Following a delayed kick-off due to congestion around the ground it was the hosts who started the brighter, enjoying the lions' share of possession and territory as their big back row runners probed the fringes to good effect.
The boot of All Black fly half Andrew Mehrtens erred with the first pop at goal from a penalty out on the left, but the Kiwi found his range with his second attempt from similar range after an indiscretion at the ruck.
The Falcons lost skipper Matt Burke after only 14 minutes with a bang to the head, the Aussie failing to return from the bloodbin as No.8 Russell Winter assumed captaincy duties and Anthony Elliott came on at fulback.
There was worse to come as England centre Toby Flood was sin-binned for killing the ball on his own line, and from the resulting line out salt was rubbed in to the wound as loose head prop Aston Croall rumbled over for a textbook rolling maul try, converted by Mehrtens.
Newcastle finally gained some continuity midway through the half as Eni Gesinde and Andy Perry got their running game going, fly half Loki Crichton chipping in the Quins 22 but failing to regather.
The Falcons refused to throw the towel in and were rewarded for their adventure on the half hour as a line out five metres out down the left wing saw the ball spun right to John Rudd who popped from the floor to Crichton. The Samoan floated a perfectly-weighted lob pass to the onrushing May on the right flank, with the Londoner powering round the last man to dive in the corner.
In a whirlwind three minutes there was even better to come as Gesinde intercepted in his own 22 for an energy-sapping 70-metre run, the Nigerian-born flanker supported well by Flood who popped to Dickson, acting skipper Russell Winter being the beneficiary as he was given a gift-wrapped pass from five metres out to score.
Flood converted from in front, trading penalties with Mehrtens for a gutsy 15-13 interval lead, but sadly it was not to last as a torrent of second-half tries saw Quins home.
David Strettle was first over the whitewash only two minutes in to the half as his hack ahead saw him narrowly elude the attentions of May, Mehrtens slotting the extras before adding a drop goal from slow ruck ball on the 22.
Ten minutes later it was Strettle again who proved the danger man, the England Sevens star benefiting from a Mehrtens loop pass in the right corner.
Fullback Mike Brown got in on the act with a try from a quick tap penalty, converted by replacement fly half Adrian Jarvis, and with the second half turning in to a home procession in the rain there was just no answer from the visitors who had earlier lost lock Andy Perry with suspected cheekbone damage.
Newcastle battled on gamely, Winter and his pack pressing from two close range line outs, but the grandstand score of the day was reserved for Strettle, whose hat-trick try ended a day of misery for the Falcons and their travelling support.
NEC Harlequins:
Tries: Croall, Strettle 3, Brown
Cons: Mehrtens 2, Jarvis 2
Pens: Mehrtens 2
Drops: Mehrtens
Newcastle Falcons:
Tries: May, Winter
Cons: Flood
Pens: Flood
NEC Harlequins:
15 Mike Brown
14 David Strettle
13 Mel Deane
12 Stuart Abbott (Gavin Duffy, 64)
11 Simon Keogh
10 Andrew Mehrtens (Adrian Jarvis, 60)
9 Steve So'oialo
1 Aston Croall
2 Tani Fuga (Jimmy Richards, 60)
3 Mike Ross (Ricky Nebbett, 69)
4 Ollie Kohn
5 Jim Evans (Nicolas Spanghero, 43)
6 Andre Vos
7 Paul Volley (captain, Will Skinner, 60)
8 Nick Easter (Chris Hala'Ufia, 64)
Newcastle Falcons:
15 Matthew Burke (captain, Anthony Elliott, 14)
14 Tom May
13 Mathew Tait
12 Toby Flood
11 John Rudd
10 Loki Crichton (Tom Dillon, 48)
9 Lee Dickson (James Grindal, 71)
1 Jon Golding (Johnny Williams, 57)
2 Andy Long (Matt Thompson, 57)
3 Micky Ward
4 Andy Perry (Jason Oakes, 40)
5 Mark Sorenson
6 Eni Gesinde (Geoff Parling, 57)
7 Brent Wilson
8 Russell Winter
Referee: Wayne Barnes
Attendance: 10,837
