16 Souls

by John J. Nance

The Latest Aviation Thriller From New York Times Bestselling Author John Nance!

On takeoff from Denver during a winter blizzard, an airliner piloted by veteran Captain Marty Mitchell overruns a commuter plane from behind. Bizarrely, the fuselage of the smaller aircraft is tenuously wedged onto the huge right wing of his Boeing 757, leading Mitchell to an impossible life-or-death choice. Mitchell’s decision will land the former military pilot in the cross-hairs of a viciously ambitious district attorney determined to send him to prison for doing his job. Despondent and deeply wounded by what he sees as betrayal by the system, Mitchell at first refuses to defend himself or even assist the corporate lawyer forced against her will to represent him. Pitted against the prosecutorial prowess of flamboyant Denver DA Grant Richardson, who is using Mitchell’s case to audition for a presidential appointment as a U.S. attorney, is young defense attorney Judith Winston. Her lack of experience in criminal cases could mean the end of Mitchell’s freedom, if he doesn’t end his own life first. However, a rising level of gritty determination even her law partners have never witnessed before, propels Winston to lay it all on the table to save Mitchell and expose Richardson as a fraud.

16 SOULS takes the reader for a wild ride in a heart-stopping aviation and legal thriller propelled by irresistible characters, an agonizingly possible airborne dilemma, and a desperate refusal both in the air and in the courtroom to give up in the face of devastating odds.

Genres: Fiction, Aviation, Thriller, Suspense, Legal, Audiobook, Mystery

290 pages, Paperback

First published September 26, 2017

About the author

John J. Nance is an American pilot, aviation safety expert, and author. He served in the USAF during the Vietnam War and also as a Lt. Colonel in Operation Desert Storm.

Reviews

[Rich · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am still in my slump lol I do not mind flashbacks in a story but I did not like how they were used in this one. I did not like how the accident had already happened when the book started and many bad things happen to the main character because of that-it set a bad tone for me. I also thought all the other characters had a lot of issues going on from the reporter, lawyer, witness, judge too much. I wanted to read about a plane accident as it occurred-I say avoid this one and do not give it a spin.

[Lexxi Kitty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have this vague feeling that I was tricked before starting this novel, but I’ve looked at the book description and the ‘trick’ part is there. The trick? Well, I’ve read this author before. The books I read involved disasters (earthquake or plane), or involved an investigation by . . . I think the FBI (again, I think, of an airplane disaster). What is this book here? Well, an airplane disaster, but mostly a legal thriller. I did not wish to read a legal thriller.

The book is all out of order, chronologically (which messed up some of the disaster parts, since you know, before you are ‘shown’ the disaster parts; that people died, and others lived – which removed the ‘will they die or will they live?’ part, though you are just not told, immediately, who will live or die (I’m wording this badly – there are disaster books in which you read of, say, an earthquake, or a plane crash, you get invested in the characters, while the disaster occurs, some are injured and/or die; after the suspensive events, you learn who ‘made it’ through the suspensive bits (though you might not know if they might die three days later of an unknown complication related to the ‘disaster’ event); occasionally everyone dies (a lot of the ‘Aircraft Disaster’ episodes, whatever that’s called again, have everyone die; occasionally everyone lives – the show is about a plane crash not specifically about watching people die – I recall one episode in which the plane landed safely, the door wouldn’t open, and everyone died in the plane by fire; and another in which the plane landed on a tiny strip of land next to the water in New Orleans – everyone lived); occasionally everyone lives).

Well, this book opens with the airline pilot working hard, post-disaster situation, to kill himself. So you the reader immediately know: 1) he lived; 2) some people died (which you know because…); 3) the district attorney has brought murder charges against the pilot because people died. That’s where the legal thriller part comes in – the book is about watching a trial unfold. The events of the plane accident are also shown, in bits and pieces, as flashbacks (well, through people who had witnessed the event, and/or participated in the event, telling what happened).

Interesting enough, but I wasn’t looking to read a legal thriller. For various reasons, I do not particularly like reading legal thrillers.

