Departure 37

A Novel

By: Scott Carson

Narrated by: Mia Barron, Johnny Heller, Catherine Ho

Past mysteries reappear in this terrifying tale in which forgotten Cold War secrets make a disturbing reappearance, from a writer Stephen King has called “a master.”

On a clear October day, the American skies empty after hundreds of pilots refuse to fly, triggering a complete ground stop as authorities seek to explain an act of baffling coordination that the pilots insist was anything but planned. The pilots received disturbing, middle-of-the-night calls from their mothers, and each mother had a simple and urgent request: do not fly today.

There are a few concerning elements to the calls. None of the mothers remember making them—and some of the mothers are dead.

While the nation’s military chiefs and artificial intelligence experts mobilize in search of answers, a sixteen-year-old girl named Charlie on the coast of Maine watches a strange, silvery balloon drift across the water and toward her home—a place she loathes. Her father’s dream of opening a craft brewery on an old airfield has been a disaster, and all she wants is an escape back to Brooklyn.

She’s about to get much more than that.

Her new home is ground zero for a story that begins at a remote naval base in Indiana during the winter of 1962, when a physicist named Martin Hazelton discovered something extraordinary—and deadly. All Hazelton wanted was time to seek an explanation, but pressure from both American and Russian actors forced him into a perilous race.

Moving between the two characters and timelines, Scott Carson deftly weaves Cold War espionage with contemporary terror in a story that explains why #1 New York Times bestseller Joe Hill has declared himself “a fan for life.”

Very Good - Highly Recommend it.

Good mix of science fiction, complex characters, suspense. I listen to thousands of books this book is in the top 4% or so.

Overall a good book by Carson

Carson delivers an engaging narrative, skillfully weaving together two timelines that, while occasionally disorienting, ultimately coalesce into a cohesive whole. The third act moves at a brisk pace—perhaps too brisk—leaving the resolution feeling somewhat underdeveloped, particularly in providing full closure for the principal characters. Though it may not stand among Carson’s finest works, it remains a commendable and absorbing read.

Good but also spoils a main mystery in the 2nd Chapter....

*no spoilers* The main mystery the synopsis hints at in the book is "Hundreds of Pilots receive a call from their mother's begging them not to fly, all in one night."
The book goes on to answer what happened immediately after it happens.
Of course this opens the doors to WHY and that becomes the main focus and question of the book, which sustains the story well... But at the same time its kind of like being promised a Turkey Dinner and they wheel out a vegetarian meal instead. Still good in its own way, but not what you were expecting and very different.
I might have felt better about it if they had held the Telephone Mystery out for even a couple chapters but nope. "What you thought was The Main Course is the appetizer and the real main course is Cole Slaw."
As I said, not bad, but I think this is the first "Swing and a miss" for Scott imo, The Chill, Lost Man's Lane and The other one about the Sleep App. (who's name escapes me atm) were all much better attempts.

Compelling and thrilling

Extraordinary plot. As with all Koryta books, narrative is compelling and filled with thrills.

So boring

Ugh I could not get through this audiobook. I love this author and I was excited to listen to the story. Maybe it would be better if I read it. The voices are so Montone and the story just drones on and on lulling you into a mindless trance that you realize five minutes have gone by and you have no idea what you just listened to.