The Everest Files: A thrilling journey to the dark side of Everest

Ryan, a gap year student, is delivering medical supplies to a remote village in the Himalayas when he stumbles upon a mystery. He meets Shreeya, a young Sherpa girlwhose boyfriend Kami was employed on an Everest expedition but who never returned; all she has is reports that he is neither alive nor dead. Ryan sensing adventure agrees to investigate. Kamis story unfolds throughout the book. His desperate determination to get out of a childhood marriage so that he can marry Shreeya leads him up the deadly slopes of Everest. Brennan, the leader of the expedition, is a popular politician in the presidential race hoping that standing on the top of the world will give him the edge in the elections. As the group climbs higher they suffer a series of setbacks, near misses and tragedies. The stresses and tensions increasewith the altitude and Brennan becomes increasingly paranoid to an extent that threatens the group. I found myself willing the expedition to succeed and return safely. Matt Dickinson describes the landscape and its gruelling challenges with a conviction that only someone who has climbed Everest could achieve; he includes small details such as the effect of altitude sickness on clear decision making which made me completely believe in the story.Recommended for anyone with a thirst for adventure and to those who like to explore other cultures.

Suggested Reading Age 11+