On occasion, I’d see comments in reviews about people liking or not liking certain things in books. As in point of view, and/or if something is in first, second, third person. I’ve my own likes and dislikes, but I really saw certain disadvantages from using first person multiple point of view story-framework here. As in, quite frankly, I’d probably have rated this book higher if I hadn’t been inside the pilots head, or in the lawyer’s head, etc. If nothing else, I think I developed a deep dislike for the main male character, the pilot.

I’m going to dive into one of the plot points because it reminded me of something I’d seen recently. I do not recall if this is spoiler-y or not, so I’ll use tags where needed.
The disaster itself involved a blizzard hitting Denver and two planes who took off from the same airport. One had to return because their landing gear was stuck in a down position – that was a small commuter plane. The other plane was a huge commercial jet with many passengers aboard that was taking off to fly to sunny Florida. The main male character was flying the large jet. Which reminds me – a good bit of time was spent inside both the airline command center, and inside the air tower. As you would kind of expect – at least some time in one or the other or both. A little too much time and characterization was done in the two locations – at least to what unfolded (as in, lots of characters popped up, the reader learned about them . . . then never ever saw them again).

The two planes hit each other due to miscommunication. As in, they accidentally tried to enter the same airspace due to miscommunication with the air traffic controllers. The small plane was, obviously enough, rendered incapable of flight after the collision. As everyone repeated three trillion times, what happened next ‘never happens’ and/or ‘can’t happen’. The small plane, see, didn’t plummet to the ground and explode, killing all aboard. No, it lost a wing and the like, I think there was other damage as well, but no, it didn’t explode or crash into the ground. Its landing gear got stuck into the wing of the giant airplane. Rendering it, the giant airplane, harder to fly, and possibly incapable of landing.
What happens next I’ll leave for the reader to discover. I only mentioned this much to note a WWII history episode I’d seen recently (Air Warriors?) about a German air squadron late in the war which was specifically and deliberately designed to ram the Allied planes. The weird thing? The episode showed collision after collision in which, oddly enough, the German pilot survived.

I specifically mention this, though, because of the ‘how can the giant airplane continue to fly with another plane attached to it?’ question. Answer? I’ve no bloody clue. But that episode I mentioned above did show an incident in which a German plane flew into the rear of an Allied bomber in such a way that a section of the fighter plane got lodged into the back of the Allied plane. It was very tough for the Allied pilots, but they made it back to land . . . with another plane attached to it (not all of it, just a part of it, I think one of the wings). This is one of the occasions during which the German pilot survived – he’d leapt out of his plane before ramming it into the bomber (he’d flipped his plane, lined it up to hit, opened his cockpit window, and, some point before the plane hit, he dropped out of the fighter). Played dead for thousands of feet, then opened his parachute. So . . . that happened.

Interesting enough story.

Rating: 4.25

January 10 2020

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF.
Ms lawyer is hurrying through the house to find a man she is concerned is in danger- and stops in front of a mirror to think about how fat she is/isn't. Later, a respectable pilot calls his lawyer "Babe" to her face for no discernable reason.

This is so clearly written by a man that I hope to never meet.

[Kathleen Buckley · Rating 5 out of 5]

16 Souls by John J. Nance is as good as a disaster novel can be. Even better, it’s a perfect blend of disaster novel and courtroom thriller. The story gripped me and the characters were believable. I had things to do and places to go yesterday and instead I immersed myself in it until well after bedtime.

[Bev Walkling · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have yet to be disappointed by a John J. Nance book. Each one has captured my interest and kept me reading intensely. His books typically feature some type of emergency related to aviation and his personal experience always makes me as a reader feel as if I am a participant in the story if only by observation. This particular novel combines an aviation disaster with a legal case wherein the pilot is charged with second degree murder. His lawyer is a reluctant corporate litigator doing her pro bono obligation. A third important character is an older reporter struggling to make a living but still with a nose for news. The story of the disaster is told primarily by flashbacks which bothered me not one
Bit! There were twists and turns throughout with enough doubt of the legal outcome to keep me on the edge of my seat (so to speak). I would definitely recommend this book to other readers.

