I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom by Jason Pargin

This novel sets up a high-stakes, mysterious road trip thriller. When a driver outside Los Angeles agrees to transport a young woman and her ominous black box across the country for $200,000, he must follow strict rules: no questions, no peeking, no contact, no delays.

As they travel, speculation online explodes—conspiracy theories frame the box as a weapon or terror device meant to spark civil war. But the reality of what’s inside, and why it must reach Washington, D.C., turns out to be far stranger and more world-altering than anyone imagines.

Blending suspense, social commentary, and intrigue, the story explores secrecy, trust, and the power of mystery in a hyperconnected world.