White Peak

March 4, 2019
This intriguing thriller from the pseudonymous Frost (The Memory Man, as Steven Savile) ventures into Da Vinci Code territory, complete with puzzles, the Holy Grail, and Nazis. Wealthy businessman Greg Rask, who’s dying, offers Ryerson “Rye” McKenna, a skilled mountaineer, the opportunity to avenge his wife’s killing at the hands of mall shooter Matthew Langley. Rask arranges for Rye to spend a night in prison under a false name with Langley, and the next morning, Langley’s body is found hanging from a pipe. In return, Rye joins Rask’s team, which includes a thief, a linguistics expert, a former Soviet intelligence operative, a tech guru, and an African warrior, whose mission is to retrieve a sacred stone, which has been broken into three pieces and is located in a lost city in the Himalayas that a special unit of Hitler’s SS discovered decades earlier. One piece has healing powers, with which Rask plans to cure himself. Meanwhile, members of an occult brotherhood try to kill Rye and crew to protect their ancient secrets. The satisfying open ending promises more adventures to come. Credible characters and swift, unrelenting action make this a winner.