Manhattan Down by Michael Cordy

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✦ BLURB ✦

THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS JUST SAID GOODNIGHT.

On the anniversary eve of the 9/11 terror attack, New York swelters under a heat dome of record temperatures. Even the global leaders assembled at the UN HQ are forced to admit that the climate crisis has reached boiling point and the world's time is running out.

That same day, at precisely 5:25 p.m., everyone on Manhattan Island - every man, woman and child, including all the world leaders at the UN - falls unconscious. Everyone that is, except for Samantha Rossi, a single mother reeling from devastating personal news and Nick Lockwood, a wounded NYPD detective who wakes from a coma just as the City That Never Sleeps falls into one.

Rossi's first concern is her daughter. Lockwood's is his city. As night draws in, they must work together to unravel the mystery of what has happened and why. Each must decide how far they will go and what lines they will cross to save what matters most to them.

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✶ PRE-READING ✶

The premise is what grabbed me immediately: an entire city suddenly unconscious? That felt eerie, cinematic, and urgent. I love a survival story, especially one with an unusual kind of problem. I was also intrigued by the climate backdrop and the emotional stakes hinted at for the two main characters. I hadn’t read Michael Cordy before, but I was expecting a mix of thriller pacing with emotional undertones.

✶ POST-READING ✶

As I thought...

This had a big-concept hook and delivered on the action and tension I hoped for. The alternating stakes - personal and global - kept things moving, and I liked the contrast between the emotional intensity of the leads and the larger, surreal chaos of a silenced New York. Samantha's medical condition and her worry about her daughter added personal stakes to the story.

It surprised me by...

...being more character-driven than I expected. For all its high-concept premise, this wasn’t just about spectacle - it was about what people cling to in the face of incomprehensible crisis. Samantha and Nick’s motivations were grounded and believable, and their moral lines were tested in compelling ways. I found the outcome really pleasing, but I don't want to spoil why.

✦ RECOMMENDATIONS ✦

Book Recommendation: Blackout by Marc Elsberg – another urgent, citywide catastrophe with escalating consequences and a ticking-clock narrative.
TV or Movie Recommendation: I Am Legend (2007) – for its empty New York atmosphere, survival elements, and emotional tension as one person navigates a sleeping city.

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✧ VIBE CHECK ✧

A colour palette: iron grey, bruised purple, and blackout blue
A soundtrack: tense strings over echoing city silence, punctuated by pulsing electronics
A season: late summer tipping into storm season - heavy skies and unpredictable air
A mood: haunting, suspenseful, morally questioning
A scent: hot pavement after rain, with a faint metallic tang

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★ TAROT CARD PULLED ★

The Moon. Hidden truths, deep instincts, and navigating fear through fog - this card fits the eerie, uncertain atmosphere of Manhattan Down. With reality distorted and motives unclear, the Moon reflects the need to trust inner judgement when the world no longer makes sense.

Manhattan Down publishes on the 8th of May 2025. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.