#BookReview THE DISAPPEARING ACT by FLORENCE DE CHANGY @mudlarkbooks #nonfiction

ABOUT THE BOOK

‘The affair was weird when seen from afar, but seen in close-up, it was Kafkaesque: it was not possible in 2014 for a Boeing 777 to have simply disappeared…’

A remarkable piece of investigative journalism into one of the most pervasive and troubling mysteries of recent memory.

01:20am, 8 March 2014.

Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, carrying 239 passengers, disappeared into the night, never to be seen or heard from again.

The incident was inexplicable. In a world defined by advanced technology and interconnectedness, how could an entire aircraft become untraceable? Had the flight been subject to a perfect hijack? Perhaps the pilots lost control? And if the plane did crash, where was the wreckage?

Writing for Le Monde in the days and months after the plane’s disappearance, journalist Florence de Changy closely documented the chaotic international investigation that followed, uncovering more questions than answers. Riddled with inconsistencies, contradictions and a lack of basic communication between authorities, the mystery surrounding flight MH370 only deepened.

Now, de Changy offers her own explanation. Drawing together countless eyewitness testimonies, press releases, independent investigative reports and expert opinion, The Disappearing Act offers an eloquent and deeply unnerving narrative of what happened to the missing aircraft.

An incredible feat of investigative journalism and a testament to de Changy’s tenacity and resolve, this book is an exhaustive, gripping account into one of the most profound mysteries of the 21st century. 

PUBLISHED BY  HARPER COLLINS

PURCHASE LINK

Amazon

MY REVIEW

I found this to be a fascinating investigation on the disappearance of Flight MH370. How can a plane, carrying 239 people on board, just go missing in this day and age? Well, that is what happened on the 8th March 2014, and the relatives of those on board are still waiting for answers.

I remember seeing this on the news at the time and thinking that the authorities would be doing all they could to discover just what happened to make a plane disappear into thin air. But after reading this book and the calamity that was the investigation, it just makes you extremely worried that so many agencies and countries seem willing and able to hide the truth.

Was the plane hijacked? Did it change route? Was it shot down? The author explores all the theories as she travels across the world talking to relatives of the lost passegers, along with eye witnesses on the ground who were ignored by official investigators. Her research was extensive and exhaustive as she looked into every single theory – official or otherwise- and the more you read, the more suspicious you are of all those involved across the world in various governments. And why was a commercial flight disappearance being controlled by governments?! What did they want hushed up? There’s question marks over some of the passengers on board, the cargo being carried, the mental wellbeing of the pilots – but still nothing concrete has ever been discovered despite the occasional discover of pieces of plane at various locations.

The fact that another Malaysian plane was lost a few months later just muddies the water and left me feeling shocked that such incompetence was allowed to go unchecked – which just makes you think even more that something dodgy was behind all this. It all felt very choreographed to distract people from the reality of what did happen and a number of countries seemed complicit in the cover up

Was it pilot error? An accident? Terrorism? After reading this you’ll definitely believe there is more to this disappearance than meets the eye and you can only commend the author for their research in trying to find out the truth – a shocking and eye opening read! Highly recommended!

★★★★★