The debut literary thriller that launched the career of the bestselling author of Before the Fall and the creator of the show Fargo. Linus Owen is a young professor of conspiracy theory at a small college just outside San Francisco. His marriage is foundering and his wife, Claudia, has gone to Chicago to visit her mother. But if Claudia is in Chicago, how is it that two FBI agents show up at … that two FBI agents show up at Linus’ office and inform him that Claudia has been killed in a plane crash on her way from New York to Brazil? And why did a man named Jeffrey Holden, the vice president of a major pharmaceutical company, buy her ticket and die beside her?
Enlisting the aid of two fellow conspiracy theorists, Linus heads across the country in search of answers. But as their journey progresses, it becomes frighteningly clear they’ve left the realm of the academic and are tangled up in a dangerous, multilayered cover-up. Finally, deep in the heart of the American desert, stunned by an ominous revelation, Linus sees he has a new mission: to try to stay alive.
Part Don DeLillo, part Kurt Vonnegut, with writing that is electric, whip-smart and suspenseful at each turn, Noah Hawley draws us into a deliciously labyrinthine world of paranoia and plots. “Energetic and funny…an engrossing debut.” — The New York Times
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It’s the end of the 20th century and Y2K is fast approaching. Linus Owen, a young professor of conspiracy theory at a small college just outside San Francisco, and his wife, Claudia, an advertising executive, live in nearby San Rafael. Linus believes that his is a happy marriage and when Claudia goes to Chicago for a few days to visit her mother, he is not suspicious. Until, that is, two FBI agents arrive at his office with news. Claudia has been killed. A plane bound from NYC to Brazil exploded, killing all on board. They insist that Claudia was on the plane with a man named Jeffrey Holden and Linus must accompany them to Florida to identify her body. Holden was the vice president of a pharmaceutical company. So begins a fast-paced adventure with quirky Linus to discover what really happened to Claudia — Why was she in NYC, much less on a plane headed for Brazil? What was the nature of her relationship with Holden? Who would want to blow up the plane — and why? Linus’s two bestimmplifriends are eccentric fellow conspiracy theorists, Edward and Roy. They spring into action to assist Linus, and the three men find themselves embroiled in a mystery involving several agencies of the U.S. government, as well as a cast of supporting characters — some nefarious — each of whom holds a piece of the puzzle. Their journey takes them into the Southwest desert regions in search of a mysterious fringe group led by a former radio talk show host who disappeared years ago, as well as isolated regions of Nevada where locals are mysteriously disappearing and turning up dead. Linus knows that he is not crazy — he has stumbled onto a conspiracy in which officials at the highest levels of government and industry are implicated, but he has to stay alive long enough to gather and publicize the details. The result is an epic, breakneck-paced journey for all three men that will keep readers guessing until the final shockingly dramatic page! And leads readers wondering whether Hawley’s plot could be real. Although the story is set nearly a decade ago, it is no less relevant now than it was then. In fact, in light of current events, including headlines about foreign government cyber hacks, it is arguably more alarming — and entertaining.
Thanks to NetGalley for an Advance Reader’s Copy of the book!
This is one of the best conspiracy thrillers that I’ve ever read!
What do we fear? Who do we fear? Why do we fear?
Linus Owen is a professor of conspiracy theory at a college near San Francisco.
He feels his marriage to Claudia has become somewhat listless.
One day at the school two FBI agents arrive with with news that Claudia’s been killed in a plane crash.
She was on a flight from New York to Brazil, but she was supposed to be visiting her mother in Chicago.
Furthermore, she was in the company of Jeffrey Holden, an executive of Hastings Pharmaceutical, a client of the ad agency for which she works.
Linus is dazed and bewildered as he heads to Orlando to identify the body.
While there he learns that the plane crash was caused by a bomb. This, of course, is immediately blamed, by various government officials, on terrorists.
The more Linus looks into it, the more things aren’t adding up.
Along with his two conspiracy theory buddies, Roy and Edward, they’re going to find out who’s behind this and , ultimately, the death of Claudia.
They will soon find themselves headlong in a many-sided cover up.
The plot is superbly labyrinthine and the characterizations are wonderful. You really learn about the players, major and minor. Their histories and motivations.
I recommend this to all lovers of thrillers and fine writing.
Bravo, Mr. Hawley!
Started out great but faded mid book. Disappointing, as I love Noah Hawley’s After The Fall as well as Fargo.