A wife and mother of three children, Beth Cheng loves her work as a wildlife biologist. It means that Beth is able to stay home except for the times when she is required to count and take pictures of the wildlife she has been following for her boss. All seems to be going well. Then one morning, Beth's boss, John, calls requesting her to be on a flight. Reluctantly, Beth agrees. But a small argument ensues as Beth tries to make her husband, Allen, understand her need to work. Time is short though so they put the discussion off until later.
The day is clear and bright. With only an hour of light remaining, the plane takes a vicious dive. Beth wakes to find herself in extreme pain and bleeding from the cuts incurred in the crash. Forcing herself in an upright position, she strikes off to find the wreckage. There she finds Bill hanging from the seat and the pilot dead. Against all of her teachings, Beth cannot leave Bill hanging upside down so she unhooks the harness and helps him to the ceiling. There Bill's strong arms pull his inept body to the back of the plane where he rests.
Meanwhile, Allen Cheng sets wheels in motion, for he feels something is very wrong. Beth should have been home hours ago. Worry encases the night and the days to follow as the weather deteriorates forcing the search to stall.
Beth's only chance of survival lies with a man not wanting to be found. He could be her salvation or her destruction. He is a victim much like she. Yet worse, for Dennis Doyle is trapped back in time. Only with help can he begin to live again. But first he has to live long enough to get off the mountain.
A story of courage. A story of bravery. A story of heroism. Nordberg tells a true-to-life tale that begins in the slow nature of everyday business. Taking time to build into the action, readers are immediately dumped into a hair splitting airplane crash leaving Beth badly injured but determined to survive at any cost. Thin Air portrays the courage survivors have to hold onto life while death beats at the door. While the conclusion seems hurried and incomplete, the chapters sharing the story of Beth's struggle to stay alive are well worth the price of this unique tale into the valleys of Thin Air.