【 THE CARTOGRAPHERS 】

This was such a unique mystery that had the wonderful intrigue of being all about cartography.

Genre: Magical Realism
Author: Peng Shepherd
Published: March 2022
Publisher: Orion
Pages: 400 [paperback]

I had been super interested in reading this when I saw the title and the blurb, and I’m pleased to say it lived up to expectations. Following a curious mystery, which has many layers (like an onion, as Shrek would say) that are slowwwwly revealed to you over the course of the story, this is a cat-and-mouse chase to save the day centred around one seemingly insignificant map.

I really enjoyed the pacing of this book and the cast of characters. Their connections and relationships to each other were rich and complex, and so many times I gasped out loud OHH when something twisted and was revealed.

There is a real sense of urgency throughout the story and it takes no time for the ball to get rolling. It was also unlike any other mystery/thriller I’ve ever read. The magical whimsy that the presence of old maps throughout the story offered a unique atmosphere to the whole thing that I’ve never come across in other books within this genre. It almost makes the whole thing sit somewhere in between genres for me, and it’s certainly one of those books that played like a movie – crystal clear – in my mind as I read, and will stay with me for some time.

The only time I paused for thought in a bad way with this was wondering why the resolution to the problems happened only at the end of this book. In hindsight, could one of the characters not thought of that a lot sooner?

But eh, I’m turning a blind eye.

Highly recommend as an easy, pacy, and book-nerd-vibing cosy(ish) crime read!

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Title: The Cartographers
Author: Peng Shepherd
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Nell Young has lived her life in and around maps. Her father, Dr. David Young, was one of the most respected cartographers in the world. But this morning he was found dead – or murdered? – in his office at the New York Public Library.

Nell hadn’t spoken to her father in years, ever since he fired her after an argument over a seemingly worthless highway roadside map. A map which was mass-produced – and every copy of which is now being found and destroyed. But why?

To answer that question, Nell will embark on a dangerous journey into the heart of a conspiracy beyond belief, the secrets behind her family, and the true power that lies in maps . . .

THE CARTOGRAPHERS is a story about Art and where they meet, how they both enrich our lives, and how each defines the other. And it’s a book about the mystery, history, and ineffable romance of maps.