[Cady · Rating 2 out of 5]

Here’s the thing- this could’ve been a 4 ⭐️ read for me, but the author is very clearly a misogynist. Every characterization of the women in the book is offensive and belittling, and you can tell that he has no idea that he wrote it that way. He probably thinks that writing the main lawyer as a strong independent woman is good, which it would be in a vacuum. But when you have her complaining about the “extra 10 pounds” she sees in the mirror, and her client calling her “babe”, and painting her as emotional and volatile within the first few pages, and her internal monologue about sleeping with her client to keep him in line… the list goes on and on. Don’t get me started on all the typos and syntax errors.
IF not for all of that, this is actually a decent story with a pretty solid twist. Alas, any good is overshadowed by our constant battle with men writing women poorly.

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

outstanding read

I’ve read everything I could get my hands on written by John J Nance. This particular book wasn’t available through my local library, neither in hard copy or e-book. So for the first time ever, I purchased it through Amazon. Mr. Nance’s characters, storylines and tight plots Are a marvel.

[James Liu · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate to say it, but based on the exciting premise I was hoping for and expecting much more. There's entire scenes in the book that are either glossed over or missing entirely, bits that would have really added to the high-stakes drama of the book. (Like Captain Michelle's testimony, anyone?)

There were also a significant number of typos, which I don't really care about in isolation, but that plus everything else really makes me feel like Nance just phoned it in. And as someone who's read a good number of his books, this one's probably at the bottom of my list.

Readable, but only just.

[Lori Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put it down!

This book was easily a 5 star rating. I've read all of Nance's other books and absolutely loved them, and this was no excepti on. This one would get more stars if that was an option, because it literally kept me wondering what was next! I was kept in the dark up until the last sentence, which was a refreshing new twist!

[Silver Screen Videos · Rating 4 out of 5]

NOTE: The publisher graciously gave me a copy of this book and asked me to write a review.

Having been a fan of airplane dramas since the time of Arthur Hailey’s Airport, I thought I had seen every possible plot scenario from onboard terrorists to exploding bombs to the failure of virtually every piece of equipment imaginable to a gremlin on the wing (thanks, Rod Serling, for that one). However, in his latest thriller, 16 Souls, author John J. Nance pulls out not one but two fresh storylines, and the result is some riveting reader.

The mishap in 16 Souls is a midair collision between a commercial Boeing 757 and a small, regional commuter aircraft, which is certainly not an original plot, but what happens after the collision is. Rather than plummeting to earth after the accident, the commuter plane with the passengers and crew onboard (the titular souls), manages to wind up stuck on the wing of the larger plane. Marty Mitchell, the pilot of the larger plane has to figure a way of get home safely while carrying a huge, asymmetrical load, and, to make matters worse, he has to land at the Denver airport in the middle of one of the worst blizzards in years.

Describing the aftermath of a collision like that would be enough to keep most thriller writers happy, but author Nance is a former pilot himself and decides to up the ante by having the emergency landing provide the possible crime in what then becomes a courtroom thriller. For it seems that, after the large plane lands, Marty finds himself on trial for murder, since a few of his passengers did not survive. And, if that weren’t enough, his attorney, Judith Winston, is a corporate lawyer pressed into taking the case rather than facing the ire of the trial judge.

This rather heady mix of midair drama and courtroom theatrics in 16 Souls comes off rather well. Much of the story is told in flashbacks, beginning with the preparations for trial, as Marty relives that fateful night. One might think that telling much of the story in flashbacks would ruin any suspense for readers, but Nance’s description of what happens, minute by minute, before and after the collision is riveting. He also withholds just enough information from readers so they don’t know who other than Marty survives and manages a couple of surprising plot twists during the course of the trial itself.

In reading 16 Souls, I was especially impressed by the way Nance describes the technical aspects of his story. Often, experts feel they have to describe in depth every little detail of what’s going on, burying readers under a mountain of unnecessary minutiae. Nance clearly knows what he’s talking about in describing the flight, and he narrates the story in a rather straightforward manner so that, while readers may not learn exactly how the ailerons work, they will get the gist of what’s going on, and, more important, stay caught up in the increased pace of the story’s narrative.

