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Learn moreBookseller recommendation
“Map lovers unite! Do you remember driving with a map on your lap looking for the next turn? Dangerous? Absolutely! Easy way to find hidden places? You bet! The Cartographers is a love letter to maps. Mixing mystery and art with a little bit of magic. Shepherd's storytelling is a little predictable, but it didn't deter me from wanting to arrive at the final destination. ”
— Jenny • E. Shaver, bookseller
Bookseller recommendation
“What a marvelous adventure this book took me on: a slow-burn start, but a compelling read with a fascinating take on an old map-maker secret. Great twists, endearing characters, a lingering sense of deep foreboding, and WOW! What a finish. I listened on Libro.fm and it's an excellent cast narration - I loved the different perspectives from The Cartographers, as well as Nell and Felix. 10/10 recommend!”
— Ashleigh • Wellesley Books
Bookseller recommendation
“Perfect for fans of Carlos Ruiz Zafon or Susanna Clarke, this novel takes the classic story of a child curious about a parent's past and adds a dash of magic. Anyone who has ever uncovered a family mystery, anyone who has found a tucked-away shop or unexpected alley hiding some real treasures, will adore Nell's adventures... and anyone who has ever found something priced absurdly high in a secondhand shop will relish this story about something truly rare. A delightful entertainment! ”
— Nialle • The Haunted Bookshop
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.
Peng Shepherd was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, and has lived in Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, London, New York, and Mexico City.
Her second novel, The Cartographers, became a national bestseller, was named a Best Book of 2022 by The Washington Post, and received a 2020 fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. Her debut, The Book of M, won the 2019 Neukom Institute for Literary Arts Award for Debut Speculative Fiction, and was chosen as a best book of the year by Amazon, Elle, Refinery29, and The Verge, as well as a best book of the summer by the Today show and NPR’s On Point.