The Cartographers
From the critically acclaimed author of The Book of M, a highly imaginative thriller about a young woman who discovers that a strange map in her deceased father’s belongings holds an incredible, deadly secret—one that will lead her on an extraordinary adventure and to the truth about her family’s dark history.
What is the purpose of a map?
Nell Young’s whole life and greatest passion is cartography. Her father, Dr. Daniel Young, is a legend in the field, and Nell’s personal hero. But she hasn't seen or spoken to him ever since he cruelly fired her and destroyed her reputation after an argument over an old, cheap gas station highway map.
But when Dr. Young is found dead in his office at the New York Public Library, with the very same seemingly worthless map hidden in his desk, Nell can’t resist investigating. To her surprise, she soon discovers that the map is incredibly valuable, and also exceedingly rare. In fact, she may now have the only copy left in existence… because a mysterious collector has been hunting down and destroying every last one—along with anyone who gets in the way.
But why?
To answer that question, Nell embarks on a dangerous journey to reveal a dark family secret, and discover the true power that lies in maps...
Perfect for fans of Joe Hill and V.E. Schwab, The Cartographers is an ode to art and science, history and magic—a spectacularly imaginative, modern story about an ancient craft and places still undiscovered.
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Peng Shepherd
Peng Shepherd grew up learning to ride horses in the deserts of Arizona, and has lived in Beijing, London, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, and New York. She earned a B.A. in Chinese Language and Literature, an M.A. in International Studies and Diplomacy, and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing, and her fiction has been published in the Weird Lies anthology, Litro Magazine, and broadcast on BBC Radio 4, among other places. The Book of M is her first novel.
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Reviews and Comments
A mass-produced road map so valuable that someone is willing to kill people to get it. Just when you thought cartography was boring.
Easiest 10/10 decision ever. I read The Cartographers as a geographer and a lifelong lover of maps, which may have had some effect on how much I enjoyed it. But then again, if you combine maps, magic, thrill, and history in a suitable ratio, can the result be anything but one of the most enchanting reading experiences of your life?