Once 16 Souls gets back on the ground, the trial that follows is also tense, with a fair amount of enjoyable theatrics. It’s only here that Nance stumbles just a bit in having the case hinge on a legal point that seems extremely far fetched and follow that with a late-chapter reveal that utterly flies in the face of credibility. To me it seemed as if the author painted himself into a bit of a corner storywise, then relied on a gimmick to wrap up the story.

Still, viewed simply as entertainment, 16 Souls delivers with the author managing to convey quite well an experience I hope I never encounter, that of a plane that seems destined to crash. It’s fast paced, with a couple of likable protagonists, and several twists that will keep readers on their toes. Jance has written similar aviation thrillers over the past 20 years, and he continues to show he has the right stuff as an author. He’s not simply rehashing stale material but, instead, comes up with a unique plot hook and holds readers’ attention as he then follows it all the way to the legal fireworks. 16 Souls passes the thriller test with flying colors.

[Marie Lutz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this novel, which was fast paced and gripping. I enjoyed it despite the fact that I found some of it totally unbelievable. The rogue district attorney who brings criminal charges against a pilot because he supposedly knew his actions could cause death simply didn’t make sense. If the pilot had done what his bosses had told him to do (as the district attorney insisted he should), it would have killed all 16 people on the smaller plane that was attached to the larger plane’s wing after a collision.

So in spite of the fact that it made for a great read, I couldn’t believe this trial would ever have gotten into the court system. The argument that the lives of the people on the Boeing should have been prioritized was not convincing.

For me it was a great read, but if you insist on realism stay away from this book.

One thing at the end was really annoying too. The charges against the pilot are dismissed (because of the prosecutor’s misconduct) after the jury reaches a verdict but before the verdict is read in court. No one pushes to find out what the verdict is and the lawyer decides she’d just as soon not know, even months after the trial. Give me a break! Reporters would have interviewed the jurors and found out what the verdict was within days, if not hours, after the trial was over.

[Peter Eichstaedt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nance is an undisputed master of white knuckle aviation drama, and his latest, 16 Souls, does not disappoint. This gripping story touched more than a few nerves, since it's set in the Denver area where I live. The story opens on a craggy slope of the infamous Long's Peak, a popular, but often treacherous climb, and ranges from the stormy winter skies swirling over the Rockies to the courtrooms of downtown Denver. Nance's descriptions of split-second decisions made in the cockpits of planes large and small left me gasping for air, despite the fact I've flown a lot, from bouncy single-engine aircraft skimming treetops over the Congo to aging airliners climbing over Afghanistan's Hindu Kush mountains, not to mention dozens of Atlantic Ocean crossings. I've also experienced the snarling winters snows at Denver International. A seasoned pilot, Nance knows his stuff. But 16 Souls is more than an airborne thriller. It's also an excellent courtroom drama as the central character, a fearless pilot, is on trial for his actions following a freakish mid-air collision. The story reaches a satisfying conclusion, thanks to a scrappy newspaper reporter and heartbroken widower. Do yourself a favor and read this gem.

[Dan Lawton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first experience with John Nance and an aviation/legal thriller, and I enjoyed it very much. The author clearly has an aviation background as much of the dialogue and description of the airplanes and the in-flight processes were incredibly detailed, maybe too much for me at times. The first two thirds of the novel was outside of the courtroom, and the last third was primarily inside the courtroom, and I found the setup to work really well. Information about the incident was slowly dribbled throughout the story as it unfolded, and it kept me on the edge of my seat - especially during the second part of the book. While I did count a dozen or so editing mistakes (punctuation, mostly), it was nothing that ultimately distracted me or affected my overall rating of the story, I thought it was noteworthy to mention. A few or even a handful can be ignored, but the number of them I found was a bit surprising for a small press. Nevertheless, I'll definitely be looking at what else Mr. Nance has written, as I found myself highly entertained. And while I was disappointed with the ending, I suppose the line, "It doesn't matter," is true. But I'd love to know...

I received a free copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review - grazie!

[John Bunyan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not finish. Writing is amateurish.

