DEPARTURE 37

Narrators Mia Barron, Johnny Heller, and Catherine Ho help listeners navigate the complex plot of this conspiracy thriller. The story, which shifts between the present day and 1962, starts with a mysterious series of phone calls that ground hundreds of flights across the nation. Sixteen-year-old Charlie, whose grandfather was a military pilot, finds herself drawn into the mystery because of remnants of a military plane near her home in Maine. Complications include a cover-up involving AI, unearthed secrets of the Cold War, and a Government research facility. The narration requires an impressive range of voices and mannerisms, including intentionally bad AI renditions of famous people. The pace is breakneck, and the clever ending opens up questions that may have to be answered in a sequel. L.W.S. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2025]