The blurb really pulled me in - the mystery of just why a plain old simple map has been wiped from existence, and what is the connection with her estranged dad?

I was keen to dive in, but the first third felt really pulled out and I wasn’t seeing why there’s lots of love for this one. But then I got to the middle and I was pulled in a bit more. I found some of it fascinating - especially as phantom settlements (sneaky copyright traps) are a real thing!

Overall, I did enjoy it, I loved all the elements in this - there’s mystery, thriller, fantastical with a bit of magical thrown into the mix. Sadly, it just felt a little too drawn out for me.

After her Father’s sudden death things take a dangerous turn for Nell after she finds a familiar yet seemingly ordinary road map hidden in her fathers desk. Why had he kept it for all these years? Nell is determined to find answers no matter what it might cost her.

This story was full of mystery and intrigue and I was so excited to see where the discovery of this mystery map would lead but unfortunately it fell a little flat for me towards the end and I ended up finishing the book with a lot of unanswered questions.

#The Cartographers is a wonderful fantasy adventure. Nell is drawn into a world of mystery & intregue following the sudden death of her estranged father. What happened to her mother, who are the Cartographers & what secret are hiding in a rare map?
#NetGalley

This premise sounded amazing and just the thing I would like. And it was!! So happy I enjoyed this. Loved the atmosphere, the writing and the mystery. Some twist I saw coming a mile away, but I don't really mind.

Nell Young is called to the New York Public Library (map section) where her estranged father has been found dead at his desk. Natural causes, apparently, or could it be something else? Since Nell has never forgiven her father for getting her sacked from the NYPL over a worthless 'glove-box' road map she has mixed feelings, but gradually small things begin to add up and Nell is drawn into what appears to be a conspiracy of silence about this road map involving a shady group called the Cartographers, and powerful secrets. I love maps, so I picked this one out to review, but the pacing was a bit off, which made it a slow read. The magic, when it came, was fascinating, but it was a long time coming, so the first part of this read like a straightforward murder mystery. Maybe the clues were too subtle for me.

A lot of the story - long sections of it - is told to Nell by friends and colleagues of her parents, so there's a lot - a lot - of exposition. Nell's part in all this is to find the people (her parents' university cohort) who will relate what happened 20+ years ago as they found the magic in the map. Sadly, the magic itself, though a great premise, is not really explained.

An academic mystery with a magical realism twist.

Do you love maps? Do you love people who love maps? Then this is the book for you - every character is a cartographic genius - they live and breathe maps.
The book follows Nell, daughter to a brilliant cartographer at the New York Public Library and the man who ruined her own burgeoning cartographic career over a box of junk maps she found in the basement. When her father dies she returns to the library for the first time in ten years and starts to unravel the mystery behind her fall from grace and that of her mother's death many years earlier.

During the story Nell meets the former friends of her mother and father. They gradually reveal the events that occurred during their college years that are relevant to the plot. But these chapters show no distinctive personality - you really can't tell them apart without their names being at the top of the chapter and the story is conveniently picked up in the same place, regardless of whether the character was present for the last segment or not. These sections are essentially just info-dumps.

The main premise behind the story is interesting but the internal logic doesn't hold up (there's a rather obvious solution that the cast of PhD-laden characters fail to see).
Personally, I was hoping the style would lean more one way or the other - either more fun & adventure-y or a bit more dark academia. In the end it was rather straight-laced and humourless and I think that allowed me to focus more on the plot holes.

A diverting, easy to read, mystery with an interesting premise but it was too easy to identify the villain and the motivations of the characters didn't feel believable.

oh peng shepherd is a star. a really wonderful mystery, super intriguing, really wonderful relationship between nell and her father at the core.

3.5 stars. I loved the cosy mystery concept of a disgraced mapmaker trying to solve the mystery of her estranged father’s death, and I enjoyed all the historical mapmaking info. Nell is a great main character, whose headstrong impulses often make her life more difficult.