The later enters her client’s house through an unlocked door
“ She checked the two bedrooms, finding the beds made with military precision, the bathroom towels ready for guests.  She stopped for a second passing a floor to ceiling mirror and looked at herself, aware of the extra ten pounds she was always fighting to keep off, yet mostly pleased with the trim and disciplined woman she saw.  Trim and disciplined was what any professional woman had to be, and the last thing she ever wanted anyone to know was how much effort it took, and how often the polished and unshakeable attorney they saw doubted herself.”
This is about the fourth time her self doubt OSS identified. She finds envelopes:
“Each envelope was sealed, but she ripped open the first one and removed three pages of printed verbiage, trying to slow her reading to comprehend that it was a goodbye.  Essentially a suicide note, with no indication of where or how.”
“Pages of printed verbiage”. Lots of descriptions like this.
By the way, the opening pages of the book reveal his suicidal intent, so this is no spoiler.
I quit reading at this point

[TJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5-star reviews are rare for me, so that's how impressed I was with the tight writing, plot, and characters in "16 Souls." I've been a fan of John J. Nance for quite a few years now and feel that this is his finest work.
In this book, a pilot is put in the impossible position of choosing who lives and most probably dies after a mid-air collision between his jumbo jet and a commuter plane shortly after their Denver takeoff in a blizzard. The collision has improbably left both planes flying, but just barely, The commuter is badly crippled but still in the air only because it's attached to one of the jumbo jet's wings. The jumbo jet's ability to function normally has been compromised by the collision. Add to this impossibly bad weather making the return for an emergency landing abundantly difficult and you have the makings for a white-knuckler.
Nance weaves the story in and around the succeeding 2nd-degree murder trial facing the pilot after landing his damaged jet and the fall-out that was part of that action.
I don't say this often, but this truly was a book that I couldn't put down until I got to its very satisfying ending.

[C · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book I've read by Mr. Nance, however I do have Lockout on my kindle and will read very soon, specially if it's as good as this one.
The synopsis of this book drew me in because of the uniqueness of it, the fuselage of the smaller aircraft is tenuously wedged onto the huge right wing of his Boeing 757. That last sentence I knew I wanted to read this book. I'm glad I did. The only problem I had throughout the book was I felt like the end was told about 25% in. I didn't realize until the end that this was not the case at all. The ending was good.
The Trial, can't believe these pilots have to have a trial, what happened to the word "hero"? This man was truly a hero just like Sully but they had to be dragged into court to prove to people what he did up in the air he did with compassion and only to save who he felt responsible for, which to him was everyone whether in the air or on the ground.
All in All this was a good read. I highly recommend.

Thank you Amanda Luedeke, Good Reads, Wild Blue Press and John J Nance

Cherie'

[Tracy Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book and almost 5 stars. The story of a mid-air collision between a passenger airliner and a small plane in the middle of a blizzard that is closing all of the runways of the airport. Miraculously the small plane becomes embedded in the large jet's wing and is dependent on the jet for everything. Captain Marty Mitchell has to somehow find a way to land both planes without killing anyone aboard. While performing admirably with minimal loss, nevertheless the captain is charged with murder, and the story is told both through the eyes of the present day trial and the eyes of the captain as the disaster unfolded. I didn't always understand the technical jargon, but it was written, I believe, with a reader in mind. I have read other works by this author and will continue to do so.

[Neil Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

John J. Nance is a master thriller writer who consistently manages to imagine highly original plots for his aviation thrillers. 16 Souls is no exception, as the story revolves around a mid-air collision that leaves two aircraft locked together. This novel is not only an aviation thriller, but also a legal thriller in which Nance delves into the legal maneuvering that seeks to pin blame on one of the pilots. As always, this author’s characters are complex and believable, the prose is tight, and the story takes us through a labyrinth of twists and turns while moving along briskly to a satisfying conclusion. I haven’t read a Nance novel for some time and am happy to have circled back to him. He never disappoints. 16 Souls is a terrific read.

[Christine Negroni · Rating 5 out of 5]

One wonders when John Nance will run out of ideas, characters and dialogue, so prolific a writer is he. But with 16 Souls he's come up with an entirely different take on the aviation thriller, introducing new personalities and plot twists. He includes relevant aviation safety philosophies like crew resource management, just culture and confirmation bias into the story line in a way that seems entirely natural. 16 Souls had me up late turning the pages and back at it again early the next morning. This is the 5th Nance book I've read and he just keeps getting better.

