Skyjack

The Hunt for D. B. Cooper

By: Geoffrey Gray

Narrated by: Geoffrey Gray

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?!, now streaming on 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.

Meh. It was ok.

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

No. The story moved very slowly and was hard to follow at times. This book is probably better spent reading on a Kindle.

Would you be willing to try another book from Geoffrey Gray? Why or why not?

Yes. I won't hold this against him. I will say his narrating was not the best.

Have you listened to any of Geoffrey Gray’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No.

Was Skyjack worth the listening time?

I wanted to listen to a DB Cooper account. If I had to do it over again I would probably pick a different book.

Jgio

I was expecting so much more out of this book. There were some interesting facts but I would not recommend it for purchase unless you are a huge DB Cooper fan. It just rambles on and on at times about potential suspects and seems to drift from the main plot.

I Want the recipe!!!!!!

great book. great performance. kept me invested throughout. really really wanted more, but obviously that is the same with the DB Cooper case. The more you learn the further away from figuring it out you are. so I won't hold that against him. overall very entertaining read.

Amazing🛩

I am obsessed with the DB Cooper case. I have been researching for 2 years. There was nothing I disliked about the book. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes mysteries, wants to research DB Cooper, or needs a lengthy book.

Excellent!

Truly a great read start to finish. Felt like I was on a noir style detective assignment investigating one of the most fascinating cases of all time. Highly recommend!