On December 21, 1988, a small block of plastic explosive tore apart a New York-bound Boeing 747, killing 259 passengers and crew and taking the lives of 11 residents in the tiny Scottish village of Lockerbie. The world followed in horrified fascination as a tale of international terrorism, airline ineptitude, and political gamesmanship unfolded. But another story was lost among the headlines. Making use of more than three years of research and interviews, Matthew Cox and Tom Foster, two award--winning investigative journalists, present the whole picture of the disaster, including the story behind this tragic event: that of the people who died and the family members--the husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters--who were left to deal with the devastating aftermath of the explosion. Their Darkest Day is the shocking tale of the bombing, told through the family members' personal experiences. Housewives who became adroit at handling the media; a doctor who became an authority on explosives; a real estate saleswoman who became an expert on terrorist groups; and the many others who sacrificed careers and futures in order to reform airline security and bring the terrorists to justice. The authors trace the history of the Pan Am 103 bombing, starting with the incidents that incited terrorists to attack and culminating with the indictment of two Libyans in November 1991. With clarity and detail nowhere else available, Their Darkest Day follows the elusive trail of the bomb, the people who boarded the fateful flight, and those who chose to start living again by remembering and learning--and working to guarantee that such a calamity cannot ever happen again.

At Heathrow -- Trouble in the Middle East -- An American in London -- Flaws in the safety net -- The deadly cargo -- Tragic news -- Searching for the killers -- Grief forms a bond -- Cracks in the bond -- Confronting evil -- The victims of Pan American World Airways Flight 103 -- Aviation bombings.