[Jeremy Hopper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading John J Nance books back when Final Flight first came out. That being said I haven’t read anything from him in over a decade. I decided to check him out again and started reading 16 Souls while waiting on a flight at DIA (happy coincidence). It has been a long time since I’ve burned through a book in less than a day, what a page turner! Mr. Nance has not lost his touch weaving a great aviation tale with technical precision and emotional complexity. I’ll be reading more of his recent work.

[Crooked Eye · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hardly expected an aviation legal thriller would be in my wheelhouse, but this was so well done that it captivated me.

The author, Nance, also narrated the story and I think that is what made it for me. He did it impeccably. Normally my eyes would glaze over at details on an instrument panel etc, but it was narrated in such a way that I actually felt like I was listening to radio exchanges between the beleaguered aircraft and the traffic controller. It was awesome! The legal aspect was also well done.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can find my review of 16 Souls on my book blog, Bastian's Book Reviews.

In summary: 16 Souls is a decent aviation thriller. It holds the attention. It may not feature deep characters, decent humour, or complicated insights into human nature, but it's easy to digest, readable, and the scenario it presents is tense and exciting. It is bloated by a legal thriller that doesn't, and at times it feels like reading tacky old-pilot fantasies / wishful thinking, but it's worth your while if you like planes.

[Paul P · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Nance never disappoints his aviation fan-atics, another solid story with acute attention to aircraft and flight details, always a treat. The legal side of the story played more prominently than the actual time spent “in the air” but a great page turner nonetheless. I was disappointed by the lack of editing, the book is riddled with typos, punctuation, and grammar errors, really surprising for a final retail edition.

[Sharon C. Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful Author

This was my first time to be fortunate enough to read one of Mr. Nancy's books. It will certainly not be the last time. I
The novel was informative and exciting and I read it fairly rapidly because it was one of those books you don't want to put down. I haven't decided which of his books will be my next but I am definitely looking forward to selecting it and getting started on it! What a pleasure it was to read "16 Souls".

[Andy Richter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book combined two of my favorite genres: aviation thriller and legal thriller. I enjoyed the back and forth between present day and the day the accident happened. Both the aviation action and the courtroom action were plentiful and intriguing. I also like (and this is why I marked this review as containing spoilers) how we never find out whether or not the captain would have been found guilty.

[Sandy Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Emotional Ride

John Nance delivers another winner. This novel neatly blends an airline disaster with a legal thriller. The pilot of a commercial airliner is on trial for second degree murder after surviving a bizarre mid-air collision with a smaller regional carrier. By alternating the trial with flashbacks to the disaster, the reader is kept in suspense on the outcomes of both events. And Nance gives his characters such emotional depth, you feel as if you are right there with them on this thrilling ride. This is edge-of-your-seat reading for sure.

[Beverly J Berg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm now a fan of John J. Nance. My dad was a pilot, a couple of my college friends went into piloting, and I was a frequent flyer with them and on airlines from childhood on. I say this because I love novels that have airplanes as the focus of the story. This novel did not disappoint, it was a true page turner, edge- of -your -seat read. The main characters were well done. I wish I could give it 6 stars.

[Anilou · Rating 5 out of 5]

On the Wing

A routine flight is complicated by heavy snow and a garbled message from the tower. This book weaves together what happens before, during, and after the inevitable midair collision. A tight storyline and its cast of believable characters combine to produce a great read that keeps the pages turning.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nance is one of the today

Interesting moral dilemma and choices. Nance takes you into the cockpit in an impossible situation and shares the stress of a airliner pilot. Great writing and an interesting structure with recalled scenes and flashbacks filling in the blanks. A fantastic story and well worth your time.

[Kathy Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting

Superior action! Great writing. Transitions flawlessly between legal and aviation action! Is the pilot guilty of 2nd degree murder? Should he have followed the directions of his company? What caused the airplane to lose its way on the tarmac?

I have read and enjoyed Nance's novels, but this may be his best.