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.
Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.
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.
Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.
Reviews-
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Starred review from January 24, 2022
Disgraced cartographer Nell Young, the protagonist of this extraordinary mystery from Shepherd (The Book of M), was fired by her father, Daniel Young, a cartographic scholar in the New York Public Library’s map division, after they argued over a map. Seven years later, Daniel dies in his office, apparently of natural causes. In a hidden compartment in his desk, Nell finds the map they argued over, a decades-old gas station road map of New York. She suspects the map is somehow related to his death, which she’s sure is a case of foul play. She seeks help from her ex, who now works for the tech giant Haberson, whose eccentric leader, William Haberson, wishes to map the entire world and all knowledge within it. Gradually, Nell connects with the talented cartographers who were friends of her father and long-dead mother years before. They tell her of their last summer together and warn her of the threat from a member of their group obsessed with Nell’s mother, who died in a house fire. Possessed of a questing intellect and a determined stubbornness, Nell proves smart enough to solve the various riddles she faces. Shepherd’s convincing blend of magic from old maps with the modern online world both delights and thrills. Agent: Alexandra Machinist, ICM. -
A superb ensemble of narrators animates this exciting tale of friendships and betrayals, a cartographers' cabal, maps, murder, and towns that may not be there. Among her father's effects, Nell, a cartographer, discovers what appears to be a worthless 1930s highway map. However, this map hides dark secrets as well as a "phantom settlement" known only to "the Cartographers." Possessing it puts Nell in great danger. Nell's third-person point of view comes alive with narrator Emily Woo Zeller's artistry, while the other narrators' perceptive interpretations create fascinating, believable secondary characters. Outstanding performances highlight Peng Shepherd's thrilling literary mystery, which is further spiced up with magical realism. The accompanying pdf of maps and diagrams makes Nell's investigations even more immediate. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
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June 1, 2022
A fast-paced thriller about the secrets that maps can hold. When Nell's father is found dead in his New York Public Library office, there is no initial cause of alarm; it must have just been a heart attack. Nell goes through her father's belongings and finds an odd gas station map, the very one that caused their estrangement. After a string of connected murders in the New York Public Library, Nell is convinced that someone is after the map, and her father may have been killed for it, but why? With the help of a mentor and old flame, Nell is led to a place she never knew she needed to discover. Narrated by a full cast, this wild adventure will keep listeners engaged and invested. VERDICT Peng's (The Book of M) action-packed thriller is too unique to forget anytime soon.--Erin Cataldi
Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
