The Hunt for MH370

Ean Higgins, Macmillan $32.99

Just what happened to MH370 will not be known until the plane is found. That may be soon or it may take years. Higgins' investigation into the case is a thoroughly researched, absorbing piece of book-length journalism. All we know for certain is that in the early hours of March 8, 2014, the plane suddenly U-turned (so severe it had to be pilot operated), zig-zagged, then disappeared. What we're left with are theories, Higgins exploring five of them. The one most experts favour is that the pilot hijacked his own plane, for reasons unknown, and ditched it in the southern Indian Ocean: all 239 passengers dead hours before from decompression. Others disagree, some blaming it on a devastating on-board fire. Higgins also examines, among other things, the logistics of the search, as well as the consequences – interviewing the partners and relatives of the dead. What comes across dramatically is the epic nature of the mystery, as well as the abiding despair of those still waiting for answers.