Rating: 
Summary: Cheaply derivitive
Review: A supervisor at Boston's Logan airport is murdered and union ramp agents are suspected. This is the premise of Hard Landing, and a clever one it would be if it weren't taken from a real-life crime. Heitman acknowledges her "inspiration" once during the novel by (shamelessly) citing the real murder as part of her narrative. One wishes she at least would have chosen a venue other than Boston for her novel, but being that the author worked at Logan for years I guess the familiarity was too great and the imagination required to transport the scenario somewhere else too daunting. Having said that, it was an entertaining enough read, but being somehwat familiar with the real-life murder kind of ruined it for me. Kind of tramples on the grave at worst and lacks imagination at best.
Rating: 
Summary: Derivative?
Review: As a (non-airline) pilot, this book jumped off the shelf at me. I started reading with hope and was not disappointed. This book combines technical accuracy with a great mystery. The problems of working with the pressures involved in an airline ground operation are described as only someone who has been there can do. No punches are pulled about the envirnoment. As a native, the feel and issues of Logan come through clearly and the inspiration for many of the characters comes from true stories. I'm looking forward to this author's next book (soon please!)
Rating:
Summary: Captivating
Review: As a (non-airline) pilot, this book jumped off the shelf at me. I started reading with hope and was not disappointed. This book combines technical accuracy with a great mystery. The problems of working with the pressures involved in an airline ground operation are described as only someone who has been there can do. No punches are pulled about the envirnoment. As a native, the feel and issues of Logan come through clearly and the inspiration for many of the characters comes from true stories. I'm looking forward to this author's next book (soon please!)
Rating:
Summary: A very insightful drama
Review: Bill Scanlon is known as the "man who saved the airline business" after he bought Nor'easter and turned it into the profit making Majestic Airlines. Alex Shanahan, the new Operations Manager for majestic at Logan Airport used to hold a staff position. She knows Majestic has serious problems, but never expected the near riot she enters when she arrives at the hangar. Alex quickly realizes that the unions control Majestic, not management.Alex believes she can turn things around, but so did her predecessor who eventually killed herself. Alex's second in command Dan Fallacaro insists that someone murdered Ellen, but disguised it as a suicide. When Alex and Dan begin digging into Ellen's death, they uncover more than either expected or can handle. Payoffs, corruption, and deep-rooted conspiracies mean two more nosy people must kill themselves. Frequent fliers beware HARD LANDING because they may never step onto a jet ever again once they realize how easy things can go wrong. Although most passengers will not think of this at least until they read this exciting novel, their lives reside in the hands of the ground crew as much as their life depends on the pilot. Lynne Heitman is a newcomer, but shows she has a gift as a storyteller by keeping the reader actively involved throughout her action-paced tale that travels faster than the speed of the SST. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: A very insightful drama
Review: Bill Scanlon is known as the "man who saved the airline business" after he bought Nor'easter and turned it into the profit making Majestic Airlines. Alex Shanahan, the new Operations Manager for majestic at Logan Airport used to hold a staff position. She knows Majestic has serious problems, but never expected the near riot she enters when she arrives at the hangar. Alex quickly realizes that the unions control Majestic, not management. Alex believes she can turn things around, but so did her predecessor who eventually killed herself. Alex's second in command Dan Fallacaro insists that someone murdered Ellen, but disguised it as a suicide. When Alex and Dan begin digging into Ellen's death, they uncover more than either expected or can handle. Payoffs, corruption, and deep-rooted conspiracies mean two more nosy people must kill themselves. Frequent fliers beware HARD LANDING because they may never step onto a jet ever again once they realize how easy things can go wrong. Although most passengers will not think of this at least until they read this exciting novel, their lives reside in the hands of the ground crew as much as their life depends on the pilot. Lynne Heitman is a newcomer, but shows she has a gift as a storyteller by keeping the reader actively involved throughout her action-paced tale that travels faster than the speed of the SST. Harriet Klausner
Rating: 
Summary: Regional inaccuracies makes it iffy
Review: I was nearly suckered into taking a job as an airline baggage monkey ("ramp agent") at Logan a couple years back, and this novel reinforced the wisdom of walking away from that with its descriptions of how difficult the job is in terms of abusive coworkers and responsibility for human lives and millions of dollars in property damage. However, some of the details about the Greater Boston area really threw it off for me and reinforced Heitman's carpetbagger status, like using "Port Authority" instead of "Massport" like everyone else I know. Also, her descriptions of Marblehead are completely off-base: it does not look like it was transplanted from Europe, the number of detectives in the Marblehead PD can be counted on one hand, and coffee shops are not called "crumpet shops."
Rating:
Summary: Great Summer Read!!
Review: Just finished this book and it was REALLY good. I picked it up on the way to the beach and found i couldn't put it down. I will definitely look for other books by this author.
Rating:
Summary: Great Summer Read!!
Review: Just finished this book and it was REALLY good. I picked it up on the way to the beach and found i couldn't put it down. I will definitely look for other books by this author.
Rating:
Summary: A brilliant thriller - don't miss it!!!
Review: Lynne Heitman's deep knowledge of airport operations shines through in this enthralling, gritty thriller set in Boston's Logan International Airport. Alex Shanahan is appointed Logan's new General Manager of a major airline (a position Heitman herself once held) to replace the previous GM (Ellen Shepard) who committed suicide. Shanahan is immediately assaulted by a host of intractable problems, including a near riot precipitated by the union, an untrustworthy boss, messages to just bide her time and ride the next step up the promotion ladder - "you can't change anything here" - followed by anonymous threats as she attempts to bring order to chaos. Her unpopularity and isolation are further increased as she begins to think that her deputy, Dan Fallacaro, is right to insist that Ellen was murdered. Heitman has done a beautiful job in crafting a thriller full of intrigue, corruption, and conspiracy that culminates in a surprising and satisfying ending. Part of the fascination of this novel is that it is set in the underbelly of flying (airport operations) that few of us ever see.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent! Lynne Heitman is the next John Nance.
Review: Lyyne Heitman, a former airline employee is an exceptional author. Her storyline is great and keeps you wanting more. Her protagonist Alex Shanahan is likeable and very true to life. The inside knowledge of airports and other aspects of aviation made the book stand out much like the novels by John J. Nance. Heitman definatly gets 5 stars.
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