White Peak by Ronan Frost

A man sees his life as all but over when a mass shooting leaves his wife dead. Yet, a hand reaching out to Ryerson McKenna comes in the form of a mysterious billionaire who is desperate for a cure of his chronic illness. Greg Rask is compiling a crew to help him find an answer… a group of people have a certain set of skills and need a second chance in life.

Tales of an ancient mythology that might hold the power to change the course of the disease… a power that has been sought for ages, most recently by a conspiracy-hunting group of SS soldiers. Although they are given endless resources, it won’t be easy for Rask’s crew to put the clues together. Scattered all over the world and protected by a rogue brotherhood, the ‘treasure’ will take Rye on a journey of many miles and personal healing.

Frost excels in many types of writing: Building the distinct mythos of the mysterious object of desire. The fighting scenes, from icy mountain tops to dirty back alleys. The details of outdoor adventure, climbing and survival. Each setting is described with a great skill of blending the characters with the enemy and their surroundings.

In a chilling opening scene, Rye feeds quarters in a pay phone as he tries to talk his wife out of the desperate situation of being in the middle of a mass shooting. Trauma is shared by the members of the crew. Each have returned from a pain, and now have each other to depend on.

An Indiana Jones for the modern times… A riveting pace and several plot twists that were nowhere near my predictions make White Peak the thrilling first book in a promising new series to follow.

4 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for an advanced copy for review.