The novel is similarly set out to Book of M, and so your enjoyment of it will likely depend on how you feel about multiple POVs, use of letters to convey exposition, and unexplained fantastical elements in an otherwise ‘real world’ story. The twists were pretty easy to guess, which is a choice, but I prefer them to be a bit less obvious.

It felt like a mash-up of Alena Graedon’s The Word Exchange and Donna Tartt’s The Secret History. Interesting for sure, but not as unique as The Book of M.

Maps are lovely things, and this book is in love with maps. Or at least the idea of maps. So much so that every single character in it, (bar a cop and Library Trustee) is some type of cartographer. So of them, arrogantly, call themselves The Cartographers. And they hang over this "Da Vinci Code with magical maps" plot with a shaky indifference. This is a adventure, mystery fantasy that tries to fold a little bit of The Secret History into its back story, a beach read with an irresistible idea at its heart between the relationship between maps and the real world which nevertheless ignores how its actual idea would work in the real world. That isn't to say that it doesn't broadly work as a novel, but actions and motivations seem dictated by the plot rather than the characterisation.

Dr Nell Young is a cartographer, daughter of two cartographers, who was fired by her father (the head cartographer at the New York Public Library) seven years prior getting her boyfriend, a cartographer, fired in the process. Like I say, everyone is a cartographer in The Cartographers. Her father is found dead at work, not initially suspicious, but something is off and he was hiding the map that Nell got fired over, a seemingly ordinary 1930's Upstate New York road map. For something that has the feel of a jet setting adventure novel, this book doesn't get out of New York State, which is also odd because - you know - maps. Anyway in the process of her investigation into the map she meets her parents old university cohort, a bunch of cartographers who had the hubris to call themselves The Cartographers, and of course they have to say one step ahead of the cops who think she may have committed murder (the cop who is not a cartographer, the murder victim the Library Trustee - both not cartographers). It all rattles along, though it does have a habit of foreshadowing revelations that turn out not to be as mindblowing as it thinks - we go a few chapters waiting to hear about "The Junk Box Incident" which got Nell fired, which feels very tame when revealed. Not one you'd never speak to your father again for seven years about perhaps. Or maybe you'd want to know why...

The Cartographers big problem is in the piecemeal release of information - all the characters are trying to protect Nell from a threat that actually feels kind of nebulous. Superlatives are thrown around too which don't quite work - the mapping company is part of a conglomerate as large as Google and Amazon combined. Nell herself is well drawn and her flaws are somewhat understandable (if only from her terrible parenting). But slabs of expositionary prose often slow the book down, and for want of not wanting to uncover the logical flaws in its own premise, it also seems to forget that there is much more wonder too that could have been teased out of it. A fun quick read, but I was a little frustrated that the bigger picture (which I am sure Shepherd considered in previous drafts) seemed to be shunted for rote family drama.

In my other life (away from SFFWorld) I have spent a fair bit of time with maps (although perhaps not as much as some people may think.) I do like a good map, it must be said, both for its usefulness as well as its intrinsic beauty. This applies to fictional and non-fictional maps as well – I have a map of Middleearth and a copy of the world map by Moses Pitt from 1681 on my walls at home, amongst others.

A map is filled with places and things that you may never have seen or have heard of, and I am sure that that is part of pleasure of staring at a physical map, whether real or imaginary. Certainly, one of the most re-occurring discussions I’ve come across about Fantasy novels is “Should there be a map?” and I have lost count of the number of times there has been an outcry when a map has not been provided. I was once told by someone that they “read a map like others read books”. Whilst that is not me, I must admit that I find that there’s a certain degree of romance, of associated history and provenance about a physical map that engages beyond the Google Maps of the 21st century.

With all of this in mind then, I must admit that I was looking forward to Peng Shepherd’s latest book, which is a tale of maps, forbidden knowledge and friendship.

Nell Young is a young woman ostracised from her dream job of working in Maps Division of the New York Public Library (NYPL). An unfortunate mistake led her to her being fired, an argument over a seemingly worthless, mass-produced highway roadside map.

