberg crash.

While I genuinely liked several of the characters, Chika remains my favourite. I also loved the rich inclusion of other languages throughout the dialogue—especially the Pidgin. In fact, I am officially adding “Tufiakwa!” to my vocabulary starting today.

This book is an absolute page-turner that earns a resounding 5 stars from me.