The great Earthquake everyone expects, the Big One, finally hits Southern California. This is a detailed account of how the quake impacts several people in Southern California. Every chapter begins with the real-world facts upon which this riveting novel is based. The death, destruction and horror of the great quake are intermixed with the hope and fortitude of the people who try to survive. The Big One is a marvelously detailed account of the way in which the survivors deal with the disaster. The huge quake, the Big One, is not just a remote possibility, it is the very real event the best scientists expect at some time in our lives. This is one of those books you cannot put down until the events have unfolded. Crisp characterizations, detailed, fact-based events locations and thrilling adventure.