The Night Olivia Fell

Christina McDonald’s debut novel opens with Abi getting the worst phone call. Her teenage daughter Olivia has fallen from a bridge and is now in an irreversible coma but pregnant, and the baby can be saved if Olivia is kept alive long enough.

The book moves between Abi trying to figure out what really happened the night Olivia fell and Olivia’s own perspective in the months leading up to it. McDonald paces the dual timeline carefully. The reader learns alongside Abi.

The twist relies on small clues placed early. The reveal lands without feeling cheated.

This was McDonald’s first book and announced her as a thriller writer to follow. Comparable to Liane Moriarty’s darker work or Jodi Picoult’s ethical-dilemma novels. The premise is heavy. Readers should be prepared for the difficult medical decisions the book takes seriously.