It doesn’t help that the firing was instigated by her father, Dr. Daniel Young, one of the most respected cartographers in the world who also works at the NYPL. As a result, Nell has not spoken to her father in over seven years. She now works for Classic Maps and Atlases, a company who produces replica maps for owners to hang on their walls and impress their friends. The irony is not lost on the reader.

The death of her father results in Nell’s reluctant return to the NYPL, where she uncovers a secret that involves a much sought-after item kept hidden by her Dad, and one that people may have been killed for.

Her determination to get to the truth of her father’s death and work out what a hidden message means leads to Nell re-establishing contact with her estranged boyfriend Felix, who now works for digital mapper Haberson Global, and meeting some of her father’s long-lost friends. Through the backstory, we are then told of other events also unknown to Nell - how her father and dead-mother Tamara met, and how the friendship group all worked together at university to then become distant after her death.

I think that the most important thing for this book to work is whether you buy into the key conceit that maps have hidden treasures. It generally worked for me,  as there’s more than a touch of Bradbury-ian Americana in there, but I can see why some might baulk at such a fantastical premise.

As a book about the mystery, history, and ineffable romance of maps, it’s wonderful. It is a story that celebrates maps, both old and new, that accepts the digital age but also celebrates the old with a seemingly - innocuous map from the past.  The sense of history and of truth being stranger than fiction is emphasised by the point Peng makes in her afterword that tells us that one of the oddest parts of the story is based on a true event, which adds to the surreal nature of the tale.

The relationship between the friends mainly told in backstory is rather engaging too, and there’s a nicely done fledgling romance that’s not too awkward.

My only issue is that as much as I love the idea, the central conceit doesn’t seem practicable – I’m tempted to say ‘logical’, under scrutiny.* Whether what happens could be kept a secret all this time seems unlikely, as much as the author tries to make it seem rational, and at the end I was wondering how all this could have been sorted early on with a scanner and a printer….

Consequently, although the book begins very well, it doesn’t quite work for me at the end. It’s a case of too many plates spinning at once, leading to loose ends, plot inconsistencies and a disappointingly convenient conclusion that all too apparently sets things up for another book.

Nevertheless, there’s an awful lot to like here, even if it doesn’t quite work at the end. For those who like mysterious journeys, can suspend their sense of disbelief and enjoy a little romance The Cartographers may be for you.



* but then this is a fantasy novel!

What a great story and I love the facts behind the inspiration for it too. This book is a proper adventure story along the lines of The National Treasure films. I liked the flash backs and the way the past was told from the perspective of different characters bringing the story to the present. A really enjoyable read.

Is it possible to fall in love with a book? To find your soulmate in its words? This is what this book means to me. I’d read about 4% of it before I’d realised it could fight for the title of my favourite book I’ve ever read, and that opinion didn’t stop by the time I’d finished.

Who knew maps could be so glamorous or thrilling. I have next to no knowledge of maps - much like the next person - but this book really makes them seem like a fast world to be in. Physical maps may be surplus these days to sat-navs and the like, but this book has shown me the appeal.

It’s tantalising, full of secrets and red herrings, passionate and thrilling, full of magic, love, friendship, grief , families, lies, truth and trust, and above all, hope.

You finally get to grips with it, you’re comfortable in what is going on, and then Peng flips it all on its head and you’re back to square one. Is anyone or anything exactly what you think they are? It’s multi-layered, expertly planned and written by Peng Shepherd. I can’t even begin to think about how difficult it would have been to keep on top of the story’s threads.

It feels absurd that this is partially based on a true story, but it is. I only found that out after I’d finished reading it, but it instantly gave it a new light. There’s a magic to this book and in turn, a magic to maps I never thought of before.

I might have been given an advanced e-copy of this book, but as soon as I can, I will be buying a physical copy of it and insisting everyone I come into contact with gets a copy too.

The Cartographers is a beautifully balanced mystery that’s sure to map its way to your heart.

