Synopses & Reviews
“I have a bomb here and I would like you to sit by me.”
That was the note handed to a stewardess by a mild-mannered passenger on a Northwest Orient flight in 1971. It was the start of one of the most astonishing whodunits in the history of American true crime: how one man extorted $200,000 from an airline, then parachuted into the wilds of the Pacific Northwest and into oblivion. D. B. Cooper’s case has become the stuff of legend and obsessed and cursed his pursuers with everything from bankruptcy to suicidal despair. Now with Skyjack, journalist Geoffrey Gray delves into this unsolved mystery uncovering new leads in the infamous case.
Starting with a tip from a private investigator into a promising suspect (a Cooper lookalike, Northwest employee, and trained paratrooper), Gray is propelled into the murky depths of a decades-old mystery, conducting new interviews and obtaining a first-ever look at Cooper’s FBI file. Beginning with a heartstopping and unprecedented recreation of the crime itself, from cabin to cockpit to tower, and uncanny portraits of characters who either chased Cooper or might have committed the crime, including Ralph Himmelsbach, the most dogged of FBI agents, who watched with horror as a criminal became a counter-culture folk hero who supposedly shafted the system…Karl Fleming, a respected reporter whose career was destroyed by a Cooper scoop that was a scam…and Barbara (nee Bobby) Dayton, a transgendered pilot who insisted she was Cooper herself.
With explosive new information and exclusive access to FBI files and forensic evidence, Skyjack reopens one of the great cold cases of the 20th century.
From the Hardcover edition.
Synopsis
The true story of the unsolved 1971 Northwest Orient airplane hijacking, Skyjack reopens one of the greatest cold cases of the 20th century.
"I have a bomb here and I would like you to sit by me."
That was the note handed to a stewardess by a mild-mannered passenger on a Northwest Orient flight in 1971. It was also the start of one of the most astonishing whodunits in the history of American true crime: how one man extorted $200,000 from an airline before parachuting into the wilds of the Pacific Northwest, never to be seen again.
Starting with a crack tip from a private investigator, author Geoffrey Gray plunges into the murky depths of the decades-old mystery to chase down new clues and explore the secret lives of the cases's cast of characters and most promising suspects, including Ralph Himmelsbach, the most dogged of FBI agents, who watched with horror as a criminal became a counter-culture folk hero; Karl Fleming, a respected reporter whose career was destroyed by a D.B. Cooper scoop that was a scam; and Barbara (nee Bobby) Dayton, a transgendered pilot who insisted she was Cooper herself.
The case of D.B. Cooper is a modern legend that has obsessed and cursed his pursuers for generations. Now with Skyjack, Gray obtians a first-ever look at the FBI's confidential Cooper file, uncovering new leads in the infamous case and providing readers with explosive new information.
Synopsis
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - The true, unsolved story of D. B. Cooper's 1971 airplane hijacking, one of the greatest cold cases of the twentieth century "Here is writing and storytelling that is vivid and fresh--a delectable adventure."--Gay Talese
"I have a bomb here and I would like you to sit by me." That was the note handed to a stewardess by a mild-mannered passenger on a Northwest Orient flight in 1971. It was also the start of one of the most astonishing aviation whodunits in the history of American true crime: how one man extorted $200,000 from an airline before parachuting into the wilds of the Pacific Northwest, never to be seen again.
The case of D. B. Cooper is a modern legend that has obsessed and cursed his pursuers for generations with everything from bankruptcy to suicidal despair. Now, with Skyjack, Geoffrey Gray obtains a first-ever look at the FBI's confidential Cooper file, uncovering new leads in the infamous case.
Starting with a crack tip from a private investigator, Gray plunges into the murky depths of the decades-old mystery to chase down new clues and explore secrets of the case's most prominent suspects, including Ralph Himmelsbach, the most dogged of FBI agents, who watched with horror as a criminal became a counter-culture folk hero; Karl Fleming, a respected reporter whose career was destroyed by a D. B. Cooper scoop that was a scam; and Barbara (n e Bobby) Dayton, a transgender pilot who insisted she was Cooper herself. With explosive new information, Skyjack reopens one of the great cold cases of the twentieth century.
Synopsis
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - The true, unsolved story of D. B. Cooper's 1971 airplane hijacking, one of the greatest cold cases of the twentieth century, by an author featured in D.B. Cooper: Where Are You? , coming soon to Netflix "Here is writing and storytelling that is vivid and fresh--a delectable adventure."--Gay Talese
"I have a bomb here and I would like you to sit by me." That was the note handed to flight attendant Florence Schaffner by a mild-mannered passenger now known as D. B. Cooper on a Northwest Orient flight in 1971. It was also the start of one of the most astonishing aviation whodunits in the history of American true crime: how one man extorted $200,000 from an airline before parachuting into the wilds of the Pacific Northwest, never to be seen again.
The case of D. B. Cooper is a modern legend that has obsessed and cursed his pursuers for generations with everything from bankruptcy to suicidal despair. Now, with Skyjack, Geoffrey Gray obtains a first-ever look at the FBI's confidential Cooper file, uncovering new leads in the infamous case.
Starting with a crack tip from a private investigator, Gray plunges into the murky depths of the decades-old mystery to chase down new clues and explore secrets of the case's most prominent suspects, including Ralph Himmelsbach, the most dogged of FBI agents, who watched with horror as a criminal became a counter-culture folk hero; Karl Fleming, a respected reporter whose career was destroyed by a D. B. Cooper scoop that was a scam; and Barbara Dayton, a transgender pilot who insisted she was Cooper herself. With explosive new information, Skyjack reopens one of the great cold cases of the twentieth century.
About the Author
GEOFFREY GRAY writes about crime, politics, sports, travel and food. He is a contributing editor at
New York Magazine, covered boxing for
The New York Times and for programs like
This American Life, writes for other newspapers and magazines, and once drove an ice-cream truck. SKYJACK is his first book.
From the Hardcover edition.
Table of Contents
The Jump
The Hunt
The Curse
Afterword
Notes
Acknowledgments
Index