The Passenger

Bobby Western finds himself at the center of a bewildering mystery involving a submerged jet, a missing individual, and an elaborate conspiracy that seems impossible to unravel. Set against diverse backdrops, from the bustling bar rooms of New Orleans to a deserted oil rig near Florida, "The Passenger" is a riveting novel by acclaimed author Cormac McCarthy, known for works such as "No Country for Old Men" and "The Road." The Guardian praises it as a "gorgeous ruin in the form of a hardboiled noir thriller."In 1980 Mississippi, Bobby dives into the ocean depths at three in the morning, revealing the grim scene of a sunken plane with nine lifeless passengers still restrained in their seats. Curiously absent are the pilot's flight bag, the airplane's black box, and a mysterious tenth passenger. Now, entangled in a conspiracy, Bobby is advised to remain silent about his discoveries.Plagued by his past, Bobby is haunted by his late father, the mind behind the devastating bomb dropped on Hiroshima, and his sister, who was both his love and his downfall. "The Passenger” is one of Cormac McCarthy's final creations and the first book in a duology, succeeded by "Stella Maris."Critics and authors alike laud McCarthy's work. Anne Enright remarks on the religious undertones and formidable quality of his novels. Stephen King describes his prose as almost biblical and hauntingly powerful, while Annie Proulx notes how McCarthy's exploration of darker human tendencies compels readers to confront reality.