It begins from a niche perspective of a family of mapmakers, but soon blooms into a relatable and universal exploration of loss, hope, family, togetherness, and belonging. It has everything: mystery, intrigue, romance, grief, a cracking concept, and at its heart, a determined cartographer called Nell.

Nell is easy to root for. She’s strong-willed with a heart of gold, and she really does take a journey through the book. From the first spark of tragedy when her estranged father is found dead, to her rekindling of a lost love, there’s something cathartic to be found in the secrets the book keeps hidden, the secrets burning away at Nell until she discovers the truth about the world and the truth about herself. The magic of The Cartographers lies in the way the story reveals those secrets.

There are two main plot strands that run through the book, both centred around a mysterious map. One is Nell’s story in the present day as she seeks to understand why this controversial, seemingly worthless map drove her away from her father. And the other is told from the perspective of her father’s friends, detailing incidents from years before, revealing clues as to the bigger picture and what’s really going on. Nell’s quest for answers casts her in the role of detective, doggedly pursuing the truth, and her father’s old friends are the witnesses and suspects. It’s an expertly paced mystery, and the places this map will take you are as fantastic as you hope for.

There are a few illustrations and technical drawings contained in the book, along with a distinctive compass rose. These extra flourishes really highlight what’s so wonderful about The Cartographers. Taken without the narrative, these maps are little more than cold, sterile blueprints. But in the context of the story, they’re a clue, a message, a memory, a portal, a treasure. They’re warm and inviting, and they possess a magic that can’t really be translated any other way. If you love maps, you’ll love them even more after reading this. And if you’ve never even thought about the beauty of maps before, this book will get you seeing them in a totally new light. But this story isn’t really about the maps. It’s about relationships and people and what brings us together. And in that regard, it absolutely succeeds.

There’s so much this book gets right. Like any good map, you’re aware of the destination the book is leading you towards, but the way it takes you there is very pretty indeed. If you follow the twists and turns in the road, you’ll discover some poignant and revelatory sights, and by the time you arrive at the end, you’ll feel very, very glad for having taken the trip.

After her father's death Nell finds an old road map hidden in his desk and recognises it as the one which caused their estrangement years previously. As she tries to find out why a seemingly worthless map was so important to him she is drawn into a mysterious world of conspiracies, murder and burglary. It makes for a good read but I found the flashbacks to be rather an intrusion, not in their being there but the style in which they are written. Also, I found the motivation of some of the characters to be less than convincing.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

#TheCartographers by Peng Shepherd is about Nell who had her promising career in cartography completely derailed by the discovery of a seemingly harmless gas station map. But all is not as it seems and the map maybe hiding secrets of it’s own.
I was hugely intrigued by the concept of mysterious, magical maps and secret societies of academics hunting them. I was immediately drawn into the story, reading about 20% of the book in one go. But unfortunately the novelty of the concept alone couldn’t sustain the plot for long.
I felt that the execution of the premise was lacking in many ways, especially when it came to the flashbacks scenes. The way they were inculcated into the present timeline seemed very inorganic and the interruptions that disrupted the flashbacks just before the big reveal felt very obvious. The rationale for the characters acting the way they did was also not very convincing.
All this is not to say that the book was bad, I did breeze through the book surprisingly fast and didn’t find myself bored at any point. I just feel that if it was just a tad bit better executed, this could easily have been a 5 star read.
If you are into mysterious maps, buried family secrets, dark academia, murder mysteries, then this upcoming title releasing on 15/03/22 might be worth a shot!
Rating: somewhere between 3 and 3.5 ⭐️

Mix Dan Brown with the Nick Gage National Treasure films, and use the quirky (and true) fact about maps that John Green's Paper Towns highlighted and you get The Cartographers. When her estranged father dies, Nell Young finds an old state map hidden away in his belongings. This old map is the reason they were no longer talking, but as Nell starts to investigate, break-ins and more murder follow her. As she starts to track down the shadow group The Cartographers, she finds old acquaintances of her father might provide the answers to the biggest mystery of her life. Very fast paced, which is probably for the best as there are a few moments were the internal logic contradicts itself.