From the Publisher
In Shepherd’s imaginative latest, [she] playfully mines nostalgia for Choose Your Own Adventure series (“If Ren didn’t break up with Marsh last night: Turn the page”). Whichever path readers take, they’ll find a tantalizing and well-knit story. Reality TV fans especially ought to take note.” — Publishers Weekly on All This and More
“Equal parts thriller, fantasy and family drama, [with] layers upon layers of expertly told story.” — New York Times on The Cartographers
"Peng Shepherd’s The Cartographers is… an enjoyable, fast-paced (and fantastical) thriller.… [Shepherd] nails the sense of deep-seated, profound connection and love between a small group of people drawn together by shared experience and interest, creating an intense familial bond….The tragedy of the book is what happens to that bond—and why. The Cartographers is both beautiful and intellectual, and Shepherd sticks the landing in a deeply satisfying fashion…. It’s brilliant." — Washington Post on The Cartographers
“The Cartographers is a memorable work of speculative fiction, filled with ‘phantom settlements,’ captivating flashbacks, alternate realities, ill-fated passion and enduring love. There are echoes of Borges and Bradbury, Pynchon and Finian’s Rainbow, but Ms. Shepherd’s exhilarating and enjoyable work casts a magical glow all its own.” — Wall Street Journal on The Cartographers
"Peng Shepherd has done it again! The Cartographers is an exquisitely written, brilliantly plotted, absolutely fantastic novel. A story like this reminds us of why we all fell in love with reading to begin with. Be prepared to be swept away on an incredible journey that will stay with you long after you turn the final page." — Brad Thor, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Black Ice
"Reminiscent of the work of Dan Brown, Shepherd’s absorbing, inventive second novel showcases the art of mapmaking as one young woman’s obsession puts her in the sights of a determined killer....Shepherd toys expertly with the known unknowns, how we navigate the gloomy backroads of the heart." — Oprah Daily on The Cartographers
"The well-rounded and diverse cast of characters plus the hunt spurred on by the strange map make this an excellent literary adventure for just about anyone." — Buzzfeed on The Cartographers
"The Cartographers is wildly imaginative and totally mind-bending in the best possible way. Shepherd has crafted a juicy mystery masquerading as a grown-up scavenger hunt filled with astonishing twists and revelations. The result is a romp that’s pure pleasure to read and will keep readers guessing." — Bookpage (starred review)
"The Cartographers is a story about magical maps that lead to your heart's desire, the sort of people who would do anything to find them, and the joy, regret, and possibility they bring. A vastly rich experience. I loved this book." — Charles Soule, author of The Oracle Year
"Cleverly imagined.... With an elaborately realized plot, fanatic cartographers, maps with surreal powers generated by phantom settlements (intentional errors), and many-faceted suspense, Shepherd contrasts science and art, obsession and love in a bedazzling metaphysical tale of lost and found." — Booklist on The Cartographers
"Shepherd plots page-turning twists and revelations with ease and excels in her knowledge of historical maps and cartographical mysteries. The inclusion of map diagrams and detailed flashbacks carry the reader right alongside Nell as she attempts to disentangle an increasingly complex, slightly supernatural secret. In an author's note, Shepherd promises that 'something magical happens' when a person follows a map that lies, and this book will make you believe it. A highly inventive novel that pushes the boundaries of reality." — Kirkus Reviews on The Cartographers
"A shimmering delight, full of wonder, danger, and marvel. Suggest to readers of Erin Morgenstern, who has a similar ethos, and Natasha Pulley, who, like Shepherd, well knows how to end a story." — Library Journal on The Cartographers
"Shepherd’s convincing blend of magic from old maps with the modern online world both delights and thrills." — Publishers Weekly (starred review) on The Cartographers
“Shepherd merges old-fashioned maps with modern technology for a labyrinth of a plot that surprises at every turn.” — Sun-Sentinel (Florida) on The Cartographers
“The Cartographers constantly astonishes readers.” — Associated Press
“This is an apocalyptic thriller with heart. . . . The Book of M is devastating and inventive as Shepherd examines the value of memory, packing in imaginative twists as she goes.” — USA Today
"I love a good dystopian page-turner, and Peng Shepherd’s debut novel is the real deal. . . . Shepherd mixes in elements of multiple genres, like post-apocalyptic thriller and fantasy. But at its core, it’s a meditation on memories and personhood, as Shepherd asks which one defines the other." — Elle on The Book of M
"Eerily magical . . . At the heart of the novel is a timeless question about the meaning of memory." — Time on The Book of M
“A beautiful and haunting story about the power of memory and the necessity of human connection, this book is a post-apocalyptic masterpiece and the one dystopian novel you really need to read this year.” — Bustle on The Book of M
“She is a brilliant, brilliant new fiction writer. This is someone who you’re eventually going to have on this couch—she’s that good.” — Brad Thor, #1 New York Times bestselling author, on the Today show on The Book of M
“[W]onderful…a fascinating cast of characters, a can’t-miss idea, and a story that is absolutely spellbinding. It’s one of those novels that, just when you think you’ve got a handle on where it's going, something forces you to rethink everything you think you knew. Shepherd's latest deserves to be a smash hit.” — Booklist (starred review)
